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Cool Stuff: The Ultimate List Of Album Covers Remade By Legos

Brock Vincion Sharp — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 13:00:00 +0000

I am completely in to recreations of anything that recreates an album cover, film posters or comic book covers. I have seen a lot of these cover recreations with legos and wanted to compile a list of all of them. If anyone finds any that are missing, I will get them added to the list with a update. If you haven't seen this before, it is pretty awesome.

Engineers: Three Fact Fader

Erik Nather — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 05:43:51 +0000

Photo: Tom Sheehan

As Brock mentioned earlier, we're flooded with music everyday from bands across the world and though we try to listen to it all, some get skipped pretty fast, some get a little more ear play. Engineers was one of those bands for me. This UK band just released their album Three Fact Fader in the US on Kscope records and looks to tap into the shoegazing lovers of the US. I've only got to listen to a few tracks of this record so far and already digging it, so hopefully I can get my hands on the entire thing and give it a proper review here soon. The record has been released for some months overseas and has got many great reviews so far. With production from Ken Thomas (M83, Sigur Ros, Cocteau Twins), the album is sure to be packed with amazing textures and sounds to please your ears. So check out their myspace page and see and hear what I mean.

MP3: Engineers - Brighter as we Fall

Videophile: Portico Quartet "Line"

nickbahulaisdead — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 01:22:24 +0000

Once again through word of mouth I've been introduced to something absolutely beautiful. Portico Quartet is Duncan Bellamy (drums), Milo Fitzpatrick (double bass), Nick Mulvey (hang and percussion) and Jack Wyllie (soprano, tenor saxophones and electronics). Hang? "a group signature that’s immediately recognisable. Thanks to the use of the hang, a tuned percussion instrument bought on impulse at a music festival, they have a sound that is instantly attractive, yet uncompromisingly individual"

The below video was my first introduction to this band and I'm already excited to hear anything I can find of them. Jazz with hints of everything amazing and beautiful about instrumental music. Looks like you'll have to shell out the import bucks for anything. Well worth it though.

Videophile: Baroness "A Horse Called Golgotha"

Brock Vincion Sharp — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 21:00:00 +0000

A Horse Called Golgotha

Baroness - 'Blue Record' Out Now!!! | MySpace Video

Baroness has released the video for "A Horse Called Golgotha" today and this video completely fits the music, it is nothing but brutal. Directed by Joshua Green for the song off of the Blue Album. I love the old hardcore look of the 90's music videos that it has going on. If you haven't picked up this album yet, definitely do so or check them out on tour:

11/18 - Washington, DC @ Rock and Roll Hotel #
11/19 - Philadelphia, PA @ First Unitarian Church #
11/20 - New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom #
11/21 - Cambridge, MA @ Middle East #
11/22 - Buffalo, NY @ The Traif #
11/24 - Detroit, MI @ Magic Stick #
11/25 - Chicago, IL @ Reggie's Rock Club #
11/27 - Minneapolis, MN @ Triple Rock #
11/28 - Kansas City, MO @ The Riot Room #
11/29 - Denver, CO @ Bluebird Theater %
11/30 - Salt Lake City, UT @ Club Vegas %
12/02 - San Francisco, CA @ Bottom Of The Hill &
12/03 - Hollywood, CA @ Troubadour &
12/04 - San Diego, CA @ The Casbah &
12/05 - Tempe, AZ @ The Clubhouse &
12/07 - Austin, TX @ Emo's !
12/08 - Houston, TX @ Warehouse Live !
12/09 - New Orleans, LA @ One Eyed Jacks !
12/10 - Orlando, FL @ The Social ^^
12/11 - Atlanta, GA @ The Masquerade $

# w/ Earthless, US Christmas
% w/ Earthless, GAZA
& w/ Earthless, Iron Age
! w/ Iron Age, Dark Castle
^^ w/ Torche
$ w/ Torche, Pig Destroyer, Iron Age

MP3: Baroness- A Horse Called Golgotha

New Music: Collider

Brock Vincion Sharp — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 20:17:00 +0000

I usually get a lot of music in my inbox sometimes very fitting for the site and sometimes expressing influences of Maroon 5. I try to go through each of our emails to find a band that I can expose and get press for on the site. Collider is a band that I felt is very worthy of the new music slot. I really dig how the music is abstract in the vein of Autolux bringing a youthful vibe of the Kansas City scene. They let themselves be serious but not to the point that it doesn't feel loose. That completely brings an element of looseness of old indie rock records. The band hails from San Francisco, Ca and describe their sound as blue squish, time fades, light black, water on water, xmas lights, wet concrete, circles, anonymous, robots crying, nob hill firesiuites, liquid caves, labyrinthe, bladerunner, blurry things and rain sockets. In a lot of ways all of the above are true. One thing they leave out is real. Something a lot of "indie " bands are loosing is, authenticity over production. This band seems to find that happy medium. Not only that but they are offering an EP "Down In Saturines" and Time Concerns Digital 7" Single as free downloads on their website. I am always a supporter of a band wanting to get the music out there to be discovered instead of money. Because there was a time when mixtapes used to help people discover bands. That time is coming around again. Definately a band to be on the look out for.

MP3:Collider-Drop Out And Off
MP3:Collider- Translator

Interview: Jason Lytle

nickbahulaisdead — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 19:51:00 +0000

    To be honest, I am not a music journalist; I am not even a writer. What I am is a teacher who loves music and has been lucky enough to talk to musicians sometimes. Like today, I had the opportunity to talk to one of my favorite musicians, Jason Lytle. Remember Grandaddy? I sure as hell do! They were on heavy rotation during many road trips driving through these great states. Grandaddy has a sound that has always reminded me of a kid in a classroom, gazing out the window, wanting so badly to go outside and play. I feel a sense of adventure and wandering in the sounds Jason Lytle creates.

   I have always wondered about what events in musicians lives pointed them towards music. Jason’s luck might have came when his father remarried a DJ with a pretty sweet 70’s FM record collection. I asked what bands might have influenced him when he was a kid. “Seager, Journey, Elo I don’t know man, Rush.. The 70’s was a great time for making records. You had all this money to record and access to new equipment, drugs and being able to experiment” Having access to an abundant record collection and being raised in the country, tucked away from instant access to friends and the city, both had a hand in shaping his life.

   Doing some research for this call I found many people who are sad that Grandaddy have gone away. Yet I feel the hiatus was worth it because this is the best thing he has done to date. This is what Grandaddy was aiming for but kept coming short. He says after awhile the sound gets changed by so many people that the end result isn’t what it was supposed to sound like in the first place.

   Many things led to Jason feeling burdened; feeling cluttered with the many hands in making a Grandaddy record, the hassles of a tour, and constantly being surrounded by people who are friends and some who are not. After talking to him it’s clear he likes his space and alone time. Something hard to find when you’re a member of a pretty popular band with a ton of travel time. Moving away to Montana and being able to escape in his own backyard gave him the much needed space and time.

   Hiking around in the mountains is something I can relate very well to. I can’t imagine a better way to go about being a musician right now. Having your own recording studio in house and some wonderful scenery right out your back door. If Grandaddy is the sound of a cluttered mess living in Modesto then Yours Truly, The Commuter is the escapist free from the restraints of all that kept him down. That positive Californian sound. You can move away but the mentality is always there.

   During his time off from Grandaddy Jason has added his voice to various other projects. Including two songs on the Dangermouse and Sparklehorse album Dark Night of the Soul "Jaykub" and "Every time I'm with You" as well as working with M.Ward’s "To Save Me" on Hold Time. “Working with Matt was great. We speak the same language. He’s such an amazing musician and I was really excited that he asked me to add to his album”

   After Moving to Montana he said he has a hard time dividing home time with alone time outdoors. Well it’s almost a problem. “It’s a recharging experience to be outside alone. Waking in grizzly country makes a person more aware of their surroundings. You tend to walk slower and look around more. It’s a good feeling to come home after an adventure and feel renewed.”. Not much for touring these days he tells me he prefers to be home more then anything. I can’t blame him.

You can catch him playing a few dates starting with the Echoplex in Los Angles on October 22. He admits he didn’t know much about the a show but was excited to tour with Liam Finn. Says he has been a fan ever since picking up Liam’s record I'll Be Lightning a few years ago. Going Solo on these dates Jason says he will be trying out something new. Bringing along a few instruments to make it more interesting then just a guy and a guitar.

Talking with Jason was a very pleasant experience. Not just because I felt like a fan boy but because he was a sincere person. I don’t know if I have critic fatigue or have read too many articles on pompous musicians. Jason was none of this and very kind. Finding a similar thread in life with someone you admire as an artist is a good feeling. Talking about hiking and changing and growing. It felt almost too personal to want to write about.

Yours Truly, The Commuter is another release that has been on constant rotation. I don’t get the chance to buy many records these days but I was glad I bought this album. Full of the sonic landscapes found in many Grandaddy songs but with more layers that add a depth and warmth missing from Jason’s past albums.
And what’s next? Writing a new record. More time at home balanced with back country exploration. Making music in the comfort of his own home.
It sounds like after all these years Jason Lytle has figured out the path he needed to be on. With the freedom that Montana has to offer and the peace Jason has found I’m sure we will be hearing some more amazing music from him.

MP3:Jason Lytle-Ghost Of My Old Dog
MP3:Grandaddy- Hewlett's Daughter

R.I.P Jerry Fuchs

nickbahulaisdead — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 15:44:50 +0000

Man. What a bummer. New York Post and Pitchfork report that Jerry Fuchs,drummer for !!!, Maserati and The Juan Maclean fell to his death Saturday night. In a tragic accident Jerry Fuchs fell down an elevator shaft after it broke down at a benefit show Saturday night. My condolences to his family and friends.

Om God is Good album review

Todd — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 22:47:29 +0000

I recenly picked up the newest release by Om. I wasn't quite sure what to expect after hearing that longtime drummer Chris Hakius had left the band. I was pleasantly surprised by what I heard when I dropped the needle on.

The first track is titled entitled "Thebes" and takes up the entire first side of the album. This track has a very middle eastern feel. The sounds of sitar ring throughout this track, along with chimes, and tamboura. The melody in the first half of the track specifically reminded me of "Set The Controls for the Heart of the Sun" by Pink Floyd, but in a slower, more Stoner feel. Later in the track, the tempo kicks up and the distorted bass kicks in and proceeds to kill in Om fashion. Killer track.

The second side of the record begins with a track entitled "Meditation is the Practice of Death". This particular track, starts off with a much quicker tempo than it's predecessor. Great drum work and nice use of reverb on the drums. About midway thru the track, a gorgeous flute melody kicks in. I'm not generally a fan of flutes in rock music, but in the setting that Om presents it, it definitely works.

The last two tracks are entitled "Cremation Chat I" and "Cremation Chat II". Even with such a morbid name, the first of these tracks is a rather fun, upbeat track, complete with handclaps! Really interesting vocal work on this track, if not at times a bit bizarre.

The second half of "Cremation" is signified by use of the Sitar again and we're back to a middle eastern feel. I love the melodies on this track.

God is Good is a stellar release from Om. One I highly recommend for fans of the band, or for fans of Stoner/Psychedlia. The album was ably recorded by Steve Albini at Electrical Audio in Chicago. Beautiful artwork as well on the vinyl release. Go pick yourself up a copy.

5/5

Skinny Puppy to officially release Last Rights on vinyl

Todd — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 22:25:48 +0000

For those of us who are industrial vinyl fans, one of the most important records in the genre, is finally being given a proper vinyl release.

Originally released in 1992, Last Rights, is a landmark album for industrial pioneers, Skinny Puppy. A wild cacophony, of noise and melody, it signifies what we all know and love as industrial music. The only way you could get this record on vinyl, was to locate a DJ promo copy. These sold for well over $200 on ebay. Finally, after years of wait, Skinny Puppy held a poll on the website Litany.net. The question they asked was, of their albums, which one would everyone like to see re-released on vinyl. Overwhelmingly, the fans asked for Last Rights.

On November 23, the fans will get their wish as a 2 LP, 45 RPM version of Last Rights will finally get the vinyl release it deserves.

You can get it at Amazon here.

8-Bit Weezer

Shaun — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 17:49:21 +0000

I just thought I’d share this song with everyone as Ratitude was released recently and Weezer have since taken the top spot on Elbo.ws this weekend. Anamanaguchi’s cover of Holiday is taken from the 8-Bit Weezer album released in May by Pterodactyl Squad. The album features fourteen covers of Weezer songs by 8-Bit bands. Anamanguchi are a chiptune/8-Bit band from New York who play synth’s on a hacked NES and Gameboy. Unlike most bands from the 8-Bit genre they usually write and compose their own material.

Anamanaguchi’s cover is definitely the best on the album but what I love most about this song is how it reminds me of how good Weezer used to be. I’m not fan of Ratitude by any means and the last few albums have had decent singles but little else to offer. Anamanaguchi's cover sounds as if Weezer themselves had recorded the 8-Bit version back in the Blue album era. It captures everything that was once great about this band. Also I’ve always felt covers of Weezer songs never really worked because once you took Weezer out of the equation or tried to change the structure of the song, it lost what made it good to begin with(Much like what’s happening to Weezer at the minute). It's a good indication of how well Anamanaguchi are progressing as a band that they can produce such a great cover of a Weezer song. It holds on to everything you love about the song and band while adding a fresh approach to an established favourite.

If you follow the link you can download the album for free but I’d only recommend Holiday by Anamanguchi, In The Garage by OxygenStar or I Do by Arcadecoma. Other than these few the rest of the album is more than a bit lacklustre. But give it a listen if your curious.