quarta-feira, 11 de novembro de 2009

Them Crooked Vultures - Them Crooked Vultures [2009]

Them Crooked Vultures - Them Crooked Vultures [2009]

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Them Crooked Vultures (abbreviated as TCV) is a rock music supergroup that formed in Los Angeles, California in 2005. Comprising drummer Dave Grohl (Foo Fighters, Nirvana, Probot), vocalist and guitarist Josh Homme (Queens of the Stone Age, Kyuss, Eagles of Death Metal) and bassist and keyboardist John Paul Jones (Led Zeppelin), the band also features Alain Johannes (Eleven, Queens of the Stone Age) as a live rhythm guitarist. The band's debut album, Them Crooked Vultures, is due for release on November 16, 2009 in the UK and November 17, 2009 in the US. It was released to the internet on November 9, 2009 via the band's YouTube page.

A collaboration between Homme, Jones, Grohl was first publicly mentioned by Grohl in a 2005 interview with Mojo, in which he declared "The next project that I'm trying to initiate involves me on drums, Josh Homme on guitar, and John Paul Jones playing bass. That’s the next album. That wouldn’t suck." Of the nascent project, Homme's wife Brody Dalle commented in July 2009 that "I'm not at liberty to talk about it [...] but I think [the project] is pretty fucking amazing. Just beats and sounds like you’ve never heard before." British music magazine NME reported in July 2009 that the trio had begun recording in Los Angeles.

Them Crooked Vultures performed its first show at the Metro, Chicago on August 9, 2009. The band played all original material during its 80-minute set, debuting such songs as opener "Elephants", "Scumbag Blues", "Caligulove" and closing song "Nobody Loves Me and Neither Do I". TCV made its European debut on August 19 with a performance at Melkweg in the Netherlands, the same day on which a short video clip of studio footage was uploaded by the band, featuring the song "Nobody Loves Me and Neither Do I", essentially confirming its inclusion on the band's debut album.

With subsequent festival performances in Europe at Pukkelpop and Lowlands, the band first performed in the United Kingdom at London's Brixton Academy supporting English alternative rock band Arctic Monkeys on August 26. The trio subsequently performed at the Reading and Leeds Festivals on August 28 and 29. Playing the Leeds Festival first then moving onto Reading the next day.

terça-feira, 13 de outubro de 2009

Broadcast - Broadcast and The Focus Group Investigate Witch Cults of the Radio Age [2009]

Broadcast - Broadcast and The Focus Group Investigate Witch Cults of the Radio Age [2009]

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Broadcast are an electronic music band, based in the Kings Heath part of Birmingham, England. Original members were Trish Keenan (vocals), Roj Stevens (keyboards), Tim Felton (guitar) and James Cargill (bass). Various drummers have played with the band, including Keith York, Phil Jenkins, Jeremy Barnes, Steve Perkins and Neil Bullock. As of 2005, the group consisted of Keenan and Cargill, with Felton having departed to form a new project, Seeland, with Billy Bainbridge, formerly of another Birmingham Warp act Plone.
The band's style is a mixture of electronic sounds and Keenan's 1960s-influenced vocals. It is heavily influenced by the 1960s American psychedelic group The United States of America, using many of the same electronic effects. It is also reminiscent of Stereolab. However, despite the similar musical pedigree, Broadcast's music often has a darker, edgier sound - with amorphous samples and analogue dissonance giving it a retro-futuristic sci-fi edge.
The band's first releases were singles released on Wurlitzer Jukebox Records ( "Accidentals" ) and Duophonic Records ("The Book Lovers") in the mid-1990s. "The Book Lovers" was also featured on the soundtrack of the film Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery. They attracted the attention of Warp Records, who compiled the singles in 1997 on Work and Non Work. All subsequent releases have been on Warp Records, or in the USA on Tommy Boy Records. Their song "Before We Begin" was used in the Season Four finale of The L Word.
The band has released three albums, several EPs, two singles and EP collections. In October 2009, Broadcast will release their latest work - a collaborative mini-album with The Focus Group (aka graphic designer and Ghost Box label co-owner Julian House) called 'Broadcast and The Focus Group Investigate Witch Cults of the Radio Age'.

segunda-feira, 10 de agosto de 2009

Goldfrapp - Black Cherry [2003]

Goldfrapp - Black Cherry [2003]

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Goldfrapp is a British electronic music group. The band was formed in 1999 in London, England, and consists of Alison Goldfrapp (vocals/synthesizer) and Will Gregory (synthesizer).
Despite favourable reviews and a shortlisting for the Mercury Prize, the ambient sound of their 2000 debut album Felt Mountain did not chart highly. Goldfrapp's second album Black Cherry, which incorporated glam rock and synthpop sounds into their music, was released in 2003. The album experienced success across nightclubs in North America and influenced the same dance-oriented sound of their third album Supernature. Supernature took Goldfrapp's work further into dance music, and enjoyed international chart success. Supernature produced three number one US dance singles, and was nominated for "Best Electronic/Dance Album" at the 49th Grammy Awards. Their fourth album Seventh Tree placed a greater emphasis on ambient and downtempo music, drawing inspiration from nature and paganism.

quinta-feira, 9 de julho de 2009

kiiiiiii - Al & Bum [2007]

Silverchair - Young Modern [2007]

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As comfortable playing traditional gig venues as they are art galleries, Tokyo girl duo Kiiiiiii have built their reputation on their live shows, in which vocalist U.T. and drummer Lakin' dash through a technicolor car crash of songs and musical skits performed in the character of 1980s American schoolgirls. The punk energy and the conceptual underpinnings (both members are art-school graduates) have won them local press coverage, but they are also a polarizing proposition. By creating a world of their own and inhabiting it so wholeheartedly, their shows can be alienating for people whose idea of fun isn't the film "Freaky Friday" as reimagined by Man Ray.

Kiiiiiii's long awaited debut album presents less of a stark challenge. Assisted by Cornelius and Buffalo Daughter collaborator DJ Codomo, "Al & Bum's" 19 tracks succeed in alluding to the eccentricities of their live performances, ably replicating the latter's chaotic energy and gleeful nonsensicality. Most interestingly, DJ Codomo embellishes many of the songs (including the odd kitschy cover version) with arrangements that preserve Kiiiiiii's minimalist approach while bringing out the charming melodies that are scattered throughout the album.

Silverchair - Young Modern [2007]

Silverchair - Young Modern [2007]

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Silverchair is an Australian alternative rock band. The band formed as Innocent Criminals in Newcastle, New South Wales, in 1992, with their current lineup of vocalist and guitarist Daniel Johns, bass guitarist Chris Joannou, and drummer Ben Gillies. Silverchair has been highly successful in the Australian recording industry, receiving the industry's flagship awards, the ARIA Awards, a record 20 times. The band has also received six APRA Awards.

Silverchair found early success when one of their first songs, "Tomorrow", won a local music competition run by Australian television network SBS. The band was soon signed by Murmur, and were successful on the Australian and international rock stages. In 2003, following the release of Diorama, the band announced a hiatus, during which time members recorded with side projects The Dissociatives, The Mess Hall, and Tambalane. Silverchair were reunited at the 2005 Wave Aid concerts, and went on to release Young Modern and play the Across the Great Divide tour with Powderfinger.

Silverchair's sound has evolved throughout their career, differing sounds on specific albums steadily growing more ambitious over the years, from post-grunge on their debut to their more recent orchestral prog-infused chamber-pop. The songwriting and singing of Daniel Johns has been noted as improving steadily while the band has developed an increased element of complexity in later works. Silverchair have sold in excess of 6 million records to date

Rhytm Police - Turbo Bells [2008]

Rhytm Police - Turbo Bells [2008]

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After many years representing elctronic music, Remixing Bands named: Jeansteam, Louie Austin or Sandboy. leroy schlimm and mycrotom are touring live on Stages across Europe, even invited to play on Viennas Radio Station FM4. Now their ready with drum and bassguitar together with the one or another starguest to bring more dirt on the dancefloor.

RHYTM POLICE is the name of the new dance project and they rock with lots of groove and raw impulse. Rehearsal room atmosphere versus studio sterility. Live you will find disco dancing queens between headbangers. So....everybody is ready to go Nuts?

quarta-feira, 8 de julho de 2009

Add N to (X) - Avant Hard [1999]

Add N to (X) - Avant Hard [1999]

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Add N to (X) were a three-piece British band specializing in electronic music performed on analogue synthesizers, formed in London in 1994.
The original band members were Andrew Aveling, Barry Smith (aka Barry 7) and Ann Shenton. Steven Claydon replaced Aveling in 1997
After several releases on small labels, they turned down offers from major labels and signed to large independent label Mute Records in 1998, and achieved a modest commercial success before splitting in 2003.

Most of their songs and video clips have been adult/sex-related; the video for "Metal Fingers in My Body" is an animated short featuring a female having sex with a robot, and their video for "Plug Me In" is famous for featuring porn actresses playing with sex toys.

Andy Votel - One Nation Under a Grave [2007]

Andy Votel - One Nation Under a Grave [2007]

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Andy Votel
Real Name: Andrew Shallcross
Born: November 04, 1975 // Manchester, North West England, United Kingdom
The name Votel is derived from the acronym V.O.T.E.L. (Violators Of The English Language) – an “Ultramegnetic-obsessed” hip-hop crew on the Manchester scene at the time of early releases on the Fat City and now sadly defunct Grand Central imprints.

Andrew Shallcross, known by his stage name Andy Votel, is an electronic musician and record producer, and co-founder of Twisted Nerve Records. He is from Marple Bridge in Stockport. His image features on the cover art of Have You Fed the Fish? by singer-songwriter Badly Drawn Boy.

Alizée - Psychédélices [2007]

Alizée - Psychédélices [2007]

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Alizée Jacotey (born August 21, 1984) is a French singer. Born in Ajaccio, Corsica, she goes by the stage name Alizée—the feminine form of alizé, the trade wind.[1] She was discovered by Mylène Farmer, following her winning performance in the talent show, Graines de Star, in 1999. While collaborating with Mylène Farmer and Laurent Boutonnat, Alizée released two albums—both of which were hits inside and outside of France.

Alizée entered the music business in 2000. She has since released three studio albums - first two of which were composed by Laurent Boutonnat and written by Mylène Farmer. Her first album was Gourmandises, which received Platinum certification within three months of release. Gourmandises was a success both in France and abroad—after it had its international launch in 2001—earning Alizée the distinction of being the highest selling female French singer in 2001. The album featured her most successful single "Moi... Lolita" which reached number one in several countries in Europe and East Asia. The marketing campaign around the single affixed Alizée's image as that of a seductive lolita. Gourmandises was followed by a second studio album, Mes Courants Électriques in 2003, which was also quite successful, though not as big a hit as Alizée's debut album. Following its release, Alizée toured France during the fall of 2003, performing in 43 concerts throughout France, along with Belgium and Switzerland.

Alizée married fellow French singer Jérémy Chatelain in late 2003. Since her marriage she took a break from singing, but returned with a new album, titled Psychédélices on December 3, 2007.

Afghan Whigs - 1965 [1998]

Afghan Whigs - 1965 [1998]

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In 2000, The Afghan Whigs disbanded after a 14-year run. Much has already been written about those days but it's safe to say that the Whigs were one of the most influential and critically-acclaimed bands to come out of the alternative rock scene of the early 90's - well known for songwriter/guitarist/singer Greg Dulli's unflinching lyrics and the bands' consistently amazing live shows.

Fast forward to the present. Dulli's current band, The Twilight Singers, which began as a side project between the AW releases Black Love and 1965, is now a well established act on its own terms, continuing to attract new fans and raise the bar with their live shows and LPs. AW bass player John Curley has 2 kids and runs a recording studio in Cincinnati. Curley's current band, The Staggering Statistics has been receiving attention for its latest CD, "All of this and more..." Lead guitarist Rick McCollum lives in Minneapolis. Rick's band, Moonmaan, is set to release their debut LP in early 2007. Drummer Michael Horrigan has also kept busy- living in Detroit and playing bass in Brendan Benson's band as well as drums in Five Horse Johnson.

Soon, The Afghan Whigs will get together in the studio for the first time since 2000 to record new tracks for inclusion on a Whigs retrospective entitled "Unbreakable" and due out in March or April of 2007.