Aug
And Now For Something Completely Different–The Orb (featuring Lee “Scratch” Perry)
in Music
After absorbing the visionary Bob Marley, Jimmy Cliff, Toots and the Maytals, et. al, in the early 70s, and becoming enslaved by all-things Jamaican, we quickly became enamored with Jamaican dub music and one of its early progenitors, Lee “Scratch” Perry. Whether you’re in the camp that considers him a genius or that which thinks he’s a genuine whack-o, no one can deny his place as one of the pioneering producers (Marley, Junior Marvin, Augustus Pablo, etc., etc.) and songwriters (Perry co-wrote Police and Thieves, amongst a thousand examples) of reggae music. The 76-year old Perry has had major ups and hellish downs over the years, but is now back in the mix with The Orb, modern electronic music out of Europe.
The latest album from The Orb, The Observer in the star house, features eleven new tracks, including lead tracks, Hold Me Upsetter and Golden Clouds, and is due for release this August 28th on The End Records.
Recorded in Berlin, the album features Dr. Alex Paterson and long-time Orb member Thomas Fehlmann, who have crafted entrancing, spare backdrops for Perry’s idiosyncratic ramblings and divinations.
According to Paterson: “The album’s inception can be traced back to 2004 when Dr Paterson played a DJ and toaster set with Lee in Mexico. I had an amazing time being that close to the great man. I played a dub set, Earl 16 was Greg Dread’s toaster, Mad Professor had his ladies, then there was the legendary Lee Scratch Perry; he’s a genius who expresses the future within the present times of anguish, hope and unity.”
Fehlman, who has been at the forefront of Germany’s electronic music scene, recalls, “I met Lee for the first time during this session and it was pretty touching to see how an unexpected connection and inspirational exchange could so awaken our creative juices. Alex and I had never made so much new music on the spot before. It was soon pretty clear that we wouldn’t get far with the four backing tracks we pre-produced for the session. Lee was so overwhelmingly creative that it took an afternoon for those to be finished. From then on we were forced to come up with new beats on the spot, to keep him in the flow. He was constantly active, referring to the tunes we were working on and hitting on bits of wood or stone to create percussion patterns, so we ended up using field recordings of him banging on bits and pieces.”
To get a feel for the innovative and seductive collaboration, check out the colorful (it’s Scratch–what would you expect?) official videos for the lead tracks below. Long live Scratch Perry and pass The Orb.
You can pre-order the album in various formats at http://www.theorb.com
Aug
It’s Sunday: Watch Dry the River Perform “Shaker Hymns” in Amsterdam
in Music
British band Dry The River have been turning ears recently with their harmonies and lives shows. Check out the band playing their song Shaker Hymns (from their latest album, Shallow Bed) unplugged on a boat in the canals of Amsterdam, all courtesy of Face Culture. If you like what you see and hear, check out the whole show at bottom after.
Aug
Watch The Afghan Whigs at Lollapalooza
in Music
Back at the beginning of the Middle Ages (1992, turns out), The Afghan Whigs released a series of brutally-honest and brutally-beautiful albums of the ’90s, capped off in 1993 with Gentleman. The Afghans were always at their best live (“incendiary” comes to mind), and we’ll never forget their 1993 show at Slim’s,and the afterglow ride home across the Bay Bridge with their song What Jail is Like blaring on repeat. After Gentleman, the band released more strong albums, but ultimately broke up under the strain of life in 2001. The great news is that the band is currently reunited and receiving raves across this great land. To get a flavor, check them out at Lollapalooza last weekend slaying (despite the Afghans-antithetical daylight setting) on Gentleman and their resonant cover of See and Don’t See.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t-KnPeP49gk&feature=channel&list=UL
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4DiKiKjPo50&feature=em-uploademail
Aug
Watch Feist’s New Video for “Anti-Pioneer”
in Music
Almost a year later, we are still huge fans of Feist’s fine 2011 album, Metals. Today Feist is back in the news with a Nowness- exclusive release of the video for her song, Anti-Pioneer. Danish director Martin De Thurah shot the video in an old Mexico City building. “We had a window of opportunity to shoot something else, which never happens,” explained De Thurah to Nowness. “I had thought about making something very simple, complex and emotional with Leslie alone. I found the song very intimate, and wanted the video to reflect that.” We’ll take any excuse to watch and listen to Leslie Feist. She’s one of the best extant. The lyrics to Anti-Pioneer follow.
“Start with colors
they always get away with attitude
but they’ll try to convince you of your mood
and what you want they’ll give it to you
but it’s only therapy, that’s all they do
and for a year she was anti-pioneer
singing sappy songs
about what went wrong
two years before, but even now
when the false is true
when i call me you
When the flag changes colors
the language knows
when the month changes numbers
it’s time to go
when the flag changes colors
the language knows
when the month changes numbers
it’s time to go
anti-pioneer then
anti-pioneer then
anti-pioneer then
anti-pioneer then
And for a year she was anti-pioneer
they passed her off too late
to change her future’s fate
but even now when the false gets true
and living colors seem possible to you
When the flag changes colors
the language knows
when the month changes numbers
it’s time to go
When the flag changes colors
the language knows
when the month changes numbers
it’s time to go home”
Aug
Watch Bloc Party’s NYC Concert in Next 24 Hours
in Music
As promised yesterday, The Bowery Presents has overcome technical difficulties and you can now watch the entire Bloc Party show at Terminal 5 in NYC. The stream will only be up until tomorrow morning at 6am Pacific time so enjoy before then.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fhpL-lKMLmE&feature=em-uploademail
Aug
Everywhere a Bloc Party
in Music
In addition to the Bowery Presents videos below, KCRW has just released this performance by Bloc Party of their song, Octopus off of their new album, Four. Check it out.
Aug
Watch Bloc Party’s NYC Concert
in Music
The Bowery Presents will eventually have the full, blazing Bloc Party show this week from NYC’s Terminal 5, on demand for 24-hours only, starting sometime today. Until they get the full show streaming, check out four songs from that show below. Check back at The Bowery Presents YouTube Channel for the full show.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aSbdUVqaTu0&feature=channel&list=UL
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G6iJhLLOPMY&feature=channel&list=UL
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DbcPo9tIj70&feature=channel&list=UL
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xhBbVitI0Tk&feature=channel&list=UL
Aug
Cat Power–New Album “Sun,” New Song “Cherokee” and Newly Announced Tour
in Music
In the aftermath of a harrowing personal period, Cat Power will soon release a new album entitled, Sun. She (let’s make no pretense about the “band” shall we?) has now made available her new song Cherokee and the Nicolas Jaar re-mix thereof (both of which you can play/download at the widget immediately below). In addition, she has announced the dates for her Fall tour (found below the song). Cherokee bodes very well for the new album. Check it all out below.
Cat Power tour dates and sale information below:
Thursday 10/11 – Miami, FL – Grand Central – On Sale Fri Aug 10 at 7am EDT
Saturday 10/13 – Mexico City, MX – Corona Capital Music Festival – On Sale Now
Friday 10/19 – Montreal, QC – Metropolis – On Sale Fri Aug 10 at 12pm EDT
Saturday 10/20 – Toronto, ON – Kool Haus – On Sale Fri Aug 10 at 10am EDT
Monday 10/22 – Washington, DC – 9:30 Club – On Sale Thu Aug 09 at 10am EDT
Tuesday 10/23 – New York, NY – Hammerstein Ballroom – On Sale Fri Aug 10 at 12pm EDT
Wednesday 10/24 – Boston, MA – House Of Blues – On Sale Fri Aug 10 at 10am EDT
Thursday 10/25 – Philadelphia, PA – Electric Factory – On Sale Sat Aug 11 at 12pm EDT
Saturday 10/27 – Detroit, MI – Royal Oak Music Theatre – On Sale Fri Aug 10 at 12pm EDT
Sunday 10/28 – Chicago, IL – Riviera – On Sale Sat Aug 11 at 10am CDT
Friday 11/02 – Vancouver, BC – Vogue Theatre – On Sale Fri Aug 17 at 10am PDT
Saturday 11/03 – Seattle, WA – Showbox SoDo – On Sale Fri Aug 17 at 12pm PDT
Sunday 11/04 – Portland, OR – Crystal Ballroom – On Sale Information TBA
Tuesday 11/06 – Oakland, CA – Fox Theater – On Sale Information TBA
Thursday 11/08 – Los Angeles, CA – Hollywood Palladium – On Sale Fri Aug 17 at 10am PDT
Aug
Summertime Soul–Watch Monophonics’ Soul-Psych
in Music
We recently stumbled upon the Bay Area’s Monophonics performing for KDHX in St. Louis. Thanks to Daptone Records and many others, we’ve seen a resurgence in large soul bands such as the Dap-Kings and the Menahan Street Band. And now we have the improved Monophonics, who have been toiling and honing their chops for a good number of years in obscurity. Check out the band below (in full casual, including flip-flops), sitting (but killing) on their songs There’s a Riot Going On (no, not that one) and Say You Love Me. We initially thought that on the first song the lead vocals were being piped in. Instead, the camera pans to the band’s recently-added lead singer, Kelly Finnigan, who gives it a blood, sweat and tears effort (a la David Clayton-Thomas or Gregg Allman) and impresses throughout (unlike many other neo-soul singers such as the Stevie Wonder knock-off, Allan Stone). Check them out below.
Aug
Listen to New Mumford and Sons Song “I Will Wait”
in Music
Mumford and Sons have a new album about to drop titled Babel. The band today made the first song from the album, I Will Wait, available for listening below. Horns have been added to the mix. We’re doing our best to keep the Mumfords and their Grammy-performance cohorts, the Avett Brothers, straight in our ears. But we confess to a blurring.
