Making good on those New Years resolutions yet? Anyone promise themselves they’d start living a purer existence, one free of the burdens of technology and the modern world? Well it’s time to start getting in touch with that better self, at least for you West Coasters, as BrightBlack Morning Light kick off a run of tour dates tonight in Kennewick, WA. Head on out with an open mind and a “nice crystal”, as BBML have suggested on their tour flyer, and contemplate your new beginnings while BBML play you into the ether. 2009 is already off to a better start then ‘08.
BrightBlack Morning Light - West Coast Tour Dates - Jan 2009
Mon, 1/5 - Kennewick WA - Red Room - with Daniel A.I.U. Higgs
Tue, 1/6 - Olympia WA - Big Room - with Daniel A.I.U. Higgs
Thur, 1/8 - Seattle WA - Vera Project - with Daniel A.I.U. Higgs
Fri, 1/9 - Portland OR - Holocene - with Daniel A.I.U. Higgs
Sat, 1/10 - Eugene OR - Sam Bond’s Garage - with Daniel A.I.U. Higgs
Mon, 1/12 - Arcata CA - Humboldt Brews - with Daniel A.I.U. Higgs
Wed, 1/14 - San Francisco CA - Independent
Fri, 1/16 - Brookdale CA (Santa Cruz Mountains) - Historic Brookdale Lodge - with Mariee Sioux & Avocet
Legendary New London, CT trio the CONDO FUCKS returned to the stage last March after a long absence from the tri-state area’s concert circuit, and the results of a secretive Hoboken rehearsal recording session 35 is being released in March of ‘09 by Matador as the LP/CD, ‘Fuckbook’.
Eschewing such Condo Fucks originals as “Fuckin’ Gary Sandy” and “Let’s Get Rid Of New Haven”, the threesome instead tore thru covers of Small Faces, Richard Hell, Beach Boys, Electric Eels, Troggs, Slade and Flaming Groovies classics in the style that previously won them so much acclaim from the Nutmeg State’s music journalists and radio programmers so many years ago.
In the go-go 1990’s the Condo Fucks released 4 titles on the Matador label, some of which were prominently advertised on the inner sleeve of Yo La Tengo’s ‘I Can Hear The Heart Beating As One’. Sadly, we cannot provide the media with promotional copies of these records as they are very, very rare.
The Condo Fucks are Georgia Condo (drums), Kid Condo (guitar) and James McNew (bass). A full tour of major Connecticut nightspots is planned upon ‘Fuckbook’’s release. Though the band are somewhat “old-school” about the modern social networking phenomena, there’s an unofficial myspace page launching very soon.
(l-r James McNew, Kid Condo, Brooklyn’s Magnetic Field, March 28 2008)
Yo La Tengo just completed their annual Hanukkah residency at Maxwell’s ; for the full scoop on the amazing cavalcade of stars & surprises unveiled during this year’s edition, Ira’s daily diary of said event will make you feel like, well, a very unlucky person if you didn’t attend one or more of the performances.
Much as I hate to poke fun at the brave men and women who constitute our nation’s armed forces, Max Impact — a self-described combination of “today’s hip-hop, pop and urban sounds-and everything in between” — might be the first entry in a genre I like to call, “Bands That Can Form The Basis For A Future Earles & Jensen Phone Call”. From the M.I. bio (link swiped from Wired)
Max Impact answers the call to motivate and inspire the newest generation of professional Airmen. To achieve maximum results Max Impact stays on the leading edge of the ever-changing pop music scene while projecting the highest standards of Air Force professionalism. Optimal delivery is the name of Max Impact’s game when it comes to serving its audience. With innovative style and boundless energy, Max Impact commands the stage encouraging every Airman to embrace the spirit and join the fun.
Chan and the DDB will be hitting the stage of Harlem’s historic Apollo Theatre on February 6 and 7, and tickets go on sale today. In addition, Ms. Marshall and friends will visit Washington DC’s 930 Club on February 8 (tickets) .
The promotional video for The Unsane’s “Body Bomb” from the album ‘Total Destruction’ seemed, at the time, like a rather pricey (ie. more than $10) way of making a clip guaranteed to receive zero MTV play, the fine efforts of Chris, Pete, Vinnie and director Richard Kern aside.
History, however, has a funny way of sorting things out. Thanks to the patronage of Mike Judge’s Beavis & Butthead, the “Body Bomb” video ended up being seen by a wider audience than the occasionally “120 Minutes” spin might’ve garnered. And more importantly, the clip’s explosive subject matter guaranteed the star turn from Cop Shoot Cop’s Jack Natz would forever place Kern’s former Black Snakes bandmate on a Do Not Fly list.
At this time of year we often get sentimental and review the contents of old archive folders. I found this letter in there from an Edna Johnson. Back in the pre-internet days, stuff like this got circulated from office to office via photocopier and fax. Miss u, pre-internet.
I can’t stop thinking about the goose daube I made last spring, especially ’cause I have several calves’ legs left in the freezer. Since Jonah from Fucked Up asked me to scan the “recipe” so he could use it to impress some girl, I decided I should let all of you have the benefit of the scan as well. It’s not so much a recipe as a way of life, like most of Richard Olney’s food writing. This is from the volume ‘Poultry’ in the Time/Life ‘The Good Cook’ series. Click on the images for readable versions.
Kinda scared/confused… wondering what 2k9 will bring… h8 u Carles for writing the most perceptive metablog on “alt” culture on the internets. Worth reading for his views on TV On The Radio alone. Take that, P4K!
This has got to be the easiest recipe ever - if you have a good Italian butcher nearby. Ottomanelli’s in the West Village sells braciole at $5.99 a pound. It’s flank steak (or other cheap cuts) pounded, stuffed, rolled and tied with string. The stuffing is up to you or your butcher. Ottomanelli uses tiny chunks of garlic, flat parsley, olive oil, salt and pepper. No breadcrumbs or cheese in this braciole! Brown it in a hot pan with olive oil, then braise it. We used San Marzano tomatoes, chopped up in their juice, and extended with water, plus some freshly grated nutmeg, and a mixture of freshly cracked black peppercorns and allspice berries, and some 2006 Rully. This particular mixture was maybe a bit too much on the sweet side - next time we will go heavier on the tomatoes.
Important - remove the braciole when they are done! You want them just moist in the center. Then cook down the tomato sauce, now flavored by the meat, to about half, and drizzle over the braciole. Chris Lombardi serves spaghetti as well. Fantastic with more of the Rully (’En Guesnes’ 2006 from Vincent Dureiul-Janthial).
(Note: this is an Italian-American dish, pronounced “brazh-ol” from Sicilian dialect. Singular is braciola. In Italy this would be called involtini and probably prepared differently.)
Remember the glory days of summer? Sitting in front of your computer, patiently refreshing your browser, praying aloud for privilege of shelling out your lawn mowing money for every 7″ in the Jay Reatard singles series. You dreamt of righteous music (or ebay gold).
We know a lot of you weren’t able to successfully assemble the full set, but now you have one more chance. Enter our Jay Reatard 7″ contest to get the whole series AND a signed copy of the Jay Reatard/Beck split 7″. This time, no infuriating checkout debacles or delayed shipping. Just click on the banner below and enter your email. We will randomly select one winner on Monday, January 5th.
Yet another shining example of bringing together fine music and comedy.
A.C. Newman joined (far left) Dave Hill, host of the Dave Hill Explosion, Carl Arnheiter (in elf hat), and Brett Gelman (as many New Yorkers know as “Little Bit o’Luck” which can’t be easy when he’s at the deli) as special musical guest at the Upright Citizen’s Brigade theater last night. Carl sang “Get Guilty” and “Drink to Me, Babe, Then” and then gets interviewed about his Canadianness, the burning question being Triumph or Rush, and which of Carl’s two bands brings him most pleasure. This is all after the audience gets assaulted by party poppers, flying chocolates, a midget wrestling Dave with nunchucks, and a song and dance by Mr. Hill. It was certainly a night of holiday cheer and man love.
Matter of fact, the whole show was so good, Rhapsody is making it available to own.
Starting on December 23rd, those people who purchase MS’08 from the Rhapsody MP3 store will also get an audio download of the ENTIRE SHOW FOR FREE. And I’m telling you, it sounds unbelievable.
Stop by Rhapsody Rock’s video page (http://rhapsodyextras.com/rrnyc/) now to see more videos from the show (including performances from Mission of Burma, King Khan & BBQ and the Duchess & the Duke), and download the album and the live jams on the 23rd because you have to have it, just for you, just forever. I’m not kidding, it’s that good.
I’m sorry about the above headline but it scanned better (barely) than “Don’t Call Her Countess Grishnackh”. From 3news.co.nz (thanks to Mark Ohe for the link) :
Italian news reports say the singer of a heavy metal band and her brother stabbed the band’s guitarist dozens of times, apparently because he wasn’t playing well.
The Genoa-based newspaper Il Secolo XIX is reporting that the 19-year-old Soul Cry singer, Cristina Balzano, and her 16-year-old brother have been arrested on charges of attempted murder.
The newspaper is quoting the victim, identified only as A.D., as saying from hospital that he was attacked late Saturday after a rehearsal with the band “Soul Cry.” He said band members had been criticizing his playing but that he never expected to be physically hurt.
Not to make light of what sounds like a near-tragedy, but how many past or present bandmates of C.C. DeVille read the above item and nodded their heads in empathy?
From the first time your cool older sister brought home a copy of If You’re Feeling Sinister during Winter break from Haverford, you have wanted to design artwork for a Belle And Sebastian album.
You’ve worked hard at it… Aping that monochromatic vibe for mixtapes…. Copped the twee girl clutching some Kafka on flyers for your weekly DJ night…. you work hard. You’re never lazy about it.
And now is not the time to let the laziness set in.
We are giving you the once in a lifetime chance to design the front cover image for a limited edition of The BBC Sessions that will be sold in stores nationwide. That’s right, an actual commercial edition of a Belle album (in nostalgic compact disc format) will feature your creative work if the band so deems it worthy.
Photo by PAOLO PROSERPIO at the Milan show last week.
In what feels like their 400th show of the year, Fucked Up will once again be hitting London tonight with the final show of 2008 for the band, and for Matador UK.
Here’s the details :
WED DEC 17
UNDERWORLD LONDON
8PM ALL AGES (14+)
FUCKED UP
THE KING BLUES
LETS WRESTLE
Tonight will be a Christmas Party of sorts, with tinsel and party hats. There’ll also be a charity give away tonight of some of the remaining Royal Swan 7″s from the 12hr show. Money donated for a copy will be going to selected London-based charities.
And we didn’t tell you, but if you happen to be in the Shoreditch area of town at around 12.30am tonight, there’s a distinct chance you might catch an additional FU show at the Old Blue Last. But you didn’t hear it from me.
(work crews feverishly prepare for the announcement of just what we’ve been watching and eating in 2008)
Every December I send out a rambling, somewhat desperate electronic message to the Matador artist roster (well, most of ‘em) along w/ label staff and our Beggars’ colleagues, begging for their favorite people/places/things/records/memories from the year about to conclude. We’ve got our longest list of best-of’s so far, though keep in mind, if Gabe and Dave’s submissions were edited, we’d be back to our mid ’90’s brevity all over again. Read ‘em and weep, after the jump - G.C.
I consider myself a pretty hardcore Syd Barrett fan, but I was astounded to find that high-quality demos of pre-Piper at the Gates of Dawn material exist — from 1965, no less. The above slideshow is more or less irrelevant but the song, “Lucy Leave,” is fantastic. It features fifth Floyd member Bob Klose, who is responsible for the twangy guitar bits. It’s no Dog Police, but it’s still worth your time.
Lunch is the unjustly neglected meal. (Not so in Denmark.) It’s my favorite meal of the day, and here I am posting endlessly about dinners I’ve made.
The best lunches are simple and cold. This one is composed of Mestemacher whole rye bread, Boars Head swiss from the deli, and Irish mustard from our own Fiona. Other choice cold items could be added to it from the fridge: pickles, anchovies, salami etc. But basically it’s perfect, especially if washed down with beer or cider.
With all due respect to the likes of Darling Cruel, Joey Welz and whoever directed Mick Jagger’s “Let’s Work”, there are music videos that commit themselves to memory so profoundly, nothing sort of joining the Moonies (or a frontal lobotomy) is required to banish their dubious charms from one’s headspace. Today, we have two such contenders for the crown of Sickest Music Video Of All Time.
Challenger B, offered by Megan Metzger of NY, NY, is the semi-legendary Complete. Feel free to make your own suggestions, but it’s gonna take some doing to top either of these.
