Last Tuesday I witnessed an excellent set from Findlay Brown and his band at Mercury Lounge. Having first seen them perform at Pianos back in February, with very limited exposure to their music prior to the show, I was completely blown away by their performance. While Tuesday night's show at Mercury Lounge didn't come with that initial feeling of exhilaration upon seeing a great band for the very first time, the performance was still very impressive.
Over the course of the show Findlay and his band breezed through 9 tracks of original material each showcasing one of the many different sides of the man from Yorkshire's music. From the poignant, whisper-soft vocals & guitar on "Come Home" to the upbeat, "That's Right" brimming with Southern influence, Findlay demonstrated not only his appreciation for artists like Elvis and Roy Orbison but also his ability to create a sound that harks back to such greats while still maintaining an identity of his own and bringing an element of originality.
The performance was so good (but concise), that when I start to think of highlights I end up remembering nearly every song in the set. The slows ones are so beautifully drawn out with classic sensibilities that they can't be dismissed as sappy. The more upbeat tracks contrast perfectly, bursting with energy that is stomped, strummed, and sung out in minutes.
Findlay's excellent and varied set ended on a wonderful note with Findlay and the band delivering a brilliant "unplugged" rendition of Elvis' "Mystery Train" right in the middle of the crowd...the perfect ending to a set ripe with influence but not imitation. Setlist below: Findlay Brown at Mercury Lounge - April 14, 2009 Setlist
I Still Want You Love Will Find You All I Have Nobody Cared Holding Back the Night Come Home Teardrops Lost In the Rain That's Right Everyone Needs Love Mystery Train
On the occasion of the international financial crisis we decided to found our own label, Monkeytown Records, to create a platform for befriended artists.
Because: Anything Pharell Williams does, we can do better!
Our buddy Siriusmo personally invited himself to be the very first artist on Monkeytown Records and will be No. 001 of the still virginal label catalogue. Release date June 22.
Check it out: www.myspace.com/monkeytownrecords
Yours, Bronnse and Perverseus
I assume the release date refers to the first of two EPs to be released by Siriusmo on the label with his debut album to follow at the end of 2009. The debut EP is titled The Uninvited Guest :
In addition to all of this, Modeselektor are currently touring with Apparat, performing music from their joint project - Moderat. Their self-titled album will be out in the near future on cd, cd&dvd deluxe, and vinyl (as early as April 20th, depending on location) on Bpitchcontrol. Album preview and tour dates below:
Moderat - 2009 European & North American Tour Dates:
Apr 30 2009 - MODERAT LIVE @ CONNE ISLAND - LEIPZIG May 1 2009 - MODERAT LIVE @ L.E.V. FESTIVAL - GIJON May 2 2009 - MODERAT LIVE @ DONAUFEST - KREMS May 8 2009 - MODERAT LIVE @ DISSONANZE - ROM May 14 2009 - MODERAT LIVE @ WMF - BERLIN May 15 2009 - MODERAT LIVE @ ROUNDHOUSE - LONDON May 19 2009 - MODERAT LIVE @ NEUMOS - SEATTLE May 20 2009 - MODERAT LIVE @ HARRIET - SAN FRANCISCO May 21 2009 - MODERAT LIVE @ SALON COVADONGA - MEXICO CITY May 22 2009 - MODERAT LIVE @ PALADIUM - LOS ANGELES May 23 2009 - MODERAT LIVE @ BETA - DENVER May 25 2009 - MODERAT LIVE @ PARADISE - BOSTON May 27 2009 - MODERAT LIVE @ THE BOTTOM LOUNGE - CHICAGO May 28 2009 - MODERAT LIVE @ MUTEK FESTIVAL - MONTREAL May 29 2009 - MODERAT LIVE @ CIRCA - TORONTO May 30 2009 - MODERAT LIVE @ WEBSTER HALL - NEW YORK Jun 4 2009 - MODERAT LIVE @ LA BATACLAN - PARIS Jun 5 2009 - MODERAT LIVE @ SECOND NATURE FESTIVAL - AIX EN PROVENCE Jun 6 2009 - MODERAT LIVE @ KONGRESSHALLE - MUNICH Jun 13 2009 - MODERAT LIVE @ WILSONIC FESTIVAL - BRATISLAVA Jun 19 2009 - MODERAT LIVE @ ÜBEL UND GEFÄHRLICH - HAMBURG Jun 20 2009 - MODERAT LIVE @ SONAR FESTIVAL - BARCELONA Jun 27 2009 - MODERAT LIVE @ ARENALE ROMANE - BUKAREST Jul 3 2009 - MODERAT LIVE @ JAZZ FESTIVAL - MONTREUX Jul 15 2009 - MODERAT LIVE @ PARADISO / 5 DAYS OFF - AMSTERDAM Jul 17 2009 - MODERAT LIVE @ MELT! FESTIVAL - GRAEFENHEINICHEN Jul 18 2009 - MODERAT LIVE @ GLADE FESTIVAL - LONDON Jul 31 2009 - MODERAT LIVE @ NACHTDIGITAL FESTIVAL - OLGANITZ Aug 7 2009 - MODERAT LIVE @ AUDIORIVER FESTIVAL - PLOCK Aug 21 2009 - MODERAT LIVE @ PUKKELPOP FESTIVAL - HASSELT Sep 4 2009 - MODERAT LIVE @ ELECTRIC PICNIC FESTIVAL - DUBLIN
Tuesday, April 14, 2009 Scion Radio Event – NY Jokers of the Scene Super Viral Brothers DJ Tameil DJ Ayres (The Rub) Blu Jemz Plan B (Corner of 10th and B) 339 E 10th St New York, NY 10009 11:00 p.m. – 4:00 a.m. 21+ Free! No RSVP needed.
These parties are great. Always end up staying until 3 or 4 with no regrets, even with work at 9 the next day.
Over the weekend I somehow got really into keeping up with all the people, blogs, etc. I am following on Twitter. Today there seemed to be a lot of good stuff so I figured I'd post about it. It would be nice to do this regularly, but I doubt it will happen. Ya never know though. Anyway...cool stuff on Twitter 4/14/09 (probably a few from last night too):
While this blog and what I've been listening to has become increasingly dominated by mainly electronic/dance music, every now and then something great grabs my attention and makes me remember that I used to (and still do) enjoy music removed from those genres. One who recently had that effect on me is Findlay Brown.
I don't remember how I even came across him or his music, but I found myself at Pianos on a Thursday night in February being completely wowed by Findlay & his band's somehow soulful, bluesy, and folksy performance. They channeled greats I didn't even realize I liked so much (Elvis & Roy Orbison) along with some I love (the Beatles), and did so in such a way that I was astounded rather than irritated by it.
Findlay is back in New York this week playing 2 shows - one at Mercury Lounge on Tuesday April 14th (tickets available at the door), and the other on Thursday April 16th at Union Hall (tickets available here). I highly recommend you check him out, but if you need some convincing:
A video of some footage from his time in the US in February (which includes clips from the show at Pianos) is below:
You can download Pilooski's edit of "Promised Land" over at RCRDLBL. You can also download some more tracks including "Promised Land" (Dimitri From Paris remix), "Holding Back the Night", and "I Had A Dream" (Solo Acoustic Version) from my original post about Findlay over at Brooklynvegan.
Findlay also recently compiled a mixtape of
...some of the stuff I was listening to while writing songs for 'Love Will Find You' my forth coming LP (out in June)...I started listening to a lot of stuff which I knew so well but almost took for granted - songs you never paid serious attention to because they are so well known. Songs like My Girl, Be My Baby, Stand By Me. I start listening to them in a different way, and working out what was so great about them. I’m not saying the songs I’ve written as a result can stand up next to them, but I’m not ashamed to try and aspire to those standards.
I Only Have Eyes for You - The Flamingos Comin' Home Baby - Mel Torme Stamping Ground - Moondog Be My Baby - The Ronettes Sleepwalk - Santo & Johnny Borne On The Wind - Roy Orbison Fool for You - The Impressions I'm Your Witch Doctor - John Mayall's Blues Breakers Born To Be With You - Dion Baby It's You - The Shirelles Please Stay - The Cryin' Shames The Night - Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face - Roberta Flack Johnny Remember Me - John Leyton Wishing for Your Love - The Voxpoppers Deborah's Theme - Ennio Morricone Mystery Train - Elvis Presley Bo Diddley - Bo Diddley Be Not So Fearful - Bill Fay Just for You - Sam Cooke Born Free - Matt Monro Who Has the Last Laugh Now - Bloodstone Ballade De Melody Nelson - Serge Gainsbourg Haunted Feelings - Rahsaan Roland Kirk
I added a bunch of shows to the list this week (that you might not have seen if you just read this blog using RSS). It's a good time to be in New York...especially this summer (Pilooski, Trus'me, David Byrne, SMD!) Here's the entire list:
April 10 - Crookers, Congorock, and Annie Mac at Webster Hall
April 10 - Rusko at Studio B
April 10 - the official Ladytron/The Faint afterparty with Tommie Sunshine at Le Poisson Rouge
April 11 - Mutek 10 Brooklyn Preview with Guillaume & the Coutu Dumonts (live), Claro Intellecto (live), Andy Stott (live), MLZ (dj set), Pangaea (dj set), and Ezekiel Honig (dj set) at Studio B
April 14 - Findlay Brown at Mercury Lounge
April 14 - The Tallest Man On Earth at Union Hall
April 15 - The Tallest Man On Earth at Bowery Ballroom
April 17 - Etienne de Crecy and Feadz at Webster Hall
April 17 - the Juan MacLean (live), Black Meteoric Star (live), Holy Ghost (dj set), and Matt Cash (dj set) at Le Poisson Rouge
April 23 - Simian Mobile Disco (live and dj set!) at Highline Ballroom
April 23 - Alex Gopher at Studio B
April 24 - Moby (solo electronic/ambient performance) at Issue Project Space
April 25 - Mister Saturday night with Larry Heard and Justin Martin at Santos
May 1 - Discovery with Mowgli at Studio B
May 8 - Fixed with Aeroplane and JG Wilkes (Optimo) at Studio B
May 8 - One Step Beyond with Peanut Butter Wolf, James Pants, Mayer Hawthorne & Dam-Funk at the Museum of Natural History
May 9 - Stones Throw Party with James Pants, Mayer Hawthorne, and Dam-Funk at Le Poisson Rouge
May 15 - Trouble & Bass deejays (Drop the Lime, Star Eyes, The Captain) with DJ Class and B. Rich at Studio B
May 16 - Finger on the Pulse present Yikes! with Louis La Roche and Justin Faust at Studio B
May 29 - Disco 3000 with Trus'me & special guest at APT
May 30 - Moderat (Modeselektor & Apparat) at Webster Hall
May 30 - Mister Saturday Night with Pilooski at Santos
June 4 - 2020 Soundsystem (live) and Ralph Lawson (dj set) at Studio B
June 8 - David Byrne at the Prospect Park Bandshell
June 12 - School of Seven Bells at Bowery Ballroom
June 19 - Disco 3000 with Trus'me & special guest at APT
June 27 - Mister Saturday Night with Claude Von Stroke at Santos
August 9 - Simian Mobile Disco (dj set) at Williamsburg Waterfront
I am going to Paris with my best friend Eddie. We will be bugging out on various dancefloors at night...wandering all over during the day. We're arriving the morning of May 1 and heading back here on May 10th. Tell us what we HAVE TO do! Either leave suggestions in the comments or shoot an email to - showtrotta at gmail dot com
erlend oye leaves the whitest boy alive erlend oye has left the whitest boy alive today. don't worry the tour goes on. the singer from the new wine will quickly learn all the lyrics and will sing instead of erlend. he also is a very good guitar player so you won't hear the difference. actually he even is a better guitarist then erlend, all in all a big improvement.
I saw Knightlife open for Cut Copy a couple of weeks ago and he was pretty awesome! Also...Cut Copy are deejaying too? according to the subject of this post...
I just uploaded a bunch of photos from recent shows/parties including Busy P at the Studio at Webster Hall, Busy P & the Prodigy at Roseland (review of this & the Webster Hall show here), and A-trak & DJ Mehdi at Studio B (review). You can find all of the photos here along with many others from past shows. Also, if you scroll down a bit there is now a "recent photos" section in the right sidebar that I will be updating.
There's a lot happening this week, but I just wanted to point out that Busy P is deejaying this Wednesday, March 25th at the Studio at Webster Hall.
I'm beginning to lose track of how many times I've seen Pedro deejay over the past few years, but each time his sets are great. He plays a lot of current stuff, plus a lot of whatever he wants, often going outside of the dance/electronic realm creating sets that are interesting and make for really fun, memorable parties. Don't sleep!
Sorry this is not music-related in any way, but Man On Wire is the best film I saw in 2008...and definitely one of the best I've seen in my life...not exaggerating. Check it out if you can. In New York it's still playing at the Sunshine and it's out on DVD.
The Plot is also WhoMadeWho's new album which is coming out on March 23rd! Check out more info on that here, plus the videos for "TV Friend", and "This Train".
Firstly...if you haven't already seen it, here's the live video/performance of Simian Mobile Disco's new track "Synthesize" at Area 10:
There's also another new Simian Mobile Disco track "10,000 Horses" which Pete Tong recently dropped on Radio 1. A rip of it has been floating around but is pretty scarce so check Hype Machine for it while you still can. Just to give you a preview...here's what Busy P had to say about it:
"I want to ride those horses naked on a beach with James & Jas! Beautiful track. It is already Summer thanks to SMD. Really like the Detroit vibes in both these tracks.. watch out Kevin Saunderson! I will play it, playlist it and i can't wait to kiss a girl in the middle of Space's dancefloor while dancing to '10,000 Horses..."!
I don't know if I'd go that far, but I do really like the track and can't wait for their show at the Highline Ballroom here in April (in the midst of a massive tour of North America with a small run of European dates in the middle):
Simian Mobile Disco - North America/Europe Tour Dates
Mar 12 2009 - Commodore Ballroom - Vancouver Mar 13 2009 - SEATTLE, WA Neumo’s live Mar 14 2009 - MEXICO CITY, MX MX Beat Festival live Mar 15 2009 - SAN FRANCISCO, CA Mezzanine live Mar 16 2009 - The Music Box at The Fonda, Hollywood Mar 17 2009 - SAN DIEGO, CA Casbah live Mar 27 2009 - MIAMI, FL Ultra Festival live Mar 28 2009 - Ultra Music Miami Apr 3 2009 - Marmande, France, Garorock Festival DJ Set Apr 4 2009 - Platinum Club, Lille DJ Set Apr 9 2009 - London AITBF @ Fabric DJ Set Apr 10 2009 - London Mixmag @ Matter DJ Set Apr 11 2009 - Spain Barcelona Nitsa DJ Set Apr 12 2009 - Manchester, Warehouse Project, DJ Set Apr 13 2009 - Deep Fried Funk DJ Set Derry Apr 17 2009 - CHICAGO, IL Metro live Apr 17 2009 - CHICAGO, IL Smart Bar dj Apr 18 2009 - TORONTO, ON Guvernment live Apr 19 2009 - MONTREAL, QC Club Soda live Apr 22 2009 - BOSTON, MA Paradise live Apr 23 2009 - NY Highline live Apr 24 2009 - PHILADELPHIA, PA Transit live Apr 25 2009 - BALTIMORE, MD Sonar live
I can't tell you how many times I've almost written this post. The weather in New York today is BOSS (which is my overly used word for today). Don't mind that "Severe Weather Alert". It's awesome out.
Such weather warrants demands listening to this album:
Tracklisting:
1. Jurgen Paape - So Weit Wie Noch Nie 2. Erlend Oye - Sheltered Life (Remix)/Fine Night (Acapella) 3. Cornelius - Drop (Kings of Convenience Remix) 4. Phoenix - If I Ever Feel Better 5. Erlend Oye - Radio Jolly – Jolly Music/Prego Amore (Acapella) 6. Alan Braxe & Fred Falke - Rubicon 7. Avenue D - 2D2F 8. The Rapture - I Need Your Love 9. Erlend Oye - Lattialla Taas – Uusi Fantasia/Venus (Acapella) 10. Erlend Oye - 2 After 909 – Justus Kohncke/Intergalactic Autobahn (Acapella) 11. Erlend Oye - The Black Keys Work (Phonique Remix) 12. Jackmate - Airraid 13. Royksopp - Poor Leno (Silikon Soul Remix) / Erlend Oye - There Is A Light That Never Goes Out (Acapella) 14. Skateboard - Metal Chix / Erlend Oye - Always On My Mind (Acapella) 15. Ricardo Villalobos - Dexter 16. Minizza - Winning a Battle, Losing The War 17. Morgan Geist – Lullaby / Erlend Oye - A Place In My Heart (Acapella) / Ada - Luckycharm / Erlend Oye - Intuition (Acapella)
I remember finding out about this album 2 days before it was released. Picked it up from Virgin on my way to class on a beautiful spring day and bugged out the first time I listened to it. It's the perfect spring album. It opens with a chick singing German sweetness into your ears...the sounds of water droplets...and it just proceeds to get more and more awesome from there...with Erlend Oye singing over pretty much every track. Like so many things, it's great and not explainable.
Go get it. Listen to it today if you're in New York or somewhere that is suddenly and awesomely warm. The cd also has great liner notes from the Norwegian himself explaining things to keep in mind when you are deejaying which are definitely worth reading.
This was so much more difficult to do than last year's post, mainly referring to the top 20 shows list. Last year I had to narrow it down from 88 shows/dj sets. This year I had to narrow it down from 122. It took me 4 hours alone just to figure out who I had gone to see this year, never mind the deliberating...
A few things:
I didn't make a list of Top 10 Albums/EP's because there are quite a few that came out last year that I haven't gotten to listen to that would probably be in the running.
I will however say...Lambs Anger by Mr. Oizo is my number one album of 2008. I think it has a really complete, cohesive album feel. I also think it does a great job of showcasing Mr. Oizo's weirder side that is present in his earlier releases, but also includes a great crop of new bangers. I even don't mind the Uffie track which up until this point was something that was not possible. And of course, my four favorite little words - Vous êtes des animaux!
Some other albums that came out in 2008 that I got to hear and like to varying degrees (most, quite a bit) are (in no particular order):
The Rapture - K7! Tapes The Whip - X Marks Destination Cassius - CASSIUSPLAY: Nike+ Original Run Surkin - Next of Kin EP Soulwax - Part of the Weekend Never Dies The Black Ghosts Mixtape The Black Ghosts - self-titled Jamie Lidell - Jim Lord Skywave - self-titled Boys Noize - Bugged Out! Presents Suck My Deck Simian Mobile Disco - Live from Soho Runaway - Wurst Edits #6 Eamon Harkin - Wurst Edits #5 Louis La Roché - The Peach EP Friendly Fires - self-titled Evil Nine - They Live Des Peres - The Adventures Of Cowboy and Miniman Cut Copy - In Ghost Colours The Bloody Beetroots - Rombo EP M83 - Saturdays = Youth
Plus honorable mention to WhoMadeWho and Friendly Fires who were completely new to me and excellent during CMJ!
Non-electro shows (not ranked - all pretty awesome): 1/19 – Tim Fite @ Joe’s Pub 7/25 – Ween @ McCarren Pool 8/17 – Sharon Jones @ Central Park Summerstage 8/3 – Jamie Lidell @ Central Park Summerstage 8/8 – Radiohead @ All Points West 8/9 – Radiohead @ All Points West 10/15 – Jamie Lidell @ Music Hall Of Williamsburg 11/9 – Jamie Lidell dj set @ Public Assembly
Jamie singing "Little Bit Of Feel Good" during his dj set:
11/20 – Sondre Lerche @ Bowery Ballroom 12/12 – the Tallest Man on Earth @ Music Hall Of Williamsburg
More bests and other random-ness:
Best of 2008 - Soulwax Best Facial Hair – Paul (for the Logans) Best Namer of Facial Hair - Busy George for coming up with "the Logans" Best Nickname - Miqueeee Le Teque! Best Electro Twinz - Busy George & Sebastien Tellier Best People I’ve met through my blog – too many this year, though I think Mitch is the only one I actually hang out with. Best blast from the past who I now hang out with regularly (yay!) – Van Scott Best electro-related work moment: My boss asking if he should rub Vicks on his chest before listening to most of the music I put on. Best family supporter of banging jams – my brother, through his incessant repetition of “Mr. Oizo” and “Busy P” in French accents, despite the fact that he would probably hate their music if I ever made him listen to it. Plus this year I even got him to listen to Soulwax and he has kept "Much Against Everyone's Advice"! MVP’s – red bull, purple Adidas high-tops, and the purple & green low-tops. Best Excuse to Dance during the daytime – Sunday Best at the Yard Best Week Ever: Tie! The week of August 6th which included Soulwax at Irving Plaza, Underworld's Beautiful Burnout Art Jam opening, and All Points West. AND the week of CMJ which was awesome thanks to Brooklynvegan. Best dj set by someone whose stuff I didn’t know at all prior: – Trus'me at the Yard People who should come out of going out retirement: Busy Jason and Busy George
Also, thanks to Busy Paul, Miquee le Tequeee, and Eddie (shtuuuk) for hitting dancefloors all over the city with me. Thanks to BV for endless hookups. Thanks to Mike for letting me interview Karl Hyde (amazing!). Can't wait to see what '09 will bring!
Read more...
I just did a massive update to the shows list in the left sidebar. February & March look awesome and April is on its way. In care you're reading with RSS:
February 7 - Matthew Herbert at Studio B February 7 - Josh Wink at Sullivan Room February 13 - Xavier de Rosnay (Justice) and Busy P at Webster Hall February 13 - Trouble & Bass Valentine's Death Prom with DJ Craze, Trouble & Bass DJ's (DTL, Star Eyes, The Captain), and a special surprise live act at Studio B February 13 - Sharon Jones & the Dap-kings at Nokia Theater February 14 - Sharon Jones & the Dap-kings at Nokia Theater February 17 - Fujiya & Miyagi and School of Seven Bells at Le Poisson Rouge February 20 - Primetime meets Fixed with Trevor Jackson, House of House, Eamon Harkin, James F&%^# Friedman, JDH, and Dave P at Studio B February 20 - Felix Da Housecat at Webster Hall February 20 - Tim Fite at the Bell House February 21 - Cut with special guest Rye Rye at Studio B February 27 - Dim Mak Night with Steve Aoki, Autoerotique, and Felix Cartal at Webster Hall February 27 - David Byrne at Radio City February 28 - David Byrne at Radio City March 7 - Glass Candy, Nite Jewel, Twisted Wires, Mike Simonetti (dj set) at Le Poisson Rouge March 7 - Alan Braxe at Studio B March 10 - Guns ‘N’ Bombs, Heartsrevolution, autoKratz and Beni at the Studio at Webster Hall March 13 - Calvin Harris dj set at Webster Hall March 14 - "Infinity +1" Tour with A-Trak & DJ Mehdi at Studio B March 20 - Boys Noize Records night with Boys Noize, D.I.M., and Shadow Dancer at Webster Hall March 21 - Cut Copy at Terminal 5 March 21 - Mr. Saturday Night with Todd Terry, Ewan Pearson, and residents Eamon Harkin & Justin Carter at Santos March 26 - The Prodigy at Roseland March 26 - Friendly Fires at Bowery Ballroom March 27 - Friendly Fires at Bowery Ballroom April 1 - Sebastien Tellier at Le Poisson Rouge April 3 - MSTRKRFT and the Bloody Beetroots at Webster Hall April 3 - Deadmau5, the Whip, JDH & Dave P at Roseland April 10 - Crookers at Webster Hall April 15 - The Tallest Man On Earth at Bowery Ballroom April 23 - Simian Mobile Disco at Highline Ballroom
Tickets go on sale Thursday, February 5 at 12 noon (EST) via Live Nation with a pre-sale from 10 am - 10 pm on Wednesday, February 4.
The group hasn't played New York since 2006 and is making the trip back in support of their new album Invaders Must Die, out March 3 on Take Me To The Hospital/Cooking Vinyl with a worldwide digital release on iTunes set for February 24. Check out the video for the first official single, "Omen" below as well as the Prodigy's album-dedicated microsite for the video for Invaders Must Die and additional info on the band's latest release:
According to NME, Friendly Fires are coming back to New York (and North America) along with The Soft Pack, and White Lies in March and April as part of the NME Presents North American Tour:
March 24 - Washington - Black Cat March 25 - Philadelphia - First Unitarian Church March 26 & 27 - New York - Bowery Ballroom March 28 - Boston - Paradise Rock Club March 30 - Montreal - Les Saints March 31 - Toronto - Lee's Palace April 1 - Ann Arbor - Blind Pig April 2 - Indianapolis - Radio Radio April 3 - Chicago - Double Door April 4 - Minneapolis - Triple Rock Social Club April 7 - Seattle - Neumo's April 8 - Vancouver - Richard's on Richards April 9 - Portland - Doug Fir Lounge April 11 - San Francisco - Slims
I saw Friendly Fires 3 times during CMJ and once last month at the Annex. They're dancey & poppy in a rocking way. Their album is great. Check them out!
WhoMadeWho has a video out for their track "This Train" (which was released digitally last week and will also be available on The Plot 7" out March 6th.
The video is totally weird, NSFW, and wild which is everything I've come to expect from the leotard-donning Danish trio, plus there are some extra creative touches as the video was done by Chicks on Speed (whose track "Surfer Girl" was recently remixed by WhoMadeWho which you can also read more about here). Check it out:
Some great new (mostly) Frenchies are coming to Webster Hall:
The Valerie Collective is not just a music blog - it is a group of like-minded DJs and musicians from West France that fuse authentic 80s synths with modern indie/electronica. They sound like Daft Punk doing an '80s movie soundtrack... their tracks are startling in their consistency, mood and feel; they offer a sense of a time that never existed, but we all somehow understand… a future that once seemed possible. Their retro/futuristic artwork (by The Zonders) sums it up nicely.There are several artists under the collective's umbrella, (including College, Anoraak, Russ Chimes and Lovelock – all of whom will be performing).
You can download some tracks by Anoraak and Russ Chimes over at my dance post on Brooklynvegan, plus a new one - "Sentinel of Love" from 33Hz (who will also be performing live at Webster on Friday).
There's more info on Steve Moore of Lovelock, plus more College and Anoraak tour dates in a post by Black Bubblegum there too.
And...a good way to play catch up on your Valerie game (other than just checking out their blog) is to check out some informed suggestions from Dreamtard.
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Hey there….so things are moving forward….Tomorrow you’ll be able to buy “This Train” on iTunes. The track is from our forthcoming album “The Plot” which will be out March 23rd. Add to all this, that the single “The Plot” - yes, it’s also the name of one of the tunes on the album - will be out March 6th. It’ll be out on both 12″ and 7″, something for the young hipsters and for the hip youngsters as well. The track list “The Plot” 12″ : 1) The Plot Original Club Mix 2) The Plot Noze Remix 3) The Plot The Mole Remix 4) The Plot Discodeine Remix Gomma 1 The track list “The Plot” 7″: 1) The Plot (album version) 2) This Train (album version)
The band has also remixed a track called "Surfer Girl" by Chicks on Speed which recently became available on iTunes as well.
Read more...
There's something surreal and awesome about having to walk past a huge dinosaur skeleton, and into a planetarium to get down. If you haven't experienced it yet, here is your chance to for Free! I have a pair of tickets to give away. Email showtrotta at gmail dot com with "OSB" in the subject line and I will randomly pick a winner and will let you know if you've won sometime before noon on Friday. Full info on the party is below:
I first went to see Trus'me deejay on a whim after liking some of what I heard while researching for "the Week In Dance". By the end of the night he had packed the Yard's humble little dancefloor full of sweaty bodies, fittingly getting down to some perfect summertime house & disco grooves. It was one of my best nights out in New York last year (it made the top 20 which I hope to post sometime next week) which is pretty impressive considering I had very limited familiarity with his music prior to going to the party.
I impatiently waited for him to come back here all the way from Manchester which he thankfully did in October, and now he's back again this Friday for the first party of his new monthly residency at APT. Linkwood and Kon & Amir will be deejaying as well - definitely check it out if you're around!
All the info you need is on the flyer below. Also, if you're on Facebook be sure to add Trus'me NYC to your friends to stay in the loop about the future parties.
This Sunday MeanRed (party throwers whose events make me reintroduce the term "rager" into my vocabulary with absolutely no regret) are bringing the party back to 88 Palace (a dim sum restaurant in a Chinatown mini-mall that they take over once the dining is done and turn into an awesome place to party). Their last party there was great and I'm sure this one will be nothing short of the same:
I was just reading the obscene number of blogs I read during lunch and came across a great feature on Mr. Oizo over at XLR8R (who graces their cover this month). I didn't do a Top 10 Albums list this year (top 20 shows and various ridiculous superlatives are on their way, hopefully next week) because I know there a lot of albums that would be in the running that I never got to listen to in full. One that I did get to listen to that definitely would be in the top 10 (dare I say, perhaps #1) was Mr. Oizo's Lambs Anger.
The article on him, Mr. Oizo: Master of Puppets, over at XLR8R does a great job of exploring his creation of Lambs Anger as well as some of his past, less accessible work (both music and film).
Not only is the article very well done, but the photos that accompany it are very fitting (good job XLR8R!). Can you capture the French/Quentin any more accurately than this photo?!
The brothers and all at Chemicals HQ thank you for your loyal support in '08, and we wish you peace, love and happiness in 09!
As the year winds down, we have one last surprise for you here at The House Of Chemical. As the track is already a must play for ringing in the midnight hour, The Chems have whipped up a special New Years' Eve edition of "Midnight Madness".
This version has been serviced to DJs only for NYE, however we'll be posting the track up here tomorrow for your streaming pleasure. It will no doubt turn up in some of your favorite DJs sets tomorrow night as well (and do be sure and support your local DJ and local music scene).
Sorry things are quieter over here than I would like. I have December 24 - January 4th off from the 9 to 5. I'll be spending a good chunk of it in suburbia hanging out with the fam and nerding it up on the internet so there will probably be a lot of updates then. In the meantime I just added a ton of dates to the shows list (stuff for tonight and this weekend too, so don't let the snow keep you from hitting the floor!). Here's what's up for now - keep checking back, I'm usually always updating it:
December 19 - Fool's Gold Family & Friends Holiday Bash at Twelve21 with DJ Premier, Cipha Sounds, the Brothers Macklovitch, Sammy Bananas, and Nick Catchdubs
December 19 - My Cousin Roy and Jesse Mann at APT
December 19 - DJ Harvey at Love
December 19 - Play It Loud at Lounge 87 with DJ Drilla, Darshan Jesrani of Metro Area, Son of Sound, and Doug Gomez
December 19 - LA Riots at Le Royale
Decemeber 20 - Fixed with In Flagranti at Studio B
December 21 - Frankie Knuckles and Danny Krivit at Cielo
December 20 - 33Hz live at Le Poisson Rouge
December 26 - Ladytron dj set, Le Castlevania, and Grandmaster Flash at Webster Hall
December 31 - Studio B New Years Eve with deejay sets from Sinden, Jokers of the Scene, Scott Henry, Reid Speed, The Captain, Star Eyes, Cowboy Mark, Alexander Technique, and Van Scott. Grandmaster Mele Mel, Mickey Factz, and Ninja Sonik live. Afterhours with Echospace and Taimur & Fahad.
December 31 - Prime Time New Years Eve at Santos with Invisible Conga People, Mike Simonetti, James F!@#$%^ Friedman, and Eamon Harkin
December 31 - Matthew Dear, Drop the Lime, Michna, and Mike Servito at Le Poisson Rouge
December 31 - Rude New Years Eve at Glasslands with Heartsrevolution and Nick Catchdubs
December 31 - Famous Friends ' & Palmsout Epic New Years Eve at Europa with Kill the Noise, AC Slater, the American Dream Team, Udachi, Bradley D, and VDRK
January 2 - One Man Party (Steve from Soulwax) and So Me at Webster Hall
January 3 - Afrika Bambaataa at Le Poisson Rouge
January 16 - Disco3000 NYC with Trus'me, Linkwood, and Kon & Amir at APT
January 17 - Fixed with Max Tundra at Le Poisson Rouge
January 23 - No Big Deal with Moulinex and Xinobi at Europa
January 24 - Modeselektor and Housemeister at Bowery Ballroom
January 24 - M83 at Irving Plaza
January 29 - Fixed at Studio B with Lindstrom
February 6 - Fixed with Little Boots (live) at Studio B
Awesome Norwegian electronic duo, Royksopp, are celebrating their birthday today and giving away a new track (their first studio release since their last album the Understanding came out in 2005) at their website. The site is being re-designed soon, perhaps to coincide with the release of their new album? which did not come out 2 months ago.
The wonderful new venue that opened downtown this year has shifted from 100 Lafayette Street to 96. According to the Santos Party House blog:
"...we have been able to recreate the exact same club, only 8 feet further down the block, simply by shifting the walls and parts of the ceiling to accommodate the new location.
Our patrons will notice a slight shift in the sidewalk, as well as a wider stairway leading down to the lower level. As a result of this move, we now have a larger amount of space on the left side corridor of the club. We were also able to shift the entire front entrance and windows of our building, leaving the upper portion intact."
Awesome Italian dj/production duo the Bloody Beetroots have just released a piece of heavy, piano-ey bliss in the form of a track called "Butter". Butter is featured on the Beetroots' Rombo EP (tracklisting below), which gives you an idea of what to expect from the pair's full length album, scheduled for release on Steve Aoki's label, Dim Mak in 2009. Check out the dope EP cover from Turbo Krapfen on the right and download the track below:
Shockhound (which looks like a pretty interesting new site for following artists) recently interviewed Xavier and Gaspard of Justice from their hotel room bed. Yet another enlightening and entertaining (much like the duo's documentary, A Cross the Universe, which is out in the US in 5 days. Did you pre-order your copy ?!) experience:
Transcript of the interview if you'd rather read it here.
I haven't really gotten into Passion Pit, but came across this video that Etan (from Passion Pit) created with a friend. It's short and sweet...and has robez (aka robots...):
The Hives and Cyndi Lauper have recored "A Chrismas Duel" together. It's pretty fucked...and awesome. You can stream the track over at the Hives' website and download it for free after registering there. You only have until the end of the day though, as tomorrow & Tuesday it will be released for purchase in the UK and US respectively.
Tracklisting: Can't Get Blue Monday Out Of My Head (Bootleg with New Order) Spinning Around (7th District Club Mental Mix) Wow (Death Metal Disco Scene Mix) Love At First Sight (Kid Creme Vocal Dub) Slow (Chemical Brothers Mix) Come Into My World (Fischerspooner Mix) Red Blooded Woman (Whitey Mix) I Believe In You (Mylo Mix) In Your Eyes (Knuckleheadz Mix) 2 Hearts (Mark Brown's Pacha Ibiza Upper Terrace Mix) On A Night Like This (Bini & Martini Mix) Giving You Up (Riton Re-Rub Vocal Mix) In My Arms (Sebastien Leger Vocal Mix) The One (Britrocka Remix) Your Disco Needs You (Casino Mix) Boombox (LA Riots Remix)
Where is the Soulwax KYLUSS Remix of "Can't Get You Out Of My Head"?!
Yes, I skipped 11...it was in the works last week but then I got sidetracked. It will be up soon though. In the meantime, I'm jumping straight to #12. This video combines many of my loves, namely:
1. Adidas (seriously...the blog colors are inspired by a pair I had, the kicks the "t's" in "showtrotta" are wearing in the header are another) 2. Pilooski 3. Pilooski's edit of Frankie Valli & the Four Seasons' "Beggin"
Ups to Miquee Le Teque for (unknowingly) bringing this to my attention - btw you can download that fine Pilooski edit over at his blog.
I'd never (to my knowledge at least) heard a Deerhunter song despite them being blogged about all over the place recently, until yesterday. Check out this edit the lovely British duo, Simian Mobile Disco, did of their their track "Octet":
Ete d'Amour, the people responsible for booking all the amazing deejays that had Santos rocking every Thursday night this summer have announced the line-up for their Christmas d'Amour party happening December 18th:
I was hoping/expecting a more France-based line-up, but whatevs. Should be good.
Remember how I told you about this? Well...Alan Braxe, who killed it at Santos back in August, has been added to deejay at Webster Hall the same night as Lifelike (December 12th)!
The Soulwax documentary, Part of the Weekend Never Dies is finally being released here in the US! It will be released December 9th, but you can pre-order it from Insound, here.
You can check out 2 different trailers for the film here, read a lot of Soulwax-related posts here, and read my review of their most recent New York show (along with other bands at the Insiders "micro-festival" last month) over at Brooklynvegan.
Insound has the new Justice documentary, A Cross the Universe, available for pre-order here. It will be released on December 9th.
It's one of the best films I've seen this year and it comes with a live cd of a show they did in San Francisco. You can check out the trailer and tracklisting here, and read my review of it over on Brooklynvegan. Get up on it...
A New York based music blog focusing mainly on good, banging, electronic music...and some rock and other stuff from time to time. Show reviews, news, upcoming shows, and event info. Tangents about dj's/bands/music I love.
I'm also the former writer (from 3/08 - 10/09) of the Week In Dance for BrooklynVegan.com
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