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Thursday, May 23, 2013

Tonight / News / Love Cumulus Signs to Trans- Records

Posted by Megan Seling on Thu, May 23, 2013 at 10:00 AM

Leah Julius, Alexandra Niedzialkowski, Lance Umble

Marybeth Coghill
Leah Julius, Alexandra Niedzialkowski, Lance Umble

First, the bad news: Tonight's Cumulus show at the Tractor, which was slated to be an album release celebration for the band's debut full-length I Never Meant It To Be Like This, won't be an album release celebration after all. But the good news: It'll still be a party—the band has signed to Chris Walla's Trans- Records! The label will release I Never Meant It To Be Like This this fall.

It's a pretty great story, really—the band recorded the album themselves and then used Kickstarter to afford getting professional mixes. A friend who was working with Walla was listening to the record and Walla took interest. Cumulus was just one day away from pressing 1,000 CDs themselves when they got word that Trans- wanted to work with them. The band, Alexandra Niedzialkowski, Lance Umble, and Leah Julius, explained how it all happened:

Congratulations on the good news! How did you end up connecting with Chris Walla and Trans-? I assume your friends in the Lonely Forest (who are also on the label) had something to do with it.

ALEX: It was in fact our friendship with Sam Winston, who recorded and engineered the Lonely Forest's Nuclear Winter and We Sing the Body Electric, that got us connected with Chris Walla. We knew we wanted Sam's talents to be a part of our final record, and the fact that he loved our band and wanted to work with us made him our first choice. We knew that Sam was working with Chris at Hall of Justice, but we had no expectations of Chris being interested in our band or record (although, of course, we daydreamed about it!).

It was the biggest and most amazing surprise ever to get an email from Chris in our inbox saying that he had heard the record and wanted to work with us. Proof that teenage dreams do come true! Being a high school fan of Death Cab for Cutie, I still remember seeing them play at Bumbershoot in, like, 2005? Before I even played music, or knew that it was something I wanted to do. I was just a fan. They were bigger than life, and a million miles away (I was in the nose-bleed section) so the day we walked into Hall of Justice and shook his hand and started talking records, I definitely had to keep my jaw from falling off.

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Tuesday, May 21, 2013

Album / Love The New Gaytheist Record Is Out Today!

Posted by Megan Seling on Tue, May 21, 2013 at 12:28 PM

Happy album release to the band with the best name! The Gaytheist record, Hold Me...But Not So Tight is out today and you can have a listen right here:

<a href="http://gaytheist.bandcamp.com/album/hold-me-but-not-so-tight">Hold Me...But Not So Tight by Gaytheist</a>

Is the album cover cute or creepy? I vote cute.

Gaytheist will be at Black Lodge on June 7 and the Capitol Hill Block Party on July 27.

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Saturday, May 18, 2013

Tonight / Love RVIVR's Poptimistic Punk Gives Me Heart-Fuzzies

Posted by Megan Seling on Sat, May 18, 2013 at 11:25 AM

<a href="http://rvivr.bandcamp.com/album/the-beauty-between">The Beauty Between by RVIVR</a>

(Vera) Stand back, dudes, I'm about to turn into a spastic fangirl, because Olympia's RVIVR are one of my VERY FAVORITE bands right now. ALL CAPS. I've listened to their new album, The Beauty Between, at least twice every day since it was released last month (and by "twice" I mean "10 times"), and it has been more effective than my antidepressants. Their blasting, poptimistic punk-rock songs have helped pull me out of an unexplainable spring rut, giving me the same heart-fuzzies I had when I heard Operation Ivy's Energy as a teenager. It's the ultimate example of why I started listening to punk rock in the first place—nonpandering lyrics about how shit can suck, maybe it'll get better, maybe it won't, but we'll get through it together. For further esteem-boosting, check out their cover of Shellshag's "Resilient Bastard." It is required listening for those moments in life when you've read one too many internet comments.

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Thursday, May 16, 2013

Fashion / Dancing / Very Great / Party! / Tonight / Love / 206 NighTraiN Video Premiere at Chop Suey!

Posted by Emily Nokes on Thu, May 16, 2013 at 5:03 PM

Sorry it's already 5pm and I'm just telling you this, but you have a few hours to take a sponge bath and buy Nicole "Ja Ja Juicy" of NighTraiN a birthday gift and get to Chop Suey! The lovely locomotive-punks will be premiering their brand-new video for single "Huntress" tonight, plus Portland band band band And And And and Sun Angle (also from PDX) will be playing.

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Love / Film Go See The Punk Singer

Posted by Emily Nokes on Thu, May 16, 2013 at 3:52 PM

Sophie Howarth
Kathleen Hanna in Australia, 1996

I highly recommend that you make it out to see the SIFF showing(s) of The Punk Singer—the Kathleen Hanna/Riot Grrrl movement documentary. The footage of live Bikini Kill and spoken word performances, plus interviews with everyone from Tavi Gevinson and JD Samson to Kim Gordon and Joan Jett are downright goosebumps-inducing.

While watching the screener last night, somewhere in between the reading of the Riot Grrrl manifesto that hasn't aged a day in it's importance, and the laughable/horrifying "Is Feminism Dead" Time Magazine cover from 1998 (featuring Ally McBeal), I started getting... weepy?

I got misty not because I was totally sad or bummed out by the bullshit these women were struggling with, but because I am so proud of them. Because it's 2013, and women are still struggling. My female friends, family members, and coworkers are still struggling. My "girl" band is still struggling. Every lady, girl, and person who prefers not to even fuck with gender pronouns, is STILL STRUGGLING. We might have won a few battles since then, but the lady-war rages on.

The Punk Singer shows at the Harvard Exit on May 24, 9:30pm and May 26, 1:30pm

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Tuesday, May 14, 2013

Love Ask a Grown Woman: Beth Ditto

Posted by Emily Nokes on Tue, May 14, 2013 at 4:13 PM

Another gem from the Rookie Magazine—an amazing online publication for (and often by) teenage girls—"Ask a Grown Person" series. Beth Ditto from Gossip responds to questions with kick-ass advice.

"Your opinion of yourself is what matters the most." I so wish something this rad existed when I was growing up!

H/T Alithea O'Dell

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Very Great / Song / Conflict of Interest / Love The Fantastic Psychedelic Journey of Mr. Derek See

Posted by Mike Nipper on Tue, May 14, 2013 at 2:32 PM

<a href="http://dereksee1.bandcamp.com/album/she-came-this-way">She Came This Way by Derek See</a>

Okay, "She Came This Way" is not exactly a long JOURNEY...like, it ain't a concept piece about a neverending fairytale or stoking revolution, BUT it is a single side's journey through some sweet sunlit sike. It's a dosed sugar cube of Love, lysergic-era Beatles, the Buffalo Springfield, without irony and ZERO nods to the contemporary sike strains.

"She Came This Way" is one of Bay Area guitarsonist Derek See's solo jams. His main playing gig is producing, recording, and playing guitar with the Bang Girl Revue. If you ain't heard 'em, the Bang Girl Revue lay down some serious girl-group sounds. See also has an unfuckwithble record collection, which, thankfully, he proudly plays out, and he maintains a GENIUS blog, Derek's Daily 45. The man has taste and skill, AND he's also the Stooges' touring guitar tech!! Lord knows where he finds the time to record his killer solo action. GODDAMN! Oh, full disclosure: He's also a pal of mine.

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Monday, May 13, 2013

New Releases / News / Love Superchunk Announces New Album!

Posted by Megan Seling on Mon, May 13, 2013 at 10:32 AM

Their 10th (!) studio album, I Hate Music, will be out August 20th. Here's the album trailer:

And a little more info, by way of press release:

I Hate Music will be released on CD, LP and digital. The limited-edition deluxe LP will be pressed on colored vinyl and include a bonus 7-inch containing two non-album tracks, along with an I Hate Music stencil. Both the standard and deluxe LPs will be issued on 150-gram vinyl and feature a die-cut sleeve. All pre-orders in the Merge store will come with an I Hate Music poster, the first 200 of which will be signed by the band.

You can pre-order the album here. And, as you probably know, Superchunk are playing Bumbershoot September 2nd. Tickets are available here.

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Friday, May 10, 2013

Upcoming / Love / Interview Cruel Summer: Laura Stevenson Talks Feminism, Depression, and Sugary Pop Music

Posted by Megan Seling on Fri, May 10, 2013 at 11:03 AM

Laura Stevenson plays the Sunset Tavern tomorrow night with Field Mouse and Seapony! Tickets are still available here.

There's something about Laura Stevenson's music that makes it impossible for me to stop listening to her songs. Last year, I played her song "Master of Art" hundreds of times in a matter of months, and this time around, on her latest record, Wheel, my drug is the first single, "Runner." It sounds like the epitome of summer—the chorus captures the same bright bitterness of "Vacation" by the Go-Go's, while Stevenson sings over and over, "This summer hurts." It's the same kind of relationship I have with summer. I love it, and I hate it.

Elsewhere on Wheel, Stevenson continues the evolution from acoustic folk songs to more explosive anthems with injections of horns and piano—new layers reveal themselves with every listen. I chatted with Stevenson while her band made the long trip from Houston to El Paso.

You used to be billed as Laura Stevenson and the Cans. I was going to ask you where the Cans went, but then I read your interview with Larry Livermore, where you pointed out one of the reasons you dropped it was because people kept making boob jokes.

That was the thing that annoyed me from the get-go, but I was like, "I'm going to try to overcome this."

Did you see Grimes's recent blog post about the things that she's no longer going to put up with as a female musician? She doesn't want to be infantilized; she's tired of reviews calling her a waif or a fairy... all these cute words. I feel like it's something that isn't talked about much in the music industry. Does it ever still feel like it's a boys' club out there?

Definitely. Especially the infantilizing thing. It's so ridiculous, because no matter what I do, my voice is called "cute." Even if I'm saying something hideous and sounding as ugly as I can, I'm still called cute. I had a party at my apartment, and this young couple said to me, "We listened to your music! It's really cute." They were guests in my home, so I couldn't be like, "Get the fuck out," they were my roommate's friends, but how shitty! Your life's work is fucking cute? Would you say that to Beethoven? Like, "Real cute sonata, Beethoven." It makes you feel small, and you shouldn't have to feel that way, especially if you're an adult human being who's making something honest.

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Hellevant / Very Great / ??!! / Love Helms Alee Covering Heart's "Magic Man" Is the Best Thing to Happen to Music All Week

Posted by Megan Seling on Fri, May 10, 2013 at 10:53 AM

HOLY SHIT, HELMS ALEE.

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Monday, May 6, 2013

Dancing / Upcoming / Love Justin Timberlake Playing KeyArena January 17

Posted by Megan Seling on Mon, May 6, 2013 at 10:44 AM

Justin Timberlake's 20/20 tour will be coming to KeyArena January 17, 2014. That's a looooooong time away, yes, but tickets go on sale May 17th, so get that credit card ready because tickets start at $90, making the cheapest one $108.39 after service fees. Eek!

Why we don't get a show with Jay-Z, however, I'll never know. What a shame.

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Wednesday, May 1, 2013

Homo / Fashion / Merch / Love Are You a Fag? Are You a Fag With a Guitar?

Posted by Kelly O on Wed, May 1, 2013 at 4:12 PM

Then shirt is for you! See also, this insanely hilarious rock logo shirt, by artist Peggy Noland. Oooh, and this "Lather Daddy" tee. All and more at wackywacko.com. I kinda want one of each.

www.wackywacko.com

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Monday, April 29, 2013

New Releases / Upcoming / Love Boards of Canada to Release First LP in 8 Years, Tomorrow's Harvest, June 11

Posted by Dave Segal on Mon, Apr 29, 2013 at 12:11 PM

Warp Records has announced that it will release hermetic, highly influential Scottish electronic duo Boards of Canada's fourth album, Tomorrow’s Harvest, on June 11. And there was much rejoicing on the IDM list. Tomorrow's Harvest is BOC's first release since 2006's Trans Canada Highway EP. It will not feature a guest appearance by Daft Punk.

Go here for further endarkenment.

Tracklist
01. Gemini
02. Reach For The Dead
03. White Cyclosa
04. Jacquard Causeway
05. Telepath
06. Cold Earth
07. Transmisiones Ferox
08. Sick Times
09. Collapse
10. Palace Posy
11. Split Your Infinities
12. Uritual
13. Nothing Is Real
14. Sundown
15. New Seeds
16. Come To Dust
17. Semena Mertvykh

Boards of Canada's greatest track (still) after the jump.

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Wednesday, April 24, 2013

Words / Love Grimes: "I don't want to have to compromise my morals in order to make a living"

Posted by Megan Seling on Wed, Apr 24, 2013 at 4:51 PM

Yesterday Grimes posted a really excellent blog. Now that she's done with her recent tour and a new album she's going to "taking the time to overhaul everything and make it better," while considering this list of things she wants to see change. I think everyone in the music industry should read it—artists, critics, fans, humans. An excerpt:

im tired of being considered vapid for liking pop music or caring about fashion as if these things inherently lack substance or as if the things i enjoy somehow make me a lesser person

im tired of being congratulated for being thin because i can more easily fit into sample sizes from the runway

im tired of people i love betraying me so they can get credit or money

I’m sad that it’s uncool or offensive to talk about environmental or human rights issues

I’m tired of creeps on message boards discussing whether or not they’d “fuck” me

I’m tired of people harassing my dancers and treating them like they aren’t human beings

I’m sad that my desire to be treated as an equal and as a human being is interpreted as hatred of men, rather than a request to be included and respected (I have four brothers and many male best friends and a dad and i promise i do not hate men at all, nor do i believe that all men are sexist or that all men behave in the ways described above)

Well said, Grimes. Thank you.

Read the whole thing here.

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Friday, April 12, 2013

Love Herbie Hancock Is 73 Years Young Today

Posted by Dave Segal on Fri, Apr 12, 2013 at 3:11 PM

The eternally questing jazz keyboardist Herbie Hancock turns 73 today, so this might be an opportune time to revisit Line Out jazz scholar Jeffery Taylor's astute post on the man (or check it for the first time), as well as to immerse yourself in his protean catalog. If you start now, you may come to a somewhat thorough understanding by 2018.

I'm partial to Hancock's late-'60s/mid-'70s material, especially the string of albums from The Prisoner to Man-Child. Here is where Herbie got weird, spacey, and deeply funky, peaking on 1973's Sextant. That record's "Rain Dance" is a next-level evolutionary leap into avant-garde electronics (Dr. Patrick Gleeson on the ARP synthesizers, ladies and gentlemen) that some heads still can't grasp. "Hang Up Your Hang Ups" [see clip after the jump] is my go-to Hancock cut for DJing purposes. It is very eventful jazz funk, a complex mover that also sounds great when you're out of your head.

Thanks for all the amazing music, HH.

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Life / Very Great / Love / Video Thom Yorke Gives Advice for Teen Girls About Teen Boys

Posted by Anna Minard on Fri, Apr 12, 2013 at 1:14 PM

Rookie Mag does it again! The newest edition of their Ask a Grown Man video series is Thom Yorke and Nigel Godrich. They give advice to teen girls on asking boys out, how you know if you like someone ("Those little electrical impulses are the best bit," says Yorke), what it means when you want to have sex with someone who isn't your boyfriend, and more.

ENJOY:

(Link here). Dan doesn't have to give up his day job or anything, but this is fucking adorable.

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Wednesday, April 10, 2013

Upcoming / Love Skarp Are Playing at Highline Next Thursday...

Posted by Grant Brissey on Wed, Apr 10, 2013 at 4:23 PM

...and it's for a totally good cause.

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Comedy / Upcoming / Love Janeane Garofalo and Her Glasses at the Neptune

Posted by Adrian Ryan on Wed, Apr 10, 2013 at 4:11 PM

I'd get way down on my well-worn knees and beg the dread gods of gayness and liberality to forgive my wretched soul if I could—but as a ginger, of course I don't have one.

I have no explanation, earthly idea, or acceptable excuse as to why or how Janeane Garofalo fell off the Homosexual Agenda this week. I just totally forgot to mention her! A stroke? Adult onset retardation? Whatever. I should be beaten! Flogged! Shot in the hair! My lips hobbled and impressive testes perforated! For it was indeed my sacred duty and solemn intention to promote the shit out of this event, what with Janeane being generally one of the best things to happen in the history of ever.

She is smart to the point of scary (just LOOK at those thick glasses!), she is funny to the very threshold of wet-your-pants (or somebody else's pants), she is a brave and tireless warrior of intellectual liberality (she's besties with the Clintons and everything!), and she was in Romy and Michele's High School Reunion. (Please to completely ignore her participation in the leaden early-'90s turd that was Reality Bites. Please.)

Tomorrow night, Janeane will grace us all with her wondrous wit and insightful insights in a rare Seattle appearance. Please forgive my foolish error of omission, and don't forget to remember to not forget to see her. God only knows when she shall pass this way again.

The Neptune, 8pm / $22.50 ADV, $25 DOS / All Ages (bar with 21+ ID).

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Tuesday, April 9, 2013

Words / Love / #1 Fan Patti Smith: Advice to the Young

Posted by Kelly O on Tue, Apr 9, 2013 at 11:05 AM

"Build a good name", rock poet Patti Smith advises the young. "Life is like a roller coaster, it is going to have beautiful moments but it is going to be real fucked up, too", she says.