by Bill Pearis

DOWNLOAD: Dive - Sometime (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Caged Animals - Teflon Heart (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Caged Animals - Girls on Medication (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Heaven's Gate - Weakness Worms (MP3)

Toys & Tiny Instruments

It's a fairly quiet post-ATP weekend, which is fine. And the big stuff (Jens Lekman, James Blake) is sold out. CMJ is coming up in less than two weeks, and I plan on taking it (fairly) easy until then. (More than anything else, I'm stoked for the Breaking Bad finale on Sunday!) But there is, as always, stuff going on that's worth your time and coin. So this week I'm just going to do an extended version of the day-by-day picks.

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 6

Anika at Glasslands.

Dive, the new band from Beach Fossils dude Cole Smith, is easily the hardest working group in Brooklyn right now. You can see them tonight at Death by Audio on a pretty stacked bill of locals. I've caught Dive a couple nights now and am really impressed with their energy -- dark and motorik (not totally unlike Captured Tracks labelmates Soft Moon) -- and Smith's ability to spin around and play in clothes six sizes too big for him.

Dive also plays tomorrow (10/7) at 285 Kent with Night Manager and ex-Sweetbulbs band Heaven's Gate (who have a new MP3 to download at the top of this post) and Friends.

The rest of the show is good too. Caged Animals is Vin of Soft Black's new band. There are MP3s above and you can read more about them here. The show is also a record release for Spanish Prisoners' new album, Gold Fools, which you can stream in its entirety at the bottom of this post.  It's been a while since I checked in with them... it's a really nice record, especialy the single "Rich Blood" which you can download for free from their Bandcamp. Also playing are Quiet Lights who might fill the void for lovely loud guitar pop left by Dirty on Purpose.

Over at Cake Shop are the Toys and Tiny Instruments Band who do not play live very often. It's exactly as it sounds, seven or eight folks playing songs on kazoos, melodicas, penny whistles, plastic guitars and other toys and tiny instruments. (Not unlike Pianosarus for those whose memories go back to '80s obscurities.) They are way better than you think they're going to be.

And at Public Assembly it's electronic psych rock pioneers Silver Apples who play with MNDR, Lemonade, Ital and Todd Pendu on DJ duty. Another worthy show.

continued below....

Continue reading "Dive, Caged Animals, Ladytron, Taste of the Seaport, Psychic Paramount & more in This Week in Indie"

The Psychic Paramount at Cake Shop (more by BBG)

The Rock Yard returns with its third show of 2011 at The Morgan on 9/3 (first was with The Growlers, second with Danny Brown). The full lineup this time, as partially mentioned before, is Pictureplane, White Hills, The Psychic Paramount, Wise Blood and The Realness (aka MVSCLZ). The show, The Psychic Paramount's only current date, pops off at 2PM and is FREE. Details (set times, etc) are below.

The show is one of two dates for Pictureplane that week, who will also hit Cameo Gallery on 9/1 with Autre Ne Veut. Tickets are on still sale. Pictureplane also participates in the upcoming "Check Yo Ponytail Tour" with Spank Rock, Big Freedia, The Death Set, and Franki Chan. That tour hits Brooklyn Bowl on 10/29 and tickets are on sale.

Pictureplane played PS1 over the weekend with help from Juan Maclean, Sloange, Blood Orange, Ford & Lapatin, and Grimes; check out pictures HERE.

White Hills will jet to the West Coast for some dates shortly after the Rock Yard show and then after two weeks, will head to Europe for a string of dates. Check out their tour sked, their new video for "Paradise", all dates and Rock Yard details below...

Continue reading "White Hills playing Rock Yard w/ Psychic Paramount & others -- dates, video & stuff "

by BBG

The Psychic Paramount @ Cake Shop

I had my mind blown twice at Union Pool last night: first by the smoke-machine fueled power of The Psychic Paramount (modern instrumental acid rock? Incredible!) and then by Disappears whose new material written with Steve Shelley is groovier, a little slower than their pedal-to-the-metal first albums but equally awesome. (More Neu!, less Stooges.) -[Bill Pearis]

I'd have to agree with that sentiment even though my experience was with the show last night (7/27) at Cake Shop with Spectre Folk. Besides their ongoing dates together, Krautrock is the tie that binds the two; The Psychic Paramount's reverb-drenched prog adheres closer to psychedelia while Disappears uses Krautrock groove as a jumping off point for punk-infused songwriting. Both bands were impressive, albeit in very different ways.

If quality was measured in volume, The Psychic Paramount would win hands down. The band's big bang live show is sustained by near infinite looping run through similarly endless reverb; they literally have reverb for their reverb... mics that capture the band's sound and run it through a Fender twin reverb. Though loud is always good, you definitely don't have to be good to be loud. The Psychic Paramount is most definitely good.

If you can, catch Disappears on the road in the coming months with either The Psychic Paramount or OBITS. Tour dates and more pictures are Cake Shop, where they played with Spectre Folk, are below...

Continue reading "The Psychic Paramount & Disappears played Union Pool & Cake Shop w/ Spectre Folk (pics)"

by Bill Pearis

DOWNLOAD: Twin Sister - "Bad Street" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Your Youth - What Smarts (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Metronomy - "The Bay" (Clock Opera Remix) (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Class Actress - Keep You (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Sonny and the Sunsets - I Wanna Do It (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Sonny and the Sandwitches - Throw My Ashes from This Pier When I Die (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Night Beats - Puppet on a String (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Craft Spells - After The Moment (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Craft Spells - Party Talk (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Gardens & Villa - Star Fire Power (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Gardens & Villa - Star Fire Power (MP3)

Oh man it's another crazy week. Let's get into it. Tonight's free SummerScreen in McCarren Park tonight is pretty hard to pass up. Not only are they showing the John Hughes classic Ferris Beuller's Day Off (which is 25 years old this year!) but they got Twin Sister to play before it. In addition to performing lots of songs from their forthcoming album on Domino Records, Twin Sister will also be debuting the music video for their single, "Bad Street." You can download the MP3 of that at the top of this post.

Speaking of MP3s, we've also got one up there from Your Youth who are also playing SummerScreen tonight (6:45PM) and couldn't be more different from Twin Sister. "What Smarts" is a new track from the local duo who are kind of proto-grunge punk. Catchy stuff.

It would be really cool if, say, Your Youth covered "Beat City" by The Flowerpot Men and Twin Sister maybe did Dream Academy's "The Edge of Forever". (Why has Ferris Bueller never gotten a posthumous soundtrack release?) Probably won't happen but one can hope. In addition to the movie and the bands, there's loads of giveaways and such.

Metronomy

The show I am absolutely most excited about this week, without a doubt, is Metronomy who play Hudson River Rocks on Pier 54 on Thursday. Metronomy's third album, The English Riviera, just got nominated for the Mercury Prize (sure to lose to James Blake) and got its stateside release yesterday. As I wrote previously:

The new record retains Metronomy's slightly askew, claustrophobic sound while broadening its scope. There's glammy funk ("We Broke Free," the Roxy-ish "She Wants"), a guitar pop ("Everything Goes My Way," a duet with Roxanne Clifford of Veronica Falls), waltz-time ballads  ("Trouble"), and more typical Metronomy-style twitchy disco ("The Bay," "Corrine."). It's also got one of the 2011's best singles, "The Look."

It's definitely one of my favorite albums of the year. (Their last album, Nights Out, was my favorite album of 2008.) The vinyl version comes with the CD which is a trend I would like to see all labels doing. Highly recommended. Watching a few live performance clips , I'm glad to see they're still wearing stick-it-and-click-it lights on their shirts that was a highlight of their old stage show -- even though they're a proper band now (they didn't used to have a drummer).

Also playing the Pier 54 show is American Royalty and Class Actress whose debut album Rapproacher is out October 11 on Carpark. You can snag "Keep You" at the top of this post. Do get there early for openers American Royalty who came out from L.A. just for this show. I caught them at SXSW this year and they kept me entertained on Saturday evening when I was basically burned out on seeing live music. You can check out their hodgepodge electro sound via their Bandcamp page. And if you want to see them again, American Royalty play Lit on Saturday (7/30).

If you want to keep the party going on Thursday after Metronomy, head over to Glasslands for all your sissy bounce italodisco soulclap free booze needs. New Orleans Vockah Redu is like Big Freedia but with more choreography and a subscription to Vogue. (Check out the video at the bottom of this post.) They also play the PS1 warm-up on Saturday. Also playing is Portland's Miracles Club, who played PS1 last weekend. Jonathan Tobin is DJing, it's My Open Bar's 5th anniversary, it's a party.

Sonny

What else is going on this week? Sonny & the Sunsets are backfor the first time since October, playing Mercury Lounge on Friday (7/29) and Glasslands on Saturday (7/30). Have you checked out Sonny's new album, Hit After Hit? As I wrote previously:

Unlike last year's laid back and folky Too Young to Burn, the new album is more of a party --inspired by '60s pop and garage. Opening track "She Plays Yo-Yo with My Mind" cribs liberally from The Standells' "Dirty Water."

At least a couple of the songs on Hit After Hit (including "I Wanna Do It") are reworked versions of songs written for Smith's 100 Records project which you might have caught at the late Cinders Gallery last summer. Embued with Smith's (and fellow Sunset Kelley Stoltz) encyclopedic knowledge of pop and his wry sense of humor, Hit After Hit's a great little record.

Tourmates for this go-round are fellow Bay Area residents The Sandwitches who were described by Sunsets drummer/producer Kelley Stoltz thusly: "Imagine a 60's Girl-group is on tour and their van breaks down near a gothic castle high on the hill, Dario Argento invites them in to perform a concert for his tweaked actors in a big dark red room inside and, if the dream is right, it's the Sandwiches - they'd fit right in with those misfits and speak the same language. I'd like to be there to dance."

Sonny Smith put out a record with The Sandwitches last year, so I'd expect to hear those tracks at these shows. Check out one of them, the twangy, mournful "Throw My Ashes from This Pier When I Die" at the top of this post. I caught Sonny last year when he toured with Kelley Stoltz and it was a great show. Sonny doesn't get enough attention i don't think, so do try and make it to one of these shows.

The Night Beats

Seattle trio The Night Beats are currently on tour with The Black Lips opening for sold out shows at Bowery Ballroom on Friday (7/29) and Maxwell's on Saturday (7/30). But if you wanna catch them in a non-sold-out enviroment, free of the Black Lips, they play Sunday night (7/31) at Shea Stadium with Sweet Bulbs, Dinowalrus, Liquor Store, and Yvette.

The Night Beats' stomping debut is out now on Trouble in Mind. I caught the band at the label's party during SXSW:

I got there as Seattle trio Night Beats were just starting. Never heard them before, but really dug their psych-garage sounds, and they definitely looked the part. They ended their set with a cover of The Count Five's classic "Psychotic Reaction," giving their version a little swing which made it their own.

Check out "Puppet on a String" from their TiM debut at the top of this post. The Shea Stadium show is solid, I like all the bands on the bill.

Craft Spells

Speaking of Seattle, Craft Spells are back in town, playing Mercury Lounge on Saturday (7/30)  -- their first area show since playing here back in April. Live, they eschew the keyboards that are so abundant on their Captured Tracks album in favor of a guitar-oriented line-up which works just fine. (It's very Orange Juice.) They are young and enthusiastic and the songs are ridiculously catchy.

The band are on tour with Santa Barbara, CA's Gardens & Villa who are dreamy and synthy and danceable (kinda like Tony Castles). Their debut album just came out via Secretly Canadian and you can download two tracks from it at the top of this post. Also playing are local synthpop act Selebrities whose free downloadable EP evokes favorable comparisons to all sorts of '80s groups. You can download a free EP from Selebrities here.

Eternal Summers

And finally, don't forget about this Sunday's Beach Party at Beekman Beer Garden with Raveonettes and Eternal Summers. The Raveonettes new album, Raven in the Grave, is a slow burn compared to 2009's poppy In and Out of Control but no less enticing and I've always enjoyed them live. And Eternal Summers can do no wrong for me right now. This will be a very fun show, and likely the first where they might have to turn people away because of capacity so come early. Free!

Ok, that's the main stuff I'm highlighting this week but there are quite a few more recommended shows listed day-by-day below.

The Psychic Paramount @ Union Pool -- 7/26

Disappears @ Union Pool -- 7/26

WEDNESDAY, JULY 27

I had my mind blown twice at Union Pool last night: first by the smoke-machine fueled power of The Psychic Paramount (modern instrumental acid rock? Incredible!) and then by Disappears whose new material written with Steve Shelley is groovier, a little slower than their pedal-to-the-metal first albums but equally awesome. (More Neu!, less Stooges.) They play tonight at Cake Shop. Get up close and watch Disappear's bassist lay it down track after track.

There are so many shows tonight! But if you want to see three of the best bands in NYC right now, head to Mercury Lounge for North Highlands, ARMS and Hospitality. All three groups are holding onto new albums that I am dying to hear. Hospitality were incredible when they played my final Sound Bites show down at Fulton Stall Market two weeks ago.

Avi Buffalo test out new material for their second Sub Pop album at the Rock Shop tonight. With Nic Frietas.

Metronomy aren't the only Mercury Prize nominees in town this week. Anna Calvi plays tonight at Le Poisson Rouge.

Out at Bushwick's Brooklyn Fireproof, you can see The Gytters (who I wrote about last week) and Cake Shop house band Moonmen on the Moon, Man... along with Nighty Night and Beat People.

The Barr Brothers, who I really liked at M for Montreal last year, play Rockwood Music Hall tonight. They recently signed to Secret City, home of Patrick Watson & the Wooden Arms, Plants and Animals, Miracle Fortress, Basia Bulat and more.

continued below...

Continue reading "Metronomy, American Royalty, Twin Sister, Sonny & the Sunsets, Night Beats, Craft Spells, Avi Buffalo & more in This Week in Indie"

by Bill Pearis

DOWNLOAD: Disappears - Superstition (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Disappears - Gone Completely (MP3)

Disappears travel on a high-powered motorik freeway that seems to have few offramps, but the Chicago band are stopping in NYC for two shows as part of their tour with The Psychic Paramount. They play tonight (7/26) at Union Pool and Wednesday (7/27) at Cake Shop.

When Disappears last played NYC back in January, it was one of their first few shows with new drummer Steve Shelley. Even though his indie cred is beyond reproach, Shelley did have some big shoes to fill: original drummer Graeme Gibson's relentless basher style was pretty intrinsic to Disappears' frantic, hypnotic live show. Says frontman Brian Case in a nice interview over at the Voice:

Graeme and Steve are very different drummers. But they both come from the same place that's about doing what's best for the song, so that instantly eliminates a lot of "translation" issues, so to speak. There were a few songs we had to drop out of the set as they were clearly songs made for Graeme's style, but a lot of the new stuff wouldn't be suited to how Graeme plays, so it's just another step in evolution of the band. We've been lucky to have two really strong, distinctive drummers.

As good as that January show was, it was still felt transitional. Having had six months to vibe off each other -- and write a whole new album's worth of material togehter -- should hopefully have the band fully back in the groove. After their current tour, which hits the West Coast with Obits next month, Disappears head back into the studio to cut that third album for Kranky. You can stream a demo for one of the songs at the bottom of this post which sounds like they might be downshifting into a lower gear. If you haven't picked up this year's Guider or 2010's Lux, both are highly recommended.

All Disappears tour dates and the new song below.

Continue reading "Disappears are here --- updated dates & a new demo too"

by BBG

Psychic Limb at Cake Shop, the aftermath (more by Jason House)

Psychic Limb has a busy weekend in a couple weeks, as the band has been added to a pair of notable NYC shows. The first will go down at the previously discussed Coliseum/Gods & Queens date at Public Assembly, which also recently added Rise & Fall (their only NYC appearance) and Masakari (who'll also play ABC No Rio with Black Kites & Grudges that afternoon). $12 gets you in the door and tickets are on sale. The show is one of two dates scheduled for Coliseum, who'll also join The Austerity Program at Union Pool the next night (5/15, tickets).

Then the following day, Psychic Limb will join another Psychic band, The Psychic Paramount, in supporting The Dillinger Escape Plan at Music Hall of Williamsburg on May 15th (tickets). The MHOW show is a one off solo show for DEP, who is currently playing dates with the Deftones and will hit Best Buy Theater for a pair of sold-out nights (on 5/13, 5/14). The Psychic Paramount will hit the road with Disappears in July.

All of the Psychic Limb shows are in celebration of their new LP, Queens, which is currently up for preorder via Clairvoyant Recordings.... my own new record label. Recorded by Colin Marston (Krallice, Dysrhythmia, etc), the LP, the label's first release, is limited to 500 copies with the first 100 coming on opaque yellow and the remainder on black. Psychic Limb sold small runs of their LP at recent shows with Nails and Unbroken/Jesuit.

Rise & Fall will enter God City Studios on Sunday, 5/1 to record a new LP with Kurt Ballou. No word on the details behind the LP, but we'll keep you posted.

Masakari recently released the Sleep/Rot 7", which is available via Halo of Flies Records. The band released their LP The Prophet Feeds via Southern Lord last year.

All tour dates and some video is below.

Continue reading "Psychic Limb added to Coliseum & Dillinger Escape Plan shows ++ Masakari going on tour (dates)"

DOWNLOAD: Disappears - Superstition (MP3)

Disappears

Disappears combine psychedelia, punk, and reverb-soaked krautrock. The Chicago band, whose drummer is now Steve Shelley as you can see in the new band photo above (whether that is long term or not remains to be seen), will hop the pond in May for a set of European dates before heading back to the US to play a string of dates in late July and August. The Psychic Paramount and Obits will hop on the bill for different legs of the tour, and NYC will gets two shows, both with The Psychic Paramount: July 26th at Union Pool and July 27th at Cake Shop. All dates are listed below.

Disappears released their latest LP, Guider, via Kranky earlier this year. Check out "Superstition" from Guider above, if you don't have it already. The Psychic Paramount also released their latest LP II earlier this year.

Obits, whose dates with Disappears are on the west cost, played Union Pool last night (4/20) as part of a memorial for Brendan of Orphan. They also played Record Store Day 2011 at Generation Records.

Steve is also a member of Spectre Folk who play 285 Kent with Woods on April 28th.

All tour dates and some videos, below....

Continue reading "Disappears touring w/ The Psychic Paramount & then Obits (2011 dates)"

by BBG

DOWNLOAD: The Psychic Paramount - "RW" Excerpt (MP3)

The Psychic Paramount

After releasing a double-disc of solo guitar compositions and a live LP, The Psychic Paramount is back with their second full-length of new material, the aptly titled II due on Feb 22nd via No Quarter Records. Fans of ripping and proggy instrumentation take note and preorder the new LP via No Quarter. Check out an excerpt of the first track to make its way out, "RW" which you can download above/stream below.

TPP will play a record release party on March 5th at Death By Audio, snagging Talk Normal and Eleven Twenty Nine (Tom Carter + Marc Orleans) to warm the masses. The show is one of two scheduled for Eleven Twenty-Nine, who will also play Zebulon on 2/22 with the Gunn/Truscinski Duo, Marcia Bassett/Samara Lubelski and Messages.

Before the Eleven Twenty-Nine show at Zebulon, Daniel Higgs will play a special "Happy Hour" set, the second of four of such sets scheduled at the venue happening from 2/21-2/24 which is right before he plays, Issue Project Room on 2/26. The spankin' new Skull Defekts (with Higgs) will play Littlefield on April 3rd.

Talk Normal also has a few other shows in their near future, including one with Liturgy at 285 Kent Ave on 2/25, April 23rd at The Stone, and April 24th at Death By Audio with Grass Widow, Broken Water & Tara Jane O'Neil.

All tour dates, a video and that PP song stream is below...

Continue reading "The Psychic Paramount releasing 'II' & playing a show w/ Talk Normal ++ Daniel Higgs doing 4 shows @ Zebulon & more"

photos by Chris Doss, words by BBG

DOWNLOAD: Maserati - "We Got the System to Fight the System" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Maserati - "Pyramid Of The Moon" (MP3 EDIT)

Maserati

Though Jerry Fuchs is gone (but not forgotten), Maserati have soldiered on by adding all of Zombi (Steve Moore and Anthony Paterra) into the fold. Steve Moore (as a solo artist) also supported the great Maserati at Brooklyn Bowl on Saturday night, 11/13, as did the incredible Psychic Paramount. The same three bands play The Middle East in Boston tonight (11/15).

Maserati recently dropped their new LP Pyramid of the Sun via Temporary Residence Limited. The LP features some of the last recordings of Jerry Fuchs behind the kit and is out NOW. Two samples can be downloaded above. If you are on the East Coast, make sure and catch Maserati on tour NOW (Parlour becomes their opener starting Tuesday).

After the Maserati show, Brooklyn groups Midnight Magic & Punches performed at the dance party that took over the club/bowling alley after midnight. Chris stuck around for that too, so you've got pictures from both Saturday night Brooklyn Bowl shows in this post. More of them below...

Continue reading "Maserati, Psychic Paramount, Steve Moore & then Midnight Magic & Punches played Brooklyn Bowl (pics) "

DOWNLOAD: Maserati - "We Got the System to Fight the System" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Maserati - "Pyramid Of The Moon" (MP3 EDIT)

Maserati have announced a string of US dates in anticipation of Pyramid of the Sun, the band's new LP due on 11/9 via Temporary Residence Limited. The tour, the first since the untimely death of Jerry Fuchs, will feature AE Paterra of Zombi behind the kit and will hit Brooklyn Bowl on 11/13 with The Psychic Paramount and Steve Moore (who also contributed to the LP). No tickets yet, but they should be on sale soon.

Maserati recently dropped another new MP3 from the upcoming LP via Pitchfork. Check that out above and dig on tour dates below...

Continue reading "Maserati announces 2010 tour dates (and gives another MP3)"

by BBG

DOWNLOAD: Altar of Plagues - "Atlantic Lights" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Black Breath - "Children Of The Horn" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Celeste - Morte Nee(s) (Zipped LP)
DOWNLOAD: Get Rad - "Life Without A Plan" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Get Rad - "Honest Man/Wild Man" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Inter Arma - "Epicenter" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Ufomammut - Eve Snippets (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Nachtmystium - "No Funeral" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Yakuza - "Stones And Bones" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Sayyadina - "Razor Discipline" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Culted - "Spirituosa" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Year of No Light - "Hierophant" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Castevet - "Grey Matter" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Deathwish MMX Spring Sampler (Zipped MP3 files)

Twilight

Surprise! After a few CDs made their way into record stores accidentally (I am told) Twilight, the Blake Judd/Wrest project that now features N. Imperial (Kreig), Aaron Turner (Isis), Stavros Giannopoulos (The Atlas Moth) and Sanford Parker (Minsk) is out NOW on CD via Southern Lord! The record was engineered by Sanford Parker, who also contributed synths, and features eight tracks with Robert Lowe (Lichens) contributing vocals to three of them. No official word on a release date for the LP, but get out and order a copy... I think I may enjoy it more than the new Nachtmystium. Speaking of the new Nachtmystium, Stereogum recently premiered the keyboard heavy "No Funeral" from the forthcoming Addicts: Black Meddle Pt. II. Dig on that above.

Call me obsessed, but the new Black Breath, Heavy Breathing, is on serious rotation lately- much like their previous EP Razors To Oblivion was last year. The new LP has Kurt Ballou's dirty little fingers all over it, bringing their rich early Swedish death metal meets hardcore sound to life, as exhibited in "Children of The Horn" available above. Get Heavy Breathing now via Southern Lord. Black Breath will open the BV/1000 Knives/AEG Live Converge extravaganza at Santos Party House on 5/6 along with Touche Amore and Lewd Acts. Make sure and get their early (their live show is worth it), and get your tickets in advance (it WILL sell out). Seriously brutal and fun stuff... you gotta love a band that screams "reject Christ, spit on the cross" at the top of their lungs. Or am I alone on that one?

Though it only lasts two tracks (but conversely- 35 minutes), the new EP from Altar of Plagues, Tides, is every bit as powerful as White Tomb, one of my favorite LPs of last year. AoP's new Tides EP is currently up for pre-order via Burning World Records (cop it), but until that package arrives, make sure and dig on "Atlantic Lights" from the EP (50% of the record!) , which makes it's world premiere here!

An LP from last year that was just too good to be free was Celeste's Misanthrope(s). With a potent mix of black metal, furious hardcore, and even melody, it was a seriously underrated record that deserved much more attention than it got. Even though Misanthrope(s) is barely in the rear view, the band has released their new LP, Morte Nee(s) for FREE download (get it above). Make sure and order a copy of the LP for yourself via Denovali as well though, it's one to keep for posterity.

Richmond's Inter Arma totally floored me at The Charleston with their furious mix of black metal, southern stoner style and Neurosis-style imperial riffage. Besides being a jawdropping live band, Inter Arma has also put together a pretty memorable record as well in the form of Sundown, out soon on Forcefield Records. Featuring members of another great Richmond band, Bastard Sapling, check out the band when they hit the road in July, but until then, check out Sundown!

A darkness has settled over the land... details on Watain's new album have been revealed! Entitled Lawless Darkness, the effort was recorded at Necromorbus Studio (Deathspell Omega, Funeral Mist, Ondskapt, Nominon, Unanimated et al) in Alvik, Sweden, and is due on June 7 with the below cover art and the tracklisting as listed down below. The release follows their picture disc EP Reaping Death which quickly disappeared, though the CD single is currently available.

That Watain cover, plus news on Blood Revolt (Primordial + Revenge), Loss, Man Is The Bastard, Hail of Bullets, Woe, a new Inquisition LP, and more as Short Wave Warfare continues....

Continue reading "Short Wave Warfare (04/20/10)"

by Black Bubblegum

Growing at ATP NY (more by Zach Dilgard)

Growing and their bleeps, blorps, and bloops will team up with the killer guitar loop-stravaganza of The Psychic Paramount for a show at Death By Audio on June 26th, one of a pair of NYC shows for Growing. The gigs will serve as a warm-up for the band that recently became a trio (Sadie Laska of IUD is now a member of Growing) before they head out to jolly ol' England in the tail end of July.

The second NYC date for Growing is on July 10th, where the band will join Javelin, Devin Flynn & Gary Panter, Kokomo and headliner What Cheer? Brigade at Market Hotel.

The What Cheer? Brigade is a rowdy 19-piece brass band from Providence, RI. We play Luddite Hardcore, loud, mobile music requiring no electricity. We are a party band, and our sound incorporates elements of the following musical traditions: Bollywood, Balkan, New Orleans, Samba, and punk...

In short, WCB is a band in the high school drum major sense, similar to their west coast counterparts Extra Action Marching Band, playing loud originals as well as covers such as Salt n Pepa's "Push It" and The "$25K Pyramid Theme" in the video below. The band also has a few MP3s for stream and download. Their Brooklyn show is one day before they play the 2009 Whartscape Festival in Baltimore.

IUD will team up with Bloody Panda (who have Summon on the way) and the incomparable Jarboe for a show at Santos Party House on June 27th, the same night as the Growing DBA gig.

All dates and videos below...

Continue reading "Growing (now a trio), Psychic Paramount, What Cheer? Brigade, NYC shows, Whartscape 2009 & other dates "

Monday, Dec 15, 2008 // DOORS 7:00 PM // ADV $20// DOS $25

WNYU 35th Anniversary Celebration (a full club event!) with special guests Pylon, Psychic Paramount, Grouper, Ehnahre, Sword Heaven, Zola Jesus, many more!

This is currently Pylon's only scheduled show. Tickets are on sale. Watch a video of Deerhunter covering a Pylon song HERE. The reunited group came around a couple of times last year too.

This event is one more big one in the month-long celebration that is Knitting Factory's final month open in Tribeca. They close for good after New Years Eve. Bands rumored to be playing that night include Dirty Projectors, Deer Tick, Deerhoof and Akron/Family.