Seattle Subsonic - Music
Sleepy Eyes of Death – “Data Graves”
Seattle’s sentient synth-scholars Sleepy Eyes of Death are prepping for the release of their 2nd full-length, Toward A Damaged Horizon. The album will be available May 4, but the band has upped the first song to their myspace, “Data Graves” (more synthetic/organic dual naming conventions!). Much like previous efforts, the band is still exploring the slow-searing girth of cinematic sonic barrages. I’m more a fan of Street Lights For A Ribcage than Dark Signals, so hopefully the rest of the record follows (cyber)suit.
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The album release show will be at Neumos April 30th, which also happens to be the 31st anniversary of my birth—hey heeeeyyy. Talkdemonic and Feral Children will be providing aural entertainment as well. For shits and grins, here’s the radically sci-fi video for “Final Heart Beats Black” from Dark Signals.
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P.S. For those of you guys who are wondering why all I’ve been posting are videos lately, it’s because LeDoux finally made it so I could post them without his special web assistance. I’m sure the trigger-happiness will subside eventually. Or not.
The Fierce and the Dead, Gas, Bass, Traffic
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First thing I noticed this morning when leaving Camano Island to head back Seattle way was that I was low on gas. Damn. There between the odometer and the speedometer, the gas light was on. That wasn’t good. I had a 10:00 meeting with a client down in Redmond, and it was already 8:45. I’d wanted to take a leisurly drive south and listen to the 19 minute experimental opus from the English band The Fierce and The Dead and gather my thoughts about it in order to pen them here. Instead, I’d be fighting time, pushing the gas pedal, checking the rearview for cops. If the music was good, it would distract me from all that. Good music can distract from anything. It demands focus. That’s why I don’t listen to music while programming because I’ll do just that. I’ll listen. And then of course I’ll pick up the guitar or the bass and play along while thinking, “Work? What work?” I popped the CD in and drove on out planning to make a quick stop for gas before I got to the highway.
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A vibrating guitar note came in as I sped down a back road toward the Shell station. Then there was a bass playing E notes, octaves, low-low-high, bum bum buuuum, bum bum buuuum. I drove faster. I would be cutting it too close given the hour drive in good traffic. If rush hour didn’t cooperate I could end up with one less client. Given that I’ve just struck out on my own in private web development, losing a client would not be a good thing. I know, I know, then why the hell was I leaving so late? Set the alarm, get up early, and get a move on, right? Well, I’d been up late working on the new mix for my own band and answering an email from a certain woman, both very necessary things no matter the hour or the obligations of the following morning. I finished the email just before 2:00 A.M., re-read it, and sent it on its way. I then went to bed thinking about that woman, amazed at how the smile of another person can be permanently lodged there just behind the eyes. By 2:30 I was asleep, and preoccupied as I had been with that smile, the alarm/cellphone right there next to the bed was not set.
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The bass notes continued and the guitar continued wailing and vibrating. One thing inevitable came to mind, Pink Floyd’s Careful With That Axe Eugene. This tune was faster, but the the influence was obvious, and I mean that in a good way. I’m quite fond of Pink Floyd’s older trippy psychedelic stuff. I’m the guy who put on A Saucerful of Secrets (for the faint of heart check it out from the 5:25 point of the video) once at a frat party, not my frat mind you, and was surprised that Pink Floyd got five minutes into their space and noise before someone said, “What the fuck is this?” I pulled into the Shell and got out with the idea to just pay ten in cash and be quickly in my way. I went into the station thinking of The Fierce and the Dead and Pink Floyd and gave ten to the cashier, “Ten on pump four, please. Thanks.” The woman working took the money without saying anything, and I left without waiting for a receipt. As I walked back to the car, I had that bass in my head, bum bum buuuum, bum bum buuuum. I was only a few minutes into the 19 that it was, but it was promising thus far. Thinking such, I got in the car and drove off in a hurry to make my appointment. The song came back on. There was the bass, the guitar. The drums came in and the bass started to descend a little between the low E notes. As I got to the highway, my fears became reality. There was traffic, heavy and languid, that lurched along at intervals of feet and inches. Like the bartender at The Monkey Pub a few weeks ago, it was my turn, “Son of a bitch!”
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Grand Hallway – “Blessed Be, Honey Bee”
This one’s been making the rounds, so I thought I’d throw it up here; mostly because it’s probably the best song on Grand Hallway’s record Promenade. Depending on your opinion, of course.
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The soft-rockin’ chamber-folk ensemble kicks off their spring tour tomorrow night at the Doug Fir in Portland, and includes a stop at SXSW next week. The band’s homecoming is April 8th at the Crocodile with Friday Mile.
Gorillaz Stylo is Freakie Stylie!
2D in 3D, Nitro charged Chevys, Bruce Willis and Bobby Womack? Hell yeah!
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The vid for “Stylo” off the Gorillaz just-released “Plastic Beach” is out and on first glance, I gotta say, it’s kinda creepy. Seeing the Gorillaz crew raging through a landscape in some sort of super-charged monster car is nothing out of the ordinary but taking them out of their normal 2-D animated setting and plopping them Nevada car chase straight out of “Vanishing Point” is a little unsettling. Especially 2D’s empty eyes. Regardless, the video is totally worth the watch, the song is great, and Bobby Womack is the shit.
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My question… where the hell is Russel?
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The band has only the Coachella date confirmed so far, but hopefully more will come soon, inc. a little west-coast love.
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RIP Slats
To one of the longest lasting Hipsters in Seattle, Goodbye Slats
New Liars – Sisterworld
Here’s the new (and deliciously disturbing) video for “Scissor” by the freakazoids in Liars:
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The rampant drone-rock trio will play Neumos Saturday May 1st with Fol Chen. You can listen to the new album Sisterworld, released yesterday on Mute, over on the band’s myspace. So far, so good. If you like it, I’d recommend picking up the special 2CD version, complete with a visually unique folding-style package and remixes/reinterpretations of the album’s songs by Thom Yorke, Tunde Adebimpe, Devendra Banhart, and Bradford Cox, among others.
New Band Of Horses Album Art Is Boring
Skyrocketing, Seattle-spurning folk-rockers Band of Horses revealed the artwork for their third album today. It’s called Infinite Arms and will be released on May 18th on a label that is currently TBD (and not Sub Pop). The dudes are curiously still using the calligraphy-type font for their records; which is weird, cuz they (Ben Bridwell) just don’t seem to be the calligraphy type (ha!). BORRRR-ing.
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Haven’t seen/heard any new tunes yet, but they’ll be sure to debut them at Sasquatch! on May 31st.
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Update: Reverb apparently has word that the record will be released in conjunction with three different labels: Brown Records, Fat Possum Records, and Columbia Records.
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Balkan Beat Box Beckons March 17 @ Neumos
The uber-eclectic world band, Balkan Beat Box, has a new album out later this month, Blue Eyed Black Boy; and for those who can’t wait, or have been waiting patiently since 2007, you can experience the new material live March 17th at the Showbox.
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Few modern acts are as undefinable, moving, and in constant transformation as Balkan Beat Box (Beirut and Beck also come to mind). Their music is a fusion of traditional Jewish, Gypsy, Arabic, and Balkan music with modern hip hop beats, dub, and electronics. The globally acclaimed first album, self titled (2005) featured Mediterranean influences; and the second album, Nu Med (2007), changed it up with Arabic and Spanish influences. By creating harmony, seamlessly combining the music of different regions, they hope to raise political awareness; promoting peace, unity, and the elimination of political borders.
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On stage, the three person band (Ori Kaplan, Tamir Muskat and Tomer Yosef ) expands to a full seven live performers from around the world, bringing diverse musical influences to the show. Balkan Beat Box set out to update traditional music, which they had personally grown up on, and ended up with a highly danceable sound with global appeal; worthy of concert hall or dance club.
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Day: Wed, Mar 17, 2010
Doors open: 8:00 PM
Ages: 21 & Over
Ticket Prices: $17.50 ADV-$20.00 DOS
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Listen to the track, “War Again”, from the upcoming album here
Watch the “War Again” music video here
Free Cybersex! 2!
Oh, man I’m going to regret using that headline, ain’t I… Regardless of the inevitable interloping inter-perverts, it’s necessary. Cybersex 2 is the title of the more recent album sampler from local label, Sub-Pop, featuring a slew of their latest (ish) and greatest. Oh.. and it’s FREE!
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Explains a lot, don’t it? Except for the puppy – that’s just damn cute.
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Many of you who have NOT had their heads up their asses for the past 2 months already know about Cybersex 2 as it was “released” back in January. I don’t know if you’ve noticed this, but the goddamn sun’s finally out and I feel like a moldy, stinkin’ brown bear finally poking its head out of its den. (even though old-man Dick Proenneke -of PBS’s sleep inducing Alone in the Wilderness-has told me in his sleepy papa bear voice how surprisingly clean their dens are – feh! ) So while the tunes on the sampler aren’t as crisp and fresh as they might have been back then, they’ve still got a decent shelf life. Seems most everything in here has been kicking around for a bit anyway, whether released sometime last year or put out as a Sub Pop freebie. Point is you can get them all right here, right now, for the right price. $Free.99
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You can dowload Cybersex 2 by clicking here or visit Sub Pop for the link to the old Cybersex Sampler and lots more kitty-cat gifs that are so fucking cute you’re sure to fall twitching to the floor. Here’s the link! ENJOY!
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Track listing after the jump
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Stream the new Gorillaz ‘Plastic Beach’ Album now
The Gorillaz crew of 2D, Noodle, Russel and Murdoc have completed work on the third album, Plastic Beach. Now while I don’t find it to have the dance hall pop hooks of their previous albums, I DO feel it has an incredible laid back tone that lends itself to some serious groove. The liner notes are again chock-full of star collaborations from Lou Reed, Mos Def, Mark E Smith, De La Soul, Kano and Snoop Dogg. The album is due to hit stores next week, but you can click on the cover art below to stream the album now from start to finish.
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We Were Promised Jetpacks [from Scotland] @ Neumos Tonight! (3-2)
Last year Scottish band, Frightened Rabbit, came to Neumos with another great Scottish band, We Were Promised Jetpacks, opening for them. Now, We Were Promised Jetpacks returns to headline; and they deserve it! As an added bonus, local phenomenons, The Lonely Forest, will be opening.
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First off, We Were Promised Jetpacks has a great name and secondly, have an atmospheric yet intense sound, coupled with the lead singers deep moving voice and Scottish accent; its good. Real good. And they traveled this far from Glasgow; just to see you!! (It would cost a lot more to fly there to see them).
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Read more about the Lonely Forest, who won last year’s Sound Off competition here: http://www.seattlesubsonic.com/2010/02/16/the-lonely-forest-neumos/ . Everytime I miss them at a festival or show, I have to kick myself, because afterward I have to hear how they were one of the best shows of the night.
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We Were Promised Jetpacks
The Lonely Forest, Bear Hands
doors at 8pm
$15 adv
SXSW, That Great Gig in the Sky, Monster Grand, Visqueen at Neumos
I suppose in these parts we all know what SXSW is, the revered and glorious musiclal festival down Texas way, down in Austin where no bands of mine have ever played, though I did go to a wedding there once. No worries on not ever playing there though. I don’t think any bands of mine have ever even applied to SXSW. Perhaps we’ve been lazy. I suppose it’s like what they say about the lotto, can’t win if you don’t play, or rather can’t play if you don’t fill out said application with said application fee. And well, it seems a few of the local musical groups have done just that. And they won! I’m envious. As much as I like recording and studio work, live is the thing, live is where we strike the chords that set nights on fire.
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I heard Pink Floyd on the radio today, Money, not their best tune, but thinking as I was about SXSW and playing live I was reminded of another Pink Floyd tune, That Great Gig in the Sky. An old band of mine in Ohio played that at a few gigs. The keyboard player, Stephanie, suggested it during a soundcheck one night before a gig at The South Heidelberg (RIP) so we gave it a shot. It was an instrumental version as neither Stephanie nor our other singer/drummer, Frank, had any chance of hitting those beautiful notes Clare Torry did in the recording.
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I remember clearly that first night we played it. Stephanie called out the chords during the sound check, and I wrote them on a piece of paper that I put on the stage in front of my bass amp. There was a foot print on the left side of the paper, and the paper itself was actually stuck in place given all the grime of spilled beer and cigarette ash and marijuana ash and whatever else on the stage. We’d just finished one of our songs, In Memory of Sir Dane Bramage, a lament for a lost bong, and Stephanie went right into the piano intro for That Great Read the rest of this entry »
