Municipal Waste: Interview with Dave Witte and Land Phil @ Earache Records, June '09

I had the opportunity to talk with with Dave Witte (drums) and Land Phil (bass) when they were in town earlier this month to promote Municipal Waste's forthcoming disc Massive Aggressive.



The new disc comes out on August 25th on Earache Records and the band calls it the "most ferocious and most focused album of their career." In advance of the CD release, the band is heading off to Europe for a run of July/August dates and then they will be returning home for a tour of the States later in the year.

Here are the current tour dates;

July 16, 2009, 6:00PM, Obscene Extreme Festival, Svojsice
July 17, 2009, 8:00PM, Hafenklang, Hamburg
July 18, 2009, 8:00PM, Welstock Festival, Holland
July 19, 2009, 8:00PM, Nachtleben, Frankfurt
July 20, 2009, 8:00PM, Feierwerk, Munich
July 23, 2009, 8:00PM, Rockplanet Club, Pinarella Di Cervia
July 24, 2009, 8:00PM, Palarockness Club, Genzano (Roma)
July 25, 2009, 8:00PM LORCA Fest
August 12, 2009, 8:00PM, OYA Festiva
August 14, 2009, 8:00PM, BLOODSTOCK Festival, Derby
August 28, 2009, 8:00PM, Leeds Festival, Leeds
August 29, 2009, 8:00PM, Reading Festival, Reading

Links:
Municipal Waste's MySpace Profile
Earache Records

Lightning Swords of Death Play Lit Lounge in August / Added to the Soundtrack for the PlayStation Game "Undead Knights"

California black metalers Lightning Swords of Death are playing Precious Metal night at Lit Lounge on August 17th. Sharing the bill is Bastard Sapling (Richmond, VA black metal) and Agrath (NYC black metal).

Cover is $6.00

In other news, Lightning Swords of Death were recently invited to take part in the soundtrack to Undead Knights, a new PlayStation game from video game publisher TECMO. This sounds like the perfect game for a black metal soundtrack as this is one of the first games that I've ever heard of where you get to play the anti-hero.

“Undead Knights follows a being from hell as he destroys his enemies and turns them into undead soldier-slaves for his army,” reiterated LSOD vocalist Autarch excitedly. “Once the premise of the game was presented to us, it was clear that this rare opportunity provided yet another form of media that could be used to spread our message, without sacrificing the principles and ideology of the band. We also take delight in the idea of children all over the world receiving the glory of our hymns while enslaving the dead.”

Undead Knights will be released this Fall.

Lightning Swords of Death are playing a few shows cross-country on this current tour:
8/09/2009 Java Lounge - Sacramento, CA
8/11/2009 Club Expose - Salt Lake City, UT
8/14/2009 Kansas City Power Metal Festival with Manilla Road @ The Riot Room - Kansas City, MO
8/17/2009 Lit Lounge/Precious Metal Night - New York
8/21/2009 Viaduct Theatre - Chicago, IL

Links:
Lightning Swords of Death's MySpace Profile

Sunn O))) Announce West Coast Tour Dates With The Accused and Eagle Twin

DOWNLOAD: Eagle Twin - Live on KRCL, Salt Lake City 2/27/09 (MP3)

Sunn O))) are back out on the road in support of their new disc Monoliths & Dimensions. The band has announced an August West Coast tour with with new Southern Lord signees The Accüsed and Eagle Twin. The tour kicks off in Seattle on August 5th with a record release party for The Accüsed's new disc The Curse of Martha Splatterhead.

Here are the current tour dates:
8/05/2009 Neumo’s - Seattle, WA w/ The Accüsed, Trap Them, Black Breath
8/06/2009 Neumo's - Seattle, WA w/ Earth, Pelican, Eagle Twin
8/08/2009 Independent - San Francisco, CA w/ the Accüsed, Eagle Twin
8/09/2009 Historic Brookdale Lodge - Brookdale, CA w/ the Accüsed, Eagle Twin
8/11/2009 Center for Arts, Eagle Rock - Los Angeles, CA w/ the Accüsed, Eagle Twin
8/13/2009 Bluebird Theatre - Denver, CO w/ the Accüsed, Eagle Twin
8/14/2009 Avalon Theatre - Salt Lake City, UT w/ the Accüsed, Eagle Twin

Chicago's Welcome to Ashley Play Three NYC Shows This Week (Power-Punk)

Photo by morgan miller
"WTA have a glam-rock swagger that you haven't heard in most pop bands since Jim Ellison's day" -Time Out, Chicago.

This says a lot to me (especially coming from a major Chicago magazine) as I always thought that Material Issue was one of the top live acts of the early 90's. Welcome to Ashley are in town for a three-night run of shows that starts tomorrow night.

Here are the details:
- Sunday, June 28th at Arlene's Grocery (10PM set time)
- Monday, June 29th at Goodbye Blue Monday (9PM set time) and
- Tuesday, June 30th at Lit Lounge (headlining set - probably 11PM [call the club]).

The band released their debut CD in 2006 and a handful of EPs in the following years. The newest EP, Absent Man, came out in April and is available on iTunes. Check out "Trust in Me" (from Absent Man) which is streaming on the band's MySpace page (link below).

Links:
Welcome to Ashley's MySpace Profile

Night Horse Release Ltd. Split 7" with Dirty Sweet / August Shows at Piano's and Union Pool

DOWNLOAD: Night Horse - "Good Bye Gone" (MP3)

Los Angeles blues/hard-rock band Night Horse have released the first in a series of limited edition 7" singles. This first release is a split single with like-minded San Diego band Dirty Sweet.

Night Horse formed just over a year ago over "a common love of bands like the Alice Cooper Group, early Aerosmith, Van Halen, Sir Lord Baltimore and ZZ Top" (and this will tell you all you need to know about the band's sound). The band signed to Tee Pee Records last year and released their debut CD, The Dark Won't Hide You, in October.

The Night Horse/Dirty Sweet single comes out on Tee Pee on July 7th. The second in this series will be a split single with Los Angeles psych-rock band The High Saints and this will be released on August 4th.

Links:
Night Horse's MySpace Profile

White Wizzard - High Speed GTO CD EP Review (Earache Records)

Later this summer, Earache will be reissuing the debut EP from Los Angeles NWOBHM-influenced band White Wizzard. The original lineup of the band cut this EP in '07 and it went out as a very limited release. White Wizzard got national attention when the title cut from the EP "High Speed GTO" was included on Earache's Heavy Metal Killers compilation earlier this year. The band's 7-track EP is now being reissued with a bonus video track for "High Speed GTO" (below). Earache refers to the bands on the Heavy Metal Killers compilation as "New Wave of Traditional Metal" and that is probably as good a label as anything. White Wizzard plays hook-heavy melodic metal which has elements of Van Halen, Saxon, Judas Priest and Quiet Riot in its music. You also have to love a band that name-checks (the grossly underrated) Wrathchild America on their MySpace page.



Like many of the bands from the NWOBHM-era, White Wizzard utilize dual-guitars and a driving bass line. The lyrical themes are pretty typical and range from cars ("High Speed GTO") to girls ("Celestina") to skeletons ("March of the Skeletons"). This last track is a bit more 'punk' than some of the other tracks and, with its driving bass line, sounds like something from the Paul Di'Anno era of Iron Maiden.

Moving forward to this year, the band had some lineup changes and a new lineup has regrouped around bassist Jon Leon. Not that original vocalist James Luna was lacking, but the band's new vocalist Wyatt "Screaming Demon" Anderson has a powerful set of lungs. Here is a live video/interview with the band's current lineup.

White Wizzard interview and performance at Paladino's


White Wizzard is playing around Los Angeles while working on tracks for a full-length disc that is tentatively scheduled for release later this year. Two songs from these new sessions are posted to the band's MySpace page. The band has also attracted some international attention as they have been tapped for next year's Keep It True Festival XIII in Germany where they will be playing alongside bands like Tygers of Pan Tang, Hades, and Candlemass.

Heaven & Hell: Win A Vinyl Copy of "The Devil You Know" (Courtesy of Rhino Records)

It has been a while since I've done a give-away...

To keep this simple - drop me an email at 'mike.brooklynrocks at gmail dot com' with the subject 'Giveaway'. Be sure to include to include your first and last name and postal mailing address in the email.

I'll close this out on July 2nd and choose a winner at random.

Links:
Heaven & Hell's Website
Rhino Records

Castevet: Interview with the Experimental Black Metal Band (Paragon Records)

Castevet has been around the NYC scene since 2007 and the band just released their debut 7", "Stones/Salts", on Paragon Records in March '09. This disc is an impressively packaged clear vinyl 7" (check out the picture below) that is limited to 300 copies. Castevet's next show is at Market Hotel on August 21 and they are sharing the bill with Tombs, Batillus, & Liturgy. Tickets are $10 and will probably go quickly.

INTERVIEW
BrooklynRocks: What’s the deal with Castevet? The band seems to play out only once every few months and there is almost no information about the band on the Internet.

Ian: My name is Ian, and I play drums. Andrew is our guitarist, and Josh is our bassist. To give a brief biographical overview, Castevet has been in existence since late 2006. “Stones/Salts”, our debut 7”, was completed in February 2008. The release of the 7” was delayed due to financial issues. Also during 2008, we encountered some personal differences with our original bassist, Dan. We ended up parting ways with him around March of 2008. Things became uncertain for a few months as a result of these issues, so Andrew and I collectively decided to defer live shows until all of our cards were on deck. We spent the rest of the year focusing on writing for our full length. “Stones/Salts” was released in March 2009, and our new bassist Josh joined in February 2009.

BrooklynRocks: Your music has both a lot of complexity and subtle nuances. Can you describe your songwriting process?

Ian: The nuances are a result of motif. Establishing themes and motifs for each of our songs is essential in seeing them through to completion. It also gives each of our songs an identity, and allows Andrew and I to better understand why we wrote them to begin with. The songwriting process begins with Andrew writing riffs, and then him and I organizing them into a structure. Once we are happy with the layout, I will compose drums that support the riffs while adding more rhythmic depth. The bass is then written to support both the guitar and drums.

Andrew: Lyrics and vocal patterns are generally written after the music is completed. Aiming for a strong sense of depth to our compositions is intrinsic to our songwriting process. For us, it is vital to create layers of texture and harmony that touch on a wide range of emotion.

BrooklynRocks: With the new 7”, how much of the riffs/songs were written in advance and how much was worked out in the studio? What did Colin Marston add to the recording process and how did you hook up with him? Are you working with Colin for your full-length?

Ian: All of the material for “Stones/Salts” was written in advance, and none of it was worked out during recording. Every song we write is demoed/pre-produced on my home studio setup. We prefer to work this way; it gives us better control of the music’s outcome. Demo-ing all of our material allows us to take the role of the “listener”, and really gauge whether we feel strongly about our ideas. Colin did not record the seven-inch, but will be recording the album. Andrew and I have a tremendous amount of respect for his work ethic, so needless to say, we are excited to work with him.

BrooklynRocks: Going back to what I think was the band’s first show (Rockstar Bar – Summer ’07), how has your music changed over the last few years? Is there such a thing as a typical set for the band and how many songs from the live set are going to make it onto the full-length?

Ian: I don’t think our music has changed very much since 2007, but I do believe we now have better insight as to how to create it. When Andrew and I first started working together, we had no real intent other than to really push ourselves musically. We never said, “let’s play this, or that”; we just played without preconceived visions. The “Stones/Salts” material was written in a way that I would compare to walking down a pitch-black hallway. We had to really feel around, and be over analytical to reach a result we believed in.

Andrew: I feel our compositions have gained a much greater sense of clarity and intent since 2007. As a result, we’ve been able to focus on expanding our textural palette. The full length will have a much wider range of instrumentation and tones.

BrooklynRocks: What do all of you do when Castevet isn’t playing? It seems like more musicians are playing in 3 – 4 bands just to be able to pay the bills. Is this the case with you guys?

Ian: I work full time. Living in NYC is too expensive to not work. I do play in other bands, but this provides nothing towards an income.

Andrew: I am currently a college student, and I teach guitar on the side. I also participate in the local free improve and noise scene, and plan to do some more extensive gigging/recording with it during the fall.

BrooklynRocks: Is there a metal (black or otherwise) scene in New York? What do you think are the biggest misconceptions about black metal bands and/or their music?

Andrew: There is a pretty rich and diverse metal scene in New York; we feel privileged to be a part of it. I would say one of the biggest misconceptions about Black Metal bands is the assumption that the members of these bands are only capable of pursuing this one genre. I have many friends who play black metal, and who also heavily involve themselves with other genres. I find that these specific people end up doing great things, especially outside of the realm of Black Metal.

BrooklynRocks: Can you explain references to “The Lesser Key of Solomon” and Paimon in your MySpace bio?

Ian: Take the Paimon reference as you wish. “He giveth Dignity, and confirmeth the same.”

BrooklynRocks: What is next for Castevet and what are the goals for ’09 and beyond?

Ian: Recording our album in September and solidifying a release for it is priority. Once that is done, our goal will be to play lots and lots of shows. We have some small tour endeavors in the works for fall/winter of 2009, and even some ideas for 2010.

BrooklynRocks: Is there anything you want people to know about the band or any final words in general?

Andrew: Ask why. Thank you for the interview and the support.

Ian: Thanks a lot for the questions, and the support!

Links:
Castevet's MySpace Profile

Tone Tank for Borough President/Show at Southpaw on July 3rd

DOWNLOAD: Tone Tank's Campaign Song (produced by Jah-C)

With NYC unemployment skyrocketing, Brooklyn-based rapper Tone Tank has thrown his hat in the ring and is running for Brooklyn Borough President.

Imagine if this story got taken seriously - watching Tone and Marty Markowitz swapping quotes in the press would be priceless. Tone though said "I don't actually want to be Borough President. That's like an actual job and I don't want an actual job. I just want to put my face everywhere and I don't feel like I need to wait for some magazine to do it for me, 'Cause that might not ever happen. I'll just do it for myself. Gotta have a reason, right? Well, 'cause I'm running for Borough President, that's why. I mean, even if I don't win ... I'm still the Borough President... What's somebody gonna tell me, I'm not? I know I'm not... but I am."

Tone's playing a show at Southpaw on July 3rd with Junk Science and Cage. The show is "Day 2" of an album release party for Cage and tickets are $15.00.

Links:
RadioBelly (free downloads from Tone, Kray, Iller Than Theirs and more)

Carina Round Plays The Living Room on Wednesday, June 24th

DOWNLOAD: Carina Round - "Backseat" (Remix)

English-born singer-songwriter Carina Round is playing two shows in NYC this week. The first is Wednesday night (June 24th) at The Living Room and the second is Sunday night (June 28th) at Pete's Candy Store. Round is touring behind a new self-released digital EP, "Things You Should Know", which featuring collaborations with UK artist Gary Go and Vega4's Johnny McDaid. With this new disc, there is an obvious comparison to artists like PJ Harvey, Bjork and Annie Lennox as Round's vocals range from a soft confessional to jagged primitive wails.

For Wednesday's show at The Living Room, Carina goes on at 9PM and tickets are $10. For Sunday night's show at Pete's Candy Store, Carina is playing at 10:30PM.

Links:
Carina Round's MySpace Profile

Graham Nash Visits The 4Fives of PS 58 in Brooklyn (June 19, 09)

On Friday, June 19, guitarist, singer and songwriter extraordinaire, Graham Nash visited a very special class at PS 58 in Brooklyn. Mr. Nash, his lovely and thoughtful wife, Susan, his fascinating friend Billy and his 2 sons, Jackson and Will, took time out of their busy schedules to visit the 4Fives, Brooklyn's first positivity blogging team. Positivity blogging is a new internet trend, where every post, every word, every idea on ones site is positive. With an emphasis on manners and generosity, positivity blogging makes it easy for students to connect with other student bloggers, and the more people happily sharing the things they love and linking together, the greater the strength and flexibility of the network. I could talk forever about the 4Fives and their amazing teacher, Bee Ladd, but for the best information, check out their blog (http://the4five.wordpress.com). For an insightful description of the class, start with this post (http://the4five.wordpress.com/2009/04/).



Mr. Nash and family came to the school to talk with the students, celebrate what they have accomplished and, to the great fortunte of all present, sing 2 songs. The visit was arranged by son Jackson of SuperForest fame. Check out Jackson's amazing blog (http://www.superforest.org/) for more information on Jackson's work.

The Nash family is so incredibly unassuming and generous - they set the bar high for positiveness that other famous people hopefully aspire to. They arrived around noon and mingled with the students from the 4Fives class and the handful of very lucky school personnel in attendance. The students ate their lunch and just enjoyed the casual conversation. Once everyone was full, the students moved to the rug and spent quite awhile asking the very thoughtful questions they had prepared for this occassion. (A few of the questions and answers are included in the video.) Mr. Nash then brought out his guitar and performed Teach Your Children (check out the video for this amazing performance, including the sound of the passing truck). Jackson harmonized on this song with his dad (check out www.superforest.org for Jackson's comments on singing with his dad) to create a beautiful sound.

Co-founded by NYC educator Bee Ladd and Enviro-blogger Jackson Nash, the 4Fives blogging experiment is a pilot program for their education initiative, the SuperForest Seedlings. SuperForest Seedlings is a teaching curriculum for the post-racial, class-blind, internet age. It is a training course in flexible thinking, focused curiousity, and hands-on technology exploration, with a focus on having fun.

Posted by Guest Blogger - MM

The Morning After Girls Announce 'Alone' Release Show at Mercury Lounge + July/August Tour With The Warlocks

The Morning After Girls new disc Alone will be released on iTunes (note: only in the US) on July 7th and the band is playing a release party show at Mercury Lounge on July 16th. Brooklyn bands Hopewell and Cruel Black Dove are opening for TMAG and ticket are $10.

Starting at the end of July, The Morning After Girls are off on a cross-country tour with The Warlock. Local tour stops are The Bowery Ballroom on August 14th and Maxwell's on August 15th.

Here is the complete list of tour dates:
July 30, 2009 -- Bottom Of The Hill, San Francisco, California
August 01, 2009 -- Chop Suey, Seattle, Washington
August 02, 2009 -- Doug Fir Lounge, Portland, Oregon
August 05, 2009 -- 7th Street Entry, Minneapolis, MN
August 06, 2009 -- Empty Bottle, Chicago, Illinois
August 07, 2009 -- Empty Bottle, Chicago, Illinois
August 08, 2009 -- Grog Shop, Cleveland, Ohio
August 11, 2009 -- Kung Fu Necktie, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
August 12, 2009 -- Great Scott, Boston, Massachusetts
August 14, 2009 -- Bowery Ballroom, New York, New York
August 15, 2009 -- Maxwell’s, Hoboken, New Jersey
August 17, 2009 -- Local 506, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
August 18, 2009 -- The Earl, Atlanta, Georgia
August 19, 2009 -- Bottletree Cafe, Birmingham, Alabama
August 20, 2009 -- One Eyed Jacks, New Orleans, Louisiana
August 21, 2009 -- The Parish, Austin, Texas
August 22, 2009 -- Walter’s On Washington, Houston, Texas
August 26, 2009 -- Club Congress, Tucson, Arizona
August 27, 2009 -- Casbah, San Diego, California
August 28, 2009 -- Spaceland, Los Angeles, CA, California
August 29, 2009 -- Spaceland, Los Angeles, California (The Warlocks WITHOUT The Morning After Girls)

Links:
The Morning After Girls' MySpace Profile

Twisted Sister Release 25th Anniversary Edition of Stay Hungry/CD Signing at J&R Music World on June 30th

STREAM: Twisted Sister - "30" (first new recording in over 10 years)

The 25th Anniversary Edition of Stay Hungry comes out on June 30th and the band is doing an in-store signings at J&R Music World on Tuesday afternoon and Looney Tunes on Tuesday night. This new 2-CD set contains a remastered version of Stay Hungry, 17 unreleased demos and outtakes from the Stay Hungry era and one newly recorded song ("30").

Here is the track list for the disc of outtakes and demos:
1. Death From Above
2. Prime Motivator
3. We're Not Gonna Take It (Early Demo)
4. Death Run
5. This One's For You
6. S.M.F. (Early Demo)
7. We're Coming On
8. Call My Name
9. Burn In Hell (Early Demo)
10. Pay The Price
11. What's Love Without You
12. Our Voice Will Be Heard
13. You Got To Fight
14. The Price (Early Demo)
15. Stay Hungry (Early Demo)
16. Kmet Radio Spot
17. 30 (New Recording)
18. Lollipop Guild (Hidden Track)

Vintage Vinyl is advertising that if you pre-order the set, you will also get a limited edition DVD of Twisted Sister's 1984 concert in San Bernadino (which originally aired on MTV in the 80's).



The signing at J&R takes place at 12:30PM and the signing at Looney Tunes starts at 7:30PM.

Twisted Sister are playing some of the summer festivals but nothing in the local area. Outside of this CD signing, the only other local appearance is going to be on Live! With Regis and Kelly on July 16th. It is probably too late to get studio tickets for the taping but...for anyone who wants to give it a try:

TO REQUEST TICKETS VIA MAIL
Please send a postcard or regular sized envelope with your name, address, phone number, email address and the date(s) you would be able to attend to the following address. Be sure to include additional back-up dates so we can work to accommodate your request.

"Live with Regis and Kelly" Tickets
Ansonia Station
P.O. Box 230-777
New York, NY 10023-0777

ArpLine Makes Their Live Debut on Saturday Night (June 20th) at Mercury Lounge

DOWNLOAD: ArpLine: "Fold Up Like A Piece of Paper" (MP3)

Brooklyn alt-rock band The Kiss Off have changed their name to ArpLine and the band is making their live debut Saturday night at Mercury Lounge.

I never got the chance to see The Kiss Off but The Music Slut thought their show in January at Union Hall was brilliant. In the show review, The Music Slut cited New Order as one of the band's influences and you can definitely hear that coming through on this new ArpLine track.

ArpLine has been recording with producer Chris Coady (Yeah, Yeah, Yeah’s, TV on the Radio, Blonde Redhead, etc) and looking to a full-length out in early 2010.

For the show at Mercury Lounge, ArpLine are playing with Crocodiles, Big Bang TV and Eytan & His Orchestra. Tickets are $10 and ArpLine goes on at 10:30PM.

Links:
ArpLine's MySpace Profile

Bugs In The Dark Play OJ All Day Festival Tomorrow Night at Brooklyn Lyceum

Tomorrow night is the kickoff of the third annual OJ All Day festival at the Brooklyn Lyceum. "The OJ All Day music festival is an annual event put on by Olive Juice Music, a D.I.Y. label, studio, and online distributor, based in New York City, interested in helping people who are in the developmental stages of trying to do something with their art."

There are a lot of great bands playing the festival, including art punk Bugs in the Dark (who are scheduled to play at 9PM on Friday). Tickets for the two-day festival are $12 in advance and $15 at the door.

Here is the complete schedule of events:

June 19th: Formal Friday
OJ All Day's Friday night kick-off is a black-tie affair for performers and audience members. Of course 'formal' is up to the discretion of the wearer, and is sure to be treated with innovative style from this musical community.

Main Stage
7:00 pm - Kansas State Flower
8:00 pm - The Woes
9:00 pm - Wooden Ghost
10:00 pm - Bugs in the Dark
11:00 pm - Ching Chong Song
12:00 am - Shilpa Ray And Her Happy Hookers

2nd Stage
7:30 pm - Brook Pridemore
8:00 pm - Dan Costello
8:30 pm - Herb Scher and the Key Lime Pie Revue
9:30 pm - Randi Russo
10:30 pm - Barry Bliss
11:30 pm - Purple Organ

JUNE 20th
The festival wraps up with an all-night dance party featuring DJ Black Helmet

Main Stage
2:00 pm - Kung Fu Crimewave
3:00 pm - Lady Bright
4:00 pm - Elastic No No Band
5:00 pm - Sprinkle Genies
6:00 pm - Huggabroomstik
7:00 pm - Urban Barnyard
8:00 pm - Peggy Sue
9:00 pm - The New York Howl
10:00 pm - Dufus
11:00 pm - The Trachtenburg Family Slideshow Players
12:00 am - Schwervon!

2nd Stage
2:30 pm - Elizabeth Devlin
3:00 pm - Thomas Patrick Maguire
3:30 pm - The Best
4:00 pm - Steve Espinola
4:30 pm - Liv Carrow
5:00 pm - Pablo Das
5:30 pm - Susan Hwang
6:30 pm - Lisa Lilund
7:30 pm - Prewar Yardsale
8:30 pm - The Wowz
9:30 pm - Toby Goodshank
10:30 pm - The Babyskins
11:30 pm - Dave End
12:30 am - Jackie Bruce
1:30 am - Mango Glaze

Links:
OJ All Day Festival Website

Good Night, States are Playing Spike Hill on Saturday, July 18th

DOWNLOAD: Good Night, States - "The Family Dark" (MP3)

Pittsburgh's Good Night, States are in town on Saturday, July 18th for a one-off show at Spike Hill in Williamsburg. "The Family Dark" is from Good Night, States' fabulous debut CD Short Films on Self-Control (which is now available on vinyl through the band's website) and the band has some newer tracks available on a pay-what-you-will basis also on their website.



On the bill with Good Night, States is Low Water, The Blood Sugars and Mother Sun. Good Night, States are scheduled to take the stage at 9PM.

Links:
Good Night States' MySpace Profile

Peasant, Emanuel and the Fear and Lost In The Trees + Free Beer Tomorrow Night at Bell House

DOWNLOAD: Peasant - "The End" (MP3 from Daytrotter Session)
DOWNLOAD: Emanuel and the Fear - "The Rain Becomes the Clouds" (MP3)
VIDEO: Lost In The Trees - "Walk Around the Lake" (Couldn't find a download)

The Bell House has a new recession-busting event "CHIRPY CHIRPY CHEAP CHEAP" which is 3 bands for $5.00 and cover includes free beer for the first hour.


Tomorrow night, the bands are:

Peasant (Doylestown, PA): “DeRose’s vocals float above acoustic guitar melodies, evoking the lyrical eloquence and delicate arrangements of Rogue Wave and the late Elliott Smith.” - Magnet Magazine

Emanuel and the Fear (Brooklyn, NY): "The group is a brilliant new approach to the modern rock band consistently capturing the audience with beautifully, intricate scores laced with eloquent, quivering vocals." - Stranded In Stereo

Lost in the Trees (Chapel Hill, NC): "An Arcadian construction of emotional wilderness hemmed by string sections [and] strummed acoustic guitars." -The Independent

Links:
The Bell House

BACARDI B-LIVE Tour Hits NYC Tomorrow Night (June 17th) with DJs AM, Jazzy Jeff, A-TRAK and More (Dance)

Bacardi U.S.A. is sponsoring a 14 city tour that stops in NYC tomorrow night. The tour brings together established DJs with custom-made Bacardi rum cocktails.

At tomorrow night's showcase, the DJs are DJ Jazzy Jeff (yep - this is Will Smith's former partner), DJ AM, Drop The Lime, A-TRAK and Auto Erotique. As for the liquor, "attendees have the opportunity to sample custom-made Bacardi rum cocktails at the BACARDI Bespoke Bar. This premium bar allows for attendees to sample and create their own cocktails with the help of a talented mixologist. These unique and personalized cocktails are made using the freshest ingredients, fruits and flavor combinations."

BACARDI B-LIVE will feature a memorable stage and lighting experience that complements the overall theme of the events. Designed by multimedia environment company, Moment Factory, an old-school boom box will illuminate the room and serve as a backdrop for performing music acts. Adding to the visual appeal, renowned illustrators and designers have produced limited edition posters and silk-screen t-shirt designs to create an experience that lives on with attendees long after the event.

In addition to turning up the volume on the music scene, BACARDI B-LIVE will be donating proceeds from the events to the VH1 Save the Music Foundation. This nonprofit organization is dedicated to restoring instrumental music education programs in America’s public schools, and raising awareness about the importance of music as part of each child’s complete education.

Tomorrow night's event takes place at M2 Ultra Lounge (530 W 28th Street) and tickets are $15.00.

Rod Stewart Releases Deluxe Versions of His First Two Post-Faces LPs ("A Night on the Town" and "Atlantic Crossing")

Mentioning Rod Stewart to some of the younger sect often gets often get a response of rolled eyes as they only know him from his (horrid) disco songs or his more recent crooner-type ballads. What these folks have missed is the Rod Stewart and The Faces were top-notch rock act that were selling out stadiums in the early-to-mid 70's. The Faces included Ron Wood (guitar) Ian McLaglan (keyboard), Kenny Jones (drums) and Tetsu Yamauchi/Ronnie Lane (bass).

On June 30th, Rhino Entertainment is releasing limited-edition deluxe versions of Rod's first two post-Faces albums, Atlantic Crossing and A Night on the Town. Each of these 2-disc sets contains bonus tracks, outtakes and a complete alternate version of the original studio LP.

Click on Rod's picture to stream an 11-track sampler from these two releases.

Here are the details on these two releases...

Atlantic Crossing was originally released in 1975 and it was Stewart's sixth solo disc. It was certified gold and contains the singles "Sailing" and "I Don't Want To Talk About It". Here is the complete track list:

Disc 1

FAST HALF
“Three Time Loser”
“Alright For An Hour”
“All In The Name Of Rock ’N’ Roll”
“Drift Away”
“Stone Cold Sober”

SLOW HALF
“I Don’t Want To Talk About It”
“It’s Not The Spotlight”
“This Old Heart Of Mine”
“Still Love You”
“Sailing”
“Skye Boat Song” – The Atlantic Crossing Drum & Pipe Band (non-LP bonus track)

Disc 2 – ALL PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED
“To Love Somebody” (Studio Outtake) – with The MG’s
“Holy Cow” (Studio Outtake) – with The MG’s
“Return To Sender” (Studio Outtake) – with The MG’s

THE ALTERNATE ATLANTIC CROSSING
“Three Time Loser” (Alternate Version)
“Alright For An Hour” (Alternate Version)
“All In The Name Of Rock ’N’ Roll” (Alternate Version)
“Drift Away” (Alternate Version)
“Too Much Noise” (Early Version of “Stone Cold Sober”)
“I Don’t Want To Talk About It” (Alternate Version)
“It’s Not The Spotlight” (Alternate Version)
“This Old Heart Of Mine” (Alternate Version with The MG’s)
“Still Love You” (Alternate Version)
“Sailing” (Alternate Version)
“Skye Boat Song” (Alternate Version) – The Atlantic Crossing Drum & Pipe Band

A Night on the Town was originally released in 1976 and went double-platinum. The disc contains the singles “Tonight’s The Night (Gonna Be Alright)”, a cover of Cat Stevens’ “The First Cut Is The Deepest,” and “The Killing Of Georgie” (Part I and II). Here is the complete track list:

Disc 1

SLOW SIDE
“Tonight’s The Night (Gonna Be Alright)”
“The First Cut Is The Deepest”
“Fool For You”
“The Killing Of Georgie” (Part I And II)

FAST HALF
“The Balltrap”
“Pretty Flamingo”
“Big Bayou”
“The Wild Side Of Life”
“Trade Winds”
“Rosie” (non-LP bonus track)

Disc 2 – ALL PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED
“Share” (Studio Outtake)

THE ALTERNATE NIGHT ON THE TOWN
“Tonight’s The Night (Gonna Be Alright)” (Early Version)
“The First Cut Is The Deepest” (Early Version)
“Fool For You” (Early Version)
“The Killing Of Georgie” (Part I And II) (Early Version)
“The Balltrap” (Early Version)
“Pretty Flamingo” (Early Version)
“Big Bayou” (Early Version)
“The Wild Side Of Life” (Early Version)
“Trade Winds” (Early Version)
“Rosie” (Early Version)
“Get Back” (Alternate Version)

Rumors continue to fly that Sewart and The Faces will be reuniting so stay tuned!

Links:
Rod Stewart's MySpace Profile

Vivian Girls - "What's In My Bag": Shopping at Amoeba Records, San Francisco

Here is a kind of goofy record store video that was filmed this past April during the Vivian Girls' West Coast tour.



The Vivian Girls have their second disc, Everything Goes Wrong, coming out September 8th on In The Red Records. The band looks to have a pretty quiet summer but they are playing two local shows next month:

July 4, 2009, 2:00PM, Woodsist / Captured Tracks Festival, Brooklyn, NY
(show is at 979 BROADWAY BACKYARD, 979 Broadway btwn Myrtle Ave & Ditmars St, Bushwick)

July 31, 2009, 8:00PM, The Whitney Museum, New York, NY
("Free with museum admission. Seating is first-come, first-served. No reservations.")

Links:
Vivian Girls' MySpace Profile

A.A. Bondy: "When The Devil's Loose" Comes Out Sept. 1st on Fat Possum

DOWNLOAD: A.A. Bondy - "When The Devil's Loose" (MP3)

A.A. Bondy will be releasing his second disc, When The Devil's Loose, September 1st on Fat Possum Records.

This new disc follows 2007's American Hearts and is somewhat of a departure from the sparse acoustic sounds of this first disc. On When The Devil's Loose, A.A. Bondy recorded with a full band which gives gives the songs a roomy sound and provides a 'floor' beneath Bondy's world-weary vocals.

A.A. Bondy has been out on the road for a few weeks (videos from a show a few weeks ago at Bell House are on YouTube) and here are the remainder of his June tour dates:

June 16 -- Indianapolis, IN, Radio Radio
June 17 -- Pontiac, MI, The Pike Room
June 18 -- Chicago, IL, Schubas Tavern
June 19 -- Milwaukee, WI, Club Garibaldi
June 20 -- Minneapolis, MN, 400 Bar
June 22 -- Denver, CO, Hi Dive
June 23 -- Salt Lake City, UT, Urban Lounge
June 25 -- San Francisco, CA, Café du Nord
June 26 -- Visalia, CA, Cellar Door
June 27 -- San Diego, CA, The Casbah (early show)
June 29 -- Phoenix, AZ, Modified Arts

Links:
A.A. Bondy's MySpace Profile

Crosby, Stills and Nash - Demos CD Review (1968-1971)

Crosby, Stills & Nash's latest release Demos is a collection of twelve previously unreleased demos that were recorded between 1968 - 1971. The material is split between songs from the first two Crosby, Stills & Nash LPs and the individual band members' solo projects.

Where it gets really interesting is that nine of these demos are solo performances that are likely the 'working demos' that were brought to either CSN or solo band's recording session. These stripped-down demos highlight gems like David Crosby's clear tenor vocals on "Almost Cut My Hair" and "Deja Vu", where Crosby ends the song with some free-form scat vocals. Graham Nash has three songs on this collection from his first solo CD, Songs for Beginners, and these demos give songs like "Sleep Song", "Be Yourself" and "Chicago" an earnest and wistful charm.

At the other end of the spectrum, there are three songs which feature all three members of CSN or various combinations thereof. An acoustic demo of "Marrakesh Express" (where this demo was recorded a few months prior to the first CSN album) is particularly enjoyable, "Music Is Love" is a Crosby/Nash performance that adds Neil Young on guitar and vocals and "Long Time Gone" features David Crosby and Stephen Stills.

While Demos isn't a starting point for new CSN fans, it is pretty much a "must have" for long-time fans.

Crosby, Stills & Nash are out on tour this summer and they are playing a couple shows in the NYC area:

8.7.2009 Borgata Spa & Resort Atlantic City, NJ
8.8.2009 Nikon at Jones Beach Theater, Wantagh, NY
8.11.2009 PNC Bank Arts Center Holmdel, NJ

Links:
Crosby, Stills & Nash's Website

John McEnroe Joins Patty Smyth On Stage at BB Kings, NYC 6-13-09

Work comes too early on a Monday morning so I'll finish going through my pictures from Patty Smyth's show last night at BB King's tomorrow. I did want to post this one picture tonight though...

Former tennis pro John McEnroe took the stage with Patty Smyth and Scandal for the first encore and sang a very credible version of Joey Ramone's cover of "What a Wonderful Word".

From Patty Smyth - BB Kings, NYC 613-09

Links:
Patty Smyth's Website

I Was A King - Live Video and Photos from Union Hall, Brooklyn 5-31-09

Last week, I posted to YouTube some video that I shot at I Was A King's show at Union Hall. I didn't realize though that both Eddie Murphy and Insane Clown Posse have, respectively, recorded songs entitled "I Was A King" and "If I Was A King" that YouTube's relevance algorithm brings to the front page over any I Was A King (the band) videos. SEO can be a very strange thing...


Anyway, there are reviews and pictures from this show already all over the 'net (strangely enough, someone posted a picture of me taking pictures) so I thought I'd just cross-post this video and a couple of my own pictures.






I Was A King's US Tour wraps up tonight in Seattle and the band is heading back to Norway. Here are the band's upcoming tour dates:

June 19, 2009, 8:00PM, Rockfest, Haugesund, Rogaland
June 23, 2009, 8:00PM, Hove festival, Arendal
July 2, 2009, 10:00PM, Egersund Visefestival, Egersund, Rogaland
Aug 7, 2009, 8:00PM, Raumarock Festival, Åndalsnes
Aug 8, 2009, 8:00PM, Lost Weekend, Bergen
Aug 13, 2009, 8:00PM, Øya Festivalen, Oslo, Oslo
Aug 21, 2009, 8:00PM, Pstereo Festivalen, Trondheim
Aug 22, 2009, 8:00PM, Parken festivalen, Bodø

Links:
I Was A King's MySpace Profile

Murder Mystery Play Public Assembly on June 12th and 14th as part of Northside Festival

DOWNLOAD: Murder Mystery - "The World" (MP3)

Brooklyn indie-rockers Murder Mystery have a busy weekend ahead as they are playing two nights at Public Assembly as part of the Northside Festival. The first show is Friday night as part of the Pop Tarts Suck Toasted showcase and the second show is Sunday night as part of the Engine Records showcase.

Murder Mystery released their debut CD, Are You Ready For the Heartache Cause Here it Comes, early last year and the Village Voice described this disc as "catchy, hard-rocking, intelligent music in the mode of Nick Lowe, Magnetic Fields, or Talking Heads." The band is in the process of finishing up their second disc which is tentatively due out in the fall.

Links:
Murder Mystery's MySpace Profile

The Fear and Trembling:The Fear and Trembling’s Octopus CD Review (Prog Rock)

The Fear and Trembling's debut CD, The Fear and Trembling's Octopus, comes on like a long-lost concept album by one of the classic 70's prog-rock bands (Steely Dan, Genesis and Supertramp are some points of comparison).

While this disc isn't a concept album per-se, TFAT pack their 60 minute debut full of elaborately arranged orchestral rock tunes. The band makes good use of the piano and strings like cello, violin and lap steel to add some extra dimensions to each song and the band's musical chops are obviously as every note and chord seems to have been chosen with care. Careful production and engineering also brings out the sound of each instrument so that every note is both balanced and clear.

There is enough diversity in the music so that listener attention spans don't lag. The music and song tempos rise and fall within individual tracks and across the disc as the band builds their musical lanscape. It is hard to pick a single stand-out cut as all the tracks have a unique identity of their own and there really is no filler on this disc. As a starting point to the band's music, go out to their MySpace page (link below) and listen to the orchestral "Introduction" which tracks into the grunge introduction to "Octopus". Some of the other recommended cuts are "Red Panda" and the Smashing Pumpkins-ish "Centipede".

Given the intricate song structures and the 'big' sound of this new disc, I'm interested in seeing how the band translates this sound to the live stage. The band has a couple of upcoming area shows over the next few weeks:

June 12, 2009, 9:00PM, Supreme Trading, Brooklyn, New York
July 15 2009, 8:00PM, R Bar, New York, New York

Links:
The Fear and Trembling's MySpace Profile

The Sounds Release New Video "No One Sleeps When I'm Awake" (Filmed at Glasslands Gallery)

Swedish new-wavers The Sounds released their third disc, Crossing the Rubicon, last week on Original Signal Recordings. The band is playing in front of big crowds this time out as they are supporting No Doubt on a three-month summer tour. The only local stop is tomorrow night at the Susquehanna Bank Center in Camden, NJ.

The band just released the first video, "No One Sleeps When I'm Awake", from Crossing the Rubicon which was filmed at Glasslands Gallery in Brooklyn.



There should be a couple more videos floating around the 'net soon as The Sounds performed "No One Sleeps When I’m Awake" and "Beatbox" last night on FUEL TV’s The Daily Habit and the band is scheduled to perform on The Late Show with David Letterman on June 15th.

Links:
The Sounds' Website

Ice Palace Release New Disc "Wonder Subtly Crushing Us" on Earthology Records

DOWNLOAD: Ice Palace - "Thoughts/Facts" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Ice Palace - "Phonebook Pillow" (MP3)

I missed the Cloud Cult/Ice Palace show when they played MHOW in April but I've been recently checking out Ice Palace's latest disc.

Wonder Subtly Crushing Us is Ice Place's second CD and their first for Craig Minowa's Earthology Records. The band's music has a lush melancholy overtone that brings to mind comparisons to The Decemberists or Neutral Milk Hotel. The Onion said "[t]he group's bipolar folk-rock hints at what Nirvana might have been if Kurt Cobain had had the chance to grow out of his angst and settle into his mid-thirties."

Ice Palace are currently touring around the Mid-West:
July 25, 2009 -- 11:00PM, Red Stag, Minneapolis
July 31, 2009 -- 8:00PM, Turf Club, St. Paul
Aug 28, 2009 -- 8:00PM, 7th St. Entry, Minneapolis
Aug 29, 2009 -- 8:00PM, Schubas, Chicago, Illinois

Links:
Ice Palace's MySpace Profile

Dee Dee Ramone: New Book (Book Signing Tomorrow - June 8th) and CD/DVD

Dee Dee Ramone's legacy lives on...

Vera Ramone King, who was married to Dee Dee from 1979 - 1995, will be reading from her new book "Poisoned Heart: I Married Dee Dee Ramone" tomorrow evening. The reading and book signing takes place at Barnes and Noble's Tribeca store (97 Warren Street) and starts at 7PM.

There is a in-depth interview with Vera posted to the Suicide Girls website.




The other new release is a re-release of Lech Kowalski's 2003 documentary "Hey Is Dee Dee Home" with two new short films and a bonus CD. The first of the short films, "History on My Arms", "captures Dee Dee's extraordinary personality in a way that has never been done before. Kowalski was struck by how playful and direct he was with the camera. How he wanted to connect with something inside of himself and expose his true nature."

In the second film, "Vom In Paris", Kowalski invited Vom Ritchie, currently drummer for Die Toten Hosen, to come to Paris to explain the Dee Ramone/Johnny Thunders feud as he remembers it. He was the drummer on those sessions and affectionately and vividly differs with what Dee Dee said, but somehow you get the impression that both of them are right. The bonus CD entitled "Dee Dee Blues" is a re-mastered collection of guitar recordings Dee Dee made in the early 90's.

Links:
Dee Dee Ramone's MySpace Page
(Most of the old Dee Dee Ramone sites are 'gone')

The Morning After Girls - The General Public CD EP Review

The Morning After Girls relocated from Melbourne to NYC about a year ago and they have been generating some considerable buzz with their Jesus and Mary Chain meets The Dandy Warhols sound. The band is readying their follow-up, Alone, to 2005's The Morning After Girls: Prelude EPs 1 & 2 which will be out later this year. As a 'teaser' for the upcoming full-length, the band released a 5-track maxi-single "The General Public" on iTunes last month.

"The General Public" was produced Alan Moulder (producer/engineer for Jesus & Mary Chain, Ride, My Bloody Valentine, etc.) and this disc has all of the ambiance of these early Creation Records bands. The disc clocks in at 25 minutes and contains three new songs and two remixes of "The General Public". The original version of "The General Public" opens with a wash of feedback and starts right in with the soaring guitars. What separates The Morning After Girls from many of its psychedelic contemporaries are Sacha Lucashenko's clear vocals and the vocals harmonies shared between Sacha and guitarist Martin B. Sleeman. There is real soul and emotion in these vocals and none of the disdain or bored detachment of some of the 80's psych/shoe-gazer bands.

The second tune, "Turn Away", comes across like one of the classics from The Zombies with its echo-drenched vocal harmonies. "Tomorrow's Time" is the most sparse track on the disc and it features a lonesome guitar twang that holds and twists each note and Sasha's breathy, world-weary vocals. The two remixes are interesting and the more compelling of the two is the "Stealth Club Remix" which add pulsing drum beats, keys, air-raid sirens and electronic squiggles for that BIG dance floor sound.

"The General Public" is available for $1.99 from iTunes.

Links:
The Morning After Girls' Website

The Canon Logic - Live Photos & Videos from May 28th Show @ Southpaw, Brooklyn

The Canon Logic are playing a few one-off dates as they finish their debut full-length CD. The band debuted some of the new songs from this forthcoming release when they played to a packed house last Thursday night at Southpaw.



I filmed one of the new songs and had a chance to catch up with the band after the show to talk about the new disc and plans for the remainder of 2009.



There was another video taper at the show and here is one of the live videos that they posted.

The Canon Logic - Nights at Armour Mansion (Live @ Southpaw)


Check out The Canon Logic's MySpace profile for upcoming East Coast tour dates and a link to a free download of a compilation of new and older songs.

The Volunteers Play The Studio @ Webster Hall Tonight (June 6th)

DOWNLOAD: The Volunteers - "Stubborn Woman" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: The Volunteers - "Hoogabooga" (MP3)

The Volunteers kick off their "Life of Glamour" summer tour tonight at Webster Hall. The band is heading out on their first nationwide tour in support of their latest disc Spectrophilia, which was released last September.

Online 'zine JerseyBeat.com described The Volunteers as "old-fashioned rock 'n' roll band with a modern swagger and a raunchy bark. Their new album Spectrophilia raises the bar for classic rock in the new millennium." In other press coverage, The Volunteers just made High Times' "unsigned band of the month" list.

On the bill with The Volunteers are The Steps and Young Lords; tickets are $12.00 and doors are at 7:30PM.

For anyone who misses tonight's show, The Volunteers are playing at Red Star (37 Greenpoint Avenue, Brooklyn) next Saturday night.

Links:
The Volunteers' MySpace Profile

Dare Dukes Plays The Living Room on June 21st

DOWNLOAD: Dare Dukes - "Bakersfield" (MP3)

San Jose, CA to Savannah, Georgia transplant Dare Dukes released his debut CD, Prettiest Transmitter of All, late last year and he is coming to New York for a show at The Living Room on June 21st.

Prettiest Transmitter of All mixes wistful pop hooks with the eccentricities of Northern California's exit-ramp culture.

"Everyone knows the clichés about suburbia: It's a stark, sanitized landscape, pretty much soulless,” Dare explains. “No one needs to remind us of that. I'm more interested in the poetry I see there--the weirdness, the anomalies, the resistance. Even in this unlikely grid you can find courageous people and precious things."

Dare Dukes' show at The Living Room starts at 8PM and a $5.00 donation is suggested.

Links:
Dare Dukes' MySpace Profile

keygrip - vis-à-vis CD Review (Indie Rock)

Indie rock band keygrip have announced the release of their debut CD vis-à-vis via RRMC Recording on July 28th.

keygrip is led songwriter/vocalist/multi-instrumentalist Michael Di Lalla and the band includes Michael's brother Jared Di Lalla (drums), Will Salween (guitarist) and Ivan Evangelista (bass). Even though keygrip are from New York, the band's music fits well with many of the current and past atmospheric BritPop bands. All of the cuts on this disc are driven by atmospheric guitars and melodic vocals. The first single "If I Could (You Know I Would)" is streaming on keygrip's MySpace profile. Strong songwriting is complemented by stellar production by Michael Di Lalla. His layered and well-developed production fits well with the band's BritPop leanings.

While vis-à-vis is keygrip's first proper release, Michael Di Lalla had put together the original keygrip debut (The Unaimed Arrow Never Misses) a few years ago. This is one of those "lost albums" as this release got shelved as Michael was severely injured after being hit by a car shortly after completing this disc. keygrip is planning on releasing this disc later in the year.

No tour dates are announced yet but keygrip is planning on touring the Northeast throughout the summer.

Bruce Springsteen Announces Two More Nights at Giants Stadium (Tickets on Sale Monday, June 8th)

Bruce Springsteen has announced two more show at Giants Stadium, on October 8th and 9th.

These will be the final shows ever at Giants Stadium as the stadium is scheduled to be demolished at the end of the 2009 football season. Like the Billy Joel shows last year at Shea Stadium, I would expect all kinds of all-star guests will join Springsteen on stage.

Tickets go on sale through Tickmaster this Monday at Noon and ticket prices range from $33 - $98.

Bruce and the band are currently touring in Europe and there is a pro-shot live performance of "I'm On Fire" [filmed 5/30/09] posted to BruceSpringsteen.net.

School of Seven Bells Play Bowery Ballroom on June 12th

DOWNLOAD: School of Seven Bells - "Face to Face on High Places (Jesu Remix)" (MP3)

Brooklyn's School of Seven Bells are finishing up a May/June tour with a stop at Bowery Ballroom on June 12th. Sharing the bill are Violens and Apache Beat. Tickets are $15 and doors are at 8PM.

School of Seven Bells just released a third single, "My Cabal", from their debut disc Alpinisms. The band worked with director David Mullett on the video for "My Cabal" and they have come up with a roller-coaster take on the typical performance video.

Ben, Alley and Claudia will be taking the summer off to record new material and will be heading to Japan in the Fall for Summer Sonic Festival.

Links:
School of Seven Bells' MySpace Profile