Saturday Doubleheader Means Double The Fun

There are about a dozen events taking place this weekend completely worth your time. Fortunately for me and the contraints of the whole time/space continuum, my options are pretty limited. But I'm totally OK with how things are going down because even with a working flux capaciter I wouldn't choose any other way to spend my Saturday.

First up is English artist Damien Weighill, who aside from creating much of Giggle Party's visual aesthetic and directing their Jason Bought a Hatchet video also makes some pretty cool non GP-related art as well. The artist has made the voyage stateside and will be on-hand at the Kettle Art Gallery this Sat. at 7PM. Giggle Party will also play a special set at 8PM.

That will leave just enough time to clean all the silly string out of my hair before heading over to the Cavern to catch NX35 artist Hard Times. It also marks the first time Mount Righteous returns to Dallas since debuting a new set, not to mention honing our skills with a west coast tour.

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Beloved Rogue - Polaurora EP

Alex from Beloved Rogue sent over the Polaurora EP his band just finished put out in December. He tells us the band's dreamy guitar rock was influenced by the likes of Ride, Slowdive, Lilys and Autolux. At the same time it manages to ride that lo-fi wave sound that is so hot right now (or at least was last Summer). Sure a lot of taste-makers have begun to look past the genre, but I'm still not completely done with it --especially when a band focuses more on guitar skills than dance beats. The EP is available for free at Beloved Rogue's website.

MP3: Beloved Rogue - Daysleeping
MP3: Beloved Rogue - Capital Sense

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LOLCORNELL of the Week

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Shearwater - The Golden Archipelago

After a somewhat lackluster 2009, we've already received a dozen pretty exciting records --and it's not even the end of January. One such bit of excitement comes from Shearwater who are set to release The Golden Archipelago, the third of a triptych of albums (after 2007's Palo Santo and 2008's Rook) which comes out digitally on February 16th, and on CD and vinyl February 23rd via Matador.

This latest batch of isolation-themed tunes from the Austinites comes after songwriter Jonathan Meiburg spent time a researcher camped on islands at the edges of the world, including the Falklands, Tierra del Fuego, the Galapagos, Madagascar, Nunavut, and New Zealand’s Chatham Islands. Just as exciting, Archipelago was produced by local studio ace John Congleton, who seemed pretty pleased with how the album turned out earlier this month. And who could blame him, it's quite the gem.

MP3: Shearwater - Black Eyes

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The Guestlist w/ Nicholas Altobelli

Originally from Southern California, Nicholas Altobelli is one young singer/songwriter who is quickly becoming one of the top folk artist in north Texas. While his debut LP, Waiting for the Flowers to Bloom received glowing reviews locally, it is his upcoming sophomore album, The Regulator, that he recorded with acclaimed local musician/producer Salim Nourallah that we are more excited about.

Altobelli has set up a MySpace page for the album where he will release tracks on a weekly basis until Regulator's gets its physical release in April, with the first track set to go up this coming Friday. Can't wait that long? The Ghost of Blind Lemon has been streaming "Everything Dies" for a few days already.


"My Top 5 Sam Cooke Songs" by Nicholas Altobelli


5. THAT’S WHERE IT’S AT

The best part of this song is when it gets to the minor chord. You can feel the emotion and gives you a chill to the bone.


4. SAD MOOD

There is nothing better than a sad song and “Sad Mood” is one of the best.


3. (WHAT A) WONDERFUL WORLD

I remember hearing this song on the radio when I was kid and have loved it ever since. I think Sam’s voice is at his best on this song.


2. BRING IT ON HOME TO ME

Beautiful piano intro and beautiful harmonies. It’s a great late night, where’s my lady, I’m drunk, I need some lovin’ kind of song.


1. HAVING A PARTY

Where do I start… The opening notes on the strings hooks me in this song. The chord progression is fantastic (even though it’s basically the same as every other 1950’s soul hit). The song really grabs your attention and makes so want to dance (preferably twist). By far one of my favorite songs of all ti.

Honorable Mention: TWISTIN’ THE NIGHT AWAY

Speechless… the horns make this song.


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Another Tuesday means another free track from our Giggle Party friends. Head over to their promotional Party To Death website before the end of the day to grab their newest offering "Leaving Is Easy," for free, because by tomorrow it'll cost you a buck. And don't forget to keep checking back every Tuesday for free tracks, you may just find out that a "Big Bang" LehtMoJoe remix is in your future...

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The Next Big Tang

I recently had the privilege of catching sets on back to back nights by the most amazing person I've met in quite some time. Denver's banjo-picking songstress Laura Goldhamer and her cleverly-dubbed backing band The Silver Nail are one of the most promising acts in the country right now. Period.

The lovely Ms. Laura is a sincerely passionate performer who's larger-than-life personality makes her instantly someone her audiences can identify with. I hesitate to compare her combination of good looks, outgoing personality, and good humor to that of a Sarah Silverman-type if not just because it doesn't account for her substance, then because it also totally discounts her massive talent.

And while it is not like she needs to rely on any gimmicks to be one of the most captivating artists I've seen in a long while, the completely brilliant stop-motion videos she made to accompany several of her songs which are projected behind her during her sets only serve to put her over the top in my book.

Check out my personal favorite track "No Ability" which deals with educational institutions and that lost post-graduation feeling of seeking employment, etc. So many good things I could say about it.

MP3: Laura Goldhamer and The Silver Nail - No Ability

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Ninjas Be Wildin'

Never before did I imagine I'd be so eager to see a film who's most brilliant lines were "Get to steppin'" and "Fuck you Sugar Wolf!". This one looks all set to spread like meth through the juggalo nation. Hide your Faygo Hollywood, these ninjas be wildin'.

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Tooting Our Own Horns

As has been widely reported on today NX35 announced that noiserockers HEALTH as well as an additional 45 bands have been added to conferette's already 120+ large lineup. You can check out the entire list of acts here, so we won't bore you by repeating them. What we will do, however, is take a minute to pat ourselves on the back for having all 3 SubEx-affiliated bands among those listed, not to mention some of our favorites like Giggle Party, Hard Times, Oso Closo, as well as many of our past Guestlist participants.

The way it's shaping up, this year's North By looks to be much more interesting to us than a similar festival a few hours south. Of course that's what it's promoters had in mind when they first hatched the idea for the young festival, one only wonders if they knew it would happen so soon.

For $65, patrons can get a NX35 All-Access Cloth Wristband that grants entry to all NX35 programming from March 11-14. A Single Night All-Venue Tyvek Wristband costs $20.

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Interview w/ R. Stevie Moore pt. 2

The following is an interview with one of our favorite songsmiths R. Stevie Moore. Like we told you before Mr. Moore, who has over 400 releases under his belt, can eat all your singer/songwriter friends for breakfast. So who better to conduct an interview than SubEx pal (and former Dentonite) Corn Mo, who is a pretty brilliant songwriter himself. Pls, enjoy.

Corn Mo: Do you write every day?

R. Stevie Moore: OH NO. WHO COULD? USED TO MUCH MOORE OFTEN THAN NOWADAYS.


CM: Do you have any stimulus surrounding you when you write?

RSM: USUALLY ALWAYS MUST COME DIRECTLY FROM WITHIN, W/O STIMULUS - I DO HAVE A LOT OF STIMULUSES WHICH ARE BAD DISTRACTIONS WHICH *PREVENT* ME FROM CONCENTRATION WITH MY WRITING. LIKE NOISY TENANTS.


CM: Do you write before you record, record while you write or all of the above?

RSM: ALL ABOVE


CM: What do you do when you're not writing or performing?

RSM: Computer madness. Take notes. Meek attempts to organize my life's huge collector chaos. Daydream. Walk outside with stretches, but not for long. Ignore the telephone caller ID. Grab a bite. Stare out windows, but not for long. Sip a wine, a seltzer, toke a spleef. Dement. Pine for the fiords. Glance at TV on mute. Desperately look around for misplaced things, and find other forgotten things instead. Mope. Regret. Forget to exist.


CM: Are you currently influenced by anyone?

RSM: A CENTURY OF EVERYONE. ALL. THE WHITE ALBUM SUPREMACY.


CM: Who has directly been influenced by you over the years?

RSM: LIKELY MANY, NAMES WITHHELD OR UNKNOWN. ASK AROUND.


CM: What is your favorite keyboard right now?

RSM: NOT A BIG GEARHEAD BY ANY STRETCH, SO MY FAVE IS SIMPLY WHAT I CURRENTLY OWN: A CHEAP YAMAHA PSR-292. CRAVE A MELLOTRON AND A HAMMOND B3 WITH LESLIE CAB.


CM: When you play your Yamaha live, do you take advantage of its battery power or do you use the power cord? What effects do you like to run it through?

RSM: Power chord. (What a strange question.) With and w/o effects. Sometimes digi delay, tremelos, distortions. The usual. I've not used it live in over a year.


CM: What are your current recording tools? Do they change often?

RSM: Digital work stations, an AKAI 12 and a Tascam 24trk. Unchanging. Some stomp boxes. Still haven't gotten into recording straight to the computer; only editing and remastering there. Still prefer using blank CDRs in the whole mixdown scheme of things, as well as cyber files.


CM: Who are you currently listening to?

RSM: CHANGES EVERY DAY, NOT YOU TOO? I'VE SAID IT TRILLION TIMES, I CHERISH ALL STYLES EQUALLY, BACK TO BACK - EXTREME VARIETY ALWAYS, NEVER TUNNELVISION LTD.


CM: What are you currently reading?

RSM: BOOKS? NEVER. INTERNET? CONSTANTLY. LARGE FONT? REQUIRED.

HIT ME BACK SOON. PLZ BUY MY RECORDS. I HAVE SEVERAL OUT. THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!


-Corn Mo

Looks as though jj have moved beyond the realm of marijuana-fueled Lil Wayne nods and into a perhaps seemingly more fitting world of new aginess. But while "Let Go" shows more depth for sure, I find myself longing for the cheap face value of "Ecstasy". jj nº 3 to be released March 9th via Secretly Canadian.

MP3: jj - Let Go

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The Guestlist w/ Anonymous????

The whole DFW hip hop scene has a lot of things going for it this year that lead us to believe as big as the genre was in 2009, it is really going to break out in 2010. And one of the biggest factors leading to our prediction is the upcoming album by little known Dallas rapper Anonymous????. While he had already done enough in our book in the way of mixtapes and EP's to earn himself the 'Best Rapper in Dallas' nickname whenever we've written about him in the past, the sneak peak of his newest LP that we were fortunate enough to hear is going to set the bar at a level that will be hard to match, let alone top.

"My 10 Favorite Hip Hop Albums" by Anonymous????

10. Juvenile - 400 degrees

This is the least lyrical on my list, but the the most important cuz this is the album that made me want become a rapper. This is the album that took Cash Money Mainstream with songs like "Ha" and "Drop it like it's Hot"


9. Common - Finding Forever

Great album, man i love it, the song "The People" alone put this album on here.


8. 50 Cent - Get Rich or Die Tryin

His introduction to the mainstream was a classic. Had alot energy and to me filled the gap 2 Pac left open.


7. Eminem - The Eminem Show

"Cleaning out my Closet", "Square Dance", "Sing for the Moment", "Till I Collapse", "My Dad's Gone Crazy", "Hailie's Song", etc... Nothing more to say


6. Kanye West - College Dropout

WOW, his first album was great. Lyrics, Tracks, Hooks, Content in the Music All 5 Stars


5. 2Pac - Me Against The World

"Dear Mama", "So Many Tears", and "Temptation" his SINGLES, took this album over the top, but not his best


4. 2Pac - All Eyes on Me

Hands down his best studio album. Double disc, to me every song was a single and to me it seemed his soul was poured out over every track.


3. Lauryn Hill - Miseducation of Lauryn Hill

This one is an odd one for the list being that she was listed as an R&B singer. But I'll fight anyone to death arguing that she is the BEST female and in the Top 10 of Best Rappers of All Time. Like all of the Albums on this list, I can play this straight through but it's like every note just allows me to think freely and escape life.


2. Eminem - Marshall Mathers LP

His Sophomore mainstream Album was unbelievable. The lyrics, the lyrics, the LYRICS, this all I can say man oh man.


1. Jay Z - Blueprint

Simply the most important to me because this album changed my entire mind state on what rap was. how smooth the lyrics where, along with word play and great content. Made me change the way I rapped. From "Its the A.T. on ya block rollin hard staying creased out like my lil uncle Floyd" to " My lyrics spar in the same brain as einstein, so I dont need to verses for you to kno what it is that squared..."


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I Heart NX

As many of you are well aware, Denton, TX 2nd Annual NX35 Music Conferette is fast approaching. March 11th-14th to be precise. It is a time of complete wonder and beauty and wonderfully beautiful music all around you. If you missed it last year… well, just don’t make that mistake again this year. Many agree that it might just be the best damn thing that has ever happened to this sleepy little town and, really, the general region of north Texas all together. Many more bands have submitted from the previous year, and many have not yet made the list. But as of January 19th, a “preliminary” list has been assembled, and we here at SubEx bring you the first stage of “The List” in alphabetical order. Enjoy! I know I did. *wink (see 2nd band listed)

A Shoreline Dream (Denver)

A.M. Ramblers

Andrew Tinker

Autumn Owls (Dublin)

Babar

Baruch the Scribe

BigBang (Los Angeles/Oslo)

Birds & Batteries (San Francisco)

Boxcar Bandits

Br’er (Asheville, NC/Philadelphia)

Bridges & Blinking Lights

Burywood (Austin)

Caleb Ian Campbell

Claire Morales

Colourmusic (Piedmont, OK)

Cocky Americans (Dallas)

Curvette

Daniel Folmer

Dan Montgomery (Memphis)

Dear Human

Delmore Pilcrow

Dim Locator

Doug Gillard (NYC)

Drug Mountain (Fort Worth)

Dust Congress

Eaton Lake Tonics (Fort Worth)

Feathers (Miami)

FELILI (Brooklyn)

Fishboy

florene

Fox and the Bird (Richardson)

Frontier Ruckus (Michigan)

Fur

Galapaghost (Queens, NY)

Giggle Party (Dallas)

GioSafari (NYC)

Grandfather Child (Houston)

Green Corn Revival (Weatherford, OK)

Guitar George Trio (Sanger)

Handbrake

Har Herrar (Fort Worth)

Here Holy Spain

hotel hotel (Austin)

I-45 (Houston)

Icarus Himself (Madison, Wisconsin)

Jacob Metcalf (Dallas)

Jenn Gooch

Jessie Frye (DFW)

Joe Gideon & The Shark (London)

Jupiter One (NYC)

Kaboom

Lane & Paul

Lazy Native

Little Birds (McKinney)

Manned Missiles

Matthew and the Arrogant Sea

Midlake

Monastery

Moth Fight (Austin)

Museum Creatures

Natalia Mallo (São Paulo, Brazil)

Native Lights (Tulsa, OK)

Neon Indian

New Science Projects

Nicholas Altobelli (Dallas)

OK Sweetheart

Ola Podrida (Austin)

Orange Peel Sunshine (Dallas)

Pattern is Movement (Philadelphia)

Paul Benjaman Band (Tulsa, OK)

Peopleodian

Pinebox Serenade

Quiet Company (Austin)

Record Hop

Robert Gomez

Robot Arm

Roy Robertson

RTB2

Sarah Jaffe

Sarah Reddington (Denton/Portland)

Sarah Renfro (Brooklyn)

Savage and the Big Beat

Sleep Whale

Small Time Ruffians

Smile Smile (Dallas)

Sore Losers

Spooky Folk

Stardeath and White Dwarfs (Oklahoma City)

Strangers Family Band (Orlando)

Summer of Glaciers (San Francisco)

Sunnybrook

The Angelus

The Black Angels (Austin)

The Bizarro Kids

The Contingency Clause

the cut*off (Fort Worth)

The Daily Beat

The Demigs

The Diamond Center (Richmond, VA)

The Fieros (Brooklyn)

The Flaming Lips (Oklahoma City)

The Hand Combine

The Hope Trust

The Jakeys

The Laughing (Austin)

The Low Lows

The Naptime Shake (Dallas)

The Phuss (Fort Worth)

The POLYCORNS

The River Mouth

The Rocketboys (Austin)

The Slow Burners

The Virgin Wolves (NTX)

The Wellington Lights

This Old House

Thunder Power (Omaha)

Tre Orsi

Trespassers William (Seattle)

Unwed Sailor (Tulsa)

Via Audio (New York/Boston)

Warren Jackson Hearne and the Merrie Murdre of Gloomadeers

Welcome Signs

Western Giants

White Drugs (Los Angeles)

Young and Brave

Zlam Dunk - (San Marcos)

Zorch (Austin)

- Cory Coleman [c]

White Hinterland Trods New Ground With Kairos

Later this year when White Hinterland’s Kairos is finally released fans my be taken aback by their seemingly sudden change in direction. Chamber-pop champions no more, the newly relocated Oregonians are delving into the arena of washed out electropop –and with surprising results. For once in our young lives we have to agree with GvB who called the album’s single, ‘Icarus’ "...the album's ethereal, spooky/sexy opening track".

I simply can’t get over just how gorgeous the vocals are on the track. They lay perfectly over an atmospheric wash of electronic noise like a sailboat being tossed gently about by the waves of a rising sea. And while it’s aim is not to be the tribal sensation that Dirty Projectors were in 2009, Kairos may very well just end up being this year’s Bitte Orca nonetheless.

MP3: White Hinterland – Icarus

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Great Job, My New Favorite Band?

Going to rock shows 7 days a week has exposed me to a ton of bands in a short period of time, oddly enough, most of which has turned out to be mid-grade ska. But every once in awhile I can still be pleasantly shocked. One such case was in Tucson, AZ where I walked into a room of friends gathered around what might just be my new favorite band. Before I even got too near to the happening the first thing I could hear were 5 voices being raised in jubilant abandon over all acoustic instrumentation a la Mount Righteous. Then when I got near enough to see the source of the joyous jangling I discovered Great Job!, a five piece using instrumentation I'd previously only associated with bluegrass (acoustic guitar, upright bass, banjo, mandolin, violin).

Add some catchy melodies, overly witty lyrics, and Fishboy-like vocals to the mix and the result is one of the most promising acts currently busking around Tuck Town. My favorite tracks thus far have been "Nu Song," which contains the lines 'There's a song inside my brain and I don't care if it ever gets played on the radio or even by me' and "New (Not Nu) Song" which has since become known as "Sex Positions". I tried to get an album of theirs after the show, but their gear and merch had been stolen mid-tour. So alas it was not meant to be. I was assured their album would be available online soon, which is the only reason I'm only mildly perturbed and not full blown upset.

Of course I'm taking their word on this whole matter, and they of course don't care if their songs ever get played on my radio. So for now I (and by proxy you) are relegated to cycling their 5 MySpace songs ad nauseam until that day comes. Happy listening.

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Boats With Only One Exclaimation Point

For some strange reason our lives touring as Mount Righteous seem to be oddly tied to Sacramento power pop punk trio Boats!. Not only did we share a bill with them at Bash Riprocks in Lubbock, but everywhere we've been since they seemingly have just been, are coming soon, or kids are wearing their shirts in the crowd. Sure, they may be douchers, but their show is tight as hell.

Tramping it old fashioned style the boys have a rented car and borrow gear from a local band in each city they hit. After their shows they opt to couch surf, often with fans they've met through couchsurfing.com. Pure and simple. Punk as fuck.

Sure, it may be a hard row to hoe for the boys with so many other bands with similar names out there --The Boat Band (British Zydeco), Boat (Seattle indie rock), Boats!! (Canadian indie rock with two exclamation points)-- these guys are the real deal, and one of the tightest groups I've seen on tour. And despite their outright rudeness, they put happen to put on one of the best live shows I've seen thus far.

MySpace page for the coolest of the Boat bands.

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Pussy (In) Control

As the only SubEx blogger with lady parts, I sometimes feel the need to deliver our little blog a big ol' dose of estrogen! So, today, I'm speaking up for the ladies.

Namely, New York-based Elle King (a banjo-wielding blonde with retro-tinged vocals and a repertoire of heartbreaking songs), or Thao and the Get Down Stay Down (a happy frolic of folk/rock perfection that features the adorable singer, Thao Nguyen). Or what about Basia Bulat (whose latest release, Heart Of My Own, is already turning heads with a meatier sound that complements her husky hiccuping vocals)? And YACHT (boy/girl duo that pushes the boundaries of avant-guarde music while still remaining party-friendly pop). Or perhaps The Watson Twins (best known for singing back-up for Jenny Lewis' first solo album, this twosome recently put out a new album that balances their pretty harmonies with an edgier, rock-influenced sound). Lastly, Nneka ( a Nigerian beauty who combines the sound of her soulful voice with beat-driven R&B).

Girl power!

MP3: Basia Bulat - Gold Rush

~Jenn

Oreaganomics Create Something Lovable

I've never been one to make a life-changing resolution just because the start of a new calendar year is imminent; Why should I wait 6 months to start exercising if I realize in June I'm getting too fat? But I did recently make the conscious decision to be more open-minded about the music I chose to listen to, which just coincidentally happened to coincide with the waning of 2009. And I'm glad I have been, because I have been exposing myself to a lot of things that regretfully I would never have given a chance before.

Case in point, the druggy, lo-fi ambience of Oreaganomics and their appropriately titled album Atlas Drugged. I'm digging it. We would all be wise to expand our musical horizons this decade beyond the cached notions of verse-chorus-verse rock.

MP3: Oreaganomics - Create Something To Love

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Album Preview: EELS - End Times

Mark Oliver Everett, aka 'E', knows that his latest effort will be many people's least favorite EELS album, but he's totally cool with that.

Only months ago E was a man on the prowl, and 2009's Hombre Lobo was his ode to desire. He treated the pursuit of love/lust like a hungry wolf searching for fresh prey. A mere 7 months later, E has emerged from his post-divorce basement bunker, where he recorded his End Times on an antiquated 4-track tape machine. And end times are exactly what his newest album feels like.

While this isn't necessarily new territory for EELS --The 1993 E Broken Toy Shop album chronicled the broken heart of a young man in his 20's -- End Times considers the same set of circumstances from a perspective of much greater age, which make the effects all the more devastating. This go-round it is as if E's world is ending and death is eminent.

The apex of Everett's sorrows are best summed up by the closing lines of the title track, "The World is ending and what do I care? She's gone and end times are near".

But what End Times has in naked vulnerability, and brutal honesty it makes up for with less than impressive arrangements and underwhelming song structures. As a person who has seen firsthand just how tragic/painful divorce can be and how life-altering/meaning-of-life-questioning it can cause a person to react, I am completely aware of how people can so desperately need a creative outlet to regain their sanity and life's perspective. That being said, I'm hoping End Times was the EELS' necessary therapeutic creation and not a permanent alteration in musical direction.

MP3: EELS - Little Bird

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The Guestlist w/ Fishboy

Whether or not you're a fan of Denton's Fishboy, the one thing you can't argue is that the guy puts on one hell of an entertaining live show. Be it by use of props, backdrops, or joke-telling robots, Fishboy and his mates go that extra mile to ensure that each time you see them will be a completely new experience. It's only fitting that his musical exploits have shown this same willingness to try new things as well. After 2007's Albatross: How We Failed to Save the Lone Star State with the Power of Rock and Roll, a record that Fishboy calls “a rock opera about how myself, the band, and the ghost of Buddy Holly attempt to save Texas by going on a tour/crime spree in order to perform all 8,030 of the songs I've written in my sleep since I was in the womb,” came a 2009 which saw Fishboy recording vocals and scratch guitar parts before, as he puts it, "blindly put [the tracks] in hands of a group of musicians with nothing to lose." This unique form of collaboration with fellow Dentonites the Om Nom Noms is what lead to the fabulous Nom. One can only wonder what tricks Fishboy will pull out of his hat for 2010 and beyond, but whatever it may be it will be sure to entertain.

"5 Music Documentaries That Caused Me To Change My Opinion of the Artist" by Eric Edward Fishboy

The genre of music documentary is perhaps my favorite of all and with equipment becoming cheaper by the minute, it seems like every semi-successful band is putting out a DVD to sell at the merch booth. I made a long list of my favorite docs and the ones that rose to the top were the few that changed my preconceived notion about about the artists themselves.


5. THE KIDS ARE ALRIGHT (1979)

I was just starting to get into the Who when I first saw this movie. In my opinion they are one of the best bands who never had a chance to translate their early live show in to a perfect studio album. By the time they figured it all out, Pete Townshend had already gone off to deeper waters with Tommy. This all became clear to me after watching TKAA which literally had me jumping along with Pete, Roger, Mooney, and The Ox. PLUS you are given the option to isolate some of Entwhistle's mind blowing bass tracks on the DVD.


4.RIZE (2005)

I was in the dark about this phenomenon before I saw this film in which acclaimed celebrity photographer David La Chappell looks at the competitive world of Clowning and Krumping. If you haven't seen this movie, or at least have an awareness of the subject, any sort of description I give will seem made up. Basically, there is a highly competitive form of high speed dancing/convulsing that evolved from a man named Tommy who started a school for teaching inner city youth his unique brand of performing as a birthday clown. That makes sense right? On top of all of this LatChappelle brings is high contrast, slick skills as a photographer to the table with results so stunning a disclaimer is required at the start of the film to tell the viewer none of the footage has been sped up.

3. DON'T LOOK BACK (1967)

This Bob Dylan doc follows the man around during his 1965 U.K. tour using portable camera technology that was fairly new at the time and set the ridiculously high standard for every music doc to come after. Until I saw this movie I had brushed off Dylan as something along the lines of "dated poetry on top of afterthought arrangements" and didn't really understand his cultural significance, songwriting skills or the commanding live presence the guy had at the time. He basically gets away with being an insecure jerk to everyone and they still all eat it up! It made me dig through his catalog and discover what I had been missing. First timers should watch this back to back with Scorsese's No Direction Home for a home school lesson on Dylan.

2. I AM TRYING TO BREAK YOUR HEART (2002)

I consider this movie to be my generation's Dont Look Back; Not just because its shot with the same black and white 16mm film, but because they are both uncomfortable looks inside the world of the artist. Again, I wasn't a fan of Wilco until I saw this movie, but instantly went out and got Yankee Hotel Foxtrot afterward. The director (and audience) got extremely lucky to look into such an interesting time in a bands career while they made what most will look back on as their greatest album. How many times have you been reading a book or article about a legendary record and thought "gee if only some cameras were rolling when they made this." Well, this time they were!


1. THE DEVIL AND DANIEL JOHNSTON (2005)

Despite an awkward instance at Good Records in which Johnston hit on my then girlfriend (now wife) I was still a big fan of his well before this film came out. I never really understood what was wrong with the guy. I had seen him a few times and had always heard the several mythical legends surrounding his career. Not only are these stories revealed as true, but the film offers up physical proof with the massive amounts of video and audio keepsakes Daniel had held on to for years. A great film for fans and non-fans alike.

Well, those are my five, fill me in on what else I should see!


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FREE GUCCI: Best of the Cold War Mixtapes

Diplo, Benzi, and several of the Mad Decent crew have come together to remix tracks from Gucci Mane’s “Cold War” mixtape series. Now that Gucci is Mad Decent-approved, we are positive it's cool that we've been so secretly obsessed with his ghetto-fabulousness. Best part about the mixtape? You guessed it, it's free. Go here to grab it for yourself.

In other completely unrelated free EP news, the Dirty Projectors have made some tracks that didn't make 2009's outstanding Bitte Orca for download on their site as a digital 7". And all it will cost you is the low low price of your email address.

MP3: Gucci Mane - I'm The Shit (DJ Benzi & Willy Joy Remix)

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Liars Reveal More of Sisterworld's Secrets

Not long ago LA's The Liars rolled out a cryptic new website where fans could download the band's new single, "Scissor," or just hang out and listen to the calming sounds of ocean noises. Since that time more info has come out on what is indeed the group's fifth proper studio album, which as you might have guessed, is going to be called Sisterworld.

Aside from the art-pop thrill ride that "Scissor" proved to be, the band claims the disc will build on the 'back to basics' mentality first employed by their 2007 self-titled effort. Special editions of the new album will also contain a bonus disc containing 11 remixes from the likes of Thom Yorke, Tunde Adebimpe (TV On The Radio), Bradford Cox (Deerhunter / Atlas Sound), Melvins, Alan Vega (Suicide), Chris & Cosey (Throbbing Gristle) and Blonde Redhead among others. Look for it March 9th, via Mute.

MP3: Liars - Scissor

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Mount Righteous & Giggle Party At Andy's? You Want To Go To There

All the cupcakes and confetti Giggle Party will inevitably cover you with aside, Mount Righteous will have new songs (10 to be exact) and new instruments to boot. With a little help from electricity you will see a Mount Righteous like you've never seen before. It will pretty much be super happy fun party times for all. Basically what I am saying is that you want to go to this.

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Worker Bee - No Dreams

I just caught wind of Bay Area quartet Worker Bee and their single "No Dreams" from last summer's Tangler LP. It's one of those tracks that sort of catches you off guard, lulling you in with smokey vocals cautiously set atop the gentle picking of guitar and driven ably with simple bass drum kicks before totally annihilating you with such aural bedlam that they become impossible to ignore. After this moment a minute-and-a-half into the track it begins to be next to impossible to predict what directions the song will take next and what dark alleys it might lead you down, yet for some reason they are too encapsulating to let them get too far out of sight.

Download the rest of their self-released full-length here.

MP3: Worker Bee - No Dreams

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TV/Movie Recommendations for Music Fans

I'm not a fan of TV. I don't have cable, and the television set that resides in my home is the same one that I played first generation Nintendo on 15 years ago. However, I've become slightly addicted to a couple of TV shows (namely Modern Family, Gossip Girl and House) which I view on Hulu (a website that allows you to watch a selection of TV shows and movies for free). This slight habit lead me to a few cool, music-related shows that I thought might interest you, the SubEx public.

First up, Embedded...this extraordinary show takes you behind the scenes and within the heads of your favorite indie stars. Everyone from Amanda Palmer (who showcases the power of Twitter by performing a secret show in the LA-area that starts with a single tweet) to The Decemberists (who speak of the pains of being "too straight-laced for the weirdos and way too weird for the straight-laced people") makes an appearance. Basically, if you like to peak behind the curtain, you should check it out.

Also. there's the standout documentary, "Before the Music Dies." This movie is a must see if the music you enjoy isn't heard on your typical FM station (91.7 is the AWESOME exception). It explains the breakdown of the music industry (both on the radio and record industry fronts), why really talented musicians are unable to make a living while pop princesses gyrate their way to millions and a few other music-related conundrums that I've pondered more than a few times.

And really, in this weather, who wants to venture outdoors anyways (hello, Arctic Blast)? Stay in. Catch a free movie, and maybe learn something about your favorite band.

~Jenn

Albatross Proves To Be Worth Geeking Out Over

Remember that Besnard Lakes album we were geeking out over the other day? The band has just released the album's first single, "Albatross" and it has proved to be well worth geeking out over. I've never surfed or taken acid but after listening to the track's brilliant psychedlic guitar and trippy Beach Boys vocal harmonies I think I somehow now what it must be like to have done both --simultaneously.

A vinyl 12" with the exclusive b-side "Four Long Lines" will be available Feb. 9th (via Jagjaguwar) before the full length releases March 9th.

MP3: Besnard Lakes - Albatross

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Sad Brad Smith Made Me Mad!

Obviously I am a lover of all kinds of music, or I would probably not be writing for this wonderful blog. And I don’t like that my first post of the year is going to be like this, but it is something that is really bothering me and I need to get this off my chest. Why the hell does music have to be so quirky to be considered “cool” and “good” these days?!

Last night I went to see the new movie “Up In The Air”, which at first I was not very excited about, but turned out to be pretty damn awesome. I recommend it to everyone, especially those of us who work in a cube farm. The soundtrack, I noticed, included some very talented artists including: Crosby, Stills, & Nash and Charles Atlas and the late Elliot Smith. A song called “Help Yourself” then came on during what seemed to be the turning point of the movie by an artist named Sad Brad Smith. I had never heard of this artist, and was thoroughly enjoying the ambient reverberating harmonies and acoustic guitar and George Clooney’s face, when all of a sudden a percussion trade off of cowbell and some kind of washboard type of instrument filled the chorus. I was immediately turned off.

It seems as if many musicians at this point are going way out of their way to make their music so weird and out there to get noticed. I don’t appreciate it really, but the sad part is that it’s working. So what if you are, say… “The first artist to use a vibrator-ran-against-a-placenta-ran-through-a-Korg-microsampler for that one part during the bridge.” What’s the point? The Flaming Lips have probably already tried it all anyway. That’s what makes them who they are and have always been. To everyone else, it’s awesome to experiment and tweak, but stop trying your hardest to be so different and dramatic. Simplicity is beautiful too.

- Cory Coleman [c]

Dude, Parade of Flesh Announces Bro Fest 2010

According to a press release from Parade of Flesh's John Iskander last year's massively successful 1-day festival South By South Flesh (SXSF) is no more. Not to worry, though, the festival which will bring the likes of Dum Dum Girls and Coathangers to town is not going away alltogether, but it will be adopting a new moniker.

This year to further distance itself from the Austin festival Iskander decided to call his event Bro Fest. We love the move of disassociating with the increasingly less cool SXSW; Not only does it help the festival stand more on merrits, it also sets it apart from the myriad of punnily-named SXSW shows that happen all throughout the south in late March every year. Still though, the new name choice is a somewhat baffling. But I suppose a rose by any other name...

But really no matter what silly title Dallas' post-SXSW bash goes by, it will still boast the incredible, cutting-edge bookings Parade of Flesh has become known for. Here's the full list of bands that are confirmed (so far) for Bro Fest 2010 (which I have also somehow failed to mention up to this point will take place Sunday, March 21st at the Doublewide):

ASG
DUM DUM GIRLS
FRANKIE ROSE & The OUTS
LITURGY
RWAKE
SISTERS
SLEEPY SUN
THOSE DARLINS
TINSEL TEETH
U.S. CHRISTMAS
WHITE MICE
WITHERED
WOVEN BONES

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Album Preview: Vampire Weekend - Contra

As a so-called "indie blogger" I know I am supposed jump ship on a band once they start to cross the threshold where one might argue that the band in question has "made it". And while it's true us blogger hacks, aka tastemakers, usually do pride ourselves in finding those obscure little undiscovered acts there is something to be said about sometimes just going with the flow.

Perhaps I was supposed to turn my back on Vampire Weekend the minute they appeared on SNL or at least by the time my mom knew who they were, but I just can't help it. They are simply too darn engaging to my afro-pop side --indie credibility be damned.

Everyone and their mothers have had "Horchata" on their iPods since the fall, but it doesn't take a listener past track 2 to realize that Contra picks back up right where their 2007 self-titled debut left off. "White Sky" replete with those familiar tribal rythyms and African vibes that put the Ivy-Leaguers on the map.

So the only real question left is whether or not Vampire Weekend have successfully managed to avoid that old familiar slump that so often plagues many a sophomore album. While Contra may not boast anything quite as catchy as "M79," not many albums released in the past year-and-a-half can make that claim either. And while the autotune Koenig uses to embelish his pipes on "California English" doesn't exactly venture into T-Pain territory, it's still almost as off-putting. But even with the detractors Vampire Weekend have still managed to come up with an album that shows flashes of maturity, torrents of purpose, and floods of pop knowhow.

More importantly though, it shows loads of promise and serves to prove that Vampire Weekend aren't simply one-album wonders. Now you can all go tell your moms that Vampire Weekend won't be going anywhere anytime soon.

MP3: Vampire Weekend - Horchata

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Guestlist w/ Damaged Good$

2009 was a big year for north TX hip-hop duo Damaged Good$, a year that saw them release an outstanding debut record, and subsequently nominated for awards by Quick and The Observer. And for good reason. Their hipster-pleasing tunes aside, the duo of Coool Dundee and Theodore Beard put on one of the rowdiest, most ADD-rific live shows in town; One that has pushed them out from the local hip-hop underground and into the area's forefront. Keep an eye on these boys in 2010 as they are definitely one of the most promising, envelope-pushing acts going. And as for the ADD-ness mentioned earlier, I think that really comes out in their list(s). All of them.

"The Top 5 Artist We Would Like to Open Up For" by DMG$

1. Bad Brains - They are pretty much one of the best live acts to ever touch a stage. They are also very versatile and have created timeless music, which is one of our goals.

2.Jimmi Hendrix - Its Jimmi.... :)

3. The Prodigy - Their energy and longevity is amazing! We would put these guys up against any hip-hop group and watch their live show SMASH EVERYBODY!

4. UGK(R.I.P Chad Butler) - These guys' music is a part of our DNA.

5. George Clinton - He's such an icon and not a lot of hip-hop artists can say they opened up for him. He's also an innovator.

5.5 The Beastie Boys -This would probably be the wildest show EVER!


"The Top 5 Most Amazing Songs From Children's Television" by DMG$

1. Killer Tofu by The Beats (Doug)

2.Counting Pinball Machine (Sesame Street)

3. Sonic The Hedgehog Theme Song

4. Happy Happy Joy Joy (Ren & Stimpy)

5. X-Men Theme Song


"The Top 5 Things We Are Thankful For in 2009" by DMG$

1. Life - We really do cherish every moment we are given. Some people that were there in the beginning of all this never got to see our plans come to fruition.

2. Love - Its what keeps us from doing stupid stuff like diss records, loathing, and wearing leather shorts in 100 degree weather :)

3. Freedom - We are blessed to be able to live a free life. It may sound crazy but, we create what exists in our world haha. Our parents always say that we're "always in our own little world". We don't really focus on anyone else's stuff but ours. We don't care about what this magazine or paper says about us, or who people may compare us to. Because when a person dies, so does their opinion, and if you just promote positive things and create the best you can, then that will live a lot longer than a persons opinion --and the ladies love positive stuff as well (and we love the ladies) :) Sorry for the rant haha.

4. Williams Chicken - Its just sooooo dang gooood!

5. The support we have received.


"The Top 5 Things Everyone Should Remember" by DMG$

1. Download our "$pread Love Not Germ$" mixtape in February
2. Add us on Twitter: @TheRealDMG
3. Check Out The Singles if you haven't (at: dmgeez.bandcamp.com)
4. Spread Love Not Germs
5. WE TAKE HAVING FUN VERY SERIOUS!!!!!!!

*bonus MP3: Damaged Good$ - Follow The Leader


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LOLCORNELL of the Week: SG Reunion Edition

Ever since the 'Tadgarden' performance last year it felt as if a bonafide Soundgarden reunion was imminent. For the first time in 12 years Cornell didn't completely quash the idea either. And then last night this message appeared on Cornells Twitter feed (as well as on SoundgardenWorld.com): The 12 year break is over & school is back in session. Sign up now. Knights of the Soundtable ride again! So there it is. Screw the tiger, it looks as though 2010 is all set to be the year of Soundgarden. The black days we fell on 12 years ago look to be behind us as things are starting to look a whole lot more California.




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