Loud Noise and Pictures

Just dropping a quick post to alert all our loyal and devoted readers (yes both of you!) to the new Franz Ferdinand track, Lucid Dreams, that the band has posted on their website.

Its a cool little animation that accompanies the track – but the ‘record’ hiss is meant to deter people from pirating the tune. The hiss is kinda cool – but in this day and age of digital restoration and electronical wizardry, its kinda more annoying than cool. Not unlike the song. Its good – but not great.

It will be popular on radio stations like Triple J – but I cant see it having nearly the same impact that tunes like Take Me Out did. Then again – could anything they do on a follow up album reach those lofty heights? Me thinks not.

Also – The Cure have released another track from their impending 13th album, ‘4:13 Dream’. The album will be a two-disk effort and Robbie Smith and the boys have been releasing tracks (via their Myspace) on the 13th of each month since May, until the album comes out on October 13. I’d post a pic of the new cover – but it’s all white, save for the title (well the top half of it) in black down the bottom. It would look like i stuffed up posting the pic – so rather than look (more) like a tool, I’ll let you find it yourself.

The album was due out September 13, but the Robmeister has instead decided to bring out an EP of the released songs’ remixes, called Hypnogogic States. The six track opus will feature such prominent maestros such as Pete Wentz and Jared Leto. Old-School emo meets Nu-Skool emo methinks! Not eactly a good combo. But then again – I could be (and probably am) wrong.

Cowbell makes me cry.

Thanks to the wonder that is my work’s internet filters blocking my access to Myspace, and various proxy sites shitting themselves trying to load the music player on Myspace, I’m yet to hear the new remixes of No Pussy Blues by Grinderman, and it’s pretty much killing me. Hopefully they will put these out officially sometime soon and I can start getting my pillhead on to them. Assuming that’s what they sound like. More details can be found here.

Whilst I’m leeching news directly from Pitchfork, The Gutter Twins have also announced that they’re releasing an iTunes only exclusive EP with proceeds going to go to the Natasha Shneider Memorial Fund. Help a good cause and get some good tunes? Done deal.

The good kids at Antiquiet got themselves into a bit of trouble over the GnR leak they did a while ago. Isn’t it funny that the United States Government calls Russia for going in with too much force on Georgia, however it’s totally reasonable for 5 FBI agents to wake up a BLOGGER (hardly the most advanced and dangerous species on the planet) at 5am in the morning and then try and set a $50 grand bail? The worst part is there’s no fucking Chinese Democracy to show for it! 14 years Axl! DIE!!!!11

Nine Inch Nails’ magnum opus, The Downward Spiral, is being re-released on vinyl as a money making scheme now that he’s left Interscope part of the 60th anniversary of vinyl. Here’s what the man himself had to say…

You may have heard there’s a new re-release of The Downward Spiral on vinyl. I heard that, too. I have no idea what it is or what’s on it because the band has had no involvement in it.

So basically, Interscope will be getting more money and the artist will be fucked over? Not much news to me.

I’m off to listen to Does It Offend You, Yeah? some more. A review of their old album will be up (or at least promised about some more) soon.

It seems that The Follow have gone AWOL. Well, Azaria and KJ at least.

Theyre meant to all be out in California recording stuff for their new album with Nick Launay – at least thats where Azaria said he’d be in the interview he did with LN&P a little while back. Since the interview, there have been regular posts on ZaR’s myspace page updating fans about shows The Follow, as well as his solo gigs around the California area. But if anything tabloid media has to say about things is true – there have been internal tensions and things may have taken a turn for the worse. According to their management:
“Azaria had been seen in Hollywood on Saturday night, I know they were stressed out to the max, I talked to Azaria on Wednesday and he broke down and told me that there was a lot of tension in the band. Please everyone, put out good vibes about this and stay positive! I know in my heart that they’re alright. I’m sure they’ll ring me soon.”

Guitarist JaK and their manager Gabe Deluc have asked fans to let on if theyve spotted Azaria and KJ, as family and friends are becoming increasingly concerned.

As posted on the Follow’s myspace page:
“WE’VE BEEN INFORMED THAT AZARIA AND KJ HAVE BEEN MISSING SINCE FRIDAY AUGUST 22ND. IF ANYONE HAS ANY INFORMATION ON THEIR WHEREABOUTS, PLEASE CONTACT US. KJ AND AZARIA WERE LAST SEEN IN NORTH HOLLYWOOD AT THE CORNER OF BURBANK & VINELAND. CONCERNED FRIENDS AND FAMILY MEMBERS SHOULD CONTACT JaK COLEMAN FOR MORE INFORMATION.”

My guess would be that they have gone out to the desert to ‘find themselves’ Doors style.
Stay safe kids!

 

KJ has been found safe and sound!

According to their myspace (home of all info!) she was at a friends place.
AzaRia is still nowhere to be found however.

The search continues!

Sexy Scottish songstress Shirley Manson is set to star in the second season of Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles. Hopefully you dont have a lisp and just read that sentence aloud. Anyway here is one of the first promo pics:

The Garbage vocallist will be a series regular starring as Catherine Weaver, CEO of a major technology company, Zeiracop. Hopefully something in that last sentence made sense. I cant say I’m much of a Terminator fan, but now miss Manson is being featured, I might just give it a gander. There are some more pics here.

On the musical front, Shirley has lent her lungs to Mr Stefani, Gavin Rossdale, on his recently released solo effort WANDERlust. Also helping out old Gav on the album were producer Bob Rock, Josh Freese, former Helmet member and Bush tour guitarist Chris Traynor, as well as Dave Stewart of Eurythmics and ‘girl kisser’ Katy Perry.

With that calibre of personell on board, you’d think you would have heard more about WANDERlust.
Oh well…

When the Meredith festival lineup was revealed, their were a few names I had no idea about. Sure MGMT, Saul Williams, Holy Fuck, and festival sluts Little Red, Muscles and Regurgitator were all announced, but their was one headliner named who I had no idea about. That was Ten East. 

Meredith Festival is always great at bringing out indie bands that fly way under the radar and it’s great to see a few I was keen to look up. Ten East caught my attention and boy am I glad they did.

Ten East started out in the mid ‘00s as a semi-improvised outfit and an excuse for old friends to get together, jam it out and put some tunes to tape. With a range of artists from Fu Manchu, Kyuss, Brant Bjork, Black Flag all joining in this rotating roster you know that you should stand up and take notice already. Guided by lead songwriter Gary Arce, these guys are the band Cheech and Chong would listen to, and should be the soundtrack to your next bong session. 

They are described by the themselves as “Black Sabbath goes surfing”, the album needs repeated listenings with each track having a mountain of layered guitars, guitar solo’s and guitar shredding.

Buy ”Robot’s Guide to Freedom” it will blow your mind, literally.

Well amost literally…

The Recording Industry Association of America (The RIAA aka Satan’s Winged Monkeys), has been a bit active the last few days.

First off, Muxtape, that wonderful little site that brings back the joy of sharing and discovering music has been shut down indefinately, despite Muxtape providing each song with a link to Amazon to buy it, and not offering up a way to download the track. Nevertheless, you can’t test out songs apparently. Pay up, then find out you don’t like the song, or do like the song.

Who The Bloody Hell Are They? is a totally amazing site with daily updates about new Australian music worth pinning your ears to. They’ve also been hassled (via their web host) by the RIAA. Rather than explain it here, this is the link to their post, which is a really good read nonetheless.

Speaking of Whothehell, they’ve been championing Gin Wigmore recently, and last night I got to see her for the first time. I’m sure the words ‘Amy’ and ‘Winehouse’ were mentioned a lot in the crowd, but she did pretty well. She would be the indie kid’s Gabriella Cilmi, or the ‘Australian’ (Gin is from NZ) equivilent to Adele or Duffy, which isn’t a bad place to be. I was taking photos of Pete Murray for Fasterlouder, so as you can imagine I didn’t hang around after my 3 songs were up. Apparently the sound was really bad. Pictures are up on my flickr, but none of Pete since the lights on him were as boring as a meeting of birdwatchers, so just the band with the fancy lights behind them.

Most of the time when you hear a model wanting to be an actor it spell’s bad news, but dont fear as this is the band Actor/Model and they play gorgeous indie guitar music. Blending the voice of Kim Gordon with carefully plucked guitars and washed over with layers of noise by a roland keyboard.

“I dot heart” is the stand out on EP “Gossip about guys” and the more you play this record, the more you seem to find within each track of Sonic Youth/Blonde Redhead inspired noise and the beautiful voice of Ricky French.

If your in Melbourne, do yourself a favour and check them out, especially at the very cool party Mistletone Records are hosting this Friday. Other acts on the bill include, Bachelorette, Kes, Beach House, Love of Diagrams, Beaches and many many more.

As the press release goes…

Bloc Party’s third album, Intimacy, will be available 21st August.  It

can be pre-ordered now via the band’s website – www.blocparty.com. The album will also be available as a limited edition CD format which will be delivered from the 27^th October and feature additional songs.  Anyone pre-ordering the CD will also receive the download from the 21^st August.

Bloc Party alerted fans to Intimacy’s existence, as well as their ability to purchase the record instantly, when they hosted their first-ever web chat on August 18^th.  The album follows on from the release of their hit single Mercury released on the 11^th August.

The album produced by Paul Epworth (Silent Alarm) and Jacknife Lee (A Weekend in the City) was recorded in Kent and London and mixed by Alan Moulder.  Some songs are Bloc Party at their most wildly experimental, while other tracks are simply classic Bloc Party, fitting in seamlessly amongst fan-favorites “Helicopter,” “Banquet” and “So Here We Are.”

So, it has that Mercury song? Fuck, I hope it’s all not as bad as that song. God no.

Nothing witty about that headline. How disappointing.

Just read this article. Thought provoking, if nothing else, although I don’t think album covers are dead at all. I’m still anti the MP3 generation and I love my tangible, physical products, but it’s not technology killing album covers, that’s an easy excuse. It’s over saturation, lack of ideas, and apathy on the consumers part more likely. Meh. Read on, and leave a comment saying what your favourite album cover art is, if you can narrow it down. I can’t narrow it down, so I’ll just go with Poodle Hat by Weird Al.

LNaP’s favourite gothic surf rock four piece from Perth, Snowman, got a ‘recommended‘ by Pitchfork which is the Indie world’s Olympic Silver Medal. Well done kids, you’re winners in our eyes.

On Saturday night I went with Mr Tragic ‘Todd’ Ether to see Sydney quintet Teenagersintokyo. Despite some shenanigans involving DJ’s and opening bands, the gig went off, and Transit’s run of packed out indie gigs with lines up the street continues. Definately a lot more intense than the last time I saw them, but I don’t know if it was them or the gin and tonic’s I’d been drinking. There are some god awful photos on my flickr, but instead of going to the trouble of embedding a link somewhere in the article, you can just click the link on the right hand side of the page.

There are a lot of electro, indie dance, and etc bands around these days but WOW rise above the rest of the pack. The reason for this is they play their electro dirty, loud and has the potential to rip off your face when played live, the way it should be

“Icy Cold” is deliciously good and ”No Aspirations” is an indie anthem in the making, ready to make the kids lose their shit. Recently signed to Levity and with plenty of great supoort slots under their belt for El Guincho, Telepathe and Crystal Castles, these kids are truly on the rise

I spoke to Matt from the two-piece about live setups, noise complaints and raves

Loud Noise and Pictures: First up, I saw the clip of you guys playing the Levity launch and you had noise complaints, what was the aftermath of that?
Matt: The aftermath was actually very pleasant. We kissed and made up with Doris (owner of Hotel Hollywood) who kicked us off stage in the first place.

LNP: I can see your style/sound suited to some crazy rave house parties. Do you guys ever host or play at house parties rather than the usual outlets of playing gigs? If so any good story’s to come out of one.
Matt: We have semi-regular parties at our best friend DM$ house, which is basically a dj set-up in his lounge room, and usually involves home made alcohol, black lights, a noise pollution penalty from the cops at 5am and a whole lot of hilarious incidents.

LNP: Does your writing process start from experimenting with beats or from a vocal melody?
Matt: It’s usually a riff or a beat and the vocals come afterwards. However, sometimes it’s a particular theme or something that inspires us to write the song in the first place. But mostly it’s a riff or a beat then we jam everything else out.

LNP: What is your live show setup?
Matt: At the moment its just Laptop, synth, guitar, bass & vocals. We basically share everything between us. It’s an always evolving / changing beast though, and some how, we’ve had a new way of doing things / change of equipment on just about show. Since this is our first band and we’ve only being going for about 9 months, its just trial and error really.

LNP: What can people expect when they see WOW live?
Matt: Strobe lights, cowbells & lots of jumping around

LNP: Are there any contemporary artists that you are influenced by?
Matt: LCD soundsystem really does it for us. Black Lips, Crystal Castles, The Presets are some other recent stuff. There’s really no way to pin this down to a few artists though…For example artists like Cash & Dylan have influenced us to write music in general, but obviously haven’t influenced our sound.

LNP: Do you guys embrace the remix culture? Are you up to remixing other artists and vice versa?
Matt: We had no idea whether we would actually be capable of doing remixes or not, but we had a shot doing our first one for a Sydney band called The Mania, and it turned out really well and had a whole lot of positive feedback about the song and we even started to play it live!
We’re doing a couple more at the moment for two Melbourne groups Outrun & The Emergency. In terms of us being remixed, Bumblebeez has just finished remixing Icy Cold, and it sounds amazing. The Emergency are returning the favour and remixing Werewolf.

LNP: Where do you guys feel more comfortable, studio or on stage?
We love both actually. The studio is where all the creative stuff happens, but playing live is a whole different thrill in itself.

LNP: Plans for the immediate future for WOW.
Matt: Keep learning how to play instruments, keep playing shows….and a whole lotta good times.!! We’ll see what happens after that!

LNP: Now can you give me your best over the top NME style description of the band
Matt: Post-ironic electro punk / clash post-post-dance-disco fuzzed-out-beats-from-space-and-laser-gun-duels-on-a-spaceship / shit-bedroom-demo party kids in 2k8