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Opossom – Electric Hawaii

Jonah Ollman — Mon, 06 Aug 2012 14:50:40 +0000

When you hear the two words ‘Electric Hawaii,’ what comes to mind? Hawaii’s beaches? A fun vacation? Synthesizers? Luckily, on Opossom’s debut album, you get it all: the electric, the relaxing, the sunny. The band creates a beachy sound that borrows from the old, yet creates something new as well.

Based in New Zealand, Opossom lies under the shadow of Unknown Mortal Orchestra, one of the most popular indie bands with members from the island nation. In fact, Kody Nielson of Opposom is the brother of Ruban Nielson of UMO. The groups do require comparison. While both have reverb galore, and psychedelic guitar lines, Opossom often relaxes where UMO gets frantic. While you might want to listen to UMO when cleaning your house, Opossom would be more fitting for a hangout on the beach.

The album is over shockingly quick. Half an hour long, and with no song reaching four minutes, Electric Hawaii is a brief listen. Yet the band manages to delve deeply into their psychedelic, space-pop sound without needing any more time. All ten tracks are solid, catchy, beach-ready jams with a tinge of hazy, warped hallucinogens added to the mix.

“Girl” kicks off the album and it’s a rollicking track that combines a cheery Beach Boys feel with bouncy marimbas that could easily be in a sequel to (500) Days Of Summer. Most of the tracks sound like they would fit in at a ’60s party, except for the heavy reverb that brings to mind so many indie bands today.

About halfway through the last track, “Inhaler Song,” the clean sound found throughout the album explodes, leaving grimy, glitchy bass at the forefront of the music for about a minute. This breakdown not only shows that the band is capable of more than just sunny pop, but also gives them a promising new direction in case they want to pursue that sound in the future. The mix of reverb-heavy guitars and a huge, dirty bass combine to form something intriguingly epic. Even though it’s only present for about a minute on the entire album, its a perfect ending to the record. It amps up the power, while looking ahead to the future.

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Frank Turner To Release Compilation Album

Jonah Ollman — Fri, 03 Aug 2012 20:20:35 +0000

British punk-poet Frank Turner has announced that he will be releasing a collection of standards and rarities from throughout his career, Last Minutes and Lost Evenings. The album, due out October 2, will be bundled with a DVD containing footage from his sold-out show at Wembley Arena. He is also heading out on tour this fall across the United States. Watch Turner’s Olympic performance from the miniature Glastonbury Tor below.

Tour Dates for Frank Turner
09/06 – Boston, MA – Royale
09/07 – Boston, MA – Royale
09/09 – Boston, MA – Boston City Hall Plaza
09/10 – Pittsburgh, PA – Mr. Smalls Theatre
09/11 – Detroit, MI – St Andrews Hall
09/12 – Cleveland Heights, OH – Grog Shop
09/16 – Minneapolis, MN – Varsity Theatre
09/17 – Lawrence, KS – Granada Theater
09/18 – Denver, CO – The Summit Music Hall
09/20 – Anaheim, CA – House of Blues
09/21 – Phoenix, AZ – The Crescent Ballroom
09/22 – Albuquerque, NM – Launch Pad
09/24 – Houston, TX – Fitzgerald’s
09/25 – New Orleans, LA – The Parish
09/26 – Atlanta, GA – Masquerade
09/28 – Baltimore, MD – Rams Head Live
09/29 – New York, NY – Webster Hall
09/30 – New York, NY – Webster Hall
10/27 – Gainesville, FL – THE FEST
10/28 – Gainesville, FL – THE FEST

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Dusted Announces Tour With Perfume Genius

Jonah Ollman — Fri, 03 Aug 2012 17:30:40 +0000

Toronto band Dusted has announced a North American tour with Perfume Genius. Dusted, the side project of Holy Fuck synth-master Brian Borcherdt, will be supporting its recent release, Total Dust. The tour, running for most of October, will take the two groups from Minneapolis to Portland, stopping all of the U.S. in between. You can watch the new music video for Dusted’s “(Into The) Atmosphere” below.

Tour Dates For Dusted
10/02 – Minneapolis, MN – Bryant Lake Bowl
10/03 – Chicago, IL – Logan Square Auditorium
10/05 – Toronto, ON – 918 Bathurst
10/06 – Montreal, QC – Il Motore
10/07 – Boston, MA – Johnny D’s
10/08 – Brooklyn, NY – Music Hall of Williamsburg
10/09 – New York, NY – Le Poisson Rouge
10/11 – Philadelphia PA – Johnny Brenda’s
10/12 – Washington DC – The Hamilton
10/13 – Chapel Hill NC – The ArtsCenter
10/15 – Nashville,TN – High Watt
10/17 – Ft. Worth, TX – Modern Art Museum
10/18 – Austin, TX – Central Presbyterian Church
10/20 – Albuquerque, NM – TBD
10/21 – Tucson, AZ – TBD
10/22 – San Diego, CA – The Irenic
10/23 – Los Angeles, CA – Hollywood Forever Masonic Temple
10/24 – San Francisco, CA – Swedish American
10/26 – Portland, OR – Aladdin Theatre

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Slug Guts – Playin’ In Time With The Deadbeat

Jonah Ollman — Wed, 01 Aug 2012 15:25:32 +0000

Slug Guts is a pretty nasty thing to call your band. But if your music has the dark, abrasive swagger of the Australian post-punk group that carries the name, it kind of works. These guys are messy, noisy, unpolished, and with this, the band’s third full-length release, nothing much changes. Playin’ In Time With The Deadbeat starts off quickly with the appropriately titled “Scum” and never lets up.

Singer Jimi Kritzler howls more than he sings and complements the raw guitar sound with equally abrasive shouts. His self-described “throat-cancer warble” is equal parts sarcastic, angry and depressed. This stuff is dark, but that doesn’t mean Slug Guts can’t have a little bit of fun with it. All 12 tracks exude a grimy, street-gang-in-a-back-alley kind of cool. “Stranglin’ You Too” gives you the best four minutes of the record, with a jangly rhythm making the track almost danceable. The album is kept brief—just under 40 minutes—making it easy to maintain attention despite the fact that the tracks begin to blend together at the nearly halfway mark of “Order Of Death.”

The problem here isn’t a lack of solid songs. What makes this album fall short is a lack of variety. If this album were condensed into an EP, it would be great, but as an LP, the Aussies seem to be stretching the good stuff too thin.

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Sigur Rós @ Prospect Park Bandshell: July 31, 2012

Jonah Ollman — Wed, 01 Aug 2012 14:44:02 +0000

The title of Sigur Rós’ latest album, Valtari, is Icelandic for “steamroller,” and there is no better word to describe the band’s live shows than that one. The music slowly crushes you, flattening out any frustration, stress or anger out of the audience, leaving thousands of people staring trance-like at the beautiful lights.

Opener Perfume Genius seemed to confuse the crowd more than anything with short, abruptly ended piano tunes. Luckily though, they at least played until it started getting dark. How weird would it be to see Sigur Rós in the daylight?

This show, Sigur Rós’s first in New York in four years, attracted some serious diehard fans. The man standing next to me had even driven from North Carolina to see the group for the seventh time. The band was treated with reverence; when the music got quiet, so did the crowd. Though Sigur Rós sometimes only tours with four members, Tuesday’s show consisted of 11 musicians, including three horn players and three violinists. The extra hands on stage played a huge role in making the music as monolithic as it sounds on albums. Singer Jónsi Birgisson’s heavenly falsetto rang out loud and clear above the cymbal crashes and guitar growls, and it somehow sounded even more pure and pristine live than it does on the recordings.

Valtari has received mixed reviews, thanks to its largely ambient bend, but that didn’t keep the group from kicking off the show with “Ekki Múkk” and “Varúð,” the two largest, most powerful tracks from the album. Aside from those two songs, the night drew material from points throughout the band’s back catalog. I was surprised to hear raucous cheers of recognition after every songs’ first notes. While I knew Sigur Rós had a loyal fan base, it was hard to imagine that mostly instrumental music like this could drum up one so passionate.

The group handled its return to New York with grace and focus. Aside from a few brief “thank you”s, the night was all about the music. But this didn’t feel like a normal show. As the cinematic sounds plowed into the crowd, it felt more less like watching a concert and more like being swallowed up into a work of art.

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WHY? LP Coming This Fall

Jonah Ollman — Mon, 30 Jul 2012 19:35:50 +0000

WHY? will release its new LP, Mumps, Etc., on October 9 via Anticon/City Slang. The Cincinnati, OH, group will precede the album with an EP, Sod In The Seed, out August 14. The LP, a “meticulous work of morbid fascination and offbeat romanticism,” will be supported by a large tour that will take the group all over the United States, as well as Europe. Check out the WHY? tour dates here, and watch the album’s cover shoot video below.

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Matt And Kim Announce ‘Lightning’ Tour

Jonah Ollman — Mon, 30 Jul 2012 18:00:56 +0000

Brooklyn indie duo Matt And Kim have announced a lengthy North American tour this fall in support of their upcoming album, Lightning. The album, the pair’s fourth full-length, is due out October 2 via Fader. The tour kicks off the very next day in Vermont and wraps up on November 17 in New Jersey. Listen to the first single from Lightning, “Let’s Go,” and check out the tour dates, below.

Tour Dates For Matt And Kim:
10/03 – South Burlington, VT – Higher Ground
10/04 – Syracuse, NY – Westcott Theater
10/05 – Toronto, ON – Phoenix Concert Theatre
10/06 – Buffalo, NY – Town Ballroom
10/07 – Philadelphia, PA – Electric Factory
10/09 – Washington, DC – 9:30 Club
10/11 – Charlotte, NC – The Fillmore
10/12 – Atlanta, GA – Variety Playhouse
10/13 – Orlando, FL – The Beacham Theatre
10/14 – Miami Beach, FL – The Fillmore at Jackie Gleason Theatre
10/16 – Tallahassee, FL – The Moon
10/17 – Tampa, FL – The Ritz Ybor
10/18 – New Orleans, LA – House Of Blues
10/19 – Houston, TX – House Of Blues
10/20 – Austin, TX – Stubbs
10/21 – Dallas, TX – House Of Blues
10/23 – Tempe, AZ – Marquee Theatre
10/24 – San Diego, CA – House Of Blues
10/25 – Los Angeles, CA – The Wiltern
10/26 – Oakland, CA – Fox Theater
10/27 – Portland, OR – Roseland Theater
10/28 – Vancouver, BC – Commodore Ballroom
10/30 – Seattle, WA – Neptune
11/01 – Salt Lake City, UT – In The Venue
11/02 – Denver, CO – Ogden Theatre
11/03 – Lawrence, KS – Liberty Hall
11/04 – St Louis, MO – The Pageant
11/06 – Omaha, NE – The Slowdown
11/08 – Milwaukee, WI – The Rave
11/09 – Indianapolis, IN – The Vogue

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Isaiah Toothtaker EP Released For Free

Jonah Ollman — Fri, 27 Jul 2012 19:03:32 +0000

Today, Anticon has released an EP by Isaiah Toothtaker, the leader of rap collective Machina Muerte. The EP, Sea Punk Funk, is available on the label’s Bandcamp page for free download. The funky, synth-heavy, futuristic beats are produced by Sixtoo, aka Prison Garde. You can stream the EP below.

SEA PUNK FUNK (PROD. BY SIXTOO) FREE DOWNLOAD by ISAIAH TOOTHTAKER

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Purity Ring, Headaches @ Le Poisson Rouge: July 24, 2012

Jonah Ollman — Wed, 25 Jul 2012 17:51:37 +0000

It’s not very often that I attend a concert that is markedly different than any other show I have been to. Most shows follow a similar formula, and while some stand out more than others, a true outlier is a rarity. Last night at Le Poisson Rouge, Purity Ring’s album release show was one of those moments.

At the last minute, when the sold out crowd was expecting Purity Ring to show up on stage, Headaches did instead. Talk about a lucky break: this was his first show at a real venue in the United States. Not a bad first gig! The producer played a lovely set of entrancing, experimental beats that varied from techno to R&B.

When Purity Ring finally took the stage the duo was surrounded by fans. For the special occasion, the venue was rearranged to allow for an in-the-round performance. Above and around the stage hung large glowing multi-colored bulbs that pulsed with the music, creating a multimedia experience that was largely unfocused on the performers. Headaches called them, “mutant eggs from some sort of disgusting sic-fi flick,” and they provided most of the light, often leaving the Purity Ring shrouded in darkness. They seemed at home there.

While instrumentalist Corin Roddick frantically poked and prodded his MPC and pressure-sensitive glowing bulbs, singer Megan James pranced around the stage, entranced by the darkness. The synths, large already on the record, were like enormous waves, pulling the audience in, closer and closer to the group. When James hit a large bass drum it lit up brightly, the only bit of sunshine in their mysterious world.

Aside from a few quick words before the end of the set, the duo was silent, focusing the night on their album, and playing the entire thing except for the album closer “Shuck”. The singles, especially “Ungirthed” and “Fineshrine,” drew the largest applause, but the audience was so enthralled with the duo that they didn’t have to work very hard to gain acceptance. While Shrines shows you the way down a rabbit hole of intricate darkness, their live show thrusts you right inside.

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Purity Ring – Shrines

Jonah Ollman — Tue, 24 Jul 2012 16:49:38 +0000

Up until now, Purity Ring has only released five songs online. But like any group worth its weight in online buzz, the duo has already topped lists of bands to watch and albums to look forward to. After listening to those tracks, it is easy to see why there is so much intrigue surrounding them: They are otherworldly. The songs literally sound like they are from another planet, a universe most of us don’t have access to.

First of all, most of the song titles are not actually words. “Belispeak” and “Fineshrine” combine two words into one, giving you a sense of pause when you hear the lyrics “for when my little belly speaks” or “build a fine shrine in me.” Adding to the mystery are the deep, dark, looming synths that hover above you and hit you in the gut at the same time. It’s a soundtrack to outer space. Even in their live shows, instrumentalist Corin Roddick plays a never-before-scene arrangement of pipes, a metal tree with lights on the ends that reinforces that this band is something alien.

The lyrics, written by singer Megan James and originally not intended to be released, are as fantastical as the synths. They are dark and creepy when read, but James’s sweet voice makes the frightening place in which they exist look appealing. Her child-like voice tricks you into thinking you’re following her into a safe, enchanting forest, when in fact she’s leading you down a darkened rabbit hole.

In “Belispeak,” the heaviest track on the record, James’s voice is cut up to create a tittering, bouncy sound and positioned opposite the huge, booming bass. The synths are so smooth sounding that after a few moments they begin to lull you but not into sleep. This is way too dark of a place for sleep; it seems more like hypnosis.

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John Talabot Announces U.S. Tour Supporting The xx

Jonah Ollman — Mon, 23 Jul 2012 21:00:07 +0000

Producer John Talabot has announced a U.S. tour this fall with a leg supporting the xx. The tour, kicking off in August, will be in support of his debut album, ƒin, out earlier this year. In late September, Talabot will also release an EP of remixes from his debut album, featuring Buillion, Pachanga Boys and Kenton Slash Demon. Find the tracklist, one of the unremixed tunes and the tour dates below.

Tracklist For ƒin Remixes Vol. 1:
01. Destiny Feat. Pional (Bullion Remix)
02. When The Past Was Present (Pachanga Boys Remix)
03. Last Land (Kenton Slash Demon Remix)

Tour Dates For John Talabot:
08/02 – San Francisco, CA – Public Works (DJ Set)
08/03 – Los Angeles, CA – HARD Summer Music Festival (DJ Set)
08/04 – New York, NY – LPR (DJ Set)
09/26 – Washington, DC – U Street Music Hall (Live)
09/27 – New York, NY – LPR (Live)
09/28 – Chicago, IL – Smart Bar (Live)
09/29 – Toronto, ON – Wrong Bar (Live)
09/30 – Seattle, WA – Decibel Festival
10/02 – Denver, CO – Larimer Lounger (Live)
10/04 – Los Angeles, CA – Culture Collide Festival (Live)
10/05 – Vancouver, BC – Vogue Theater*
10/07 – Portland, OR – Roseland Theater*
10/10 – Las Vegas, NV – The Cosmopolitan*
10/11 – San Diego, CA – Soma*
10/16 – Salt Lake City, UT – The Complex*
10/17 – Boulder, CO – Boulder Theater*
10/19 – Minneapolis, MN – First Avenue*
10/21 – Milwaukee, WI – Pabst Theater*
*Live with the xx

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Sleigh Bells @ Pier 63: July 21, 2012

Jonah Ollman — Mon, 23 Jul 2012 19:00:37 +0000

If you purchase any Sleigh Bells merchandise, you will soon realize that none of their t-shirts or sweatshirts actually say the band’s name. Instead, they choose to replace the word “Sleigh” with “Slay,” a choice that makes more sense after witnessing their live show. That’s because “slay” is precisely what they do.

The duo (with an additional live guitarist in tow) took the stage with power, playing their trademark bubblegum-metal riffs with precision and force. Placed in front of sixteen huge Marshall stacks, the stage set up radiated power as much as the band itself. Music that hits as hard as theirs is always more enjoyable live, and easier to feel in your bones. Having toured the globe in support of their quickly rising career, they have their live show down to a science, which isn’t always a good thing. The tracks were played flawlessly, yet considering it was a hometown show, let alone a free one at a beautiful venue—right on the Hudson River—there was a shocking lack of personality. Aside from their always-fun music, there wasn’t much else going on.

Although their music is exciting live, their show was devoid of any surprises, or eccentricities that usually make a show worth writing home about. The oddly short and encore-free set split material evenly between their two records, and kept the punches coming one after another. For a band that has such a strong ‘bad-ass’ image they uphold quite well, such a cookie-cutter-like set was unexpected.

About midway through the set, singer Alexis Krauss attempted a stage dive, only to be dropped a few seconds later by her adoring fans. Despite Krauss’s tumble, it’s easy to predict that the band won’t be falling in popularity any time soon. Returning to their hometown, four years after their formation and with plenty of success under their belts, Sleigh Bells were simply doing a victory lap.

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Wild Nothing Announces North American Tour

Jonah Ollman — Fri, 20 Jul 2012 18:39:32 +0000

Wild Nothing has announced an expansive fall tour in support of its upcoming album, Nocturne, due out August 28 on Captured Tracks. The new dates, featuring support from DIIV, kick off September 3 in Santa Barbara, CA, and wrap up September 29 in Atlanta, GA. Listen to the album’s single, “Shadow,” below.

Tour Dates For Wild Nothing:
08/04 – Chapel Hill, NC – Local 506
08/05 – Richmond, VA – Strange Matter
08/06 – Baltimore, MD – Ottobar
08/09 – New York, NY – River Rocks/Pier 84 (with Grimes) *
08/27 – Memphis, TN – The Hi Tone Cafe
08/28 – Dallas, TX – Club Dada
08/29 – Austin, TX – Red 7
08/31 – Tucson, AZ – Club Congress
09/02 – Los Angeles, CA – FYF Fest
09/03 – Santa Barbara, CA – SohO Restaurant And Music *
09/04 – Santa Cruz, CA – Catalyst Atrium *
09/05 – San Francisco, CA – Great American Music Hall *
09/07 – Vancouver, BC – Venue
09/08 – Portland, OR – Musicfest NW *
09/09 – Seattle, WA – Neumo’s *
09/12 – Denver, CO – Larimer’s Lounge *
09/13 – Lawrence, KS – Jackpot Music Hall *
09/14 – Omaha, NE – The Sandbox *
09/15 – Minneapolis, MN – Triple Rock Social Club *
09/16 – Chicago, IL – Empty Bottle *
09/17 – Detroit, MI – The Magic Stick *
09/18 – Toronto, ON – The Great Hall *
09/19 – Montreal, QC – II Motore *
09/20 – Boston, MA – Brighton Music Hall *
09/24 – Philadelphia, PA – Union Transfer *
09/25 – Washington, DC – Rock And Roll Hotel *
09/26 – Charlottesville, VA – The Southern *
09/27 – Asheville, NC – Grey Eagle *
09/28 – Nashville, TN – Exit/In *
09/29 – Atlanta, GA – 529 *
10/29 – Dublin, Ireland – Vicar Street
10/30 – Manchester, UK – The Ritz
11/01 – London – HMV Forum
11/02 – Paris – Pitchfork Music Festival, Paris
* with DIIV

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Delta Rae @ Bowery Ballroom: July 17, 2012

Jonah Ollman — Wed, 18 Jul 2012 15:53:00 +0000

Gospel stomp. Those two words introduced me to Delta Rae. I had to know what a band described like that sounded like. But after a few listens to their fantastic debut, Carry The Fire, a more specific description came to mind. Lets say you take the duo the Civil Wars, add two more fantastic vocalists and a full band, tilt the music to the poppier side, add a dash of twang, and there you have it: Delta Rae. Now that’s pretty hard to turn down.

All four singers are unique, and strong in their own right, but when they hit their gospel-influenced four-part harmonies, they sound like an entire choir, truly becoming greater than the sum of their parts. They all proved themselves solo as well. The instant I began to think one voice may be weaker than the others, they came at me with a solo part that took my breath away. During their creepy, yet entrancing, single “Bottom Of The River,” Brittany Hölljes literally gave me shivers with her humongous, brassy voice. Her brother Ian Hölljes at first seemed like the weakest singer of the group, that is until he really sang. When he bust into the group’s newest track, the mo-town flavored “Whatcha Thinkin’ Bout Babe,” my doubts were cast aside in a matter of seconds.

Although they only have one album of material to draw from, one rousing cover (Fleetwood Mac’s “The Chain”) and the danceable new tune filled the set out nicely. Luckily, their record has a surprising lack of weak links. In the live setting, every good quality about the group is amplified. The vocals are stronger, harmonies sweeter, stomps more booming, and lyrics more touching.

They had the crowd in awe for the entirety of the set. The show was perfectly orchestrated, and proved that the group is indeed ready for the big time. Or as the guy behind me put it, “Oh wow… That was wow… Woah… That was more than wow.”

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Com Truise – In Decay (Ghostly)

Jonah Ollman — Wed, 18 Jul 2012 15:09:22 +0000

Seth Haley, aka Com Truise, only released his debut full-length, Galactic Melt in 2011, yet he is already dropping a collection of early demos and other unheard tracks. While it seems a bit early for this kind of release, Haley actually makes it work quite nicely. The 13 tracks that make up In Decay fit well in his catalog, drawing inspiration from the 1980s and being played exclusively on synthesizers.

While all the tracks predate his other releases, they don’t sound like a rookie getting his chops together; they show you how good Haley was before anybody knew to ask. Fittingly, the record begins with “Open,” and the sounds are nothing but that. The large, spacious chords that begin the album prepare the listener for the 55-minute onslaught of dreamy, futuristic, cyborg music. The closing track, again appropriately titled, “Closed,” is a solid final statement, making it seem like this material was made like an actual album. If I hadn’t known that this wasn’t a new album, it would be impossible to tell.

The disc almost seems like an accidental double album. The first half, until the tension-building “Stop,” is slow, quietly building with epic airy chords. However, once “Klymaxx” hits, we are in for something different. In what could be called the chorus section, the synths get catchier, livelier and bigger. The tracks take a turn from dreamy, chill pop toward large anthemic dance numbers from outer space. This is the kind of stuff martians dance to. Haley describes his own music as “mid-fi synth-wave, slow-motion funk,” and he is actually pretty spot-on. Like anything he releases, the best word to describe this stuff is lush. The synths overlap to form enormous soundscapes but stay active enough to keep anyone’s attention, and keep them dancing.

It might be early, maybe even a bit cocky, to release an album like this so soon in his career. But unlike many rare demos that are only appealing to diehard fans, this collection is just as satisfying and cohesive as a proper sophomore album.

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