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| Golden Bloom 7″ Giveaway and Philly show! Posted: 24 Mar 2009 05:39 PM PDT
Golden Bloom - “Doomsday Devices” To enter to win one of three signed 7″ by Golden Bloom, leave a comment! Winners will be drawn randomly on Sunday, March 29th! And be sure to head to the show at the Manhattan Room that night to catch Golden Bloom in all their live glory, along with a cameo by yours truly. Hope to see you there! Golden Bloom: website | myspace Related Posts |
| Posted: 24 Mar 2009 03:15 PM PDT Back when Fever To Tell came out, I wasn't quite sold on the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. Sure "Rich" was a pretty cool song, "Dance With The Night" was tight and "Maps" has become a minor classic, but the album (particularly its second half) was underwritten, trying to make up in character what the songs lacked in composition. It's hard to blame them for trying though, as the Yeah Yeah Yeahs have always had character to spare. Karen O's art-chic cool allowed her to pull off the role of punk front woman without resorting to the tired riot grrrl image while Nick Zinner's endless supply of concrete riffs provided her with a partner in crime just as fierce and original (The other guys were good, too). They had all the style, but maybe not quite all the substance – yet. The band's follow-up, Show Your Bones won me over in a big way. While it traded a great deal of David Sitek's dense, noisy production for Squeak E. Clean's more subtle approach, the trade off was a perfect fit for that album's more personal material. More importantly, the album (particularly its superior second half) delved more into the vulnerability of Karen O that we were given a glimpse of in "Maps". Whereas some may have seemed justified in trashing the Yeah Yeah Yeahs for being all flash but no bang based on Fever, Bones succeeded in fully debunking that viewpoint. And for those not entrenched in their pretensions, it proved that perhaps there was more to the Yeah Yeah Yeahs than we may initially have thought. Whereas the band's New York contemporaries The Strokes and Interpol failed to sustain their creative momentum past solid sophomore albums, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs have not only managed to retain their brilliance the third time around, but have continued to grow, change, build upon past successes and adapt to the current movements of indie-rock on the phenomenal It's Blitz. Blitz's sound may not be the expected logical evolution for the band, but it clearly proves itself to be a logical evolution. The album finds a wonderful balance between the noisy, dance edge of Fever and the more fragile, vulnerable pop of Bones. There's also a strong club influence spread over the album, particularly on "Zero" and "Heads Will Roll" (indie DJs: you'll want these). Luckily, Zinner's just as imposing and exciting a presence with a synth as he is with a guitar. Sitek's production work is characteristically dense, though this time everything is enveloped in a ethereal sheen (possibly the contribution of co-producer Nick Launay?) that further distinguishes Blitz from the other items in the band's catalog. "Soft Shock" and "Skeletons" in particular are more gauzy and dreamlike than anything the band has released up to this point. Blitz is without a doubt the Yeah Yeah Yeahs' most consistent album to date; something that is both a pro and a con in relation to past albums. There's not a weak track on the album but there's also no dynamite standouts on the level of "Maps" or "Cheated Hearts". "Zero" and "Heads Will Roll" are the rockers; "Skeletons" and "Hysteric" are the softer, sweeter songs; but the dynamic has been shortened, with neither being too extreme in either direction. Could it be a reflection of Sitek's evolution as a producer, considering some had a problem with Dear Sciences,'s lack of rough edges in comparison to TVOR's past work with him as well? Perhaps. By any measure, the consistent quality of the material makes this only a very minor qualm. Blitz may or may not be the Yeah Yeah Yeahs' best album (I think the second half of Bones puts it just a bit ahead), but it is unquestionably another incredible entry into the Yeah Yeah Yeahs' increasingly impressive discography and proof that these Brooklyn art-punks might just hold it out for longer than anyone could've guessed. It's Blitz is out on Interscope March 31. Tracklisting: Yeah Yeah Yeahs: website | myspace  Related Posts |
| Posted: 24 Mar 2009 02:26 PM PDT Toronto-based duo MSTRKRFT are back to pound us into submission with their second album, Fist of God. This thing is heavy, and not just musically — it features more collaborations than an average rap album, and most of those featured could be on an average rap album, especially if that album came out a few years ago — Lil’ Mo, Freeway, John Legend, and Ghostface Killah all feature, as does N.O.R.E. “It Ain’t Love” starts things pretty brutally and sounds like a cross between Justice and the Prodigy, which isn’t a bad thing. The album stays pretty relentless throughout; “1000 Cigarettes” is one of the few all instrumentals and adds some Daft Punky squidgy synth with some cowbell and hand claps that manage to not sound ironic. It’s quite great, but the cartoon-like drama fades straight into “Bounce”, the N.O.R.E. featuring party track. Not the most innovative as far as the lyrics go — it seems to fail where most rap-dance tracks fail in that N.O.R.E. just repeats some cliched lines, in this about partying being the only thing he does, and calls it a (easy) day. The musical elements are great though and will probably do as what is described on the lid — get that party bouncing. “Heartbreaker” switches things up a little, bringing in some soul and warmth with John Legend singing, and toning down the hardcore raveness a bit by adding a nice piano loop. It proves to be a brief respite though, as the next few tracks go back to the pounding beats and by-now samey synth elements. Having a trademark sound is one thing, but at times it feels like the only way to tell tracks apart on Fist of God is via the collaborators — which may explain why there are so many of them. Every song going straight into the next, and almost every track being only a little over three minutes, doesn’t really help things. In fact, it makes me wonder just how punishing their live show must be; while there are some nice old-skool techno elements, especially in the uplifting sounds of last track “Breakaway”, one of the worst phrases of recent times also comes to mind — ‘rap metal’! Some of the tracks definitely work on their own, but Fist of God is a little too much for one sitting. Now point me to the chill-out room please. Fist of God is available now. Tracklisting:  Related Posts |
| Posted: 24 Mar 2009 11:45 AM PDT Busta Rhymes Back On My BS :: stream "Hustla's Anthem 09″ Comet Gain Broken Record Prayers Dan Deacon Bromst The Decemberists Hazards of Love Ida Maria Fortress Round My Heart Jeremy Jay Slow Dance :: download "Love Everlasting" Jim Jones Pray IV Reign Little Brazil Son Harlem Shakes Technicolor Health I.U.D. The Proper Sex Israel Houghton The Power of One Jim Jones Pray IV Reign Obits I Blame You :: "Pine On" Pearl Jam TEN (special edition) Red Red Meat Bunny Gets Paid: Deluxe Edition :: "Gauze" The Peekers Life in the Air These Green Eyes Relapse To Recovery Tortured Soul Did You Miss Me? :: "Did You Miss Me?" True To The Game compilation Winter Gloves About A Girl Related Posts |
| Win a Fender Squier compliments of The Slants Posted: 24 Mar 2009 10:35 AM PDT Portland, Oregon-based Asian outfit The Slants have teamed up with Squier Guitar, by Fender as well as Shonen Jump, Shojo Beat Magazine, and one of the largest anime conventions in the country, Sakuracon, to offer fans a chance to win a limited edition Squier Vintage Modified Precision Bass customized by The Slants’ founder and bassist, Simon Young. The bass features artwork from the band’s debut album, Slanted Eyes, Slanted Hearts, as well as some detail work by Young himself, which mirrors the custom Fender Jaguar basses that personally plays. The bass is one of a kind and will be crafted in Fender’s custom shop.
No purchase is necessary to enter. Fans must simply fill out the entry form, available at http://www.theslants.com/basscontest for a chance to win. Contest rules and regulations are available at the site. Fans may enter until April 12, 2009, when The Slants will give away the bass on stage during their concert at Sakuracon; runner up prizes are being graciously donated by Shonen Jump, Shojo Beat Magazine, and Fender. The Slants are currently riding high on the emerging popularity of their debut full-length, an album full of new wave, synth, pop, and danceable rock, all with an Asian flavor. The album has catchy hooks, smooth harmonies, and anthemic choruses - everything that a solid record should have. And it has been catching the support of a new breed of fans: anime watching, video game playing, manga reading kids who are in love with the band’s sound and show presence. The Slants: website | myspace | @ sakuracon  Most Commented Posts |
| Gorillaz ‘Bananaz’ Documentary debuts tomorrow Posted: 24 Mar 2009 08:45 AM PDT The long-anticipated Gorillaz documentary, Bananaz, will premiere exclusively online for global audiences at Babelgum.com on Monday, April 20th! Lucky New York readers can catch a screening today, March 24th at the Soho Apple Store at 6:30PM. The screening will be followed by a Q&A with director Ceri Levy. If you can’t make it to the screening, you can peep trailers (as well as other exclusive Gorillaz content, clips, and footage) at Babelgum. Bananaz is an un-sanitised, free-wheeling documentary film, taking down the virtual walls of Gorillaz in an intimate, honest and often hilarious account of the working relationship between Damon Albarn and Jamie Hewlett and their extraordinary creative process.
Babelgum: website | Gorillaz  Related Posts |
| Posted: 24 Mar 2009 07:45 AM PDT I had no idea what to expect when I began listening to Funeral Party’s Bootleg EP. What I got was a disco influenced rock extravaganza. Or at least as much of an extravaganza a 3 song EP can be. The opening track, “Carwars” is irresistible, and you can nearly hear the ’70s girl band A Taste of Honey sing “Boogie Oogie Oogie” over the driving drum work. But instead of smooth, black girl vocals, we’re treated to the wrenching half-sing half-scream vocals of singer Chad Elliott. One could see this song fitting in at a dance club as easily as it would in a hipster living room party. Following “Carwars” is “Chalice”, a somewhat darker, more industrial feeling song at first, with the metallic sounding percussion…until the guitar line comes in. While not as catchy and intoxicating as the first track, it’s still splendid. The vocals leave something small to be desired, for me personally, as Elliott’s wails are mostly on pitch…almost. However, I try to picture the song with someone else singing–someone with better pitch–and it just doesn’t work. “Chalice” needs that desperation that comes through in the vocals to be the song that it is. “NYC Moves To The Sound of LA” closes the EP and right from the get-go it’s already got a driving, danceable beat. Elliot’s vocals are perfect on this track and somehow the well-pitched screaming manages to sound upbeat and positive. It could be because of the prominent cowbell (or could be Agogo Bells…not sure), or the deliciously happy guitar line. Either way, this song is just in time for summertime parties and late-night drives down PCH. I can only hope that Funeral Party’s full-length album has the same delectable qualities that the EP does. This danceable, post-punk band is sure to find a home in many collections, from clubbers to hipsters to choreographers. I feel that the band has conquered a style that almost anyone except for the average picket-fence parent could enjoy. I only wish I had heard of them sooner. Bootleg EP is available now on Fearless Records. Tracklisting: Funeral Party: myspace  Related Posts |
| Win Robin Thicke concert tix and support charity! Posted: 23 Mar 2009 05:35 PM PDT Don’t miss the opportunity to win a pair of Robin Thicke concert tickets complete with meet & greet passes (valued at $1000) while also supporting the Art for Life Miami charity! Place bids here. Bidding end just after 12 noon ET tomorrow. Tour Dates: Robin Thicke: website | myspace  Related Posts |
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