Warm Tubes Glow

Flying Lotus - Kill Your Co-Workers

2011-06-13T23:49:00.001-05:00

Flying Lotus - Kill Your Co-Workers from beeple on Vimeo.

The Black Atlantic

2011-04-04T19:06:00.001-05:00

DBG #1 – The Black Atlantic (Part 1) | Of This Unfortunate Event (The Aftermath) from DaBaoGe Acoustic Shows on Vimeo.

New A Lull Album Streaming Now!!!

2011-02-23T14:15:00.002-06:00

Confetti by A Lull

The boys leave for tour with Cold War Kids at the end of the month. Yours truly will be tour manager. Check out the tour schedule here.

Radiohead - Lotus Flower

2011-02-18T09:25:00.000-06:00

Empires For the Cover of Rolling Stone!

2011-02-15T16:58:00.001-06:00

Good dudes, good tunes. Please help my friends out.

A Jazz Ode to Studs Terkel

2011-01-18T13:03:00.003-06:00

Super proud of my long-time friend Josh Moshier and his latest project. I've been very lucky to work with him a couple of times, and he is one of the best musicians I've put a microphone in front of. Check out the Chicago Tribune article here.

Sarah Siskind, Justin Vernon, Bill Frisell

2011-01-12T00:53:00.001-06:00

An oldie but a goodie

Destroyer- "Kaputt"

2011-01-11T12:42:00.001-06:00

Destroyer - Kaputt from Merge Records on Vimeo.

Iron & Wine's "Kiss Each Other Clean" Live

2011-01-06T14:19:00.003-06:00

See the album played through at NPR Music.

More props to @caitistout for the heads up

...Christmas Music

2010-12-21T11:38:00.002-06:00

Bah humbug! If you wanna know why I hate the holidays, go somewhere goods and services are sold, and take a look at all the, eh... "spirit" in the shoppers. HOWEVER!!! Even my cold black heart can be warmed, and this time, it is thanks to Sufjan and The National. Check out their new christmas tunes here.

Thanks to Caiti for pointing it out!

Jack White, Third Man Records and The Vault

2010-12-02T19:41:00.002-06:00

By now, you've probably heard about the Jack White fan rant. If not, check out the Stereogum article here and come back and listen to me jabber on. I'll wait for you...

What the little whiner that tried to put up virtual dukes with Jack White did, was give Jack an arena to spell out just why Third Man Records and the Vault subscription service are successful. The truth of which might not be what people want to hear.

Now let's be honest here- there's nothing new about selling a rare record second hand at several times the original price. Hell, when I worked at a record store back in 2006, we got 10 or so copies of the Raconteurs' "Steady, As She Goes" 7'', and I bought the last copy. A customer came in looking for a copy ten minutes later, and said he'd give me $50 for the copy I just bought. I almost took him up on it. That being said, maybe the argument was unwarranted (but I don't think so). In any case, the only thing these whiners have to complain about is that Jack White beat them (well, not all of them, but the flippers) to the punch!

”We sell a Wanda Jackson split record for 10 bucks, the eBay flipper turns around and sells it for 300. If 300 is what it’s worth, then why doesn’t Third Man Records sell it for 300?"

If you can't beat 'em, join 'em. He's just giving the flippers a taste of their own medicine. In all fairness to the fans though, this was a rather braggadocious move on White's part. Assuming this isn't Third Man's new business model though, I say more power to him. (And no, of course it isn't.) Where would the rest of the industry be if the rest of the label owners took the time to beat the cheats at their own game every once and a while?

As for the Vault subscription not providing anything extraordinary? Bullshit.

I pay $60 every 3 months, which is not cheap, almost exclusively for the limited edition vinyl that arrives at my doorstep with the same frequency. The number of these that are pressed is determined by the number of Vault subscribers. That alone is pretty extraordinary. How many other labels provide customer specific pressings? Plus, these are the records that end up on eBay going for $200-$300 as soon as they're released. Clearly, these are special to a whole lot of fans.

In addition to the ltd edition vinyl, my Vault package includes pre-sale tickets, exclusive media, blah typical fan club shit blah blah blah... Does it leave a little more to be desired? For me, yes, I suppose so. For others, maybe not. But the music, which is what the whole thing's about, makes it worth it.

Here's the thing...

For all the bitching that went on, there's really a pretty simple answer to the unsatisfied Vault members' problem.

"if you don’t want it, DONT BUY IT. and if you do want it, don’t act like you DON’T want it."

If you don't like what's on TV, change the channel. Don't complain about the network or producers' values.

"don’t want a split colored limited edition record? then guess what? don’t buy one. don’t want them to be expensive? then guess what? don’t WANT them. it’s you and others wanting them that dictates the price and the entire nature of the idea… make no mistake, we could make twenty thousand split color whatevers for you, and they’ll be worth 20 bucks, and you’ll pay 20 bucks for them, and you’ll never talk about them, desire them, hunt to find them, etc"

Supply and demand. What else can you say?

A huge idea behind the Vault when it started was exclusivity- being on the ground floor, and being among the first to know what Jack White thinks is good music. Whatever happened to people wanting studio demos or bootlegged live recordings, or being the only person in the neighborhood with that one sacred 7'' no one else could get their hands on, and that kind of "I had it first" almost child-like joy?

I had a good friend ask me if I would loan her the Dead Weather Live @ Third Man Records DVD that I got as a part of my last vault package so her boyfriend could "rip it and burn some copies," and simply couldn't understand why I said "no." She couldn't understand that to me, music, especially great music, isn't some worthless thing that should passed around for free.

As Jack White fans go, I'm not a leg humper. If I am, its more for his business savvy, and amazing clout than his musical ability. Name one other musician of this generation who has such a command via his own music, label, organizations, etc, as Jack White. I give him my money because 9 times out of 10, the music he says I should listen to, I want to listen to. I give him my money because he keeps his label interesting with fun methods of distribution, pop-ups, random mail-order specials, etc. I give him my money because he can make something new out of something old- his own brand of blues, and his products, like 8" and 13" and triple decker and multi-colored records. I give him my money because he knows that if he thinks an 8x10 photo in his store is worth $200, then one of his fans will too. I give him my money because he employs people like Vance Powell, a fantastic Nashville engineer, to make his records with him. Tell me, what's left out of the equation?

Jack is going to look like an asshole for this. Really though, he's just calling their bluff- the customers who want in on what Jack and TMR are doing but bitch about not getting any cool stuff. He could have been a lot more mean about it, and I wouldn't blame him if he was.

Maybe Jack White's taste isn't good enough for the people who would rather sit in front of a computer downloading 30 album torrents scrambling for something worth listening to, but while the record industry continues to crumble, I see Jack White and Third Man as some the only figures in the industry that are able to both keep the traditional label model fresh and interesting, and put out music that people should be listening to at the same time. No new media, distribution format, or business model will ever be as powerful as an attitude and command as strong as someone like Jack White's.

Another Mega Awesome Danger Mouse Collabo!!!

2010-11-29T12:41:00.013-06:00

Danger Mouse, film composer/arranger/producer Daniele Luppi, Jack White, and Norah Jones! Holy crap, this is gonna be great.

More info here

Tracklisting here

Preview here here

Stardeath and White Dwarfs

2010-11-29T12:05:00.002-06:00

Caught these guys over the weekend, and was blown away. You may know them from their collaboration with The Flaming Lips on their Dark Side of the Moon project, but they can hold their own, to say the least. Check out their blog for some pics/video from the Double Door.

Stardeath and White Dwarfs' Tumblr

Nick Cave Covering 28... uhh... Classics

2010-11-29T11:15:00.003-06:00

Head over to TwentyFourBit, one of my favorite music blogs, to hear Nick Cave cover 28 pop, rock, classic, and traditional tunes. Really, a great collection.

Jónsi - Go Live

2010-11-08T10:12:00.002-06:00

If you didn't get a chance to catch Jónsi on tour, well I'm sorry. You missed one of the best productions to come around in a long time. Luckily for you, a live DVD is being released, that you really, really, really, really should buy. Product info can be found here.

As someone who makes his living in live entertainment production, you can believe me when I say that it is not often that every element of a show comes together so cohesively that everything on stage becomes one living entity. Jónsi is worthy of great praise for his creative vision in the whole project, and every member of the production crew deserves recognition for their hard work, from conceptualization all the way to implementation and performance. These people are on top of their game.

Do yourself a favor and order it.

Holy Information Overload, Batman!

2010-10-26T10:34:00.004-05:00

"The music has to be great, or I don't know what we're talking about."

Via Bob Lefsetz

In B Flat

2010-10-22T16:52:00.001-05:00

Too fun!

InBFlat

Influencers

2010-10-07T18:53:00.002-05:00

Cool looking documentary coming out on trends and tastemakers. Have a look...

Influencers

Via Baxter Finley

New Sufjan Album

2010-09-27T13:29:00.001-05:00

Stream it over at NPR Music.

T-Bone Burnett and The Secret Sisters

2010-09-09T12:44:00.002-05:00

T-Bone just can't stop putting out awesome music. Super excited for "Silver Threads and Golden Needles" to come out in October.

Further Seems Forever

2010-08-24T15:07:00.001-05:00

No fucking way...

www.furtherseemsforever.com

A Lull - Debut Video for "Weapons for War"

2010-08-18T10:19:00.002-05:00

Click here for the video.

Tom Waits Covers James Brown!!!

2010-08-17T17:22:00.001-05:00

PAPA'S GOT A BRAND NEW BAG!!!

New Song By The National!

2010-08-17T16:05:00.001-05:00

Head over to Stereogum for a listen and a free download.

The Secret Sisters

2010-08-05T12:28:00.003-05:00

Head over to The Secret Sisters' Myspace Page for some great new music out of Muscle Shoals, Alabama. Laura and Lydia Rogers layer harmonious melodies reminiscent of Les Paul and Mary Ford, The Andrews Sisters, etc, atop simple, well constructed southern ditties á la Patsy Cline.

While their sound is mostly a throwback to early country and rockabilly, their songs feature little nods to doo wop and 50's pop ballads, as well as the occasional folk hymn (a cover of Hank Williams' "House of Gold" can be found on their myspace page).

Their debut 7", to be released on August 10th by Third Man Records, features a cover of "Big River" by Johnny Cash, and a great interpretation of the upbeat folk tune "Wabash Cannonball." Jack White and My Morning Jacket's Carl Broemmel both make appearances. You can pre-order it at the Third Man Records Store, and you just might get lucky enough to receive one of the limited edition TMR tri-color copies. Visit Third Man Records for more info.

Their debut full length, "Silver Threads and Golden Needles," was recorded at Blackbird Studios in Nashville, with T-Bone Burnett as executive producer. The album is due out on October 5th on Burnett's Beladroit Records.

jónsi- Animal Arithmetic

2010-08-03T17:50:00.002-05:00

Fun new video from the Sigur Rós frontman.

The Death of the Performance

2010-07-19T14:17:00.006-05:00

Last weekend I attended Chicago's Pitchfork Music Festival. I was with several friends, both new and old, seeing some music we love. Some of the better performances I got to see were:

Local Natives
Broken Social Scene
Liars
Modest Mouse
Girls
Lightning Bolt (from a distance)

I should mention I skipped Saturday, regretfully. Honest mention for Bear in Heaven, John Spencer Blues Explosion, and The Tallest Man on Earth

Some of the (...ahem) "bands" I was unfortunate enough to see include:

Washed Out
Sleigh Bells
Major Lazer
Big Boi

Now listen... These artists all make good music. Like it or not, there's a reason this stuff is popular. Diplo's been killing it since even before I was a Virgin Megastore employee in my first year of college, Big Boi made some of the most stand out hip hop hits of my youth with Outkast, Poison the Well was one of the more influential bands in that post-metal-emo-scene-hard-core smorgasbord we all enjoyed so much in our girl jean days... you get the idea.

If you weren't in attendance this weekend, or haven't seen any of these acts, then let me tell you what these artists (and probably more that I missed) have in common.

Ready?

A play button. You know, like on an iPod? Or, any other machine that plays pre-recorded music? Try this one...

KARAOKE MACHINE? Getting it now?

Plenty of bands these days play with backing tracks, such as synths, textural elements, auxiliary percussion, etc. Depending on where you stand on the honesty in music scale, that isn't quite a crime punishable by death, so long as they are complimenting the playing of real instruments by human beings. I recommend you check out my friends A Lull for one of the best examples of this you have ever heard.

I understand being a one or two man band is cheap, allows for greater creative control, keeps the band's overall ego smaller (sometimes), and requires less time to perfect a song, but it's not the number of people that counts, it's the performance. The King Khan and BBQ Show, The White Stripes, Hasil Adkins, and The Black Keys are all wildly entertaining to see live, despite taking up a pretty small stage footprint. And do you know why these small bands are so good live and the chillwave laptop rockers aren't?

PERSONALITY! ATTITUDE! RAW FUCKING TALENT!!!

None of these can be programmed, written, or coded into a computer. You may be the best Ableton Live beatmaker in the world, but there's no knob to turn up the "soul," or solo the "anguish." Rearranging loops and pre-recorded guitar clips will never help you honestly convey pain or love, and pretending to control the delay on your keyboard that's already been programmed (because it's exactly same on the record) does not make anyone better understand what you are trying to communicate.

With these thoughts in mind, please allow me to call out a few artists in particular...

Washed Out- Your music is very dreamy, well composed, and overall pleasing to hear. You are, however, a perfect example of the worst type of concert. One man, a computer, a microphone, and a midi controller that you pretended to use a few times. (Justice farce comes to mind) The number of your type that are out there, both in and out of the spotlight, is staggering. As live shows go, you are the most boring type of entertainment available, especially at 3PM on a sunny Sunday, at a festival.

You do a bit of singing. I'll give you that much, but that's it. You dance in place, staring at your computer as if there is something you need to worry about or anticipate. Reason/Ableton/Logic or whatever program you're using is fine. You programmed everything months ago so you wouldn't have to actually play any instruments live. Remember?

Major Lazer- Diplo, you've got your shit together. The albums of yours that I own, some probably older than my college degree, are still knockin'. While I'm aware that you come from more of a DJ background, I once again, will never constitute pressing a play button as a performance. Knob tweaking, booty shaking, peacocking, and yelling ain't a show. Stick to the clubs please.

Main-Vocal-Screamer-Front-Man-Guy- I've got no problem with profanity at all, and neither does my sailor's mouth. However, swearing in between songs, yelling "pitchfork," "there ain't no cops here," "let's get drunk," and "I wanna smoke some motherfuckin' weed," is not a performance. You took misogyny to new heights this summer, jumping from a ladder to dry hump one of your dancers (actually, that was kind of impressive) and pretending to beat her and then dry humping her a little more. What's worse is she seemed to love it. Am I missing something? Anyway, you could be replaced by anybody- nothing about what you do is original or performance. Any of the vocal parts that you actually did "perform" were on the track, negating the need for you to even hold a microphone.

Chinese dragons, booty dancers, ballerinas, moderately attractive well-to-do 30+ year old VIP guests, hyping up the crowd by talking about booze and weed... useless. People don't leave concerts humming the Chinese dragons.

Sleigh Bells- As I was making my way out before their first song even ended, every other group of people I passed said something along the lines of "what's wrong with the sound," or "it doesn't sound right." Everything was actually fine, it just wasn't very loud. Anything will sound good loud. Even a guitar player and a kinda-sorta-not-really talented singer alone on a stage playing to a track. Oh another reason it "didn't sound right" is, Auto Tune live is tricky. You wouldn't want the audience thinking the performance wasn't natural...

This karaoke show had just as little performance value as the others, but without any of the visual stimulus of Big Boi or Major Lazer. Not that that would grant them performance points, but really? You couldn't give us anything else to look at except you two walking around playing/singing the parts that were already on tape? I give up.

You know what though? People loved all these shows. Maybe you were one of these people. Which brings me to the next group I'd like to call out...

You, the fans.

If you like the music, great. I realize you probably didn't pay anything to acquire the bands' music in the first place and you feel that you should support them by seeing them live, and that's all well and good. But demand more from your performances! Don't you feel like you should walk away from a show thinking about how well parts were played, or what a ripping solo an instrumentalist had, or how well so-and-so rocked a microphone? Don't you miss the cohesion of a tight band? Do you not feel the lack of communication between band members required to make several people's creative output come together to make beautiful art as you are watching?

A concert is a group of people coming together for music. That applies both on and off of the stage. Whether you are listening to it or making it, you are there to see something being created/recreated/re-imagined. Save the stage space for the artists that will put on a show. If you want to hear a track, throw a few bucks in the jukebox, or go to your local record store. Demand more from a concert, and ignore the hype.

Go to a show to see the music performed, not played back.

A Little Radiohead

2010-07-09T11:18:00.002-05:00

From the best album of the last decade...

Record Tripping

2010-07-06T15:20:00.001-05:00

Pretty fun little puzzle game based around record scratching. Check it!

Record Tripping

Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin

2010-06-30T13:34:00.002-05:00

Watch video, puke from sugar high, pre-order album.

Jeff Tweedy recites "Single Ladies"

2010-06-30T12:23:00.001-05:00

Hey Champ- Neverest

2010-06-18T13:46:00.000-05:00

Nice uhhh... chorus.

Die Antwoord

2010-06-17T13:20:00.003-05:00

Only the freshest of rhymes... whatever that means.

Memoryhouse - Lately

2010-06-14T14:33:00.002-05:00

Late again on some good stuff. Thanks Meggie.

Loyal Divide - Vision Vision

2010-06-13T16:07:00.001-05:00

It's funky, it grooves, and its dark. Dig it!

Charlotte Gainsbourg - Time of the Assassins

2010-05-28T17:52:00.001-05:00

Reason 5!

2010-05-28T17:35:00.002-05:00

Though I'm not a huge fan of sampling in general, the new Reason 5 finally integrates sample recording into their NNXT, NN19 and Redrum sample players. Can't wait to see what else is new.

Karen Elson Live at Third Man 5-24-10

2010-05-27T12:53:00.000-05:00

Karen Elson live at Third Man Records from Karen Elson on Vimeo.

Apple to Face Anti-Trust Investigations

2010-05-26T10:01:00.002-05:00

Check out the New York Times article on Apple's recent tiff with Amazon and the hot water it's getting them into. Billboard has a write up as well.

Business is business, but it'd really be a shame for talented musicians to miss out on prime marketing and promotion by the companies because the two don't want to play in the sandbox together. (NYT example Ke$ha not to be included in the "talented musicians" classification)

Tom Waits on Fernwood Tonight

2010-05-20T16:19:00.001-05:00

An oldie but a goodie...

New Black Keys Videos

2010-05-12T13:39:00.002-05:00

Both fabulously entertaining... Be sure to read the captions.

Via Hypebot

If you didn't see the live broadcast...

2010-05-11T14:43:00.000-05:00

Drum/Remix/Keyboard/Sampler Thing-a-ma-jig... TONS OF FUN!!!

2010-05-05T09:44:00.002-05:00

My friend Ryan, drummer for the band Empires, just shared this awesome internet drum pad/sampling site that is way more fun than it really should be. Check it out here.

Phonovideo

2010-05-04T16:19:00.001-05:00

Awesome turntable art video Anthony share on FB. Hit the link below.

Phonovideo

Bye Bye Lala

2010-04-30T16:14:00.002-05:00

Apple Kills Lala

New Interpol!

2010-04-29T12:19:00.001-05:00

Free download of a new track! Thanks for the heads up Nigel.

LA Residents- Nicole Simone Show

2010-04-29T09:44:00.002-05:00

I've got a good mind to move to LA just so I can see this woman's shows. I got to see her play at the Bootleg while I was working in LA a few months ago. Great venue. Enjoy.

Ech...

2010-04-26T14:38:00.004-05:00

Much like starting my investment portfolio, I joined Twitter without a clue as to what I was doing.

twitter.com/patrickrecords

EDIT:
(I'm convinced both are going to be huge and profitable one day though...)

What a freakin' jip...

2010-04-25T23:34:00.003-05:00

So that Refused biznazz turns out to just be a re-release of "The Shape of Punk to Come," plus goodies. Follow the link for more info. Womp womp womp...

Bem-Vinda Vontade

2010-04-25T23:06:00.003-05:00

At the end of this Mice Parade record, there is a beautiful nylon string guitar lick recorded into the end repeat-circle groove. There is a very pleasant major seventh chord followed by an arpeggio that seems to not want to resolve to the tonic- an harmonious chord, followed by dissonance... a most pleasing instant followed by an anxious wait... and then it repeats over, and over, and over and over...

I cannot bring myself to turn it off tonight, because one day soon, I will play it for the very last time.

High Violet

2010-04-23T11:55:00.003-05:00

Stream the new album from The National here. Thanks for the link, Jess.

The album is set to be released May 11, the same day as "Sea of Cowards" by The Dead Weather, and "At Echo Lake" by Woods. That'll be a good Tuesday!

Crystal Castles - Doe Deer

2010-04-16T12:28:00.001-05:00

Shhhhh....

CRYSTAL CASTLES - DOE DEERbyALLLIESONYOU

More info at Ohh! Crapp.

Karen Elson

2010-04-15T13:37:00.003-05:00

Even better than the 7" version, here's a live version of "The Ghost Who Walks" at Third Man Records.

RaconTWOers

2010-04-13T09:29:00.004-05:00

Of all the weekends I've spent in Nashville working over the last year, I just couldn't get lucky enough to go down this weekend...

Land of Talk Kills It Again

2010-04-05T09:47:00.004-05:00

Head over to Yours Truly to check out the best version I've heard yet of "Some Are Lakes," and a Concert à Emporter style vid of Lizzie singing "Magnetic Hill." Love these guys!!!

BWAAAAA?!?!?!?

2010-03-27T18:10:00.002-05:00

REFUSED?!?!?! LOOKY!!!

These guys better not pull a Ghosts and Vodka.

(I was so excited...)

Hipstamatic

2010-03-25T13:08:00.005-05:00

Here's one for iPhone owners and photographers:

If you haven't checked out the Hipstamatic camera app, and you're a fan of the lo-fi/instant/lomo look, you've got to check it out. They've started having contests with specific themes, and people are doing some really fun stuff. Check it out here.

If you're a lomo owner like I am, the heartbreak of betraying your analog loyalty will quickly subside. It's ok, its ok.

Here's a couple of mine:

Vintage Les Paul owners get ready to puke (If you haven't already)

2010-03-24T10:50:00.003-05:00

On one of my last trips to Blackbird Studios in Nashville, I was lucky enough to see John McBride's guitar vault. Amongst the WWII era Martins, old Teles that were played in Elvis Presley sessions and all sorts of other guitars that belong in museums, there was a case with a tag attached that read, "DO NOT PLAY, EVER!!!" Inside was a '59 sunburst Les Paul in mint condition. It looked like it had never been touched by a human hand...

Within two seconds of seeing it I was immediately reminded of the first time I ever saw a Les Paul and how it made me want to be a guitar player, the first time I heard one and was able to appreciate its sound, and the first time I got to jam with my cousin on his 2 beat up LP Customs that I'm still pissed he got rid of. This 59 was, undoubtedly, the perfect guitar. It was (is) sacred, sexual, and THE symbol of rock and roll.

Last December Gibson released their latest incarnation of their robot guitar line (hangs head and sighs...), the Dusk Tiger. Automatic tuning, variable tone control, EQ for each string, and (godammit), computer software/interface for programming the onboard computer. Pretty soon the damn things will play themselves. I can complain for hours about how a Les Paul straight into Marshall will always sound better than anything with digital cables, individual string EQ and all that other crap, but what is most upsetting is the aesthetics of the guitar. Let's take a look:

Classic vs modern, old-school vs new-school, metal vs post rock... Any way you decide to put the two against each other, no one in their right mind is going to buy one of these pubescent designs. This guitar looks like shit.

There it is. A real Les Paul. A timeless symbol of rock and roll. You plug it into a tube amp, turn the amp on, and you're ready to go. No bs, just rock.

As music production, instruments, and music itself get less and less personal, less valued, and convenience is valued more than quality, we must learn to value timeless instruments and equipment even more. There's a reason this stuff is still around, and still so valuable. Keep the music real.

The Alaya Conscious

2010-03-22T22:49:00.002-05:00

Hasn't anyone signed these guys yet?

I've been listening to these guys for a few years and I'm surprised no one's picked them up yet. Fans of aggressive, melodic instrumental music (maybe some metal), and prog will love this stuff. The production is great as well. Props to local engineer Ben Soleim. Best of luck guys, keep doing what you're doing.

Rock and Roll Metro Map

2010-03-18T22:32:00.003-05:00

This rules, I need one.

Alberto Antoniazza ‘Rock N’ Roll’ Map

R.I.P. Mark Linkous

2010-03-07T13:32:00.000-06:00

Sparklehorse frontman Mark Linkous killed himself on Saturday. Dark Night of the Soul, his last collaboration with Danger Mouse, David Lynch, an others, has been scheduled for a (much delayed) summer release. BBC reports that an online version will be made availabe sooner. RIP Mark, we'll miss you.

A Lull, and California

2010-03-06T15:29:00.003-06:00

More apologies for not keeping this thing up. I've been in Culver City working for 3 weeks now, and I've got a week left. The mood around the project has become quite grim. We're a bit worn out. Almost done though, I promise I'll be paying a little more attention to this thing.

On a lighter note, Chicago natives and good friends A Lull have released new music! Head over to their website to pre-order their first 7", containing the latest mix of "Weapons for War," and the new song "Spread It All Around" on the B side. In addition, you can download the two songs for free right from the site.

And as if that weren't enough, they have also released the Weapons for War Remix EP, featuring remixes by Triobelisk, Kiko Correa, Soft Crest and Burrows. And yes, it is free.

Go.

New Shadow Hills Website

2010-02-17T20:00:00.002-06:00

Fellow recording nerds rejoice! Shadow Hills Industries' new website is working and is pretty slick. WWII spy theme, complete with Enigma! Though I haven't worked with their gear yet, I've read nothing but good reviews, and heard plenty more from engineer buddies in Chicago and Nashville. They've cranked out a few newer 500 series modules definitely worth taking a look at...

Shadow Hills Industries

Good GOD Nicole!

2010-02-12T11:05:00.004-06:00

Ok, I've known about this woman for all of ten minutes and I'm hooked.

If Tom Waits was a drop dead gorgeous woman who never smoked or drank, listened to a lot of New Orleans dirges, maybe spent a little time in houses of ill-repute, wanted to break a couple of hearts in the worst way (because it happened to him a few times), and longed in a way that made you actually want to as well, he would sound a little like Nicole Simone.

Not much on her website (aside from some adorable photos), but her Myspace has a few songs from her debut EP, slated for a March 9th release.

Nicole Simone Myspace

nicolesimone.com

Nicole Simone...

2010-02-12T10:40:00.004-06:00

Where does a man grab a cold shower 'round these parts? I think I'm in love.

(Via Speakers in Code)

Sorry guys...

2010-02-06T16:18:00.008-06:00

Traveling a lot with work lately. Updates soon.

The Third and the Seventh

2010-01-08T19:56:00.002-06:00

Shape + Color, a pretty slick Art and Design blog, recently featured a stunning CGI film by Alex Romain entitled The Third and the Seventh. If you're a fan of any of the Myst games, compositing, cinematography, fantasy landscapes or anything that just looks beautiful, I highly recommend checking this out. If you aren't a fan of any of these things...

check it out anyways.

"The Third and the Seventh"

Wild Beasts

2010-01-08T00:42:00.000-06:00

More Wild Beasts

I'm falling in love with Third Man

2010-01-07T22:06:00.001-06:00

Here's a video for the B side of BP Fallon's latest Third Man release.

Favorite albums of 2009

2009-12-19T17:04:00.002-06:00

Can't say this was a great year for new music in my opinion. Some good stuff came out though. Quality over quantity I suppose. Here's what I enjoyed the most, in no particular order.

St. Vincent - Actor

Grizzly Bear - Veckatimest

Passion Pit - Manners

Phoenix - Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix

Girls - Album

(This is the non-penis microphone version of the video)

The Pains of Being Pure at Heart - S/T

The Dead Weather - Horehound

Wild Beasts - Two Dancers

Ben Gibbard and Jay Farrar cover Tom Waits

2009-12-13T23:28:00.001-06:00

"Old Shoes (And Picture Postcards)"

Via TwentyFourBit (again)

Thanks Dan

2009-12-07T12:40:00.000-06:00

Rad video

Wild. Fucking. Beasts.

2009-11-21T01:37:00.003-06:00

Thank you so much for sharing this, Nigel.

Wild Beasts Live @ Hoxton Hall

Do you guys know Nigel?

Finally! A video for "Little Secrets"

2009-11-18T11:42:00.003-06:00

Better late than never I suppose. Embedding is disabled so hit the link.

Passion Pit - "Little Secrets"

Jack White and Wanda Jackson!!!

2009-11-15T22:51:00.002-06:00

Always read TwentyFourBit. These guys kick ass.

Jack White to Produce Wanda "Queen of Rockabilly" Jackson

Thom Yorke Keeps on Kickin Ass

2009-11-15T20:40:00.001-06:00

"All For the Best (The Mezzotint)"

Found on P4K

I'm losing my touch

2009-11-12T16:02:00.001-06:00

Why I haven't been listening to this guy for years is beyond me. This song is called "Chalk" and is off Buddy and Julie Miller's latest album. Filmed at Ocean Way Nashville. Awesome room, I can't wait to work there again.

I slept in an alley and now I feel like this guy sounds

2009-11-01T21:20:00.000-06:00

Villa Taj

2009-10-30T13:16:00.002-05:00

Awesome Indian, North African and Middle Eastern inspired mansion in Burr Ridge, IL is up for auction in November. $30 for an information packet required for "on site inspection" (open house) Saturdays and Sundays from 12-3. Bidding starts at 6.2 million. Anybody wanna go in with me?

www.villataj.com

Them Crooked Vultures

2009-10-26T22:35:00.002-05:00

John Paul Jones, Dave Grohl, and Josh Homme. Check out their YouTube page for the first single off the upcoming album. Not bad, but not great compared to what you might expect from this (er...) supergroup.(?) Worth a listen anyway.

I'd love to be your date...

2009-10-26T17:42:00.000-05:00

Sadie Hawkins Ride

Land of Talk - It's Okay

2009-10-26T17:12:00.000-05:00

Cool new video from one of my favorite bands of the last few years.

Already drooling over Glitter and Doom...

2009-10-13T09:45:00.003-05:00

Pick up 8 free tracks (legit) from the album before its release on November 24th.

Right hurrrrr

Would you morons please READ the health care bill before shooting your mouths off?

2009-10-10T14:11:00.003-05:00

Or is The Hills on? We've all got our priorities...

HR 3200

Downloadable HR 3200

New Moon Soundtrack - Pop or Indie Killer?

2009-10-10T12:39:00.004-05:00

Undoubtedly, you've seen the kick ass track listing of the upcoming New Moon soundtrack. Several of you have probably wondered, "What the hell are all these great bands doing on a soundtrack for a movie that is so specifically geared towards a mainstream, mostly teenaged crowd," or, "have my favorite artists now sold out?" And so on...

My initial reaction was very similar. We're not used to seeing good, credible music attached to mainstream culture- movies, commercials, MTV, etc. However...

A major issue I have with pop music is how Top 40 went from artists like The Beatles, Dylan, (insert 60's/70's music icon here), etc, to Britney Spears, The Pussycat Dolls, Lady GaGa and the like. Somewhere along the line (the 80's) our values in music changed. We slowly began to value music that meant something a little less, and began to appreciate the pop dribble a little more. Before we knew it, guys like Lou Pearlman were running the show, and we were choking to death on bubblegum. Collective tastes change- there's no avoiding that. Just imagine though, that perhaps in seeing more instances like the New Moon soundtrack, where indie artists are being pitched as not only good but popular, the paradigm is shifting???

My point in bringing up the shift in pop music over the last 4 decades is simple- we've been attaching the bubblegum and the formulaic to symbols of pop culture for a while now. Would anyone rather have a group of 15-19 year olds leave the opening of New Moon, singing and dancing to "My Humps" or some other pop garbage, going out and pumping even more money into Live Nation or Ticketmaster rather than coming out and humming a St. Vincent tune? Would it really be so horrible if independent bands reached to the largest demographic of music consumers? Would it be the end of the world if well-written, meaningful music was popular?!?!

Hell no it wouldn't!!! More fans means more word of mouth, more concerts, and more money.

Let's look at previous examples. Sam Beam and the Postal Service lost no credibility when Sam's cover of "Such Great Heights" was licensed to an M&M's commerical and Garden State. Death Cab for Cutie have released 3 albums (Plans, Narrow Stairs, Open Door EP) since signing to Atlantic, and they still sound just like Death Cab for Cutie. Grizzly Bear released a version of "While You Wait for the Others" with Michael freakin' McDonald singing the lead, and everybody loved it!

My point is, for those us that haven't gotten past our sophomoric, anti-"pop culture +indie cred" sentiments, there's no reason to want to keep GOOD music away from ANYONE. For those of us that are actually concerned about the loss of income to independent artists and labels, this may give them a much needed bump. (All of you that claim buying tickets and merch makes up for that loss of income should only be celebrating- steal away)

Good music is good music is good music. Are we going to have to push a few snotty kids out of our way to get to the bar at a show? Probably. Are there going to be more shitty covers on Youtube? Yep. Are the bands going to be playing more and/or bigger shows, putting out more web content, and making good independent music popular? You bet.

GLITTER AND DOOM!!!!

2009-10-03T18:23:00.002-05:00

Twentyfourbit is cranking out tons of good news lately! Good lookin out guys.

Check out their post and links within on Tom Waits' Live Glitter and Doom LP!!!

I was lucky enough to catch the tour in St. Louis. Can't wait to see how the recordings turned out!

"That doesn't sound a little fascistic does it?"

2009-10-03T18:15:00.006-05:00

Is that what he says at about 2:30?

Way to miss the mark yet again Glenn. Your commentary is scary enough without venturing into album reviews.

And if you're going to talk about 1984, then... You know what, just don't.

Ben Gibbard and Jay Farrar Tribute to Kerouac

2009-10-01T23:15:00.001-05:00

"These Roads Don't Move" from the upcoming album One Fast Move or I'm Gone

Everyone's a Producer

2009-09-27T18:57:00.003-05:00

Check out Audiotool by Hobnox. Fun little online collection of production instruments. 808, 909, monome, boss pedal emulations. Neat work guys.

If you haven't already seen it...

2009-09-21T16:26:00.002-05:00

Check out the video for Skinny Fingers by A Lull. Great band, great friends, great video. These guys are bound for great things.

Versailles

2009-09-20T19:57:00.002-05:00

One of the best side trips I took during my trip to Paris was the Chateau de Versailles. I was lucky enough to catch a great sculpture installation by Xavier Veilhan in the gardens right as they were finishing the installation.

Check it out here

Someone please go and tell me that the show sucked

2009-09-15T23:36:00.005-05:00

From Polyvinyl Records:

"This Friday, Sept. 18th, Owen is playing two once-in-a-lifetime concerts in support of New Leaves at The Beat Kitchen in Chicago. At these shows, Owen will be backed by a FULL BAND for the first time ever! Members include Bob Nanna (Braid, Hey Mercedes), Nate Kinsella (Make Believe, Birthmark), Drew Brown, Dustin Currier and Kristina Dutton.

On top of that, Bob Nanna will be opening the first show while Davey von Bohlen (Cap'n Jazz, The Promise Ring) will open the second.

The fact that these musicians are all performing on the same stage is something that has never happened before and may never happen again. With the extensive back catalog these musicians represent, who knows what you'll hear that night."

I'll add this to the long list of great shows missed because I've had to record a much more lame/boring/generic show.

"We fuck mainstream"

2009-09-07T16:09:00.002-05:00

More accurately, "weh weh weh weh weh we we ffff fuck mainstream."

Rue Oberkampf in Paris was full of Paris' finest young hipsters the other night, and for all you proud American hipsters, it will please you to know that your kind are every bit as ironic and (ahem...) well dressed as your Parisian equivalents.

Seriously though, this kid was the shit. Totally into Steve Albini's bands, met him and his gorgeous female friends at a great bar I can't remember the name of. One of my best nights in Paris.

Overal Paris summary soon to follow.

Good For a Laugh

2009-08-24T14:39:00.005-05:00

Any scenester cliches left out? I'm going with no. Enjoy!

Get Me Out of Here

2009-08-24T13:13:00.004-05:00

There are almost as many more important things than saving money,
As there are less important things than saving friends.

I made a terrible mistake coming out here, and I feel like I'm gonna pay for it soon in more ways than one.

I'll be back soon goddammit if it kills me I swear!!!

Don't anybody wait around because I can't rightfully ask you to , but if you haven't got anything else going on...

...do you think you could hold up for a bit?

Read a real blog

2009-08-24T12:58:00.002-05:00

Not mine.

Periscope In The Bathtub

I Hate Literal Music Videos, and You Should Too

2009-08-23T19:03:00.003-05:00

Here's one of my favorite songs of the last couple years, and a great video to boot.

Purported Anticipation

2009-08-21T15:20:00.002-05:00

There's that "make it happen" mentality...
Nope, gotta hang around a little longer.
Tiny little hurdles for miles and miles

"God is a Child Playing Kick the Can"

2009-08-19T18:44:00.002-05:00

Almost done with Tin Tin Can's EP. Coming along very well. If you're big on well written lyrics, stay tuned. Lots of great stuff.

In regards to a dizzying array of tape formats...

2009-08-18T17:38:00.001-05:00

Quoth Francois: "It's a potpourri of time code!"