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Any commercial websites wishing to use this RSS file, please contact The Stranger. editor@thestranger.com (The Stranger Editor) webmaster@thestranger.com (The Stranger Webmaster) Fri, 24 May 2013 00:00:01 -0700 Fri, 24 May 2013 13:45:00 -0700 Foundation http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss http://lineout.thestranger.com/lineout/archives/2013/05/23/hella-elegiac-boards-of-canadas-reach-for-the-dead http://lineout.thestranger.com/lineout/archives/2013/05/23/hella-elegiac-boards-of-canadas-reach-for-the-dead Dave Segal <p><div style="text-align:center;"><iframe width="420" height="300" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/2jTg-q6Drt0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div></p> <p>Here's a preview of the second-most-hyped electronic-music album of 2013, <a href="http://www.boardsofcanada.com/">Boards of Canada</a>'s <em>Tomorrow's Harvest</em> (out June 11 on <a href="http://warp.net/">Warp</a>). <strong>"Reach for the Dead"</strong> is one of BOC's darker and starker tracks; it's seriously elegiac yet strangely uplifting. Not a departure for the Scottish duo, really, but more of a refinement of their melancholic-drift mode. Overall, its sublime introversion is the antithesis of the vibe projected on 2013's most-hyped electronic-music album, <em>Random Access Memories</em>&#8212;which I've played twice now and have no desire to listen to again.</p> <p><em>Tomorrow's Harvest</em> tracklist:</p> <blockquote><p>01. Gemini<br />02. Reach For The Dead<br />03. White Cyclosa<br />04. Jacquard Causeway<br />05. Telepath<br />06. Cold Earth<br />07. Transmisiones Ferox<br />08. Sick Times<br />09. Collapse<br />10. Palace Posy<br />11. Split Your Infinities<br />12. Uritual<br />13. Nothing Is Real<br />14. Sundown<br />15. New Seeds<br />16. Come To Dust<br />17. Semena Mertvykh</p></blockquote> <p>[ <a href="http://lineout.thestranger.com/lineout/archives/2013/05/23/hella-elegiac-boards-of-canadas-reach-for-the-dead#comments">Comment on this story</a> ]</p> <p>[ <a href="http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=16856740&amp;id=comments">Subscribe to the comments on this story</a> ]</p> Song Video http://lineout.thestranger.com/lineout/archives/2013/05/23/hella-elegiac-boards-of-canadas-reach-for-the-dead?show=comments#readerComments http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=16856740&id=comments 1 Thu, 23 May 2013 14:59:34 -0700 The Stranger http://lineout.thestranger.com/lineout/archives/2013/05/23/listen-to-white-hawaiians-eerie-elliott-smith-cover http://lineout.thestranger.com/lineout/archives/2013/05/23/listen-to-white-hawaiians-eerie-elliott-smith-cover Megan Seling <p>It's not easy to cover an Elliott Smith ballad&#8212;his soul-crushing delivery is unmatchable. But White Hawaiian, the new solo project from Jamie Aaron of Eighteen Individual Eyes, brings an eerie element to the song without stepping on Smith's sad toes. Dig: </p> <p><iframe width="100%" height="166" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fapi.soundcloud.com%2Ftracks%2F93570470"></iframe></p> <p>White Hawaiian is <a href="http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Event?event=16697219">playing Chop Suey</a> on May 30th with Maiah Manser, Shebear, and Ephrata.</p> <p>[ <a href="http://lineout.thestranger.com/lineout/archives/2013/05/23/listen-to-white-hawaiians-eerie-elliott-smith-cover#comments">Comment on this story</a> ]</p> <p>[ <a href="http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=16856457&amp;id=comments">Subscribe to the comments on this story</a> ]</p> Song http://lineout.thestranger.com/lineout/archives/2013/05/23/listen-to-white-hawaiians-eerie-elliott-smith-cover?show=comments#readerComments http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=16856457&id=comments 0 Thu, 23 May 2013 14:22:19 -0700 The Stranger http://lineout.thestranger.com/lineout/archives/2013/05/21/secret-colors-king-should-rule-your-summer http://lineout.thestranger.com/lineout/archives/2013/05/21/secret-colors-king-should-rule-your-summer Dave Segal <p><iframe width="100%" height="166" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fapi.soundcloud.com%2Ftracks%2F80402760"></iframe></p> <p>Seattle starsailor <a href="http://secretcolorsmusic.bandcamp.com/">Secret Colors</a> (aka <strong>Matt Lawson</strong>) offers a preview of his forthcoming album, <em>Days Off</em> (out June 11 on Brooklyn's Group Tightener label). <a href="https://soundcloud.com/group-tightener/secret-colors-king">"King"</a> starts out sounding like the sort of introverted, sprocketly IDM that pushed a lot of geeks' button in the late '90s, before aqua-blue watercolor keyboards and a methodical quasi-funk beats enter earshot and elevate proceedings to a blissful flotation state. This is the soundtrack to your first (and last) reverie of the summer.</p> <p>Secret Colors' album-release show happens June 14 at <strong>Cairo</strong>. Press release after the jump.</p> <p>Brooklyn-based label Group Tightener announce the second album release from Seattle&#8217;s Secret Colors. Days Off is out June 11.<br /> <br />Matt Lawson, bka Secret Colors, has spent the last few years occupying a shimmering space of soft-focus ambient guitar improvisation, creating thick songs that contract and breathe like they have a life of their own. It's often gorgeous, and always natural, the aural equivalent of breathing. A Secret Colors record feels like life.<br /> <br />For his new album, Days Off, Lawson&#8212;burned out on guitars, burned out on his improvisational methods&#8212;got a cheap Yamaha keyboard and started composing his own pieces of electronic music. While Lawson is using primitive elements to construct these pieces, there's still a sense of density and well-worn love in each of them, like they were meticulously stitched together and just a little frayed.<br /> <br />Days Off, as a title, has a double meaning. The songs were written on Lawson's days off from work, but there's more to it than that. "In a more abstract way I was thinking about 'days off' meaning days or time spent in some kind of alternate state. Like time off from reality." Lawson succeeded, because the album feels like a world worth hanging around in.</p> <p>[ <a href="http://lineout.thestranger.com/lineout/archives/2013/05/21/secret-colors-king-should-rule-your-summer#comments">Comment on this story</a> ]</p> <p>[ <a href="http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=16833074&amp;id=comments">Subscribe to the comments on this story</a> ]</p> Album Song 206 http://lineout.thestranger.com/lineout/archives/2013/05/21/secret-colors-king-should-rule-your-summer?show=comments#readerComments http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=16833074&id=comments 0 Tue, 21 May 2013 11:17:45 -0700 The Stranger http://lineout.thestranger.com/lineout/archives/2013/05/20/tay-sean-remixes-kid-smpls-guardian http://lineout.thestranger.com/lineout/archives/2013/05/20/tay-sean-remixes-kid-smpls-guardian Larry Mizell, Jr. <p><iframe width="100%" height="166" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fapi.soundcloud.com%2Ftracks%2F93016522%3Fsecret_token%3Ds-fGnZE"></iframe></p> <p>Seattle-based producer <a href="https://soundcloud.com/kidsimpledubs">Kid Smpl</a> and his label <a href="http://www.hushhushseattle.com">Hush Hush</a> (headed up by KEXP's razor-sharp <strong>Alex Ruder</strong>) have been kicking ass over the course of the last few:</p> <blockquote><p>Hush Hush Records' flagship artist Kid Smpl (22 year-old, Seattle-based producer Joey Butler) had a breakout year in 2012, highlighted by an acceptance to Red Bull Music Academy, the release of his debut album <em>Skylight</em>, and a recent Bubblin' Up feature on <em>XLR8R</em>.</p> <p><strong>In anticipation of his upcoming Armour EP, due out July 2013, Hush Hush reached out to 20 friends to interpret his blissful atmospheric ambient/bass tracks for the 2-volume <em>Skylight Remixes</em> collection.</strong> We're thrilled with the diverse results from both established names and emerging artists and excited to share them with the world starting on May 28th.</p></blockquote> <p>This tasty selection of remixes features luminescent luminaries like <strong>IG88</strong>, <strong>WD4D</strong>, and <strong>Jerome LOL</strong>; the first taste, however, bears the soulful imprint of <a href="http://cloudnice.com">Cloud Nice</a>/<a href="http://kingdomcrumbs.com">Kingdom Crumbs</a>' light source <a href="https://soundcloud.com/tay-sean-brown">Tay Sean</a>. Click the player, player, and peep: lovely, languid crystalline space-funk awaits you. <em>Skylight Remixes, Volume 1</em> will be up for free download this Thursday, May 28th (with Volume 2 due in June).</p> <p>[ <a href="http://lineout.thestranger.com/lineout/archives/2013/05/20/tay-sean-remixes-kid-smpls-guardian#comments">Comment on this story</a> ]</p> <p>[ <a href="http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=16822795&amp;id=comments">Subscribe to the comments on this story</a> ]</p> Song http://lineout.thestranger.com/lineout/archives/2013/05/20/tay-sean-remixes-kid-smpls-guardian?show=comments#readerComments http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=16822795&id=comments 0 Mon, 20 May 2013 12:45:37 -0700 The Stranger http://lineout.thestranger.com/lineout/archives/2013/05/20/shannon-and-the-clams-newish-single-into-a-dream-is-dreamy http://lineout.thestranger.com/lineout/archives/2013/05/20/shannon-and-the-clams-newish-single-into-a-dream-is-dreamy Kathy Fennessy <p>The Oakland trio (vocalist-bassist Shannon Shaw, guitarist Cody Blanchard, and drummer Ian Amberson) have outdone themselves with this finger-snapping, Technicolor torch song that re-imagines Roy Orbison as a Shangri-Las singer. </p> <p><div style="text-align:center;"><iframe width="475" height="335" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/yFGQgL_Z4tg" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div></p> <p><em>Stream the whole thing at the <a href="http://www.avclub.com/articles/listen-to-dreams-in-the-rat-house-the-new-record-f,97713/">AV Club</a> through tomorrow. You can also watch a short documentary <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QaCkuogTL6c&feature=share&list=PL80B252794383E5CA">here</a>. Hardly Art releases</em> Dreams in the Rat House <em>on May 21. Then, on June 7, Shannon &amp; the Clams play the Tractor Tavern with Mikal Cronin.</em></p> <p><small>* "Into a Dream" hit my inbox on May 1, but I didn't get the chance to listen until yesterday.</small></p> <p>[ <a href="http://lineout.thestranger.com/lineout/archives/2013/05/20/shannon-and-the-clams-newish-single-into-a-dream-is-dreamy#comments">Comment on this story</a> ]</p> <p>[ <a href="http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=16816580&amp;id=comments">Subscribe to the comments on this story</a> ]</p> New Releases Sub Pop / Hardly Art Song On Tour http://lineout.thestranger.com/lineout/archives/2013/05/20/shannon-and-the-clams-newish-single-into-a-dream-is-dreamy?show=comments#readerComments http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=16816580&id=comments 0 Mon, 20 May 2013 09:13:55 -0700 The Stranger http://lineout.thestranger.com/lineout/archives/2013/05/16/swedish-steely-sunshine-sike-mecki-mark-men http://lineout.thestranger.com/lineout/archives/2013/05/16/swedish-steely-sunshine-sike-mecki-mark-men Mike Nipper <p>On days like today, when the sun hasta try to burn its way through clouds, that Sweden's <a href="http://underground-psychedelia.blogspot.com/2010/02/mecki-mark-men-1967-swe.html">Mecki Mark Men</a>'s jam, "Being Is More Than Life," feels like the perfectly fitting soundtrack; it's heavy and dreamy, while still bright enough you hafta squint...you might see colors, but can only feel the steely grayness.</p> <p><div style="text-align:center;"><iframe width="420" height="300" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/Od44rn-_7iU" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div></p> <p>Now, to me, THIS is proper <strong>acid jazz</strong>! Mecki Mark Men were a Swedish band of jazz-bos, with ties to <strong>Baby Grandmothers</strong> and, as it was the '60s, were drawn to the more experimental sike sounds. In fact, their albums are almost text book jumps from expansive Euro sike to controlled prog.</p> <p>[ <a href="http://lineout.thestranger.com/lineout/archives/2013/05/16/swedish-steely-sunshine-sike-mecki-mark-men#comments">Comment on this story</a> ]</p> <p>[ <a href="http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=16721497&amp;id=comments">Subscribe to the comments on this story</a> ]</p> The Weather Song http://lineout.thestranger.com/lineout/archives/2013/05/16/swedish-steely-sunshine-sike-mecki-mark-men?show=comments#readerComments http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=16721497&id=comments 0 Thu, 16 May 2013 11:15:39 -0700 The Stranger http://lineout.thestranger.com/lineout/archives/2013/05/15/braxtonpalmers-deep-house-music-from-olympia http://lineout.thestranger.com/lineout/archives/2013/05/15/braxtonpalmers-deep-house-music-from-olympia Dave Segal <p>When you think of <strong>Olympia</strong> (which you do more often than you'd like to admit), your mind probably doesn't light upon house music. No, it's more likely you envision that <a href="http://krecs.com/">K Records</a> shield logo and <a href="http://krecs.com/artists/calvin-johnson/">Calvin Johnson</a>'s unsmiling mug. But <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/BraxtonPalmer/273603416102674?ref=stream">Braxton/Palmer</a> (aka <strong>Sonny Thomas</strong>) is that one lonely soul cranking out quality house choons from Washington's capital. One example is <strong>"Creeper, Pt. 1,"</strong> a soulful, slinky, after-midnight seducer. Sounds way more like NYC than PNW. (You can check out the slower, less bumping <a href="https://soundcloud.com/ceremony/braxton-palmer-creeper-part-ii">"Creeper, Pt. 2"</a> after the jump, along with the press release.) </p> <p><small><a href="https://soundcloud.com/braxtonpalmer#play">Braxton/Palmer</a>'s <em>Creeper</em> EP came out yesterday via <a href="http://www.ceremonyrecordings.com/news/introducing-braxtonpalmer-first-single-creeper-pt-2-premieres-at-gorilla-vs-bearthe-line-of-best-fit-creeper-out-may-14-2013/">Ceremony Recordings</a>. </small></p> <p><iframe width="100%" height="166" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fapi.soundcloud.com%2Ftracks%2F92024302"></iframe></p> <p><iframe width="100%" height="166" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fapi.soundcloud.com%2Ftracks%2F88191737"></iframe></p> <p>Braxton/Palmer comes from an unlikely place. It might even be the last place you&#8217;d expect to find someone like producer/DJ Sonny Thomas with Olympia, Washington being the home of K Records, the beginnings of Sleater-Kinney &amp; Bikini Kill, and the place where Kurt Cobain wrote significant parts of Nevermind. But in today&#8217;s hyper-paced, digital age sound travels like never before and with an already fledgling dance scene growing in the Pacific Northwest, namely Seattle, enters Braxton/Palmer.</p> <p>After moving west from Ohio, Thomas became enamored in 80&#8242;s new wave and synth pop which lead to his eventual discovery of house, techno, juke, and acid &#8212; all sounds that eventually structured the make up of Braxton/Palmer. Initially started as a production project in Olympia around 2011, Sonny Thomas hatched Braxton/Palmer with the intent on contributing to the rapidly escalating electronic dance community in the south puget sound. Since then, the Braxton/Palmer Soundcloud page has been steadily updated with an impressive selection of emotionally driven house cuts firmly set in the midnight hours and neon soaked, DIY warehouse nights that are a staple of UK dance culture and rapidly popping up across America today.</p> <p>Ceremony&#8217;s first offering from Braxton/Palmer is the release of single &#8220;Creeper (Part I)&#8221; and it&#8217;s companion track &#8220;Creeper (Part II)&#8221;. Two cuts steeped in late 80s house, while also indebted to 90s r&#8217;n'b, that perfectly introduces Braxton/Palmer worldwide while at the same time capturing those early feelings we felt when initially hearing the project: dance music with a rough air about it and soul at its core.</p> <p>Braxton/Palmer<br />Creeper<br />Released March 14, 2013</p> <p>Tracklist:<br />Creeper, Pt. 1<br />Creeper, Pt. 2<br />Creeper, Pt. 1 (Solar Year Remix)<br />Creeper, Pt. 2 (Prism House Remix)</p> <p>[ <a href="http://lineout.thestranger.com/lineout/archives/2013/05/15/braxtonpalmers-deep-house-music-from-olympia#comments">Comment on this story</a> ]</p> <p>[ <a href="http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=16772975&amp;id=comments">Subscribe to the comments on this story</a> ]</p> Song http://lineout.thestranger.com/lineout/archives/2013/05/15/braxtonpalmers-deep-house-music-from-olympia?show=comments#readerComments http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=16772975&id=comments 0 Wed, 15 May 2013 14:25:42 -0700 The Stranger http://lineout.thestranger.com/lineout/archives/2013/05/14/the-fantastic-psychedelic-journey-of-mr-derek-see http://lineout.thestranger.com/lineout/archives/2013/05/14/the-fantastic-psychedelic-journey-of-mr-derek-see Mike Nipper <p><iframe width="400" height="100" style="position: relative; display: block; width: 400px; height: 100px;" src="http://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/v=2/album=2597629656/size=venti/bgcol=FFFFFF/linkcol=4285BB/" allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0"><a href="http://dereksee1.bandcamp.com/album/she-came-this-way">She Came This Way by Derek See</a></iframe></p> <p>Okay, "She Came This Way" is <strong>not</strong> 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 <strong>Love</strong>, lysergic-era <strong>Beatles</strong>, the <strong>Buffalo Springfield</strong>, without irony and ZERO nods to the contemporary sike strains. </p> <p>"She Came This Way" is one of Bay Area guitarsonist <strong>Derek See</strong>'s solo jams. His main playing gig is producing, recording, and playing guitar with the <a href="http://thebang.bandcamp.com/">Bang Girl Revue</a>. If you ain't heard 'em, the Bang Girl Revue lay down <em>some serious girl-group sounds</em>. See also has an unfuckwithble record collection, which, thankfully, he proudly plays out, and he maintains a GENIUS blog, <a href="http://www.networkedblogs.com/blog/dereks_daily_45">Derek's Daily 45</a>. The man has taste and skill, AND he's also the <strong>Stooges</strong>' touring guitar tech!! Lord knows where he finds the time to record his killer solo action. GODDAMN! Oh, full disclosure: <em>He's also a pal of mine</em>.</p> <p>[ <a href="http://lineout.thestranger.com/lineout/archives/2013/05/14/the-fantastic-psychedelic-journey-of-mr-derek-see#comments">Comment on this story</a> ]</p> <p>[ <a href="http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=16763500&amp;id=comments">Subscribe to the comments on this story</a> ]</p> Very Great Song Conflict of Interest Love http://lineout.thestranger.com/lineout/archives/2013/05/14/the-fantastic-psychedelic-journey-of-mr-derek-see?show=comments#readerComments http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=16763500&id=comments 0 Tue, 14 May 2013 14:32:29 -0700 The Stranger http://lineout.thestranger.com/lineout/archives/2013/05/14/the-solemn-majesty-of-master-musicians-of-bukkake-gnomi http://lineout.thestranger.com/lineout/archives/2013/05/14/the-solemn-majesty-of-master-musicians-of-bukkake-gnomi Dave Segal <p><a href="http://www.mmobmusic.com/">Master Musicians of Bukkake</a> have issued another video of a song from their forthcoming <em>Far West</em> album (out on <a href="http://importantrecords.com/">Important Records</a> in June; read about that record's <strong>"White Mountain Return"</strong> <a href="http://lineout.thestranger.com/lineout/archives/2013/04/08/master-musicians-of-bukkake-preview-forthcoming-lp-far-west-with-white-mountain-return">here</a>). <strong>"Gnomi"</strong> is one of MMOB's most accessible and melodramatic moments, a solemnly majestic ballad that packs an ancient punch, scarred by some of the most tastefully deployed guitar noise and marked by some of the most decipherable vocalizing in the group's long history. Also special: the 50-second synth breakdown near the halfway point, which recalls the sinister, seething tones of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Igor_Wakh%C3%A9vitch">Igor Wakh&#233;vitch</a> and <a href="http://mutant-sounds.blogspot.com/2007/01/patrick-vian-bruits-et-temps-analogues.html">Patrick Vian</a>.</p> <p><div style="text-align:center;"><iframe width="420" height="300" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/BDnlztE9Yog" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div></p> <p>[ <a href="http://lineout.thestranger.com/lineout/archives/2013/05/14/the-solemn-majesty-of-master-musicians-of-bukkake-gnomi#comments">Comment on this story</a> ]</p> <p>[ <a href="http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=16764437&amp;id=comments">Subscribe to the comments on this story</a> ]</p> Song Video 206 http://lineout.thestranger.com/lineout/archives/2013/05/14/the-solemn-majesty-of-master-musicians-of-bukkake-gnomi?show=comments#readerComments http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=16764437&id=comments 0 Tue, 14 May 2013 14:19:45 -0700 The Stranger http://lineout.thestranger.com/lineout/archives/2013/05/14/sic-alps-top-of-the-pop-tart-jam-biz-bag-is-rocking-my-world http://lineout.thestranger.com/lineout/archives/2013/05/14/sic-alps-top-of-the-pop-tart-jam-biz-bag-is-rocking-my-world Kathy Fennessy <p><div class="blogImageLeft" style="width:312px;"><img src="http://www.thestranger.com/binary/c14f/1368290403-thee_oh_sees.jpg" alt="thee_oh_sees.jpg" title="" width="300" height="241" /><ul><li class="imageCredit">K.C. Fennessy</li><li class="imageCaption"></li></ul></div> "Biz Bag" appears on the Bay Area band's upcoming EP, <em><strong>She's on Top</strong></em>, which I originally typed as "Who's the Boss" (blame Tony Danza...or <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=opOAB-5kHm0">Alyssa "Wen&#174; Hair" Milano</a>...or Judith Light..or Reagan-era sitcoms in general). </p> <p>Why it's called "Biz Bag," I couldn't say, but it rocks in a big, bad, beautiful way&#8212;and I'm still kicking myself for missing their Seattle show last fall. I even took a picture of the poster, because I was so excited, but then deadlines got the best of me. </p> <p>Here's an excerpt from Drag City's breathless press release:</p> <blockquote><p>This morning, Pitchfork premiered "Biz Bag," one of the completely bonk, <strong>top-of-the-pop-tart jams</strong> from the freshly pressed-and-forthcoming (May 21st!) "She&#8217;s On Top" 12" EP by <strong>Sic Alps</strong>. "She's On Top," a concise gem-drop! Pure rock 'n' roll directives of an unusually clean (for Sic Alps!) variety pour forever from das grooves and we're not gonna lie&#8212;this ain't no waxident, it's a classicident! One solid blast threatens to obliterate both end of yer parties* with vitality and charm, a peakingly [sic] planned romp into the twilight hours that float beyond the late-nite hours. <strong>Taste this first listen, and you'll eat exactly what we mean.</strong></p></blockquote> <p><small>* I read that as "panties." (I suspect that DC main man Rian Murphy wrote this thing.)</small></p> <p>Not sure what's going on with the cover art either, but I like it. The lady is lovely, but I sense that something is "off" with this picture&#8212;and I'm not talking about the incongruous layout and typography&#8212;but the fact that she looks like one of the Manson gals. And I apologize if she's a friend or relative of the band, but some of those Manson followers, like <a href="http://0.tqn.com/d/crime/1/0/I/D/bobbybous.jpg">Bobby Beausoleil</a>, were pretty easy on the eyes. Can anyone identify her?* (If so, she's clearly not Squeaky Fromme, the only female Family member I recognize due to her presidential assassination attempt.)</p> <p><strong>Postscript:</strong> Out of curiosity, I contacted Drag City's publicist, who explained that Mike Donovan found the photo fascinating&#8212;I knew I'd seen it before!&#8212;so he secured the rights to use it. Says publicist Kellie Morgan, "There was a band in the '60s called the Diggers&#8212;and a member of the band, Chuck Gould, took the photo of this woman, Zoe Leader." So, I was right about the Cali counterculture thing&#8212;and wrong about the serial killer component. In hopes of finding out more about Leader, I scoured the internet, but the only citation led to a dead link. There's a <em>Lion King</em> voice-over artist who shares that name, and most hits reference her in some way. </p> <p><small>* I did an image search, and she doesn't resemble any of <a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-k21uYbK_oBA/UU5dj6q8e4I/AAAAAAAACTM/okRQU6pOqas/s640/090903-atkinsfile-hmed-330a.grid-6x2.jpeg">Manson's assorted lady friends</a>.</small></p> <p><div style="text-align:center;"><iframe width="420" height="300" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/fWY-h6Nn1ag" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div></p> <p><div style="text-align:center;"><em>Drag City releases the three-song EP on May 21. Order it online <a href="http://www.dragcity.com/products/shes-on-top">here</a>. I sampled the other tracks, "She's on Top" and "Carrie Jean," and they rock just as hard. </em></div></p> <p>[ <a href="http://lineout.thestranger.com/lineout/archives/2013/05/14/sic-alps-top-of-the-pop-tart-jam-biz-bag-is-rocking-my-world#comments">Comment on this story</a> ]</p> <p>[ <a href="http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=16738678&amp;id=comments">Subscribe to the comments on this story</a> ]</p> New Releases Very Great Song #1 Fan http://lineout.thestranger.com/lineout/archives/2013/05/14/sic-alps-top-of-the-pop-tart-jam-biz-bag-is-rocking-my-world?show=comments#readerComments http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=16738678&id=comments 0 Sic Alps' Top-of-the-Pop-Tart Jam "Biz Bag" Is Rocking My World K.C. Fennessy Tue, 14 May 2013 11:41:24 -0700 The Stranger http://lineout.thestranger.com/lineout/archives/2013/05/13/the-profitable-disco-delirium-of-airports-business http://lineout.thestranger.com/lineout/archives/2013/05/13/the-profitable-disco-delirium-of-airports-business Dave Segal <p>Seattle producer/synthesist/bassist <a href="https://soundcloud.com/air-port">Airport</a> (aka <a href="http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/data-breaker/Content?oid=14462558">Jayson Kochan</a> of <a href="http://middayveil.com/">Midday Veil</a> and <strong>TJ Max</strong>) has a new video of his sinister disco bomb <strong>&#8220;Business&#8221;</strong> ready for your hungry eyes. Directed by and starring artist (and a 2012 <em>Stranger</em> visual art Genius contender) <a href="http://www.amandamanitach.com/">Amanda Manitach</a>, the clip captures the obsessive-compulsive, fast-twitch mania of a lot of the best dance music. Plus, stilettos.</p> <p><div style="text-align:center;"><iframe width="420" height="300" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/7UlIozGyz6M" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div></p> <p>[ <a href="http://lineout.thestranger.com/lineout/archives/2013/05/13/the-profitable-disco-delirium-of-airports-business#comments">Comment on this story</a> ]</p> <p>[ <a href="http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=16753665&amp;id=comments">Subscribe to the comments on this story</a> ]</p> Song Video 206 http://lineout.thestranger.com/lineout/archives/2013/05/13/the-profitable-disco-delirium-of-airports-business?show=comments#readerComments http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=16753665&id=comments 0 Mon, 13 May 2013 11:07:56 -0700 The Stranger http://lineout.thestranger.com/lineout/archives/2013/05/13/passenger-ejected-from-plane-for-singing-i-will-always-love-you http://lineout.thestranger.com/lineout/archives/2013/05/13/passenger-ejected-from-plane-for-singing-i-will-always-love-you Bree McKenna <p>I just read about the passenger who refused to stop loudly singing an <strong>off-key rendition</strong> of "I Will Always Love You" during an American Airlines flight. She apparently worried the flight staff enough that they hand-cuffed her and had to make <strong>an emergency landing</strong>. Another passenger caught a <strong>secret cellphone video </strong>of her continuing to belt the song out as she was lead to the front of the aircraft in cuffs. The woman was not charged, and she claims that the incident was a caused by a <strong>bizarre diabetic episode</strong>, but American refused to fly the woman on to her destination and she had to make other arrangements.</p> <p><div style="text-align:center;"><iframe width="500" height="300" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/kDnjA3j_v8g" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div></p> <p>(Oh, also it does kind of irritate me how all the headlines for this story are attributing "I Will Always Love You" to <strong>Whitney Houston </strong>and <strong><em>The Bodyguard</em></strong>, but of course the song was actually originally written and recorded by<a href="http://youtu.be/gS-F4rfU4ns"> Dolly Parton</a>.)</p> <p>[ <a href="http://lineout.thestranger.com/lineout/archives/2013/05/13/passenger-ejected-from-plane-for-singing-i-will-always-love-you#comments">Comment on this story</a> ]</p> <p>[ <a href="http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=16753393&amp;id=comments">Subscribe to the comments on this story</a> ]</p> Song http://lineout.thestranger.com/lineout/archives/2013/05/13/passenger-ejected-from-plane-for-singing-i-will-always-love-you?show=comments#readerComments http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=16753393&id=comments 23 Mon, 13 May 2013 11:04:56 -0700 The Stranger http://lineout.thestranger.com/lineout/archives/2013/05/10/meet-dust-moth-featuring-members-of-eighteen-individual-eyes-these-arms-are-snakes-shift-undertow-and-sparkmarker http://lineout.thestranger.com/lineout/archives/2013/05/10/meet-dust-moth-featuring-members-of-eighteen-individual-eyes-these-arms-are-snakes-shift-undertow-and-sparkmarker Megan Seling <p>Holy Seattle supergroup! Back in February Trent Moorman <a href="http://lineout.thestranger.com/lineout/archives/2013/02/21/black-lodge-tonight-black-hills-dust-moth-slow-bird">introduced us to Dust Moth</a>, a new band featuring members of Eighteen Individual Eyes, These Arms are Snakes, Shift, Undertow, and Sparkmarker. The band has had a couple <a href="http://dustmoth.bandcamp.com/">clips on Bandcamp</a> for a couple months now, but if you haven't made it out to one of their three or four shows, you can finally get a full-sized bite of their sound via this new video for "Selector":</p> <p><iframe src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/65264579?color=f0000c" width="500" height="375" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe> <p><a href="http://vimeo.com/65264579">Selector</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/dustmoth">Dust Moth</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com">Vimeo</a>.</p></p> <p><em>Dust Moth play the Rendezvous tomorrow night and Barboza on May 15th.</em></p> <p>[ <a href="http://lineout.thestranger.com/lineout/archives/2013/05/10/meet-dust-moth-featuring-members-of-eighteen-individual-eyes-these-arms-are-snakes-shift-undertow-and-sparkmarker#comments">Comment on this story</a> ]</p> <p>[ <a href="http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=16731115&amp;id=comments">Subscribe to the comments on this story</a> ]</p> Song Upcoming http://lineout.thestranger.com/lineout/archives/2013/05/10/meet-dust-moth-featuring-members-of-eighteen-individual-eyes-these-arms-are-snakes-shift-undertow-and-sparkmarker?show=comments#readerComments http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=16731115&id=comments 0 Fri, 10 May 2013 11:54:39 -0700 The Stranger http://lineout.thestranger.com/lineout/archives/2013/05/10/french-psych-enigma-high-wolf-to-play-electric-tea-garden-sept-9 http://lineout.thestranger.com/lineout/archives/2013/05/10/french-psych-enigma-high-wolf-to-play-electric-tea-garden-sept-9 Dave Segal <p><iframe width="100%" height="166" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fapi.soundcloud.com%2Ftracks%2F90518005"></iframe></p> <p>French ethnodelic multi-instrumentalist <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/High-Wolf/147023801993647">High Wolf</a> will be playing <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/ETG-Seattle-Electric-Tea-Garden/191433567549621">Electric Tea Garden</a> Sept. 9. Let's hope he plays longer than the 30 minutes he did at <a href="http://lineout.thestranger.com/lineout/archives/2011/02/06/high-wolf-hair-and-space-museum-megabats-cairo-feb-4">Cairo</a> in 2011&#8212;although it was a very good half hour. </p> <p>In more immediate news, High Wolf will be releasing a new album, <em>Kairos: Chronos</em>, June 4 on <a href="http://www.notnotfun.com/">Not Not Fun</a>. The first track to be released to the public from it, <strong>"Kulti,"</strong> further hones his unique spin on psychotropical dub for rainforest rituals. It instantly propels you out of your everyday mind into a far stranger and more intriguing state. Don't know about you, but that's a big reason why I listen to music in the first place. More on <em>Kairos: Chronos</em> later, but suffice it to say that the album's a major head trip that will get you floating in a most peculiar way.</p> <p><a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/421687114594325/?fref=ts">Here's</a> the info on High Wolf's Seattle appearance. (Disclosure: I will be DJing with <a href="http://madelikeatree.com/mlat62-Explorateur">Explorateur</a>; the show is presented by our <a href="https://www.facebook.com/DistortionsSeattle">Distortions</a> organization and <a href="http://nosleepseattle.com/">No Sleep</a>.)</p> <p>[ <a href="http://lineout.thestranger.com/lineout/archives/2013/05/10/french-psych-enigma-high-wolf-to-play-electric-tea-garden-sept-9#comments">Comment on this story</a> ]</p> <p>[ <a href="http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=16729589&amp;id=comments">Subscribe to the comments on this story</a> ]</p> Album Song Conflict of Interest Upcoming http://lineout.thestranger.com/lineout/archives/2013/05/10/french-psych-enigma-high-wolf-to-play-electric-tea-garden-sept-9?show=comments#readerComments http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=16729589&id=comments 0 Fri, 10 May 2013 10:43:49 -0700 The Stranger http://lineout.thestranger.com/lineout/archives/2013/05/07/that-strange-phenomenon-when-songs-youve-not-heard-for-years-pop-into-your-head-for-no-good-reason http://lineout.thestranger.com/lineout/archives/2013/05/07/that-strange-phenomenon-when-songs-youve-not-heard-for-years-pop-into-your-head-for-no-good-reason Dave Segal <p>While zooming downhill on Olive Way on my bike last night, <strong>the Clash&#8217;s &#8220;Somebody Got Murdered&#8221;</strong> popped into my head, apropos of nothing. I had not listened to this song (fourth track, side two of <em>Sandinista!</em>) in, oh, 30 years. Revisiting it now, the track sounds fairly innocuous, not at all the thing that flashes to mind when one thinks of the Clash. It&#8217;s just <strong>Mick Jones</strong> in lightweight-pop mode, helping to fill out a triple album, very pleasantly. </p> <p>I don&#8217;t know what this phenomenon&#8217;s called&#8212;<strong>random memory reflux</strong>? <strong>Mental glitch jukebox syndrome</strong>?&#8212;but it&#8217;s pretty damned mysterious. Some songs will do this on a recurring basis, also seemingly spurred by nothing germane: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xva27fSMMzA">The Fugs' "Frenzy"</a> does this, usually when I'm shopping for sundries. (News you can use.)</p> <p><div style="text-align:center;"><iframe width="420" height="300" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/lsj2_6_z3Vo" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div></p> <p>[ <a href="http://lineout.thestranger.com/lineout/archives/2013/05/07/that-strange-phenomenon-when-songs-youve-not-heard-for-years-pop-into-your-head-for-no-good-reason#comments">Comment on this story</a> ]</p> <p>[ <a href="http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=16695749&amp;id=comments">Subscribe to the comments on this story</a> ]</p> Song ??!! Zzzzzzzzzzzzz http://lineout.thestranger.com/lineout/archives/2013/05/07/that-strange-phenomenon-when-songs-youve-not-heard-for-years-pop-into-your-head-for-no-good-reason?show=comments#readerComments http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=16695749&id=comments 2 Tue, 07 May 2013 11:22:36 -0700 The Stranger http://lineout.thestranger.com/lineout/archives/2013/05/07/stres-with-blood-on-windows http://lineout.thestranger.com/lineout/archives/2013/05/07/stres-with-blood-on-windows Dave Segal <p><iframe width="100%" height="166" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fapi.soundcloud.com%2Ftracks%2F84307101"></iframe></p> <p>Seattle singer/songwriter <a href="http://stresisit.bandcamp.com/">Stres</a> (aka <strong>Josh Bolof</strong>)&#8212;who has a new <a href="http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/console-counsel-from-one-of-seattles-top-producers/Content?oid=13017987">Erik Blood</a>-produced EP titled <em>Old Lives</em> coming out soon&#8212;presents a sneak preview from it today. <strong><a href="https://soundcloud.com/stresmusic/01-stres-windows">"Windows"</a></strong> is a charming slice of morose, slow-gaze pop with a wonderfully wonky guitar tone and a mesmerizing synth/drum breakdown.</p> <p>You can catch Stres playing live at the <a href="http://sunsettavern.com/calendar/event/tough-cuts-monthly-presents-truckasauras-stres-with-djao-and-miniature-airl">Sunset</a> Thurs. May 23 with <a href="http://truckasauras.com/">Truckasauras</a>, <a href="http://djaomusic.com/">DJAO</a>, and <a href="http://www.miniatureairlines.com/">Miniature Airlines</a>. It's a strong lineup coordinated by music critic <strong>Todd Hamm</strong> for his monthly <strong>Tough Cuts</strong> night.</p> <p>[ <a href="http://lineout.thestranger.com/lineout/archives/2013/05/07/stres-with-blood-on-windows#comments">Comment on this story</a> ]</p> <p>[ <a href="http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=16694977&amp;id=comments">Subscribe to the comments on this story</a> ]</p> Song 206 http://lineout.thestranger.com/lineout/archives/2013/05/07/stres-with-blood-on-windows?show=comments#readerComments http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=16694977&id=comments 0 Tue, 07 May 2013 09:48:10 -0700 The Stranger http://lineout.thestranger.com/lineout/archives/2013/05/06/ye-ye-more-jacques-dutronc http://lineout.thestranger.com/lineout/archives/2013/05/06/ye-ye-more-jacques-dutronc Mike Nipper <p>I first wrote about<a href="http://lineout.thestranger.com/lineout/archives/2012/12/27/le-responsable-is-my-fave-dutronc-jam"> Jacques Dutronc back in December</a>&#8212;the post featured his stellar, and always in rotation at '60s clubs, "<a href="http://youtu.be/s_0EhEe2VLw">Le Responsable</a>." Well, last week as I was sussin' out some French/Qu&#233;b&#233;cois EPs, I snagged a Dutronc EP I didn't already have. Besides the usual folky/pop <em>dreck</em> most '60s Euro EPs contain (even Dutronc's), it also features the track, "A la Queue les Yvelines;" a cool JD jam I'd never heard.</p> <p><div style="text-align:center;"><iframe width="420" height="300" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/XP0P0b3UZv4" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div></p> <p>Um, this ain't ye'-ye' or trad folky French sing-a-long junk&#8212;"A la Queue les Yvelines" is heavy, pierced with blistering stabs of fuzz, AND syncopated. It's prolly as proggy as Dutronc would ever get; AND it's still danceable. The only other HEAVY JD jam I've heard is, perhaps, "<a href="http://youtu.be/bqShdr8Gdjc">L&#180;augmentation</a>." While still <em>fantastique</em>, it makes me wanna headbang, not move my dancin' feet!!</p> <p>[ <a href="http://lineout.thestranger.com/lineout/archives/2013/05/06/ye-ye-more-jacques-dutronc#comments">Comment on this story</a> ]</p> <p>[ <a href="http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=16686534&amp;id=comments">Subscribe to the comments on this story</a> ]</p> International Song http://lineout.thestranger.com/lineout/archives/2013/05/06/ye-ye-more-jacques-dutronc?show=comments#readerComments http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=16686534&id=comments 0 Mon, 06 May 2013 14:08:22 -0700 The Stranger http://lineout.thestranger.com/lineout/archives/2013/05/06/the-phoenix-foundation-goes-deep http://lineout.thestranger.com/lineout/archives/2013/05/06/the-phoenix-foundation-goes-deep Kathy Fennessy <p><div class="blogImageLeft" style="width:312px;"><img src="http://www.thestranger.com/binary/eaea/1367814645-phoenix_foundation.jpg" alt="phoenix_foundation.jpg" title="" width="300" height="200" /><ul><li class="imageCredit">Memphis Industries</li><li class="imageCaption"></li></ul></div> I listened to New Zealand sextet the Phoenix Foundation's double-LP, <em><strong>Fandango</strong></em>, this weekend, and it didn't quite win me over, though it came close (and I'll assume Kiwis don't think about <a href="http://blog.tmcnet.com/blog/tom-keating/images/fandango.jpg">talking bags</a> when they see the word "Fandango"). </p> <p>In reading up on the band, which has been around since 1997, I learned some interesting things: 1) they took their name from the TV show <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/MacGyver-Complete-Richard-Dean-Anderson/dp/B0006IUDXA">MacGyver</a></i>, and 2) they provided the score for Taika Waititi's films <em>Boy</em> and <em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Eagle-vs-Shark-Taika-Waititi/dp/B000X418V8">Eagle vs. Shark</a></em> (featuring Jemaine Clement from <em>Flight of the Conchords</em>).</p> <p>At times, the new record reminded me of <strong>the Beta Band</strong> (whom I love); at others, <strong>Simple Minds</strong> (about whom I'm less enthusiastic). Then I got to the closing track, "Friendly Society." This 17:40-minute motorik jam plays more like the flute-infused space rock of <a href="http://lineout.thestranger.com/lineout/archives/2013/04/01/herbcrafts-fantastic-voyage">Herbcraft</a> than anything else on the 80-minute album. It's so good, in fact, that I wish they'd released it as an EP in and of itself. </p> <p><iframe width="100%" height="166" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fapi.soundcloud.com%2Ftracks%2F76130487"></iframe></p> <p><div style="text-align:center;"><em>Memphis Industries releases</em> Fandango<em>, Phoenix Foundation's fifth LP, on May 14. </em></div></p> <p>[ <a href="http://lineout.thestranger.com/lineout/archives/2013/05/06/the-phoenix-foundation-goes-deep#comments">Comment on this story</a> ]</p> <p>[ <a href="http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=16679401&amp;id=comments">Subscribe to the comments on this story</a> ]</p> New Releases Song http://lineout.thestranger.com/lineout/archives/2013/05/06/the-phoenix-foundation-goes-deep?show=comments#readerComments http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=16679401&id=comments 0 The Phoenix Foundation Goes Deep Memphis Industries Mon, 06 May 2013 09:36:46 -0700 The Stranger http://lineout.thestranger.com/lineout/archives/2013/05/02/music-news-kanye-being-cryptic-nmh-plan-world-tour-and-some-sexy-new-albums http://lineout.thestranger.com/lineout/archives/2013/05/02/music-news-kanye-being-cryptic-nmh-plan-world-tour-and-some-sexy-new-albums Kyle Fleck <p><strong>He's Baaaaaaack: </strong> Kim Kardashian's baby daddy has returned to Twitter, with a tantalizing tweet: "June Eighteen," <a href="http://www.factmag.com/2013/05/02/kanye-west-reactivates-twitter-account-announces-release-date-for-new-material/">prompting speculation that we're getting a new Kanye album this year. </a></p> <p><strong>Neutral Milk Hotel Plot World Domination: </strong> <a href="http://pitchfork.com/news/50575-neutral-milk-hotel-full-international-tour-planned/">According to their tour manager</a>, the recently reactivated Neutral Milk Hotel will soon embark on a tour that "will span the globe."</p> <p><strong>New Justice Album Available for Streaming: </strong> <a href="http://www.justiceaaa.com/">See for yourself </a>if it lives up to the hype. </p> <p><strong>Deftones Pay Tribute to Chris Kelly:</strong> By mashing up "Engine No. 9" with "Jump." <a href="http://www.rollingstone.com/music/videos/deftones-cover-kris-kross-jump-in-honor-of-chris-kelly-20130502">The crowd went appropriately nuts.</a></p> <p><strong>Say Hello to Chance the Rapper:</strong> Chicago's latest hiphop prodigy claims his new mixtape <em>Acid Rain</em>, which dropped yesterday, is <a href="http://www.complex.com/music/2013/04/chance-the-rapper-says-acid-rap-is-the-best-tape-of-2013">"the best tape to come out in 2013."</a> The year's still young but after hearing it, it's hard to argue with him.</p> <p><strong>And Finally, Hometown Heroes Shabazz Palaces Remix Animal Collective</strong>: This is pretty druggy. <br /><iframe width="100%" height="166" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fapi.soundcloud.com%2Ftracks%2F90176182"></iframe></strong></p> <p>[ <a href="http://lineout.thestranger.com/lineout/archives/2013/05/02/music-news-kanye-being-cryptic-nmh-plan-world-tour-and-some-sexy-new-albums#comments">Comment on this story</a> ]</p> <p>[ <a href="http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=16655700&amp;id=comments">Subscribe to the comments on this story</a> ]</p> New Releases Celeb Hellevant Sort of News Album Song RIP http://lineout.thestranger.com/lineout/archives/2013/05/02/music-news-kanye-being-cryptic-nmh-plan-world-tour-and-some-sexy-new-albums?show=comments#readerComments http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=16655700&id=comments 0 Thu, 02 May 2013 12:17:13 -0700 The Stranger http://lineout.thestranger.com/lineout/archives/2013/05/01/lortz-have-mercy-case-studies-driving-east-and-through-her http://lineout.thestranger.com/lineout/archives/2013/05/01/lortz-have-mercy-case-studies-driving-east-and-through-her Dave Segal <p><iframe width="100%" height="166" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fapi.soundcloud.com%2Ftracks%2F87602291"></iframe></p> <p>Case Studies&#8212;Seattle singer/songwriter <strong>Jesse Lortz</strong>'s post-<a href="http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/from-dusk-till-dawn/Content?oid=2419148">Dutchess and the Duke</a> project&#8212;presents a preview track from his new album, <em>This Is Another Life</em> (out June 11 on <a href="http://www.sacredbonesrecords.com/releases/sbr052/">Sacred Bones</a>). <a href="https://soundcloud.com/sacredbones/case-studies-driving-east-and/s-ayyhD">"Driving East, and Through Her"</a> is the most interesting, exciting song I've heard by Case Studies, whose previous folk-rock recordings have sounded staid and pedestrian to me. </p> <p>Produced by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Gris_Gris">the Gris Gris</a>' <strong>Greg Ashley</strong>, "Driving East, and Through Her" cruises out of the gate with more propulsion than anything else in Case Studies' catalog and bears an utterly infectious groove, rich, probing bass line, warmly glum vocals, and piquant, <em>Beggars Banquet</em>-like slide guitar. I hope the rest of <em>This Is Another Life</em> exudes this much liveliness and catchiness.</p> <p>Press release, album promo clip, and tracklist after the jump.</p> <p><div style="text-align:center;"><iframe width="420" height="300" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/n4sPKEhc_hE" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div></p> <p>Case Studies is the musical project of Jesse Lortz, a prolific Seattle based musician and today he announces his new album This Is Another Life which will be released on Sacred Bones June 11. His lyrics wax and wane with truth and bare tales from his life. Melodies surface as lines hummed in the in-between times. These easy melodies coat the heavy subject matter of suicide, heartbreak, grief and regret. As with his previous project, The Dutchess and the Duke, listen- ing to Case Studies feels like taking part in an exploration of sentimental landscapes. </p> <p>This Is Another Life is Lortz&#8217;s second full-length solo release on Sacred Bones. It is the follow-up album to 2011&#8217;s highly acclaimed The World is Just a Shape to Fill the Night. This is Another Life features guest vocals by Marissa Nadler on &#8220;Villain&#8221; and was produced and engineered by Greg Ashley of the band Gris Gris. Ashley also plays percussion, organ and adds additional vocals &amp; guitar. Lortz is also helped out by Jon Parker (guitar / piano), Oscar Michel (bass), Joe Haener (per- cussion), Carey Lamprecht (violin) and Shawn Alpay (cello).</p> <blockquote><p>CASE STUDIES<br />THIS IS ANOTHER LIFE<br />(SACRED BONES RECORDS)<br />JUNE 11th, 2013</p> <p>1. In a Suit Made of Ash<br />2. Passage / Me in the Dark<br />3. Everything<br />4. Villain<br />5. Driving East, and Through Her<br />6. House of Silk, House of Stone<br />7. You Say to Me, You Never Have to Ask<br />8. From Richard Brautigan<br />9. A Beast I Have Yet to Find<br />10. This is Another Life<br />11. Like The Sea (digital only)</p></blockquote> <p>[ <a href="http://lineout.thestranger.com/lineout/archives/2013/05/01/lortz-have-mercy-case-studies-driving-east-and-through-her#comments">Comment on this story</a> ]</p> <p>[ <a href="http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=16646430&amp;id=comments">Subscribe to the comments on this story</a> ]</p> Song 206 http://lineout.thestranger.com/lineout/archives/2013/05/01/lortz-have-mercy-case-studies-driving-east-and-through-her?show=comments#readerComments http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=16646430&id=comments 1 Wed, 01 May 2013 15:21:10 -0700 The Stranger http://lineout.thestranger.com/lineout/archives/2013/05/01/julian-lynch-skips-seattle-releases-video http://lineout.thestranger.com/lineout/archives/2013/05/01/julian-lynch-skips-seattle-releases-video Kathy Fennessy <p><div class="blogImageLeft" style="width:312px;"><img src="http://www.thestranger.com/binary/2e1a/1367386114-julian_lynch.jpg" alt="Still from the video" title="Still from the video" width="300" height="169" /><ul><li class="imageCredit">Underwater Peoples Records</li><li class="imageCaption">Still from the Sarah Kinlaw-directed video</li></ul></div> One-time <strong>Ducktails</strong> and <strong>Real Estate</strong> associate <a href="http://lineout.thestranger.com/lineout/archives/2013/03/19/julian-lynchs-psychedelic-jazz-folk-lines">Julian Lynch</a> has been diligently toiling away on his solo career since 2008, culminating in the release of his fourth album, <strong><em>Lines</em></strong>, earlier this year. It's a pretty, prog-infused pop record that hasn't attracted much attention in Seattle, so maybe that's why his current tour doesn't include our fair city. </p> <p>On the plus side, he's released a video to accompany the bleary, smeary "Gloves," which plays like <a href="http://lineout.thestranger.com/lineout/archives/2012/07/25/xtc-melt-the-guns-and-the-thugs">XTC</a> by way of <strong>Roxy Music</strong> on Robitussin. Double plus (good): it's rather charming, especially for those who find curly-haired lasses, stuffed rabbits, and polka-dot dresses appealing&#8212;and hey, who doesn't? (More so if <em>The Velveteen Rabbit</em> made a vivid impression on you as a kid.) Yet somehow, the end result isn't as cute or as quirky as that description might indicate. <em><a href="http://www.spin.com/articles/julian-lynch-gloves-video-lines-underwater-peoples/">SPIN</a></em> compares it to <em><a href="http://lineout.thestranger.com/lineout/archives/2012/04/30/bring-on-the-rabbitheads?oid=13500035&show=comments&sort=desc&display=">Donnie Darko</a></em>, though I'd like it even better if the big bunny at the end looked more like the small one. </p> <p><div style="text-align:center;"><br /><iframe src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/61186885" width="475" height="335" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe> <br /><a href="http://vimeo.com/61186885">Julian Lynch - Gloves</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/user16884245">Sarah Kinlaw</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com">Vimeo</a>.<br /></div></p> <p><div style="text-align:center;">Underwater Peoples Records released <em>Lines</em> digitally on March 26; it's now available on vinyl (since April 30) at <a href="http://underwaterpeoples.com/2013/01/23/pre-orderjulian-lynch-lines-lpuplp021/">this link</a>.</div></p> <p>[ <a href="http://lineout.thestranger.com/lineout/archives/2013/05/01/julian-lynch-skips-seattle-releases-video#comments">Comment on this story</a> ]</p> <p>[ <a href="http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=16639985&amp;id=comments">Subscribe to the comments on this story</a> ]</p> Song Video http://lineout.thestranger.com/lineout/archives/2013/05/01/julian-lynch-skips-seattle-releases-video?show=comments#readerComments http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=16639985&id=comments 2 Julian Lynch Skips Seattle, Releases Video Still from the video Sarah Kinlaw via Underwater Peoples Records Wed, 01 May 2013 12:54:00 -0700 The Stranger http://lineout.thestranger.com/lineout/archives/2013/04/30/debacle-fest-bound-date-palms-drop-a-doozy-of-a-video-for-dusted-down http://lineout.thestranger.com/lineout/archives/2013/04/30/debacle-fest-bound-date-palms-drop-a-doozy-of-a-video-for-dusted-down Dave Segal <p>In my estimation, <a href="http://www.datepalmsofpsalms.com/">Date Palms</a> are going to be one of <em>the</em> highlights of <a href="http://www.debaclefest.com/">Debacle Fest</a>, a seriously deep exploration of experimental music that happens <strong>May 3-5</strong> in Seattle, and about which you can read more in this publication on Wednesday. </p> <p>Led by <strong>Marielle V. Jakobsons</strong> (violin, flute, electronics) and <strong>Gregg Kowalsky</strong> (keyboards, electronics), the Bay Area group are slated to drop <em>The Dust Sessions</em> in June on <a href="http://thrilljockey.com/thrill/Date-Palms/#.UX8XP4J5H90">Thrill Jockey</a>. A sublime combination of sinuous prairie ragas and elegant chamber orchestral maneuvers, the <em>The Dust Sessions</em> elevates mind states with a spiritualized gracefulness. Check out <a href="http://vimeo.com/64083371">&#8220;Dusted Down&#8221;</a> for a sneak preview of its treasures. </p> <p>Date Palms play <a href="http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/334593">Debacle Fest</a> Sat. May 4 at <strong>FRED Wildlife Refuge</strong>.</p> <p><div style="text-align:center;"><iframe src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/64083371?title=0&byline=0&portrait=0&color=f5f7f7" width="500" height="375" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div></p> <p>[ <a href="http://lineout.thestranger.com/lineout/archives/2013/04/30/debacle-fest-bound-date-palms-drop-a-doozy-of-a-video-for-dusted-down#comments">Comment on this story</a> ]</p> <p>[ <a href="http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=16628723&amp;id=comments">Subscribe to the comments on this story</a> ]</p> Song Upcoming Video http://lineout.thestranger.com/lineout/archives/2013/04/30/debacle-fest-bound-date-palms-drop-a-doozy-of-a-video-for-dusted-down?show=comments#readerComments http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=16628723&id=comments 0 Tue, 30 Apr 2013 08:00:50 -0700 The Stranger http://lineout.thestranger.com/lineout/archives/2013/04/29/what-happens-when-glen-campbell-sings-a-brian-wilson-penned-pop-song http://lineout.thestranger.com/lineout/archives/2013/04/29/what-happens-when-glen-campbell-sings-a-brian-wilson-penned-pop-song Mike Nipper <p>I'd never heard "Guess I'm Dumb" before today, but DAMN, if it ain't good! </p> <p><div style="text-align:center;"><iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/k_Yj9oHikgY" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div></p> <p>Um... some selectors play this out, like, <strong>as a dance jam</strong>. Odd, 'cause this is a <em>big</em>, and very <strong>Brian Wilson</strong> sounding pop song, which, to my ears, ain't a mover.</p> <p>I really only know <strong>Glen Campbell</strong>'s music from my adolescence. His string of soft pop/easy country hits&#8212;"<a href="http://youtu.be/qox4uMRcEd4">By the Time I Get to Phoenix</a>," "<a href="http://youtu.be/QTfwcLdP5Xk">Witchita Lineman</a>," "<a href="http://youtu.be/8B9fW2l3O88">Gentle on My Mind</a>," "<a href="http://youtu.be/xsHUgpSxMoI">Galveston</a>," "<a href="http://youtu.be/-p8wDhK5LyY">Rhinestone Cowboy</a>," and, perhaps the most grating of all... "<a href="http://youtu.be/7wOUFo4Lwf8">Southern Nights</a>"&#8212;were ALWAYS on the radio and, thusly, are forever burned into my brain with <em>the most pointed</em> of <strong>pointed hate</strong>. My hate notwithstanding, prior to his pop/country solo career Campbell was a member of the popular instrumental group the <strong>Champs</strong>, cut a few solo teener sides, and was an ace session man; he was part of the famed LA session group <strong>Wrecking Crew</strong>. It was via the Wrecking Crew that Campbell sessioned and toured with the Beach Boys and how I'd reckon got dibs on this song.</p> <p>[ <a href="http://lineout.thestranger.com/lineout/archives/2013/04/29/what-happens-when-glen-campbell-sings-a-brian-wilson-penned-pop-song#comments">Comment on this story</a> ]</p> <p>[ <a href="http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=16625162&amp;id=comments">Subscribe to the comments on this story</a> ]</p> Brain Fruit Song http://lineout.thestranger.com/lineout/archives/2013/04/29/what-happens-when-glen-campbell-sings-a-brian-wilson-penned-pop-song?show=comments#readerComments http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=16625162&id=comments 1 Mon, 29 Apr 2013 13:47:32 -0700 The Stranger http://lineout.thestranger.com/lineout/archives/2013/04/29/another-gem-dropped-djao-remixes-laura-mvulas-green-garden http://lineout.thestranger.com/lineout/archives/2013/04/29/another-gem-dropped-djao-remixes-laura-mvulas-green-garden Dave Segal <p><iframe width="100%" height="166" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fapi.soundcloud.com%2Ftracks%2F89347562"></iframe></p> <p>Seattle producer <a href="http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/disciples-of-dilla/Content?oid=15446713">DJAO</a> (<strong>Alex Osuch</strong>) has remixed <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5akYnlwubDo mvula">"Green Garden"</a> by British soul diva <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laura_Mvula">Laura Mvula</a>. The original's an ebullient heart-pumper with a beautiful, understated vibraphone (or is it mbira?) motif and intricately arranged backing vocals. The tempo's way faster than <a href="https://soundcloud.com/d-j-a-o">DJAO</a>'s usual BPM range, but he finds a way to make the song more introverted and intense by emphasizing the kick drum and woodblock hits and chopping the vocals to an urgent scatting. This is a pretty high-profile remix job for AO; Mvula's <em>Sing to the Moon</em> album&#8212;where "Green Garden" originates&#8212;came out in March on <strong>RCA</strong>. Nice going, everybody.</p> <p>DJAO is working on an LP for Portland label <a href="http://www.droppinggems.com/">Dropping Gems</a>, due for release later this year.</p> <p>[ <a href="http://lineout.thestranger.com/lineout/archives/2013/04/29/another-gem-dropped-djao-remixes-laura-mvulas-green-garden#comments">Comment on this story</a> ]</p> <p>[ <a href="http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=16623676&amp;id=comments">Subscribe to the comments on this story</a> ]</p> Song 206 http://lineout.thestranger.com/lineout/archives/2013/04/29/another-gem-dropped-djao-remixes-laura-mvulas-green-garden?show=comments#readerComments http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=16623676&id=comments 0 Mon, 29 Apr 2013 10:33:25 -0700 The Stranger http://lineout.thestranger.com/lineout/archives/2013/04/26/an-imaginary-ode-to-jack-torrance-noel-brass-jrs-for-you http://lineout.thestranger.com/lineout/archives/2013/04/26/an-imaginary-ode-to-jack-torrance-noel-brass-jrs-for-you Dave Segal <p><iframe width="100%" height="166" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fapi.soundcloud.com%2Ftracks%2F89400735"></iframe></p> <p><a href="http://www.thestranger.com/suggests/13628774/afrocop">Afrocop</a> keyboardist <a href="http://noelbrassjr.bandcamp.com/">Noel Brass Jr.</a> dug up an old tune of his for our reassessment, titled <strong>"For You."</strong> Man, is it eerie. You can imagine this piece playing in the ballroom at the Overlook Hotel where <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Torrance">Jack Torrance</a> stays in <em>The Shining</em>&#8212;but enhanced by liberal doses of LSD and Robotussin&#8482;. It's a beautiful, soulful ballad slowly gurgling down a celestial drain. Bittersweet dreams...</p> <p>[ <a href="http://lineout.thestranger.com/lineout/archives/2013/04/26/an-imaginary-ode-to-jack-torrance-noel-brass-jrs-for-you#comments">Comment on this story</a> ]</p> <p>[ <a href="http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=16599273&amp;id=comments">Subscribe to the comments on this story</a> ]</p> Song 206 http://lineout.thestranger.com/lineout/archives/2013/04/26/an-imaginary-ode-to-jack-torrance-noel-brass-jrs-for-you?show=comments#readerComments http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=16599273&id=comments 0 Fri, 26 Apr 2013 13:37:41 -0700 The Stranger http://lineout.thestranger.com/lineout/archives/2013/04/25/sweet-robert-wyatt-cover-alert-graham-brices-sea-song http://lineout.thestranger.com/lineout/archives/2013/04/25/sweet-robert-wyatt-cover-alert-graham-brices-sea-song Dave Segal <p>The standout track from a recent compilation of cover songs titled <em>Horfes turn&#8217;d Jockies</em> (on <strong>Marc Laurick</strong>'s Seattle-based label the <a href="http://chinasearecordings.bandcamp.com/">China Sea Recordings Concern</a>) is <strong>Graham Brice</strong>&#8217;s suitably eerie rendition of <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q2XJ47ahYc0">Robert Wyatt&#8217;s &#8220;Sea Song,&#8221;</a> off his 1974 LP <em><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rock_Bottom_%28album%29">Rock Bottom</a></em>. It's rare to hear a vocalist do true justice to a Wyatt tune, but Brice really captures the original's fathoms-deep melancholy, and he nails the solemn, serpentine, circling-the-drain beauty of the melody, too. </p> <p>You can freely download and listen to the whole compilation&#8212;which includes versions if songs by <strong>the Velvet Underground, John Cale, Nico</strong>, and <strong>Big Star</strong>&#8212;<a href="http://chinasearecordings.bandcamp.com/album/horfes-turnd-jockies-free">here</a>. </p> <p><iframe width="400" height="100" style="position: relative; display: block; width: 400px; height: 100px;" src="http://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/v=2/track=2977115831/size=venti/bgcol=FFFFFF/linkcol=4285BB/" allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0"><a href="http://chinasearecordings.bandcamp.com/track/sea-song">Sea Song by Graham Brice</a></iframe></p> <p>[ <a href="http://lineout.thestranger.com/lineout/archives/2013/04/25/sweet-robert-wyatt-cover-alert-graham-brices-sea-song#comments">Comment on this story</a> ]</p> <p>[ <a href="http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=16590150&amp;id=comments">Subscribe to the comments on this story</a> ]</p> Album Song http://lineout.thestranger.com/lineout/archives/2013/04/25/sweet-robert-wyatt-cover-alert-graham-brices-sea-song?show=comments#readerComments http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=16590150&id=comments 0 Thu, 25 Apr 2013 10:35:00 -0700 The Stranger http://lineout.thestranger.com/lineout/archives/2013/04/18/its-not-even-a-full-moon-this-week-right http://lineout.thestranger.com/lineout/archives/2013/04/18/its-not-even-a-full-moon-this-week-right Mike Nipper <p>Today I've been dealing with what seems like WAY more than the <em>usual amount of weirdness</em>. I kinda feel like one of them Y-Wing fighters from <em>Star Wars: A New Hope</em>; one of the <strong>Gold Squad</strong> which gets shot down in the trench by Darth Vader, while valiantly trying to stay on target. Naturally, as a way to alleviate my stress, I figgered <strong>creepin' Group/R&B 45s would help</strong>. It has, sorta. When it comes to R&B 45s, just window shopping via teh internet can be enough. C'mon, R&B is ALWAYS a PARTY! AMIRITE? ... hello? Anyways, as I was in creep mode, I happened across a 45 by <a href="http://www.allmusic.com/artist/louie-lymon-the-teenchords-mn0000275409">the Teenchords</a>. Perhaps you might remember this track; it was used in some Google TV advert this past December... I think. Whatever, the song is great, catchy as shit.</p> <p><div style="text-align:center;"><iframe width="420" height="300" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/XoGik_Bi1Ss" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div></p> <p>Like the all best Group/R&B<strong> "I'm So Happy"</strong> just sails, it's a dancer, and one that can make you feel like you have not a care in the world. Which, currently, is what I need!! If you're wondering why the singer for the Teenchords sounds a lot like Frankie Lymon, as in <strong>Frankie Lymon and</strong> <strong>the Teenagers</strong>, it's 'cause Teenchords' lead, <strong>Lewis Lymon</strong>, IS Frankie Lymon's little brother. Tho' the Teenchords didn't have much of a career, I like 'em better than the Teenagers. I've never been too stoked on the Teenagers as they were too pop for my taste <strong>and</strong> Frankie ended up a grade-A asshole junkie.</p> <p>[ <a href="http://lineout.thestranger.com/lineout/archives/2013/04/18/its-not-even-a-full-moon-this-week-right#comments">Comment on this story</a> ]</p> <p>[ <a href="http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=16528422&amp;id=comments">Subscribe to the comments on this story</a> ]</p> Song http://lineout.thestranger.com/lineout/archives/2013/04/18/its-not-even-a-full-moon-this-week-right?show=comments#readerComments http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=16528422&id=comments 0 Thu, 18 Apr 2013 16:00:48 -0700 The Stranger http://lineout.thestranger.com/lineout/archives/2013/04/15/rebel-rebel-vs-rebel-rebel http://lineout.thestranger.com/lineout/archives/2013/04/15/rebel-rebel-vs-rebel-rebel Mike Nipper <p>Occasionally I get the tap to play records between bands or whatnot at shows and when I do I usually bring a long hair heavy/garage set. The kids are usually more interested in the bands, of course, not dancing. Anyways, one track that always gets a rise is the AMERICAN version of <strong>David Bowie</strong>'s "Rebel Rebel"&#8212;it's a cut up and real effect-heavy version...<strong>it's great</strong>. </p> <p><div style="text-align:center;"><iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/VAoofSjaJgE" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div></p> <p>Right, <em>very different</em> from the slightly more square <a href="http://youtu.be/00ZWY_NqozI">UK single and LP version</a>. There is a bit of lore surrounding this mix&#8212;it's been suggested it was "played entirely by Bowie." Perhaps <strong>Spiders from Mars</strong> guitarist <strong>Mick Ronson</strong> was no longer a Spider from Mars and Bowie did play most all the instruments on <em>Diamond Dogs</em>...</p> <p>[ <a href="http://lineout.thestranger.com/lineout/archives/2013/04/15/rebel-rebel-vs-rebel-rebel#comments">Comment on this story</a> ]</p> <p>[ <a href="http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=16500978&amp;id=comments">Subscribe to the comments on this story</a> ]</p> Song http://lineout.thestranger.com/lineout/archives/2013/04/15/rebel-rebel-vs-rebel-rebel?show=comments#readerComments http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=16500978&id=comments 1 Mon, 15 Apr 2013 13:22:39 -0700 The Stranger http://lineout.thestranger.com/lineout/archives/2013/04/15/an-accidental-collision-between-daft-punk-and-demdike-stare http://lineout.thestranger.com/lineout/archives/2013/04/15/an-accidental-collision-between-daft-punk-and-demdike-stare Dave Segal <p>While the marketing campaign for <a href="http://www.daftpunk.com/">Daft Punk</a>'s new album, <em>Random Access Memories</em> (out May 21), ramps up to ludicrous dimensions (that huge ad at <strong>Coachella</strong> allegedly outshone anything any of the live acts did, which doesn't speak well for the festival) and millions of punters are being monumentally set up for what will probably be just an a'ight album, if <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G6WEIVDHS7k">"Get Lucky"</a> is indicative, <a href="http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/alchemical-brothers/Content?oid=14778522">Demdike Stare</a> issued a 12-inch called <em>Testpressing#001</em> on <a href="http://www.modern-love.co.uk/releases/demdike-stare-testpressing-001">Modern Love</a>, packaged in a generic white sleeve with a convincing facsimile of said vinyl artifact. (It's not impossible to love both groups simultaneously, but, push comes to shove, I will reach for the Demdike Stare records 99 out of 100 times.) </p> <p>What's interesting is the discrepancy between the promotional approaches&#8212;and quality and nature of the music&#8212; which couldn't be more stark. Daft Punk&#8212;whose first album, 1996's <em>Homework</em>, is still their best and who are damn good at what they do, obviously&#8212;create a superficially glossy sound engineered to move the maximum amount of asses as efficiently as possible; by contrast, Demdike Stare purvey an enigmatic, edgy, eerie style that is the epitome of uncommerciality&#8212;although I wouldn't be <em>too</em> shocked if some daring company decided to license a Demdike piece due to its ability to rivet the attention. </p> <p>The two tracks on <em>Testpressing#001</em> (<strong>"Collision"</strong> and <strong>"Misappropriation"</strong>) represent some of Demdike Stare's most rhythmically robust and texturally scathing work to date. You won't hear this music at any of the big "EDM" fests or Coachella, but Seattle's own <a href="http://www.debaclefest.com/">Debacle</a> and <a href="uncommerciality">Decibel</a> thankfully had the guts to book Demdike in 2012. </p> <p>I'm not trying to put too fine a point on this. It just struck me hard how these coincidental parallel events spotlight profound extremes in how electronic music is packaged and disseminated through capitalism's channels. This has been the case since the early '80s, but perhaps it's never been so vividly evident as the example of Daft Punk and Demdike Stare in 2013.</p> <p><iframe width="100%" height="450" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" src="http://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fapi.soundcloud.com%2Fplaylists%2F4216408&show_artwork=true"></iframe></p> <p>[ <a href="http://lineout.thestranger.com/lineout/archives/2013/04/15/an-accidental-collision-between-daft-punk-and-demdike-stare#comments">Comment on this story</a> ]</p> <p>[ <a href="http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=16500457&amp;id=comments">Subscribe to the comments on this story</a> ]</p> Song Shit Talk http://lineout.thestranger.com/lineout/archives/2013/04/15/an-accidental-collision-between-daft-punk-and-demdike-stare?show=comments#readerComments http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=16500457&id=comments 1 Mon, 15 Apr 2013 11:43:28 -0700 The Stranger http://lineout.thestranger.com/lineout/archives/2013/04/15/carmen-villains-video-focuses-on-faces http://lineout.thestranger.com/lineout/archives/2013/04/15/carmen-villains-video-focuses-on-faces Kathy Fennessy <p><div class="blogImageLeft" style="width:312px;"><img src="http://www.thestranger.com/binary/c6c2/1365998911-carmen_villain.jpg" alt="Photo by Ingrid Pop" title="Photo by Ingrid Pop" width="300" height="150" /><ul><li class="imageCredit">Smalltown Supersound</li><li class="imageCaption">Photo by Ingrid Pop</li></ul></div> I still haven't quite made my peace with her comic book-like name, but I can understand why Carmen Hillestad would want to create a new persona when she made the move from modeling to music-making, though more Europeans probably know <a href="http://lineout.thestranger.com/lineout/archives/2013/03/25/carmen-villain-model-musician-dreamer">Carmen Villain</a> by her famous face than by her birth name, since she's modeled for <em>Vogue</em>, <em>Elle</em>, <em>Glamour</em>, and the other usual fashion suspects. I just don't get a villainous vibe from her work, though I like the way the pseudonym brings hiphop duo <a href="http://www.stonesthrow.com/madvillain">Madvillian</a> to mind (even if they sound nothing alike). Fittingly, the video for "Easy" from her debut <em><strong>Sleeper</strong></em> features a series of close-ups. I have no idea whether the subjects are actors, musicians, or friends, but it's nice to see a model focusing on faces other than her own (though she shows up a few times, too). </p> <p><div style="text-align:center;"><iframe width="475" height="335" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/oRnoNsZsFLY" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div></p> <p><small><div style="text-align:center;">Sleeper<em> is out now on Smalltown Supersound. Carmen plays New York's Pianos on April 23.</em></div></small></p> <p>[ <a href="http://lineout.thestranger.com/lineout/archives/2013/04/15/carmen-villains-video-focuses-on-faces#comments">Comment on this story</a> ]</p> <p>[ <a href="http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=16497847&amp;id=comments">Subscribe to the comments on this story</a> ]</p> Song Video http://lineout.thestranger.com/lineout/archives/2013/04/15/carmen-villains-video-focuses-on-faces?show=comments#readerComments http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=16497847&id=comments 0 Carmen Villain's Video Focuses on Faces Photo by Ingrid Pop Smalltown Supersound Mon, 15 Apr 2013 09:03:35 -0700 The Stranger