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Thursday, October 22, 2009

Man + Just Himself = First Solo Album!

Posted by Adrian Ryan on Thu, Oct 22, 2009 at 2:37 PM

ManPlus lead Jared Sprinkle gives the world a solo labor of love...

noddy.indiedino.com

He says that the new work's theme is "bad porn." As if there could be such a thing.

Listen!

King Midas Sound: Stone Cold Love at First Hear

Posted by Dave Segal on Thu, Oct 22, 2009 at 11:04 AM

King Midas Sound (producer Kevin Martin and vocalist Roger Robinson) strikes me as a fantastical fantasy project hatched from two of Charles Mudede's biggest musical crushes—Burial and Tricky. The duo's album on Hyperdub, Waiting for You... (due in November), sounds like an ideal merging of those artists' phenomenal talents. Difference is, Robinson can really sing, emitting creamy, soulful sotto-voce sentiments in wispy clouds over Martin's subtly noir-ish lovers dubstep; main exception is "Earth a Kill Ya," a doom-laden, Linton Kwesi Johnson/SpaceApe-style ecological-warning manifesto.

Understatement is King Midas Sound's watchword, but this low-key approach somehow magnifies the songs' impact. Musically, this is the mellowest Martin—notorious for his extreme frequency fucking with the Bug, Ice, Curse of the Golden Vampire, and many other endeavors—has gotten since the ambient disc on the 1995 classic Re-Entry. But the cumulative power of Waiting for You...'s simmering, sensual sizzle and its aura of post-coital/post-breakup desolation keeps swirling through my head and gripping my heart with muted desperation.

Album of the year, unless somebody surprises the hell out of me in the next two months.

Friday, October 16, 2009

The Old Bull

Posted by Bethany Jean Clement on Fri, Oct 16, 2009 at 3:02 PM

Have you read Paul Constant's ode to Jay-Z yet? It is great.

An old bull and a young bull are standing at the top of a hill, looking down at the herd below. The young bull turns to the old bull and blurts out: "Hey! I got an idea. Let's run down this hill and fuck one of those cows!" There's a pause, and then the old bull finally says: "Listen, kid, I've got a better idea. Let's walk down this hill and fuck all of those cows." It's not the kind of joke that would make anyone except the very drunk or the exceedingly imbecilic laugh out loud. But the older I get, the more I realize that, like the cliché goes, this joke is funny because it's true. And it's impossible to understand Jay-Z without realizing first that he is the old bull in this joke.

Read the whole thing here.

Jay-Z plays tomorrow night at Key Arena.

Paul Constant says, Like Elvis Presley, or Johnny Cash, or Neil Diamond.
  • Andrew Zaeh
  • Paul Constant says, "Like Elvis Presley, or Johnny Cash, or Neil Diamond."

Thursday, October 15, 2009

Re: Burial and Flying Lotus Collaborate

Posted by Charles Mudede on Thu, Oct 15, 2009 at 3:09 PM

This collaboration (even just this hint of it—a ghost of a tune) is the event of the decade. Make no mistake of that. Flying Lotus and Burial—this is the mirror in the dream of the red room. In the mirror are the fumes of the enchantress. In the mirror we fuck the impossible. Nothing can break this spell. Earlier this year I wrote:

Lately, the distance between these two points—one on the frontier of hiphop (Flying Lotus); the other on the frontier of dubstep—has been decreasing. Both are being pulled to a center that will make them one...

Not only is there a cosmic connection but also a ghostly one. Both artists produce sounds that are haunted by beings that are barely so, barely breathing, beating. "[Y]es: gramophone. Have a gramophone in every grave..." thinks Leopold Bloom at Paddy Dignam's funeral. The point at which the "kindred spirits" of Lotus and Burial will merge is this graveyard of gramophones imagined by the main character in Joyce's Ulysses.

Indeed, just the idea of the collaboration may be enough for me. No music, just the idea of this kind music.

Monday, September 21, 2009

The Hood

Posted by Charles Mudede on Mon, Sep 21, 2009 at 3:47 PM

Robert Hood's masterpiece, Minimal Nation...

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...has been reissued:
the techno pioneer and Underground Resistance founder is taking a look backwards, with the forthcoming reissue of his Minimal Nation album. Originally released in 1994 as a vinyl double-pack, the album marked one of his first releases after his departure from Underground Resistance.

The new version—out June 15 on M-Plant—is the first time tracks from the album will appear in digital format. All those that appeared on the original album will be re-mastered and packaged with two previously unreleased songs, "Self-Powered" and "SH-101."

Additionally, those who prefer their music analog and purchase the vinyl or CD version will also receive an exclusive mix CD compiled by Hood, a sampling of tracks off Minimal Nation, 1994's Internal Empire, 1995's Nighttime World, and the HoodMusic series, released between 2005 and 2007.

Robert Hood, who will be at Decible this Friday, is the most intellectual techno producer from the Detroit circle. And Minimal Nation is architecture in its purest condition.

Tuesday, September 15, 2009

The Algebra of Need Enters Cyberspace

Posted by Dave Segal on Tue, Sep 15, 2009 at 3:45 PM

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I lavished much-deserved praise on local producer the Algebra of Need (Lydia Briggs) in this week's Data Breaker, but lamented that she had no internet presence. She's remedied that now with a MySpace page.

There you can check out a tiny percentage of her hyper-prolific, magnificent output, which is just scratching the surface of what she's capable of producing. You've likely heard nothing quite like it.

Sunday, September 6, 2009

So Wipe Ya Lottos On The Mat

Posted by Larry Mizell, Jr. on Sun, Sep 6, 2009 at 1:40 PM

OK, so I gotta confess: after seeing De La Soul something like twenty times, I was pretty blase about them closing out Saturday night. There was some talk amongst the VIP's hiphop contingency of De La's evergreen "safety" as a Bumbershoot choice, and disbelief that they were on the Fisher Green stage while The Knux of all people get to rock the main stage.

Mind you, De La has shared my number one group spot with NWA for all the years I've even thought about music that way- there's not really another crew that can touch the innovation and genius of their first 3-album run. It is in fact, the 20th anniversary of their debut 3 Feet High And Rising, the first hiphop record I truly geeked out over. That, plus the fact that a live band was setting up to back up Plugs One Two and Three- a fact that should make my colleague Charles Mudede absolutely aghast- worked to soften my somewhat "over it" stance. Then, over a rather striking take on the Stakes Is High sleeper "Dinninit", they melted any vestige of an ice grill i might have been wearing- then quickly proceeded to evaporate it to a hot fucking cloud of rolling steam.

Continue reading »

Thursday, September 3, 2009

The Sound Of The Song Of The Summer

Posted by Dean Fawkes on Thu, Sep 3, 2009 at 12:34 PM

Let's watch it! Again!



What's your favorite part?

I like the one between 0:00 and 3:48.

Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Just Because I Feel Like It

Posted by Grant Brissey on Wed, Aug 26, 2009 at 4:58 PM

Thursday, August 13, 2009

Overheard in the Office

Posted by Lindy West on Thu, Aug 13, 2009 at 2:34 PM

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Jen Graves: "Do you want to hear something funny about my iPod? It contains the soundtrack to Coneheads."

Wednesday, July 29, 2009

We Are Golden: A Hot Time on the Hot Town Tonight!

Posted by Adrian Ryan on Wed, Jul 29, 2009 at 1:24 PM

I’ve been aching for this hot, hot night to come for months now; for it is indeed (as Brendan noted) the hot, hot night that the indomitable and incomparable Sarah Rudinoff and her band We Are Golden (and other very special guests) are appearing at the Triple Door in a new show they’re calling “This is Me Sometimes.”

Everyone knows what a sloppy Sarah Rudinoff fan I am. (“Unabashed”, they calls it). The last time I heard Sarah sing live, I cried my eyes out. Like a weepy wee girl. There was just no helping it. No point trying to stop it. That woman's voice has a power over my soul I can't explain. (She destroys me—in the very best way. You shall surely be destroyed, too.) So it’s no surprise that encourage everyone on earth to see this show. And about tonight’s show, Sarah says…

I am going to open the night with a set of music played with Chris Jeffries and Nick Garrison- some ridunkulous medleys, some power duets, and a standard or two, and Gretta Harley (my band mate and partner in crime) will then do a set of her classical compositions with a bunch of wonderful players from the classical and avant garde music worlds.

A little birdy told me that Barrett Martin from the Screaming Tress will also be joining them on drums. Won’t you join them, too?

Doors open at 5:30 (get your drink on!), the show is at 7:30, $25 at the door (and so worth it), at The Tripple Door (216 Union Street), tonight!

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Tuesday, July 28, 2009

Little Boots : "Remedy"

Posted by Dean Fawkes on Tue, Jul 28, 2009 at 1:37 PM

This week on Little Boots watch.

New single "Remedy" now has a video, which is real fun in a simple and kaleidoscopic synthesizer smoke-machine mural stylee. The song starts all Shirley Bassey rave lounge-action and kicks a lush chorus at you like The Shirelles from space. We like how well it captures the art design of the whole album campaign.

Yes, "campaign".

She says, "It was directed by the very young and talented Mr. David Wilson and features me being a massive nerd with lots of keyboards, nothing new there then. I think it kind of feels like 70s porn meets 70s science documentary vibes."

Best hair in pop?



Still should've went with "Earthquake".

"Every little earthquake. Every little heartbreak."

Do-do do-doo.

Monday, July 27, 2009

Are You a Cat? & Comrades @ Blue Moon July 28

Posted by Dave Segal on Mon, Jul 27, 2009 at 11:27 AM

This show was announced too late to get in the paper, but some may be interested:
Are You a Cat?, My Posse Don't Do Homework, and Yokai No Uta Trio play the Blue Moon tomorrow night at 9 pm (no cover). MPDDH’s one track on their MySpace sounds intriguing; that they feature Ursula Beatrice Stuart from the wonderful Sugar Skulls bodes well. I explain the splendors of Are You a Cat? here. Yokai No Uta Trio convert rock history into a beautiful shambles, e.g., they do an effed-up medley of the 13th Floor Elevators’ “You’re Gonna Miss Me” and the Beatles’ “Things We Said Today.” They also give off a strong Godz vibe, which is always welcome, while venturing to more outward-bound realms of the musical spectrum (do yourself a favor and listen to "The Book of Weed").

Friday, July 17, 2009

Little Boots @ North America

Posted by Dean Fawkes on Fri, Jul 17, 2009 at 2:35 PM

Little Boots - 'Hands'

Hot on the glamorous space-unicorn future overload disco synth-pop heels of Hands — the 2009 debut to beat — a couple of duets with Philip Oakey, and helicoptering back to Glastonbury just to see Blur, Little Boots is doing an Eddie Murphy and coming to America.

San Francisco?

It's on.

Wait.

It's on.


Mon 09/14/09 Toronto, ON Wrongbar
Wed 09/16/09 New York, NY Bowery Ballroom
Thu 09/17/09 Chicago, IL Empty Bottle
Fri 09/18/09 West Hollywood, CA The Roxy Theatre
Sat 09/19/09 San Francisco, CA The Independent

Tuesday, July 14, 2009

Breakfast Mountain in Seattle

Posted by Grant Brissey on Tue, Jul 14, 2009 at 2:28 PM

This just in: Breakfast Mountain, the Portland hip-hop outfit I've been all bonkers for lately (see here and here) are finally hitting Seattle, August 28 at Comet. What's more, the lineup includes anonymous Line Out commenters' favorite band, Mad Rad! You can download Breakfast Mountain's demo for free from the above link. (Check out their version of "Fuck the Police," it's gold.) This show will sell out real quick.

Monday, June 29, 2009

Get To Know Fatal The Fuckin' Great

Posted by Larry Mizell, Jr. on Mon, Jun 29, 2009 at 4:55 PM

IMO Seattle's best rapper, in his own words. Three times!

Fatal Lucciauno from The Song Show on Vimeo.

Even if you don't comment, watch em.

Wednesday, June 24, 2009

Your (SuperGay!) Weekend Begins…NOW.

Posted by Adrian Ryan on Wed, Jun 24, 2009 at 5:54 PM

Buck up, silly queer! Gay Pride is happening all around you, and the world is filling with club nights and other super gay happenings. But if your P-R-I-D-E hasn’t really put its gay sneakers on and started running just yet (mine started in March, and might never be able to stop now…), now’s the time to start blowing your big gay wad. Because tonight, this is happening:

d61b/1245891335-hardtimes.jpgDavid Richie, who is dazzling, and DJ L.A. Kendal, who is off the fucking hizzle in general, invented it. (They also gave birth to the beautiful beast that was HotMess...R.I.P.) And as you can see, the event is billed as, um, "a multi-poly-omni art experiment". I'm not sure what that means exactly, but there's almost naked people in the picture. And music. And The BOoze. So, heeey. (Also, I have it on bad authority that this adorable creature is in town, and will be wandering the shadows at this event, too. I'm merely sayin'.)

These is some Hard Times, chile! Brave the wind! Get your gay on! TONIGHT!

War Room (722 East Pike), 9PM, $5.

Thursday, June 18, 2009

Blureunionizing

Posted by Dean Fawkes on Thu, Jun 18, 2009 at 4:08 PM

Blur - 'Midlife: A Beginner's Guide To Blur'

If the last week is anything to go by, Blur have come back with a bit of class.

Remember? Months ago? When the original band announced they'd be reuniting for the first time in over a decade, and putting on a summer show in London's Hyde Park?

Tip! Iceberg!

Nothing's more foul than a reunion, but all the band's moves since then have been smart and refreshingly personal. In the last few days, Blur did a show on a microscopic stage at the East Anglian Railway Museum, the spot where Blur first played, twenty years ago, for a birthday. Then, a couple of nights later, they showed up for a surprise gig at the legendary Rough Trade Records, setting in motion a whole planned series of sold-out shows that include a Glastonbury headline, a dwarfish student-union date where members of the band first met, and their now double-day-sized Hyde Park celebration.

And the songs! While singles like 1992's "Popscene," 1997's "Beetlebum," and 1994's "Girls & Boys" have been in the sets — and should be there, fucking classics — so are relatively obscure and hardly fan-favored ones like "Colin Zeal," "Trimm Trabb," "Essex Dogs," and the timeless (and wonderful!) "Badhead".

Oh, yeah. The new best-of? Crazy pants.

Unlike the one in 2000, Midlife: A Beginner's Guide To Blur — a nice self-dig and a reference to their biggest album — is all over the place. "Bugman"? Into "He Thought Of Cars"? "Blue Jeans"? Into "Song 2"? And "Death Of A Party"? Into "The Universal"? Madness. The whole thing's an odd confetti splash of big and small songs, a mass-market brew of hits and what-has-to-be personal favorites.

Boom! Sold.

Blur have also started some web-widget thing. Inside, they've been adding live and rehearsal footage here and there, which is nice.

See if it works.



We like the use of The Sex Pistols' "Pretty Vacant" before "Bank Holiday." We like hearing the criminally undervalued "Out Of Time" unspool itself into the waters again. We really like the skronked out new touches to the head-on blitzkrieg-sunshine bit of "Sunday Sunday".

About the comeback gig, bassist Alex James wrote, "The sound of music I never thought I'd hear again."

And, "Not a dry eye in the house."

Maybe they do know what they're doing.

Thursday, June 4, 2009

Breakfast Mountain: "J Hollerday"

Posted by Grant Brissey on Thu, Jun 4, 2009 at 10:48 AM

I wrote about this outfit last week after seeing them in Portland over Memorial Day weekend. Here is the song that's been living in my head ever since. Great for a sunny Thursday morning, or really any morning for that matter.







Hear more on their Myspace page.

Friday, May 29, 2009

Dear Russell Simmons: I Love You

Posted by David Schmader on Fri, May 29, 2009 at 12:32 PM

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Not just for your help in bringing these glorious things into my life, but also for your recent Prop 8 essay on Huffington Post:

In my heart, I know that marriage equality for every human being isn't a question of if, but only a matter of when. I ask those who feel that giving freedom to others somehow binds you, to please take a good look at what you are standing behind. It is only through opening your hearts will you be able to see that by promoting freedom for all, you are unchaining yourself. I guess I'm an optimist. I have faith in people and our government ultimately to do the right thing. And to my brothers and sisters in California, I'm there with you every step of the way until that day comes...

While I'm feeling epistolary: Dear Barack Obama: Please note that Russell Simmons—who dropped out of New York City College to promote key early hiphop acts (thank fucking GOD)—is 750,000 times more eloquent on this subject than your Harvard-educated ass. Step up, you wuss.

Tuesday, May 12, 2009

Mode Man Down!

Posted by Adrian Ryan on Tue, May 12, 2009 at 7:31 PM

OMF-ing G!

ATHENS (AFP) — British electronic band Depeche Mode canceled a long-awaited gig in Athens on Tuesday after frontman David Gahan was rushed to hospital, Greek media reported.

Was it a heart attack? Grape-fruit-sized prostate? Goat flu? Black Celebration? What? WHAT?

Quoting organizers of the concert, City 99.5 Radio said Gahan was taken to a private clinic with suspected gastroenteritis.

Oh. Is that all? Oh, sweet Personal Jesus! Please dry up the poopy Depeche Mode singer man's "acute diarrhea" (I looked it up) by August 10th—I have !tickets!

This Track Is (Con)Rad

Posted by Dave Segal on Tue, May 12, 2009 at 12:04 PM

Schnitzler, that is, particularly his Charred Machinery album. “Droid” by Are You a Cat? (who are still my favorite Seattle band until further notice) tap into the German electronic-music pioneer’s infernal, chaotic analog-synth symphonies, which unnerve like nothing else in the realm, while not resorting to Merzbovian nuclear sonic attack.

Are You a Cat? play May 13 at Rendezvous and May 17 & 23 at Full Tilt Ice Cream. Check for details here.

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(Are You a Cat? photo from the band's MySpace.)

Monday, May 4, 2009

Sleepyhead

Posted by Eli Sanders on Mon, May 4, 2009 at 3:50 PM

Via Sullivan:

Wednesday, April 29, 2009

Bruno Pronsato Update

Posted by Dave Segal on Wed, Apr 29, 2009 at 10:46 AM

Bruno Pronsato, our favorite ex-Seattle, Berlin-based techno producer (tied for first with Jeff Samuel), informs us of some new developments.

First, he’s started his own label, Thesongsays, which will be distributed by Word and Sound.

“The focus of the label is to provide a bit more of a heady experience in this over-saturated techno/house market,” Pronsato says. “Lots of collaborations, etc. But primarily, having gotten a fuckin’ stomach full of the music business, it will focus on yours truly.”

Second, Pronsato’s new EP, The Make Up The Break Up, is in production and will be released soon (we'll let you know when it is). Running 38 minutes, the track will come out in an edited vinyl version and as an MP3. A remix by Isolée will appear, as well. Snippets of it that we’ve heard have sounded pretty strange and adventurous.

Pronsato has no Seattle dates scheduled at the moment.

Friday, April 24, 2009

My Afternoon Music

Posted by Terry Miller on Fri, Apr 24, 2009 at 11:48 AM

Dominance/Sumbission, lesbian-ism, chocolate love, interplanetary sex....

God I love this song!

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