tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-319227162024-03-18T05:48:44.507-04:00omgnycmarchttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02798581071887591242noreply@blogger.comBlogger1497125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31922716.post-74032605813297608772024-03-15T00:42:00.003-04:002024-03-15T01:09:06.510-04:00Sleater-Kinney played Brooklyn Steel (Night 2)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaYPKNk1hlaXgDcfiOuIwIadT5_94Llq_FAiiaeVmaFptyzd2Y2ADkJn8rq_q1hm2SwMkIAlm8eiXJpKL_g1Bug8dL6I9ZS6NXfn1UbMIzm5t-_rVm4wEXROL8D48wzGdmQD3HqOmXFe0gKTFtYCYE76ERwMUJevjHqm93JSL78v-4HujhaeMP/s1458/IMG_4836.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1458" data-original-width="1158" height="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaYPKNk1hlaXgDcfiOuIwIadT5_94Llq_FAiiaeVmaFptyzd2Y2ADkJn8rq_q1hm2SwMkIAlm8eiXJpKL_g1Bug8dL6I9ZS6NXfn1UbMIzm5t-_rVm4wEXROL8D48wzGdmQD3HqOmXFe0gKTFtYCYE76ERwMUJevjHqm93JSL78v-4HujhaeMP/w318-h400/IMG_4836.jpg" width="447" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Sleater-Kinney continued to entertain their enthralled fans on night two of two at Brooklyn Steel as they tour behind their recent record, <i>Little Rope</i>.<div><br /></div><span><a name='more'></a></span><div>Last fall, boygenius and MUNA played a sold-out Madison Square Garden and it felt like a queer homecoming for a new generation of rock music fans. It was an incendiary experience for anyone in attendance and affirmed that guitar-driven music still has a place with a younger crowd and when left to their own devices, the fans and bands can create magical, life-affirming music for the masses. The tour in support of <i>Little Rope</i>, the new album from the legendary Sleater-Kinney features the indigenous queer act Black Belt Eagle Scout and while their show at Brooklyn Steel may have been smaller in capacity, it was a showing of equal caliber and another celebration of a community that has often been on the outs of indie rock. </div><div><br /></div><div>Opening the night, Black Belt Eagle Scout brought chewy, lush, shoegaze guitar anthems to life as they channeled the sounds of the Pacific Northwest for heavily emotional, droning music that hit with a dream-pop spirit. Katherine Paul released her third record on the moniker last year and it has easily become her grandest statement yet, the songs shining with transformative passion that is both ethereal and at times full of noise. The cinematic nature of her songs bring to light the illustrious meaning and purpose of her homeland and how she reconnected with her past during the making of the record. On stage, she dedicated songs to Lily Gladstone, indigenous queer youth, and spoke about her the songs she performs are also to inspire us to look around at the world and recognize genocide and colonization as it happens, to take action, and pay tribute to those who are under occupation. Like the headliners to follow, there was no bass to be found onstage and as the drums kept steady rhythms, the guitars shredded away and during the final song of the set, Paul reached deep within to unleash the most powerful moments of the set full of unbridled and swirling hazes of guitar that would set the tone for what was to follow.</div><div><br /></div><div>I was fortunate enough to catch the iconic, classic, core-trio line-up of Sleater-Kinney once, on their <a href="http://www.omgnyc.net/2015/12/sleater-kinney-played-music-hall-of.html">reunion tour back in 2015</a>. It was <a href="http://www.omgnyc.net/2015/12/guest-list-2015.html">my favorite show of that year</a>. Since then, I've caught them at <a href="http://www.omgnyc.net/2019/10/sleater-kinney-played-kings-theatre.html">Kings Theatre </a>during the uneven times following the release of the underrated <i>The Center Won't Hold</i> and then once again as their <a href="http://www.omgnyc.net/2021/08/wilco-and-sleater-kinney-played-forest.html">opening set for Wilco at Forest Hills Stadium</a> was cut short due to a thunderstorm during the summer live music returned in the wake of COVID. While I've enjoyed seeing the band for each of those performances, their second night at Brooklyn Steel on this current tour was the best they've been since their initial return. Allowing their backing band to enter in a purple backlit hue, Corin Tucker and Carrie Brownstein took to the stage like the rockstars they are, guitar techs handing them their instruments with poise before the quintet launched into a set that would accelerate to maximum power throughout the night. Tucker opened the night with "Hell," instantly assuring the crowd that her voice has not aged a day and led the band through the new number before Carrie cut in for "Needlessly Wild," the two taking turns at proving their controlled dominance and the steady tension and release that they can harness like no others. Playing two nights in a row gave the band the chance to shake things up and after they asked who had attended the night prior they announced "well this is really for you then because we're switching up the songs tonight and this is a pretty random set list." From that moment on, the crowd never lost sight of the band's lead and was given a tour-de-force performance that confirmed their place as one of the best American rock bands of the past thirty years. As Brownstein would tear into her guitar, Corin's stunning howl would send shivers up spines, their combined momentum an unbelievable force that would strike with urgent and authoritative power. From their comeback record <i>No Cities to Love</i>, "A New Wave" was perhaps an early surprise of the night, not for its inclusion in the set, but for the way it hit as one of their strongest of the night, the stomp-clap and tumbling rhythms boosting the reactions from the locked-in crowd. "This song is from the 1900s" Carrie joked before they leapt into the sweeping anthem "One More Hour," a tender song about the duo's own romantic relationship and its demise, which saw the crowd illuminate with total joy. Eleven albums deep into their career now signals that there are some album omissions from their set lists, most surprisingly was the fact that they played nothing from their last album and first as a duo since the '90s nor did they break out anything from <i>Call the Doctor</i>, but beggars can't be choosers here and the set list was pretty stellar. However when they did announce that the next song was the closing number from their "moody album" <i>The Hot Rock</i>, the crowd roared, a bit to the surprise of the band, as they crushed "A Quarter to Three." "Jumpers" was another electrifying number that pushed the energy level up and as Brownstein hit the epic last refrain to shout "FOUR SECONDS," it hit the crowd like a spark and ignited the room with all-out bliss. A few years back, the band celebrated the twenty-fifth anniversary of their excellent record <i>Dig Me Out</i> with a track-by-track cover album and in tribute to the late Mimi Parker of slowcore greats Low, SK played the cover rendition of their track "Dance Song '97." It was a moving number that hit with Low's touching reverence and blissful melodies. <i>Dig Me Out</i>'s self-titled banger was another extreme highlight of the night, the synergy between Carrie and Corin absolutely soaring as their guitars scorched paths of blazing guitar harmonics that led directly into "Modern Girl." As close as the band comes to a ballad, the track has become their anthem and being in a room full of people singing "my whole life looks like a picture of a sunny day" is always something special. To end the main set, Corin ran offstage and emerged in the crowd to perform an astounding version of "Untidy Creature," her voice ascending to a status all its own. For the encore the band dished out "All Hands on the Bad One" with killer fashion, their voices melding together in pristine fusion of undeniable beauty. "Say It Like You Mean It" hit with more force on stage than on record, a factor that remains true for much of their new material, and served as a fitting set-up for the demolishing closing number: "Entertain." Leaving nothing behind, Brownstein was in prime condition, her magnetic pull drawing the crowd in only for her to expel fantastic busts of ripping guitar while also nailing down vocal duties, only for Corin to come in with the final combo blast to set the crowd off into the night. Excelling at this level for so long is something so many bands dream of, but for decades it's been Sleater-Kinney's bare minimum and on this occasion they've easily proven that they're actually operating at the top of their game and everyone else's.</div><div><br /></div><div>Set list:</div><div><br /></div>01 "Hell"<br />02 "Needlessly Wild"<br />03 "The Center Won't Hold"<br />04 "A New Wave"<br />05 "Small Finds"<br />06 "No Cities to Love"<br />07 "Jumpers"<br />08 "Hunt You Down"<br />09 "One More Hour"<br />10 "A Quarter to Three"<br />11 "Don’t Feel Right"<br />12 "Hurry On Home"<br />13 "Oh!"<br />14 "Dance Song '97" [Low Version]<br />15 "Six Mistakes"<br />16 "Dress Yourself"<br />17 "The Fox"<br />18 "Bury Our Friends"<br />19 "Dig Me Out"<br />20 "Modern Girl"<br />21 "Untidy Creature"<br />--<br />22 "Get Up"<br />23 "All Hands on the Bad One"<br />24 "Say It Like You Mean It"<br />25 "Entertain"marchttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02798581071887591242noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31922716.post-9899115972817706132024-03-14T18:16:00.001-04:002024-03-14T18:17:24.423-04:00Vampire Weekend - "Classical"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLeogZpVt41Ql3nlFcl6nYMzgRV0p0M1w-L-fXV71-L9g3T5Dn872Q4aHaLqHjGz6agemtCd5nhdE6PZy-3GD84jr1K7BLl4wTTmgU43S4c4wfRQ77pH3cxbamsthv6lQjpqdygiQglru3LopZ_9LhybIX0v4PnYTzEDsgTLJKD5xCcxdsa7ZS/s1000/vampire-weekend-only-god-was-above-us-1707363450-1000x1000.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="1000" height="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLeogZpVt41Ql3nlFcl6nYMzgRV0p0M1w-L-fXV71-L9g3T5Dn872Q4aHaLqHjGz6agemtCd5nhdE6PZy-3GD84jr1K7BLl4wTTmgU43S4c4wfRQ77pH3cxbamsthv6lQjpqdygiQglru3LopZ_9LhybIX0v4PnYTzEDsgTLJKD5xCcxdsa7ZS/w400-h400/vampire-weekend-only-god-was-above-us-1707363450-1000x1000.jpeg" width="600" /></a></div><div><br /></div>"Classical," the third single from Vampire Weekend's upcoming fifth album <i>Only God Was Above Us</i> has arrived and explores the noisier side of the band's progressive pop sound.<div><br /></div><span><a name='more'></a></span><div>On their self-titled debut album, New York City's Vampire Weekend made indie rock for the preppy kids seem cool and ushered in a new generation of boat shoe-wearing kids who would discover their parents' copy of Paul Simon's <i>Graceland</i> and claim is was their favorite album all along. These days, the band has given more nods to jam bands than to classic songwriting and have evolved past their popped collars and polo shirts for tie-dies and bucket hats. It's kind of funny that as they embark on their latest chapter, they've shared the new song "Classical," a track that offers some hallmarks of their past while still pushing towards something new. There is a familiar stringed refrain that cuts through this track and it recalls the pleasantry and innocence of "M79" before giving us the closest Vampire Weekend have ever come to a noise-jam freak-out. It's clear that the inspirations from across their career have bubbled up on this song and while it still lacks the urgency of their past work, it moves the needle ever more slightly than the two previous songs we've heard from the upcoming album. Breaking from the bright, clean guitar sounds of their past and making the moves towards something with a bit more of an edge and some grit thrown in for good measure.</div><div><br /></div><div><i>Only God Was Above Us</i> is out April 5.</div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/nP2FbpYs4t0?si=12HtNUsT-3Znp5Dm" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div>marchttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02798581071887591242noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31922716.post-1804845311399174502024-03-08T23:13:00.004-05:002024-03-08T23:27:45.657-05:00Dawn Richard and Spencer Zahn played (le) poisson rouge<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPWwZep5kRhoSl1mPZwfIIsdgUWgLShRN4nYPVW8Xpc2npYMUYbPAeG1WoKoSeT_7Q36Qo2hhjIWqQ2k8H7NsHWKV6RpPIlMFNFB2RxxLULgg_7jpk8_PUfKWcI4MCKHcZY8149fP-EZw_MVvppDmJo8wiyLHC6Iw7fSyoul1ahYmTy_ksZrHq/s720/pigments.lpr.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="720" height="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPWwZep5kRhoSl1mPZwfIIsdgUWgLShRN4nYPVW8Xpc2npYMUYbPAeG1WoKoSeT_7Q36Qo2hhjIWqQ2k8H7NsHWKV6RpPIlMFNFB2RxxLULgg_7jpk8_PUfKWcI4MCKHcZY8149fP-EZw_MVvppDmJo8wiyLHC6Iw7fSyoul1ahYmTy_ksZrHq/w400-h400/pigments.lpr.jpeg" width="600" /></a></div><div><br /></div>The enigmatic duo of Dawn Richard and Spencer Zahn brought their refined ambient arrangements to a packed (le) poisson rouge, dazzling the crowd with their celestial soundscapes.<div><br /></div><span><a name='more'></a></span><div>Tracing the trajectory of Dawn Richard's career is no easy task. Rising to fame with the reality television born group Danity Kane, Richard quickly left the limelight and took a path to become an electro-revival dynamo who has recently risen in the indie community as well, with major blogs and publications recognizing her killer R&B hits. Somewhere along the way, she met multi-instrumentalist Spencer Zahn and the two decided to team-up for 2022's illustrious album <i>Pigments</i>, an unexpected but highly regard record that introduced Dawn to a whole new world of new age, ambient jazz. In regards to artists making drastic left turns in their music, it's another exceptional showing from an artist taking risks beyond expectations. Bringing these movements to life on stage is no easy feature as the fragile harmonics and delicate melodies spread like thin glass, each note weaving a web of precious tones that add to the music's organic pulse. The music was led by Zahn and the octet flowed with distinguished grace, crystalizing with brilliant form and reverberating elegance with every breath. Morphing spacial, distant electronic keys with hovering melodies from a stellar woodwind trio, the music on its own was captivating, but when Richard took to the mic, her angelic voice hit like velvet. The bass clarinet and saxophone provided even more texture to the group's already lush and dream-like sound, building the cosmic world for which the two guitarists and cellist would follow. A vision in red, Richard commanded the attention of the crowd at every moment, her whispering vocals giving new depths and adding to the range she demonstrated so freely. "We loved it so much we did it again," she acknowledged during the set before announcing a new album is to be expected. The crowd was then treated to a new track called "Stains," the first of several new songs of the night, which honed in on the more minimal side of the duo's sound while Dawn's vocal work was presented with the clearest mix we've heard yet from this project, her words taking center stage as the focus sharpened with a more confident focus. Always a gracious performer, Dawn seemed extra grateful for the performance, thanking Zahn for creating music that allowed her to be so versatile and challenge herself with a genre so different from her comfort zone. Declaring "Sienna" her favorite of their songs, the track felt extra magical in the context, the astral buzz circulating with more force, enrapturing the room with its distilled beauty. Coming to a climax with an ethereal rendition of "Umber," Richard led the crowd through a cathartic and rejuvenating performance that brought the night to its full potential and highest display of sonic revelations. "Feel the energy" she exclaimed to the crowd, all of whom roared back with reassurance, bringing the liveliest elements of the night into a brief view before serenading us back into resounding bliss. Coming back for an encore just as a duo, Richard and Zahn performed a brand new, never performed, never even rehearsed track from the aforementioned upcoming project which silenced the crowd as we looked on in awe, crestfallen for the magical display in front of us that proved to be a refreshing and healing journey through moving melodies and fleeting rhythms, a nurturing experience to keep you fulfilled for quite some time.</div>marchttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02798581071887591242noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31922716.post-23026680303272797912024-03-07T19:17:00.003-05:002024-03-07T19:17:21.293-05:00Wild Pink - "Air Drumming Fix You"<div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh01idoER4coC28aUzJlYVcNrHb04FikqJSY61vhuIzaSViRpznc2CKwP7Cx1b7opbjBdp59W6y0-nWsdWBAEWsHlgx3W5Buz4CG6o_JuJkM8-tgEEohqhvOVPghItosTGyJweLzY1vFjV77I_Uq3-m3gXvYVHKsVoiLL8oBNVNXQSVtDnT_x9/s800/wild-pink-air-drumming-fix-you-1709741124.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh01idoER4coC28aUzJlYVcNrHb04FikqJSY61vhuIzaSViRpznc2CKwP7Cx1b7opbjBdp59W6y0-nWsdWBAEWsHlgx3W5Buz4CG6o_JuJkM8-tgEEohqhvOVPghItosTGyJweLzY1vFjV77I_Uq3-m3gXvYVHKsVoiLL8oBNVNXQSVtDnT_x9/w400-h400/wild-pink-air-drumming-fix-you-1709741124.jpeg" width="600" /></a></div></div><div><br /></div>Wild Pink have signed with Fire Talk Records and have shared a great new single, "Air Drumming Fix You."<div><br /></div><span><a name='more'></a></span><div>The last record from Wild Pink was 2022's under the radar <i>ILYSM</i>, an album that took shoegaze guitars and made them go the distance, bringing forth heartland rock vibes with features from J Mascis and Julien Baker. Last year, John Ross, the band's main songwriter and leader, dropped an excellent EP under the moniker Lilts that further drove home the reverb-drenched guitars with dream-pop melodies. Now, he's back as Wild Pink and their new song "Air Drumming Fix You" is a sprawling, gorgeous track that fits nicely in the pocket of the sound he's been crafting for years. It also happens to be a song about air drumming to the Coldplay song "Fix You." Starting off with an electronic beat that recalls somber sounds of a post-punk '80s tunes, it quickly blossoms into something that springs to life with a pastel hue and soft glow. As Ross' lyrics run on, he expresses the idea of how things shape up and determines that often the good life might not be exactly how it you dreamed it to be as the vastness of the song begins to come into full realization. The majestic tones never fade out and only crystalize as the song progresses. Moving saxophone floats to the top of the back half of the song that gives it a wandering quality as it drifts off, never without purpose, but with a free form feeling that adds to the expansive nature of the band's soothing sounds.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/N5MBB3IvzUA?si=_5sSTkiU_1d9zGm4" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div>marchttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02798581071887591242noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31922716.post-91954098377289229382024-03-06T19:29:00.004-05:002024-03-06T19:29:40.310-05:00Iron & Wine - "All in Good Time" (ft Fiona Apple)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEeXlppLe0lb_wB0WndAzY7SaMjGsLrWnm-rPZ3nArigkLjEF-NnFqEnEZa_6cT7qwaijm3imwOuEofZih9Q0RVs5EbfGYphHPWyTCW4lqoL9OIcPQGiVtoUJ2UsK3QcRYr12jgPVBIeYODfyCF0jtozBJyqW9XZGrNlV5rkIMPFeLLS4f39Ae/s720/i&w.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="720" height="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEeXlppLe0lb_wB0WndAzY7SaMjGsLrWnm-rPZ3nArigkLjEF-NnFqEnEZa_6cT7qwaijm3imwOuEofZih9Q0RVs5EbfGYphHPWyTCW4lqoL9OIcPQGiVtoUJ2UsK3QcRYr12jgPVBIeYODfyCF0jtozBJyqW9XZGrNlV5rkIMPFeLLS4f39Ae/w400-h400/i&w.jpeg" width="600" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Sam Beam, best known to many as Iron & Wine, has enlisted Fiona Apple to duet on the wonderful new song "All in Good Time."<div><br /></div><span><a name='more'></a></span><div>It's pretty wild to think that it's been longer since we heard a proper solo studio album from Iron & Wine (seven years) than Fiona Apple (four years), but alas, that will change rather soon. In April, Sam Beam will release his first new studio album of Iron & Wine material since 2017's <i>Beast Epic</i> and it features the lovely new song "All in Good Time." While she shares no writing credits on the song, the track is a proper duet that sounds equally like a joint effort between the two and is one of the more joyful songs we've heard Fiona sing in quite some time. Shining with a certain cinematic quality to it, it's easy to imagine this one hitting as the credits roll or as touching montage scene plays. There's a jovial attitude that floats throughout as well as the two singers reckon about being on their own, while a glimmer of hope cuts through with a sense of optimism towards the future. While it's not the showstopping follow-up to Apple's own <i>Fetch the Bolt Cutters</i>, it's hard to imagine being anything but pleased by the outcome here and basking in the glory it holds. Rustic acoustic guitar and touching piano only bolster the song's glow, adding to its moving feelings and giving it a sense timeless quality; a song to last for the ages. There are elegant swells of strings that add to the ache and at times the sadness of looking back on the past, but it all settles as the singers look towards what potential greatness may still lie ahead, their sense that things can't be rushed, but how what's meant to be will eventually find its way, all in good time.</div><div><br /></div><div><i>Light Verse</i> is out April 26.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/vI8z6A15wTA?si=h77qXNSXfrTJgFXs" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div>marchttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02798581071887591242noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31922716.post-69070453925831593742024-03-05T23:10:00.002-05:002024-03-05T23:10:31.867-05:00Amaro Freitas played (le) poisson rouge<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhrYfwBdDzEPSkieWJajqayPDH4XyOTcbB_sHwOUA_T7nnUGdR-PLoGDQL4PkuvNJZRoE3TTBQG8YfBYEE1NFZrYtbCr6r47FIlUo_AqD8Ud3gD0bg0QV5xOeiTVCHA-LOQTSLZ6j1gRnte8lOVyZcxY4217PKuHNPmc7rQHIcxx5cFB1Hh7ZE/s720/aflpr.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="720" height="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhrYfwBdDzEPSkieWJajqayPDH4XyOTcbB_sHwOUA_T7nnUGdR-PLoGDQL4PkuvNJZRoE3TTBQG8YfBYEE1NFZrYtbCr6r47FIlUo_AqD8Ud3gD0bg0QV5xOeiTVCHA-LOQTSLZ6j1gRnte8lOVyZcxY4217PKuHNPmc7rQHIcxx5cFB1Hh7ZE/w400-h400/aflpr.jpeg" width="600" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Amaro Freitas' new album <i>Y'Y</i> was released last week and on Tuesday, he came to (le) poisson rouge for his second ever New York City show and first-ever headlining appearance.</div><div><br /></div><div><span><a name='more'></a></span><div>Filling (le) poisson rouge with a captive audience, most of whom were seated at dinner tables, Brazilian jazz pianist Amaro Freitas performed a solo set full of magic and wonder, his deep sense of spiritual connections forever present and a direct source of inspiration for the night at hand. On the cover of his new album comes a notes that declares "Freitas' work has always been an attempt to rescue things that came before colonization. With <i>Y'Y</i>, Freitas further codifies his fresh 'decolonized' interpretation of Brazilian jazz, one the may well shatter preconceived notions of what jazz can be" and his work on stage took that notion even further. Drawing from modern classical piano motifs that at times defied rhythm and lyrical melodies was juxtaposed with what Freitas has described as sounds of the Amazon that he recreates live on stage. There are ambient moments that recalled the tranquil work of Hiroshi Yoshimura's classic records <i>Green</i> or <i>Surround</i> and his ability to bring these recordings to life through careful percussive looping and padding of the piano was a remarkable thing to witness. Fitting in to the style of the moment along with other breakthrough ambient and astral jazz pieces by the likes of André 3000 or Shabaka Hutchings and Brandee Younger, both of whom are featured on the new album, it was exciting to see such a responsive crowd who felt truly devoted to the performance, engaging in harmonized chanting or following instructions on how to be the rhythm section of the song by learning hand claps to keep the beat live on the spot. His own transfixion with the piano was hypnotic enough in itself, his fingers running the length of the keys almost in the fashion of playing them like the strings of a harp, the tingling sensation adding wondrous texture on its own, without the addition of his drums, bells, and whistles. His tributes and ties to nature gave the show a grounding sensation, the pull of the music keeping the crowd locked-in, gazes firmly placed on Amaro and nothing else, his enchantment was magnetic and majestic. At the conclusion of each number, the crowd roared with excitement, the pure elation that had been built-up during the song seeing release in the form of utter joy and a beckoning for more. A nourishing and refreshing set, it brought forth a state of bliss that lingered throughout the venue, a collective feeling of calm and peace reflected across the crowd as the night came to a close, everyone now residing in a new mindset of chill. As the twinkling piano faded, it was like awakening from a dream, fully recharged and ready to start a new.</div></div>marchttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02798581071887591242noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31922716.post-17025288351713898142024-03-05T18:10:00.002-05:002024-03-05T18:10:44.328-05:00Blitzen Trapper - "Hello Hallelujah"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9q6QxA3c0xPmUWDJJZunw9MUad0AfIU11vCapWABYzOK9lvjHpFGM7IDn3ESwWl7CiN6Y8BBRqlEeLIeG8eK5JXVMC6izN5TN6UhPxNzymSj7_HUrMsTQ_2BxIWw6q2dM5iia7XYYiTp3MJ5qN_TPGRc5J_Q5a4rG_sMhbP3AqU_Y-JhIuPbo/s1200/blitzen.trapper.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1200" height="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9q6QxA3c0xPmUWDJJZunw9MUad0AfIU11vCapWABYzOK9lvjHpFGM7IDn3ESwWl7CiN6Y8BBRqlEeLIeG8eK5JXVMC6izN5TN6UhPxNzymSj7_HUrMsTQ_2BxIWw6q2dM5iia7XYYiTp3MJ5qN_TPGRc5J_Q5a4rG_sMhbP3AqU_Y-JhIuPbo/w400-h400/blitzen.trapper.jpeg" width="600" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Blitzen Trapper have shared the third single, "Hello Hallelujah," from their upcoming album <i>100's of 1000's, Millions of Billions</i>.<div><br /></div><span><a name='more'></a></span><div>For over twenty years, Blitzen Trapper have been making wooly, country-fried rock tunes that straddle the lines between folk and alt-country. Worn-in grooves and easy melodies have been part of their charm that peeked with their early records <i>Wild Mountain Nation</i> and <i>Furr</i>, but have resurfaced as of late, most recently on their last album, 2020's <i>Holy Smokes Future Jokes. </i>This year, the band will return with another album and it once again hones in on their sepia-toned takes on Americana inspired tunes that are ripe with steely electric guitar, bold acoustic flourishes, and steady rhythms. "Hello Hallelujah" is another Laurel Canyon-esque track that goes big on faded nostalgia and dusty, broken-in melodies that feel instantly familiar. There isn't new ground to be broken here, but the hallmarks of the band ring true with simple psychedelia and pastoral moments that were inspired by lead singer and primary songwriter Eric Earley's early songwriting days. According to Earley, "this whole project grew out of a box of old four-track tapes from the '90s that I found recently," he explains of <i>100’s of 1000’s, Millions of Billions</i>. "The tapes were full of songs I'd written and recorded back when I was 19 or 20 years old, and the sound and the spirit of those recordings got me excited to start writing music again, to go back to working the way I did when I was first starting out."</div><div><br /></div><div><i>100’s of 1000’s, Millions of Billions</i> is out May 17.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe seamless="" src="https://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/album=3692876616/size=large/bgcol=ffffff/linkcol=0687f5/tracklist=false/artwork=small/track=1962159290/transparent=true/" style="border: 0; height: 120px; width: 100%;"><a href="https://blitzentrapper.bandcamp.com/album/100s-of-1000s-millions-of-billions">100's of 1000's, Millions of Billions by Blitzen Trapper</a></iframe></div>marchttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02798581071887591242noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31922716.post-12223466123806972702024-02-29T19:49:00.005-05:002024-02-29T19:49:46.815-05:00Bully - "Atom Bomb"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT4mO8Rm7-b_r37i7t1UYB2t8W3MZ8XaW570JglhCA9u4Cq6hTEw_obTOmzLeqRMw4aaiTFFM5-zrZ5CDR8im9P9Gjvd43UTPmDID-uPmx3tn1pj8fnwZPExiSWgFerx9Benjnf-xdZbu6oQ1mUYZHBpLbXj8mgVRE4kdorBJ1K53ANDkzPSGm/s1000/Bully-Atom-Bomb-1709216500.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="1000" height="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT4mO8Rm7-b_r37i7t1UYB2t8W3MZ8XaW570JglhCA9u4Cq6hTEw_obTOmzLeqRMw4aaiTFFM5-zrZ5CDR8im9P9Gjvd43UTPmDID-uPmx3tn1pj8fnwZPExiSWgFerx9Benjnf-xdZbu6oQ1mUYZHBpLbXj8mgVRE4kdorBJ1K53ANDkzPSGm/w400-h400/Bully-Atom-Bomb-1709216500.png" width="600" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Alicia Bognanno, aka Bully, has shared a new one-off single, "Atom Bomb."<div><br /></div><span><a name='more'></a></span><div>When Bully announced their latest single was called "Atom Bomb," it wasn't crazy to expect a killer guitar anthem with powerful hooks and a raging chorus that would naturally fit with the band's alt-rock inspired catalogue. Instead, Alicia Bognanno has pulled a fast one on us. Switching up her grunge-loaded rocking tunes for a powerful, piano-driven ballad was one of the last things I expected as a follow-up to last year's ripping <i>Lucky for You</i>, but even with the curveball move, "Atom Bomb" is still an excellent new song that shows the wide, dynamic range of Bognanno's songwriting capabilities. It's a bold and brave move for an artist that has really embraced her previous sound, but the vulnerability that comes with such left-hand turns is part of what making art is all about and Alicia has proven that escaping her comfort zone can still yield high-quality results. When speaking about the track, she remarked:<br /><br /></div><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><div style="text-align: left;"><i>The song was originally recorded with a drum machine and electric guitar; it was also quite a bit faster. When I played the demo for JT Daly (producer), he had the idea of moving it to the piano. I remember saying out loud, "Can you believe I’m trusting anybody like this?" We both started laughing because starting off as someone who used to record, mix, and produce their own records to avoid the vulnerability that comes with working out creative ideas in the company of others, it was a huge step for me. That was our first real bonding moment, acknowledging that we were mutually up for trying new things and seeing each other’s ideas through before one of us shut it down.</i></div></blockquote><div><br /></div><div>Hopefully we'll hear more from Bognanno soon, although <i>Lucky for You</i> is still plenty fresh, but it's great to hear more from her already and exciting to see where the band goes next.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Atom Bomb" is out now.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/MoeUHk4pI34?si=sqPLHuEGV3X4pOTd" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div>marchttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02798581071887591242noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31922716.post-70423123407412493662024-02-28T19:07:00.000-05:002024-02-28T19:07:52.023-05:00Mdou Moctar - "Funeral for Justice"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0juV_L6nvl3EgDo5JTocDZqWk2h4kwkEtsDLN9vQGwzUje9SsCOkNOIngvxLCL4xcsr7wGR5R03BA-J4rf9B0C25olJzA1e4i53yGfv2a5dqSZx5IHzVj91gg2-t44oCewIsYvHai8QPLQ2Mvcd5fWyaVnSvTNZuMN1Rxhuox4CkvvAFzUnPy/s1000/MdouMoctar-FuneralForJustice-3000px-1709080384-1000x1000.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="1000" height="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0juV_L6nvl3EgDo5JTocDZqWk2h4kwkEtsDLN9vQGwzUje9SsCOkNOIngvxLCL4xcsr7wGR5R03BA-J4rf9B0C25olJzA1e4i53yGfv2a5dqSZx5IHzVj91gg2-t44oCewIsYvHai8QPLQ2Mvcd5fWyaVnSvTNZuMN1Rxhuox4CkvvAFzUnPy/w400-h400/MdouMoctar-FuneralForJustice-3000px-1709080384-1000x1000.png" width="600" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Mdou Moctar has announced a new studio album to follow 2021's marvelous <i>Afrique Victime</i> and has shared the title-track and lead single, "Funeral for Justice."</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><span><a name='more'></a></span><div>In case you're unaware, Mdou Moctar rock. And I don't just mean they're a great band, they are, but rather they absolutely shred their guitars and match the intensity on their drumming unlike most other bands right now. Fusing together psychedelic riffs that channel guitar virtuosos of the past along with furious rhythms, they're a band that seems unstoppable on stage and their records back up their performances with an almighty power as well. Today, the band has announced a new album and shared the title-track as the first single. No surprise, it absolutely rips. Fresh out the gates, Mdou (the band's namesake member and lead songwriter/guitar shredder) wastes no time slashing away at his guitar to bring these electric riffs into full view as the drums come crashing in to back up the energy with some serious vigor and intensity. It's a ferocious approach and the song sounds as if it's about to fly off the rails at any moment, the rhythm cutting back into place just when it seems like all hell is about to break loose. The record itself is a political one that was inspired by Moctar getting stranded in the U.S. at the end of last year's tour due to a political coup taking place in their home country of Niger. "This album is really different for me," Moctar explained. "Now the problems of terrorist violence are more serious in Africa. When the US and Europe came here, they said they're going to help us, but what we see is really different. They never help us to find a solution." He continued to say "I don't support the coup, but I never in my life liked France in my country. I don't hate France or French people, I don't hate American people either, but I don't support their manipulative policies, what they do in Africa." Joining the conversation, producer and bassist Mikey Coltun added "Mdou Moctar has been a strong anti-colonial band ever since I've been a part of it. France came in, fucked up the country, then said 'you're free.' And they're not."</div><div><br /></div><div><i>Funeral for Justice</i> is out May 3.<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/gwRgJ66ylpU?si=_krimPzZlKWcIydT" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div>marchttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02798581071887591242noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31922716.post-35271834227324226532024-02-27T18:09:00.000-05:002024-02-27T18:09:20.630-05:00Armand Hammer - "Doves" (ft Benjamin Booker)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyRjT-X7PkXBubr669BzbKOgv5xy2yjdpIkRPk2U6V3ksWzXb6nrjs81WTu5mo03NCCX1VaQVgHew83LjfX0sX1BLTR6-ikFMgIYZ___EvcCxf7pPnpZK953Oz3g5ZNdMKkRBAFS5J8uJFdESMKFHF31CQEIaSUz2HOrGZcqxqiFRWUZW6VtDd/s1000/armand.hammer.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="1000" height="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyRjT-X7PkXBubr669BzbKOgv5xy2yjdpIkRPk2U6V3ksWzXb6nrjs81WTu5mo03NCCX1VaQVgHew83LjfX0sX1BLTR6-ikFMgIYZ___EvcCxf7pPnpZK953Oz3g5ZNdMKkRBAFS5J8uJFdESMKFHF31CQEIaSUz2HOrGZcqxqiFRWUZW6VtDd/w400-h400/armand.hammer.jpeg" width="600" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Armand Hammer have dropped a bonus track that's been tacked on to last year's excellent album, <i>We Buy Diabetic Test Strips</i>.<div><br /></div><span><a name='more'></a></span><div>ELUCID and billy woods are two of the hardest working dudes in hip hop. In addition to dropping their excellent record last year, woods also released his own album (my favorite of 2023) and the year prior, they each had solo records as well. Just last month, the duo announced a tour-exclusive vinyl-only album that would be available in limited quantities at their upcoming shows (they also have a pop-up announced for New York City this coming Friday where it seems the album will be for sale as well). Despite this exhaustive list of releases and a tour to boot, Armand Hammer are back today with the sprawling track "Doves" which was recorded in the same sessions that resulted in last year's <i>We Buy Diabetic Test Strips. </i>Always ones to push the envelop, "Doves" doesn't feature any drums and is almost beat-free. For the first three and a half minutes, we hear some muffled vocals and distant melodies which finally crack into some warped guitar notes, dissonant pianos, and the duo's distilled vocals. There are some notes that resonate with "Stonefruit," the epic closer to 2021's <i>Haram</i> which was produced by The Alchemist, and it feels as if this could be cut from the same cloth, although this was produced by Kenny Segal (the man behind the decks of woods' last record as well). It's a loose joint filled with smokey atmospheric production, dusty grooves, and minimal rapping. Still, it's a profoundly impactful track that builds a world around itself, not quite as abstract and intimidating as you'd might expect, but still a far cry from something you'd expect to hear on the radio. The video for the track comes from Japanese director Ryosuke Tanzawa who commented: "I was very much looking forward to doing a video for Armand Hammer ('Tabula Rasa' & 'Stone Fruit' are important tracks me), but I never expected something nine minutes long, with basically everything… It’s quiet and loud, intimate and vast, beautiful and ugly — all of those things in one." The shots from the video were captured on iPhone and Super 8 camera and the black and white imagery is a perfect companion to the dystopian vibes that are so elegantly on display.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Doves" has been added to steaming versions of <i>We Buy Diabetic Test Strips </i>and will be added to physical versions soon.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/boQTfioZhbk?si=J0-AXZcdm4YPg2Tj" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div>marchttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02798581071887591242noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31922716.post-3123796364064281072024-02-26T23:34:00.002-05:002024-02-27T00:04:59.993-05:00The Kills played Webster Hall (Night 1)<div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5uPZbsAbmlMbIKg-NxBRD_-WTy72q6Xm1BzIxDFqj8BF1PX2xtdFxm-rm7JvN7MyE3EODwlodIvlUxxpYcNhQ7VwF5qtOS6j8Cf5nJN5G_mly47CkXPuKstub6MTijV541wuH9kr_kILfQu5yLs-uHcDETbfAiLbLdO1hZwwj2fMPv5hKdo_8/s1170/IMG_4656.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1170" data-original-width="1170" height="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5uPZbsAbmlMbIKg-NxBRD_-WTy72q6Xm1BzIxDFqj8BF1PX2xtdFxm-rm7JvN7MyE3EODwlodIvlUxxpYcNhQ7VwF5qtOS6j8Cf5nJN5G_mly47CkXPuKstub6MTijV541wuH9kr_kILfQu5yLs-uHcDETbfAiLbLdO1hZwwj2fMPv5hKdo_8/w400-h400/IMG_4656.jpg" width="600" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Halfway through their latest U.S. tour in support of last year's record <i>God Games</i>, The Kills arrived at New York City's Webster Hall for their first of two back-to-back shows.<div><br /></div><span><a name='more'></a></span><div>For over two decades, Alison Mosshart and Jamie Hince have been making blues-inspired rock tracks that dabble in glam, grunge, and garage with a bit of synths thrown into the mix as well. On the surface it seems like so many things, but when you get right down to it, it's maximum rock and roll through and through. For a duo that mainly relies on shredding guitar and a drum machine, their ability to broadcast their sound with such power and scope is something they've crafted into fine form over the years and as they took to the stage in front of a sold-out crowd on Monday evening, they were set to prove that the past twenty years have led to this moment and their ability to strike a blaze remains firmly intact. Leather jackets, biker boots, and some occasional leopard print was the attire of desire for the evening and you'd be hard-pressed to find anyone in the room under the impression that skinny jeans are out, Mosshart and Hince also fully committed to their effortlessly cool style as yell, decked out in black with their endless swagger dripping from the stage. Whipping her hair like a rag doll, Alison paraded around the stage with endless head bangs, giving in to the rhythm of each song and losing herself to the tunes just before she'd grab the mic to deliver the next lyric. Bursts of noise-pop were charged-up moments of the night and Jamie's guitar was sounding extra-loud and revved-up for the occasion, hitting scorching blasts of power riffs to kick-off each song as endless drum loops helped keep things in place as the their blown-out fuzz filled the room. While their set-up is minimal, again the band limits themselves to at most two guitars, a mellotron, a ton of pedals, and a drum machine, the band's sound is maximal and the contrast is what helps make their show so compelling. Mosshart drives the attention through her huntress-like stage demeanor and Hince pumps up the volume with his shrapnel-esque guitar clangs to give the band a mighty presence which they own with such vigor and confidence, imposing like the rock stars they are and making sure everyone in the room is feeding off the energy the band has harnessed from the crowd. Pounding his instrument with a closed fist and then flicking his strings with open fingers, Hince added subtle textures to really enhance the metallic sounds that rang out from his axe, setting the tone for Mosshart to deliver her smokey howl. The setlist stuck primarily to last year's <i>God Games</i>, but there were old favorites, like starting the night with "Kissy Kissy" and "U.R.A. Fever" before adding in "Baby Says" rather early on that got the crowd to really come alive, but there was something special about hearing the new tune "New York" played in front of its namesake crowd. "Doing it to Death" and "Future Starts Slow" were other big hits that got a massive cheer from the crowd (and having some extra back-up singers really was a nice touch too), but when they ended the night with "Sour Cherry," it was clear that this was one that fans had desperately wanted to hear. Rock and roll was in high fashion on this Monday night and no one was looking cooler doing it than the Kills, reminding us all that no matter what, rock has stood the test of time and no matter what else comes our way, relying on something so indestructible has never felt more right.</div>marchttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02798581071887591242noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31922716.post-48866810604615818042024-02-25T01:37:00.002-05:002024-02-25T01:51:49.454-05:00Godspeed You! Black Emperor played Knockdown Center<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUZL0X1zt0zKDVwEgS69GHa6gk3VS4Fl3aw5fj7KhXRZKkoG4JLbRSh-x5sVC_S86eckX0hDMpPgB6pcHJ5OEh8xMgW8qiCSqD-eJ4Vl8MHQGwgK3t2BE52KKNGE5RBdH0tx-MnDS4jz0I2AoY14r7eulUayNUsVwofy2zi46PDIKs_jEGK2mQ/s1536/Outline-Feb24-IG-SQPost-2-1536x1536.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="1536" height="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUZL0X1zt0zKDVwEgS69GHa6gk3VS4Fl3aw5fj7KhXRZKkoG4JLbRSh-x5sVC_S86eckX0hDMpPgB6pcHJ5OEh8xMgW8qiCSqD-eJ4Vl8MHQGwgK3t2BE52KKNGE5RBdH0tx-MnDS4jz0I2AoY14r7eulUayNUsVwofy2zi46PDIKs_jEGK2mQ/w400-h400/Outline-Feb24-IG-SQPost-2-1536x1536.jpeg" width="600" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Post-rock icons Godspeed You! Black Emperor played their first show of 2024 in front of a sold-out crowd at Knockdown Center in Queens as part of the Outline winter program.<div><br /></div><span><a name='more'></a></span><div>The long walk from the subway stop in Brooklyn to the Knockdown Center in Queens requires you to traverse through an industrial section of the city where the boroughs converge, nightlife dies down, and the whistling winter winds are the only soundtrack amongst cars that pass by on the long stretch of city highways. It feels like the most appropriate way to get to a Godspeed You! Black Emperor show and once you arrive at the venue, a monstrous old warehouse with wood beams and brick facades, it's hard to imagine wanting to see them any place else. Taking the stage in their typical darkness, the ensemble filled the room with a low rumble of droning bass as they gather behind their respective instruments: a drum kit, additional percussion sections, three electric guitars, a violin, an electric bass, and more, their line-up recalling a modern symphony more so than an indie rock institution. As the would hope began to flash in a handwritten scrawl on the screen behind them, the band slowly started to shape their buzzing sound into more structured rhythms and melodies that would soon soar to marvelous heights, their massive, moving, and mesmerizing squalls reaching towards the heavens and crashing back down with thunderous results. Behind the band, projections of blossoming flowers, protests, landscapes, forest fires, burning coastlines, free-falling aircrafts, and other dystopian images raged on, the projectionist taking on the task of providing these rather stark visuals in place of your typical lighting effects. Godspeed have always presented themselves as a unit with no clear leader, a democratic group that operates like a well-oiled machine, everyone coming in at their exact right part and no one taking a spotlight to solo or take the attention away from the collective. The physicality of their music also lends itself to a live setting and while they generally sound best when played on tangible media anyway, primarily vinyl with it's locked-grooves and seamless transitions, watching the band slowly build these songs on stage and breathe life into them with each swelling movement highlights just how magical the band can be, the experience like being put in a trance and witnessing things shift from black and white to a full spectrum of color. For so long, Godspeed has felt like a clarion call to the darkness that lay ahead, the reckoning, the apocalypse. Even without offering any lyrics, their music felt poised to soundtrack the end of times. On their most recent album, 2021's <i>G_d's Pee AT STATE'S END!</i>, the band made a shift towards a sound that felt more hopeful, optimistic, and for the first time ever, almost encouraging and this show also gave way to something that felt exciting and blissful. Even if the darkness they long-ago predicted has actually arrived, and looking at the current events of late, that doesn't feel all that far off, their music now hits like an aid or a blocker to the madness. Godspeed is now giving us music that feels inspiring or at times, protective and tonight they debut an album's worth of brand new material which should materialize into an actual record by the end of the year. The new songs were epic and providing thrilling moments that match up with their strongest work of the past, a real treat for fans who were left with their heads spinning, transfixed by what was unfolding in front of them. This setting in particular maximized the percussive elements of the group, the music sounding stronger and hitting with more power than ever before adding even more mysticism to their already legendary status. The final crescendo of the night hit with astronomical force, the strings and percussion rallying together in a unified effort, striking with crushing purpose as if God himself was breaking through to deliver a moment of absolute triumph, totally sublime in every aspect. For an hour and a half, Godspeed You! Black Emperor transcended time and space like only they can and provided an escape from the world at large taking us on a cosmic journey that briefly vanished over a decade ago, but has since returned with full-force to save us from the world they warned us about. To be able to hear the debut of new music from one of the all-time greats was just an extra bonus of the evening. How lucky for us.</div>marchttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02798581071887591242noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31922716.post-29156154958051916542024-02-23T18:02:00.000-05:002024-02-23T18:02:04.668-05:00Cakes da Killa - "Do Dat Baby" (ft Dawn Richard)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJFNPeH1qoILd_Rjep9nPKhhvKmzUV0UTWZRSSUF6YmO3An42_aqdCO98fnoQtoB7vgjEZsQFFLo7MLb6JojYbO69bI86uoNQrWIFvi2zQF1FjSwneEnT3Ri1o4B13JYjOWDkV3gPd9kyKD6SLLTTAn43dKwjhyphenhyphenxOQ8_KHM3teSW_JfF6Fcto1/s500/cakesdakilla.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="500" height="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJFNPeH1qoILd_Rjep9nPKhhvKmzUV0UTWZRSSUF6YmO3An42_aqdCO98fnoQtoB7vgjEZsQFFLo7MLb6JojYbO69bI86uoNQrWIFvi2zQF1FjSwneEnT3Ri1o4B13JYjOWDkV3gPd9kyKD6SLLTTAn43dKwjhyphenhyphenxOQ8_KHM3teSW_JfF6Fcto1/w400-h400/cakesdakilla.jpeg" width="600" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Following last month's announcement of a new album, Cakes da Killa has shared the excellent second single, "Do Dat Baby," which features a guest spot from Dawn Richard.<div><br /></div><span><a name='more'></a></span><div>New York rapper Cakes da Killa blurs the lines between hip-hop, house, and funk better than most and on his latest single, he brings Dawn Richard into the mix and elevates his sound to an all-time career high. Bouncing rhythms and glorious funkified grooves are pushed to the max on "Do Dat Baby" and it's nearly impossible to sit still as the track takes things to the extreme, providing the ultimate party vibes that will surely keep you moving all night long. It's a banging track that's full of energy and nothing but good times, bringing flash and a splash of glam to the underground. "'Do Dat Baby' is a sensual track that makes me feel like an early 2000s video vixen; the blueprint to everything that's fabulous," Cakes da Killa said in a statement. "I'm super excited Dawn agreed to hop on the record. She's an artist I've watched since the beginning and I'm still pinching myself." Seeing the excitement that stems from both artists makes the appeal all that more thrilling and adds to the joyous nature that already permeates from the track. "I've been excited about the new wave of artists in house and underground dance," Richard added. "Cakes is an energy you can't pass up and the record is the party you want to be invited to." It's a party for sure and this one will surely have you raging until the sun comes up or until the lights finally come on in the club.</div><div><br /></div><div><i>Black Sheep</i> is out March 22.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Em-v8kkLTI4?si=9GNYy8URD980jInS" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div>marchttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02798581071887591242noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31922716.post-68279414205358222072024-02-21T19:19:00.002-05:002024-02-21T19:19:21.927-05:00Container - "ERASER"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQnrW8sB0rjX76JpWxdhDdRhsZPtEAo4vP5BAaSP33m7FVE5YrLa6OfvbmSAwilHZUKw1gjMFD6WZ1t6vOF3iG4M5mjYlee0F5DYixea5d0bhT9oRzQL4cD3e_I-FsXKmfw-bEFJ6ak491AHdOer4J69GBy5li57nvVQTfsqsdhUSMisw-l7Sj/s1200/container.yacker.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1181" height="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQnrW8sB0rjX76JpWxdhDdRhsZPtEAo4vP5BAaSP33m7FVE5YrLa6OfvbmSAwilHZUKw1gjMFD6WZ1t6vOF3iG4M5mjYlee0F5DYixea5d0bhT9oRzQL4cD3e_I-FsXKmfw-bEFJ6ak491AHdOer4J69GBy5li57nvVQTfsqsdhUSMisw-l7Sj/w394-h400/container.yacker.jpeg" width="600" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Ren Schofield is back with his brand new music under his moniker Container and "ERASER" is the lead single from his forthcoming album, <i>YACKER</i>.<div><br /></div><span><a name='more'></a></span><div>Last we heard from Ren Schofield's project Container was 2021's <i>Creamer</i> EP, but today he's announced a new album is due in April and shared the first, explosive preview; the new song "ERASER." Taking cues from underground noise and mixing it with his hard-hitting blasts of techno, Container slams back into the fold with blistering sonics and ragged beats that wouldn't sound out of place on a Lightning Bolt record. Citing rock music as a main inspiration, this is some physical music that takes on a life of its own outside the usual parameters you may expect while still maintaining the abrasive and intense moments that Container has so masterfully created in the past. Still, even with rock as a main component, this is still extreme electronic music that revs its engines with sinister bliss, jacking up the BPMs to white-knuckle velocities that are sure to put you into a trance. Pushing the limits of audio-overload with a break-neck pace and agitated rhythms, this music isn't for the faint of heart, but giving into the groove and surrendering to the noise can also result in a more playful mood. From the press release: "<i>Yacker</i> strikes an even balance between heavy, relentless, joyful, silly, and sloppy. Think Lollapalooza 1996 held at Berghain 2006 and you are somewhere on the way to formulating this fresh new insanity from one of the contemporary electronic music scene's more playful pioneers."</div><div><br /></div><div><i>YACKER</i> is out April 5.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Bnw1_r18vj4?si=pXsIuzCqqKPf5bvh" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div>marchttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02798581071887591242noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31922716.post-25402512555225046462024-02-20T19:15:00.005-05:002024-02-20T19:15:49.522-05:00Nourished by Time - "Hand on Me" <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5HhtXosJg9g3neM9zIV9n8SVpdOLY0CkL-TgGl3AcVZ60Db5ipwJixC-ZoORcFoMh7eWMQ7WS1wXvj9XsoLNBynlK4isUBMAKlU4S8PmZpOGyvRyU2rZ3u-RKJa9G1ToExvXG92BMvDKIxNfeMnxkQNYDQ8AzZCeF6yTUqx5301xdmxXhgg_B/s970/catching.chickens.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="970" data-original-width="970" height="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5HhtXosJg9g3neM9zIV9n8SVpdOLY0CkL-TgGl3AcVZ60Db5ipwJixC-ZoORcFoMh7eWMQ7WS1wXvj9XsoLNBynlK4isUBMAKlU4S8PmZpOGyvRyU2rZ3u-RKJa9G1ToExvXG92BMvDKIxNfeMnxkQNYDQ8AzZCeF6yTUqx5301xdmxXhgg_B/w400-h400/catching.chickens.jpeg" width="600" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Following last year's excellent album <i>Erotic Probiotic 2</i>, Baltimore's Nourished by Time has announced a new EP and shared the buoyant new song, "Hand on Me."<div><br /></div><span><a name='more'></a></span><div>Taking neon-soaked synths and an underlying love of 90's R&B beats, Nourished by Time has arrived on the scene with a fully-realized sound that comes across as much as a tribute to a genre's heyday as it does a new, resounding take on sonic tones that can often feel rehashed and outdated. His voice croons with an angelic flair as soft beats take shape below his glowing rhymes, rapping and singing with pulsing passion as electrified rhythms help bring the song into a more singular vision. With just over a minute to go, the song hits overdrive as the synths take over with stunning clarity, cracking the track wide open and allowing Nourished by Time to take things to the next level with sparkling fashion. It's a marriage of bedroom pop with the sensational grooves of dancefloor R&B that gives it a unique twist while feeling instantly nostalgic as well as wickedly fresh. Having recently signed with XL Recordings, the trajectory of the songwriter's career is set to hit new heights and with songs as strong as this one, it won't be a surprise to see his name rise amongst festival posters and bigger venues as the year moves along. </div><div><br /></div><div><i>Catching Chickens</i> is out March 22.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/IYXPDZHZcqg?si=WPyBL-ZKxn3J6Kq0" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div>marchttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02798581071887591242noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31922716.post-75239383815308112492024-02-07T19:01:00.000-05:002024-02-07T19:01:16.493-05:00Beth Gibbons - "Floating on a Moment"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisTcr5WGLFrp5mQeLvYPDaLLK_LYufD7Bj4iRWOgQE1qJX9azn8XY8J6i91BXAqX9CInecqKSJWfZ4RcnyLSAK6_fSYwDNDWzQd9eqtf1QG_THJcqfMZfAzOOEobWcex75OtFlQ1KuLpwv7jKMaJylPahF0ss621xf226PM4LmgoSqT_NiOVYg/s1000/beth-gibbons-lives-outgrown-1707250731.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="1000" height="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisTcr5WGLFrp5mQeLvYPDaLLK_LYufD7Bj4iRWOgQE1qJX9azn8XY8J6i91BXAqX9CInecqKSJWfZ4RcnyLSAK6_fSYwDNDWzQd9eqtf1QG_THJcqfMZfAzOOEobWcex75OtFlQ1KuLpwv7jKMaJylPahF0ss621xf226PM4LmgoSqT_NiOVYg/w400-h400/beth-gibbons-lives-outgrown-1707250731.jpeg" width="600" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>The Portishead lead singer has announced her solo debut album, <i>Lives Outgrown</i>, and it's due in May.</div><div><br /></div><span><a name='more'></a></span><div>For Portishead fans, the time between their self-titled sophomore record, <i>Portishead</i>, and their brilliant, aptly-named third album, <i>Third</i>, felt like an eternity. To think that the timespan between Third's release and now is nearly double is hard to fathom. Many fans still have hope that a fourth album may one day arrive and while the band has certainly hinted that nothing is impossible, that day doesn't seem anywhere close. While the return of the beloved trip-hop group may be dashing ever so slightly before our eyes, the band's lead singer has announced her first solo album will be out soon and she's shared the first single, the haunting "Floating on a Moment." Sparse guitar strings pluck out a melody that eerily recalls the work of her main band and you wouldn't be wrong for wondering if this was perhaps a demo or outtake from <i>Dummy</i>, but after a rather minimal thirty seconds, we finally hear Beth's voice, somehow beautifully preserved, recalling her holy, angelic croon, like no time has actually passed at all. Soft as chalk and pristine like fine china, Gibbons gently makes her way out of the shadows that creep around the edges of the track and moves into the spotlight with a bit of reserved power. We know what she's capable of and she does too, but here she still holds back, ever so slightly, calling us forward into the world she's painstakingly created. Beats are slow and steady and the song moves like molasses, weaving itself through ghostly choral moments and acoustic strings, giving space for Beth to unleash her crushing sorrow, proclaiming that "all we have is here and now." It's remarkable just how good she sounds, although we knew this was the case from her feature on Kendrick's last album, but it still feels as if we've discovered some kind of buried treasure. Recorded over a ten year span, her solo record has been a long-developing album and this soft introduction is a wonderful welcomed return.</div><div><br /></div><div><i>Lives Outgrown</i> is out May 17.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ldrx0eSqV-E?si=LC4KUFSvcRCxLYEt" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div>marchttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02798581071887591242noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31922716.post-74161906232997902132024-02-06T00:02:00.006-05:002024-02-06T09:11:01.854-05:00André 3000 played St Ann & The Holy Trinity Church<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimr8ze5HvdZSE3VTKQZxniNX-Y827zT5hKVUp3QT2nFqpskmCe1TEE30SnbVzamrezaE1alETOxVdrmwAWJ6dpV5yJRsVdZReydfsZo5kuINOvx2Xjz1OXm4rTm1GeQFNJVBWSOaZlU8HdgE7RW2SpjgMhTqvyp4P81AjB9a8zrT2QewGoT8qM/s2160/andre.stann.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2160" data-original-width="2160" height="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimr8ze5HvdZSE3VTKQZxniNX-Y827zT5hKVUp3QT2nFqpskmCe1TEE30SnbVzamrezaE1alETOxVdrmwAWJ6dpV5yJRsVdZReydfsZo5kuINOvx2Xjz1OXm4rTm1GeQFNJVBWSOaZlU8HdgE7RW2SpjgMhTqvyp4P81AjB9a8zrT2QewGoT8qM/w400-h400/andre.stann.jpeg" width="600" /></a></div><div><br /></div>In support of last year's excellent album <i>New Blue Sun</i>, the legendary André 3000 has brought a band to tour these musical meanderings and bring these sounds to life.<div><br /></div><span><a name='more'></a></span><div>André 3000 doesn't like to do anything half-assed. In the '90s, as one-half of the greatest hip-hop duo of all-time OutKast, he lept from the lyrical page like a rainbow-colored leopard and brought with him a whole new look and sound that would be complimented by his partner in crime Big Boi and assert the South as a new frontier in rap music. When it was time for the duo to cash in on their long-awaited reunion tour, their debut at Coachella left a lot of fans scratching their heads. Dressed in a hoodie and overalls, an outfit not too far-off from what he's been wearing as of late, 3 Stacks seemed like he wanted to be anywhere else than headlining one of the world's biggest music festivals. His energy was low and he never matched Antwon's level of enthusiasm. It was apparent and folks could tell. The next day, André received a call from Prince telling him he couldn't repeat his performance at the festival's second weekend. He needed to be better. <i>We </i>needed him to be better. The remainder of OutKast's reunion tour received far greater praise than that opening show and for each night following their performance in the desert, André returned to the persona (both in demeanor and fashion) that had been so vital and influential for so many. In the years since, the return to the spotlight has been something fans have longed for and his occassional appearances on other artists' records have held out some hope that one day the greatest MC to ever do it would pick up a microphone one more time and deliver bars that can make your head spin. </div><div><br /></div><div>So, in the fall of 2023 when the day finally came, when Mr Benjamin himself would announce that his long awaited solo-album wouldn't actually be a hip-hop record and would feature no bars, but instead it'd be nearly an one and a half of instrumental, flute-led ambient jazz, many fans became more confused than ever. Yet like I said, André doesn't like to do anything half-assed and for him to be true to himself as an artist, this was what he had to put out into the world. I, for one, am grateful. It's been said that Miles Davis changed music six or seven times in his career, and while I don't think Three Stacks has changed the world on this go around (he's certainly done it in the past), it's hard to think of a time when an artist has made this drastic of a shift in musical directions. In terms of social impact, it's like Dylan going electric at Newport, a career changing event to mark a pivotal time in their creative arc. It made me think back to what it must've been like in the late '50s when Ornette Coleman was revolutionizing the future of music with his landmark album <i>The Shape of Jazz to Come</i> and how outer-worldly it seemed at the time. Even Bon Iver's move from breakup album recorded in the woods to glitch-pop wonder felt more natural than the contrasts between <i>Idlewild,</i> OutKast's last studio album, and <i>New Blue Sun</i>, his solo debut. </div><div><br /></div><div>Now, on his first ever tour in support of this new album and musical direction, André has assembled the musicians that recorded the record and is leading them through traditional jazz and atypical hip-hop venues, wrapping up the first week in New York at Brooklyn's esteemed St Ann & The Holy Trinity Church. After some logistical pain points of getting people into the venue delayed the show by about an hour, the band took to the stage at the head of the congregation and with massive lightbulbs behind them, proceeded to transport the crowd through time and space with their ethereal jams of weightless wonder. Drifting through New Age and Environmental music, André lead the band with magical purpose, at times appearing etched in stone as he held his flute with distinct purpose, lights hitting him on the side resembling a statue of epic proportions. Ambient tones weaved in and out, winding their ways through the pews and a crowd that was frozen in a state of wonder. The pulsating lights were transfixing and glowed with such stunning sensation that as the music slowly began to build, it felt as if we were bring primed for takeoff. Following no distinct rhythm or path, it was noted that just like when they recorded everything live in the studio, the music had the power to take the band in any direction possible, the vibrations and sonics never being quite the same as the night before, thus giving each show and performance a unique point of view. </div><div><br /></div><div>There were moments when André would purr like a panther and encouraged the crowd to chime in with their own sounds and noises as they see fit. "We're not going to do a song and dance for you" he mentioned and told the crowd to just follow their instincts and respond in whatever way seemed best. Throughout the night, audience members would interject their own coos, growls, cheers, and wisps, joining the band and making for a living and breathing piece of art that was somewhere beyond a concert and more of a communal experience and exchanging of vibes. Everyone was part of the show and played a part in making the night unique beyond compare. At one moment the venue erupted in bird calls, the crowd echoing the sounds from the stage and joining in on the action. There were even times when it felt like the creaks of the building and shifting of the pews that added to the evening's overall texture. Lights spiraled against the backdrop of the church and up into the vaulted ceilings, also adding to the overall experience and transformative thoughts that filled the room. As the group headed towards the euphoria of free jazz, sounds whizzed the room, sparking a new direction towards vibrant intensity, the room coming alive with feelings of rejuvenation and enlightenment. The lighting intensified and at times replicated a fire behind the band, the church engulfed in flames as the music continued to swirl with rapturous embellishments. When things finally came to a close, everyone awoke from their state of mind and re-entered reality, but each of us will now have the ability to recall this time of pure elation and feeling of transcendence. A show that will forever be etched into minds and one that will remain heavy for quite some time to come. A spiritual odyssey of the most divine form. Now that's certainly something that can't be half-assed.</div>marchttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02798581071887591242noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31922716.post-87394860127012027032024-02-05T18:00:00.000-05:002024-02-05T18:00:42.466-05:00Shabazz Palaces - "Myths of the Occult"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiry7-Qfifp56O33j3MYmbnuxuA1KyWqec9ZPzQIqghRx0D4SHFGx8KZ96_wvDRB5HMU6iRcgUoSsLfdMchfGxE0nNyLoScWiRWMadsPuI1HaoET59xn37hvDkPtoNgTPAKONRwo5EQXg1ZjCjRAbv_5VjJUxuBDCqNwSUD_hoH_PfzL71sr9zH/s900/mythsoftheoccult.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="900" height="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiry7-Qfifp56O33j3MYmbnuxuA1KyWqec9ZPzQIqghRx0D4SHFGx8KZ96_wvDRB5HMU6iRcgUoSsLfdMchfGxE0nNyLoScWiRWMadsPuI1HaoET59xn37hvDkPtoNgTPAKONRwo5EQXg1ZjCjRAbv_5VjJUxuBDCqNwSUD_hoH_PfzL71sr9zH/w400-h400/mythsoftheoccult.jpeg" width="600" /></a></div><div><br /></div>A new Shabazz Palaces release is on the way and features the new single "Myths of the Occult."<div><br /></div><span><a name='more'></a></span><div>Ishmael Butterfly Butler floats between his OG group Digable Planets, the jazz-rap trio he's been part of since the '90s, and his new, spacier project Shabazz Palaces with the greatest of ease (from what I can tell), giving his full attention to each and while Planets haven't released a new record in nearly thirty years, Butler has been rather busy in the studio with the later. It was just this past fall when the group dropped their mini-album, <i>Robed in Rareness</i>, and now they'll follow it up in March with another collection of tunes, <i>Exotic Birds of Prey</i>, that features a smattering of guests. "Myths of the Occult" features Japreme Magnetic and while it clocks in at just under two minutes, the track clicks into gear with full force and gives a head spinning result in minimal time. Icy synths and a haunting, muffled voice gets the song started before forceful vocals come in hard once again leaving the track for the guests and not Butler himself. It's a sparse and direct tune that feels like one of the more down to Earth tracks we've heard from Shabazz in quite some time, but still sounds like practically no one else.</div><div><br /></div><div><i>Exotic Birds of Prey</i> is out March 29.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/eyrYN3GDnHg?si=1xtT4CItOpRuRKhv" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div>marchttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02798581071887591242noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31922716.post-18278816345389042202024-02-02T18:16:00.002-05:002024-02-02T18:16:41.511-05:00Burial - "Dreamfear" / "Boy Sent From Above"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYw5YgGX0a2hChg4N2IE9hVJ7pal5nrgtV_yyAUQA4P_LOOuBQQXuBHXwC-LRnjzvDzN2iDQO71Kpbs28eDPd_sWWhd50Kh1s2F5AJ-CeftX3N2S__9o9g4FL1wSpiz15K2pELoWbNEc-3Kv51YBlqR_YI3bDrWMedeJ8RiCdLbZSa-cpkJe-O/s1000/burial-dreamfear-xl-1705592427-1000x1000.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="1000" height="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYw5YgGX0a2hChg4N2IE9hVJ7pal5nrgtV_yyAUQA4P_LOOuBQQXuBHXwC-LRnjzvDzN2iDQO71Kpbs28eDPd_sWWhd50Kh1s2F5AJ-CeftX3N2S__9o9g4FL1wSpiz15K2pELoWbNEc-3Kv51YBlqR_YI3bDrWMedeJ8RiCdLbZSa-cpkJe-O/w400-h400/burial-dreamfear-xl-1705592427-1000x1000.jpeg" width="600" /></a></div><div><br /></div>After announcing that he'd signed to XL Recordings earlier in the year, Burial has returned with two new songs, "Dreamfear" and "Boy Sent From Above."<div><br /></div><span><a name='more'></a></span><div>A teaser video released at the beginning of January hinted that the elusive electronic artist had signed with XL Recordings, leaving his long-time home on Hyperdub. Shortly after, white label 12" singles appeared in select independent record stores in the US and Europe (possibly elsewhere too) and it was soon announced that there'd be an official release of these tracks on February 9. Well, a week ahead of schedule, Burial has made the songs available online (physical editions are still due next week). The two songs clock-in at nearly half an hour and each one elevates the artist's sound like we haven't heard in quite some time. Burial is known for creating minimal ambient drones of scratched samples that can distill into the ether, leaving haunting vibes in their wake. On the other side of the coin, he can also create stunning electro-numbers in the style of classic UK Garage and early Dubstep, leading the way as one of the most compelling artists in his genre from the past twenty-five years. His two new tunes for XL lean more into the hard-hitting beats and reach new heights that incorporate more elements of techno and club-ready bangers for some of his most mind-bending work to date. Halfway through "Dreamfear" he switches the beat on us, taking the track in an entirely new direction in a move we don't often see from him. "Boy Sent From Above" features a morphed vocal sample that we've heard from him before (it also gives the song its title) and once again moves at warp-speed, turning things on its head with every twist and turn. </div><div><br /></div><div>"Dreamfear" and "Boy Sent From Above" are out now, digitally, and out physically next week.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/9rsJAJ_ya-U?si=X1KEiX-1hroi7nmX" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/hM0rt5dH0fY?si=rFH3Ksla4QfdDd7e" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div>marchttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02798581071887591242noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31922716.post-57260943445057046282024-01-26T00:26:00.000-05:002024-01-26T00:26:10.780-05:00Wednesday and Hotline TNT played Brooklyn Steel<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNI_o_ojSthbOrzwP7tf4RGs3HtxNDguSqe5yT8SY1vryJ_n6mpceEDSakxIZfTc6v4SZzgczqtOzompQTdOvNdDk55TKZcreNzCaBWKPWxPaDrLoWg1J_HUSrNKa8OUN3Q6sQ4FQTZGftXgrIFyMf_-HHRrTz4maT2SMVBOgMkjs4TRUydwJD/s1200/wednesday.bksteel.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1200" height="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNI_o_ojSthbOrzwP7tf4RGs3HtxNDguSqe5yT8SY1vryJ_n6mpceEDSakxIZfTc6v4SZzgczqtOzompQTdOvNdDk55TKZcreNzCaBWKPWxPaDrLoWg1J_HUSrNKa8OUN3Q6sQ4FQTZGftXgrIFyMf_-HHRrTz4maT2SMVBOgMkjs4TRUydwJD/w400-h400/wednesday.bksteel.jpeg" width="600" /></a></div><br /><div>A sold-out Brooklyn Steel welcomed Wednesday and Hotline TNT with widespread enthusiasm that made for a killer show bubbling with righteous energy.</div><div><br /></div><span><a name='more'></a></span><div>Exploding on the scene last year with their swelling album <i>Cartwheel</i>, Hotline TNT have been crucial in the recent shoegaze resurgence and their live show only enhances the experience. Dropping into the opening song of their set one member at a time, the five-piece slowly built up a massive wall of sound that swirled around the stage before erupting in a full-blown rush of epic guitars and crushing drums. Thick riffs gave a whirling feel to each of their songs, taking elements of Madchester-style grooves with the mass of a dream-pop chorus to conjure up a sound that blew down the doors, as plumes of audio bliss rang out over the receptive crowd. After a great set from the first act of the night, Lowertown, the venue was packed for the second band of the night, a site rarely seen, but Hotline made it clear as to why people made it a point to get to the show to catch their act. Slamming on their effects pedals to amass more and more reverb, the band sculpted their tracks with volcanic blasts of shredded guitars that gave their set textured layers which washed over the crowd with extreme power. Following stunning renditions of "Protocol" and "I Thought You'd Change," both of which amplified the band's already massive sound and still empowered the crowd to bob along with pure joy, the group invited Wednesday's MJ Lenderman to the stage, increasing their guitar output to <i>four</i> as they jammed through a cover of Smashing Pumpkin's "Quiet," a tune that turned out to be anything but as Lenderman's extra oomph bolstered the band's already towering sound. Doing everything they could to rev up the crowd, the band's inclusion of hardcore melodies help bring the energy to a fever-pitch, perfectly setting the stage for what was to follow.</div><div><br /></div><div>Riding high on last year's epic album <i>Rat Saw God</i>, Wednesday played to their biggest NYC crowd yet as they took the headlining spot on this sensational bill and drove home their hits with unsurprising purpose. Shaking off their nerves throughout the night, the band eased into the set with their metallic guitar tones clanging in over a more pristine lap steel that all followed Karly Hartzman's blood-curdling scream, a sound that you can feel in the pit of your stomach and calls you forth to rage along with the band's unsuspecting primal force. Now with his primary band, Lenderman once again laid into his howling guitar licks, all of them screeching with desire and a cathartic sense of urgency, one that calls you into the moment and shakes you to your core. "Hot Rotten Gas Smell" rocked with killer passion and the crowd immediately gave in to the band, following their every move with a returned sense excitement. Throughout the nigh, Wednesday sprinkled in new songs, all of which were received with ecstatic replies, but it was the more recent tunes that got the most explosive reactions of the night. "Chosen to Deserve" was the turning point of the evening, the best song of last year beginning to push the meter in terms of intensity and seeing the band come to life. As strong as it was, Karly repeated a verse before catching herself and following along the fans to get back in line (a tripped-up moment she blamed on the surreallness of selling out the venue and I'll give it to her) and from that moment after, even with a few more lyrical jumbles, the band locked in and was ready to leave it all out on stage. Their cover of Gary Stewart's "She's Actin' Single (I'm Drinkin' Doubles)" was another smash hit and even saw Hartzman get into the crowd to sing the first half of the number, the band laying on the sludge extra-thick for the chorus which gave it a true Wednesday feel. "Turkey Vulture's" and "Quarry" continued the band's surge and as they maximized their sound, the crowd turned it up a notch as well. A pit opened up and soon a person crowd surfed to the stage, a moment that looked as if it blew the band's own mind on stage, but amped up the crowd even more. The mix of grunge and shoegaze with a bit of Crazy Horse twang is undeniable on stage and the sheer thrill of watching this crew bring these tunes to life is one of the strongest going right now and their magnetism is only strengthening. "This is our last song because my voice is absolutely shredded after I sing it so if you've got anything left in the tank, let's go" Karly directed before the band tore into "Bull Believer," their final and perhaps most triumphant moment of the night, the crowd going as hard as ever, the vicious screams unleashing all the pent-up aggression and feelings of frustrations in one major release, a moment of absolute harmony and total bliss.</div>marchttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02798581071887591242noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31922716.post-13548090788879009712024-01-24T09:44:00.000-05:002024-01-24T09:44:46.862-05:00Madonna played Madison Square Garden (Night 2)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKQbssbV4AOkqp3clmKu9wk8hQ4iMvcOH5kCCeUcPGgUito0BJq8sGeCROFffxkGnENPDrWKx1g_thrVI6czrsNT5HkAKah9Pwv0qEAPj_Ql3bKjrt5QXvo55YpMSjMCzyqESB9z2TpbpJc0R5qgdaAQnvOhEAusrswzJ5RyVcfSitNhnyvBSO/s1166/IMG_4230.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1166" data-original-width="1166" height="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKQbssbV4AOkqp3clmKu9wk8hQ4iMvcOH5kCCeUcPGgUito0BJq8sGeCROFffxkGnENPDrWKx1g_thrVI6czrsNT5HkAKah9Pwv0qEAPj_Ql3bKjrt5QXvo55YpMSjMCzyqESB9z2TpbpJc0R5qgdaAQnvOhEAusrswzJ5RyVcfSitNhnyvBSO/w400-h400/IMG_4230.jpg" width="600" /></a></div><div><br /></div>After postponing her shows after a near-death experience over the summer, Madonna's long-awaited Celebration Tour finally came to New York's Madison Square Garden and felt like a homecoming for the ages.<div><br /></div><span><a name='more'></a></span><div>For four decades, Madonna has been a force of nature in pop culture, changing the rules of the game with almost every step of her career. From her punk spirited early days in New York, her world-conquering albums of the '80s where she became one of the biggest stars on the planet, her foray into acting and more boundary-pushing styles of the '90s, and her reign as the classic queen of pop in the new millennium. Along the way, and perhaps most recently, she's faced backlash over how a pop star should act and, in particular, look, but as she said on stage, "the craziest thing I've ever done is stick around" and even after a near-fatal stint this past summer, Madonna looks and feels like she's in her prime. Taking the stage around 9:30 and going to just past midnight, she took us through her famed career from humble beginnings of arriving in NYC with only $35 in her pocket through her rise to global superstar. Bob the Drag Queen served (and I mean <i>served</i>) as the emcee for the evening, narrating and acting out various scenes on stage that helped make this more than just a concert, but an elaborate production as well. The only appropriate way to celebrate the Queen of Pop. Jumping right in to some of her earliest hits, she led a crew and danced through timeless hits like "Everybody" and "Into The Groove" which had people up and dancing along with her before she picked up a guitar to rock through "Burning Up" and "I Love New York" as tributes to her days of being in a band and living in an abandoned synagogue out in Queens. She then regrouped with her dancers for a sensational "Open Your Heart" before a triumphant "Holiday" which felt like the true start of the celebration aspect as her crew of dancers basked in her glow as a revolving stage put them on display for all to see. Her stage set up was, well, immaculate. Runways extended out into the crowd and huge screens vaulted from the ceiling for dazzling displays of old New York and other images that became integral parts of the show. The main stage was comprised of a giant circular rotating disc that shifted up and down, giving new depths and at times heights as well. As the arena darkened, candles began to light the stage and dark, gothic imagery took over the set before she launched into an industrial strength version of "Like a Prayer" that incorporated elements of Sam Smith's recent smash "Unholy," proving that she was here first and influenced countless other acts, but still used her spotlight to shine some praise on others. As masked, chiseled, bare chested men adorned her, it was a highlight of the night and the rather brutal beats made it one of the most punishing and fierce moments as well. Reappearing in silken boxing gear, she transformed the stage once again into a fighter's theme for a steaming rendition of "Erotica" as she exposed her new classic blonde wig that had fans losing their minds over the timeless throwback. This all led into "Hung Up," without question the best song in recent memory that she's dropped and the crowd once again lit-up when she hit the dance mode. Obviously the Abba sample adds to the glory, but it was an electric rendition of the song that again had the building shaking. For the next act, Bob reemerged to introduce the crowd to ball culture as Madge led us through an astounding version of "Vogue" that could've been the biggest sensation of the night. Interpolating elements of Beyoncé's "Break My Soul," she once again took the time to remind everyone that Madonna came first, influenced the rest, and helped bring ball culture and voguing out of the clubs and into mass-culture. It was an incredible spectacle that felt like a celebration beyond the artist and just a real moment as her dancers strutted down the runway with Madonna throwing up perfect 10s as the judge. It was rapturous and something I'll be thinking about for a long time to come. "Die Another Day" was another recent track that performed better than expected, but launching into the countrified "Don't Tell Me" once again had Madonna putting her dancing skills to the test and proving that she still does have it and I was reminded that I knew way more of this song than I would've guessed. Earlier in the night, she had floor to ceiling headshots of many who lost their lives to AIDS, something that clearly had an impact on Madge and so many in the crowd, but as she paused during this point in the show, she announced that there were nurses in the crowd whom she wanted to thank. This led to a poignant and tear-jerking monologue about living in NYC in the 80s as the AIDS crisis ravaged the city like a brushfire, taking the lives of so many brilliant, talented, and kind souls long before they deserved to die. Her voice cracked and it was clear that she was getting choked up too as she thought about all of those in her life that she's lost along the way as well. Tributes to Keith Haring and Basquiat were evident throughout the show as well. It was a touching and gut-wrenching moment that left me in tears as she sweetly went into an acoustic version of "Express Yourself" followed by "La Isla Bonita" and a brief clip of "Don't Cry For Me Argentina" as she wore a Pride flag like a cape with the words "no fear" emblazoned on the video screens. Returning yet again, she climbed into a massive box that levitated over the crowd as she dished out a euphoric and mind-bending "Ray of Light," another massive hit that took over the crowd and had people losing their minds as they danced harder than any other point in the evening. There was a tribute to Michael Jackson and a mashup of "Billie Jean" and "Like a Virgin" that played, again highlighting her reign in the '80s when the two were as big as pop stars get and another humbling reminder of how she's outlasted all of her peers over time. There can be some unworthy hate spewed at Madonna these days and too many times to count of people saying she's too old and had too much done to her face, but when your legacy is this incredible, this outstanding, and this beyond anyone else in existence, there's nothing to be said other than esteemed praise. There's only one and there will never be another Madonna and this tour proves we're just lucky to be alive at the same time and witness her in all of her acclaimed glory.</div><div><br /></div><div>Set list:</div><div><br /></div>01 "Nothing Really Matters"<div>02 "Everybody"<br />03 "Into the Groove"<br />04 "Burning Up / I Love New York"<br />05 "Open Your Heart"<br />06 "Holiday"<br />--<br />07 "Live to Tell"<br />08 "Like a Prayer"<br />--<br />09 "Erotica"<br />10 "Justify My Love"<br />11 "Hung Up"<br />12 "Bad Girl"<br />--<br />13 "Vogue"<br />14 "Human Nature"<br />15 "Crazy for You"<br />--<br />16 "Die Another Day"<br />17 "Don't Tell Me"<br />18 "Mother and Father"<br />19 "Express Yourself" (acoustic)<br />20 "La Isla Bonita"<br />21 "Don't Cry for Me Argentina"<br />--<br />22 "Bedtime Story"<br />23 "Ray of Light"<br />24 "Rain"<br />--<br />25 "Bitch I'm Madonna"<br />26 "Celebration"</div>marchttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02798581071887591242noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31922716.post-16136969398093526932024-01-20T12:26:00.004-05:002024-01-20T12:26:56.987-05:00Black Pumas and Digable Planets played Radio City Music Hall<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1PfBWNRPutl5kofb5s1eNzMWOHe7wTH0VGM0uG4JBwxyUjr_13wvLPtugeX_S8ZbOK3IQ63JAai7bauu9t6gnuenlZqp-7yGSXjph8kz_K5LkRGd3WhN87rP3lhUbeXrr3jXNFFxaHaprW6jzMJmX2dRHsJq4Fq8uH6SnqAQDe-4OtCFH17nL/s1166/IMG_4148.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1166" data-original-width="1166" height="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1PfBWNRPutl5kofb5s1eNzMWOHe7wTH0VGM0uG4JBwxyUjr_13wvLPtugeX_S8ZbOK3IQ63JAai7bauu9t6gnuenlZqp-7yGSXjph8kz_K5LkRGd3WhN87rP3lhUbeXrr3jXNFFxaHaprW6jzMJmX2dRHsJq4Fq8uH6SnqAQDe-4OtCFH17nL/w400-h400/IMG_4148.jpg" width="600" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Black Pumas and Digable Planets played to a sold-out Radio City Music Hall.<div><br /></div><span><a name='more'></a></span><div>It's not often that an opening act is the main draw for me to attend a show, but Digable Planets opening at Radio City Music Hall wasn't something I was ready to pass up. The pioneering jazz-rap trio has been making the rounds for years as they've revived their '90s boom-bap rap for a new era while still bringing the funky freshness like only they can. Backed with a killer live band that brought those killer grooves to life, the group tossed and traded verses with the easiest flows, rapping back and forth in style, their swagger permeating their beings even if at times the crowd wasn't responding back. Playing the opening set to a large, and at that point in the night, rather empty room is tough and the venue's massive size often swallowed up the band's sound making for the energy to feel a little flat. Still, when the groove hit the band seized the opportunity and made for a swinging good time. "It's Good to Be Here" and "Where I'm From" brought breezy vibes and more of their hipster enthusiasm to life and "Jettin'" also brought out more of their funkified beats. As they closed out their set with their timeless hit "Cool Like That," the crowd finally responded with the proper praise and people rose to their feet to boogie on down for one last tune.</div><div><br /></div>Taking the stage for their headlining set, Black Pumas, the duo of singer Eric Burton and guitarist Adrian Quesada, were joined by an extensive live band that transformed their neo-soul turned rock and roll into a technicolor experience full of life and elation. Often, Black Pumas' music can come across as overproduced with their high-gloss sheen sounding designed specifically for commodification, waiting to be used in a commercial, and lacking any real substance. Written entirely for late-night television performances or to be performed at countless award shows that bare no real meaning. (It still blows my mind how the band was nominated for Grammys three years in a row for, virtually, one album, but that's more of a critique on the Grammys and not the band themselves.) There are few moments that really spark creativity or anything original, but even that being said, they still have a knack for at least sounding incredible. There's no detail left untouched (for better or worse) and their inclusion of soul and funk with their basic rock makes for something that's at least interesting and rather enjoyable, even if it's rather static. If there is a band that does have to fill this need, I'm glad it's them. On stage, Burton's voice is immaculate, his range a stunning object of desire, and his control was head spinning. "Know You Better" was the first all-star moment of the night when the band displayed the strength of their powers and why their live show is the heart of the act. Their prowess was commanding and Burton's voice reached new heights that once again showcased his remarkable talents and "Black Moon Rising" was another stellar highlight. "Ice Cream (Pay Phone)," a popular jam for their recent sophomore record, was another crowd pleaser, but not one that strikes with the same elevated skill as the others, but to see the crowd eat it up was a treat in and of itself. "More Than a Love Song" brought the magic back and had the band sparkling on that massive stage while the sold-out crowd grooved along with the hits of psychedelic splendor and dashes of funk that add the needed layers and textures to the rather poppy overtones that can saturate the tracks. By the time the band closed with their smash "Colors," the crowd was fully bought in and it was clear to see why the love and admiration for the group goes so hard, but it was also one of the first times in the night where I noticed the crowd actually singing the words back to the band. As a fun surprise, Burton re-appeared for the encore on the side of the auditorium, half-way up to the balcony and did so alone with his guitar to drop an astounding cover of Tracey Chapman's classic "Fast Car" and it was the immediate highlight of the show. As he rejoined the band for one final number, the crowd again reveled in the moment and sent the band off with a core memory that they'll seem to embrace for a long time to come. <div><br /></div><div>Digable Planets set list:</div><div><br /></div>01 "Slowes' Comb / The May 4th Movement starring Doodlebug"<br />02 "It's Good to Be Here"<br />03 "Where I’m From"<br />04 "Pacifics"<br />05 "What Cool Breezes Do"<br />06 "Escapism (Gettin’ Free)"<br />07 "Jettin’"<br />08 "Rebirth of Slick (Cool Like Dat)"<div><br /></div><div>Black Pumas set list:</div><div><br /></div>01 "Fire"<br />02 "Gemini Sun"<br />03 "Know You Better"<br />04 "Black Moon Rising"<br />05 "Sauvignon"<br />06 "Ice Cream (Pay Phone)"<br />07 "Angel"<br />08 "More Than a Love Song"<br />09 "Confines"<br />10 "Mrs. Postman"<br />11 "OCT 33"<br />12 "Colors"<br />--<br />13 "Fast Car" [Tracy Chapman cover]<br />14 "Rock and Roll"marchttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02798581071887591242noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31922716.post-65773894021086385012024-01-18T21:28:00.000-05:002024-01-18T21:28:59.938-05:00Jlin - "The Precision of Infinity" (ft Philip Glass)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB5lwYklAVz273XE1wScDbfi_j4htGW2k_MV33MhXpBg8lPf6KS40MPWCCx_bLNkBzU5rT_evC0zeWxzXIAIk0rETP-8qhxcPBxv-exAhi0mmfX1sA9f6i-rhTnic7QAngQ7mkpCRSypCLE0VwcegdjCoAl09uuJ7HEPQoG0Jr25foGwLIffkk/s1000/Jlin-Akoma-1705589885.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="1000" height="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB5lwYklAVz273XE1wScDbfi_j4htGW2k_MV33MhXpBg8lPf6KS40MPWCCx_bLNkBzU5rT_evC0zeWxzXIAIk0rETP-8qhxcPBxv-exAhi0mmfX1sA9f6i-rhTnic7QAngQ7mkpCRSypCLE0VwcegdjCoAl09uuJ7HEPQoG0Jr25foGwLIffkk/w400-h400/Jlin-Akoma-1705589885.jpeg" width="600" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Following last year's <i>Perspective</i> mini-album, Jlin has announced a new full-length record, <i>Akoma</i>, with a stellar list of guest artists.<div><br /></div><span><a name='more'></a></span><div>Hailing from Indiana, electronic producer Jlin started off making beats that resembled abstract footwork music and over time, her music has shifted to more experimental sounds without losing any of the originality that made her work so intriguing in the first place. On her new album, Jlin looks to up the ante ever further with guests like Björk and the Kronos Quartet. The album's lead single, "The Precision of Infinity," is actually the final track on the record and was one of two tracks written with esteemed composer Philip Glass. Jlin's frentetic drum beats are as propulsive as ever, driving the rhythm to total chaos while Glass' piano provides a cool undercurrent. It's a rather unlikely pairing, but that is what makes it feel so special. Despite the odds at hand, the two realms of music fit together like a head-spinning puzzle where the pieces fall wonderfully into place. The bells and whistles sizzle here and Jlin's programming seems to go harder than ever, allowing Glass' soft and invigorating key strokes to aid like a balm in the midst of a grudge match.</div><div><br /></div><div><i>Akoma</i> is out March 22.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe seamless="" src="https://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/album=3469480469/size=large/bgcol=ffffff/linkcol=0687f5/tracklist=false/artwork=small/track=188271561/transparent=true/" style="border: 0; height: 120px; width: 100%;"><a href="https://jlin.bandcamp.com/album/akoma">Akoma by Jlin</a></iframe></div>marchttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02798581071887591242noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31922716.post-18066421930682209862024-01-17T17:59:00.005-05:002024-01-17T17:59:53.244-05:00Adrianne Lenker - "Sadness as a Gift"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-tpapLy4X4vBS3BT7fUAGmmV1pYvC9-3jTMzuJAeOpzNREhr90Hi4DhJ65jDXICTi0GsarbDlTEpfaYfwGNfY8dsYu835KJJtn1nUYQq2Yp89BPQlioeABAq39A6oVSc6RD2zGi85aH3jNF5F0abja3KMMcFvKP3pKAdqjvAzcJd4AUybqFsd/s1000/AdrianneLenker_BrightFuture_LP2024-1705032806-1000x1000.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="1000" height="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-tpapLy4X4vBS3BT7fUAGmmV1pYvC9-3jTMzuJAeOpzNREhr90Hi4DhJ65jDXICTi0GsarbDlTEpfaYfwGNfY8dsYu835KJJtn1nUYQq2Yp89BPQlioeABAq39A6oVSc6RD2zGi85aH3jNF5F0abja3KMMcFvKP3pKAdqjvAzcJd4AUybqFsd/w400-h400/AdrianneLenker_BrightFuture_LP2024-1705032806-1000x1000.jpeg" width="600" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Adrianne Lenker has announced a new solo album, <i>Bright Future</i>, and shared the new song, "Sadness as a Gift."</div><div><br /></div><span><a name='more'></a></span><div>At the end of 2023, Adrianne Lenker shared a new song called "Ruined," a devastating, gut punch of a song that felt intimate and revealed immense vulnerability with stunning results. Today, the Big Thief singer has announced a new album that features that track as well as an old recording of Big Thief's recent "Vampire Empire." In addition to the announcement, Lenker shared "Sadness as a Gift," a country-leaning number that utilizes acoustic guitar and humble harmonies for an enriching melody that again feels both sparse and rather reserved. This isn't the Adrienne that lets out a big scream at the finale of "Sparrow" or ravages a guitar like on "Not," but rather one that does indeed feel like a solo number, operating without the closeness of bandmates (although it does borrow a slight resemblance to the melody of "Wake Me Up to Drive"). Fitting with the lore of her band and her own solo work, the album was recorded in the woods and when speaking about the studio, remarked: "It felt like everyone's nervous systems released... Once we were IN the song, somehow we just knew. No one stopped a take. We didn't listen back. I only listened after everybody else left." There's a twang in the violin and a softness to the piano that adds a comfort to the song's emotional heartbreak. Letting go and saying goodbye isn't always easy and here, Lenker acknowledges that perhaps asking for something to last forever is too much in and of itself and changes the notion "don't be sad it's over, be glad it happened" to the idea that the sadness of losing something is the ultimate final gift. </div><div><br /></div><div><i>Bright Future</i> is out March 22.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/GmycsQ30obg?si=Gr7CzdZKGZVEqCwa" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div>marchttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02798581071887591242noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31922716.post-43871309071959988422024-01-16T01:24:00.002-05:002024-01-16T01:24:19.530-05:00Impulse! at NYC Winter Jazzfest at (le) poisson rouge<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxWdib0EqezKT3ggvZNnTUQvuMXea0x_jnB8Kj7hMMOa4NRsboyWAN3YIHIL89H11_qwcHh29kmpOv3aoB2UAoCgPpARhZYFH2_rsNgqfp7sdZ0z2Ntqnp9InOnXpdTy0wgtfjow-pm3fXuvvYnkIQrT53yXW-pPoxZQB8YA1NJ7dgmPBCvpR-/s1500/January15+(3).png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1500" height="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxWdib0EqezKT3ggvZNnTUQvuMXea0x_jnB8Kj7hMMOa4NRsboyWAN3YIHIL89H11_qwcHh29kmpOv3aoB2UAoCgPpARhZYFH2_rsNgqfp7sdZ0z2Ntqnp9InOnXpdTy0wgtfjow-pm3fXuvvYnkIQrT53yXW-pPoxZQB8YA1NJ7dgmPBCvpR-/w400-h400/January15+(3).png" width="600" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Artist in residence Shabaka Hutchings headlined Impulse! at NYC Winter Jazzfest which took over Manhattan's (le) poisson rouge on Monday night featuring a stacked line-up from across the acclaimed label's roster.<div><br /></div><span><a name='more'></a></span><div>The remarkable NYC Winter Jazzfest always knowns how to bring the heat to the city in the middle of January and for this year's 20th anniversary, the fest continued to pull out all the stops, including Monday night's incredible show at (le) poisson rouge featuring the likes of Shabaka Hutchings, Brandee Younger, Esperanza Spalding, and Irreversible Entanglements for a night that spanned the spectrum of the genre and paid tribute to some legends along the way. </div><div><br /></div><div>Brandee Younger took to the stage to pay tribute to the music of Alice Coltrane, the harpist blending in some of her own work alongside the spiritual notions of the all-time great. Backed with a stand-up bassist and explosive drummer, Younger reached to the heavens as she plucked away at her instrument, channeling the greatness of Alice and transporting us all to a new realm. It was an enriching performance and Younger was transfixing behind the harp, letting the music carry her away while her band kept things firmly locked into place back on Earth. An epic drum solo was the focal point at one moment and it was a rapturous one at that, exploding with rhythm and pushing towards levels of cacophony before settling back down and allowing the rest of the trio to rejoin the euphoric tune. </div><div><br /></div><div>Free-jazz collective Irreversible Entanglements followed Younger's set and with Moor Mother at the microphone, the band riffed-off into their politically charged songs that made for the most energized and enlivened performance of the night. Preaching the ideologies of a liberated mind and state, the group's revolutionary attitude gave a voice to the otherwise instrumental sets of the night and spoke for justice and equality. "Protect Your Light," from last year's excellent album of the same name, was an early tune that had the crowd chanting along with Moor Mother, as the band locked into tight grooves full of brash horns and woodwinds, and had the rapper/singer calling back to the crowd to build the hype for the show. "I don't usually talk to the crowd" Moor Mother remarked," but you all seem like you're here to actually see music and connect." The audience erupted with joy upon that statement and matched the vibes of the band for the remainder of the night. "Free Love" was another hallmark moment that saw the band operating at the highest potential, feeding off the rhythms from one another and teleporting the room into a new sonic realm.</div><div><br /></div><div>As the London jazz scene has gained popularity over the past decade, there's perhaps no one more synonymous with the sound than Shabaka Hutchings. Whether leading the afro-jazz bombast of Sons of Kemet or the more psychedelic and electronic influenced The Comet is Coming, he's become a leading player in the city and one of the most sought after performers in the genre. So, when he announced that he'd be stepping away from his signature instrument, the saxophone, it signaled a shift in what was going to come next in the star's career. At NYC Winter Jazzfest, the artist in residence, Shabaka, debuted some of his latest work: ambient, new-age, flute-led jazz. Music not that all dissimilar to the musical stylings found on the album <i>New Blue Sun</i>, the solo debut from Outkast's André 3000. As he made his way to the stage, Shabaka was joined on bass by former Grammy winner for Best New Artist, Esperanza Spalding as well as harpists Brandee Younger and Charles Overton. What followed were breathtaking journeys that drifted in and out of spiritual planes that seemed to ascend time and space. The meditative vibrations from the flutes echoed around the room, almost adding another texture and brilliant form of ambiance. The dueling harps were like a syncopated dance, each player complimenting the other and allowing time and space for the music to flow without building up too many layers. Spalding's bass reverberated with a velvety tone that gave it a grounding sensation, especially on the duet with Shabaka, playing wonderfully with the flutes and clarinets that he so effortlessly brought to life. Watching such an established artist show his cards on an instrument that's rather new to them (Shabaka only started on the flute in 2019) is a vulnerable thing, but one that highlights their true side as an artist. Witnessing Shabaka follow the music and let the natural curiosity inspire his path towards creation was stunning and gave much delight for wherever else he continues to explore. </div>marchttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02798581071887591242noreply@blogger.com0