Electro-Rocker/ Producer Jarvis Anderson from L.A.’s Iglu and Hartly likes to start his day with a cup of folgers instant coffee and breakfast blend of tunes.
Mood: Getting ready for the day
Like a lot of Kurt Cobain’s favorite bands, Cardiff’s Young Marble Giants got a about a fraction of a percentage the attention Nirvana got (Killing Joke anyone?). About time — they’ve been around quite a while, having evolved considerably since their early days as a covers band. Yes, a lot has happened since their self-titled debut in 1980. Overall the Giants sound like anthaemic music for plucky people as they go about their daily business, be it in a cubicle, or even toiling as a janitor in some school somewhere. Maybe grungy, whistle-while-you-work music? They’re sans percussion for the most part, a minimalist move purposefully intended to counter the all-encompassing presence of punk in the 1970s. Sometimes they sound like an old video game soundtrack, and one guy in the band has an accent exactly like Hugh Grant. There’s a bit of Blondie, Brian Eno, Kraftwerk, post-70′s glam, and even some House of the Rising Sun-era Animals organ thrown in for good measure. Toss in some seriously catchy funk-bass rhythms, and the soothing and wistful vocals of singer Alison Stratton as she pours over funny things she might have seen during the day. Get a listen of their punchy post-punk on Red Bull Music Academy Radio.
After years of bringing saucy poetry and art to the New York underground, The Poetry Brothel has sprouted a new branch right here in Los Angeles, under the guiding hand of miss M. Saturday saw *The Best Little Whorehouse in Los Angeles*, the *Brothel*’s second LA night in effect, with special appearances by Julia Voth and Clint Catalyst, music by Daniel Ribiat, as well as the art of Josh Burian-Mohr, Miss Withers, **and yours truly on display. Other performing poets included Laurel Ann Bogen, Tad Piecka, Jacqueline Lincoln (Simone A’ Clef), Beanie Manifesto, Richard McDowell, Jean Marie Spicuzza, La Fille, Tiger Moon, Peggy Dobreer, and Morrison Keddie, with burlesque by Red Snapper, Olivia Bellafontaine and Dolly Danger.
Chief’s music is excellent for those bleak city days in your cramped apartment when you just want to block the world out, uncork a few bottles of heavily-bodied red wine (not the cheap kind) with your significant other and just go wherever the vibes take you. In the above scenario, if you could trade the cramped apartment for a rustic cabin and a crackling fire place, you’ll be doing real good, my friend. Their sound has a classic, southern rock feel which is naturally soothing on one hand, but there is a definite visceral and lustful underpinning to their chords, melodies and textured vocals that can’t be denied. This makes the band even harder to decipher being that the foursome’s backgrounds are rooted in the bustling locales of NYC & LA.
On Wednesday afternoon, I went & did something I have been meaning to do for a long time: I went to an auction at the storage center in my neighborhood. It is an enormous space, 7 floors full of lockers where New Yorkers, who are typically low on closet space, can stash away their valuables or things they haven’t used in years. (Snowboarding gear, anyone?)
One thing you gotta credit Red Bull Music Academy with is their knack for reaching back in time, unearthing bands decades old, and hoping they’ll be somewhat relevant in the modern age after a good dust-off. In the case of Liquid Liquid, it’s more like chipping away the ice after being in a space-bound cryogenic chamber for eons : the band seems less from another decade (they got their start in 1979) than another planet — it’s a cacophony of polyphonies here, of xylophones and funky bass rhythms, stream-of-consciousness wailing and just bizarre sh*t. Fans of Johnny Rotten’s Public Image Limited will find some similarities here, and followers of Parliament Funkadelic and the Fight the Power days of the Isley Brothers and funk yore will find a lot to like as the band was mentored, sorta, by Grandmaster Melle Mel & The Furious 5. If you never had a chance to get your dosage of unappreciated, extremely-talented funk-rock, you can get a listen on the Red Bull Music Academy now.
Looking for some evening attire with flair? Check out Decadent Designs, the line from Toronto designer Olga Lipnitski, which specializes in custom made, alternative clothing for women. Olga’s clothing is influenced by Gothic fashion and insinuates the romantic trends of the past. According to her biography, as a child, the imaginative designer used to dig holes in the ground, hoping to find a treasure chest filled with Victorian ball gowns. In an effort to merge dreamland with reality, Olga has transplanted her visions into a collection of attire such as elegant evening/cocktail dresses, seductive corsets, waist cinchers and bustiers, Gothic dresses and PVC clubwear. Her pieces are incredibly distinctive and have been seen on runways, custom created for a variety of clients, and were recently used in a music video by Jhevon Paris Ft. Girlicious and Pat K.
Mason Jennings’ music has held heavy rotation in my CD player for a long time now. I remember vividly the first time hearing this Pittsburgh songwriter. I was 21, driving in my red ‘89 Geo Spectrum, windows down, with the Santa Barbara sun shining in. My buddy Max slipped in Mason’s self-titled debut and we listened attentively as the folksy melodies escape my shitty little blown speakers. & as the tunes bounced around the cab of my college car, I felt peaceful, and happy, and free.
This week sees new releases from Rooney, Iggy Pop, Hot Hot Heat, Teenage Fanclub, and the long-awaited new album from Ratatat, amongst others. Speaking of which, if you haven’t seen what is being called ‘the most unintentionally hilarious video of 2010 so far”, you can see their latest below.
Against Me! – White Crosses
Christina Aguilera – Bionic
Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffitti – Before Today
Blitzen Trapper – Destroyer Of The Void
The Cringe – Play Thing
Crystal Castles – Crystal Castles
Darkness – Death Squad
Deer Tick – The Dirt Sessions
Delta Spirit – History From Below
Hanson – Shout It Out
Here We Go Magic – Pigeons
Hot Hot Heat – Future Beeds
Iggy Pop – California Hitchhike [Live]
Jewel – Sweet And Wild
Kaiser Cartel – Secret Transit
Lil Jon – Crunk Rock
Angie Mattson – Skeleton Arms
Travie McCoy – Lazarus
Nada Surf – If I Had A Hi-Fi
Olafur Arnalds – & They Have Escaped The Weight of Darkness
Plies – Goon Affiliated
Grace Potter & The Nocturnals – Grace Potter & The Nocturnals
Ratatat – LP4
Rooney – Eureka
The Roots – How I Got Over
Saving Abel – Miss America
Sia – We Are Born
Teenage Fanclub – Shadows
Tokyo Police Club – Champ
Uffie – Sex Dreams & Denim Jeans
Villagers – Becoming A Jackal
We Are The In Crowd – Guaranteed To Disagree [EP]
Gary Wright – Connected
Haven’t heard of Automatic Static? The trio hails from “muthaf*%in’ Sacramento California” (proclaimed more out of anger than affection) and, on this particular night, has traveled 530 miles or so just to punish the Viper Room and all the unsuspecting hipsters that showed up — and the quota this evening seems unusually high. The band churned out a particularly groove-laden set that had everyone in the crowd shakin’ their respective booties. Patrons found it difficult to resist their catchy hooks of “Keys to Heaven” or the pummeling riffage of “Kill ‘Em All.” A myriad of influences spring to mind, though of the good kind: Singer/songwriter Z Rokk sounds a bit like The Black Crowes’ Chris Robinson; their brand of raucous rock is somewhere between the stoner sludge of Black Sabbath (how many bands wouldn’t exist without Tony Iommi?:)); there’s even a bit of the Zeppelin-esque in there, at least in slivers and bits. And if you’re into Them Crooked Vultures, I’ve little doubt you will love them : Like TCV, the emphasis is on rock and ink. Lots of tattoos, yelling, and pretty much just straightforward rock n’ roll. I caught up with A.S. singer/songwriter Z Rokk recently after their show and talked about the band’s influences, nefarious history, and exactly how miserable life in Sacramento is.