Written, produced, recorded and mixed by Menomena at home. Mastered by Jeff Saltzman at Super Digital, Portland. Artwork by Craig Thompson. Flute on “My My” by Brandon Summers. Recording of June Jordan on the song “West” used by permission of the June M Jordan Literary Estate Trust. This record was made with loving support and general assistance from the following people: Lisa O’Hara, Paul Sommerstein, Jacob Balcom, Benjamin Weikel, Brandon Summers, Josh Rosenfeld & Christopher Possanza at Barsuk, John Askew at FILMguerrero, and the Seim/Knopf/Harris families.
CD/LP/DIGITAL WARP RECORDS - WARPCD154
1. Myth Takes
2. All Of My Heroes Are Weirdos
3. Must Be The Moon
4. A New Name
5. Hearts Of Hearts
6. Sweet Life
7. Yadnus
8. Bend Over Beethoven
9. Break In Case Of Anything
10. Infinifold
MARCH 5th, !!!(chk chk chk) rehearsing their third album ‘Myth Takes’ in a rented house on the “wrong side” of Nashville, the band began each day with a strict exercise regime. “We all lived in this huge empty house” remembers Nic. “Every morning we´d do a kung-fu workout, and after that we´d jam all afternoon and night. I think the neighbours thought we were a cult or something. One time the postman walked up to the door when we were all in the living room, in our short shorts, chanting and contorted into these weird sweaty positions. It worked, though: don´t mess with the magic”.
Taken from: chkchkchk.net
The Arcade Fire releases their sophomore album, ‘Neon Bible’, the title indicating that much of the focus and lyrics refer to ongoing current issues with regard to religion, government, and war. The reevaluation of themselves has changed their outlook into a 60’s themed, ‘no more war’ itinerary. ‘Funeral’, the preceding album, dealt with the band’s internal struggles and losses while ‘Neon Bible’ confronts more external issues and apprehensions of loss.
‘Black Mirror’, the leading song on the album begins with a low rumble then crescendos to a hard hitting base drum, possibly symbolizing dark and stormy conditions ahead. Like the opening song, the album starts off subtle and then shapes itself into a profound message of protest that shifts perception in every song.
‘Working for the church while my family dies…’, as heard in ‘Intervention’, implies how a religious conviction, backed with enough authority, can influence and manipulate what is accepted as morally right. Incorporating straight forward expressions such as, ‘I don’t want to fight in a holy war… I don’t want to live in America no more… MTV what have you done to me’, in ‘Windowsill’, touches an honesty point suggesting: no draft, no immediate concerns for us facing combat. ‘No Cars Go’, shifts the tone with an upbeat tempo, turning it into a rousing roll call.
The instrumental music supports the depth of the lyrics with melancholy themes and acoustic undertones of folk music.
The Arcade Fire certainly gets their point across; perhaps it could evoke an old valor young Americans once personified.
Following their 800,000 selling third album, “Talkie Walkie” (2004), Air are set to return with their new album “Pocket Symphony” to be released as a premiere on the digital platforms on 19th Feb 2007 excluding North America and everywhere on CD/Double LP/download on 5th March 2007.
Air will embark on a European tour from Mid March, which will be followed by shows in the US from Mid April to Mid May. They will play at major festivals both in Europe and Japan during the summer and then continue touring for the rest of 2007.
07-21 Los Angeles, CA - Sport Arena
07-27 Berkeley, CA - Greek Theatre
07-29 Seattle, WA - WAMU Center
07-31 Denver, CO - Red Rocks
08-05 Toronto, Ontario - Arrow Hall
08-07 Montreal, Quebec - Bell Center
08-09 New York, NY - Keyspan Park
GRINDERMAN: Foul-mouthed, noisy, hairy, and damn well old enough to know better, Grinderman are Nick Cave, Warren Ellis, Martyn Casey and Jim Sclavunos. They sound different from everyone, including themselves. As Memphis Slim put it back in 1941, “While everything is quiet and easy/ Mr. Grinder can have his way.” It’s a new day. God help you all.
Second single, No Pussy Blues is released on Monday 19th February 2007 on 7″ (limited to 2500 in the UK, numbered with a free poster), CD and download. The CD and 7″ pressings are backed with Chain of Flowers.
The eponymous debut album will be released by Mute on 5th March (North American release on Anti-/Epitaph).
USA Tour:
TUE 20 March NEW YORK, NY @ Knitting Factory
WED 21 March CHICAGO, IL @ Empty Bottle
FRI 23 March SEATTLE, WA @ Chop Suey
SAT 24 March PORTLAND, OR @ Doug Fir
MON 26 March SAN FRANCISCO, CA @ Independent
TUE 27 March LOS ANGELES, CA @ Echo
The Good, The Bad and The Queen are playing an acoustic set at the Apple Store in New York Monday, March 12, 2007, 2PM at Apple Store Soho - 103 Prince St., NY, NY 10012
FREE SHOW!!!
Monday night, March 12, 2007, 8PM at Webster Hall - NYC
SOLD OUT
The Good, The Bad and The Queen:
-Damon Albarn
-Tony Allen
-Paul Simonon
-Simon Tong
Even though thus far I have only reviewed albums by non-American bands, I am very willing to make an exception for The Shins new album Wincing the night away.
After touring with Modest Mouse and signing with sub pop records, the Oregon based band’s popularity significantly increased after Zach Braff picked up two of their songs in his oh so popular indie film Garden State, in which he didn’t just use them in the soundtrack but actually made Natalie Portman’s character a Shins fan. (“this song will change your life, I swear”) And after listening to their new album Wincing the night away, she doesn’t seem to be so far off.
In this album, which title refers to vocalist and guitarist James Mercer’s insomnia, the experiments with sounds and styles that the band was going through on their first two albums seem to have paid off resulting in an album that is solid from start to finish.
The songs tend to be more poppy, but still vary in sound by the inclusion of an eighties sounding synthesizer, a xylophone, haunting violins, eerie guitars, and Mercer’s voice that reminds one of Morrissey.
The lyrics have a dark ironic undertone that seems to be in complete contradiction with it’s upbeat melodies and rythms, yet it is precisely this element that makes the album so strong. The songs tend to bring up dreamy and sleepy images, but break this fantastical illusion by using harsh and dark lyrics like in Australia: You don’t know how long I’ve been,/Watching the lantern dim, Starved of oxygen,/So give me your hand,/And let’s jump out the window.
If Mercer’s insomnia leads to these kind of albums, I hope will never sleep again.
