Tuesday, 14 December 2010
VideoTape #33
Soars, "Throw Yourself Apart"
Director: Jamie Harley
from the ST LP, out now on La Société Expéditionnaire
Sunday, 12 December 2010
Fresh Blood > Dandy Little Lions
Dandy Little Lions
> Brooklyn, New York, US
> Indie-Pop
MP3: "Wintersong"
from American Kids EP (Daisy Nites, 2010)
[Download the whole split - with Tropical Punk and The Liberty Belles EP here]
> Dandy Little Lions:
«Pop is not a bad word. It was this realization that led to the first bedroom-recorded tracks of Dandy Little Lions. Ever since Jake Forney’s original one-man inception with nothing but two (spray-painted) gold Casio keyboards, the number one priority has always been the production of tracks that satisfy the electro-pop pleasure center of the brain. Employing undeniable synth hooks and Depeche Mode-influenced verses woven between shout-a-long choruses, Dandy Little Lions' music works as well sweating at a packed party as it does cross-legged on the living room floor.»
Fresh Blood > Calm Palm Vapor
Calm Palm Vapor
> Chicago, Illinois, US
> Post-Shoegaze, Space Motown
MP3: "Run The Tables"
from the album Morning Pacific (self-released, 2010)
MP3: "Everyday We Grow"
from the album Morning Pacific (self-released, 2010)
[Get the debut album here]
> Pierogi of Calm Palm Vapor:
«Calm Palm Vapor, pioneers of 'Space Motown', honed their craft in the barrio, but now are winning over audiences wherever they play. Comparisons are difficult as Space Motown is a new genre and it's boundaries are set by each Calm Palm Vapor release/performance. However, if you're looking for something new, music with blissed out guitars and triumphant melodies contrasted with Motown bass and beats, Calm Palm Vapor should be your next exploration. These tracks will not be found on the radio, lucky you, you found them here.»
Fresh Blood > Mariage Blanc
Mariage Blanc
> Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, US
> Indie-Pop
MP3: "Whatever You Say I Am"
from the ST album (self-released, 2010)
[Purchase the second Marige Blanc's release here]
> Josh Kretzmer of Mariage Blanc:
«Mariage Blanc is a five piece indie-pop band from Pittsburgh, PA. Later this fall we'll be releasing our first LP. Last January we started recording in an unheated warehouse / studio space that we had built ourselves the previous spring. At first, it was extremely cold, then our master tapes fell apart, then some equipment died. Not fun. As the weather got warmer, things got easier and we finally finished recording in July.
Put simply, we play pop music with a big emphasis on melody and arrangement. If you like The Zombies, Ambulance LTD, Elliott Smith, etc... then you might enjoy our music as well.»
Put simply, we play pop music with a big emphasis on melody and arrangement. If you like The Zombies, Ambulance LTD, Elliott Smith, etc... then you might enjoy our music as well.»
Saturday, 11 December 2010
Sunday, 7 November 2010
Live Recording > Sun Araw at Passos Manuel, Porto
Sun Araw Live at Passos Manuel
Porto, Portugal 04.11.2010
Porto, Portugal 04.11.2010
Recording Equipment: CA-14 > STC 9100 > Tascam DR-07
Just a few weeks after the release of his new EP Off Duty, Cameron Stallones aka Sun Araw -- who is also responsible for one of this year's essential LPs, On Patrol -- played a much anticipated gig in Porto. The concert took place last thursday in a small downtown cinema and was part of Sun Araw's european fall tour with live collaborator (and Sohni Chambers partner) Nick Malkis.
Using reverb-drenched guitar lines, looping pedals, haunted organs, old-school samples and Stallones' mantric vocals, Sun Araw took us on a splendid sonic trip that has as much of adventure as it has of nostalgia. And I think this audio recording pretty much captures that cosmic, past-meets-future blending of tropical psychedelia, dub, drone, reggae, free-jazz and afrobeat that makes Stallones one of the most interesting and creative artists from the prolific city of Los Angeles.
I can't figure out which are the missing songs from the setlist so they might be new tunes or just something that I'm not recognizing -- any hints would be appreciated. As a teaser, I've uploaded below Sun Araw's stunning cover of Neil Young's "Barstool Blues". Enjoy!
Setlist:
1. Last Chants | 2. Canopy | 3. Heavy Deeds | 4. Ma Holo | 5. ??? | 6. ??? | 7. Barstool Blues (Neil Young Cover) | Encore: 8. Horse Steppin'
Sun Araw - Barstool Blues Live (Neil Young Cover) by ashtapes
Download: Sun Araw Live at Passos Manuel
Tuesday, 2 November 2010
Interview > Raw Moans
Raw Moans' first album we want it beautiful NOT REAL makes me think of a gray, cloudy city with tall, abandoned buildings, all their windows covered in dust and dirt. The songs are eerie, minimalist reworkings of R&B songs from the 90s. Joseph Vorachack's voice sounds both melancholic and warm, even when he is singing explicit verses from Snoop Dogg's "Ain't No Fun (If the Homies Can't Have None)." Joseph wrote out responses to notes I had made for a proposed phone interview, and I retrofitted questions based on my notes to his responses.
Saturday, 23 October 2010
Fresh Blood > Thunder Bunny
Thunder Bunny
> New Jersey, US
> Psychedelic, Folk
MP3: "The Whole World Gathered To Watch Him Fade Away"
from the In A Perfect World cassette (Workerbee Records, 2010)
MP3: "Sleepy Head"
from the In A Perfect World cassette (Workerbee Records, 2010)
[Get In A Perfect World here]
> Christopher Padula / Thunder Bunny:
«I guess I'd say that Thunder Bunny is gloomy, psychedelic drug-pop or the sounds of a world of dark and sad sex as heard through a tin can.
I love distance in music but for it to still have power... Like a storm that you may hear but doesn't always hit. Music that through it's meloncholy says "there is nothing left to do but f#ck".
I listen most to music that takes you places. The way Chet Baker's or Astrud Gilberto's voice can drift with you down a stream. My favorite songs ever are "I'll Be You Mirror" and "Moon River". Some songs can make the world end.
I really just write folky pop songs on an acoustic guitar and that to this point has always been the first thing I record. But all the while there is a hundred things in my head. So once I get the acoustic down to a click; it's just one thing after another. It's a challenge sometimes to remember everything because I don't really know how to play any of these instruments and I have left the studio having forgotten to put instruments in a song that I'd intended to...»
I love distance in music but for it to still have power... Like a storm that you may hear but doesn't always hit. Music that through it's meloncholy says "there is nothing left to do but f#ck".
I listen most to music that takes you places. The way Chet Baker's or Astrud Gilberto's voice can drift with you down a stream. My favorite songs ever are "I'll Be You Mirror" and "Moon River". Some songs can make the world end.
I really just write folky pop songs on an acoustic guitar and that to this point has always been the first thing I record. But all the while there is a hundred things in my head. So once I get the acoustic down to a click; it's just one thing after another. It's a challenge sometimes to remember everything because I don't really know how to play any of these instruments and I have left the studio having forgotten to put instruments in a song that I'd intended to...»
Fresh Blood > The Liberty Belles
The Liberty Belles
> Rhode Island, US
> Surf-Rock, Lo-Fi
MP3: "Lights Out Ready To Go"
from American Kids EP (Daisy Nites, 2010)
MP3: "Western Wood"
from American Kids EP (Daisy Nites, 2010)
[Download the whole EP here]
> The Liberty Belles:
«The Velvet Underground and the Beach Boys had a love child. This love child grew up listening to The Damned, abusing Adderral, and stubbornly believing in Love. He records songs in a basement in Rhode Island, and his name is The Liberty Belles.»
Fresh Blood > Dunes
Dunes
> Los Angeles, California, US
> Post-Punk
MP3: "Armor"
from the Old Souls 7" (Art Fag Recordings, 2010)
MP3: "Handle"
from Dunes 12" (Mexican Summer, 2010)
[Get the ST EP here]
> Dunes:
«Dunes is an LA-based trio, who bend timeless, ornate darkness into new and forlorn forms. The three artists have deconstructed the classic instrumental set up and rebuilt from the drums up, creating tools for their own dreamy vision of pop. Their inspiration forms itself in themes from outside forces to inner balance. Though serious in musical intentions, they do bring a fun and kinetic element to their live performances. Roommates and bandmates but mostly just friends, Dunes keeps it cozy in their home, serenading their neighbors and drawing inspiration from their living room walls.»
Thursday, 21 October 2010
Photos > Abe Vigoda + Male Bonding + No Age > XOYO, London
From the dawns of Kid City, tropical punk wildhearts Abe Vigoda have accostumed their thirsty audience with a constant reinvention of their signature sound. Throwing Shade at previously acclaimed Reviver and Skeleton, they charge into a packed XOYO with happiness fueled Pure Violence, reminding us of the live energy that made us love them in the first place. Crush(ed).
Nothing Hurts like the sound of the Paradise Vendors - London based trio Male Bonding prepares us for No Age with Weird Feelings and a mosh-pit induced Crooked Scene. Nothing Remains, only sweat and smiles.
Come the headliners of the night, LA-based, California-raised Life Prowler(s) No Age. Prepare for the usual bombastic live performance, and forget about everything else - a Brain Burner sound that leaves us Fever Dreaming with Ripped Knees. Everything in Between shines in Glitter colors, explodes in extreme crowd surfing and leaves us, as usual, wanting for more and more.
Nothing Hurts like the sound of the Paradise Vendors - London based trio Male Bonding prepares us for No Age with Weird Feelings and a mosh-pit induced Crooked Scene. Nothing Remains, only sweat and smiles.
Come the headliners of the night, LA-based, California-raised Life Prowler(s) No Age. Prepare for the usual bombastic live performance, and forget about everything else - a Brain Burner sound that leaves us Fever Dreaming with Ripped Knees. Everything in Between shines in Glitter colors, explodes in extreme crowd surfing and leaves us, as usual, wanting for more and more.
Saturday, 16 October 2010
Interview > Mickey Mickey Rourke
Mickey Mickey Rourke, a project Los Angeles resident Miller Rodriguez began just this year, is already one of the most prolific musicians in the current quasi-scene of somewhat-ambient, sometimes-R&B-influenced, lo-fi musicians. Under the motto “Make pretty things and never be seen,” Miller not only makes blissfully meditative drones, but also more concrete tropical psychedelia in his collaborations with Lester Brown as Mickey Brown and, most recently, he’s branched out to structured, lo-fi pop songs.
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