My head has been in the clouds… Back to this passion soon. For now, I’ll leave you with this.
Tags: Panda Bear
Archive for the “Pop” Category
Jun
17
2010
 
Westword Music Showcase = Denver’s own SXSW (Sat 6/19)Posted by Lux in Colorado, Dance, Electro, Festivals, Folk, Indie, Pop, Songs
The Westword Music Showcase is Denver’s very own version of SXSW, albeit a smaller one. The yearly event, hosted by the free alternative weekly across 8 blocks of the Denver’s Golden Triangle neighborhood lasts just one day. But don’t let this take away from the fact that it is one of the best events in the area to take in the burgeoning Denver music scene and catch some amazing national acts as well. And it’s cheap. Just $15 in advance and $30 day of. This year’s event has one of the best lineups to date for indie fans with headliners including Ghostland Observatory (Austin), Dirty Projectors, and Neon Indian. Other stand-out local acts include The Still City, Eleanor, Hello Kavita, Taun Taun, and Kill Paradise. See below for Lux’s picks for this year’s Westword Music Showcase. FULL SCHEDULE / VENUE MAP
mp3: Dirty Projectors – Stillness Is the Move
mp3: Neon Indian – Terminally Chill
mp3: Ghostland Observatory – Sad Sad City
mp3: Eleanor – It Takes One to Know One _ Reprise
mp3: Hello Kavita – To A Loved One
mp3: Kill Paradise – Just Friends
mp3: Flashbulb Fires – Twenty-Something
mp3: Boombox – Midnight on the Run Tags: Accordion Crimes, Achille Lauro, Air Dubai, Boombox, Dirty Projectors, Eleanor, Flashbulb Fires, Fresh2Death, Ghostland Observatory, Hello Kavita, John Common & Blinding Flashes of Light, Kill Paradise, Neon Indian, TaunTaun, The Chain Gang of 1974, The Still City, Westword Music Showcase
May
12
2010
School of Seven Bells erect lush walls of soundPosted by Lux in Album Reviews, Dance, Electro, Indie, Pop, Songs, Upcoming Tour
School of Seven Bells trigger psychedelic expeditions into colorful soundscapes infused with the sensual vocals of twin sisters Alejandra and Claudia Deheza and the ethereal guitar wanderings of Benjamin Curtis. Their multi-layered songs are saturated with melting guitar tones, lush vocal harmonies, raw synths, electronica-edged beats, and heavy production. The band’s love for rhythm, atmosphere and melody is overwhelmingly apparent throughout their explorations. The members of School of Seven Bells met on tour supporting Interpol in 2004, Curtis performing with Secret Machines and the Dehezas with On!Air!Library!. When first exposed to his future bandmates, Curtis perceived a rare vibe and communication between the girls and fell deeply in love with the sound. Alejandra revealed to Curtis her dreams for a collective entitled School of Seven Bells. The name stems from a fabled training academy of thieves and pickpockets in Columbia. They began making music here and there and by 2007 put some tracks together that they had affection for and released them as the Face to Face on High Places EP. That same year, the band began touring and had the fortune to support both Blonde Redhead and Prefuse 73 on the road. mp3: School of Seven Bells – Face To Face On High Places – Face To Face On High Places (2007) Initially, the group spent time translating elements programmed in the studio to other musicians who could fill them out in the live setting. Soon, they began featuring the tracks as originally created. If the sounds were programmed, they’d leave it that way, and if they played them themselves, they’d play it on stage. The sound became more honest and the evolution was liberating, enabling the group to remain a trio. School of Seven Bells’ debut album Alpinism was released in 2008 on Ghostly International. The trio fused their two disparate previous projects into a new sound anchored in gorgeous, winding melodies and beguiling synth backdrops. The recording is glittery and uplifting, peaceful and hymn-like, yet at points dark and tension-filled. Each track is a distinct being, possessing its very own magic. The distorted vocals on “Chain” gorgeously lean in the direction of Black Moth. And at points, School of Seven Bells recall another one of Brooklyn babies, St. Vincent. In 2009, they supported Alpinism on tours with both Bat for Lashes and Black Moth Super Rainbow. mp3: School of Seven Bells – Chain – Alpinism (2008) The trio recently announced that Disconnect from Desire, their 2nd full-length release, will drop via Vagrant/Ghostly International and Full Time Hobby in Europe on July 13th. The album, produced by band member Benjamin Curtis and mixed by Jack Joseph Puig, was recorded in the band’s home studio in Brooklyn. “Babelonia” is the gorgeously fuzzy first track off the album, which they’ve released for free into the blogosphere. mp3: School of Seven Bells – Babelonia – Disconnect From Desire (2010) “From the start, we knew we wanted to make a record that connected on more of a direct and personal level than we ever had before,” Curtis revealed in a statement regarding Disconnect. “It’s a complete account of our lives this past year, and it’s crazy how taking an honest look at yourself can tell you the most about the world around you.” In support of the release, the trio will perform one date at The Echo in Los Angeles on June 2nd and two at the Mercury Lounge in NYC on June 9 and 10. And in July, the band will journey abroad to the Netherlands, the U.K., Germany and Australia. Last year, SoSB brought another atmospheric dream pop group on the road with them, upstate New York’s Phantogram. With their thudding beats, lush synthesizers, psychedelic art-rock and interchange of male/female vocals, Phantogram creates dazzling sounds reminiscent of SoSB. Don’t miss Phantogram on tour throughout the U.S. in May and June. May 13th brings them to the Larimer Lounge in Denver. They’ll also hit Sasquatch in 2010. mp3: Phantogram – Mouthful Of Diamonds – Eyelid Movies (2010) School of Seven Bells: MySpace | Website
Tags: Black Moth Super Rainbow, Blonde Redhead, Brooklyn, On!Air!Library!, Phantogram, Prefuse 73, School of Seven Bells, Secret Machines, St. Vincent
Relishing in the sweet sounds that soothe my ears, stimulate my senses, stir up feelings of bliss, and send me into the abyss as I work like I do… Play loudly. mp3: Human Highway – The Sound
Apr
23
2010
Phantogram’s Atmospheric Dream Pop Lifts MoodsPosted by Lux in Album Reviews, Dance, Electro, Indie, Pop, Songs, Upcoming Tour, Video
I recently caught Phantogram within the gorgeous IFC Studio at SXSW and the experience has held onto a special place in my memory. The duo created a unique vibe in the small blue-imbued 50-capacity space that I became wrapped within until the last notes of their set. I’ve been craving that feeling since and will experience it again on Monday when they surface at the Fox Theatre in Boulder on their tour in support of The Antlers. The group is hitting major cities and smaller ones as well between now and June. Phantogram is the sonic manifestation of junior high friends Sarah Barthel (synth and vocals) and Josh Carter (guitar, samples, and vocals). The two came together in 2007 to push boundaries of indie-electronica with their unique style of atmospheric dream-pop. The sound walks a tightrope of genres as they weave sampled and electronically-generated hip-hop beats with shoegaze, trip-hop, R&B, indie/emo and pop. With their thudding beats, lush synthesizers, psychedelic art-rock and interchange of male/female vocals, Phantogram creates expansive, dazzling sounds of unfaltering quality that float. While the band’s sound implies the city, the duo resides in the small town of Saratoga Springs, populations 26,186. To write and record, the two drive further into rural lands of upstate New York to a farmland barn they call Harmony Lodge. The unconventional space acts as their homemade studio/practice-space/think-tank, equipped with various samplers, tapes, records, synths, drums, and percussive and stringed instruments. It is here that Phantogram melds metropolitan influences and those of their natural surroundings to create their textural, psychedelic, beat-driven pop. The band’s debut, Eyelid Movies (Barsuk Records, 2010), is filled with grand ideas and even better songs. In speaking of the record’s title, Barthel explains: “We ran across a description of dreams somewhere that used the phrase ‘eyelid movies’ – and it really struck us both as something that fit our music.” “Daydreams, the spots you see moving around when your eyes are closed tight, and the shapes you see in the world – those are the kinds of things we want to surface in your mind when you hear a Phantogram song,” adds Carter. Barsuk Records is home to indie greats including Death Cab for Cutie, Rilo Kiley, Ra Ra Riot and Viva Voce. There tends to be an undercurrent of loneliness and isolation in much of the band’s work, counter-balanced by awe-inspiring moments of untethered bliss. “Mouthful of Diamonds” is one of those highpoints on the record. Its gorgeous guitar melodies, repeating samples, and Barthel’s astounding voice could lift any mood. In case you were wondering, the band’s intriguing name refers to a type of optical illusion that brings 2D images into 3D, creating a lovely parallel with the rich music that this duo brings to life. mp3: Phantogram – When I’m Small – Eyelid Movies (2010) Phantogram’s Spring Tour
Apr
14
2010
2010 Coachella Picks!Posted by Lux in Dance, Electro, Featured Bands, Festivals, Folk, Indie, Pop, Songs
Pretty soon those of us in Indio will be submerged within some of the hottest sounds coming out now. Below are Lux’s picks for Coachella 2010. Sets of top priority include Thom Yorke, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Pretty Lights, Hot Chip, Fever Ray, Passion Pit, Ra Ra Riot, Beach House, Dirty Projectors, Delphic, Jonsi, Phoenix, MGMT and Rusko. Day 1 Fever Ray – When I Grow Up Day 2 Beach House – Norway Day 3 Charlotte Gainsbourg – Me And Jane Doe Coachella’s Official Website Tags: Coachella
Apr
04
2010
Jónsi’s tour spectacle breathes life into fantasyPosted by Lux in Featured Bands, Indie, Pop, Songs, Upcoming Tour, Video
The enigmatic lead singer and guitarist for Iceland’s atmospheric post-rock band, Sigur Ros, is set to embark on his first tour through North America and Europe as a solo artist. With two record in less than a year, Riceboy Sleeps (2009), written and recorded with his partner, Alex Somers, and Go (April 5, 2010), his debut solo album, Jónsi has been busy during a period of Sigur Ros’ retreat. The group chose to take time off due to several members’ desires to spend time with their new children and Jónsi’s interest in exploring his imaginings solo. To accompany his live performance, Jónsi has brought in 59 Productions to create a fantastical world that evokes the feelings and images within his music. Sigur Ros is known for pushing boundaries with the visual components of their live show, so it’s almost assumed that Jónsi would explore contemporary technology and imbue his live performance with art. 59 Productions has been praised as one of the most innovative suppliers of video and projections for theater worldwide. When invited to be a part of the tour, 59 decided to create something that strode the line of a music performance, a film, a theatrical show and an art installation. Within the current state of performance, I find it infinitely interesting to see what happens at these intersections. The show is set in a dilapidated, burnt down building that is made to resemble a Victorian glasshouse, an old factory or museum, with large windows that span the back of the stage. Trees grow among the rubble and broken glass. In an interview with Clash Magazine, 59 shared their intention to create “a sense of life returning to this shell of a building as nature works its way through the cracks and fissures.” The scenes draw out varying themes and stories from Jonsi’s music on Go to transport audiences into a world of sheer fantasy. mp3: Jonsi – Boy Lilikoi – Go (2010) 59 have released several videos documenting the show’s elaborate creation. For the extraordinary chance to experience the unfolding of this vision live, find Jónsi while he journeys across the U.S. and Canada in April and May. Apr 6 – Vogue Theatre, Vancouver, BC
Mar
24
2010
SXSW 2010 Highlights: Austin’s Musical ParadisePosted by Lux in Concert Reviews, Dance, Electro, Festivals, Folk, Indie, Pop, Songs
Ahh, SXSW. This 4-day conference and music festival has taken over as my favorite event of the year. Nowhere else can you experience the sheer quantity of quality artists, both high profile and emerging, back to back, all day and night long. Checking schedules for the day parties and evening showcases, running back and forth along the crowded streets between venues, wolfing down BBQ, and battling to see as much music humanly possible is the task. The reward is witnessing killer sets on intimate stages surrounded by audiences who care deeply about what is happening in music now. Here are the 60 artists I caught this year: Band of Horses, Best Coast, Big Light, BRAHMS, Broken Bells, Broken Social Scene, Cymbals Eat Guitars, Dam-Funk, Dawes, Delorean, Dengue Fever, Diplo, Estelle, Fat Mike, First Aid Kit, Free Energy, Freelance Whales, Frightened Rabbit, Hey Champ, Hole, Holy Fuck, Japandroids, jj, Lissie, Lord T & Eloise, Macy Gray, Major Lazer, Maluca, Mayer Hawthorne & The Country, Memory Tapes, Miike Snow, Muse, Nas & Damian Marley, Neon Indian, Nick Catchdubs, Pase Rock, Phantogram, Real Estate, Rival Schools, Rogue Wave, Salem, Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings, Sleigh Bells, Solid Gold, Stardeath & White Dwarves, Stars of Track and Field, Street Sweeper Social Club, Surfer Blood, The Antlers, The Asteroids Galaxy Tour, The Black Keys, The Glitch Mob, The Low Anthem, The Walkmen, The xx, Titus Andronicus, Tobacco, and Uffie, and Yourself and The Air. Now for the highlights…
mp3: Damian Marley & Nas – As We Enter – Distant Relative (April 20, 2010)
mp3: Band of Horses – Is There A Ghost – Ceases to Begin (2007)
Free Download of “World Sick”
mp3: The Black Keys – Tighten Up – Brothers (May 18, 2010)
mp3: First id Kit – Hard Believer – The Big Black & The Blue (2009)
mp3: Neon Indian – Terminally Chill – Psychic Chasms (2009)
mp3: The Asteroids Galaxy Tour – Around the Bend – Sonic Arts Ep (2008)
mp3: Hey Champ – Cold Dust Girl – Cold Dust Girl (2009)
mp3: Free Energy – Bang Pop – Stuck On Nothing (2010)
mp3: Freelance Whales – Hannah – Weathervanes (April 13, 2010)
mp3: Big Light – Monster – Animals in Bloom (2010)
mp3: Hole – Skinny Little Bitch – Nobody’s Daughter (April 27, 2010)
mp3: Miike Snow – Sans Soleil – Miike Snow (2009)
mp3: Tobacco – Dirt (featuring Aesop Rock) – Fucked Up Friends (2008)
mp3: Stars of Track and Field – Movies Of Antarctica – Centuries Before Love and War (2006)
mp3: Frightened Rabbit – Swim Until You Can’t See Land – The Winter of Mixed Drinks (2010)
mp3: Titus Andronicus – A More Perfect Union – The Monitor (2010)
mp3: Phantogram – Mouthful Of Diamonds – Eyelid Movies (2010)
mp3: Street Sweeper Social Club – 100 Little Curses – Street Sweeper Social Club (2009)
mp3: Major Lazer – Pon de Floor (feat. VYBZ Kartel) – Guns Don’t Kill People… Lazers Do (2009)
mp3: Diplo – Smash a Kangaroo – Decent Work for Decent Pay (2008) And here are the artists I’m bummed to have missed, but you can’t see everything at SXSW, though you might try: Ra Ra Riot, Local Natives, Oh No Ono, Fanfarlo, Bachlorette, Wye Oak, Ortolan, Rafter, The Very Best, Javelin, Jookabox, Anais Mitchell, Joshua James, The Black Angels, Pretty Lights, Passion Pit DJs, Diamond Rings, Washed Out, Twin Sister, Matt Morris, Beats Antique, The Cool Kids, Grace Potter & The Nocturnals, Lights, Evan Dando, Chiddy Bang, Snoop Dogg, Stone Temple Pilots, Chamillionaire. Tags: Band of Horses, Big Light, Broken Bells, Broken Social Scene, Diplo, Estelle, First Aid Kit, Free Energy, Freelance Whales, Frightened Rabbit, Hey Champ, Hole, Major Lazer, Miike Snow, Muse, Nas & Damian Marley, Neon Indian, Phantogram, Stars of Track And Field, Street Sweeper Social Club, SXSW, The Asteroids Galaxy Tour, The Black Keys, Titus Andronicus, Tobacco
Mar
14
2010
MGMT’s psychedelia-filled new track: “Flash Delirium”Posted by Lux in Album Reviews, Featured Bands, Indie, Pop, Songs
Brooklyn duo MGMT will release their 3rd full-length album, Congratulations, on April 13, 2010. They’ve offered a taste by making the track “Flash Delirium” available as a free download through their website. The adventurous Bowie-tinged exploration veers in a variety of mind-bending directions within its 4 minutes. The confusion it unleashes become more manageable with subsequent listens. Psychedelic lyrics offer this gorgeous sentiment: “Dance until the heart explodes and we’ll make this place ignite.” “Some will love it, some will hate it,” Andrew VanWyngarden told Rolling Stone of Congratulations‘ stylistic shift. “We want to freak people out.” MGMT have so far debuted three other songs off the release, “Congratulations”, “It’s Working”, and “Song for Dan Tracey”, at recent shows. The album was recorded in Malibu by ex-Spacemen 3 Brit Pete Kember (aka Sonic Boom) and mixed by Flaming Lips producer David Fridmann. The record is the follow-up to 2007’s Oracular Spectacular, which crushed with over 1 million copies sold worldwide. Upcoming U.S. tourdates include Coachella, Bamboozle, and Sasquatch in April and May. mp3: MGMT – Flash Delirium – Congratulations (2010) Flash Delirium So turn it on, tune it in You say “I’ve got the backbone” And now it hurts to stay at home Plants, as far as i know are still, Here’s a growing culture Comfort keeps us nice The hot dog’s getting cold (Why close one eye and try to 66 55 red battleships Eue the spiders Download “Flash Delirium” through MGMT’s website. Tags: Brooklyn, Congratulations, MGMT
Mar
12
2010
Danger Mouse & James Mercer collaborate to form Broken BellsPosted by Lux in Album Reviews, Indie, Pop, Songs, Upcoming Tour, Video
The buzz over the collaboration between Shins singer/guitarist James Mercer and producer/multi-instrumentalist Danger Mouse (Brian Burton) has been mighty. The pair announced the project in September of ‘09 and released their self-titled album this week. The two acclaimed musicians (Danger Mouse is half of Gnarls Barkley and produced the Gorillaz’s 2007 album Demon Days) were inspired to put their heads together after connecting at Denmark’s Roskilde Festival in 2004 when they discovered they were fans of each other’s work. They began recording in secret at Burton’s Los Angeles-based studio in March of ‘08 and the culmination of their efforts is now out on the table. Take note that this is not just a “produced by Danger Mouse” one-off. The two are apparently in it for the long haul and have plans extending past this first album.
Eyes closed, this is a Shins album. The wonderous indie sensation expanded upon their sound throughout their 3 albums (2001, 2003, and 2007), and this feels like it could be the fruit of the next step in that progression. Due to Mercer’s distinct voice, the line between The Shins and Broken Bells is rather blurry. That is an exciting reality for Shins fans in that Mercer and his bandmates have had a sour parting. Burton’s contributions are somewhat restrained, but he seamlessly infuses his creativity and influences into a realm of music heavy with melody and sparse on beats. Overall, the partnership works well. The balance of styles, Burton’s hip-hop and soul and Mercer’s inventive song construction and lyricism, produce 37 minutes of pure quality. Other than string arrangements by composer Daniele Luppi, Danger and Mercer play every instrument on the 10-song album. Mercer sings and plays guitar and bass, while Danger tackles drums, organ, piano, synth, and bass. Danger also serves as producer. “The Ghost Inside” is the standout track on the album and offers a clear illustration of Mercer and Burton getting their hands dirty together. It’s a fabulous synthesis of Mercer’s falsetto, warbly back up vocal overlays, handclaps and unforgettable synth melodies. Lyrically, the album is direct and insightful. “Vaporizer” delivers a potent message atop sanguine organ lines: Let go of fears and unrealized hopes and live without the squashing need to know where you are going. “The Waiting Game” speaks of the elusiveness of love among buzzy synths and spacey effects. Gone are Mercer’s cryptic lyrics. He speaks truthfully of loneliness, love, and dreams falling short. “Citizen” just punches with its beat and harsh chorus, encompassing the dark feel that pervades many of the tracks. The album is missing a tad of soul and doesn’t necessarily push the envelope, but it gets inside the head. Vaporize Common fears start to multiply Why should we waste it on It’s not too late Doubtless, we’ve been through this mp3: Broken Bells – Vaporize – Broken Bells (2010) Now it’s time to figure out how Broken Bells sound live. The duo has performed 5 shows to date over the past four weeks in L.A., Paris, London, Brooklyn, and on Letterman. You can find Broken Bells in L.A. on March 14 and in the clubs of Austin at SXSW March 17-21. Stay tuned for more dates…
Download through Amazon: Broken Bells [+Video] Tags: Broken Bells, Danger Mouse, James Mercer, The Shins |
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