Humpday Randomnimity

I'm going to finish my tour coverage up tonight, but for now you can listen to Kebert Xela's Athfest performance at Southern Shelter. He also has a Mastodon show up from 2003.

Grizzly Bear are debuting a new song on Letterman tonight, so set your DVR.

Sunset Rubdown will be at The Earl September 24th. That is the same night as The Mars Volta, so I think I am going to try and catch some of both of those shows. Gogol Bordello will be playing at The Variety Playhouse that night too.

Of Montreal will be at The Tabernacle November 8th.

Magnetic Fields will be at the Symphony Hall at Woodruff Arts Center October 17th.

A Place To Bury Strangers and Sian Alice Group will be at The Drunken Unicorn October 18th.

Ben Kweller will be at The Earl October 24th.

Pinback will be at The 40 Watt in Athens, Ga September 23rd, but no Atlanta date.

Nas is taking on Fox News.

David Gilmour is releasing a live show from 2006 on CD and DVD in September.

Dr. Dre's Detox album will supposedly be out by Christmas and feature guest appearances from Jay-Z, Lil Wayne, and Nas.

Deerhoof have leaked a new song as sheet music.

Bon Iver did Daytrotter.

New TV On The Radio album out September 23rd.

Russia is trying to ban Goth and Emo kids.

China has banned Bjork and other "dangerous" artists from playing there.

Built To Spill and Modest Mouse are working on doing a jam session together.

Karen O has a side project.

Willie Nelson will be at Chastain July 27th.

Jay Reatard/Deerhunter split 7" sounds cool.

Get the new Vera Fang 7".

And them vids:

New Animal Collective:



"Comfy In Nautica":



Beck "Orphans":



Zach Hill "Dark Art":

Videos of The Day: Coachella 2008

Here's some vids from Coachella over the weekend:

Prince covering Radiohead:



Animal Collective "Comfy In Nautica":



Portishead "Roads":



Hot Chip "Ready For The Dancefloor":

Friday Free-Style

Bonnaroo's "Big Announcement" this week was that Widespread Panic is replacing The Allman Brothers and doing their 43rd headlining spot at the 'roo. They also added Les Claypool, Charli 2na, Super Drag, What Made Milwaukee Famous, Adele, Grand Ole Party, and The Postelles. Other than WSP, those are some decent additions, but I'm way more excited about the acts they added to the Cafe/nightclub, including Dead Confederate, Colour Revolt, De Novo Dahl, Phonograph, Bear In Heaven, Howlin Rain, and Royal Bangs, all of which are acts that I am interested in checking out. I'll be doing a piece on all the lesser know 'roo acts very soon.

Pecanne Log had the extened trailer to We Fun up, so check it:



Pitchfork Fest added Spoon, The Dodos, and Les Savy Fav. That is turning out to rather sweet line-up.

You can download a reversed version of the new Gnarls Barkley album for free here.

The RIAA spent $2.8 million dollars lobbying the government in 2007. Honestly, I would have expected that to be much higher.

The Clermont Lounge is up for sale.

Nick Thorburn of Islands talks some smack about Vampire Weekend.

Indian Jewelry has a new album coming out called Free Gold! and will be at Eyedrum on May 18th. I can't wait to catch them again.

Atlanta's Sean Costello died this week.

Outkast says the new new album will be out in 2009.

There is a Tori Amos comic book coming soon.

RZA just launched Wuchess.com.

Hella's Zach Hill has a solo album coming out featuring a ton of really cool guest musicians such as Marnie Stern, No Age, Les Calypool, and Marco Benevento.

Laura Veirs will be at The Earl on May 18th.

Earfarm points out that livepumpkins.net is really great for Smashing Pumpkins live shows.

The Fiery Furnaces are featuring String Cheese Incident's keyboardist on some of their tour dates this week.

Bill Cosby is going to drop a hip-hop album.

Some vids to take you through the weekend:

New Dan Deacon:



Animal Collective:

ANIMAL COLLECTIVE , BROTHER SPORT
by GrrrndZero

Wu-Tang:



Yeasayer:

Ohmpark's Top 10 Best EPs Of 2007

An EP, or Extended Play, is the sweet spot between a full album and a single. Typically between 10 and 25 minutes, although what has come to define the difference between EPs and LPs can sometimes be blurred. Usually EPs get a bad rap, as it carries with it connotations of being "less-than" and not good enough to be a proper album, but I like seeing variations in the art medium. There are EPs like Alice In Chains' Jar Of Flies and Radiohead's Airbag/How Am I Driving? that beat most full lengths. Also, EPs afford an artist the chance to showcase things that don't fit in the context of a larger piece of work, or explore a different sound without moving fully in that direction. Anyways, I'd take an EP of nothing but the goodness over a full-length comprised mostly of filler surrounding a few good songs any day.

In 2007 I actually heard many great EPs. A few of which I'll give honorable mentions that just missed this list that are worth-while include Joanna Newsom And The Ys Street Band, Vampire Weekend, and Black Kids' Wizard Of Ahhhs, of which I've come around a little bit on now that I've listened to it more. Here are the 10 most essential short-length albums of 2007:


10. Animal Collective : People



This EP feels more like a single, but the title song is so good that it makes this short release something special. The two songs that lie between the studio and live versions of "People" are both really cool too. People was the prologue to a banner year for the Collective.


9. Illinois : What The Hell Do I Know?



A collection of simple songs that touch on everyone from The Flaming Lips, to Beck, to Wilco in sound. There is nothing groundbreaking on this seven track collection, but Illinois do what they do well, and that's write some really sweet jams. I'm excited to see what this Pennsylvania band will do next.


8. Elevado : This World Is On Fire



On the bigger and longer side of the EP spectrum, Atlanta's own Elevado put forth one of the better local releases of the year. This self-produced effort bounces around stylistically while retaining a very connected whole piece of work. Standout songs like"Postcard From Four Walls Down", "Song of A Purple Man", and my favourite, the early-Floydy "Hypnopaedic Sunshine", kick ass and anchor this sonic journey.


7. Parade : Answer Me



I've found over the course of the year that every time I revisit Answer Me I fall in love with a different song. It seems no matter what mood or state of mind in, something on this 5 track release speaks to me. Parade are one my favourite bands in Atlanta and if you read this blog, they are mandatory listening.


6. Deerhunter : Fluorescent Grey



The local hype-monsters followed up the epic Cryptograms with this four song EP, of which the two pieces are inextricably linked and many are treating the two as one whole. I tend to treat Fluorescent Grey as Deerhunter in its most accessible and "poppy", which they also do really, really well, and more a short sequel. Either way, it's over 16 minutes of pure gold.


5. Plants And Animals : With/Avec



I've just recently gotten hip to this Montreal group and have fallen in love with this EP. At 4 songs and 25 minutes, this band can jam with the best of them while never ambling to something that doesn't feel deliberate. They do rootsy yet epic folk soundscapes that remind me of Jim O'Rourke, Sufjan Stevens, The Grateful Dead and Jeff Buckley at times, and make this release feel bigger than a full-length as you immerse yourself in it.


4. Porcupine Tree : Nil Recurring



This 28 minutes-plus spanning prog-jam fest is a collection of 4 songs from the Fear Of A Blank Planet recording session. I tend to treat it as an epilogue to FOABP, mostly because i like the ending to Nil Recurring better. It has guest stars like King Crimson guitarist Robert Fripp and FOABP songs completely redone into new songs. If you have yet to look into this band, now is the time.


3. Portugal. The Man : It's Complicated Being A Wizard



Before going in a blues-rock direction with Church Mouth, Portugal. The Man released this electronically driven piece of work, comprised of a first 23-minute song and then followed by the same song broken up into a track for each movement, creating an endless loop of music. In addition to the gimmick of the EP's structure is some of the best tunes this young and talented Alaskan outfit have done. Don't overlook this album.


2. Grizzly Bear : Friend



Grizzly Bear's follow-up to last year's mind-blowing Yellow House is longer than many full albums and packed full of redone songs, unreleased gems, and guest appearances from all sorts of indie superstars, most notably to us ATLiens is Deerhunter's Bradford Cox (Atlas Sound). Despite the jumbled mess of sources, the album itself is a fairly cohesive listen and musically it is top-notch. With this latest installment, this band is fast becoming one of my favourite of the decade.


EP Of The Year:

Moorish Idols : Moorish Idols



At less than 17 minutes, Moorish Idols make the most of it in their debut release, just pure sonic euphoria from start to finish. Lyrically the stories and characters pull you into a beautiful piece of work that is an aesthetically pleasing experience on every level. While the sound is fairly conservative relative to most of what I love, they do what they do perfectly, and it's hard for me to think of a four song succession from this year that I enjoy more. I'm looking forward to seeing what these guys do with the vast amount of potential they possess.

Humpday Randomnimity

Tonight:



This new Radiohead album is awesome. Go get that right now if you don't have it. Here's a fun little track of Radiohead and Sparklehorse covering Pink Floyd:

Wish You Were Here


If you're smart you'll pre-order the new Grizzly Bear EP Friend and get a free lithograph:



A track from Friend:

Alligator (Choir Version) [Featuring Beirut and Dirty Projectors]


The new Beach House album, Devotion, comes out in February.

Listen to the new Bloc Party single:



Watch Joanna Newsom perform a new, untitled song from last weekend:



Animal Collective on Conan:



RZA talking about The Beatles:

ATLien Bulletins

Jordan Jefferes of Atlanta's Snowden is moving up to Chicago to write their next album. He's looking for some support via their myspace:

t's crazy what some people will do to break writer's block. Kidding. Well, it's partially true. The second record needs to be ace and I need to rustle my feathers. After years of trying to break the seal and try another city I'm finally going to do it, or at least try to. I have a place lined up in Logan Square. What I need from you is the following.
- a job, part time, bartending preferred but boy would I love to get out of the service industry(resume and writing samples upon request)
- someplace to park my tiny trailer (got a driveway in the burbs?)
- junk furniture, your trash is my trea....well, it will keep my clothes off the floor
- advice - what are your favorite spots? bars, coffee, diners, scenic spots, museums, massage parlors...
- drummers, if I could take Chandler with me I would. He could saute you with his skillz. However, I may need some work done here and there and I can't afford first class plane tix every time I need a disco high hat line.

Hit me back with your contact info and I will shower you with praise and pats on the head when I arrive.

Snowden Myspace

Snowden : Anti Anti : Between The Rent And Me


Here's my pick for local show of the week:



Lenny's is brewing up a festival in November:



Shows worth looking into this week:

Animal Collective at Variety Playhouse Wednesday

Auditioning Alice at Vinyl Thursday

Rilo Kiley at Variety Playhouse Saturday


Animal Collective : Strawberry Jam : Peacebone


Rilo Kiley : Under The Blacklight : The Moneymaker


Auditioning Alice:

Video Of The Day: Animal Collective

The new AC video of "Peacebone" from the upcoming Strawberry Jam album (out September 11th) is really awesome and maybe one of the best videos I've seen all year. Remember the conglomeration of fauna will be at The Variety Playhouse on Wednesday September 26th. Enjoy:

Torrents Of The Day: Animal Collective

So first, Here's a show from a month ago:

Animal Collective - 5.30.2007 Charlottesville, Va.

Animal Collective
5-30-2007
Satelite Ballroom
Charlottesville, VA

Source:
FOB: Nakamichi CM-701 (DIN) > Apogee mini-me > Fostex COP-1 > iHP

Transfer:
Wave > Soundforge 6.0 (normalize/fades) > CD wave (tracking) > flac

No Setlist


And then here's a torrent of the Animal Collective show last year at the Variety Playhouse:

Animal Collective 2006-03-19 Variety Playhouse Atlanta

Animal Collective
2006-03-19
Variety Playhouse
Atlanta

SP-CMC-4(AT853s) -> SP batt box -> IRiver iHP-120 (rockbox)
Front row center balcony
Tracked with CDWave, fades and normalized with SoundForge 8.0, Flac level 7.
Taped and transferred by Ben Seibert.


01. Flesh Canoe 9:19
02. Fireworks/AMV 9:47
03. Peace Bone 5:33
04. Big Big Beat 10:05
05. Safer 11:50
06. Reverend Green 8:31
07. Cuckoo 8:09
08. Chores 9:22
09. Grass 4:31

01. Street Flash 9:06
02. Banshee Beat 11:15
03. We Tigers 3:14

Monday Mash-Up

Grizzly Bear and Feist will be at the Variety Playhouse June 15th.

Animal Collective is going on tour but the closest they get to Atlanta is Birmingham, AL. Here's a video:



Snowden is going on tour with Kings of Leon and The Features, and all three will be here at the Tabernacle on June 1st.

Cable and Tweed has some tracks from the Sufjan Stevens show at the Fox Theater last September.

Beirut are working on a new album.

Smashing Pumpkins have a tracklist for the upcoming Zeitgeist due out July 7th.

The Decemberists are doing some dates with an orchestra and will be playing with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra on July 13th at Chastain Park.

Gorillaz are retiring, except maybe a movie.

The Chemical Brothers have released a tracklisting for their new album, We Are The Night, due out June 19th.

Bright Eyes is heading out on tour and will be at the Fox Theatre on June 18th.

Pete Yorn has been added to Bonnaroo.

Calvin Johnson is releasing an album called Calvin Johnson & the Sons of the Soil tommorrow on his own label, K Records , and will be at the Drunken Unicorn on June 6th. Here's a video: