Watch the new video for Dr. Dog’s “That Old Black Hole”
Released via Rolling Stone, from the upcoming album Be The Void (due February 7th on Anti-).
In the early 80s, it was annoying to have some band from England with stupid hair and a Yamaha DX7 come over and be on the cover of every magazine with their first single. Not because it took something away from us, but simply because it took something away from all the great music that was being made in America. The magazines would ignore the Replacements and the Embarrassment and the dB’s and Black Flag because there was no trendy gimmick involved. That’s what pissed us off. We were happy to ring the bell for American music and let people know there was all this great stuff going on that you wouldn’t see on the cover of Dumbass Magazine just because we didn’t have weird haircuts.
- Mike Mills, in Pitchfork’s career spanning interview (also with Michael Stipe)
“Find The River” by R.E.M. from Automatic For The People
“To our Fans and Friends: As R.E.M., and as lifelong friends and co-conspirators, we have decided to call it a day as a band. We walk away with a great sense of gratitude, of finality, and of astonishment at all we have accomplished. To anyone who ever felt touched by our music, our deepest thanks for listening.” R.E.M.
In their own words: The guys share their thoughts on why now.
“The Look” by Metronomy
I was listening to Jason Bentley on KCRW the other morning and he played a couple of really good tracks in a row, but I heard The Look by Metronomy and was instantly smitten, like had to Shazam it because it was so good. Honestly I had never heard of Metronomy before, but they’re a UK band that kind of reminds me a bit of New Order blended with Radiohead mixed with Ra Ra Riot. I’m probably totally off in my description but what I’m trying to say is that I really love their newest album The English Riviera, which was even nominated for a Mercury Prize.
The video for the song is pretty cute, I mean, how can you not love those seagulls? Especially when they’re playing bumper cars. If you dig this song you should absolutely buy the album, it’s one of the best thing I’m listening to right now.
via The Fox Is Black
A couple weeks ago Stephen Malkmus and The Jicks released a brand new album called Mirror Traffic, three years since their last one and perhaps their best since the first, self-titled album. The album was produced by Beck, which seemed really evident as soon as I got to the second song called No One Is (As I Are Be), which also happens to be the first single and music video. The vibe of this song definitely sounds like Stephen Malkmus, but it definitely has a sort of Sea Change feeling to it, that soft, sort of sentimental sound. One of my favorite parts is the line, “I can not even do one single sit-up, sit-ups are so bourgeoisie…”
Overall the album seems much more… easy. Stephen Malkmus and co. have a habit of jamming, and while there’s still jamming on this album, it’s much more contained. I think Beck brings a good sense of what a pop song should be, or something to that effect. Both of these guys can jam with the best of them, but that’s not something that everyone is into.
Take a listen and see what you think.
via The Fox Is Black
“Put Some Sugar On It” by Half Japanese
Today I watched the 1993 documentary Half Japanese: The Band That Would Be King. It tells the story about how Jad Fair decided one day to start a band with no idea how to play any instrument, stating in the film (even after 30 years in the band) that “the only chord I know is the one that connects the guitar to the amp.”
I highly recommend you all check it out (the whole thing’s on youtube). With fascinating interviews of Maureen Tucker (Velvet Underground), the founder of Matador Records and a SPIN magazine writer (their names escape me) each segment of the film has interesting developments in the band’s history (including a great Rambo-esque story told by Penn Jillette).
Even if you’ve never heard of them the movie has great comments on the independent music scene and it’s role with and against large labels.
A remastered, deluxe edition of Sebadoh’s 1994 album, Bakesale, is being released this summer on June 14, 2011 by Sub Pop. Check out the huge 40 song track listing here.
“How Are You Doing?” by The Living Sisters
Visual innovator Michel Gondry made his name directing mind-bogglingly cool videos. His newest charmer is for indie supergroup The Living Sisters’ sweet single, “How Are You Doing?”
A well-oiled exercise in sentient cinema, it seems buzzier than Gondry’s last film, The Green Hornet.
Instead of Seth Rogen dropping daddy issues and flat gags, “How Are You Doing?” shows The Living Sisters‘ Inara George, Eleni Mandell and Becky Stark gamely surviving an increasingly insane series of accidents, shootouts and disasters to attend the birth of a child.
Rather than The Green Hornet’s pricey special effects and slow-motion brawls, the music video features a triple-split screen showing off well-choreographed situational antics and low-budget animations and sculptures.
It’s the type of metafictional mash and trompe l’oeil trickery that made Gondry’s coolest films — Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Be Kind Rewind — stand out.
via Wired
Helms Workshop is a design firm out of East Austin with a great eye for design. You’ve probably noticed some of their work at the record store as they’ve created packaging for a number of solid indie artists like Spoon and Modest Mouse to name a few.
See more work on their site.
