by Black Bubblegum

DOWNLOAD: Cable - "Gulf Of Texaco" (MP3)

After a 2006 split, noise-core killers Cable are back in the saddle and testing new directions with The Failed Convict, on their new LP out on August 18th via The End Records. The band toured last year in support of the reissue of Variable Speed Drive on Translation Loss (their former home, and current home to Rosetta, Javelina, etc) and recorded Convict in March at Studio G in Brooklyn with Joel Hamilton (Unsane, A Storm of Light) documenting the entire thing for Lambgoat. The Connecticut band has scheduled a few dates surrounding the release of The Failed Convict, including a pair of NYC dates: Union Pool on August 15th and Europa on Sept 17th. In the meantime, dig on the new Cable track "Gulf of Texaco" above!

Full tour dates, as well as a video of the band performing "Sunday Driver", are below.

Continue reading "Cable - new album, new MP3 & some upcoming shows (dates)"

by Black Bubblegum

DOWNLOAD: Hull - "Architect" (MP3)

I have no idea if Hull read sheet music, but if you were planning on transposing their new LP Sole Lord, there would probably be alot of fortes and fortissimos. I guess that's what happens when you have three guitars churning out an earthshaking doom-riff call & response.

Don't get me wrong, Hull's debut LP, Sole Lord is no one-trick pony. While drawing from the thunder of Isis and early Mastodon, the band also creeps in soaring melodies that border on Torche territory. The self-produced effort featuring art by Josh Graham (who spent this weekend in Roadburn) drops on May 26th via The End Records (who are also putting out the new Lemonheads). One of those tracks, "Architect", is available for free download above!

Hull has a few dates laid out in the coming weeks, including May 4th at NYC's Lit Lounge with Rumplestiltskin Grinder, and a show at The Charleston on May 26th with Flaming Tusk and The Witches Tit. All dates and album art below...

Continue reading "Hull releasing new album - here's an MP3 & some NYC dates"

The Lemonheads have signed to Brooklyn, NY-based The End Record and will be releasing their long-awaited covers collection, Varshons, on June 23, 2009.

Varshons was produced by Gibby Haynes [ringmaster of the Butthole Surfers], mixed by ex-Cornershop guru Anthony Saffery, and features [Evan] Dando along with Vess Ruhtenburg (bass) and Devon Ashley (drums). The collection is filled with strange bedfellows - from G.G. Allin to Texas troubadour Townes Van Zandt and garage rockers The Green Fuz. The Lemonheads make each track their own, with help from actress Liv Tyler, singing back up on Leonard Cohen's "Hey, That's No Way To Say Goodbye," and Kate Moss, who sings over the dance groove of Arling & Cameron's "Dirty Robot." Also featured on lead guitar and backing vocals throughout most of the album is John Perry, on loan from The Only Ones. [press release]

With that record on the way, the Lemonheads and Evan Dando have a summer of gigs scheduled for the UK, Europe and North America. Those shows include a stop at the Bowery Ballroom on Thursday, June 25th. Tickets go on AmEx presale Wednesday, April 29th at noon. General sale starts Friday, May 1st at noon.

Dando's last proper gigs were part of a short solo tour in December 2008. That stopped in Hoboken and Brooklyn. Since then, he's been spotted around town. One appearance took the form of an impromptu show with record producer Gibby Haynes at Gramercy Park Hotel's Rose Bar...

On March 15, former [?] Lemonheads frontman Evan Dando joined Gibby Haynes of the Butthole Surfers onstage for a brief but sweet four-song set.

"You cocky-ass motherfuckers can suck my fucking dick," Mr. Haynes told the crowd of pretty men in velvet jackets and handsome ladies in slinky black dresses, who seemed largely disinterested in the music that night. "Pay attention to Evan Dando!" [NY Observer]

All tour dates, with Varshons track list and art, below...

Continue reading "The Lemonheads - a new covers album & 2009 Tour Dates "

by Black Bubblegum

DOWNLOAD: Goes Cube "The Only Daughter" (MP3)

Goes Cube (photo by Bryan Bruchman)

In cooking, it's called a reduction. If you filled a pot with post-hardcore from the 90s and simmered it down to the essence, that culinary delight might be Goes Cube. They cherry-pick the best moments from Quicksand, Helmet, and Jawbox, and deliver it with a thunder that would make an Orange amp technician proud. Don't take my word for it though, check out "The Only Daughter" from their debut LP Another Day Has Passed available for download above.

The new album is preparing for blast off via The End Records on May 12th. Produced by Dean Baltulonis (The Hold Steady, Sick Of It All, Most Precious Blood, others), the LP marks their fourth release over all, counting their now-sold-out EPs Beckon The Dagger God, Not What We Thought, and Hutchinson.

Goes Cube wrecked Hardcore Night this past Saturday (April 11th), and just two days after Another Day Has Passed hits store/digital shelves (May 14th), they will play a record release show at the Studio @ Webster Hall with Jones Street Station, The Austerity Program, Constants, and Red Beard. Ticket info is forthcoming, but they only cost a measly $8!

The Austerity Program are currently working on some new material and recently played Europa with Young Widows.

All Goes Cube dates below....

Continue reading "Goes Cube - new MP3 from their debut LP + upcoming shows "

words & photos by Black Bubblegum

Ancestors @ Room 710 in Austin - March 19, 2009

My SXSW adventure began Wednesday morning at the airport. Talk about starting things off on the wrong foot! A woman fell into a diabetic coma (she was ok later that morning) on my 6:30AM flight. That led to an unplanned stop in NOLA which was followed by a layover in a fogged up Houston Airport... to say I was a little late to our own day show at Emo's was an understatement. Unfortunately, Trash Talk were wheeling their amps out the door when I got there (which meant I also missed Garotas Suecas and Psychedelic Horseshit), but I managed to catch Trash Talk vocalist Lee cruising around, with a microphone grill imprinted on his forehead. His pain, our pleasure...

Continue reading "Black Bubblegum's SXSW-metal recap - part 1 "

by Black Bubblegum

Primitive North Art By Josh Graham

As originally discussed in July, A Storm of Light and Nadja have announced the release date for their sort-of split LP Primitive North due on the Robotic Empire on March 3rd, 2009. The record will feature two new tracks by A Storm of Light, a new one by Nadja, and remixes of each track by the other party. A Storm of Light's Josh Graham did the cover art for the album. That's it above.

In related news, Graham will provide the art for the new record by Brooklyn's own Hull who announced today that they have inked a deal with The End Records to release their LP Sole Lord. No release date yet. In the meantime, you can check the band out at one of two dates the band has lined up in the next two weeks... 12/12 at Union Pool with Apeshit & Ancient Sky, and 12/19 as part of Unsound with Zozobra (mems Cave-In), The Austerity Program, Heavy Winged, and Cowards. Flyer for Unsound below.

A Storm of Light released And We Wept The Black Ocean Within earlier this year... and we interviewed Josh Graham about it. The band will headline Europa on Feb 15, 2009 with faves Zoroaster, Amenra, and I, Parasite (tickets here). All dates below...

Continue reading "Hull signs with The End, A Storm of Light & Nadja's split LP, tour dates & stuff"

by Black Bubblegum

DOWNLOAD: Jarboe - "The House Of Void" (MP3)

The mythical, mystical Jarboe drops her latest spiritual spiral into darkness, Mahakali, on The End today (10/14). Featuring appearances by Attila Csihar (Mayhem, sunn 0))) collaborator), Phil Anselmo (Pantera, Down, Superjoint Ritual), Josh Graham (Neurosis, A Storm Of Light, Red Sparowes), and Kevin Hufnagel (Byla, Dysrhythmia),check out "The House Of Void" by the ex-member of Swans available for download above! The rest of Mahakali is available for streaming at Rhapsody and for sale in one of two limited edition versions with exclusive tracks.

The new Jarboe is one of two noteable releases due today on The End, the other being Early Man's new EP, Beware The Circling Fin. Mike Conte of Early Man sat down with the Metalsucks guys and dropped off an MP3 of "Sinking The Blade" for download.

sunn 0))) will be in town on Oct 15th (wednesday) with Tony Conrad & Thou (sold out). Don't expect to see Attila however, the sunn 0))) shows are to commemorate the 10th anniversary of The GrimmRobe Demos.

Jarboe doesn't have any upcoming shows scheduled at the moment. Early Man has a few...

Continue reading "Jarboe releases Mahakali (MP3), Early Man out today too "

photos by Chris La Putt

This year did not exactly begin on a high note for Mike Conte. In January, his band, Early Man, split from Matador, their label of three years, following a somewhat disappointing run. The breakup, for those who pay attention to these types of things, shouldn't come as much of a surprise: The pairing of a retrograde thrash-metal act with the imprint behind Cat Power and Belle & Sebastian was on its own enough to spark up the ol' authenticity debate, riff unheard. [The Village Voice]

Black Bubblegum wrote, "Early Man have announced that they have signed with The End and will release a new EP this fall produced by Jack Endino! Early Man is currently on the road with Valient Thorr and [played] the Bowery with Monotonix on July 25th." More pics from that Bowery show below...

Continue reading "Early Man - Bowery Ballroom pics, an EP on The End "

DOWNLOAD: Fader Issue 53 mix (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Fader Issue 53 (PDF)

Spin did a feature a month or two ago on the resurgence of disco. Andy from Beta Blog did a bunch of interviews with James Murphy, Morgan Geist, Mike Simonetti, Dj Harvey, Johnny Jewel (of Glass Candy), and Thomas of Rub 'n Tug for the piece. He's printed up the interviews in their entirety on his blog and Daughters of Invention has the links to all of them in one little piece. Take some time to read these: all very recommended.

A little more recent, FADER caught up with Glass Candy in Portland and put together a nice profile and a few videos. RCRD LBL has a remix for download.

Speaking of FADER, they most properly shed some light on DFA behind the boards producer gone solo Eric B and his Sticky Disc record label. Listen to the fantastic "Keep on Move" over there.

Glass Candy is on (and Johnny Jewel and Mike Simonetti run) Italians Do it Better, so is Professor Genius. Stream a Professor Genius track over at Pitchfork.

The venerable London club The End is giving away music via a downloadable mix series called "Recommends." You have to register, but these cats know what they are doing. If you are in London, drop in on Durrr or any one of their fabulous rave ups.

Tickets are on sale for an August 6th Soulwax show at Irving Plaza.

Not sure where the idea that Matthew Dear is either "euro" or a "hipster" DJ is coming from, but it seems Hot Chip fans got a treat when his "Big Hands" outfit opened (and did a song with) Hot Chip on Tuesday.

-david