Monday, December 21, 2015

Jad Fair & Jason Willett of Half Japanese premiere animated video for "Mars Invaded Earth" from new album

Click image to watch video


“If the old adage is true and all of Fair’s songs are either about monsters or love, this one could be one of his first that’s about both, offering goofy depictions of the downfall of our planet paired with a surprisingly maudlin air for the indie rock goofball.” — SPIN

Jad Fair and Jason Willett of legendary art-punk band Half Japanese premiere the first video from their new album as a duo today via Exclaim! The video was hand-animated by Jad Fair using his signature cutout art and is available to watch and share HERE. (Direct YouTube HERE.)

SPIN recently premiered the song "Mars Invaded Earth", which is available to hear and share HERE. Consequence of Sound previously shared the album title track "The Greatest Power", available to hear and share HERE.

The 18-track album sees the longtime bandmates return hot on the heels of Half Japanese's 2014 album Overjoyed, which was the band's first recording in over 13 years. 

In keeping with Half Japanese's tradition of all songs being "either love songs or monster songs," Jad & Jason's latest effort vacillates between these lyrical themes throughout with Fair on vocals and "occasional instruments" (mostly guitar) and Willett on "other instruments." Drag City artist Michael Evans plays drums on title track "The Greatest Power." 

In 1974, with his brother David, Jad Fair co-founded the lo-fi alternative rock group Half Japanese. Over the ensuing three decades, Half Japanese released nearly 30 records, and in the process, attracted a solid base of fans passionate about the band's pure, unbridled enthusiasm for rock and roll. Jad also performs and records as a solo artist, and occasionally collaborates with such musicians as Daniel Johnston, Danielson, Teenage Fanclub, Moe Tucker (of Velvet Underground), Yo La Tengo, Steve Shelly and Thurston Moore (of Sonic Youth), John Zorn, Kramer, and more.


The Greatest Power was released on LP, CD and download on December 18th, 2015 via Dymaxion Groove Records. 


Artist: Jad Fair & Jason Willett
Album: The Greatest Power
Label: Dymaxion Groove
Release date: September 8th, 2015

01. 1111
02. Monster On the Loose
03. Are You Ready?
04. Peace Sign
05. Hold That Tiger
06. I Remember Every Word You Said 
07. Far Away At Sea
08. Bubblegum Cottoncandy
09. Frankenstein Conquers the World
10. Let’s Go To Paris
11. Attack of The Giant Leeches
12. Ain’t No Sin
13. Good as Soda Pop
14. Giant From the Unknown
15. Everybody Happy?
16. Mars Invaded Earth (STREAM)
17. Drum Drop
18. The Greatest Power (STREAM)

On The Web:
jadfair.org
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Jerkagram premiere first track from forthcoming album produced by Toshi Kasai


L.A. by way of NYC fraternal twin duo  Jerkagram premiere the first track from their forthcoming album Outer Limbs today via New Noise Magazine. The looping, crescendoing epic tune "Three Pillars" is an excellent example of the band's textured guitars, frenetic drumming and mantric vocals. Hear and share "Three Pillars" HERE. (Direct Soundcloud HERE.)

The band hits the road for an extensive North American tour throughout March and April 2016. Dates to be announced soon. Prior to that, Jerkagram celebrates the album release in Los Angeles on January 26th at Los Globos with Hepa-Titus, PlanesWalker & Andraus. 

Pinning down just what Jerkagram does is no easy task. "I never know what to tell people when they ask," explains drummer Brent Gaines, one half of the fraternal twin duo, along with guitarist Derek. The raucous twosome is influenced by a very wide array of musical styles and philosophies, from the cacophonic yet buoyant heaviness of The Melvins to the orchestral post-rock of Explosions in the Sky to the loose jazz of Sun Ra. 

Starting out exclusively as an improvisational stilted noise/free rock operation from New York, Jerkagram embarked on several tours, and came to find that their free approach was naturally gravitating towards something more foundational and song-oriented. This newfound energy for song-writing lead to the band releasing two records in 2014 -- full-length Let's Talk About Us and EP Tired Old Horseshit. Following these releases was an ambitious ten-week tour around the US, where they landed in Los Angeles, ready to tickle some more earlobes with sheepish grins.

Enter the band's new full-length album, Outer Limbs. Recorded and mixed by Toshi Kasai (Melvins/Big Business), the record is an evolutionary refinement of their melting-pot sound. Each song has a motorik sensibility behind it and seems to grow and transition organically, yet also manages to feel unhinged and unpredictable. The interplay of sturdiness and freedom inherent in their songs, as well as the dynamics of the bludgeoning drums and ambient guitars switching roles in being the driving force behind them is what makes Jerkagram such an intriguing force -- they don't imply themselves or belong to any genre, and despite this, everything is characteristic, cohesive and thematically consistent, from the Morricone-inspired opener, "Coat of Arms," to the frenetic yet poppy, "Cloud Builder," to the jazz-rock closer, "Empty Gesture."

Jerkagram plans to support the record with relentless touring in 2016, where they aim to showcase their captivating high-energy performance wherever it brings them and beyond. Outer Limbs will be available on CD and download on January 29th, 2016. 


JERKAGRAM LIVE:
01/26  Los Angeles, CA @ Los Globos


Artist: Jerkagram
Album: Outer Limbs
Label: Jerkagram Music
Release Date: January 29, 2016

01) Coat of Arms
02) Lyra
03) Anteater
04) Cloud Builder
05) Three Pillars (STREAM)
06) Orphaned Origin
07) Two Pillars
08) Empty Gesture

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Tuesday, December 15, 2015

Tsyphur Zalan (Christopher Bono's experimental work) premiere video via Vice's The Creator's Project, directed by Tobias Stretch

Tsyphur Zalan, the experimental, electronic improvisational side project of Ghost Against Ghost frontman and composer Christopher Bono premiere a video today via Vice's The Creator's Project. The video for album track "Dobryy Vechir" is directed by Tobias Stretch (Radiohead) and available to watch and share HERE. (Direct YouTube HERE.)

"Dobryy Vechir" (which translates to "good evening" in Ukrainian) is culled from the recently released Tsyphur Zalan album, Sink. Bono composed the track in western Ukraine while staying in a remote cabin in the Carpathian Mountains near the Romanian border. It blends field recordings of midnight mountain thunderstorms and an ancient country clock against distorted and dense synth drones, weaving a strange and dark tapestry.

The video by art-film master Tobias Stretch was inspired by the experimental nature of Tsyphur Zalan’s work. Tobias used stock footage of depression era dust bowl films to create a post-apocalyptic, sci-fi Grapes of Wrath dream world, allowing the viewer a hazy and melancholic glimpse into a time long gone.

The album Sink. is a selection of synth etudes and drone studies using various synthesizer programs, field recordings and some minimal beats and percussion. The process for the album began as a daily hourly improvisation and experimental session in the morning where source material was developed.

Hear and share Sink. in its entirety via Soundcloud HERE.

Bono draws from his neoclassical background as a composer and producer to create the enveloping soundscape that is Ghost Against Ghost. The band also features drummer Thomas Pridgen (The Mars Volta, Trash Talk) and guitarist Anthony Molina (Mercury Rev). 

For full biography on Ghost Against Ghost and Christopher Bono, please CLICK HERE.




Artist: Tsyphur Zalan
Album: Sink
Label: Our Silent Canvas
Release Date: October 15th, 2015

01. Dobryy Vechir
02. [Rabbits/Hole'. Games)
03. Maniac in Milwaukee
04. Sink.
05. Spinal Bolt
06. Falcon 9
07. OOzey
08. Please Let The Bees Be Free
09. Meditation No. 7










On The Web:


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Friday, December 11, 2015

Southerly pays tribute to Low on first track from upcoming Covers Series release, "When I Go Deaf"


"Krueger sings with the fidelity of a songwriter who's seen what he's saying." - Pitchfork


Portland, OR's esteemed dark indie rock band  Southerly shares the first track from their upcoming covers series today via Echoes and Dust. The covers series pays homage to some of the band's friends and favorites including The National, Low, Big Star, Elliott Smith and Jeff Hanson. Hear and share Southerly's glorious take on Low's "When I Go Deaf" HERE. (Direct Soundcloud HERE.)

Southerly is the musical brainchild of songwriter and SELF Group label founder Krist Krueger. Southerly's 2007 Greyday Records debut Storyteller and the Gossip Columnist was met with national critical acclaim, followed by Champion Of The Noisy Negativists EP (2010) and the epic album Youth (2011). Krueger is also known for his sonic experimentations in Yardsss and Sndtrkr. 

SELF Group has begun a major relaunching this year, with new releases from Mothertapes and Yardsss, and forthcoming releases from C^VES and a long-awaited full length from Southerly in early 2016.

The upcoming fourth Southerly album, titled Broadcast Live From So, So, So, represents Krueger's most mature songwriting to date. As with all of the prior Southerly albums, it's a concept record, hitting on the most basic longstanding human themes: relationships ending, the dark paths the mind can take when we allow it and how we can eventually find our way back to the surface. Sonically, Broadcast takes a more simplistic approach to songwriting and arrangement as opposed to Southerly's prior, more orchestral pop albums and marks fourteen years of Krueger and engineer/producer Robert Bartleson working together at Krueger's own Sonic Sandbox and Bartleson's Haywire Recording Studio in Portland, OR along with Southerly and Yardsss co-writer Eli Savage.


Artist: Southerly
Album: Covers Series
Label: Self Group
Release Date: January 8th, 2016

01. "When I Go Deaf" (Low)

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Wednesday, December 9, 2015

BORIS to play Levitation Fest 2016 in Austin, TX, first U.S. show in 1.5 years

Click image to watch video teaser

"Boris excel at playing around with magnitudes, and on their new LP Noise,all of the panoramas the band has crafted over the past two decades have coalesced into one massive, smoldering landscape." -- Pitchfork


Japanese trio BORIS announce their first U.S. show in over 1.5 years, playing the annual Levitation Fest in Austin, TX. The festival to be held April 29th - May 1st, 2016 at Carson Creek Ranch, also featuring Brian Wilson performing Pet Sounds, Animal Collective, Caribou, Sleep and many more. 

For more information, go to Levitation-Austin.com.

BORIS has always demolished expectations of what a band can do musically and aesthetically. Their most recent full length, Noise was released everywhere (excluding Japan) on LP, CD and download via Sargent House on June 17th, 2014. 


Artist: BORIS
Album: Noise
Label: Sargent House
Release date: June 17th, 2014

01. Melody
02. Vanilla (VIDEO)
03. Ghost of Romance
04. Heavy Rain
05. Taiyo no Baka
06. Angel
07. Quicksilver (STREAM)
08. Siesta











On the Web:
www.borisheavyrocks.com (Official site: Japan)
borisheavyrocks.tumblr.com (BORIS news U.S.)

Follow BORIS on Twitter: @Borisheavyrocks

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Thursday, December 3, 2015

Pink Frost stream full 'Gargoyle Days' album ahead of release


"An increasingly commanding quartet that embraces the power of guitar drone, tribal drum and the deep, shoegaze-era swoon." -- Chicago Tribune 

"Off-kilter, yearning rock music that strives for a populism that's considered a bit declassé by most of their peers and, as such, badly missed." -- Pitchfork


Chicago's critically-praised quartet Pink Frost are streaming in full today the upcoming release of a completely remixed and remastered update to their debut album, Gargoyle Days. Originally released under the band's previous moniker Apteka in 2011, Gargoyle Days has been painstakingly reworked from the original analog tapes. The entire album is available to hear & share via TrebleZine HERE. (Direct Soundcloud HERE.)

Now the 9-song album packs even more punch and sonic breadth representative of the band's live sound. Plus, with new artwork and under the band's new name, it's not just a polished artifact, but a unique rebirth for the album that made many Best of 2011 lists, including Time Out Chicago.

Pink Frost is also currently in the studio recording the followup to their breakthrough 2014 album Sundowning, which received an onslaught of praise from such revered outlets as Pitchfork, SPIN, Noisey, Magnet Magazine and Chicago Reader, as well as song placements in a feature film ("The Lookalike"), TV's The Vampire Diaries, CSI:Miami and more. 

Like Sundowning and last fall's Traitors EP, the new album is also being recorded at Steve Albini's legendary Electrical Audio in Chicago with engineer Gregoire Yeche. It promises more of Pink Frost's intense yet always tuneful signature of heavy-yet-droning hook-laden anthemic rock. 

Pink Frost is often compared to bands ranging from Ride to Smashing Pumpkins to Dinosaur Jr. to Deerhunter and beyond. 

Gargoyle Days was mixed with Adam Stilson, mastered by Jason Ward and will be available on CD and download via Smart Like Virus Records on December 4th, 2015. Pre-orders are available HERE.


Artist: Pink Frost
Album: Gargoyle Days
Label: Smart Like Virus Records
Release Date: December 4th, 2015

01) Gargoyle Days
02) Striking Violet (STREAM)
03) In Clouds
04) Where Days Go (STREAM)
05) This Time
06) Voices
07) Gravesend
08) Monterey
09) We Know Time


Artist: Pink Frost
Album: Sundowning (FULL ALBUM STREAM)
Label: BLVD Records / Notes & Bolts Records & Tapes
Release Date: Sept 3rd, 2013

01) Western Child
02) Ruins (MP3) (VIDEO)
03) Orange Sky Suicide
04) The Difference (VIDEO)
05) Dead Cities
06) Who I Belong To
07) Maybe It's You
08) Occupy Within
09) Blue Light










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RidingEasy Records shares Winter 2016 Mixtape: Featuring NEW songs by Electric Citizen & Mondo Drag



Southern California label RidingEasy Records celebrates the end of a massive year and gives a peek at more ass-kickery to come in 2016 with the RidingEasy Winter 2016 Mixtape. Presented by KR3W, the mix features new, unreleased tracks from forthcoming albums by Electric Citizen and Mondo Drag. Hear & share HERE. FREE download HERE. 

The 14-song set also includes tracks from many RidingEasy bands with releases in 2015, like
Monolord, Sons of Huns, Slow Season, Spelljammer, Holy Serpent and more. Please see complete track listing below. 

Limited edition CDs will be available FREE with orders at the top of 2016 while supplies last via ridingeasyrecords.com and distributed at skate shops throughout the USA, Japan, Europe and Australia. Available for free download now!


TRACKLIST:
01. Electric Citizen - "Evil" from the forthcoming album Higher Times out April 2016
02. Mondo Drag - "Out of Sight" from the forthcoming album The Occultation of Light out Feb 2016
03. Slow Season - "Day Glo Sunrise" from the album Slow Season
04. Salem's Pot - "The Vampire Strikes Back" (Full Version) 
05, Zekes - "Box" from Brown Acid - The First Trip compilation
06. Old Man's Will - "Got It" from the album Hard Times Troubled Man
07. Sons of Huns - "Philosopher's Stone" from the album While Sleeping Stay Awake
08. Spiral Shades - "Frozen Fear" (Originally performed and written by Bedemon)
09. Holy Serpent - "Shroom Doom" From the album Holy Serpent 
10. Spelljammer - "The Pathfinder" From the album Ancient of Days
11. Monolord - "Cursing The One" From the Album Vænir
12. Blackout - "Tannered" from the album Blackout
13. The Well - "Crawling Mist" (McPullish Dub Mix)
14. The Picturebooks - "Hail These Words" from the album Imaginary Horse

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Wednesday, December 2, 2015

Slow Season stream entire album ahead of release via Consequence of Sound, lost debut sees new light on RdingEasy Records


Central California quartet Slow Season are streaming the entire forthcoming revamped version of their 2012 self-titled debut album via Consequence of Sound. Hear and share Slow Season in its entirety HERE. (Direct Soundcloud HERE.)

The band's unpretentious throwback full length has been remixed and remastered with new artwork for proper release on the same label that issued their popular 2014 sophomore album Mountains. The completely renewed Slow Season will be released on LP, CD and download on December 4th, 2015. Pre-orders are available HERE.

Noisey recently shared album track 'Day-Glo Sunrise" HERE. Consequence of Sound premiered the first track "Heavy" HERE.

The band's sound effortlessly nods to greats of the 60s-70s like Led Zeppelin, The Who, Black Sabbath, et al, without sounding like a caricature. Rather, as one can immediately hear, this is hypnotic, heavy, and howling rock 'n' roll that defies both musical and temporal categorization.

The Visalia, CA band -- Daniel Rice (vocals, guitar), David Kent (guitar), Hayden Doyel (bass), and Cody Tarbell (drums) -- scale new heights, while recognising where it all began. Having recorded both of their albums live on reel-to-reel at Tarbell's home studio, the band eschews the digital trappings of music today to give their analog sound its crackling, kinetic energy. 

"Working with the limitations of tape really pushed us to play our best," Rice says. "You have to prioritize your ideas. You can't layer too much on there. You also have to nail the takes. You don't get to go back and cut 'n' paste. You have to feel it when you're playing it. When everything comes together, it really shines because we're all playing together on tape."

The hard-touring band most recently shared the stage on Summer 2015's extensive RidingEasy Records Tour with labelmates Mondo Drag and Electric Citizen. 

Artist: Slow Season
Album: Slow Season
Label: RidingEasy Records
Release Date: December 4th, 2015

01. Heavy (STREAM)
02. Day-Glo Sunrise (STREAM)
03. Evil Words
04. Deep Forest
05. Ruah
06. Coco A Gogo
07. No Bridge Rag
08. Bars & Bars












On The Web:
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Tuesday, December 1, 2015

Pink Frost share new track, Chicago heavy shoegaze band merges 90s alt-rock hooks w/ Deerhunter, Beach House haze


"An increasingly commanding quartet that embraces the power of guitar drone, tribal drum and the deep, shoegaze-era swoon." -- Chicago Tribune 

"Off-kilter, yearning rock music that strives for a populism that's considered a bit declassé by most of their peers and, as such, badly missed." -- Pitchfork


Chicago's critically-praised quartet Pink Frost premiere a new track today from the upcoming release of a completely remixed and remastered update to their debut album, Gargoyle Days. Originally released under the band's previous moniker Apteka in 2011, Gargoyle Days has been painstakingly reworked from the original analog tapes. The anthemic track "Where Days Go" premieres via Northern Transmissions and is available to hear and share HERE. (Direct Soundcloud HERE.)

Album track "Striking Violet" was recently shared via New Noise Magazine HERE. (Direct Soundcloud HERE.)

Now the 9-song album packs even more punch and sonic breadth representative of the band's live sound. Plus, with new artwork and under the band's new name, it's not just a polished artifact, but a unique rebirth for the album that made many Best of 2011 lists, including Time Out Chicago.

Pink Frost is also currently in the studio recording the followup to their breakthrough 2014 album Sundowning, which received an onslaught of praise from such revered outlets as Pitchfork, SPIN, Noisey, Magnet Magazine and Chicago Reader, as well as song placements in a feature film ("The Lookalike"), TV's The Vampire Diaries, CSI:Miami and more. 

Like Sundowning and last fall's Traitors EP, the new album is also being recorded at Steve Albini's legendary Electrical Audio in Chicago with engineer Gregoire Yeche. It promises more of Pink Frost's intense yet always tuneful signature of heavy-yet-droning hook-laden anthemic rock. 

Pink Frost is often compared to bands ranging from Ride to Smashing Pumpkins to Dinosaur Jr. to Deerhunter and beyond. 

Gargoyle Days was mixed with Adam Stilson, mastered by Jason Ward and will be available on CD and download via Smart Like Virus Records on December 4th, 2015. Pre-orders are available HERE.


Artist: Pink Frost
Album: Gargoyle Days
Label: Smart Like Virus Records
Release Date: December 4th, 2015

01) Gargoyle Days
02) Striking Violet (STREAM)
03) In Clouds
04) Where Days Go (STREAM)
05) This Time
06) Voices
07) Gravesend
08) Monterey
09) We Know Time


Artist: Pink Frost
Album: Sundowning (FULL ALBUM STREAM)
Label: BLVD Records / Notes & Bolts Records & Tapes
Release Date: Sept 3rd, 2013

01) Western Child
02) Ruins (MP3) (VIDEO)
03) Orange Sky Suicide
04) The Difference (VIDEO)
05) Dead Cities
06) Who I Belong To
07) Maybe It's You
08) Occupy Within
09) Blue Light










On The Web:
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