NOW AT: WWW.DECKFIGHT.COM

But still moving the archives from here….

check it: www.deckfight.com

Shoot the Mountain releases new EP

What’s up with mountains? Here’s the second mountain group this week: Indie Brit-pop group Shoot the Mountain releases a new self-titled EP this weekend with a show at the Basement in Nashville. The Protomen and Totally Snake. Shoot the Mountain is part surf-groove, part tangled classic rock, part dance band, part high-pitched harmonies. The show is with The Protomen and Totally Snake. Shoot the Mountain’s whole EP can be streamed here at Bandcamp.

Embarrassing Fruits on a not-so-embarrassing tour (you can be sure of that)

Yeah, Triangle trio Embarrassing Fruits are hitting up a tour to promote the new Community/Exploitation record from Trekky Records. There is this darker folk feeling that sneaks its way through the Embarrassing Fruits’ offerings, like a rat that isn’t supposed to be in the house, but then he is, and everyone gets used to it. No that didn’t sound right. Anyway, this tends towards the lighter side, but the songs never slight and never hold back from rockin’ in the Embarrassing Fruits way. Front guy Joe Norkus has this really easy going manner that flaunts innocence but omniscience that it is impossible to ignore the fact that these guys know what they’re doing. Or something. I’ll try again: Embarrassing Fruits are for those who prefer lighthearted but earnest country-twinged modern rock full of forward moving chords and verses and choruses that stay around for a few days. Like that rat I mentioned earlier. Love some “Nakata” off Community and “First Time” off the original EP, The First Time. And a vid follows after the jump.

Some tour dates:
04-24 Wilmington, NC – The Soapbox
04-25 Athens, GA – The Rye Bar
04-26 Asheville, NC – New French Bar
04-29 Charlottesville, VA – Tea Bazaar*
04-30 Richmond, VA – Rumors
05-01 Baltimore, MD – Talking Head
05-07 Raleigh, NC – Tir Na Nog
05-15 Chapel Hill, NC – Nightlight

Lit Randomness

From Maud Newton’s blog a couple of weeks ago, about the desire of readers to know what inspired a book.
The best: Even small changes of timing, circumstance, and location create different narrative logic and evoke distinct moods, and cumulatively these alterations can be so significant that it’s misleading to speak in terms of a story diverging from fact at a single point — i.e., “it’s all true, except she didn’t really kill him” or “his mother was exactly like that, although she was suffering from Alzheimer’s rather than Parkinson’s.”

Elizabeth Bachner’s meditation on Second Book Slump at Bookslut.
The best: “Now, it seems like maybe you don’t even have to write a dazzling first novel before you write your boring second novel — you can even start out publishing a debut book that reminds everyone of the work of some other disappointing writer.”

Writing: Hobart’s April Baseball Issue is always a, uh, homerun. Here’s The Eric Chavez sonnets that includes links to other pieces.

Paste Mag: Pay what you want

Paste is a good mag and I used to live within spitting distance of it. In conjunction with yesterday’s Record Store Day, they’re re-upping their subscrip offer of pay what you want. Definitely worth it.

Meteoric Rise: Manchester Orchestra

Manchester Orchestra was kind of taking off when I was in Atlanta a few years ago. Though I haven’t heard the whole new album, Mean Everything to Nothing, this one has a fuller sound, like Andy Hull is finally letting everyone participate. I’ll admit, I wasn’t always high on these guys, but they’ve come along nicely and it’s true that Hull has immense talent as a lyricist and guitar player. Fortunately (or unfortunately) for him, he started this stuff back in high school going straight to indie rock and sideswiping any punk rock diversions. So, Hull and the rest of his Manchester Orchestra are able to grab youth and maturity at the same time–this fluctuates bounces between a couple of southern-fried riffs, to a bit of alt-country, but isn’t afraid of embracing some of the more modern rock tendencies of shouted intensity. And they do all of that in one song: “I’ve Got Friends.” Less brooding, more cavorting, what’s left is Kings of Leon with cajones and something that modern rock (!) fans can enjoy rather than another dose of adult-alternative.

Here are their southern tour dates w/ FUN (former member of Anathallo) and Atlanta’s Winston Audio with a link to the “I’ve Got Friends” vid. No embedded vid link b/c Sony is apparently keeping a tight leash. Guess they’ve gotta lot banking on these guys. (Does the music industry get a bailout too?)

Apr 18 2009 8:00P Criminal Records Atlanta, Georgia
Apr 21 2009 8:00P Exit/In Nashville, Tennessee
Apr 22 2009 8:00P 40 Watt Athens, Georgia
Apr 23 2009 8:00P Cat’s Cradle Carrboro, North Carolina
Apr 24 2009 8:00P The National Richmond, Virginia

(THEN OTHER PLACES)

May 29 2009 8:00P Spanish Moon Baton Rouge, Louisiana
May 30 2009 8:00P Proud Larry’s Oxford, Mississippi
May 31 2009 8:00P Bottle Tree Birmingham, Alabama
Jun 2 2009 8:00P State Theatre St. Petersburg, Florida
Jun 3 2009 8:00P The Social Orlando, Florida
Jun 4 2009 8:00P The Social Orlando, Florida

I’ve Got Friends

Pitchfork Digest 4/13-4/17

A selection of ratings from Pitchfork this wk:

5.9 Say Hi: Oohs and Aahs
5.3 Silversun Pickups: Swoon
7.1 The Assemble Head in Sunburst Sound: When Sweet Sleep Returned
8.1 Bill Callahan: Sometimes I Wish We Were an Eagle

As usual, the obscure take the top prizes. They did have a review of Radiohead’s reissues, and they liked everything except Pablo Honey. Just for the record.

4/18-Record Store Day

“ ”

Saturday is Record Store Day, a time when high-minded fans get together and discuss High Fidelity and Empire Records and probably now, Be Kind Rewind. Ok, that last one is not a record store but anything made on a disc is starting to fall in that category. Speaking of discs, love records (just bought two in the last wk…), hate CDs and from the looks of things, most of the cool specials will tend towards the black plastic (or multi-colored! with sleeves!).

But if you’re in my (large) neck of the woods, the following stores I recommend for Record Store Day:

SchoolKids Records-Raleigh
CD Alley-Wilmington, NC
Gravity Records-Wilmington, NC
Criminal Records-Atlanta (w/ Manchester Orchestra and The Selmanaires)
Decatur CD-Atlanta
School Kids-Athens
Daddy Kool-St. Pete, FL
Park Ave CDs-Orlando
Grimey’s-Nashville (w/ Mute Math, The Avett Brothers and others listed)
Ear X-Tacy-Louisville, KY

A long way to Graceland: 500 Miles to Memphis

That’s how far it is from Cincy to Graceland, according to the self-proclaimed “country punk” band. The singer Ryan Mallott and crew seem to take their role of country punk preservationists pretty seriously, as the wit of the fiddle matches the three-chord chunks. Though more than upbeat bar music, they definitely hold the key to being The Hold Steady country-fied. They need to add a few more dates in Nashville or try and score a gig with The Avett Brothers while in the Carolinas to get some momentum. What’s perplexing is how they got that old guy on board (but a great addition). More perplexing for 500 Miles to Memphis is why the heck Deep Elm would offer a contract to these guys. The ever-shifting sands of the once proud Deep Elm has left the label in a bit of a sinkhole or poised to take on the next gen in a way no one has imagined yet. Their MySpace says there is an album for download at their website. But MySpace is known as a haven for those prone to lie.

500 Miles to Memphis Upcoming Dates and a vid after the jump:

Apr 16 2009 10:00P The Longbranch Saloon Knoxville, Tennessee
Apr 17 2009 10:00P The Milestone Charlotte, North Carolina
Apr 18 2009 10:00P The Garage Winston-Salem, North Carolina
Apr 19 2009 9:00P Mansion 462 Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Apr 21 2009 10:00P The Palm Room Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina
Apr 23 2009 9:00P Lenny’s Bar Atlanta, Georgia
Apr 24 2009 10:00P The Nick Birmingham, Alabama
Apr 25 2009 9:30P The Boiler Room Lexington, Kentucky

Gizmodo: Top 10 Geekiest Music Videos

Gizmodo makes selections for 10 of the Geekiest videos. Some “winners” include Weird Al’s “White and Nerdy,” Fatboy Slim’s “Praise You” and The White Stripes “Fell in Love with A Girl” But my favorite is by our deposed King of Pop, which is after the jump. But what about the Napoleon Dynamite dance sequence? Guess that doesn’t count.

More Omaha ooze: Beep Beep comes near you

Saddle Creek cult member Beep Beep just released their second album, Enchanted Islands. I haven’t heard all of it, but it seems a more muted and less wild edition of Beep Beep from the corporate angst of Business Casual. Oh, but the rad colored pencil drawings have made it another round. Southeast dates below and the “Executive Foliage” vid from the previous album after the jump:

Apr 15 2009 8:00P Local 506 Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Apr 16 2009 8:00P The Milestone Charlotte, North Carolina
Apr 17 2009 8:00P Caledonia Athens, Georgia
Apr 18 2009 8:00P Drunken Unicorn Atlanta, Georgia
Apr 19 2009 8:00P Backbooth Orlando, Florida
Apr 20 2009 8:00P New World Brewery Tampa, Florida
Apr 21 2009 8:00P The Engine Room Tallahassee, Florida
Apr 22 2009 8:00P 1982 Bar Gainesville, Florida

Appleseed Cast comes East

First, Happy Easter.
In a rare touring move, Lawrence, KS band The Appleseed Cast is finally hitting up the east coast to promote Sagamartha, I guess. Those who like Two Conversations and Peregrine might be a little surprised at the dreamy instrumental bent, but it’s like a throwback to the Low Level Owl volume days. I personally think Appleseed Cast is best when they have their full late 90s emo/math rock suit on because those songs have a rockier edge to them than this melancholia. That their on The Militia Group of all places makes the sound even more odd. No matter. I will definitely be catching them, since I haven’t seen them in at least 6 years. Some eastern tour dates are below and a vid follows after the jump:

Apr 12 2009 8:00P jack rabbits jacksonville, Florida
Apr 13 2009 8:00P local 506 chapel hill, North Carolina
Apr 14 2009 8:00P DC9 washington dc, Washington DC
Apr 15 2009 8:00P sonar baltimore, Maryland
Apr 16 2009 8:00P M room philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Apr 17 2009 8:00P the space hamden, Connecticut
Apr 18 2009 8:00P mercury lounge NYC, New York
Apr 19 2009 8:00P polish club poughkeepsie, New York
Apr 20 2009 8:00P the middle east cambridge, Massachusetts
Apr 21 2009 8:00P horseshoe toronto, Ontario

What the HNMTF!-New album out by Hammer No More The Fingers

Everyone’s fav. trio Hammer No More The Fingers is hitting up the east coast of the NC in support of their new release, Looking for Bruce just released on Church Key Records. If you’ve never caught a HNMTF show, you will not believe the transformation of Duncan, Joe and Jeff from the mild-mannered nice guys they are into the total thrashers once on the stage. Their uproarious new 90s-esque alt-math-rock totally blows the mind of those minds previously unblown. Upcoming dates (includ show with Superchunk) are below and a live vid is after the jump:

Apr 10 2009 8:00P Soapbox WILMINGTON, North Carolina
Apr 11 2009 8:00P Spazz Benefit NEW BERN, North Carolina
Apr 15 2009 8:00P Cat’s Cradle w/ SUPERCHUNK CARRBORO, NC
Apr 24 2009 8:00P New French ASHEVILLE, North Carolina
Apr 25 2009 8:00P Annual Daniel PULASKI, Virginia
Apr 30 2009 8:00P Tir Na Nog RALEIGH, North Carolina
May 1 2009 8:00P Speakertree LYNCHBURG, Virginia

missed the first time: “Simplicity” by Mark Salomon of Stavesacre

Finally got my hands on this, though it’s been out a couple of years. As I told a couple of friends, the introduction is worth whatever price you pay. It sums up the christian music industry of yore in a nutshell–Salomon is stuck at a church in an embarrassing situation with a pastor that wants to make sure he’s going to preach the Gospel at all costs. Then somehow, this same pastor eventually tracks him back to California and sends his kids in as spies. What the heck? What kind of Christian is that?

In a way, Salomon’s whole book is a repeated diatribe of Charles Barkley’s “I’m not a role model,” but with legitimate points. Stavesacre was not meant to be a ministry, but art. But due to what they knew, what label they were on or what have you, that was the situation that they always ended up in. Salomon allows for an understanding of his mindset, his desires and his passion and how the Christian music industry both hindered his career and gave it a spectacular rise. What will strike home for most people is how old he is. With The Crucified he was really navigating new territory as a very young man. Had he been in the same situation now–a pioneer in the Christian music ministry–with our technology, screwed would be an understatement.

look mexico “You’re Not Afraid of the Dark, Are You?”

As I’ve probably said before, I like the stuff coming out of Lujo Records. Pomegranates, The Dark Romantics, Cool Hand Luke, Look Mexico. They’ve got a new EP and here’s a video for “You’re Not Afraid of the Dark, are you?” off of Gasp Asp. They tend towards whatever the pop-punk post emo sound is these days, but I think there’s an intricacy here (listen to the bridge…) and a complexity that goes beyond their peers. And who doesn’t like pie and red wine in white shirts? In other words, a good chance for a good career.

interv. w/ Haruki Murakami

3AM has a good piece with Haruki Murakami, whose most recent is What I Talk About When I Talk About Running.

currently listening: peachcake

Got a copy of Peachcake’s “What Year Will You Have the World?” in the mail last week, and think these guys are on to something. The Phoenix (I mean Carefree/Cave Creek…what a place) band has an innovative blend of punk rock and electronica, with enough brazen ridiculousness to bowl over even the most ridiculously critical critic. Live video of “Did I Just Do That or Was It Jim Carrey?’ after the jump.

the millions bookstore atlas

The Millions gave us their great walking tour of NYC bookstores, and now they need some help in updating the rest of the bookstore map. Check it out, add your own town, or research another one.

currently listening: mt. st. helen’s vietnam band, abe vigoda, lost in the trees

Mt. St. Helen’s Vietnam Band
(their drummer is only 14!)

Abe Vigoda

Lost in the Trees

Richard Ford on his character, Frank Bascombe

For whatever reason, I really like Richard Ford’s trilogy about Frank Bascombe. Maybe I’m obsessed with age and time and place, as I also really enjoyed Updike’s Rabbit adventures.

In this article from BookForum, Ford talks about how Bascombe never was meant to be an “everyman” which I call BS on. Bascombe is the quintessential everyman–his suburban life with a culmination into real estate along with estranged family circumstances. Of course some of his events are eccentric for purely humorous reasons–but at the same time they portray an endearing American-ness to them. Which is to say if a book, a character strikes a chord with the vox populi like Bascombe, it’s okay if he’s an everyman. An everyman to express what we’re all feeling.

The best: “If it seems that fear played a large part in conceiving these three books, it might just be that fear plays a large part in any work that aspires to the lofty condition of literature. Fear of the unknown. Fear of failure, again. Fear of not, at least, trying to meet the challenge of one’s youthful aspirations.”-Richard Ford about his trilogy on Frank Bascombe.

review: Benjamin Bear “Lungs”

Benjamin Bear
“Lungs”
Self-released 2008
www.myspace.com/benjaminbearmusic
www.benjaminbear.org

Though the name is Benjamin Bear, there isn’t a bear or a Benjamin among this Seattle group. What is here is a deep, almost damning introspection that bends the will of the piano into narrative pathways that is usually assumed by the singer-songwriter with a guitar strapped on. All that remains is dark Ben Folds heady trip that does not depend on easy chorus hooks, but on full verses. They would be “soul” if the word had not already been ripped from its original meaning into a musical one. So I’m stuck with words like “brooding but hopeful” and “holy crap, this is what the Counting Crows would have been before selling out for the Top 40.” The voice of Mychal Cohen interplays with elegant sweeps on the piano to produce gems like “Russ,” whose quick tipped licks reveal a playful and honest confessions about a medical crisis with clever lyrical inversions that stick for days.
Those are the same reasons I like the second track, ‘Posterboy” which also starts in a soft but steady piano beat before plunging into a rocking chorus with jazzy drums provided by David Stern. The surprises that Cohen gives with his piano playing elevates Benjamin Bear beyond a novelty into a surefire creative force.

The Believer’s Top Book

Though I don’t read it all the time, The Believer is the closest thing we’ve currently got to a book-of-the-month club (except The Believer comes out every other month and my apologies to any actual book-of-the-month club…this was a really bad comparison). Their recommendations are usually great, and Nick Hornby has sustained a career that looks like he’s down with the cool kids by participating within its pages. Their book award this year goes to Emily Perkins’ Novel About My Wife.

I haven’t read it, but I believe whatever The Believer tells me. And at the end of the piece, they provide a pretty good reading list of contemporary fiction–so maybe that will sustain you for several months. Seems to be an alright variety, but of course they tend towards the pretentious and highly informed. In other words, all of these may not be on the display table at Barnes and Noble.

And here’s a pretty good review from the NY Sun of Novel About My Wife.

first person: 3/7/09 anathallo at cat’s cradle: carrboro, NC

At Elmo’s in Carrboro and I’m a bit disappointed because we’re eating in a strip mall next to the Harris Teeter. That’s okay, because the place is packed and we luckily get a seat inside (but I usually hate places that are full…or maybe I just hate waiting in line). Yes, I’ll have the chicken and dumplings with a sweet tea. She decides on the pulled pork. We debate the merits of Canopy Glow versus Floating World. I say “Floating World” is a natural evolution from Sparrows though with a more narrative vibe. No, she says, Floating World has those weird songs (the ones about dogs, I guess?) but I think it’s the crazy percussion that she doesn’t like. She likes Canopy Glow: the sweet female vocals the more traditionally arranged, softer songs. One time, I said, I listened to Canopy Glow on iTunes and the songs continued to the first song off “Sparrows” –the one about Aaron holding his peace and I thought for a second it was a Canopy Glow song because it had the same rhythm, the same flow, but then I recognized it. Though, “Aaron Held his Peace” does not fit in with the rest of Sparrows, it fits in with Canopy Glow. There, I said, the new one is nothing new, per se, but a return, just like the songs about the crazy dogs (“Hanasaka…what?)

We had seen Anathallo twice before together, but this was the first time that she was excited.
The table next to us didn’t pay, she said.
The check comes and I leave a tip for $2.38. Yahoo! Maps said from my house to Cat’s Cradle was two hours and 38 minutes.
It was appropriate then that my friend Jason was coming…

What’s next for books?

With the Kindle should we start burning books?

The headline for a Slate/Big Money article on the Kindle reads:
“The Kindle Revolution: Digital readers will save writers and publishing, even if they destroy the book business”

Of course, in typical journalism fashion, the deck on this title is way over the top. Destroy the book business…really? It will not destroy the book business or even printing businesses–it will reconfigure them. Once again, the book biz needs to take a clue from the music business. CDs are losing ground, but vinyl because of its permanent/sit-down and listen quality are up. Records with cool art can do something for hardcore fans that a CD can’t. And MP3s are there for the casual or the throwaway factor.

A friend of mine last night was telling me he downloaded the Kindle App for his iPhone. We both talked about how we would gladly read a nice looking and well-constructed book of one of our fav. titles, but some books we have a casual interest in. That’s where the Kindle comes to play.

So books need to emphasize what they do best–permanence. Gravitas. Really important stuff. The frivolous read (i.e. the airport paperback) will tilt in the Kindle/iPhone’s favor due to demographic and portability sake. But there’s gotta be room for the limited/special edition Pynchon somewhere…

review of ’swamp thing’

From Salon, there’s a good analysis of Alan Moore’s 1st anthologized edition of Swamp Thing from the mid-80s. Just in time for The Watchmen release.

BTW-I’m kind of new to reading Salon, I usually prefer Slate, but their book stuff is some of the strongest out there.

The best: “Long before anyone had started using the pompous term “graphic novel,” long before Moore became the reclusive genius behind “From Hell” and “The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen” and, of course, the about-to-be-a-massive-motion-picture “Watchmen,” came his remarkable mid-’80s run on “Saga of the Swamp Thing,” which redefined both the audience and the narrative possibilities of comic books.”

interv. w/ phosphorescent

Magnet writes up a piece about Matthew Houck and his band Phosphorescent. He’s releasing an album of Willie Nelson covers. This confirms the rumblings I’ve heard of Americana bands in Brooklyn. Good interview, though.
The best: “I think doing cover songs is a way to sort of just play, and not worry so much about an artistic statement or anything like that. Just enjoying playing music, you know?”-Matthew Houck in Magnet

Vid of live performance of “Right now I am a-roaming” after the jump.

interv. w/ author tao lin about money

The Urban Elitist is putting together a series of interviews with not big-time authors about how they make money. Here’s one with Tao Lin. Anybody who visits random literary websites has run into Tao Lin. He’s all over the place (I think he once tried to befriend everyone on Goodreads). His style is jarring in a good way, and his comments always pithy and sarcastic–like he’s putting on performance art for himself like Joaquin Phoenix’s recent binge. (h/t largehearted).
The best: “I feel that having a blog increases the amount of abstract space “Tao Lin” takes up in people’s lives. When a person looks at my blog they see my name and the books I have published (the header), causing other information that they “know” to exist less, to a degree, and be replaced by information about me and my oeuvre, which causes them to be more inclined maybe to buy my books or talk about me during awkward silences…”-Tao Lin

interv. w/ Benjamin Parzybok

I don’t know who Benjamin Parzybok is either. His book, Couch, sounds kind of cool though in this interview from Bookslut. The story is inspired by trying to move a couch from a secondhand store across Portland.

The best: “People were interacting with us, they wanted to sit on the couch or know what we were doing. I began to think how the phenomenon of a collective act — in this case moving a couch — would change someone who felt like an outcast.”-Benjamin Parzybok

interv. w/ propagandhi

B/c of my past connex, I love REAX magazine. And here’s a good piece with Propagandhi, the Canadian punk band whom actually I’m not that familiar. Which means I’ve been missing the boat for sure.

The best: “I think we’re just four guys in a band and the things we’re interested in, things we care about, people call those things activism, they call them politics…I don’t identify with being a political person or being identified as being an activist, but the things we do get ourselves wrapped up in are called those things.”–Chris Hannah, vocalist/guitarist of Propagandhi

young lit agents have an opinion

From Poets and Writers: I’m not sure how “young” these people actually are, but a couple of good ideas come out including when to send your manuscript and what to put in the cover letter. Usually, agents aren’t this forthcoming and there are some specifics about working w/ an editor etc.

The best: From Julie Barer–”I think everybody’s looking for a book that you can’t put down, that you lose yourself in so completely that you forget everything else that’s going on in your life and you just want to stay up and you don’t care if you’re going to be tired in the morning. You just want to keep reading.“

first-person: the barnraisers, paleface, jesse stockton in wilmington, nc

soapbox valentine's poster

At the club and doors open at 9 and we pop in at 9:30 only to be told doors haven’t opened yet. Into the lounge. Some guy messing with a saxophone on stage while a crowd mills about the bar. The TV isn’t on. A perfectly arranged set of pool balls is on the table. A guy holds a stick. We decline. We stand. We make small talk about the band posters on the wall. Yes, I like Q and Not U. Yes, Donovan Frankenreiter is dressed ridiculously in his poster. The door guy comes back and finds us and everyone else for the show upstairs, The Barnraisers, Paleface and Jesse Stockton. No Cary Ann Hearst.
On the way up see a door that says “close the door behind you.” We don’t open it. No one’s up there, retreat to another lounge. This TV is on AMC, the 35th anniversary of Godfather II. Just saw this like two weeks ago, Fredo and Michael are having a talk outside at the cafe. Michael questions Fredo’ s loyalty to the family and we talk about how DeNiro and Pacino should stop making movies. We talk about recent overused quotations like “If not us, then who? If not now, then when?” and “Never regret anything that made you smile” and “Yes, we can.”

interv. w/ mc lars

No doubt I’m a big fan of MC Lars, just got his new one–Gigantic Robot Kills in the mail. His cutting commentary about punk rock and other suburban pop topics is definitely needed. Good to see then a nat’l mag like URB is giving him some love with an interview. This is one of the few on-set, in-person interviews I’ve seen with him. (h/t Emotional punk).
And after the jump, a vid of Lars’ “Guitar Hero Hero” with a bunch of kids messing around.

The best: MC Lars: “Honestly, nerdcore to me is kind of a limited genre,” he professes. “There are all these kids now who sample Nintendo music and rap about how high school is boring, and that is so uninteresting to me. It’s hip-hop in that people are talking about their lives, but the problem with nerdcore is that it’s a joke.”

interv. w/ brent forrester, writer on “the office”

From Vanity Fair: Here’s Brent Forrester, a writer on “The Office.” Silly for sure isn’t funny, though Jim putting staplers in Jello early on and watching where the DVD logo will bounce on the TV is pretty silly. I think the difference there is the actors play it straight not waiting for the laugh track like on a CBS comedy.
The best: “There’s not always humor in tragedy. The truth is, some stuff is just too tragic, and it’s not even appropriate to be laughing at. But stuff that’s a little bit difficult—that’s where humor really lies.”

interv. w/ the pains of being pure at heart

really, i don’t get it with this band, but i will give them credit for having the most pretentious indie rock name on the planet. that alone should give them good pub.
The best: Peggy-”However, the first song my guitar teacher made me learn how to play was “Achy Breaky Heart”! To his credit, there are only two chords in that song…I think they are G and C.” (From Pop Tarts Suck Toasted)

interv. w/ richard nash of soft skull press

Conversational Reading is doing a series of interviews with small(ish) presses to determine how the recession is hitting them. This one is with Richard Nash of Soft Skull Press who says that his press had a great year. I mostly know Soft Skull from Matthew Sharpe’s stuff, but Tim Wise is quite a controversial fellow. (Thanks to HTML Giant).
The best: I believe that times of social disruption are tremendously fruitful for writers who are basically creating little social laboratories in which society gets to act out the changes.

currently listening: anathallo-canopy glow

Finally got this after deciding I couldn’t wait any longer for the vinyl. Some comments I’ve seen has said this is like Sufjan–one problem, however is Anathallo had their full orchestral bent going strong back in ‘02 and ‘03, just when Sufjan was getting his wings. Canopy Glow maintains the feel of Floating World though I was hoping for a few numbers closer to “Don’t Kid Yourself, You Need a Physician,” but those days are over. Interesting enough, the last song of “Canopy” was followed on my iTunes with the “Aaron Held His Peace” from Sparrows and honestly, I wasn’t sure of the difference. The same quiet has always been there, Anathallo has it leveraged towards its full maximum effect. And Noni’s Field and The River are remarkable songs. Vid for “Bells” after jump.

the new west? deadbeats and authors

I guess I’m pretty easy to characterize as this article from the New York Observer interviews a couple of my most recent reading choices–including Ferris of Then We Came To The End and Bock of Beautiful Children. Maybe male authors are attracted to these characters, because that’s all we know. Books on high society aren’t interesting anymore and interesting stuff about the legal system or government has been given over to too much genre. In a lot of ways, what the article describes is a version of the modern western: bad guys still trying to find their place in the world. I’m kind of surprised Ferris was included–his “anti-hero” is more humorous and is not necessarily the central character.
The best: Mr. Howard said he does not get irritated when he sees young authors compared to Mr. Palahniuk, and thinks it’s natural that young writers would be attracted to drawing these kinds of characters. “There is so much pressure, I think, for young people to be adjusted and to get with the program these days that the fact that somebody like Chuck is out there saying ‘uh-uh’ is being taken as liberating,” he explained. “And obviously, if that sort of feeling is in the air, a lot of other talented young writers are going to channel it themselves.” (h/t Largehearted).

interview w/ The Bronx

Punk News did a stellar interview w/ Joby Ford of The Bronx that includes a funny story about GNR and Converses. When they were on tour with As I Lay Dying, I ran into them in the chinese restaurant next to my place of business. I skipped that show, and have been kicking myself ever since.
The best: It’s not just bands that are having a tough time. It’s everybody. It’s definitely not like a sob story, like “Woe is me.” No, this is a choice that we made as five people, that this is what we want to do with our lives, and so that’s what we’re doing. What comes of it comes of it. I don’t know, I’ve worked corporate jobs and it almost killed me…Being happy is more important than being rich.

Sonic Youth, Inspired by…

Not sure if it’s actually cool to like Sonic Youth, or to like them in a ironic way–like how an indie hipster likes Justin Timberlake. SY has been around for awhile now, with so many claims of influence, I don’t see how they can keep living up to themselves. Thurston and Kim probably put on masks in the morning before looking at the mirror.
Now here’s some fiction inspired by the book, (from Village Voice) compared to actual experiences inspired by the song titles, like someone named Eric taking a trip, or someone else trying to find out the meaning of “Kissability.” Buy it from Powell’s.

artist picks on lit mob

It’s so nice when indie rock and lit can come together. there’s peace on the artistic earth. since those are two concerns of deckfight (maybe the only two), it’s a pretty good read on Lit Mob of what the band literati are up to, including Dan Deacon, Ra Ra Riot, Earlimart, among others. Ben Weaver is probably most similar to my interests, though I haven’t read all the books they suggested (a lot of Vonnegut all around though). Definitely want to read Hotel Theory by Wayne Koestenbaum.
Bonus: Here’s an interview from PaperMag with Lit Mob founder, Doug Perkl.

interv. w/ titus andronicus

When it rains, it pours. First, the first-person of the Los Campesinos!/Titus Andronicus show, now here’s an excellent Titus Andronicus interview from Aversion. That one guitarist dude is always wearing a plaid shirt. It’s like his blanky, I guess.

The best: “You know, it’s kind of like the evolution of species. Traits become emphasized over time. I guess the punk influence on what we now today call indie music has been diluted over the years, for better or for worse. People try to seem to try and choose one or the other. We would prefer to have them both if we can.”–Patrick Stickles (From Aversion)

They gave it a 9.6 and here’s the interview

You know the “they.” And here’s an interview with the recipients, Animal Collective. I was sold when I heard “The Purple Bottle” for the first time on the college radio station. Looks like they’re heading out to Europe first, (besides the big three) and then hit up the states in May. This concludes the most Pitchfork-centric post I’ve ever written.
The best:
(Dave Portner): We don’t always like to be so forceful with what [our songs are] about, because a part of listening is developing your own thoughts or emotions about something. And volume of vocals plays a part too, because we don’t always put the vocals at the loudest level for people to understand every word of our songs. Sometimes we think we have, but even then, people don’t always understand what we’re saying [laughs].

Media: Taibbi on Valerie Bertinelli, uh, Thomas Friedman

In the New York Press, political writer Matt Taibbi challenges NYTimes columnist Thomas Friedman as jumping on the bandwagon for the “green” movement. Wait for the graphs, where he applies Friedman’s methodology to Valerie Bertinelli’s physique.

The best: “This is Friedman’s life: He flies around the world, eats pricey lunches with other rich people and draws conclusions about the future of humanity by looking out his hotel window and counting the Applebee’s signs.” (From NY Press).

first-person: los campesinos! at cat’s cradle

Los Campesinos

Originally uploaded by John Darwin Kurc

Friday night and it’s freezing; bowling ended at 5 (I left early with still two frames left in my game) so the puppy could be fed at someone else’s house and the puppy could get slammed around by a bigger dog, and learn a lesson (he’s been learning a lot lately) and so finally we made it back on the road after stopping to fill up our car with gas and air (cold, not hot air) and after we pulled a u-turn around a smithfield’s chicken (it was crowded, like a grand opening with balloons and stuff) and opted for KFC instead (the strips come in 3, 6, or 12–they are all spicy), because we had to make the two hour trip to carrboro/chapel hill (it really is the same place, basically) and on the way while eating my chicken strips i spilled barbecue sauce on my pants and got barbecue sauce on my wife’s hand (i then switched to honey mustard) and now we’re on our way…

Bad Movie Blurbs

Gelf Magazine examines the “best worst blurbs” of 2008, where a movie ad blurb totally mangles the reviewer’s intent.

The best: “Heather Newgen, Comingsoon.net: ‘The first great romantic comedy of the year.”
Gelf’s take: We were unable to find Newgen’s review of the film online…’”

Viva Voce Breaks Up, Re-forms

In classic Viva Voce fashion, the band announces new members to further their touring. Plus, spring tour dates! And new work coming soon (at least we can all hope).

Tour dates (what no east coast love?!?) and the vid for “Alive with Pleasure” after the jump.

“Viva Voce rise like a Pheonix (or is that Phoenix-ed.) in 2009. Forever swearing off being a
two-piece band, Anita and Kevin Robinson have broken up, reformed adding
two of Portlands finest, and will unveil a new record in the coming
months. Notably more angular songs than the previous “Get Yr Blood Sucked
Out”, Viva Voce set out to perform the new tunes on a spring tour,
ending with a Portland homecoming a year in the making.”

From NY Mag: Saving the Gray Lady

I’ve been kind of entrenched in the New York Times lately. I browse its website everyday and I currently have a copy of “The Trust” floating around my house from the library. NY Mag is always pretty critical of other journalistic ventures, but in this piece by Emily Nussbaum they give the Times some props for their technological innovations. And they’re right. The techniques featured in the article would increase access and take the way information is consumed to another level. It would no longer be just reading, but reflecting on that subject’s world.
The best:
“…there is something exhilarating about watching web innovation finally explode at the Times, with its KICK ME sign and burden of authority.” From New York Mag.

Gentleman Auction House: “Book of Matches”

The St. Louis-based Gentleman Auction House probably put out three of my favorite songs of 2008 (or were they from 2007?). Here’s the vid for one of them, though their whole album is great, especially “We Used to Dream About Bridges.” But here’s “Book of Matches” from their album, ABCEDFGraveyard. after the jump.

M. Driscoll “the cussing pastor” in the NYTimes

Though the beginning of the story relies on old tropes (mentioning hymns and choirs) as a comparison to traditional churches, the author Molly Worthen does realize that Driscoll’s church is different than the megachurch “seeker sensitive” places of ten years ago.
The best statement:

“Driscoll’s New Calvinism underscores a curious fact: the doctrine of total human depravity has always had a funny way of emboldening, rather than humbling, its adherents.”

interv. w/ Jay Reatard

From the AV Club. Don’t see a lot of interviews with Jay Reatard, and this one was pretty forthcoming about song processes and a new album.

Sunfold “Oregon”

Mix-up Annuals and you get Sunfold, led by Annuals‘ guitarist Kenny Florence and made up of Annuals members. More of a classic rock, guitar solo funk vibe than the indie-pop Annuals comes out with. Sunfold wears its influence on its sleeve, but moves things forward without being too much of a tribute to anything.

Upcoming dates:
Jan. 9-The Soapbox, Wilmington, NC
Jan. 11–Local 506, Chapel Hill, NC

Can bands and content providers co-exist? TuneCore CEO thinks so.

Of course he does. Jeff Price is the CEO of the company. But his argument actually makes rational sense. His company’s model is that a website controlled by the artist allows them to pick the advertisers off their page and get money from the revenues. Most of the media (and scenesters) have always sided with the right of Napster, Pirate Bay, or YouTube about their content–but if you were the artist wouldn’t you want some money off your song instead of giving it to those content providers for free?

This example makes the most sense: “Imagine ABC getting the TV show ‘Lost’ for free, then broadcasting it and keeping all the advertising revenue.” From HuffPo.

non-breaking news: newspapers not innovative

Love Slate’s Jack Shafer. Always something interesting over there, and here he profiles how newspapers had a lock on the electronic medium for giving away their content (newspapers on TV! in the 80s!) but lost it.

interv. w/ john brandon

Interview with John Brandon, author of Arkansas, a book from McSweeney’s that I’m sure is the best book from ‘08 that I have not read. It is probably the best book I’ve heard of in the past three days. (From identity theory).

mailer and the conventions

hitchen reviews a book about norman mailer and the conventions. (from the atlantic).

…deadspin and bissinger

Looks like Deadspin tried to clear up the ongoing confusion about the role of blogs and journalism and sports access (what about blogs about journalism?). Bissinger still doesn’t seem to get it that commenters do not equate to a post, or are sanctioned by the actual site. They tried. And Deadspin is right about sports being taken too seriously.

…ira glass interview

…at an old job, I was able to listen to music and wear headphones, and so I stormed through the backlog of This American Life episodes. And it’s true as a former Nashville resident, I greatly appreciate the perspectives that the Nashville Scene often brings.

Those two loves come together with a recent Ira Glass interview the paper did. The explanation of politics and media made the most sense to me, with Glass breaking his “objective” to explain his political viewpoint and craft a story out of it.

…From Bubblegum To Sky – “Even the Sunbeams”

…San Fran dream pop, this vid tests the skills of concentration.

more about "…From Bubblegum To Sky – "Even the …", posted with vodpod

…end of mass appeal?

…Magazine Death Pool is calling the end to Mass Appeal, though nothing is up on their website and Death Pool doesn’t link to anything. The two comments to the post are interesting, however. Perhaps rumors to the mag’s demise are greatly exaggerated.

…Atlas Sound-”Bite Marks”

downloaded this album off of emusic, after a lot of talk. I’m not a huge fan of Deerhunter, but Atlas Sound is good for a bit of a freakout and quiet moment. From the 40 Watt Club in Athens in February.

from www.youtube.com posted with vodpod

I WAS TOTALLY DESTROYING IT (3), 10/6/07

I Was Totally Destroying It is from Raleigh, and I finally saw them last weekend. Bouncy power pop with an engaging, but subdued live show. Good stuff. This vid is from last fall.

from www.youtube.com posted with vodpod

Saxon Shore–From 2003

Here’s an old school Saxon Shore song from somebody’s basement in Greensboro, NC. As one of the commenters said about the song–it’s timeless. Which anyone who has seen them can attest to. Moving and emblematic, Saxon Shore always seems to get it right.

One Small Step for Landmines

Buzzgrinder accurately compared them to The Get Up Kids, which I think is fair–because it’s intelligent powerpop with a little more complexity than some whining band. Notice the breakdown (no not a hardcore breakdown) in the middle of “I Am the new Lloyd” at a show in late December in Tallahassee–their hometown. On tour in the Southeast this month, including a stop in Wilmington, NC on 2/25.

The next is some type of cat homage to “Everything’w Gonna Be All Right” or something like that. I hate cats, but wait until about a 1:11, when this kid is either sleeping next to a huge stuffed cat, or the kid owns a jaguar.

Latterman-”Doom, Doom, Doom!”

Punk from Long Island. Nothing new there, but these guys have more heart, more intensity, more likability (you know…like electability) than any screamo idiots out there. Good post-punk punk. Latterman gives it their all every time. Hopefully they’re not broken up.

Thunderlip “Fire in the Hole”

Here are the hometown (Wilmington,NC) boys, busting it out on the Battleship on the Cape Fear River. Though this song is from their first album, their new one, “Prophecy” is out on Lucid as well. Though not as playful as this song intimates, Thunderlip blends punk and metal wonderfully and their new stuff furthers that direction.

from www.youtube.com

White Rabbits: “Tourist Trap”

Heard about these NYC guys from Bridges and Powerlines, just as they are making their debut on Letterman. They still kind of seem to be floating just below the surface, however with not a lot of attention in stores and a few collegiate radio appearances. “Tourist Trap” is a simple number with nice piano flourishes.

from video.google.com

Giant Bear “Jim Barton” Video

This Memphis band has been blowing up–recently featured in Paste magazine, and my own review in Bootleg Magazine. The earthiness of what people expect from alt-country, or just returning the rootsy flavor back to country.

Unfortunately this is just a short promo video from their self-titled album, but still provides a flavor of who they are.

Snowglobe–”Changes”

Just finding out about this band from Memphis, but they seem to have some good momentum, and a creative take on Americana-indie rock. I like this song’s organ parts and upbeat tempo, with a creative use of instruments and fun eeriness. Good stuff from Memphis–also check out other bands on www.makeshiftmusic.com.

Wild Sweet Orange–”When You Go”

No surprise in the South, everyone seems familiar with Wild Sweet Orange. The percussion in this song is subtle, but effective. A good song.

Section Quartet

Strings infiltrating rock music! Who let these symphonic scenesters use creativity and access a music store?

Neon Horse==”Cuckoo”

Just to clarify, the following video is NOT of Neon Horse. But I have a feeling that their oddity might appreciate the following double-jointed/’84 Transformers homage. Neon Horse is known for their makeup, random imagery, and schlocky 80s metal meets Bauhaus sound. Its rich, full, experimental and on Tooth and Nail Records? Nuts, literally. Perhaps Tooth and Nail are riding the 80s wave too far.

Double Jointed – 80’s style from OrangeBeard and Vimeo.

An actual music video from Neon Horse:

The Selmanaires “In the Direction of Yes”

Atlanta Buzz band. BZZZ. While a lot of Athens/Atlanta bands are starting to get some attention (Snowden, Of Montreal, Manchester Orchestra), The Selmanaires are kind of overlooked. Let’s be honest, they look weird, they dance weird. They have some vaguely familiar, but genuinely original indie pop going on. But man, they move their appendages in funny ways.

The editing on this vid is smooth–the team at GA State doing a good job with their series, and presenting quality videos on the web. The quality really enhances The Selmanaires sound and look.Now we can see all the directions that the appendages might move.

Action Reaction “Sinner’s Algebra”

I remember when their release came out, but I just recently picked it up, and I remember how much I liked Jason Gleason. Kind of a raw deal with how all the Further Seems Forever stuff turned out. Filling those shoes would have been like asking to fill McCartney’s place in Wings or something (No, I’m not comparing Further Seems Forever with The Beatles). Further was never the same after Carrabba, and should have disbanded then.

Gleason’s dynamic stage presence is on show here. It’s good to see that he likes playing music again, and it’s obvious that he has the charisma to front any band and make it tons better. Finally his own vehicle to shine through, with its emo-indie-pop hybrid.

Birds of Avalon

Everyone has been talking about these guys recently, and I’m not all that familiar. Do they live in an Airstream? Maybe that’s the Bowerbirds.

Pomegranates

Yeah, I don’t know any of the names of the songs by these Ohio guys, but they had me with the handclaps and shaking in place that the indie rock kids do. They’re playing in Wilmington, NC next week and are doing a bit of a Southeastern tour. Buzzgrinder just tipped that they just signed with Lujo, home of Look Mexico, The Dark Romantics, others. Here’s a good song, with not so great video quality–but at least the crazy percussion and handclaps are visible. And a girl loudly declaring: “I Like This!” So do I.

For a visually annoying video with better sound quality, but not as great of a song, view this:

Hands Down Eugene vs. David Karsten Daniels

Nashville’s Hands Down Eugene has been blowing up the Nashville area, mainly because they bring disparate groups together with their indie–alt. country: The hipsters and the country music insiders. Here’s “Built For Speed” from their XOXO debut, Madison.

Now notice the eerie resemblance between Matt Moody, lead of Hands Down Eugene and David Karsten Daniels. Here he is buying some juice–he’s the bald bearded one.

See rockstars do real things! They marvel at modern technology!
I also saw some dude that looked like them at the copy place a few days ago. If I was sly enough, I should’ve taken his picture.

Now, here’s David Karsten Daniels in the video for “Jesus and The Devil” which just offers hints of his sweeping orchestral ability, as well as fade-ins and outs of the various venues David has played. Good sample of his music, though I prefer his rousing opener, “The Dream Before The Ring That Woke Me,” which is dependent on more people, more time.
Still, a good sample.

Los Campesinos!-”You! Me! Dancing!”

Yes, the video quality of this one is not so hot (notice the kid turning the vid camera on himself), but I think it perfectly relates what a Los Campesinos! show would be like, or how I would like it to be like. Completely spread out and disheveled, like an ice cream cone melting out all the sides–no oozing goodness should be lost. Los Campesinos! EP “Sticking Fingers Into Sockets” is out now on Arts and Crafts.

In an unusual move, here’s the actual real video. It’s animated, as is the video for “We Throw Parties, You Throw Knives.” I especially like the part where the superhero is zipping up his pants in the bathroom stall.

Sean Fournier–”Broken Stereo”

This Connecticut-based singer/songwriter has a pretty amiable sound, as heard here, but then later diverges into a bit more melancholy stuff aided by a piano. Like Damien Rice meeting Jamie Cullum. I’ve listened to all of “Paper Tiger” his new release–and it was excellent. I usually prefer the harder stuff, but I always have a soft spot for destroying electronic devices.

David Bazan “Harmless Sparks-Fewer Broken Pieces”

I was actually looking for a vid of Headphones, the synth project of Bazan and Soft Drugs’ T.Walsh, though I think Tim kind of accidentally got booted off the project. But nothing really exists, except for a practice video and a little bit of not-so-great concert footage. Basically, Bazan behind a keyboard is just not as appealing–his charisma fades to black a bit. He doesn’t look like a keyboard player, he looks like a grizzly bear out of Glacier National Park or something, and he belongs with a guitar–an “organic” instrument, not this hyped electrical thing.

But here’s “Harmless Sparks/Fewer Broken Pieces”–the video is mislabeled. It’s at Sweetbriar College in Feb. 2007, with pretty good video editing.

Suburban Kids With Biblical Names–Loop Duplicate My Heart

Perhaps everything about this band cracks me up. The disinterested looks, the casual repeating of the ending mantra, and an irritating, but infectious single such as “Loop Duplicate My Heart.” Droll and old-school techie, this video is like if the cast of “The Office” decided to form a rock band. All nerdy and sarcastic, and plus I love a good band name that parodies modern American stereotypes.

Minus The Bear–Knights

Just received the new Minus the Bear in the mail. Pretty good disc, but the stand out track like “The Game Needed Me” or “Fine + 2 pts” may not be there. If one is going to catch on, it’s going to be this song, “Knights.” The album is evenly divided between synths and guitars, and this song has that signature keyboard melody that made some of their other tunes successful. Overall, “Planets of Ice” is a pretty laid back album.

This is Minus the Bear in Amsterdam, with some smooth concert video editing. The vocal mixing is a little off for the tape, but Dave Knudson’s guitar stylings are on prominent display.

Turbo Fruits

Turbo Fruits features two members from Be Your Own Pet, some of Nashville’s youngest and dirtiest punks. Jonas Stein from BYOP heads Turbo Fruits, and he contributes vocals and guitar. Just to show how crazy the fans get for this band, also below is a clip of Turbo Fruits at SXSW 2007. It’s a 24 second clip that shows how much the kids are into this band.

Turbo Fruits at SXSW 2007

Turbo Fruits and the kids going crazy on a blues/punk breakdown

Viva Voce–Easy Street Records, Nov. 2006

Here’s Viva Voce back in November 06 at Easy Street Records in Seattle. Though this seems to be somewhat of a stripped down set, it still shows the accessibility and enjoyment of Viva Voce to their fullest. This song is “Special Thing” which probably plays best in the record store type crowd setting. It doesn’t rock out, but is instead a good spring or summer lilt of a song.