Author Archive
Video For Voices
Another video from Dumb Eyes (who’ll also be providing visual stimulation at that Cairo Vibrations thingy I mentioned yesterday) for Soft Metals‘ “Voices”. My earlier blurb about the band here. I’m pretty hooked on this album right now, FYIIIIIIIII.
SOFT METALS – VOICES from Dumb Eyes on Vimeo.
Vibrations Festival: August 20th in Volunteer Park
Cairo‘s plans for world domination trudge on, with barely a wince or flinch from the destruction left in its wake.
This Saturday, August 20th, the multi-faceted art & music venue/boutique/label (you might have heard about their first album here) enters into the festival fray with a zero dollar admission concert in one of the country’s most carefully and beautifully designed urban parks, that of Volunteer. (Designed by a pair of bros. who copied their dad’s design of Central Park! Yes, that Central Park! Plus, like, the entire city of Seattle!) Vibrations runs from 2pm to 11pm and is non-ageist in its admittance policy. You can find all the fun at the band stand in the northwest quadrant near the reservoir.
If, as a frequent looker or occasional gazer of SSS, you find your tastes aligning with mine, then we will agree to agree that the lineup is something to behold. Especially for a sunny summer Saturday. If you can’t decide whether the music will be any good or not, I’ve added some mp3′s here for you to peruse and/or sample beforehand. Do yourself a solid:
Charles Leo Gebhardt IV – “Teach My Heart”
Witch Gardens – “Small Daring Boy”
More on Purple & Green here
More on Metal Chocolates here
Press Release after the jump/cut/fold/whatever:
I Dunno 'Bout You Guys, But I'm Kinda Stoked For The Mister Heavenly Record
“Super group” trepidations and celebrity bassist appearances aside, I’m pretty enthusiastic about the forthcoming Out of Love, out August 16th on Sub Pop. Amazingly, I have a copy, but have yet to spin it! Mister Heavenly is Nick Thorburn (Islands, The Unicorns), Joe Plummer (Modest Mouse—only the not-very-good We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank; nobody mentions that) and Ryan Kattner aka Honus Honus (Man Man).
More info here. Recorded live to tape at Bear Creek Studio in Woodinville, WA!
Hey Everyone, Jesse "The Duke" Lortz Is BACK!
After some time wallowing in his own mire, the creative genius behind defunct stone-folkers The Dutchess and The Duke is at it again. That’s right, Jesse “The Duke” Lortz is back in our empty lives and he’s got a new wine-swillin’, livin’ room lady singin’ guitar project he wants us to REVEL in! Case Studies is the name (how nerdly!), and it sounds NOTHING like a person writing in all CAPS and with several exclamation points would lead you to believe! In FACT, it’s rather melancholy. Deception!
Case Studies: Daggers from Case Studies on Vimeo.
New album, The World Is Just a Shape to Fill the Night, is out August 16th on Sacred Bones Records. Stream the whole thing over at Paste Magazine. It was (mostly) recorded at a secluded cabin in Sequim. How idyllic!
A Hat Tip To THEESatisfaction (And Sub Pop)
That a non-traditional and not-exactly-accessible musical outfit such as THEESatisfaction (partners in crime and life Stasia Irons and Catherine Harris-White) can garner such community support (warranted, of course, if you’ve experienced them live) so as to parlay that into a relationship with the most successful record label in Seattle’s history, well, that’s just a win for everyone. Cheers to Sub Pop for their continued efforts to step outside the box. And cheers to smokey, space-cadet soul!
Flexions 'Golden Fjord' Out Today, Here's A Video And Other Stuff
Prior info on the new record here. East Mercer micro-venue/vintage boutique/workshop/mixtape purveyor Cairo is now in the record label business. Check out their new online store for Golden Fjord, as well as other great local albums such as Lunar from Secret Colors, USF’s Jamaica Plain EP, Flexions’ Leisure Time LP, and Stephanie’s self-titled EP for GGNZLA.
“Her War” is a bouncy, giddy-up tune and the strikingly goofy visuals presented here are a nice match. I’m not really sure why you wouldn’t like this.
Flexions – Her War from Cairo Records on Vimeo.
MP3′s:
Flexions – Magnetically encoded
Flexions West Coast Tour Dates:
Friday, August 5th – CD Release Party at Chop Suey, 8 PM^*
Saturday, August 13th – Family in Los Angeles
Sunday, August 14th – The Smell, Los Angeles, 8 PM †
Friday, August 19th – K Records Helsing Junction Sleepover
Saturday, August 20th – Cairo presents VIBRATIONS Outdoor Music Festival^
Friday, August 26th – Neumos, Seattle w/ Sleepy Eyes of Death, 8 PM
^with Metal Chocolates
*with Seven Colors
†with Dunes
Bite On This: Soft Metals
Hey, are you a gold prospector, fur trapper or just an old fashioned wilderness explorer looking for something to sink your teeth into?! Then this band is for YOU!
Just kidding (I think), but Portland’s dark, dancey duo/couple-in-love Soft Metals is currently rupturing the floor circuit in that weird town south of the Columbia. Sounds like they may be relocating to L.A., however. Their first full length has recently been released by Captured Tracks (label founded by Blank Dogs‘ Mike Sniper) and is, how you say, “a banger”. Not in the traditional sense, but in some odd sense that’s floating around my head right now. The witchy, underworldly vocals come courtesy of Patricia Hall and both her and Ian Hicks collaborate on expunging the early-aughts goth-club disco and Ladytron-inspired synths/beats/atmospheres from their immortal souls. Darkwave? Yes. Industrial? A li’l bit. House? You betcha.
You could always just go listen to their Soundcloud page, but why do that when you could stay right here, and take a small bite for yourself? These are my favorite tracks off that self-titled album.
The Cold World Melts (2011 Album Version) by Soft Metals
Voices (2011 Album Version) by Soft Metals
All you Portlanders, they play East End TONIGHT.
What's With All The Nudity Lately?! – Austra "The Beat and The Pulse"
I mean, it’s not like nudity is a nu thing, but there are certainly more liberties being taken these days with the freedom of the ol’ internet, a.k.a. the only place music videos survive. And there are probably those of you out there who’d like to see a little more male nudity, but it just doesn’t seem to “sell” like the lady kind. For now, Google images for “David Beckham topless” seems like your best bet. Har Har.
This video is for Toronto’s icy cool electronic band Austra, with the entrancing Katie Stelmanis on lead vocals. Didn’t manage to catch their set last Saturday at the CHBP (lines into Neumos were redonkulous), but word from my sis is that it was unrelentingly awesome.
Austra – Beat and the Pulse from Claire Edmondson on Vimeo.
This is also a good song/video:
Sweet Vid! More Pics! of Handsome Furs at CHBP 2011
Don’t you kind of hate when people use the words ‘vid’ or ‘pics’? I do. This whole internet/computer BS is turning our language into useless, abbreviated crapola.
Anyway, here’s a quality video I shot on Saturday of “What About Us”. Dan was so wasted. I’m not quite sure what kind of boots those were, but they could probably stomp your face in. The stage volume could’ve been better.
Photos:
Capitol Hill Block Party LIVE!
Photos and (pretty lame on-the-go) commentary from Saturday.
Arrived in time to see Lovers at the Vera Stage. So far, the PDX electro-ballad trio has delivered one of the more passionate performances I’ve seen from them. They are, without a doubt, making alliances with their appliances.
The crowd absolutely ate it up!
Next up, Handsome Furs. The duo, during soundcheck, look fierce. They will slay. Not two songs in, Dan Boeckner asked if anyone would sell him mushrooms for his road trip through the Rockies tomorrow. Some kid next to me will apparently oblige (and he was stoked about it).
They indeed slayed. Dan was severely wasted and Alexei did her crazy rock star calisthenics the whole time. They are two crazy kids in love (awwwww).
Found art:
Teen Daze at the Vera. People are gettin high (seriously, pot smoke everywhere this year) and groovin to the slinky, vintage beats. The bass is a bit much, but set closer “Let’s Rock This Dagobah System” was OUT OF THIS WORLD. LITERALLY.
Consumption so far: Big Mario’s slice (tomato and basil), steak bahn mi and ono taco (Kahlua pork) from Fusion on the Run truck, many Mirror Ponds, Moscow Mule shot from Quinn’s.
Now, LSF. Harrington seems particularly decked out already. Three costume changes in four songs. Crowd surfing, shirtless/superhero hijinx, and now singing from the 2nd story of the building across from the Shell station. Amazing! The band soldiers on, tight and on point as usual. The tarpaulin appears! As does a crazy rainbow shag overcoat thingy.
The Sweat Descends, and an eagle head mascot is donned.
Oh, Les Savy Fav, you make me shake, you make me shiver! (Careful, these pictures really suck!)
(Editor’s Note: I edited this on Monday.)
