So Pitchfork told me that Andrew Bird is blogging for the New York Times now. What? You don't believe me? Alright, fine, maybe they didn't tell me, like, in person, but I did read it there which is pretty much the same thing. Duh.
ANYWYAYSSSS--
Being famous must be nice because you don't have to start small--you just get invited in to stuff that's already big. I'd probably be pissed if he were blogging ABOUT music for the NY Times, but since he's blogging about writing songs from a musician's point of view, it's totally forgivable. Cause in case you hadn't noticed, I'm pretty incapable of writing about music FOR musicians. In fact, I'm pretty incapable of writing about music for anyone other than people who don't know the first thing about the technical side of music. So it's cool. Bird's no competition.
EXCEPT FOR THE FACT THAT HIS WRITING IS POSITIVELY GRIPPING! Jeeze man. I totally wasn't interested in how to write a song, but go read his blog guys, seriously, cause remember how I said I wasn't interested? Well I am now. Taste the first paragraph:
In about a week I will load up my car with amplifiers and guitars and drive to Nashville to begin recording my next record. I don’t drive much anymore and I’m glad for that except that I used to write a lot while on the road. Solitude, boredom, and the desperate need to entertain oneself are ideal stimuli for songwriting.
Mariee Sioux's debut LP came out last year and got a lot less hype than it deserved. Released by Grass Roots Record Co., it is a spiritual, poetic, and musically un-ordinary journey into the mind of the young Native American from California. Guest musicians on Faces in the Rocks include grammy-nominated, Native American flutist Gentle Thunder, and Sioux's father Gary Sobonya on mandolin. The Nevada City native recorded her debut LP "with the intent of aligning the magnificence of the human voice with the universe’s creative energy". She has toured with the likes of Brightblack Morning Light, and is currently on tour with Alela Diane. A single from the debut LP, 'Two Tongues at One Time,' was recently released rare 7” vinyl and is referred to as "a sonnet-filled homage to the ancestors who traversed the wild lands of America hundreds of years ago." The song is guilty of "reminding listeners of our vital ties to our past."
Keeping with the current trend of really spectacular, folk-esque, female musicians (Alela Diane, Marie Sioux, Fascinoma) The Orphan Review brings you a new favorite. Miss Basia Bulat is Ontario's own warbling nightingale, whose debut LP Oh, My Darling! was released in the U.S. through Rough Trade U.S.A. on February 5th of this year. It's an extremely musical recording totally packed with strings, and the Motown/Stax/Beatles/Beach Boys influenced composer is vocally reminiscent of a classier Kate Nash (my apologies for the trite comparison). Anyway, Basia Bulat is getting set to tour with Devotchka on their post-Coachella U.S. trek, which will unfortunately not stop in Los Angeles. Better luck next time, I guess. But it's kind of okay, because Bulat has (quite recently) recorded a session with (what might just be Orphan's favorite website ever, for obvious reasons) Daytrotter dot com. That the entire world can download for free. So that totally makes up for us Los Angelenos NOT getting a live taste of Basia Bulat. Right? And this video of Basia performing 'Snakes and Ladders' live in Brussels helps too huh? Pshhhtyah, right. Sorry dudes, but it's all I got.
Assuming some of you don't know: Hot Chip are those British electro kids that brought you that poppin little dance track, called 'Ready for the Floor,' that came out back in January and has been remixed by everyone under the sun (to the point where some of you probably haven't even heard the original version. Fix that now--you can listen and read).
Why it bears mentioning: I heard the song on the radio last night and realized how good it is--I even put it on a mix CD I made for a dude who listens mainly to metal. I TOTALLY love it. This morning I went to add it to my myspace profile, and what I found on Hot Chip's myspace page is quite frankly the best internet marketing campaign for an indie artist, ever. It was all aimed at promoting the album that was just released on February 12th, Made In The Dark. The major is now on a[n extremely well designed] Facebook App that hosts "The Hot Chip Triathalon." At midnight on March 31st, the winner of this trilogy of memory games will be whoever holds the highest score in the Facebook App. The prize: 2 round trip tickets to see the band in NYC on April 12th (airfare, hotels, etc.--but London to New York only--outlanders are ineligible). The fact that there are only 37 active users means that if you happen to be reading this and you live in the UK you really DO have a fighting chance.
The campaign also includes an official Hot Chip YouTube page and a link to download the new album's title track for free. You have to fill out a form first, but that form is actually your entry to win all formats of the album and & new single “Ready For The Floor” (released January 28th 2008). Read the Terms and Conditions.
I know, it's a lot to digest. Just make sure you chew your food, and wait at least 30 minutes to go swimming after you eat.
Dear Portishead: I'm Sorry I Downloaded The New Album So Early
I was so overly excited to hear the new Portishead record, Third, which is scheduled for release on April 29th in the US, that I jumped the gun and figured out how to download the whole thing for free. Two weeks ago. I kinda feel like I ruined Christmas or something. BUT I JUST COULDN'T WAIT. And you know what? I wish I had, because I totally spoiled the surprise and made the entire thing utterly anti-climactic. I didn't get the chance to get stoked when the band made the first single off the album, Machine Gun, available for purchase/download through their website last night, and I didn't even bother to take a gander at the video until just now AND IT IS SO GOOD! Maybe the actual video isn't too amazing, but god damn this song is good. I've listened to the album several times but not until watching this video did ANY of it It make me feel like I was listening to Portishead in 10th grade again. Which is something stupidly sentimental and I won't even pretend that I can actually make any of you understand what I mean. (but does anyone know where the sample at the end of 'Western Eyes' comes from?)
Anyway, they're being real top-secret about all this, so go to the website and sign up so you can watch the video, buy the song, and and swoon over it all for yourself.
I'm just not sure if I say it enough. Actually, I'll take that back--I'm totally sure that I DO NOT say it enough--Steve Albini, I love you, I love Rapeman, I love Big Black, and I love Shellac. Seriously this man writes like the most bitter, petty, cathartic, and universally comprehensible lyrics I can think of. He thinks the same psychotic, homicidal thoughts that you do when you find out that your girlfriend has been sleeping with your sister, but he has the guts to say it--LOUD. Really fucking loud. Steve Albini writes like, the best, meanest, craziest, heaviest, TOUGHEST, bitter, angry, break-up music I can think of.
Example #1: Copper - This song is track 8 on 1998's Shellac release, Terraform. Once when I was pissed at this stupid kid (I'm not getting into it) I played this song on loop for like 5 hours. I think I even made a 7-minute-long pissed off video of me destroying the shit that he left at my house, and I KNOW I pissed off all 11 of my heroin-junkie roommates. But it wasn't my fault: I blame said behavior entirely on the one line from the song. But I blame my speedy emotional recovery on the same line: "Copper, you will never be gold." (read more lyrics)
Example #2: Big Black - Songs About Fucking - 03. Bad Penny--(what's with the copper motif?)--I remember this record from when I was like 16. It came out in like 1987 or something, but my parents weren't that cool--I was left to my own devices to fight off Barbara Streisand and Supertramp. I'll admit, it was hard, so I didn't hear Songs About Fucking for another 13 years. I like 'Bad Penny' for reasons I can't really say here--I can only direct you to watch the video, and if you don't understand after that just go read the lyrics. Sorry dudes, I promised the Orphan Powers That Be that I'd try to watch my language.
Example #3: Shellac - 1000 Hurts - 01. Prayer to God--The only thing I really need to say about this song is that it's scared the shit out of my ex boyfriend when I played it at full volume while he was at my house picking up his things. The video will do the rest of the talking.
So now that we've established Steve Albini pretty much owns at life, here's the kicker: Shellac is touring this year. STOKED. Punchline: check out WHERE they're touring. TOTALLY NOT STOKED. I'm gonna go throw something now.
03-25 Rio de Janiero, Brazil - Teatro Odisseia 03-26 Buenos Aires, Argentina - Niceto Club 03-27 Santiago, Chile - Galpôn Victor Jara 03-28 Porto Alagre, Brazil - Garagem hermetica 03-29 Sao Paulo, Brazil - Clash Club 04-01 Bauru, Brazil - SESC 04-02 Sorocaba, Brazil - SESC 05-02 Berlin, Germany - Maria um Ufer * 05-03 Dresden, Germany - Scheune * 05-04 Wroclaw, Poland - W-Z * 05-05 Prague, Czech Republic - Palace Akropolis * 05-06 Weis, Austria - Alter Schlachthof * 05-07 Vienna, Austria - Szene Wien * 05-08 Ljubljana, Slovenia - Gala Hala * 05-09 Zagreb, Croatia - Zedno Uho * 05-13 Skopje, Macedonia - Club Castro * 06-07 Paris, France - Villette Sonique
Nothing reeks of high school more than day-glo graffiti, awkward make-out parties, football games, boys obsessed with fornicating, cheerleaders, rollerskates, and the Fresh Prince of Bel Air. Nothing, that is, except for maybe the Teenagers MySpace page. The visuals included in this post are really only a tiny fraction of the serious gems that make up the collage I used to have inside my locker that treasure trove of all things pre-mature ejaculation. I hope the only reason it took me more than a minute to realize that these 3, certainly-over-25-year-old men CAN NOT BE SERIOUS, is that I didn't get much sleep last night. Truth is, their brand of 90's inspired synth-pop (sounds gross, I know...) is quirky--it's like a mock boy-band that does it WAY better than the real thing. They are talented dudes with a serious sense of humor so convincing that it probably goes unnoticed.
(how fitting is it that they got famous on myspace????)
It's positively undeniable: these dudes are hilarious. Normally I wouldn't host a download for a song that came out as a single like two days ago, but The Teenagers offer a pretty good incentive to make the purchase. They released three different versions of the single, each version on a different color 7 inch vinyl: red, white, and blue (all super limited editions, of course, and rought five bucks each). The 7 inches feature 4 different versions of the title track (feat. tepr and delorean remixes as well as a cover by soko) and two B-sides ('Trouble' and 'Tiger'). Safe to say they've made it well worth the purchase (which can be made here), so I've got no qualms with offering up the MP3 to the loyal readers of the Orphan Review.
The sophomore release of Minneapolis quartet Tapes 'n Tapes isn't a departure from the style established in 2006 by their debut release, The Loon. Apart from the not-so-subtle similarities in the cover art, the two releases are musically quite akin. Actually, it seems like the foursome intended Walk It Off to be more than just a second album, but a more relaxed continuation of its angsty and neurotic (and slightly Violent Femmes-esque) predecessor. Unfortunately, only the seasoned Tapes 'n Tapes listener will be able to fully appreciate (or despise) what the band has done with the upcoming release. The songs are crisp and catchy, with drums so clean they almost sound electronic.Walk It Offgallops ever-so-steadily from the first beat to the last, and when it's over, the absence of sound is discomforting.
Photos: Leslie Hall and Michael Mangia @ the echoplex!
Sorry dudes, but The Orphan Review will not be posting a review of Friday's Leslie & the LY's show at the echoplex. I'm sure it it was terrific and all, but Michael was so busy preparing for this week's SXSW festival in Austin (if you see him around say hello!), that I didn't even get a chance to ask him for one. Luckily he added some photos from the March 7th show to his myspace before he went to mess with Texas. Check it:
Orphan Recommends: Don't Miss These Shows, Los Angeles
TONIGHT, March 7th
@ the troubadour: The Virgins Delta Spirit Port O'Brien at the Troubadour TONIGHT. Get there early because Port O'Brien plays first and they are worth it. buy tickets here.
@ the echoplex: if you're not into the whole folk thing, go see Leslie and the LY's in echo park. If you miss it, check here next week for a review of the show.
Alrigiht, I'll admit it. I've been lagging. I haven't been giving you ANY news, and now you're totally out of the current musical loop. I'm sorry. But if you haven't been lagging, then you've already had the chance to hear the new single from the Breeders, Bang On. And maybe you think it's really weird and un-breeders-like, and a sort of half assed attempt at a comeback, but maybe you've downloaded it already anyway. If you have, it's also possible that you know that the SEVERLY over-priced coachella ticket isn't the only place you can see them this year:
Because of the fact that all of this was news to me this morning when I woke up and (finally) decided to renew my subscription to the human race, I'm gonna pretend like it's news to you this afternooon. You are welcome.
I like it when new music is good. I'm sure you do, too. So naturally, imma be pretty into the Fleet Foxes. And I bet you will be, too. Because I've been in hiding for a while, it's entirely possible that this band is old news, but I'm gonna take my chances and say that you probably HAVEN'T heard them yet. So get on it.
(and let me know if you agree with me, cause contrary to how it may seem, I AM interested in your opinion.)
Anyway, their EP, Sun Giant, is out on Sub Pop and it reminds me of like, Cease to Begin era Band of Horses (which I could just call 'current' Band of Horses) mixed with Black Mountain and the Manson Family. Only, without girl singers and less weird. Does that make sense? You can buy it from insound for like 6 bucks by clicking here.
The five piece hails from Seattle, WA and are playing at SXSW a bunch. Check their myspace for specific details, and if you're lucky enough to be attending that spectacle, make sure you do not miss them. For serious.
Fleet Foxes. Sun Giant. Learn it. Know it. Download it. Or something to that effect kthxbai.
It was fun seeing Rickie Lee Jones last night. Last night I left the warm/suffocating nexus of my domicile and ventured out to Echoplex to get laid (just kidding). She was 1/2 way into her set, singing to a roomful of people seated just to see her do her thing. At first she was hard to see -- camouflaged by the video projections and piano -- but her voice came out like the twisted trumpet it is. A weird swan. It was quite good to hear that voice. You know it's famous going in -- I heard it at the top of the stairs of the Echo and knew it was her. It's distinct --no question -- but what makes it? That it has a right to exist, to sound tight and nasal, and still feel everything. You can hear the insides of her nostrils rubbing together and somehow it's. . .soulful.
My favorite part of the show was just seeing how her body ("There's enough of me to be a gang.") worked to conjure up sound. . .Arms flapping, fingers flying, hair tossing, wise cracking.
As another journalist might quip (not I) --more of you to love, Rickie, more of you to love (for the record - this is the best answer to anyone complaining of self-fat).
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