MVs Collection #30

Posted on | May 7, 2011 | No Comments

Dinosaur Pile-Up – “My Rock N Roll”
Directed by The Blind Club.

Came out last year but has become my favorite discovery of the year
so far. The Grunge-iest Grunge that’s come out of the UK since
Nine Black Alps. If you were unsatisfied with the new Foo Fighters
album, get your hands on this.

It’s that good people.

Their debut album “Growing Pains” is out now.

Telekinesis – “Please Ask For Help”
Directed by Spencer Gentz.

Big, creepy, Papier-mâché heads with digitally rendered peepers partying it up.

Nothing beats this sophomore album full of catchy hooks and well crafted melodies.

“12 Desperate Straight Lines” is out now on Merge Records.

Sleigh Bells – “Rill Rill”
Directed by John Watts.

Their debut album “Treats” from this Brooklyn duo was all the crazy indie kids
went nuts for last year.

Phantogram – “When I’m Small”
Directed by Isaac Ravishankara.

Another Brooklyn duo that’s been catching the ears of hipsters everywhere,
they’re part of this year’s Lollapalooza lineup and they will be back in Montreal
July 27th opening for The Glitch Mob @ the SAT.

Debut album “Eyelid Movies” out now on Barsuk Records.

Bookmark This :

Category: Music Videos, MVs Collection
Tags: > > > > > > > > >

What Is Up With The New Giant Drag Album?

Posted on | May 4, 2011 | No Comments

Life’s been rough for Giant Drag‘s frontwoman Annie Hardy.

Health issues and the music industry haven’t been too kind to her in recent
years.

We did get this pretty sweet EP release “Swang Song” Back in February 2010
but since then, not a word as to when their sophomore album (their debut
“Hearts And Unicorns” came out in 2006) would see the light of day.

Until yesterday that is when Annie posted a “lemme-break-it-down-for-ya’ll/here’s
how the music business really works turned heartfelt homies “News” post on their
website’s frontpage.

If you’ve been a long time fan like me, it sucks to hear what kind of shit her
and Micah Calabrese (2nd half of GD) have gone through to try and release the
damn thing. On the other hand, it’s good to hear that the new album is
mixed/mastered and good to go.

If you wanna keep up on all the going ons with the band, do check out Annie’s
new Tumblr blog “Annie Hardy Vs. Technology: A Battle to The DEATH” which she
frequently updates.

You can also follow their Twitter feeds @AnnieHardy, @micahcalabrese and @giantdrag.

Their next show scheduled is an appearance @ the Indie West Fest in Ventura, CA
June 4th.

Here’s Miss Hardy in her own words:

What’s the hold up? I’ll tell you in a late night rant about “the biz”
sponsored by insomnia & stress

I know it’s been almost a year since that last post. Here’s what happened:

I had two hard drives crash and one phone die (hence the lack of updates,
I lost everything) we recorded, mixed and mastered our 2nd full length album
(finally!) so that’s done & rad…if only that’s all that needed to happen.

That was the fun part, we are now in the business phase (i.e. deciding
how the record should come out, there are a lot more avenues now that
the record labels are dying a slow death and everything is merging with
everything while uninformed artists sign 360 deals that take money from
merch and publishing which, in my opinion, shouldn’t be touched by anyone
except the artist who is on the road selling that merch and at home writing
those songs) basically everything is changing every day because the old
ways and jobs are no longer that relevant, thanks to the internet and
people who don’t buy records because they can buy or steal them off a
website a bunch of people have been dropped (like us, we got signed at the
beginning of the end and dropped just in time to not put out a super shitty
record) from major labels, the people who signed them to that label got
fired and heads of record labels are now on American Idol.

It’s a new era, if you’re not Lady Gaga, an Eminem, U2 or a No Doubt then
you’re probably on an indie label, unsigned or in the same boat as us, or
at least a similar boat (probably one with food in it because you have a job
and “life skills” like Micah) lucky for us we have really awesome fans and
friends who have made it possible to make a record, thee record and not apply
for a job at the local strip club… yet.

Star Gardens is just around the corner both physically and metaphorically, and
you continue to send what you can into the Giant Drag Relief Fund paypal button
thing thats located on this website, thank you guys so much- you have no idea
how much you have helped not just me but this whole recording process, I really
wouldn’t have survived the last few years without your help. Our choices are the
following:

distro deal where we have a company pay to manufacture the physical record, put
it out, pay for a PR company to work the record cycle but no money for living
expenses or to pay for touring which makes it difficult to get anywhere that’s
not in California van rental & motels for the US, Flights w/extra luggage fee’s
for my guitar and Micah’s ($50 minimum overweight fee each way synth/drum hardware case) van rental, driver and/or tour manager & gear (amp’s & drum set) rental for overseas add expensive gas prices, to both those and we are already in the red and haven’t even packed yet! Or we sign to an indie label who will pay for what the distribution company will, plus some of the touring as they see fit but we may or may not get living expenses and they will take at least some percentage
of our masters, the songs I write in my bedroom, bring to Micah to finish and then record for a release.

For example our former record label, although somewhat indie with the best of
intentions, was still a subsidiary of Universal Music Group/Interscope Records- they
own the master recordings of everything we have recorded up until being dropped,
so everything except the Swan Song EP & we are legally bound to a contract saying
we are not allowed to re-record those songs so if someone wants to license a song
our A&R person and her boss no longer work there so they contact some guy & ask
to use our song for a certain amount of money-a fee for the owner of the masters
(them) and a fee for the publisher aka writer of the song(us).

But all this illegal downloading has had an effect on the entire entertainment
business and the trickle down effect causes the artist to still get screwed in
some hole at some point. Do you enjoy downloading movie’s that are still in
theatre’s? Well now those movie’s that wanted to license one of our songs only
have the budget to offer us half the amount they would have 5 years ago
(deduct half that money that goes to the owner of our master’s and give 15% to
our manager and 5% to our lawyer then split that in half and we can both afford
a trip to Disneyland, maybe with a park-hopper pass to California Disney if
we’re lucky) and these opportunities are rare but they’re still awesome & I
welcome them with very open arms.

“Selling out” doesn’t exist anymore because there’s not much to sell and even
less people willing to buy. Notice how some magazines no longer exist? Even
Rolling Stone shrunk to the size of every other magazine? Yeah, thats the
trickle. While I’m on the topic, people think when you’re in a magazine you
get paid for that but unless you’re a big celebrity telling People Mag
about some shit and letting them shoot pictures of your new baby, you get
nothing. In fact, you pay a PR person to get your CD in the hands of those
people in hopes they will review it so really you paid to make that happen
with money and/or your own blood, sweat and tears.

This career, any creative entertainment business career is hard fuckin work
and amazing too, it’s a one in a million shot that we got. To be clear I’m
not talking shit on any major label, I am grateful that we got to be on
Interscope for as long as we did, I love our old A&R person & the label
she created, it was great but now we have to find somewhere else to go.
And the process is slow, in this day and age of instant internet gratification
we are lucky to have such patient fans that still care and won’t leave me
alone about the new record, I love it.

Once we choose how to release our album we have to do artwork, someone else
will do the layout then we use that artwork to inspire new merch (we have a
t-shirt design coming very soon) then Micah has to re-do this website to
match. Once it’s all done there’s a 3 month set-up period where the PR people
send the record out for reviews & we play shows to say “hi, we are back
(although we never left)! and we are about to put out a new record”
Meanwhile I personally will have no income unless I constantly sell shit
on eBay or something similar.

Shows make a little money, merch makes money if we have some… it’s a struggle
and sometimes I want to give up but I have too many health problems to be
a stripper, I’d fall off the pole and hurt myself but just like when I got
dropped and didn’t want to play music anymore because of certain words said
by a certain producer who The Strokes made a record with and then canned and
produced themselves (yeah!) and all the weird shit happening at that time,
I had fans and friends who were there to keep me from giving up on myself
and my dreams.

Joe Cardamone, my best friend (and business partner who I share a studio with
now and a record label- notice the Roar Scratch logo on the Swan Song EP-
that has no money but we have supportive friends like Mickey Madden who
believes in us enough to fill in the gaps cuz donations alone weren’t
enough to make the record I wanted that wasn’t major label-y enough at
the time) who has been there since day one is always there for me, Micah,
my musical life partner & longtime closest friend who has quit & returned
to the band twice but always came to every show with every different line
up & always been a true friend. My amazing intern turned friend Audrey
Marshall who kept me from being homeless by putting up the donation button,
Amy Chance, amazing make-up artist/long time best friend and her whole dang
family! Her husband Shaun Lopez who produced our “cracking up” cover and the
Deftones album w/“Pink Cellphone” that made some people hate me
(sorry, I was only joking), her son Dakota who is 16 & is now a member of
Giant Drag when he’s legally allowed to be & isn’t busy being a teenager,
not to mention her amazing parents- and mine and Micah’s family…

That’s a whole lotta loving family that I couldn’t imagine not having in my
life, there are other amazing friends & fans (I’ll save it for the thank
you section of the album) that cancel out the negative things about this
business & help keep me on the right track. If it weren’t for these people
I don’t know where I’d be.

I hope this album is worth the wait. It’s different but it’s exactly what I
wanted from the start & took a lot of obstacles to get past (seriously A LOT
of obstacles, hurdles, land mines, epic battles,etc) but I get by with a lot
of help from my friends.

I don’t get high with a little help from my friends though. So ends my Beatles
outro & the longest News post EVER. BTW we are playing a festival in Ventura
June 4th & then going to Thailand to play a show later that month.I’m going to
go eat a poverty sandwich and love every bite.

XOXO Annie

A few music videos to remind you how made of awesome they be:

Bookmark This :

Category: Giant Drag, Music Videos
Tags: > > > > >

Stream Manchester Orchestra Album “Simple Math” Right Now

Posted on | May 2, 2011 | No Comments

Manchester Orchestra
Simple Math
May 10, 2011
Favorite Gentlemen Recordings / Columbia

Tracklist:

01. Deer
02. Mighty
03. Pensacola
04. April Fool
05. Pale Black Eye
06. Virgin
07. Simple Math
08. Leave It Alone
09. Apprehension
10. Leaky Breaks

Official Website
MySpace
Facebook
Twitter

Being that their 2009 release “Mean Everything To Nothing” was my favorite
album of that year, surely you can understand how excited I am about this
new opus.

Group leader/singer-songwriter Andy Hull, who at 23, already has quite the
catalog of incredible music credited to him, be it his solo folk project
Right Away, Great Captain or last year’s collaboration with Kevin Devine
and the rest of the TMO crew on the side project Bad Books.

He’s also in charge of his own record label Favorite Gentlemen Recordings
where all these fine releases have sprung forth. Not only is he an inspiration to musicians, he’s also an inspiration to business people.

The story behind this new release is that it’s about Andy’s life,  his marriage
and the struggles he and his wife had in that first year of wedded bliss and
conversations between him, his wife and the good lord above.

My guess is we’re in for some really deep, emotional shit set to some killer
guitar riffs only these fine Southerners know how to crank out.

You can find out for yourself. They’ve just released a stream of the entire
album for you to enjoy before it’s official release on May 10th.

They’re making it a fun challenge to get to that listen. Visit their official
website and solve the puzzle to unlock the album stream.

Drag and drop any five pieces into their proper slots to start listening.
If you need help getting started, simply click the “cheat” tab
for hints from partners that are floating around the interwebs.

You can pre-order “Simple Math” on their website, Amazon and iTunes.

Watch the music video for the first single and title track:

From Alternative Press, a behind the scenes look on the
making of “Simple Math”:

They’ve just kicked off their US tour with only Toronto (shocking!) on
the itinerary when it comes to Canadian dates. I have the distinct
feeling that I will never see them play my hometown which blows.

Anyhoo … the dates:

May 02 – Kansas City, MO – The Beaumont Club ##
May 03 – St. Louis, MO – The Pageant ##
May 04 – Chicago, IL – Metro ##
May 06 – Cleveland, OH – Beachland Ballroom ##
May 07 – Rochester, NY – Water Street Music Hall ##
May 08 – Baltimore, MD – Rams Head Live*
May 10 – Boston, MA – House Of Blues *
May 11 – New York, NY – Terminal 5 *
May 13 – Providence, RI – Lupo’s Heartbreak Hotel ###
May 14 – Philadelphia, PA – Theatre of the Living Arts ###
May 16 – Toronto, ON – The Mod Club ###
May 17 – Detroit, MI – The Fillmore *
May 18 – Columbus, OH – The LC Pavilion *
May 20 – Columbia, SC – Jillian’s *
May 23 – Orlando, FL – House Of Blues *
May 24 – Tampa, FL – The Ritz *
May 25 – Atlanta, GA – The Tabernacle *
May 27 – Houston, TX – Verizon Wireless Theatre **
May 28 – Austin, TX – Stubbs **
May 29 – Dallas, TX – The Palladium **
May 31 – Phoenix, AZ – The Marquee **
June 1 – San Diego, CA – Soma **
June 2 – Los Angeles, CA – The Music Box #
June 7 – Eugene, OR – McDonald Theatre **
June 8 – Portland, OR – Crystal Ballroom **
June 9 – Seattle, WA – The Showbox SODO **
June 11 – Salt Lake City, UT – Club Sound #
June 12 – Denver, CO – Summit Music Hall#

* with Cage The Elephant, O’Brother, and TBA opener(s)
** with Cage The Elephant, Sleeper Agent, and TBA opener(s)
# with TBA opener(s)
## with An Horse and Harrison Hudson
### with An Horse, Harrison Hudson, and O’Brother

Bookmark This :

Category: Albums, Manchester Orchestra, Music Videos
Tags: > > > > > > > > > > > >

MVs Collection #29 ( Nugaze Edition )

Posted on | April 23, 2011 | No Comments

True Widow – “Skull Eyes”
Directed by Mats Ek.

These Texan Stonegazers badasses are back with their sophomore album
“As High As The Highest Heavens And From The Center To The Circumference
Of The Earth” out now on Kemado records.

I know it’s still early in the year but I do not believe there will be a better
album of that ilk coming out this year.

True Widow will hit the road this week opening for Surfer Blood & And
You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead.

Ringo Deathstarr – “So High”
Directed by Cassandra Hamilton.

Austin, TX Noise Pop/Shoegazers Ringo Deathstarr gettin’ their Jesus And
Mary Chain/MBV on with their sophomore album “Colour Trip” released by Club AC30, the London based Shoegaze label with an amazing roster of bands.

They will be in town July 1st (Canada Day y’all!) @ Casa Del Popolo. — > Tickets

The Asteroid No. 4 – “Wicked Wire”

Fan made video for this first single off their 7th studio album “Hail To The Clear Figurines”.

They’ll be going on a short 5 city tour which will conclude right here in the 514
April 30th @ L’Escogriffe.

Young Adults – “Let Us Out”
Directed by Pat Breen.

Shot in a dark, dank basement, their Shoegazian/Noise rock sound in full display
from their massively underrated debut album “Black Hole”.

Do check out the band’s Bandcamp page and also 2 videos I shot @ one of
their SXSW performances last March. — > ( YT Links 1, 2 )

Asobi Seksu – “Trails”
Directed by Eric Lin.

Back to their Shoegaze/Dream Pop signature sound with lead single
(and best song) off their 4th studio album “Fluorescence” out now on
Polyvinyl.

Bookmark This :

Category: Music Videos, MVs Collection, Shoegaze
Tags: > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >

Osheaga 2011: More Additions To The Lineup

Posted on | April 19, 2011 | No Comments

Not even a week gone by and already new additions to the the lineup have been
announced.

For me, what was missing this year from the roster was an old school Hip Hop act.

Well how about Cypress Hill to fill up that quota?

That my friends is pretty rad.

You also have Canuck Indie Rock super collective Broken Social Scene back
on one of the main stages this year. Janelle Monae will also grace us with her presence for the first time here in our fair city and on one of Osheaga‘s five stages.

The rest of the newly added artists to the roster (w/ more announcements to come):

An Horse
A-Rock
Joseph Arthur
Charles Bradley
Baths
Dâm-Funk
Jacques Greene
Midway State
Oh Land
Uncle Bad Touch
Rural Alberta Advantage
Shaydakiss

Has promised, the daily schedules were also announced:


FRIDAY
(doors at 3pm / show time at 4pm)

 Eminem / Kid Cudi / Janelle Monae / Broken Social Scene / Bran Van 3000 /Joseph Arthur / Lights / Charles Bradley / Rural Alberta Advantage / Uncle Bad Touch… AND MANY MORE!
SATURDAY
(Doors at noon/
show time at 1pm)

Elvis Costello & the Imposters / Death From Above 1979 / Bright Eyes / Karkwa / Ratatat / Sam Roberts Band / John Butler Trio / SIA / Yoav / Tokyo Police Club / Mountain Goats / Hey Rosetta! / Bassnectar / DâM Funk / Girl Unit / Robot Koch / Manchester Orchestra / Twin Shadow / Anna Calvi / Jacques Greene / Braids / Mother Mother / Oh Land / P.S. I Love You / Baths / Sunns / The High Dials / Midway State / Passwords / Jesuslesfilles …AND MORE !

SUNDAY
(Doors at noon/
show time at 1pm)

Flaming Lips / The Tragically Hip / Death Cab For Cutie / Cypress Hill / City & Colour / Beirut / Malajube / Crystal Castles / MSTRKRFT / The Sounds / Eels / White Lies / Fucked Up / The Pains of Being Pure at Heart / Jamie XX / Claude VonStroke / Jeremy Ellis / Shad / Smith Westerns / Natalia Kills / Galaxie / Jimmy Hunt / The Joy Formidable / Brother / The Low Anthem / The Luyas / Typhoon / An Horse / Elephant Stone / A-Rock + Shaydakiss … AND MORE !

Bookmark This :

Category: Festivals, Osheaga
Tags: > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >
« Go Back — Older Entries »