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| Posted: 24 Feb 2009 02:28 PM CST Black Lips 200 Million Thousand Green River Ordinance Out Of My Hands :: stream "Come On" Here We Go Magic Here We Go Magic :: stream "Tunnelvision" Illinois The Adventures of Kid Catastrophe, Chapter 5 (digital) J. Holiday Round 2 :: stream "It's Yours" (Explicit) North Elementary Not For Everyone, Just For You Port O'Brien Winter Solarcade Songs for the Gathering Taxi Doll Here And Now :: review The Catholic Comb Vampire Love :: "Vampire Life" The Morning Benders Grain of Salt EP :: download Tour Single War Child Heroes compilation Most Commented Posts |
| Fujiya & Miyagi @ 9:30 Club, Washington DC Posted: 24 Feb 2009 12:45 PM CST Fujiya & Miyagi is a cool band. Their songs sound halfway between chill out and live dance music. Like Thievery Corporation, they make music that you might hear at a hip lounge. However, Fujiya & Miyagi’s hushed, repetitive chants, big drum beats and electronic flourishes remind me most of the Beta Band. At the 9:30 Club, a huge screen of dancing animation made up completely of dice was behind the four musicians. Combined with the bob-inducing music, it was captivating and was easy to get lost in the sound. It’s clear that they are all expert musicians, as their set was perfectly constructed and executed. If they ever get tired of this band, I imagine they could have great careers as producers. Maybe they already are. In fact, that leads to my only criticism — at times it seemed like they were missing a front man, with all four band members playing a supportive role to the groove. I also wouldn’t mind if they increased the tastefully minimalist guitar work. What riffs they did play made each song more dynamic. Fujiya & Miyagi is much more energetic live than on their album and the drums filled the room with their propulsive beat. During the faster songs, it was hard to figure out why more people weren’t dancing. Songs like “Knickerbocker”, “Collarbone” and “Pussyfooting” sound as though they were designed to get the crowd moving. Then, I remembered I was in D.C. Tour Dates: Fujiya & Miyagi: website | myspace  Related Posts |
| Charles Spearin - The Happiness Project Posted: 24 Feb 2009 11:28 AM CST Charles Spearin, best known as a member of Toronto's sprawling Broken Social Scene collective, examines an inspired concept on his first solo album, The Happiness Project. Spearin recorded a selection of people of different ages and ethnicities talking, then used the natural melody of their speech as the basis for his music. The topic of the conversations, though not always approached directly, was happiness. Judged for what it is - a musical project - The Happiness Project is for the most part a success. Spearin begins the bulk of the songs simply with the interview before identifying the melody (mimicked on horns or strings) and wrapping it in a ethereal soundscape not unlike the ones heard on Broken Social Scene albums. Spearin also derives the tone and feel of most of the songs from that of the interview, with the album's moods ranging from nostalgic ("Mr. Gowrie") to blissful ("Mrs. Morris (Reprise)"). In "Vittoria", however, Spearin contrasts the weightless "like, uh…it's like, uh"s of the young girl interviewed with a dramatic Moricone-style backdrop punctuated by Spaghetti Western horns. The whimsical "Ondine" begins with a lush semi-orchestral ambiance before the small child "interviewed" whines, "but I didn't want butter!" A violin mimics his speech and matches his expression. As an album - let alone one that will likely be filed under "pop/rock" - The Happiness Project often falls short of satisfying. Tracks "Anna" and "Ondine" are wonderful and perfectly exemplify what Spearin set out to accomplish, but at a standard pop song-length of around 3 minutes they feel like snippets of fully fleshed-out compositions. It's as if Spearin were telling his audience, "There, see what I'm getting at? OK, next song." Tracks "Vanessa" and "Mr. Gowrie", on the flip side of the spectrum, are both over seven minutes long but feature far too much speech and not enough music. Rarely do any of the tracks make a strong impression for this very reason and in a way it cripples the album, which could have benefited from stronger focus on the musical side of the project, as opposed to the speech. In addition to being an interesting endeavor, The Happiness Project also manages to feel like a very humanitarian album. Spearin never fails to handle the recordings of those interviewed - many of whom speak in a distinct manner or with an accent - with a straight-faced respect, and in his music, he seeks to connect to them on a person level. The Happiness Project may not be an album with much replay value, but as a social and musical experiment, it's at the very least an enjoyable curiosity. The Happiness Project is out now on Arts and Crafts. Tracklisting: Charles Spearin: website | myspace  Related Posts |
| Hottub to join the Ting Tings on tour Posted: 24 Feb 2009 10:57 AM CST Joining the Ting Tings on their entire upcoming US tour is Oakland-based Hottub. Check out what Ting Tings’ guitarist/vocalist Katie White has to say about Hottub:
Check out the girls’ MySpace page for some kickass tunes. Be sure to make it out to a show — you can bet it will be a great time! Tour Dates: * w/ The Ting Tings Related Posts |
| Posted: 24 Feb 2009 08:45 AM CST A funny thing is happening in the Philadelphia music scene. The best music seems to be coming from an area about 30 miles northward, in Pennsylvania’s Bucks County region. With acts like Aderbat and Drink Up Buttercup, Bucks County is becoming home to some amazing acts. Doylestown’s own Peasant, aka. Damien Derose, is one such act. For coming from a town most people around the nation have never heard of, Derose has already gained some national cred. The song “Raise Today” was featured on the 2008 season premiere of FOX’s “Bones”. The most recent release, On The Ground, is nothing short of extraordinary and worthy of the recognition. Filled with unique instrumentation, simple rhythms, and vocals that evoke comparisons to Elliott Smith, On The Ground grabs from from the start. “Birds”, the harpsichord driven first song, establishes a general foundation for whats to come. Derose’s doubled vocals and self-driven choruses seems to take a page from recent folk greats like the aforementioned Smith, and the still living Bon Iver. “Impeccable Manners” walks us through the life of a man looking back on a love lost, and a life almost unlived. The aforementioned “Raise Today” asks a question probably everybody has asked at one point in their life, and can identify with. “What is there missing from me, that i see in you?”. Third to last track, “We’re Good”, makes you ask what would happen if the Beatles just had one guy singing. Whether intentional or not, the songs evokes many comparisons to the old British greats. Derose mixes in a great deal of different instrumentation on this album. With keys, guitars, and the occasional organ sound, Derose’s smooth and calming vocals add the finishing touches. Peasant is an act you almost want to keep to yourself, out of fear that next thing you know, they are filling up larger venues and you can no longer seem them from a couple feet away in a Philadelphia venue. With the music already getting national TV coverage, it is a possibly. But in the mean time, definitely check out this album and see Peasant in one of those great Philly venues, March 28th @ Johnny Brenda’s. On The Ground is available now though Paper Garden Records. Tracklisting:  Related Posts |
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