Thursday, October 28, 2010
Liner Notes Girl Talk, Hammock, Mona, David Andersen & More: Inside This Week's Music Section
Posted by Steve Haruch on Thu, Oct 28, 2010 at 8:53 AM
The Beautiful South: With their ambient project Hammock, two industry veterans pull fresh breath from the ether
A Riff in Time: Nashville's "Princes of Leon" went to the U.K. to jump-start their career — but for Mona, there's more to the story
The Ambassador of Music City: David Andersen celebrates his 3,000th gig at the Country Music Hall of Fame with an album of duets with Harold Bradley ((Playing 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Saturday at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, and elsewhere at other times)
Enter the Vortex — If You Dare: The Blair Percussion ensemble treat audiences to a night of Halloween-inspired performances (Playing Sunday, 31st at the Blair School of Music)
In The Spin: The 5.6.7.8’s at Third Man Records, Kurt Vile & The Soft Pack at Mercy Lounge
Plus Critics' Picks on Clem Snide, Hermit Thrushes, Johnny Flynn, Die Antwoord and all that.
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Wow John Rich: Big Enough Celebrity to Wash Up on Trump's Apprentice [Oh the Humility]
Posted by Adam Gold on Wed, Oct 27, 2010 at 4:31 PM
The image above is perhaps a perfect visual analogy to depict the left, middle and center factions of modern America’s political landscape. While, in this day and age, little is shocking in the way of our country’s cultural or political stagnation, there is something rather amazing to behold going on in this here picture. Is it the celebrity on the left’s poofy pantaloons? Is it the celebrity in the middle’s surprising smallness? Is it that the celebrity on the right’s hands are dangerously uncuffed? Or is it just a relief that the picture was taken in New York City and not Music City?
Cream Calendar Blonde Redhead Tonight at Mercy Lounge
Posted by Steve Haruch on Wed, Oct 27, 2010 at 3:07 PM
- Photo: Pier Nicola D’Amico
- Blonde Redhead
The band's latest is a dense, nuanced collage of minimalist electronica and listless dream pop, all cloaked in its trademark crestfallen sensibilities. Yes, its muted beats and elegant synths at times evoke Swedish phenoms The Knife (also clients of Van Rivers and The Subliminal Kid), but a few discerning listens should purge the temptation to simply write off the record as derivative. Indeed, beyond the fact that Penny Sparkle glows with the band's irreplaceably affecting timbre — "Not Getting There," "Will There Be Stars," "Oslo" and "Spain" are particularly great — the trio has by now hopefully earned more of our trust than a passing glance could rightfully respect. Further, it's to the band's credit that it keeps making records worth debating, or reconsidering, in the first place — the embodiment of resilience in an age that too often rewards those looking for the immediate flash.
I don't think Penny will ever be my favorite album of theirs, but I'm really looking forward to hearing some of these songs in a bigger space and at a louder volume. (And as I type that, "Love or Prison" is sounding right on.) If you've never seen this band live, all I can say is that the chemistry is pretty outrageous. You know how twins sometimes seem like they're telepathic with each other or something? The Pace brothers are like that. And Kazu Makino's charisma is pretty much off the charts. 9 p.m., Pantha du Prince opens.
National Skyline / Moving Pictures American Idols: Tyler, J-Lo, Seacrest & Jackson Invade 'Music City Country City Music Capitol of the Earth'
Posted by D. Patrick Rodgers on Wed, Oct 27, 2010 at 12:59 PM
Gold warned you that Steven Tyler was kicking it in Nashville, judging American Idol contestants at The Ryman and freakin' everyone out with his granny-core style. Turns out he ate at Pancake Pantry, too, unless by "the pancake place" he meant IHOP.
So, mildly opposed as we may be to linking to Tennessean clips on occasion, seeing Randy "Pitchy Dawg" Jackson, Jenny From the Block, the more toxic of the Toxic Twins and Ryan "Industry Spunquetoast" Seacrest in the Mother Church seemed pretty ... notable. We'll go with "notable." Also, Randy Jackson is impressed with "new bands on the scene" Kings of Leon and Paramore, the latter of which features "ridiculous singing girl" Hayley Williams. You know what else Randy is impressed with? "The broadness of the flavors out of the Music City Country City Music Capitol of the Earth." Cool new nickname, Nashville.
Cream Speaking of The Greenhornes, Cage the Elephant, Heartbeater & Makeup and Vanity Set [New Releases]
Posted by Steve Haruch on Wed, Oct 27, 2010 at 12:08 PM
Speaking of new albums, Cage the Elephant have a record coming out early next year (Thank You, Happy Birthday, due Jan. 11), and word on the street is that they shot some photos for the album at the house currently occupied by members of the band Heartbeater, who were instructed to make the house look like a bunch of dudes in a band live there. Since a bunch of dudes in a band do live there, does the house not, by definition, look like a house where a bunch of dudes in a band live, regardless of how it looks? Anyway.
Speaking of Hearbeater, you can now download their album Slow Waves for free over at the Meltface Records Bandcamp page. While you're there, you can also order the album on vinyl — the vinyl that the band's successful Kickstarter campaign helped get pressed.
Speaking of albums you can download, Makeup and Vanity Set released Charles Park II yesterday, and you can grab the track "They're Coming" over at Nashville Nights.
Cream New JEFF the Brotherhood Album We Are the Champions Due in Early 2011
Posted by Steve Haruch on Wed, Oct 27, 2010 at 8:34 AM
Two upcoming JEFF shows definitely jump out. First, JTB will be one-third of what is probably the year's most intriguing bill, top-to-bottom: They're opening for South African zef-rappers Die Antwoord at The Cannery Ballroom on Nov. 3, with the other opener being M.I.A. protege Rye Rye. I don't know about you, but I think that's gonna be nuts in the best possible way. (Also, Die Antwoord's vid was just featured at the Guggenheim.) Secondly, two nights later they open for motherfucking Polvo in Baton Rouge. Road trip, anyone?
Here's the first MP3 from the album, courtesy of Infinity Cat Records.
Album track list and tour dates are after the jump.
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Hot Goss Note to The Man: Don't Sip on Young Buck's 'Creative Juices'
Posted by Steve Haruch on Tue, Oct 26, 2010 at 4:36 PM
- Photo: Eric England
He was referring, of course, to the impending sale of his marijuana leaf picture and other items that were seized in order to pay off back taxes — roughly $300,000 worth. Now, as the Nashville Post reports, Buck (who filed for Chapter 13 bankruptcy back in August, withdrew that filing in September and filed again in October) is hitting back with a lawsuit aimed at keeping his possessions. His argument, in short: He needs his stuff to make his music to make the money to pay back the government. Also, taking away his stuff has made things tense around the Buck household, and that's no good:
15. The Department of Treasury also seized personal property which generally decorated the home and belonged to the children of the Debtor / Plaintiff. The forceful seizure of these objects created great stress in the home of the Debtor's I Plaintiff's family. The seizure has also created stress within the common law marriage of the Debtor / Plaintiff which in turn affects his ability to create and publish music. The general personal property belonging to the family is necessary for the Debtor's peace of mind to maintain calmness in order to stimulate the creative juices of the Debtor.
I don't know about you, but I respect the fact that dude (or dude's lawyer) worked the phrase "creative juices" into a lawsuit. Peep the whole document here, if you wish, and if you were planning to bid on any of this stuff, looks like you'll have to wait.
Hot Goss WRVU General Manager Mikil Taylor Resigns, Long Live the WRVU General Manager
Posted by Steve Haruch on Tue, Oct 26, 2010 at 2:23 PM
I have spoken to current Music Director Victor Clarke, and he has agreed to step up and assume the role of General Manager for the rest of the year. I have supreme confidence in his abilities and temperament, and I know he will make an excellent leader. I highly recommend him as my replacement, and while the VSC board makes the final decision, I am confident that they will agree.
Not sure why Taylor is "confident" the board will agree with him on anything, seeing how they have done what they wanted to do, including upholding their decision on the community DJ cap he refers to in the first place. So what's the takeaway here?
Moving Pictures The Non-Commissioned Officers' Garnier Fructis Commercials, KORT at Betty's, Tim Kaiser at Circuit Benders' & Tex Rambunctious Actin' the Fool [Video Round-Up]
Posted by D. Patrick Rodgers on Tue, Oct 26, 2010 at 12:43 PM
* Locals The Non-Commissioned Officers just landed their tune “Evolve” in a series of Garnier Fructis commercials. “Evolve” was co-penned by Non-Comms siblings Eric and Jordan Lehning, along with local ivory-tickler Skylar Wilson. Wilson, you might recall, frequently collaborates with Caitlin Rose and was one of the many locals to land a small part in Country Strong. Each of the Garn-Froo commercials features a pretty adorable monkey. There’s the full, two-minute version above, plus 30-second spots here and here. Congrats to those boys.
* Vimeo user djb posted some footage from KORT’s debut show at Betty’s on Oct. 14. The Spin was there — as were plenty of copies of this issue of the Scene — and the clip in question features performances of “Only a Memory Away,” “Who’s Gonna Love Me Now” and Jefferson Airplane’s “Today.” According to Grimey’s, you can still call and reserve a copy of KORT’s Invariable Heartache on CD or vinyl right now. The physical copies are currently in transit from Germany. Psssst! In case you couldn’t discern my opinion based on the 3,400+ words' worth of ink I spilled over KORT, I think the record is really, really good.
* Word is that the Circuit Benders’ Ball went well over the weekend, and there’s a video of experimental artist Tim Kaiser’s ominous, inter-dimensional, sonic-manipulation performance right here. He talks a bit about his crazy gear at the end.
* Local-music-touting ne’er-do-well Dean Shortland is at it again with that incorrigible character of his, Tex Rambunctious. Part 3 of the Tex series was shot by John Ritchie from Carl’s Country Club. I hate to encourage any Australian to do a Texan accent, but the guy’s got spunk. Gallons and gallons of spunk. Tex will allegedly be hosting Happy Valley’s “Haunted Valley” block party event between 12th & Porter and Mai this Saturday, Oct. 30, so feel free to tell him what you think. Ying Yang Twins will be there.
Creamtastic Caption Contest: Moogfest Giveaway! [Updated]
Posted by Steve Haruch on Tue, Oct 26, 2010 at 10:00 AM
Hey hey, it's caption contest time once again on the Cream, and we've got some good stuff for you. We have two pairs of passes to Moogfest this weekend in Asheville, N.C. Yeah, it's a little bit of a drive, but check it out: The lineup is pretty stacked, and here's just a scratch off the surface: Devo, Big Boi, Thievery Corporation, Dan Deacon, Caribou, DJ Spooky, Massive Attack, Jonsi, Girl Talk, Sleigh Bells, Panda Bear and Van Dyke Parks. Not too shabby, right? There are also workshops and films and shit.
To win, the usual rules apply: The funniest caption, as determined by the Cream staff, win; you don't have to be a registered user to post a caption — just scroll down and click on "post without an account" after previewing your comment — but in order to win you do have to provide a valid email (in the proper field, not in your comment). Contest ends Thursday at noon, and you must be able to pick up the passes from the Scene office at 210 12th Ave. South.
UPDATE: We have our winners. Thanks for playing, everyone.
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