Danzig to Release "Deth Red Sabaoth" in June - First New Studio Disc in Six Years

It should be interesting to hear what Danzig is up to these days. The last two Danzig releases seemed to be a return to form but it has been six years since the last studio disc so a lot could have changed. Danzig has a new lineup [Steve Zing (Samhain), Tommy Victor (Prong) and Johnny Kelly (Type O Negative) ] this time around so I'm looking forward to hearing what the new band sounds like.
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The charismatic and complex singer/songwriter Glenn Danzig is set to unleash his first new Danzig studio album in six years. Deth Red Sabaoth, produced by Glenn and recorded in Los Angeles over the course of 2009, will be released on June 22, 2010 (Evilive/The End Records).

The 11-track collection, penned by Danzig, is laced with Glenn's lycanthropic growls and blues-infected wailing. Tracks including "Black Candy," "The Revengeful," and the first single, "On A Wicked Night," emit a spectral glow to rival the highest points in Danzig's colossal discography. Part 1 of the exquisite two-part "Pyre of Souls" opens with acoustic guitar, haunting piano, Glenn's plainsong vocal, and an almost dirge-like feel; Part II explodes with electric guitars and a driving, mesmerizing cadence.

"I think that fans will really dig this new album," said Glenn. "I've been told several times that the album has a cool vitality to it, it sounds energized, and I got that feeling when I was recording it. I wanted it to have an organic sound, bigger and thicker, so I went out and bought some 1970's Kustom tuck 'n roll bass amps to play some of the guitar parts through. You'll hear real reverb, real tremolo on this album, which sounds completely different than the stuff that's done with computer chips."

Joining Glenn in the studio for the recording of Deth Red Sabaoth were guitarist Tommy Victor (Prong, Ministry), a Danzig cohort on and off since 1997, and drummer Johnny Kelly (Type O Negative, Seventh Void). While Kelly has toured with Glenn intermittently since 2002, this is the first time he has recorded with the band. Glenn handled the bass chores for most of the album, and played drums on "Black Candy."

As is with all of Danzig's releases, the CD cover artwork for Deth Red Sabaoth is provocative and ominous. The cover is an original piece created specifically for the CD by the award-winning artist Joe Chiodo whose work has graced not only Danzig's Verotik publishing line, but the covers of numerous graphic novels and comic books, including "X-Men Unlimited." Deth Red Sabaoth isn't the first time one of Chiodo's paintings has been part of a Danzig package - one of his erotic "good girl" pinups was part of 2007's The Lost Tracks of Danzig.

Deth Red Sabaoth marks Danzig's ninth studio venture that began back in 1988 with the Rick Rubin-produced, Platinum-certified, Danzig. A live version of his oedipal projectile "Mother," was a major hit, and added to his iconic status that began a decade earlier when he founded the near-mythic punk band Misfits and then Samhain. Sales of ten-million albums later and having been dubbed "goth-punk's godfather" by SPIN, Glenn Danzig is arguably the most versatile talent to emerge from hardcore's first wave, and truly is a renaissance man - a graphic designer, photographer, comic book publisher and composer. His venture into composing and recording classical music yielded Black Aria, that debuted at #1 on Billboard's Classical charts, and Black Aria II, that had Glenn sharing the Billboard/Classical's Top Ten with Itzhak Perlman and Andrea Bocelli. His indelible stamp is on artists like Marilyn Manson and Nine Inch Nails, and he has written songs that have been sung by a diverse array of artists, from Metallica to Johnny Cash.

Over his decades-long career, Glenn Danzig's intense musical and lyrical statements have left a permanent mark on rock music, and continue to do so going into the 21st century. Glenn's song "13," originally written for Johnny Cash and then recorded for Glenn's own Satan's Child album, was the opening song in last year's box office smash and Golden Globe winner, "The Hangover."

Danzig - Glenn, guitarist Tommy Victor, drummer Johnny Kelly and bassist Steve Zing - also a founding member of Samhain with Glenn - plan to tour extensively to support Deth Red Sabaoth; dates will be announced shortly.

Links:
Danzig
The End Records

Karnivool - Enter to Win a Pair of Tickets to the March 31st Show at Gramercy Theater

Australian alt-rock band Karnivool are in the midst of their first US tour in three years and the band is playing The Grammercy Theater on Wednesday, March 31st with Something to Burn and Fair to Midland.

TO WIN A PAIR OF KARNIVOOL TICKETS for THE GRAMERCY THEATER SHOW: email Mike.BrooklynRocks at gmail.com (subject: Karnivool) with your first and last name. One winner will be chosen at random tomorrow night and contacted back.

Karnivool is touring behind their sophomore disc, Sound Awake, which was released last month via SIN/SonyMusic Independent Network. This disc has been out in Australia since last June and it debuted at #1 on the Australian Independent Music charts. Kerrang! described the disc as "a hail of expansive melodies, that, when at their best are a little short of breathtaking. This is genuinely impressive stuff’".

Here is a live video of first single from this disc, "Set Fire to the Hive", that was recorded earlier this year at Big Day Out.



Links:
Karnivool

Truck Modz - iPhone Game Review (Lotusland Studios)

Truck Modz is an interactive truck building game for the iPhone. While the game looks simply, it is remarkably clever and should be a big hit with the 3-5 year old set.

The game starts with a truck driving down the highway and the gameplay is all about how you interact with the truck. The simplest place to start is to make the truck go faster, slower, stop and back up, which is all done by sliding your finger across the screen. The sound effects are so realistic that my 5-year old spooked the driver when he was playing this in the car. You can also directly interact with the accessories on the truck by turning on the lights and siren, blowing the horn, raising the truck bed and more. There is also a CB icon in the bottom right corner of the screen which you can touch to hear some amusing banter.

Some of the 'gee-whiz' features are that you can shake your iPod and this 3-D game will show you one of four perspectives of your truck as it continues to drive down the road. You can also trick out your truck by selecting the wrench in the upper left corner of the screen. This takes you to the customization screen where you can re-paint your truck and you can swap out your wheels, cab and truck bed. You don't have to select pieces from the same truck style so you can have combinations like a cab pulling a giant hamburger or a combination of snow plow and dump truck pieces.



As an adult, my only complaint was that the background seemed somewhat repetitive. As a 'first app' for a junior gamer, Truck Modz is a winner.

Links:
Lotusland Studios

Super Newtronic iPhone/iPod Touch Game Review (Phantom EFX)

Super Newtronic is an addictive game that combines the basic elements of Breakout with a physics puzzle game.

Like Breakout, the concept is simple; you need to break all of the blocks on the screen. Where the fun starts is that you can either draw an energy line (which the ball will bounce off of) by sliding your finger across the screen or you can tap the screen and set off an explosion that will send the ball flying. If you tap and hold, you can charge up a larger explosion that will send the ball further. The catch is that you only have a set amount of energy at any one time (see the blue progress bar on the top-left side of the screen). Your energy recharges over time so you have to monitor how many lines you draw and explosions that you set off. If you run out of energy, your ball will break through the blue blocks at the bottom of the screen and you will lose that turn.

On top of having a limited amount of energy at any one time, your ball is subject to gravity, friction and all the laws of physics. One of the challenges is that it is difficult to get your ball into an 'endless' bounce on top of a block of bricks like you could do in Breakout.

There are two modes of play: an endless Arcade mode and a Challenge mode that has 50 unique levels and different possible game endings. Both levels have an online leader board system so that you can keep your competitive passions high.

In the arcade mode, your objective is to keep the advancing blocks from going off the bottom of the screen. Similar to games like Space Invaders, blocks slowly advance down the screen and the pace quickens as levels are successfully cleared. Adding to the complexity and challenge, a number of obstacles are introduced in the higher levels which include switches and gravity changing blocks.

The challenge mode is a time trial where you attempt to break all the blocks on the screen while the clock ticks down. There are nine different game endings based on the path you choose through the different levels within the challenge mode.

Super Newtronics is $1.99 in the iTunes App Store.

Links:
Phantom EFX

Look Mexico - To Bed To Battle CD Review (Suburban Home)

STREAM: Look Mexico - To Bed To Battle (Yep, the whole CD is available to stream)

Alt-rock band Look Mexico released their sophomore disc To Bed To Battle (Suburban Home) last week and the band also made their third appearance at SXSW. Look Mexico plays guitar-driven 'modern rock' in the style of bands like Jimmy Eat World and Modest Mouse. Below is a live video for the leadoff track, "You Stay. I Go. No Following." from the new disc which gives a good indication of the band's sound.



Across To Bed To Battle, Look Mexico play mid-tempo emocore which ranges from the guitar rock of "You Stay. I Go. No Following." to the alt-country sounds of "They Offered Me a Deal (I Said No, Naturally)". Singer/guitarist Matt Agrella's lyrics are confessional and reflective but never fall prey to self-indulgence. The band's upbeat rhythms combined with orchestral breaks and use of non-traditional instruments (for the genre) such as cello, violin and pedal steel keep the songs on To Bed To Battle consistently engaging.

Look Mexico are spending a lot of time on the road in support of this new release. Here are the band's upcoming tour dates:

May 13 2010 9:00PM, Emo’s w/ Weatherbox, Austin, TX
May 14 2010 6:30PM, Art Ambush w/Weatherbox, Waco, TX
May 15 2010 8:00PM, The Prophet Bar w/Weatherbox, Dallas, TX
May 16 2010 8:00PM, The Conservatory w/Weatherbox, Oklahoma City, OK
May 17 2010 8:00PM, Jackpot Music Hall w/Weatherbox, Lawrence, KS
May 18 2010 9:00PM, The Waiting Room w/Weatherbox, Omaha, NB
May 19 2010 8:30PM, The Summit - Front Bar w/Weatherbox, Denver, CO
May 20 2010 8:30PM, Kilby Court w/Weatherbox, Salt Lake City, UT
May 22 2010 8:00PM, Che Cafe w/Weatherbox, San Diego, CA

Links:
Look Mexico

Black Dahlia Murder - Photos from Santos Party House, NYC 3-20-10

Last Saturday night, Black Dahlia Murder played a headlining set at Santos Party House. I was looking forward to seeing some of the opening acts (Obscura, Augury and Hatesphere) but I obviously haven't been paying attention to changes in clubland. To wander off-track for a moment..."Back in the day", a weekend headlining act at CBGB, Coney Island High, etc. never went on before midnight (if you were lucky). I got to Santos around 9:30PM and Black Dahlia Murder was onstage checking the sound before starting their set and the room was filled to capacity.



Black Dahlia Murder played about an hour set and the pit started immediately. What I could appreciate is that, with the room so full, this was an old-school CBGB/L'Amour style mosh pit with none of that kung-fu karate chopping nonsense. Even those outside the pit (like myself) had fists in the air and were singing along to songs like "What a Terrible Night to Have a Curse" and "Miasma".

It was too crazy a night to keep a setlist (I felt lucky to get the photos I did with the room being a giant most pit) but here is a setlist that I found on the Internet that looks about right.

01. Unhallowed
02. Funeral Thirst
03. Necropolis
04. A Vulgar Picture
05. Everything Went Black
06. Black Valor
07. Christ Deformed
08. Elder Misanthropy
09. Closed Casket Requiem
10. I'm Charming
11. What A Horrible Night To Have A Curse
12. Statutory Ape
13. Denounced, Disgraced
14. Deathmask Divine
15. Miasma
16. I Will Return

Below is a video of the first two songs from the set that shows how crazy the night got. Once the temperature started rising and the shirts started coming off (Trevor was encouraging everyone to get naked but I didn't see anyone strip totally down from where I was standing), it just got crazier.



Links:
Black Dahlia Murder

The Endless Blockade / The Bastard Noise - The Red List CD Review (20 Buck Spin)

DOWNLOAD: The Bastard Noise - "Mutant World of Shame / Underworld" (hosted on 20 Buck Spin)

The Red List came out last month on 20 Buck Spin and this is a split release from grindcore heavyweights The Bastard Noise and The Endless Blockade. According to 20 Buck Spin's website, this "album was first hatched in idea form on the occasion of a show between both bands in 2007".

The Bastard Noise start off the disc with five tracks (~30 minutes) of sludgy, bass-heavy doom which is overlaid by squalling guitars and electronics. Vocals range between a "Cookie Monster" death metal growl and a higher pitched demonic shriek. Unlike some of the past releases from The Bastard Noise, there are some boundaries and structure to the music which makes this the closest that I've heard the band come to actual songs. While this is still music the most people outside of the genre wouldn't understand, The Red List moves The Bastard Noise back toward their hardcore roots (which started with Man is the Bastard) and the sound on this disc is comparable to bands like Starring Janet Leigh (Metal Blade/Ironclad).

The Endless Blockade contributed three tracks (two of which are ~ 15 minutes each) which range from power violence to white noise. The leadoff track, "Deuteronomy", is a solid slice of aggressive hardcore that starts off with some blast beats and hoarse, street punk vocals. Over the course of this 15 minute song, there are slower almost proggy moments and an interlude of squalling electronica (both of which the band returns from with a hardcore blast). Unfortunately, once the band got my attention with "Deuteronomy", they lost it with remixes of "Advance Directive" and "Model 49 Rebreather" (both from 2008's Primitive sessions). "Advance Directive" isn't a bad song but Noah Creshevsky's cut and paste techniques left this song as a jarring series of starts and stops that seemed out of place with the overall flow of this disc. I don't know what to say about "Model 49 Rebreather" other than it is 15 minutes of pure white noise. The "song" was supposed to have been remixed by The Rita but I'm not sure how one would remix static.



Links:
The Endless Blockade
The Bastard Noise

John Doe and Exene Cervenka (from X) play City Winery on May 2nd

STREAM: John Doe - Live on WMBR
DOWNLOAD: X - "Bud Thing" (hosted on BillyZoom.com)

The members of X seem to be a bit more active as of late. John Doe released his 8th solo disc, Country Club, in April, X played a well-received three-night stand at Bowery Ballroom last May and Exene released her first solo disc in 18 years, Somewhere Gone, in October.

Last year also marked the first time that John and Exene performed as an acoustic duo and John and Exene are teaming up again for what looks to be a limited run of shows which are being billed as See How We Are: John Doe & Exene - Duo performance. The local tour stop is at City Winery on May 2nd.

Tickets for the City Winery show are $22 for "bar stools" (I assume this is means 'general admission') and $28 for reserved tables.

Here is a video from last year's acoustic tour:


Links:
X (the band)
John Doe
Exene Cervenka

David Ford is Playing Union Hall on March 26th / New Disc out on April 20th

DOWNLOAD: David Ford - "She's Not The One" (from Let The Hard Times Roll)

Singer/songwriter and one-man band David Ford is playing a show at Union Hall next Friday, March 26th. David is touring in advance of the release of his third solo disc, Let the Hard Times Roll, which comes out April 20th on Original Signal.

Ford spent the second half of 2009 creating Let the Hard Times Roll and the disc was predominately recorded in an empty unit on an industrial estate in Eastbourne, East Sussex; additional piano parts and group sing-along vocals were captured in a semi-detached family home of a former convalescent hospital in southern England. Ford plays nearly every instrument on the record, save additional violin and trombone provided by friend and occasional touring partner Hannah Peel, as well as some alto-saxophone played by friend Franco Bidanco. He also produced and engineered (with the help of James Brown – who’s worked with Foo Fighters, Brendan Benson, Placebo) the album, as well as designed the artwork.

Ford came to national attention for the one-take video for “Go To Hell”, the opening track from Songs for the Road in which he performed multiple instruments (which include a water cooler, tea kettle, and fork and knife) live and looped the sounds to create his own imaginary backing band – similar to as he does at each and every show.



Tickets for the Union Hall show are $15 and David is sharing the bill with Ed Vallance.

Links:
David Ford

The Stalkers are Playing Kid Congo Powers' Birthday Party on Sat., March 27th

Garage rockers The Stalkers are playing a special show next Saturday, March 27th, for Kid Congo Powers' birthday bash. Former Cramps/Gun Club guitarist, Kid Congo is turning 51 and he will be playing a set this night with his latest band, The Pink Monkey Birds.

The show is at Secret Project Robot (210 Kent Avenue @ Metropolitan in Williamsburg) and cover is $10. On the bill with Kid Congo and The Stalkers are K-Holes, Tommy Volume (x-Star Spangles) and DJ Jonathan Toubin.

The Stalkers have a new single, "Lady Sonia", coming out at the end of the month and the band's follow-up to their 2008 debut (Yesterday is No Tomorrow) is due out sometime this summer. The band recorded their new disc in Portland, OR with Ross Skomsvold (Nice Boys) at the helm.



Links:
The Stalkers

Blank Generation - DVD Review (Richard Hell, Carole Bouquet)

Uli Lommel’s 1980 film Blank Generation was just rereleased on DVD (by MVD Entertainment) with a bonus 45-minute interview with Richard Hell.

This is an intriguing film for many reasons – one of which is that Richard Hell is always a fascinating speaker and he gives an insightful interview about the making of the film and the NYC music scene at that time. What is somewhat amusing is that Hell trashes the film during the interview. In a recent interview with the Wall Street Journal, Hell said “I actually feel that the interview is better than the movie. It can even be said it’s better as the movie, since it includes clips. The only thing it’s lacking is some of the live performances."

The bottom line is that, while Blank Generation isn’t Academy Awards material, it isn’t that bad. Fans of the NYC punk scene are going to want this disc in their collection – others may wonder what all the fuss is about.

The movie was filmed in early 1978 against the gritty backdrop of near-bankrupt NYC and the plot centers around Billy (played by Richard Hell) who is a punk musician on the verge of major label success and his relationship with French journalist/documentariest Nada (played by future Bond girl Carole Bouquet). The film plays out against this central theme and it is an almost voyeuristic experience. The motivations of the staring and secondary characters are never fully explained so, watching the film, is almost like being a “fly on the wall”. You see all of the dialogue and interplay but can never be sure what is driving it or who some of the secondary characters are that Billy and Nada come into contact with.

Some of non sequiturs around these secondary characters are completely amusing while other of the secondary characters come and go in the blink of an eye. One of the late-stage subplots is the introduction of Lommel himself into the movie and he plays the German journalist Hoffritz who is intent of landing an interview with Andy Warhol. While he waits intently in the television studio for Andy to show up, Walter Stedding show up as “Andy’s assistant” and starts to play electric violin to the bafflement of Hoffritz and the TV studio crew. Warhol eventually makes an in-person appearance and gives a typically bizarre interview to Nada.

One of the highlights of the film is the live Voidoids footage from CBGB. Hell describes the live footage as “the best existing film footage of my band at a time when it was in top condition”. He is right – it is exciting watching much-missed Robert Quine tossing off guitar licks while the pre-Ramones Marc Bell keeps the beat.

While Blank Generation has some flaws, there are more than enough redeeming moments to justify checking out this new re-release of the film.

Links:
Richard Hell

Johnny Action Figure - "Good Eye" CD Review

DOWNLOAD: Johnny Action Figure - "Barnstomp" (from Good Eye)

Power-pop band Johnny Action Figure released their third CD, Good Eye, earlier this year but I'm afraid that this disc "fell through the cracks" so I'm just now getting around to writing a review.

While the members of Johnny Action Figure are fairly young, Good Eye (twelve-track/50 minute) is a well-crafted slab of 70's inspired pop. Each track stands well on its own but the band's sound shifts across this disc as they draw on a number of influences so it is difficult to put a genre label on the band's music. Where it gets interesting is that Johnny Action Figure has the pop sensibilities of Glenn Tilbrook/Squeeze, they sing in three-part vocal harmonies which make me think of both The Eagles and The Beach Boys and the band's use of horns, keyboards and fluid guitar breaks has a 70's AOR feel that gives them a sort of a Steely Dan vibe. Adding to the Steely Dan comparison, Johnny Action Figure's lyrics are both smart and smarmy.

Johnny Action Figure has already performed with artists such as Wilco, Pete Yorn, and The Get Up Kids and the band is planning a Spring tour to promote this new disc.



Here is Johnny Action Figure's upcoming tour dates:

Mar. 24, 2010 -- 9:00PM, Silk City, Philadelphia, PA
Mar. 30, 2010 -- 9:00PM, The Blockley (FREE SHOW), Philadelphia, PA
Apr. 09, 2010 -- 8:00PM, Puck, Doylestown, PA
Apr. 17, 2010 -- 6:00PM, Launch Music Conference, Lancaster, PA
Apr. 24, 2010 -- 8:00PM, Boondocks, York Haven, PA
Apr. 28, 2010 -- 10:00PM, East Stroudsburg University, East Stroudsberg, PA

Links:
Johnny Action Figure

Starring Janet Leigh: Live Footage & Interview from "Metal As Art" Tour, NYC 3-4-10

Metal Blade/Ironclad Recordings band Starring Janet Leigh was in town last week for a show at Fontana's, which was also the final night of the "Metal as Art" tour. The death/math-metal band has been touring behind their debut CD, Spectrum, which was released in 2009.

I had the chance to catch up with Matt Z. ( Guitar), Matt N. (Vocals) and Justin (Bass) before the show to talk a bit about Spectrum, the current tour and what's next for the band.



Starring Janet Leigh's set was great; the band plays death metal that is punctuated with some serious jazz breaks that is comparable to Mr. Bungle or a harder, more out-of-control version of Candiria. The music shifts from brutal chugging riffs to intricately played jazz notes and polyrhythmic drumming in the blink of an eye but all of it sounds very purposeful and focused.

Links:
Starring Janet Leigh

The Butterfly Explosion Play Piano's Tomorrow Night (March 14th); Shows at SXSW Next Week

DOWNLOAD: The Butterfly Explosion - "Closer" from Lost Trails
DOWNLOAD: The Butterfly Explosion - "Chemistry" from Lost Trails

The Butterfly Explosion is a post-rock band out of Dublin, Ireland whose music ranges from shoegazer alt-rock (Ride and My Bloody Valentine are immediate comparisons) to epic post-rock instrumental pieces (here the comparison is to bands like Sigur Ros, Tortise and Explosions in the Sky). Having released two well received EPs over the last few years, The Butterfly Explosion released their first full length, Lost Trails (Revive Records), in the US earlier this month.

The 11-track/60 minute disc shows the band's songwriting continuing to mature. The songs average five minutes in length which gives the band time to develop expansive soundscapes. Fuzzy waves of guitars rise, fall and crash into exploding choruses; all of which are complemented by subtle and delicate keyboards and soaring, emotive vocals. The lyrics are clear but somewhat vague in nature which adds another dimension to the overall package that is The Butterfly Explosion. While there are some stand-out singles ("Closer", "Chemistry", "Crash/...see you on the other side"), there are also a number of all-instrumental songs that seem to serve as "mood pieces" within the context of the overall album and don't necessarily stand on their own. As such, this is the sort of disc that you are going to want to listen to start-to-finish.

You aren't going to find Lost Trails playing on a happy hour jukebox but there is more-than-enough depth to the music to keep it from floating away.

Here is a recent live video for "Carpark" which is a sweeping, post-rock (think Explosions in the Sky) instrumental.



The Butterfly Explosion's current US tour kicks off tonight at The Khyber in Philadelphia.

Here are the upcoming dates on the current tour:

Mar. 13 (Sat) -- The Khyber, Philadelphia
Mar. 14 (Sun) -- Pianos, NYC
Mar. 15 (Mon) -- Cameo Gallery, Brooklyn
Mar. 16 (Tues) -- The Abbey, Chicago
Mar. 17 (Wed) -- Habana Calle 6, SXSW, Ausin (10PM)
Mar. 18 (Thur) -- Rusty Spurs, SXSW, Ausin (12PM)
Mar. 19 (Fri) -- BD Rileys, SXSW, Ausin (1PM)
Mar. 21 (Sun) -- Red 7, SXSW, Ausin Goodbye South-By party (4:45pm) featuring Rival Schools, Junius and more

Links:
The Butterfly Explosion

Vagrant Records SXSW Showcase is March 19th at La Zona Rosa

DOWNLOAD: Black Rebel Motorcycle Club - "Beat The Devil's Tattoo"
DOWNLOAD: J. Roddy Walston & the Business - "Brave Man's Death" and "I Don't Want to Hear It"
DOWNLOAD: School of Seven Bells - "Iamundernodisguise" (alt. take)
STREAM: Murder By Death - "The Day"

The SXSW madness begins...

Vagrant Records SXSW showcase is taking place next Friday night, March 19th, at La Zona Rose (612 W. 4th St., Austin, TX 78701) and features Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, Murder By Death, School of Seven Bells and J-Roddy Walston and The Business.

Links:
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club
Murder By Death
J-Roddy Walston & the Business
School of Seven Bells

White Mice Kick Off Maxximum Ganjahovahdrive Tour 2010/ Show at Shea Stadium on April 16th

"We're talking the scabby riffs of Buzzov*en, the rhythmic eccentricities of Lightning Bolt and the psychedelic clutter of a shotgun full of mescaline." - Decibel

White Mice's Maxximum Ganjahovahdrive Tour 2010 kicks off tonight in Providence, Rhode Island. From there the blood encrusted, furry savages will infest and pillage the country for the next month and a half, bringing their vomitous, psychotically-entrancing apocalyptic hymns about Cheesus and such to the masses, including a massive headfuckfest in the southwest, as they invade SXSW for a plethora of shows.

When asked to describe their sound in a recent Hellbound.ca interview, White Mice drummer Phallusturd Scrowleak spouts "Diehearearrock is what wee call it. Grate music to Commit Sin to, others might attempt name us butt there is only one true name, of which can only be produced by the screaming flatulence of 666 demons breaking winds of 666 different tones and can only be heard by the whoreshippers of Cheesus Miced the lard and slaviour."

The band kicked off a cross-country tour today that includes a stop at Shea Stadium in Brooklyn for a show on April 16th with Liturgy and Suffering Bastard.

Here are the complete tour dates:
3/10/2010 AS220 - Providence, RI w/ Fuzz Orchestra, Stress Ape
3/14/2010 Now That's Class - Cleveland, OH w/ Tinsel Teeth, Liturgy, Stress Ape
3/15/2010 The Mopery - Chicago, IL w/ Liturgy, Tinsel Teeth, Cacaw
3/16/2010 Camp Concentration - St. Louis, MO w/ Tinsel Teeth, Liturgy
3/17/2010 The Conservatory - Oklahoma City, OK w/ Tinsel Teeth, Liturgy, Black Cobra
3/18/2010 Mouse of Tinnitus - Denton, TX w/ Tinsel Teeth, Liturgy, Nite Shadez
3/19/2010 1111 - Austin, TX Saucedo - 4PMouseparty
3/19/2010 Headhunter's - Austin, TX | SXSW 20 Buck Spin/Profound Lore showcase w/ Liturgy, Endless Blockade, Coffinworm, Salome, Yakuza
3/19/2010 "2 AM @ Lamar Bridge" - Austin, TX
3/20/2010 Okay Mountain - Austin, TX
3/20/2010 Club 1880 - Austin, TX | Load Rec's Showcase w/ Tinsel Teeth, Drunkdriver, Todd, Pigeon Religion and more
3/21/2010 Brofest 2010 - Doublewide Bar - Dallas, TX w/ Tinsel Teeth, Liturgy +many more
3/22/2010 Ambitious Loser Fest - OZ Cafe - Wichita, KS
3/23/2010 Rhinoceropolis - Denver, CO
3/25/2010 V.A.C. - Boise, ID w/ Uzula, Micro Babies, For Fuck’s Sake
3/26/2010 The Josephine - Seattle, WA
3/28/2010 The Know - Portland, OR w/ Lesbian
3/29/2010 The Tube - Portland, OR w/ The Ramjac, Lesbian
3/30/2010 The Hub - Sacramento, CA w/ Mom, Nuclear Death Wish
3/31/2010 21 Grand - Oakland, CA w/ Lesbian, Nuclear Death Wish
4/01/2010 Hemlock Tavern - San Francisco, CA w/ Lesbian, Nuclear Death Wish, CCR Headcleaner
4/02/2010 Women of Crenshaw - Los Angeles, CA
4/03/2010 Mountain Bar - Los Angeles, CA w/ Lesbian
4/04/2010 The Tribe - Phoenix, AZ w/ Pigeon Religion, Melted Cassettes
4/05/2010 tba - Tucson, Az
4/06/2010 Mohawk - Austin, TX
4/07/2010 Super Happy Funland - Houston, TX w/ Useless Children, Golden Axe
4/08/2010 Schiller Street - Little Rock, AR
4/09/2010 Little Hamilton Collective - Nashville, TN w/ MLU, Suffering Bastard, No Compassion, Laser Slut
4/10/2010 CFBG’s - Greensboro, NC w/ Mutant League, Three Brained Robot, Suffering Bastard
4/11/2010 The Juggling Gypsy - Wilmington, NC w/ Suffering Bastard, Food World, Caucasians, Khnum
4/12/2010 The Nightlight - Chapel Hill, NC w/ Suffering Bastard, Cheezface, Ex-Monkeys, Nuss
4/13/2010 The Triple - Richmond, VA w/ Suffering Bastard
4/14/2010 *TBA - Philadelphia w/ Suffering Bastard
4/15/2010 Sidebar - Baltimore, MD w/ Suffering Bastard, Fourth Horseman
4/16/2010 Shea Stadium - Brooklyn, NY w/ Liturgy, Suffering Bastard
4/19/2010 Charlie's Kitchen - Boston, MA w/ MLU, Rotten Apples, Crazy Dreams
4/20/2010 17 Mules - Providence, RI w/ Useless Children, MLU, Holy Sheet and more

Links:
White Mice

Earlove Hi-Fi Earplugs: Best Concert Earplugs That I've Used

As I get older, I'm beginning to realize that I've probably lost some range of hearing after playing in bands for years and going to hundreds of concerts. The problem is that I would forget to wear earplugs half the time or use cheap (Rite Aid) foam earplug when I did remember.

I was at an Enforcer (Earache Records) show late last year at Europa without earplugs and didn't hear right for days. After this, I decided to get serious about wearing earplugs at all future shows.

I've worn Earlove Hi-Fi earplugs to the last two shows (both metal bands) that I've seen and they have been great. I can hear the full range of sounds clearly, get as close as I want (without getting being 'deaf; for days), and I've had no post-show loss of hearing. I don't think I'd see a show now without these earplugs - they are the same style as my iPhone headphones (and use the same technology as Musicians Earplugs™) so they fit so much better than a 'standard' foam earplugs. With these earplugs I was able to get up close (without the 'usual' post-show loss of hearing) for Your Demise at Santos Party House (see video) and Staring Janet Leigh at Fontana's.

Earlove advertises that "[t]he volume at a nightclub, for example, is usually around 105 decibels, which is louder than being in close proximity to a running chainsaw...Earlove Hi-Fi earplugs reduce the overall sound 20 decibels evenly across all frequencies."

Links:
Earlove's Website

Look Mexico Play The Studio at Webster Hall on Wed., March 10th / New CD out on Suburban Home on March 23rd

Austin-by-way-of-Tallahassee indie/math rock band Look Mexico in touring in advance of their sophomore release To Bed To Battle (Suburban Home Records) and the band is playing The Studio at Webster Hall on Wednesday, March 10th. Look Mexico are sharing the bill with Gabriel the Marine and The Dear & Departed. DOS tickets are $12 and doors are at 6:30PM.

The band's new disc is coming out on March 23rd on CD and limited edition vinyl (both of which are available for pre-order). According to Suburban Noise's site "[t]he vinyl will be pressed in an edition of 1,000 copies (500 on Salmon/Orange vinyl, 500 on black vinyl). After the first pressing sells out, we will press all future pressings on black vinyl."

To Bed To Battle was written and recorded this past summer in Look Mexico’s former hometown of Tallahassee, FL. With the converted basement of a local pizza shop dedicated as their studio space, the band was able to take their time throughout the recording process, experimenting with and expanding their sound, and adding new instrumentation such as electric piano, organ, pedal steel, violin, cello, and horns. The resulting album – which deals with struggle and pressing on in the face of adversity – is an incredibly catchy, diverse yet cohesive set of 10 songs. To Bed To Battle ranges musically from anthemic pop/rock and explosive ballads (“You Stay. I Go. No Following,” “Until The Lights Burn Out?”), to alternately edgy and dreamy math-rock (“No Wonder I’m Still Awake,” “Time For You To Go Do Your Own Thing”), to blistering, barreling modern rock (“I Live My Life A Quarter Mile At A Time,” “They Offered Me A Deal (I Said No, Naturally”), to even acoustic, chamber pop-laced Americana (“Take It Upstairs, Einstein”).

The band just released their first video "You Stay.I Go. No Following" (dig the Iron Giant reference) from To Bed To Battle.



Here are the band's upcoming tour dates:
03/08 - Boston, MA @ Middle East
03/10 - New York, NY @ The Studio at Webster Hall
03/11 - New Brunswick, NJ @ Court Tavern
03/12 - Wilmington, NC @ The Soapbox
03/13 - St. Augustine, FL @ Harvest of Hope
03/14 - St. Augustine, FL @ Harvest of Hope
03/16 - Little Rock, AK @ Vino’s

Links:
Look Mexico

We Are Wolves Announce April Tour Dates / Invisible Violence CD Review

DOWNLOAD: We Are Wolves - "Blue" (from Invisible Violence)
DOWNLOAD: We Are Wolves - "Holding Hands" (from Invisible Violence)

Montreal dance-rock band We Are Wolves are extending their current tour and have just announced a cross-country run of April tour dates. The band is touring behind their third CD Invisible Violence which came out in February on Dare To Care Records.

Invisible Violence is twelve cuts of predominately raw dance-rock which has a ferocious groove. The band combines angular, chugging guitar riffs with psychedelic keyboards to create a sound that would be right at home alongside the Klaxons' "new rave" sound. Some of the standout 'rock' tunes are the disc opener "Paloma" and the punky "Me As Enemy" (which is streaming on the band's MySpace page). Across this disc, the band doesn't stray much from their core dance-rock sound but there are some exceptions which gives the listener a chance to catch their breath.

The band doesn't really slow down until close to the end of the disc. The fourth track, "Dreams", starts off slowly but this is just a tease as the guitar hooks and exploding choruses kick in mid-song. It isn't until the tenth track, "La Rue Oblique", when things truly start to slow. This song relies on a 60's sounding psychedelic keyboard riff to carry the song while singer Alex Ortiz sings blissed-out vocals all in French. "Bounty Waterfalls" is an instrumental track that closes out the disc and it sounds like something that could have come out of the early Pink Floyd songbook. While somewhat schizophrenic at times, Invisible Violence is an intense and engaging listen.

We Are Wolves - "Paloma", Live at Arlene's Grocery, CMJ, 2009




We are Wolves Upcoming Tour Dates:
MAR. 13 -- SAINT-DONAT-DE-RIMOUSKI, QC, MONT-COMI
MAR. 18 -- AUSTIN, TX, PARADISE, (M for Montreal showcase; 1AM set time)
MAR. 19 -- AUSTIN, TX, GUEROS (set time TBA)
MAR. 21 -- AUSTIN, TX, ENCORE (Obscure Magpie Party, set time TBA)
APR. 01 -- QUEBEC, QC, IMPERIAL*
APR. 06 -- KINGSTON, ON, THE ALE HOUSE*
APR. 07 -- TORONTO, ON, PHOENIX CONCERT THEATRE*
APR. 08 -- LOS ANGELES, CA, THE ECHO
APR. 09 -- VISALIA, CA, THE CELLAR DOOR
APR. 10 -- SAN FRANCISCO, CA, BOTTOM OF THE HILL
APR. 12 -- PORTLAND, OR, ROTTURE
APR. 13 -- SEATTLE, WA, THE VERA PROJECT
APR. 15 -- VANCOUVER, BC, THE BILTMORE CABARET**
APR. 16 -- KAMLOOPS, BC, HEROES PUB**
APR. 17 -- CALGARY, AB, THE REPUBLIK**
APR. 18 -- EDMONTON, AB, PAWN SHOP**
APR. 19 -- SASKATOON, SK, AMIGO'S**
APR. 20 -- WINNIPEG, MB, ROYAL ALBERT HALL**
APR. 21 -- MINNEAPOLIS, MN, 7TH STREET ENTRY**
APR. 22 -- CHICAGO, IL, SUBTERRANEAN**
APR. 23 -- LONDON, ON, CALL THE OFFICE**
APR. 24 -- TORONTO, ON, THE GARRISON**
MAY 15 -- LYON, FR, NUITS SONORES
* in support of Wolf Parade
** the POP OFF! tour with Parlovr

Links:
We Are Wolves' MySpace Profile

Oberlin's Like Bells Announce Two Shows in NYC in March/April

DOWNLOAD: Like Bells - "Atlas" (from Like Bells' self-titled debut)
DOWNLOAD: Like Bells - "Nothing Collapses" (from Like Bells' self-titled debut)

Like Bells is a mostly instrumental band formed in 2006 by three students at Oberlin College/Oberlin Conservatory of Music. This trio-now-turned-foursome for touring purposes, released their debut LP on Exit Stencil in the spring of 2009 and received strong reviews. Press from the time of the release compared the band to a mixture of The Dirty Three, Do Make Say Think, and Godspeed.

The band is playing two local-area shows in late March/early April. On Monday, March 29th they will be playing a free show at Zebulon (258 Wythe, Brooklyn) w/ The Slowest Runner In All The World and Ellie Fortune. On Saturday, April 3rd they will be at Piano's (no show info. posted yet).



Like Bells write songs that challenge listeners without alienating them with songs of epic length and esoteric instrumentation—a frequent lynchpin in the instrumental band toolbox. Rather, they pay strict attention to melody—often accomplished by minimalist vocals, or the beautiful strings of Garrett Openshaw soaring high over the effulgent understructure created by the intricate drumming of Will Mason, and the inspired and uniquely tuned guitar work of Gabe Baker.

Within the short confines of traditional song lengths, Like Bells transport the listener with melodies that are simple, complex, beautiful, and powerful.

Links:
Like Bells

Strippers at Rick's Cabaret Predict Oscar Winners

I've been sick as a dog this past week and didn't do much more than go to work and come home and go to bed. As I finally started to feel better yesterday, I got a much needed chuckle out of an email that I received from a strip club promoter entitled "Strippers Predict Oscar Winners". As a thanks for giving me a much needed laugh - I'm going to repost the press release.

“Our gowns on the red carpet at Rick's Cabaret are always a lot sexier than the ones in Hollywood", smiles 25 year old Alannah, 36D, 27, 37. “And besides, we take them off!" adds 22 year-old Monica, 33C, 24, 35, with a wink.

82 Rick's Cabaret girls at the midtown Manhattan gentlemen's club (58 blondes, 21 brunettes and 3 redheads) contributed their Oscar predictions and the results are in. The ladies forecast the following winners at the 2010 Academy Awards:

Best Picture - Avatar
Best Actress - Meryl Streep
Best Actor - George Clooney
Best Supporting Actor - Christopher Plummer
Best Supporting Actress - Mo'Nique

“We're all really upset that Brad Pitt wasn't nominated for "Inglourious Basterds”, cries 23 year-old Tiffany, 34C, 25, 33.. “He's so hot, but I guess he already has the best award of all - Angelina Jolie!” she adds.

“Can you believe Quentin Tarantino was nominated for Best Director?” wonders 22 year-old Kelly, 38D, 27, 36. “He doesn't even know how to spell!” she asserts….

The sad thing about my posting this is that I never go to the movies outside of taking my five year old to kids movies like Alvin & the Chipmunks and Thomas the Tank Engine. To give my two cents on the strippers' predictions:

Avatar - Ill Bill said it was boring; good enough for me
Meryl Steep - Doesn't she always win? Whatever happened to Glenn Close?
George Clooney - see above; obviously Dustin Hoffman or Robert Di Nero didn't make a movie this year
Christopher Plummer - Thought Captain Von Trapp had died a couple years ago...obviously not
Mo'Nique - No clue who this is or what movie she was in

Footstone Reunites and Reissues 1995 Debut CD 'Lippy' (Dromedary Records)

DOWNLOAD: Footstone - "Mad-G" (from Lippy)

After a 10-year hiatus, NJ power-punk band Footstone played a one-off reunion show last month at Maxwell's. Also coming back onto the scene after a similar decade long absence is indie-rock label Dromedary Records who has recently reissued Footstone's debut CD Lippy.

Footstone was always a strong live act and I saw the band numerous times when they made the rounds of the East Village clubs (Continental, CBGB, Brownies, etc.). In the mid-90's, discs like Lippy and Ruth Ruth's Laughing Gallery provided a welcome balance to the sometimes "too serious" straight-edge scene. For anyone who hasn't heard Lippy, there are a number of live songs posted on YouTube from a private party that the band played last year. Jersey Beat described the disc as "a very cool blend of pop, punk, and alternative rock. Very melodic, very tight band, very clean, balanced mix. ‘Mad-G’ is a real standout track, with a kind of DC post-emo influenced sound."

To celebrate the return of Dromedary Records, the label has made available Footstone's debut 7" from 1994, "Wobbles from Side to Side", as a free digital download. In addition to the tracks "Mountain Man" and "Belly", Dromedary has added the previously unreleased song "Airbag" (recorded in 1993).



Links:
Dromedary Records' Footstone Page