ALARM Press Category: Blog

Music

Video: Bonobo's "Eyesdown" (feat. Adreya Triana and DELS)

February 8, 2012

Posted by Meaghann Korbel

In 2010, British DJ / electronic artist Simon Green released Black Sands (Ninja Tune), his fourth studio album under the moniker Bonobo. On February 21, he'll release Black Sands Remixed, on which a variety of artists were invited to reinterpret his chilled-out, beat-driven lounge music.

Check out the video below for the reworked version of "Eyesdown." The song still features Andreya Triana but now includes raps by London's DELS, whose unique, laid-back flow and emotional lyricism provide a fitting complement to the track. Below that, you can watch the original video in all its costumed, forest-dancing weirdness.

Columns

Zine Scene: Al Burian’s Burn Collector

February 8, 2012

Posted by Mallory Gevaert

Al Burian: Burn Collector #15 (Microcosm Publishing, 3/1/11)

For a purported personal zine, Al Burian’s Burn Collector is strangely outward-looking. His philosophical musings on expat culture, life in Berlin, punk rock, and other topics are based on his own experiences, but they aren’t just stories. Burian raises plenty of questions without answering them, putting his reader in a position to consider these everyday ideas in a new light. His essays are a fine counterpoint to the legions of navel-gazing zinesters that populate the perzine genre in that they aren’t meant to chronicle his life, but instead connect it with larger social and existential problems.

Music

Video: Nedry's "Violaceae"

February 6, 2012

Posted by Scott Morrow

In 2010, London electro-indie trio Nedry issued a debut that paired a buzzing, synthesized base with cavernous guitars and the breathy, Björk-esque vocals of Ayu Okakita. Next month the group will release its sophomore album, In a Dim Light (again on Monotreme Records), and to promote the album, it has released a high-contrast video for the third track, "Violaceae." If you dig it, check out two more songs from the new album before it's released on March 12.

Music

MP3: THEESatisfaction's "QueenS"

February 3, 2012

Posted by Scott Morrow

THEESatisfaction: Awe Naturale THEESatisfaction: Awe Naturale (Sub Pop, 3/27/12)

Making its Sub Pop debut at the end of March, Seattle soul-hop duo THEESatisfaction today presents "QueenS," a cut from its upcoming full-length release. The duo, comprised of Stasia Irons and Catherine Harris-White, had a guest spot on last year's Shabazz Palaces debut, and Ishmael Butler returns the favor on "God," a jazzy, sample-heavy track from THEESatisfaction's debut, Awe Naturale.

if you like beats with your R&B, check this out.

Secret Chiefs 3: La Chanson de Jacky / The Western Exile

Music

Mike Patton reunites (on record) with Trey Spruance of Secret Chiefs 3

February 2, 2012

Posted by Scott Morrow

After more than a decade of collaborative silence, Mr. Bungle linchpins Mike Patton and Trey Spruance have appeared on the same recording — a retro Secret Chiefs 3 rendition of Belgian singer-songwriter Jacques Brel's "La Chanson de Jacky" (technically as part of SC3 satellite band Traditionalists). Over the past year and a half, the two performed together during a John Zorn set, a Mondo Cane show, and a special Faith No More performance in Chile, but this is the first shared recording since Bungle's classic California in 1999. Maybe — just maybe — it's another step toward a cataclysmic Bungle reunion?

Head to Spruance's Web of Mimicry site to order the record, which includes a revamped and Italian-westernized version of the Chiefs' "The Exile" (now "The Western Exile") as the B-side.

Music

Carla Kihlstedt and Matthias Bossi launch Rabbit Rabbit Radio

February 1, 2012

Posted by Meaghann Korbel

Sleepytime Gorilla Museum's Carla Kihlstedt and Matthias Bossi have teamed up to bring you Rabbit Rabbit Radio, their latest of many musical forays. For just $1-3 per month, RRR subscribers will receive a brand-new song crafted by the duo along with a video, a behind-the-scenes look at the recording process, and personal stories and musings.

Watch the teaser below for a brief introduction to Rabbit Rabbit Radio and its first installment, "Hush, Hush," which is available today.

Music

Video: Liturgy's "True Will"

February 1, 2012

Posted by Meaghann Korbel

Brooklyn-based "transcendental-black-metal" outfit Liturgy just released a video for "True Will," a track off of its acclaimed and divisive 2011 Thrill Jockey release, Aesthethica.

The video pairs deeply religious and spiritual themes — complete with images of Christ (if he were a Ken doll) — with its unorthodox musical style.

Check out the video below.

Music

Video Q&A: Dub Trio

January 31, 2012

Posted by Scott Morrow

Dub Trio: IV Dub Trio: IV (ROIR, 10/25/11)

Dub Trio: "Control Issues Controlling Your Mind"

In late October, the peerless Dub Trio issued its latest dub-metal opus, IV, with the usual "anything goes" mentality — incorporating a warped, guitar-infused dubstep track as well as a foray into prepared piano alongside the usual grooves, riffs, and "sludge and bass."

Following a stop in Rochester, New York, the band spoke with ALARM contributor Saby Reyes-Kulkarni for his interview archive and webcast The Haywire. Watch Joe Tomino, Stu Brooks, and DP Holmes talk about "playing each other," translating that to the studio, and being reintroduced to metal. Then stay tuned for a quick update from Tomino about his food blog and his never-ending search for french-onion soup.

Music

Video: The Kills' "Into the Unknown"

January 30, 2012

Posted by Meaghann Korbel

Just in time for The Kills' 10th anniversary, the indie UK duo gives us a glimpse backstage before a headlining show at London's Brixton Academy. Filmed by Giorgio Testi, the seven-minute documentary features singer Alison Mosshart and guitarist Jamie Hince as they reveal the rituals, anxiety, and excitement that lead up to the moments before taking the stage.

Currently touring North America, The Kills is making its way to the East Coast and to parts of Canada. See a full list of dates here. And if you haven't already, check out the band's video for its latest single, "The Last Goodbye," here.

Music

Jon Porras (Barn Owl) explores the dark desert with Black Mesa

January 27, 2012

Posted by Scott Morrow

Jon Porras, one half of the drone-rock duo Barn Owl, has announced his newest solo LP and Thrill Jockey debut, Black Mesa. The seven-track release, whose art was created by Porras, is a string-theory-based concept piece about an outlaw who discovers the Black Mesa, a "bridge between worlds" that's tucked away in the American desert. Over ambient, atmospheric guitar pieces, the album unfolds as the explorer discovers hidden truths about the universe and multiverse.

Porras' cover art is below, and you can pick up the new album on April 17. While you're at it, check out Barn Owl's last album, Lost in the Glare.

Jon Porras: Black Mesa

Music

Video: Mastodon's "Dry Bone Valley"

January 25, 2012

Posted by Meaghann Korbel

Metal poster-boys Mastodon have just released a video for "Dry Bone Valley," the second single off The Hunter (Warner Bros. / Reprise). The band enlisted long-time friend and renowned visual artist Tim Biskup to direct. Biskup, who hasn't worked in film or video in almost six years, whipped up some psychedelic animation reminiscent of his mid-century horror aesthetic.

The video, Biskup explains, is "a life/death metaphor where the girl in the video goes from hunted to hunter. There's a whole lot more going on metaphorically, and the symbolism goes very deep and is very specific, but I'll leave the rest up to interpretation."

Interpret for yourself below.

Columns

Zine Scene: Adam Gnade's Hey Hey Lonesome and The Heat and the Hot Earth

January 25, 2012

Posted by Mallory Gevaert

Adam Gnade: Hey Hey Lonesome and The Heat and the Hot Earth (Punch Drunk Press, August and December 2011)

When writers or readers think of literary formats, the lowly novella is often overlooked or forgotten. Usually between 20,000 and 40,000 words, the novella occupies an awkward space between short story and novel, but it offers opportunities for characterization and conciseness that longer or shorter forms don’t. Adam Gnade writes both novellas and novels, and his shorter works stand apart as fascinating experiments in an unusual media form.

Hey Hey Lonesome and The Heat and the Hot Earth were published in 2011 and share a lot in terms of structure and characterization. Both follow a group of teens (and one older character) in Southern California as they navigate relationships and try to find their place in an amorphous social order. Lonesome follows the paths of several characters as they move toward a house party; they move between astonishingly crude and aloof dialogue and highly emotional introspection. Its characters, for the most part, balance outer cool and inner turmoil. Hot Earth is more dynamic and simpler in structure; punctuated by a longing letter and a sneering Tumblr post from two characters, it reflects the callousness and romanticism of the modern teen.

The two novellas are connected through recurring characters and themes, and Gnade notes that he ultimately wants to link these stories with his longer novel, Hymn California, and another novella. Gnade says, “The whole universe of my characters is mapped out in a little three-inch-thick notebook. It's like a geometric cube of paper. I'm just following that map until it's done.” The connectedness of the stories gives the novellas a feeling not unlike those big ensemble teen comedies of the ’80s and ’90s; characters move in and out of each other’s orbits, brushing against each other as they go.

Most Read
Highlights
Archive
Shorts
- In February, video director The Druid Beat will premiere an interactive film project and installation at Space 15 Twenty in Los Angeles. The film, titled “One Thousand Chemical Hypotheses Concerning the Subterranean Realms,” will be shown along with a live soundscape one night each week throughout its three-week residency. Watch the trailer for the film here, and check out the Druid Beat-directed music video for Yawn’s “Kind of Guy,” featured in Chromatic.
  
  Meaghann Korbel - December 7, 2011 at 11:09 am
- In support of its latest release, No Kings, Minneapolis rap collective Doomtree has announced a North American tour of 30+ dates to kick off 2012. The group will travel stateside from 1/19 to 2/25, making a few pit stops north of the border before wrapping it up in Milwaukee. Check out the full list of dates here, and watch its latest video for “Bolt Cutter” here.
  
  Meaghann Korbel - December 1, 2011 at 2:05 pm
- Guitar whiz Victor Villarreal (Cap'n Jazz, Owls, Ghosts & Vodka, Joan of Arc) has announced the release of his first solo full-length on Joyful Noise. The record, Invisible Cinema, is due January 24 and will be limited to 250 copies of clear vinyl. Listen to the track "Enters" below.
  
  Victor Villarreal: "Enters"
  
  Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
  
  Kyle Gilkeson - November 30, 2011 at 7:02 pm
- Check out this killer cover of Roy Orbison's "Crying" by Canadian electro-pop trio Austra.
  
  Scott Morrow - November 29, 2011 at 2:01 pm
- Today, Neurosis/Shrinebuilder front-man Scott Kelly kicks off his acoustic tour in Seattle. He’ll tour the Western USA with alternative country artists Bob Wayne and Jay Munly before wrapping up in Santa Cruz on 12/16. In 2012, he’ll be back for a free show (by RSVP only) at Chicago’s Empty Bottle on 1/4 where he’ll be joined by multi-instrumentalist Bruce Lamont (Yakuza). View the full list of 2011 and 2012 dates here.
  
  Meaghann Korbel - November 29, 2011 at 11:47 am
- Italian avant-garde metal group Ephel Duath has an EP and two full-length releases on the horizon after signing a worldwide record deal with Agonia Records. On the forthcoming releases, expect to hear collaborations between front-man Davide Tiso and a company of noteworthy session musicians (roster soon to be announced). Preparation for the forthcoming EP will take place stateside in January 2012 for its spring release.
  
  Lauren Zens - November 28, 2011 at 3:49 pm
- Prolific guitarist Kevin Hufnagel (of Dysrhythmia, Gorguts, and more) will release his second solo album, Transparencies, in January on his Nightfloat Recordings imprint. The album, which takes a highly melodic ambient/drone route, can be pre-ordered here. Watch the album trailer here.
  
  Scott Morrow - November 28, 2011 at 12:29 pm
- In support of its fourth studio album, Veritas, the Alex Skolnick Trio — featuring Alex Skolnick of Testament fame in a jazz-fusion three-piece — will launch a six-city tour of the Northeast from 12/5 to 12/10. Check out the tour dates here.
  
  Scott Morrow - November 22, 2011 at 12:06 pm
- Legendary singer-songwriter Leonard Cohen is set to release his first studio album in eight years, Old Ideas, on Columbia Records on 1/31/12. The album is available for pre-order now, and you can stream “Show Me the Place” here.
  
  Scott Morrow - November 22, 2011 at 11:58 am
- Head on over to Guitar World to listen to the new album from Swedish djent band Vildhjarta. The record, Måsstaden, will be released on November 29 via Century Media.
  
  Kyle Gilkeson - November 21, 2011 at 5:30 pm
- Watch the new video from Canadian rapper/producer Classified for his song with Brother Ali, "Maybe It's Just Me." The track appears on Classified's latest album, Handshakes and Middle Fingers, released earlier this year.
  
  Kyle Gilkeson - November 9, 2011 at 11:56 am
- On November 21, Earache Records will release Maximum Metal, a four-DVD compilation of full live sets by Morbid Angel, At the Gates, Deicide, and Municipal Waste. The limited-edition box set is available for pre-order now. Check out a teaser for the collection here.
  
  Meaghann Korbel - November 8, 2011 at 12:49 pm
- California-based death-metal band Cattle Decapitation is currently working on the followup to its 2009 release, The Harvest Floor. The as-yet-unnamed record will be released in the spring via Metal Blade. Watch a teaser video of the band working on new material here.
  
  Kyle Gilkeson - November 7, 2011 at 7:58 pm
- Swedish doom-metal band Ghost will tour North America this winter, with Blood Ceremony and Ancient Vvisdom in support. "In the name of Satan, we will conduct thirteen rituals in thirteen different cities…and now we are summoning all of our devotees to partake in these blasphemous eves of black magic," says Papa Emeritus, Ghost's "satanic pope" front man.
  
  Kyle Gilkeson - November 7, 2011 at 1:32 pm
- Yet another band set to appear in Assault of the Earth has announced a tour. Dubai-based death-metal trio Nervecell will join Morbid Angel for a month-long stint in Europe. French band Benighted and Swedish band Necrophobic will round out the bill.
  
  Kyle Gilkeson - November 2, 2011 at 2:39 pm
- Russian folk-metal band Arkona, whose new album, Slovo, is out now on Napalm, has announced its first ever North American tour. It'll headline throughout the month of November and then will join Finnish band Korpiklaani through December. Arkona will also appear in our forthcoming metal book, Assault of the Earth, to be released in 2012.
  
  Kyle Gilkeson - November 2, 2011 at 10:01 am
- On 11/8, dream-folk singer-songwriter Marissa Nadler will release, via her Etsy store, Covers Album II, which features her own renditions of songs by artists from Leonard Cohen to Magnetic Fields. In the meantime, check out her Twitter feed for a post-Halloween treat, which includes free MP3 downloads that include her covers of Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, and Clinic.
  
  Meaghann Korbel - November 1, 2011 at 12:20 pm
- In early 2012, UK indie duo The Kills will hit the road for a three-week North American tour beginning 1/20 in Chicago, IL. The tour ends 2/11 in NYC with a special set celebrating the band’s 10^th anniversary. Check out the tour dates here, and watch the new video for “Baby Says” here.
  
  Meaghann Korbel - November 1, 2011 at 11:26 am
- On January 24, Rodrigo y Gabriela will release a new studio album entitled Area 52. The record will contain nine tracks from R & G's back catalog, re-arranged for the 13-piece C.U.B.A. orchestra. The release follows the band's recent collaboration with composer Hans Zimmer on the latest Pirates of the Caribbean film.
  
  Kyle Gilkeson - October 31, 2011 at 10:10 am
- With the release of his new track, "Rush Over Bkyln," rapper / producer / label head El-P is the first artist to release a single via Legitmix. If you already own "Tom Sawyer" by Rush, and you buy the El-P track here, your computer will recreate the remix in binary. Crazy, right? It gets better: all proceeds will benefit producer DJ Mr. Dibbs, who is currently battling liver disease.
  
  RUSH OVER BKLYN by PRODUCTOMART
  
  Kyle Gilkeson - October 31, 2011 at 9:42 am
- After recently launching its own "semi-official" label, Family Tree Records, experimental folk-rock band Akron/Family is gearing up for a two-week January tour with FTR label-mates Bad Weather California. The tour will kick off on 1/6/12 in Washington, DC before heading south and to parts of the Midwest. See the full list of dates here, and check out the latest video for Akron/Family’s “Cast a Net” here.
  
  Meaghann Korbel - October 27, 2011 at 4:21 pm
- Finger-tapping virtuoso Kaki King is going back to her roots again next month as she embarks on her latest solo acoustic tour. Beginning in North Carolina on 11/3, the two-week tour hits the southeastern US before King heads to Europe. See the full list of dates here.
  
  Meaghann Korbel - October 26, 2011 at 6:56 am
- Seminal "groove-core" outfit Coalesce is reissuing both versions of its full-length debut, Give Them Rope, on November 22. Relapse and No Sleep will pair the original 1997 version with the 2004 re-mastered and adjusted version, allowing fans to hear whichever they prefer. Read today's NPR interview with Sean Ingram for more info.
  
  Scott Morrow - October 25, 2011 at 12:19 pm
- For its upcoming club tour, Norwegian black-metal band Dimmu Borgir asked its fans to dictate the set list. Thus, the band will perform its 1997 release, Enthrone Darkness Triumphant, in its entirety — and then it'll play a whole other set of tunes from its back catalog.
  
  Kyle Gilkeson - October 24, 2011 at 4:37 pm
- On 11/20, multitalented Egyptian artist Nader Sadek will perform In the Living Flesh for free at Santos House Party in New York City. Comprising music from In the Flesh, Sadek's debut full-length, the performance will reportedly resemble a "Wagnerian opera," straddling the line between art exhibit and concert.
  
  Kyle Gilkeson - October 24, 2011 at 4:24 pm
- Psych-folk band Akron/Family has announced the launch of Family Tree, a new record label inspired by mutable collectives like Sun Ra Arkestra, Grateful Dead, and Wu Tang Clan. The label's first official release will be Bad Weather California's Sunkissed in 2012.
  
  Kyle Gilkeson - October 21, 2011 at 2:03 pm
- Norway's progressive and jazz-inflected industrial-metal outfit Shining is releasing a DVD of its amazing live show on 11/11/11. Check out this short-attention-span track-by-track preview of Live Blackjazz, to be released by Indie Recordings.
  
  Scott Morrow - October 21, 2011 at 10:38 am
- For the Brooklyn Academy of Music's upcoming Next Wave Festival (Nov. 9–12), composer Darcy James Argue and graphic artist Danijel Zezelj will premiere their new "multimedia extravaganza." Argue and his band, Secret Society, will perform an hour-long score while Zezelj paints.
  
  Kyle Gilkeson - October 20, 2011 at 11:49 am
- With her new record, Castor, The Twin, out now, Doomtree spoken-word artist Dessa will hit the road in November, playing seven dates up and down the East Coast and into the Midwest. Her cabaret-rap performances will be backed by a trio of multi-instrumentalists.
  
  Kyle Gilkeson - October 14, 2011 at 4:01 pm
- Noise-rock trio A Place To Bury Strangers has signed to Dead Oceans and will release a new EP in early 2012. And on 10/19, the band will headline the Dead Oceans / Jagjaguwar / Secretly Canadian showcase during CMJ.
  
  Kyle Gilkeson - October 11, 2011 at 1:28 pm
- Next Page »