John Vanderslice "Pixel Revolt"?

John Vanderslice, indie rock's musical auteur and curator of the 'nearing-museum-status', analog studio hot spot, Tiny Telephone, is now in the mixing stages of his latest studio effort. Set to be released by Barsuk on August 23rd, it will generously add 15 highly anticipated tracks to JV's already impressive body of work. I've just learned the album will be titled Pixel Revolt, here's a track listing found on his website...

1 sarah shu
2 plymouth rock
3 farewell transmission
4 high and low
5 pixel revolt
6 trance manual
7 new zealand pines
8 radiant with terror
9 continuation
10 angela
11 the kingdom
12 exodus damage
13 dead slate pacific
14 the golden gate
15 crc7173, affectionately

I don't know about you, but I am looking forward to getting into this new music. Vanderslice's songs are guaranteed not to wear out or run thin on you after a few spins. Not familiar with his work? Check these out...

+ pale horse
+ they won't let me run
*both mp3s courtesy of johnvanderslice.com and off of 2004's Cellar Door.

ARIEL PINK: "Jules Lost His Jewels"

Did you know that the Teletubbies grew up and their voices actually dropped an octave or two? During the difficult teen years they spent most of this time suffering violent mood swings from overexposure to vibrant primary colours. The only solution was to be locked in a dark basement which was stuffed full of sixties 45's and a loaded .44. Discovering an old guitar they taught each other to play, but this was their downfall--or at least the downfall of three. Constant squabbling over who would get to play was the finger on the trigger--and the red 'tubbie shot the others dead. Now 3 years later he has made his way into the world once more. Now faded pink from repeatedly trying to wash what he mistook as blood from his suit, he has christened himself Ariel Pink and this song proves he worships Beach Blanket movies, surf guitar, cowbell, and quite possibly, "I Do Dream You", by Jennifer Gentle.

+ jules lost his jewels
mp3 courtesy of betterPropaganda.com

transmissionary six

photo by Steffen Paulus

Transmissionary Six derive their distinctive personality from Terri Moeller's (the walkabouts) quaaluded vocal crawl, rubbing up against the listener like a cat seen through pinprick pupils. Aiding the whole vibe is the equally drowsy and tasty playing of the musicians, namely Paul Austin (the willard grant conspiracy). Described by some as a country-folk duo, there is just a little too much atmosphere in the music for that handle to stick. Likely this label has been applied due to the bands the members are connected with; both are from 'alt-country' country. Okay, the track "Happy Landings" does serve up some twang befitting that label, but their song "Black Tin Rocket" is a step away from the touch of twang that colors "Happy Landings". A solemn cello and slowly bowed violin help fulfill the descriptive promise above. Moeller's voice purring with an American barn cat's loneliness, lulling the string instruments into a waking dream of tiny, tinny 1970's transistor radios playing beneath cotton pillows into the ears of 12 year old innocents.

+ black tin rocket
+ happy landings

*Both tracks from 2004's Get Down
[free+legal mp3s]

Weezer "beverly hills"

Holy crap! The new Weezer track is... c r a p.

Hey he even says '... piece of crap' at the beginning of the song.

"Beverly Hills" shows Rivers Cuomo sounding like what he is, an extremely nerdy/white/closet rapper, doing the big anthemic sounding rock thing. Maybe if he could do what Beck can do this song wouldn't sound like the joke it is. And the 70's Peter Frampton talk box solos? Huh?

stream the song here
*thanks to popmatters.com for the link

Jukeblog - An MP3 Blog Recommender System

Here is something new on the mp3 blog scene, JukeBlog. As the title states it's an MP3 blog recommender system. In the early stages of development, you can go here to find out what it's about.

Ryan Adams "Destroyer" MP3s

*SORRY, but the Destroyer MP3s are no longer available on www.tobeyoung.org. The site does have some live mp3s of Ryan Adams.

You could think of this as the missing link, or the missing magnetic tape, between Ryan Adams' Whiskeytown band persona and his solo debut album, Heartbreaker. Dubbed 'The Destroyer Sessions', it features 14 tracks and can be download freely + legally here.

On the eighth track, Hey Mrs. Lovely, the harmony is not meant to be perfect or pretty, a la CSNY or The Beach Boys, but remember... there is beauty in a flaw, intentional or otherwise.


Listen to + Hey Mrs Lovely [free + legal download]

*thanks to salon.com's audio page for the tip

DEVIN DAVIS

Devin Davis, a new shining star in the city of Chicago, was a lonely, lonely boy when working on the nearly 'one-man-project' he saw released March 15th, entitled Lonely People of the World, Unite! (mousse records). As his website states, the album is "actually an anthemic ode to loneliness in its many forms". Working days as an engineer at ACME Recording in Chicago, he spent many lonesome nights making use of unbooked studio time to get the power pop gems of his debut down on tape. Whether the concept of the album was borne out of the actual loneliness of the process or was premeditated is of no consequence... either way this is a stunning debut.



With stated influences being The Beatles Revolver and The Kinks We Are The Village Green Preservation Society it would be up to the quasi-rock historians out there to pick up on these touchstones; and as these are very personal reference points for the composer, I think most listeners will hear and make more contemporary comparisions -- such as a more tempered Ted Leo, a less bohemian Marah, and even a hint of Matthew Sweet.

Fresh from his SXSW debut gig, Devin Davis, kindly took the time to answer a quick question I posed...

*6ize: With this being your first solo album, I was wondering what the impetus was to bring the project to completion, hell, to even get it off the ground? I expect it would take a lot of confidence , but it must have been more than just that.

DEVIN DAVIS: Well... I guess that I just wanted to make an album that you could listen to from start to finish... and I guess once I started.. there was no stopping... meaning ... the more I worked on it... the more I had to finish it.. you know?... it was like... "I've spent a year and a half on this I HAVE to see it through or else I'll hate myself".. you know?... It was a lot of work... every day... but it was a lot of fun... creating the songs and linking them together... I don't know .. working mostly by myself, I didn't really have any checks and balances... or feedback on stuff... I did play working versions for friends... and they seemed to dig it... so I guess that gave me some confidence... otherwise... it was just having to trust myself that I was "cutting out the bad parts" as much as I could... you know?

Listen to + turtle and the flightless bird [mp3]

*check out this post for another mp3

Visit Devin's website

BLOC PARTY MP3

Whoops. Here's a track from Silent Alarm, Bloc Party's new cd. Guess i shoulda put it in the previous post.

Better late than never...
+ like eating glass

Bloc Party Trigger "Silent Alarm"

Bloc Party released their first full length in North America today. Silent Alarm is the title and it has already been making some noise in Europe.

LISTEN...

Banquet (Phones Disco Edit) (the original is on Silent Alarm)

... two more
The Answer
Tulips


TOUR DATES!
Wed. March 23 - San Francisco, CA @ Bottom of the Hill
Thu. March 24 - San Francisco, CA @ Pop Scene Fest (330 Ritch)
Sat. March 26 - Seattle, WA @ Neumos Crystal Ball
Sun. March 27 - Vancouver, BC @ Richards on Richards Cabaret
Wed. March 30 - Minneapolis, MN @ First Ave
Thu. March 31 - Chicago, IL @ Metro
Fri. April 1 - Detroit, MI @ Magic Stick
Sat. April 2 - Toronto, ONT @ Lee's Palace
Sun. April 3 - Montreal @ Cabaret
Tue. April 5 - Boston, MA @ Paradise Rock Club
Wed. April 6 - Philadelphia, PA @ First Unitarian Church
Thu. April 7 - New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom
Fri. April 8 - New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom
Sat. April 9 - Washington, DC @ Black Cat

DEVIN DAVIS: "IRON WOMAN"

Ted Leo and Marah come together in the head, heart, and hands, of Chicagoan Devin Davis in this song, this gloroarious song, "Iron Woman". This will make you feel good (or fantastic if you already feel good)!!

This beauty and more will be on his disc, his solo debut, "Lonely People of the World, Unite!" which came out today, March 15th .

+ Iron Woman

also from the new disc...
+ Deserted Eyeland

>>Devin Davis home site
>>Buy the disc

The FINAL Fantasy?

A university trained pianist/composer and self taught violinist, Owen Pallett is now an indie Canuck punk getting a lot of indie-centric online pixel space. Going by the 'way too computer/video game related' nom de plume, Final Fantasy, he is also a prime member of Canadian indie band, Les Mouches, and sometime collaborator to mp3 blog darlings, The Arcade Fire (being responsible for Arcade Fire's string arrangements on their disc, Funeral). Pallet has also been working with Toronto's Hidden Cameras and Three Gut Records artist, Jim Guthrie; and recently released his own work, titled 'final fantasy has a good home!!!!!!!!!! 'on Toronto's own Blocks Recording Club.

Having been privy to only a few songs off the disc, of which, "The Dream of Win and Regine", "Furniture", "The CN Tower Belongs To The Dead", "Please Please Please", and "Adventure.Exe", are sitting on my own hard drive; I am for the most part disappointed by what I am hearing. So much so that I didn't think twice at passing up the opportunity to catch Pallett live just this past week. But I have to say "Please Please Please", with it's stuttering martial beat and it's ecstatically shouted, Please! Please! Please!, builds nicely and isn't half bad.

From what I have read, when performing live his music is built on playing violin over pedal loops he records(gimmick) and his singing. On the new recording he adds full band arrangements to his trusted and reliable fiddlin' and his, oooh... not so reliable singing. While many indie bands flaunt strange, eccentric, and self-aware vocals-- Pallett's vocals are none of the above. His voice is thin, weak, and presents the slightest resemblance of character on the song, "Furniture", and yet, oddly, it is somewhat more pleasing on "The CN Tower Belongs To The Dead" and "Please Please Please". On the positive side I will say this, the music I have heard is interesting, but is not ground breaking-- it seems the method of delivering the songs is more impressive than the songs themselves. These songs don't bring any word to mind as much as jaunty. Jaunty indie chamber pop, without the chamber-- a curious mix of Broadway song and dance, classical, indie artistry, and at times a megaphoned 1920s crooner.

As for the name, Final Fantasy... the word 'fantasy' is defined as, imagination unrestricted by reality . Well, Pallett's music is most definitely restricted by the reality of his vocal talent-- as for his imagination, that doesn't seem to have been held back by this limitation-- although my overall view could change if or when I finally get a chance to hear the entire disc... but I doubt it.

The Final Fantasy? Let's hope not.

Go here to download one track
If you find any more popping up in the blog-o-sphere, let us all know in the comments. thanks.

John Vanderslice Talks to *Sixeyes

John Vanderslice is now finishing up recording his latest offering of lovingly and painstakingly crafted songs in his award winning San Francisco analog studio, Tiny Telephone--surely more of his great narratives set to music that he feels is right. I get the impression that he goes by what feels right, not what sounds best--that, to me, would result in sterility and 'dead in the water' music. Dead in the water... sounds like a Vanderslice song title to me and he's welcome to it. Anyway, no, I am sure he goes by his gut feeling. And that might explain the term adopted, adapted, or assumed by Vanderslice to describe his recordings... 'sloppy hi-fi'. Vanderslice and his long time engineer, Scott Solter (Solter being one of a premiere stable of engineers who work at Tiny Telephone), are no doubt skilled enough of 'studio knob twirling' and of ear to produce aural sensations that could make the hairs on the back of your neck dance. That term sloppy is without question referring to the gut feeling again, going with what feels right, even if it isn't perfect. Using that bit with the mistake in it because it feels good.

To return to the subject of his upcoming release: It will be his fifth solo album since bringing his critically acclaimed band MKUltra to an end; the as of yet untitled disc is slated for an August 23rd release on Barsuk... here's the track listing:

1 dear sarah shu / 2 plymouth rock / 3 farewell transmission
4 high and low / 5 pixel revolt / 6 trance manual
7 new zealand pines / 8 radiant with terror / 9 continuation
10 dead rabbit / 11 the kingdom / 12 exodus damage
13 dead slate pacific pt 1 / 14 dead slate pacific pt 2 /15 crc7173, affectionately

John is a very kind and giving fellow and he took some time out to answer some stunningly short questions I posed. Here's what he said:

Black and white or color?
oh that is such a tough one. when I shoot film I alternate between the two, 36 exposures at a time. there are limitations to both. and beauty in both.

Potato chips or french fries?
french fries. with real mayo, dutch style.

Digital or analog?
analog. a big part of my life has been keeping these old tape decks running. I have owned countless multitracks, mostly ampex. nothing sounds as good.
+ me and my 424 [mp3]

David Lynch or Tarantino?
how about both? kill bill vol 2 is a flat out masterpiece. lynch is a true artist who is always capable of making a great movie.

Strings: steel or bronze?
a like bronze d'aquisto 11s.

Yes or no?
yes!
+ they won't let me run [mp3]

Dogs or cats?
I grew up a cat fanatic. but have recently come to understand why people love dogs. it took me a while.

Spring or summer or winter or fall?
fall in san francisco is perfect.

Headphones or speakers? definitely headphones. grado 120s. or etymotics with my ipod.
+ speed lab [mp3]

Beer or wine? I like red wine. zinfandel or sangiovese or burgundy. or anything good, I was a waiter for 8 years and did time at chez panisse in berkeley so I am a little spoiled.

East coast or west? I'm a west coast rider. just like the game says. I grew up on the east coast (maryland and florida). but I am addicted to northern california.

Surfing or skateboarding?
neither. I'm a wuss when it comes to stuff like that.

Painting or photography?
I love photography. sometimes I think touring is a cover to shoot photos.
+ my old flame [mp3]

VHS or DVD?
vhs is a pathetic format. see I am not a total partisan analog person. dvd is the shit. hopefully encoded by someone smart like criterion. but DV sucks bad. I am a cinemascope kind of guy.

Thanks John!

Visit John's site for a generous offering of mp3s.

It's Sweet Billy Pilgrim

Sweet Billy Pilgrim is an eccentric, experimental, and EXCITING, UK based band (which I wrote about here). Now it seems they have their own blog, Pilgrim's Progress, maintained by one of their shady characters. I mention this because there is and will be music available -- such as a sadly beautiful track by Dennis Wilson called, "River Song".

Check out PILGRIM'S PROGRESS.

ENON: "Kanon"

3 am, irregular heartbeat has stabilized, blood thinned by rat poison--dreams keep breaking loose like dreaded clots might without the Warfarin. Monitors beep, a gurney clicking and clacking on the hard floor, wheeled up to my quasi darkened room--like a snowy moonlit night--pushed by two men with shaggy hair. They are directed by a tiny woman, a nurse who begins to sing in my drug muffled ears--calming and frightening at turns. We stop in a quiet dim lit hallway as she injects me with something... I think it was called 'Kanon' or Enon.

I can see lights, colours, although my eyes are closed, I think. I can hear unfamiliar names called, strange names, and then, and then.... my own. I blink awake in Emerg with the dream nurse's song still swirling in my ears; I keep thinking Blonde Redhead, Blonde Redhead with American blood and electronic rhythm, but that's not right--trying to find a name, but none comes to mind... none... nonE....Enon. Walking towards the triage nurse who called my name, I almost hope they can't get my cd player earphones, some bastard krazy glued into my ears, loose.


+ kanon from Lost Marbles and Exploded Evidence
courtesy of betterPropaganda.com

HOT HOT HEAT "NEW MP3"

The new Hot Hot Heat disc is on the way: "Elevator" hits the shelves on April 5th.

Here's a brand spankin' new MP3 to whet your appetite...
"Island Of The Honest Man"

Here's another new song, "Goodnight Goodnight" -- courtesy of betterPropaganda.

THE TINY

The Tiny are a trio--Swedish based... and they are vocalist/pianist/songwriter Ellekari Larsson, Leo Svensson, cellist/organ/saw player, and an upright bass player whose identity shifts as needed. The band's identity lies within Larsson and her striking voice. Uncannily similar to Joanna Newsom vocally, Larsson has more range and a richer tone. And although the vocal is such a magnet to the ear, The Tiny's music is just as compelling, just as memorable--carrying the songs into much darker terrain than Larsson's womanly little girl sound. You may even hear a memory of Billie Holiday in her timbre at times, but one that fades in and out of view--one that, surprisingly, comes from a white Swedish woman who sounds much more like Newsom... see if you can find it. A most obvious and overworked comparision is to Bjork--this is viable in the shape of songs like "No Money", as a influence perhaps, but don't expect Bjork to leap from the speakers.

+ closer
from CD, Close Enough, on eyeball records

Joel Plaskett

Joel Plaskett released his latest disc, La De Da (MapleMusic Recordings), on February 22nd. Recorded far from home (Halifax, Nova Scotia) in the dry heat of Phoenix, Arizona, the change of locale was instigated by Plaskett fan and sound engineer Bob Hoag, who owns Flying Blanket studios, when he invited Plaskett to come and record there a couple years back. It took the Canadian that long before contacting Hoag about rates at the studio. Quickly replying, Hoag said he would record Plaskett free of charge, plus, he could stay at his house. The result is the 29 year old Plaskett's most personal recording yet, inspired by the long, long drive in his Suburban truck. Plaskett's first two solo efforts were credited to The Joel Plaskett Emergency and whether it is being free from the constraints or expectations of the band, or just that he's getting older, this record isn't teeming with the anthemic rockers that graced his previous output. It does, however contain some of the best work he has yet done.


La De Da

Plaskett is a Canadian treasure that, unfortunately, many have yet to discover. He first made his presence known in the band, Thrush Hermit, which was part of the early nineties Halifax music scene. A scene that had some excitable types christening Halifax 'The next Seattle'. While an honour not without merit, none of the bands involved made the impact that Soundgarden or some of their Seattle friends made.

Joel's music is steeped in classic pop influences and buoyed by his sharp guitar work and pure ringing vocals.

from Joel Plaskett ...
stream "La De Da" tracks... windows media
> Happen Now
> I Love This Town

Download Previously Released Mp3s from The Joel Plaskett Emergency...
+ True Patriot Love
+ You Came Along
+ Clueless Wonder
+ Maybe We Should Just Go Home
+ Weigh it Down

Banner Barbados

I want to thank Jamie for tipping me off about these guys -- Banner Barbados.

'since you caught my eye' is now stuck in my head.

+ Since You Caught My Eye

+ My Dirty Secret is a Divine Dilemma

+ Catatonic

DESTROYER

Avid listeners of The New Pornographers may hear what they believe to be Carl (a.k.a. AC) Newman's imprint on this piece of music - no, it's the other way around. Destroyer's Dan Bejar has left indelible fingerprints on a number of New Pornographer tracks, an influence that goes unnoticed to all but loyal Destroyer/Bejar followers.

The track, 'It's Gonna Take an Airplane', is orchestral in arrangement. An arrangement then twisted and folded by the dark eyes of Vancouver, British Columbia's Dan Bejar into indie chamber pop origami. But a chamber with padded walls, a chamber with a smoky sixties French pop feel - like Serge Gainsbourg, all clean and starched (save for the tobacco leaf smoking between his gallic fingers), pressed hard and flat up against sooty indieville - then finally breaking free, spinning off as a new creation. A lo-fi/hi-fi, three minute 41 second misfit, leaving blue smoky smudges on the soft padded walls. This is Destroyer's 'It's Gonna Take an Airplane'.

+ 'It's Gonna Take an Airplane'

also listen to...
+ The Music Lovers

The Decemberists: "The Engine Driver"

Much has been, will be, and is being made about leader of The Decemberists' Colin Meloy's literary inspirations, references, and training. Not surprising since this is one way to avoid confronting his fey, and at times oddly affected, singing delivery; a delivery which, ironically, goes mostly undelivered in the new song, "The Engine Driver". Meloy tones down the pronounced caresses of certain words in this track, but hauls them out in many of the other songs on the band's new disc, Picaresque.

How can so much pour forth about this band (Meloy's lyrical prowess, band members musicianship, their intelligence), and yet almost none of it splashes on Meloy's singing? Consider yourself blessed, or curiously cursed, that Meloy's cloying vocal affectation is missing here--either way you may find yourself better off with Destroyer and Dan Bejar's nearly timid, offbeat vocal, lacerating his eccentric indie pop gems.

And finally... what's with these guys dressing up in everything from grade school theatre production costumes, Civil War uniforms, and '30's Hollywood wardrobe in promo shots?

+ the engine driver mp3

AKRON/FAMILY

I want to thank Young God Records for putting my review of Akron/Family's s/t debut up on their newly refurbished site. I wrote it a while back (January) and wondered it it would get on their site, so thanks Young God.



Akron /Family - S/T
"...glimpses of The Beatles, back porch country choral and Beach Boys harmonies..."
"...an Appalachian Radiohead..."

Well, it appears Young God Records founder, Michael Gira, has done it again -- bringing Devendra Banhart to the fore--giving him a platform wasn't enough? (Can you blame him?) Now he presents us with the gift of the Akron/Family. A quartet from the east and west of the US of A, they were drawn to the bright sounds of New York City a couple of years ago and quickly cloistered themselves in a Brooklyn apartment. This is where they created albums worth of material over that time, working in a hothouse enviroment unfettered by the outside world. The songs selected for their self-titled debut are uncomfortably personal, at times the term eavesdropping doesn't seem too far fetched--and from the array of weird and other worldly sounds that complement the mostly acoustic songs (they do make use of electricity), it seems likely they learned to 'play' their apartment, what is termed 'bric-a-brac' in the liner notes.

The music presented here is cornered in an American/Experimental mode, but with it's back to the wall so it may reach out with calloused fingertips into many other genres, giving us glimpses of The Beatles, back porch country choral and Beach Boys harmonies, the current folk-revival, even snatches of an Appalachian Radiohead. The band they most remind me of though is Minus Story; who always sound to me like they create music for each other and each other alone--while nailed into a dark basement with great acoustics.

This is the impression the four young men, all in their mid twenties, of Akron/Family give me. And it's a great one--an impression of talent and creativity fuelled by a desire to create art.

RELEASE DATE: March 14th