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Column: What Goes On
Iconic Seattle Indie Band, Carissa’s Wierd, to Release Retrospective Comp
If you’re a fan of Band of Horses or Grand Archives, you’ll be interested in knowing that each band had members who were once in the Seattle indie/chamber rock band Carissa’s Wierd. The band was originally formed in 1995 by Mat Brooke and Jenn Ghetto, and they built intricate instrumentation that was elevated by soft, discontented vocals. Following the band’s breakup, Mat Brooke and Ben Bridwell went on to form Band of Horses, and then Brooke broke off and formed Grand Archives. And, yes, “weird” is intentionally spelled wrong.
Over the course of their career, Carissa’s Wierd always seemed to be a legend in the making, but it just never came to be. However, they did experience success and much acclaim across the Pacific Northwest, especially during 2001’s You Should Be at Home Here and 2002’s Songs About Leaving.
On July 13th, Hardly Art is releasing a compilation of songs from their back catalog, titled They’ll Only Miss You When You Leave: Songs 1996-2003. Hardly Art is also planning to reissue the band’s three albums the first two mention above and also Ugly But Honest, which means their music will be available in both digital and vinyl formats for the first time. The band is said to be readying to play some select dates to support the July release. [via CMJ]
After the jump, check out the track listing for They’ll Only Miss You When You Leave: Songs 1996-2003, and also some select songs from the band. read more
Album Review: The Morning Benders, Big Echo
The Morning Benders
Big Echo
(Rough Trade, 2010)
In 2008, when I still lived in San Francisco, I took a trip up the coast one April to check out a small music festival in the seaside town of Point Arena. Day one of the two-night, second-annual, so-called Awesome Fest featured a line up that was decidedly local, intensely talented, and musically disparate: Girls, Thee Oh Sees, Port O’Brien and this band, the Morning Benders.
That night wasn’t the first time I’d seen the Morning Benders, but it was an important turning point in my appreciation of their sound. Up until then, I’d thought of them as playing this mildly throwback, Spectoresque pop that felt shiny and new, but didn’t have a lot of presence. But under the high ceilings of the Arena Theatre, something changed. The sound got bigger, fuller. There was a suspiciously pleasing spatial dimension to it, an echo that took front man Chris Chu’s tinny telecaster and suave croon and made them huge.
I can’t say it was the genesis of the Morning Benders’ transformation, but when I heard Big Echo, I immediately thought of that moment. In a way, the album is like a giant shout unleashed when encountered with natural sublimity: a roar of exuberance on the edge of a precipice by the crashing sea, or an endless, grassy, summer meadow under wide open blue skies. That wildness gives Big Echo a big beating heart, but it’s clear from the very first listen that it’s the head that’s in control here. Actually, make that two heads: Chu and Chris Taylor of Grizzly Bear co-produced the album.
Simon & Garfunkel Reunite for a Mini-Tour
No doubt still celebrating their epic hockey victory over their cocky neighbors, Canadians have yet another reason to rejoice. It looks like Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel have set aside their differences for now, and the gruesome twosome are set to perform a string of shows in Canada and the Northern US to go along with their headlining slot at Jazz Fest down in New Orleans. The hilariously titled “Old Friends” tour will begin in Vancouver on April 29th and end in Montreal on the 15th of May.
Tour dates after the jump.
Stream the White Stripes’ New Live Album for Free
We sure are getting spoiled by all these free streams over at NPR, aren’t we? The latest and greatest free sneak peek into an upcoming release is Under Great White Northern Lights, the new live album from the White Stripes.
The album, being released alongside a documentary by Emmett Malloy chronicling the one-time husband and wife duo on tour in Canada in 2007, is culled from a collection of live performances from said tour. NPR will be hosting a free stream of the album until its release next Tuesday, March 16th. Click through to NPR here and enjoy!
Iron Machine Music: Tom Morello to Score Iron Man 2
Metal Insider [via Daily Swarm] reported today that the Iron Man sequel, due out this summer, is slated to be even more of a metalfest than we thought it would be. In addition to the Lamb of God songs slated to be included in the video game, and the bunch of AC/DC songs known to be peppered throughout the flick, Rage Against the Machine guitarist Tom Morello has been brought on board to score the rest of the film’s music.
Morello is apparently no stranger to soundtrack work, as he has laid down original guitar tracks not only for the first Iron Man movie, but also Talladega Nights: The Story of Ricky Bobby, and xXx: State of the Union, not to mention the dozens of other movie, TV and video game moments in which his guitar appears by way of collaboration with other artists (Crystal Method, Cypress Hill, etc.)
Now if only there were a scene in IM2, some kind of feverish dream sequence perhaps, featuring the music alluded to in the headline — that would be something. For those whose interests were piqued by the pun, you may be excited to know that Mr. Reed has officially re-issued his 1975 noise classic and is selling it exclusively via his website, in the run-up to his European tour with the Metal Machine Trio. A sweet little taste after the jump.
Minus The Bear Craft Fourth Album, Release New Single
After almost a three-year layoff, brainy Seattle-based indie-rockers Minus The Bear are back with, Omni, their first album on Dangerbird Records, set for a May 4th release date. “My Time,” the album’s first single is a synthy, polished power-pop track, that, honestly, seems to lack the depth and musical intricacy of the group’s previous work, especially that of 2005’s brilliant Menos El Oso.
That said, it’s a hooky track, that will no doubt will grow on me, and, considering the reality that record labels generally pick potential crossover appeal over artistic merit when it comes to choosing lead singles, I won’t jump to conclusions after a few underwhelming spins of “My Time.” We know that writing off a respectable band based on the early returns of a new single is a dangerous game, and you can bet I will still be giving Omni a full listen when I get my grubby little hands on it. You can download “My Time” in mp3 format from the band’s website.
Listen for yourself after the jump.
Is Vampire Weekend’s Drummer The New Indie Sex Symbol?
The much-ballyhooed Vampire Weekend played “Saturday Night Live” a few days ago on an episode hosted by grizzly funny man Zach Galifianakis. The band sounded pretty ace, but neither of the two “SNL” live blogs I was following as the program unfolded (no, I am not proud) seemed to be very focused on the nimble finger work of Rostam Batmanglij. No, everyone on the INTERNETZ I was reading was far too caught up with the “total hawtness” of VW’s drummer, Chris Tomson.
It was all “OMG DRUMMER!” this and “I’m crushing LOL” that; the tizzy reached a fever pitch when Chris emerged wearing a sleeveless shirt for the band’s second performance spot, wherein they whipped out “Giving Up The Gun”. Every comment on the Jezebel message board quickly turned into a heartfelt ode to Tomson’s “sexxxxy limbz” and “tote kissable beard” (I’m paraphrasing; these are not actual quotes).
Details of Radiohead’s New Album a Hoax
[via Clash] A recent email said to be from Radiohead to their fans claimed that their upcoming album had been given a title, and combined with a full track listing, were said to be readying to release Tehrangeles later this year. Luckily, many fans saw through the bullshit Tehran pun in the title and eventually a spokesperson for Radiohead denied that the email press release sent out had anything to do with Radiohead.
A representative of the band said this:
“Most of it is made up and there is no album or album title” the representative for the Oxford band claimed. Recently guitarist Ed O’Brien told fans: “I am so genuinely excited about what we’re doing, but for obvious reasons I can’t divulge anything more. Anyway, we all love surprises don’t we?”
Unfortunately, this hoax news doesn’t pertain to Thom Yorke’s side project’s new band name. Blah.
In other Radiohead news, Colin Greenwood wrote a special message on the band’s website in memory of their late friend Mark Linkous from Sparklehorse, who recently took his own life. Radiohead (during their OK Computer days) and Sparklehorse toured Europe together. After the jump, see what he had to say. read more
Tunng Announce Remix Contest
Since it’s Monday and I’m rocking my mash-ups, remixes, and feeling all sorts of creative, I thought I’d share this cool little context with everyone. British electro/eclecto-folkies Tunng would like you to remix their song, “Hustle” off their new album, …And Then We Saw Land. The winner earns bragging rights, plus:
-Remix will be included as the B-side to a forthcoming Tunng single
-A signed copy of ‘…And Then We Saw Land’ on CD or LP
-A Tunng t-shirt and tote bag
-An exclusive …And Then We Saw Land test pressing of the LP (only 5 in existence)
-A SoundCloud Pro Plus account.
Contest ends March 31st. Links to song pieces and other contest info at Drowned in Sound.
The Melvins Announce New Album and Upcoming Tour
by: Jocelyn Hoppa
[via Consequence of Sound] YES. With so many flashes in the pan, it’s greatly refreshing to see that the Melvins just keep at it. News comes today of a new Melvins album on the way, titled The Bride Screamed Murder, due out on June 1st via Ipecac Recordings. Buzz Osbourne and Dale Crover again team up with Big Business members Coady Willis and Jared Warren, a paring that is working really well for the namesake.
The band is also hitting the road in support of The Bride Screamed Murder, traveling across North America. After the jump, check out the dates to see if they’ll be making their way to your town. read more
by: Jocelyn Hoppa
published: March 9, 2010
in column: What Goes On
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