WaPo: The “Godfather of G0-Go” passed away at the age of 75. A true pioneer.
SPIN: 20 essential songs from the Lookout! Records catalog. There should be 20 Operation Ivy songs here.
Pitchfork: Here We Go Magic pick up a hitchhiking John Waters. Hilarity ensues.
Brooklyn Vegan: A guide to this years Bamboozle line-up. Quite dizzying.
PMA: Childish Gambino goes on a twitter rant and releases new song.
The Atlanta-Athens corridor is a two-way musical train-track overloaded with talented cargo. Last month, The District Attorneys, a five-piece, hopped aboard with their full-length debut Slowburner. The DA’s, like their new record, embody what makes my beloved South so great—they are simple yet sophisticated, soulful yet rough-hewn. With that subtle sentimentality a la Alex Chilton and Big Star, but with a little more Stones-esque rock ‘n’ roll get-up and a splash of Yim Yames’ psychedelia, I think The District Attorneys are on their way to big things. But for now, Slowburner, with its foot-tapping “our-sound-in-a-nutshell” opening title track, plus reverb-ladened gems like “California Fire” and “Cherry Glow,” has plenty for listeners to enjoy. Check out the tracks below, and hop on over here to procure the whole album if you feel so inclined.
STREAM: The District Attorneys – “Madison Row”
STREAM: The District Attorneys – “Cherry Glow”
Brooklyn rockers The Dig have given up a sneak peak of their upcoming sophomore album, Midnight Flowers, in the form of the deep and brooding “Red Rose In The Cold Winter Ground”. There’s piles of echo on top of the guitar and vocals at the start of the track, creating a cavernous, isolated feeling. A metronome-steady rimshot keeps a tick-tock pace as seconds slide steadily by, emphasizing the loneliness as the lyrics continue on about wandering in barren desolation. A second guitar chimes in, a splash of color against the grey, a sign of hope in the wilderness, offset by a deep, methodical kick drum. Rapid-fire snares flash onto the scene as tension builds and then fades into an extended outro.
The album will be officially available for purchase on May 29th, but the band will be playing an album release show at The Dunes in DC on May 19th.
STREAM: The Dig – Red Rose In The Cold Winter Ground
The upcoming album, SEESAW, from Ontario seven-piece The Rest is one that almost didn’t happen. After working on the full-length for over a year, a hard drive malfunction erased the entire nearly-completed record. Five months later – after a trip to a company specializing in airplane black box recovery – the group had its recordings back, which was quite a stroke of luck for both the band and our ears. The album’s third track, “Always On My Mind”, exemplifies all that’s best of the band with sparse, dissonant, jangly, guitars supported by a croon reminiscent of early Thom Yorke. The number builds slowly and methodically, sometimes fading to a near-whisper before exploding again into an all-encompassing blanket of sound. The fuzzy melodies are palpable, and while the term “shoegaze love song” might not make sense to some people, the repeated wail of “Baby you’re always on my mind” to the tune of a beautifully orchestrated cacophony of noise sure makes this 90s-raised heart race.
SEESAW will drop on June 12 and the band will unwrap a new song from the record each week on Bandcamp until release.
STREAM: The Rest – Always On My Mind
It seems like these days every drummer, bassist, or tambourine player in a Scandinavian band also has an surprisingly amazing side project of some form or other. At least that’s the case with WhoMadeWho drummer Tomas Barfod. When not manning the sticks for the Danish electro crew, he’s making a name for himself as a House DJ under the pseudonym Tomyboy. Barfod’s prepped his debut full length, Salton Sea, and it is ready to drop on May 22nd with Friends of Friends. While his production is very solid, he is at his best when elevated with the help of a few vocalist friends. Sweden’s beautiful Nina Kinert lent a her services on “November Skies,” the second single released off the album. Kinert’s crisp vocals cut through the buoyantly poppy track and provide a catchy melody that I can’t seem to get out of my head. Be sure to check out the full album next week.
I’ve been holding back tears for about two weeks, ever since Yeasayer announced a summer tour and failed to schedule a stop in DC. Fortunately the Brooklyn boys, who have been sitting silent since debuting “The Devil and the Deed” on Conan a year ago, have been dropping hints left and right on Twitter about new music. This week, they more than made good on those hints (sigh of relief, as lying on Twitter is akin to lying in church in my book) by sending out free CDs of the track “Henrietta” to fans on the mailing list. Since Yeasayer soundtracked my graduation back in 2010, I’ve been wondering what I would have written in their yearbook, and I’m pretty sure I would have gone with the simple and effective NEVER CHANGE. “Henrietta” proves they haven’t yet.
STREAM: Yeasayer – “Henrietta”
YouTube: Chart toppers collide when fun. and Paramore’s Hayley Williams cover Gotye’s “Somebody That I Used To Know” for the BBC.
HypeBot: Experts say that FTC approval of Universal’s purchase of EMI is a “toss up.”
P4K: Hot Chip throws down on Live with Jools Holland.
Stereogum: The XX preview a new song at a low-key show last night in London.
NME: Like lists? The British mag picks their top 100 songs of the 90s.
If you’re looking for the perfect summer soundtrack, look no further than Austen Afridi, a.k.a Viceroy. Afridi originally hails from the East Coast, but you wouldn’t know it from his summer-fueled music. In late 2011, he released his Sunburn EP, four original tracks of cool and refreshing musical bliss. He’s also been staying busy with his “Jet Life” remix series, which features amazing artists like Breakbot, YELLE and St. Lucia. If you’ve got your mind right, you’ll be sure to add Viceroy to your list of ones to watch. He’s well on his way to becoming a household name.
Don’t miss Viceroy this Thursday alongside Le Castle Vania and Ghost beach at U Street Music Hall for All Things Gold 010. Limited tickets available HERE.
STREAM: Viceroy & WhiteNoize – “Only Takes (Original Mix)”
DOWNLOAD: St. Lucia – Closer Than This (Viceroy Remix)
NME: Jay-Z is planning on asking Obama to perform at his ‘Budweiser Made In America’ festival this September in Philly.
Pitchfork: Azealia Banks sheds light on her upcoming 1991 EP; reveals awesome album art.
RollingStone: Keith Richards not to join Mick Jagger on SNL.
HypeBot: Two Brooklyn festivals that embody the ‘indie’ spirit: Mass Creation & Northside.
Billboard: Lil Wayne settles $1.5 million lawsuit filed by producer David Kirkwood.
You gamers out there might remember the Nintendo game Castlevania where your mission was to slay vampires and other undead creatures. That was fun, wasn’t it? Well I’m not talking about that, but instead Atlanta native Dylan Eiland’s project, Le Castle Vania. What started off as a joke with some friends about creating a band after the video game stuck and now LCV is one of the most well-known electronic music producers in the game. Once upon a time Dylan might’ve been driving stakes through the hearts of the undead, but for the last twelve years he’s been destroying dance floors with his remixes and originals. I had the chance to talk to Dylan before he brings his energetic set to U Street Music Hall this Thursday for the tenth All Things Gold installment with Viceroy and Ghost Beach. Limited tickets available HERE. Full interview after the jump.
DOWNLOAD: Le Castle Vania – “Radio Control Mixtape Vol.1″
