Audiovisuals...Unknown Mortal Orchestra- "Can't Keep Checking My Phone"

For a band whose music (and interviews) openly delve into the dark depths of witchcraft and the occult, it's fitting that Unknown Mortal Orchestra's latest video depicts all sorts of damnation and turmoil. In his own words, frontman Ruben Nielson describes the video for Can't Keep Checking My Phone as such: [the song] is so full of sounds and its lyrics are so elusive so I decided that one idea wouldn’t do the track justice.” In opposition to the song’s upbeat funk-induced sounds, the montage of entitled hysterias elicit nothing of the sort, though they do serve as safe, vicarious ways of experiencing oddities like capgras syndrome and hybristophilia.

Moral of the story? There are worse things in life than someone not responding to your text.

+ Warning: This video contains a very brief segment of nudity.

+ Also, catch a live version of this track from UMO's KEXP studio sessions. [Link]

Hear This..."Take Your Time" The Cairo Gang

Psychedelic rock owes its earliest years to the hippie counterculture era that was the 1960s.  It is a blessing that the genre earns itself a place at such a time within history, at the same time, such an association I fear has deeply confined people's understanding of the genre.  Simply put, when one thinks of psychedelic rock, the first association is often times drugs.  In this day and age, I could type in psychededlic rock into YouTube, and one of the first videos that appear bears the title "(Rock to trip to) :) I guess there's no avoiding that, but psychedelic rock came forth built on much more than a bunch of stoned "free-thinkers"  Psychedelic rock transfused genres and crossed cultures, finding influence from as close as Southern blues and as far away as India.  

"Take Your Time," a new track by The Cairo Gang is a quintessential example of psychedelic rock.  Of course the uneasy genre has taken off to various sub-categories (space rock, ambient rock, shoegaze, etc), but this track remains grounded in the original flux of twangy guitars, tamborines and Eastern raga sounds of the early 1960s psych rock.  Its hard to believe that this here is a new song, with the obvious influences of late Beatles and The Byrds pinned to the very sleeve of this song.  Obvious as it is, that is not such a bad thing. The optimist in me takes this as a good sign, that the absurd sub-categories of psych have not truly taken over. "Keep negative spirits away."

The Cairo Gang have a small six song LP set for release 7/23 titled Tiny Rebels
https://myspace.com/thecairogang

Audiovisuals...In Guards We Trust [album promo]

Quite easily my favorite band that doesn't yet have a full-length album, New York trio Guards have been circulating on my iPod ever since I stumbled upon their fabulous Guards EP January 18, 2011.   But that was two years ago.  Being that it is now January 2013, I have beaten that EP to death, memorized just about every verse and rhyme, yet it never gets old.

Thankfully, come February 5th, the wait will finally end as Guards has announced the coming of their debut album In Guards We Trust for that Tuesday.  In anticipation of the new LP, the band released a quick album teaser reminding us all to save the date.  a quick teaser little promo video featuring a brand new track called "Nightmare" that we can assume will pop-up somewhere on the upcoming album.  The song features a darker sound, blending their oft familiar brand of rock pop with a hint of psychedelia.  An off-shoot of what we have heard thus far with the twp previously released IGWT singles, but versatility proves fare when it comes to music.

And what goes better with the sounds of smoky psychedelia than a straining montage of fast cars, race tracks at night, and motorboats gliding across across the sea with people wearing veils over their faces? Its hard to describe as it is one of those "you have to see it" things, but trust me it fits like a glove.

With barely more than a few songs to their name, Guards are still in limbo, apart of that endless category of "emerging indie-bands hailing from New York" until February 5th, but this video surely deals them them an elusive hand.  Sure every band wants that Gwendolyn Brooks-we-cool-type mantra attached to them, but few actually do it. All in all, Guards has got it, and come February 5th, I see no signs of that changing.

                       

Useless Clatter...[Hear This] Brian Jonestown Massacre Announce New Album + Latest Single "Blue Order New Monday"

      I wouldn't be going out on a limb in saying that The Brian Jonestown Massacre could be the most diverse band out there right now.  But whether that's because of the numerous genres they've tapped into throughout the years or just due to the immense line up changes that have come their way, The Brian Jonestown Massacre are truly in a class of their own.  Those of you who've seen DiG! know what I'm talking about. But to base the band's reputation solely on the hot headed temper of band leader Anton Newcombe is a bit one sided.  Maybe he is a little wacky, but the stuff he and his band-mates put together in the studio completely makes up for it.

      On that note, I am thrilled to report the news of a new BJM album to be released May 7th called Aufheben.  As of late, Anton's made his home in Berlin so its not completely bizarre to see the German word appears as the album's title.  And thanks to the possibilities of web translation, I've tracked down the meaning of the word which now leads to an assortment of interpretations on why he chose that word.  Aufheben (pronounced auf+he•ben) is a verb lending itself to a variety of actions- 'to pick up, to abolish, to lift, to reverse, to capture to preserve' to name a few.  Anton could have had any number of these in mind when choosing the word and unfortunately I don't think we'll ever  know what he truly intended.  But that's alright because the greater concern, as it always is with a new BJM album, is what the stuff will sound like.  Thankfully we won't have to wait until May because with this news came the release of the first single from Aufheben titled "Blue Order/New Monday." 

Useless Clatter...2012 Album Releases (Jan-Mar)

      What many people look forward to in the New Year is the idea of a fresh start.  The physical act of swapping last year’s calendar, covered in ink and scribble marks of varying importance in exchange for a brand new, never been touched replacement can be both reassuring and gratifying.  Resolutions are made and become one’s priority for the next couple weeks (or days...) in an effort to begin the new year on the right foot.  Regardless, the new year always comes forth with its fair share of optimism. 

      For me, the joy of a new year comes in the form of music.  New artists will be found, making their mark on 2012, as well as albums from old time favorites discovered in years before.  I was in sixth grade when I was first introduced to the idea that the only two things certain in life are death and taxes.  Be that as it may, I have compiled below a list of albums whose release dates have been certified by various sources around the web.  The albums below are those that I am most looking forward to in the first three months of the new year- albums from bands that already make up my IPod. 

Of course, recommendations of similar artists not found on this list are always appreciated as the whole point of this blog is discovering music.

+ Updates, singles and other album previews will surely follow

Five Songs From...The Brian Jonestown Massacre

      This is a new feature I am starting today titled 'Five Songs From...' in which I take one particular artist and post five songs from various albums throughout their career.  They are not always their best songs, or even the most popular of their music, but together they form a sort of musical timeline, outlining the band's career, style and sound that have developed over the years.

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      I start the series off with one of, if not my favorite band, The Brian Jonestown Massacre.  Formed in 1995 in San Francisco by front man Anton Newcombe, this band has had a staggering amount of former members in its history.  Some 40 different musicians have passed through its ranks, with Newcombe as the only constant.  This fact leads to the thinking that Anton must be a difficult person to work with judging from some of his peculiar media statements and shocking on-stage antics.  In fact, Anton's colorful and rebellious character was taken to the big screen in a documentary about The Brian Jonestown Massacre titled DiG!, which won the Grand Jury Prize for Best Documentary at the 2004 Sundance Film Festival.  Newcombe however, denotes the film for its inaccurate portrayal of him.

      As this all may be true, The Brian Jonestown Massacre have never let their critical reception become a distraction from making music.  Their creative output is unmatched, going beyond the industry norms releasing 10 albums in their first 10 years.  But while their efficiency is impressive, the band's creative blend of multiple sounds and styles stands above all.  In terms of genre, they have attacked rock from all angles being defined as indie, folk, psych, shoe gaze and experimental.  They are sometimes reminiscent of the early days of rock n' roll in Bob Dylan and The Rolling Stones while other times sounding more like a techno-pop mash-up made on some kid's computer. Yes, to be said, The Brian Jonestown Massacre are truly one-of-a-kind.