The Orphan Review

I'M BAACK (with Coachella highlights and a new Stereolab track)

c4@orphanrecords.org (c4) — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 14:10:04 PDT

After a very long and unexpected absence (here and here), c4 is back on the Orphan blog. Did ya miss me!??!?!?!

Of course you did.

Here's what else you missed:

1. In an interview with NME.com David Byrne (of Talking Heads fame) announced that he and Brian Eno have finished a new record which will be released before the end of 2008. He also alluded to the fact that a tour might be in the stars, so keep your ears peeled.

2. Coachella came and went. I didn't go, but from what I've seen so far, the highlights were totally:

Prince covering Radiohead (the video quality is poor, but the sound is the best of the 5 or 6 I found on youtube)

The Verve's performance of 'Bittersweet Symphony.' I can't believe how good it sounds.

If you went to Coachella and would like dispute either of these, feel free to get it all out in a comment.

3. Stereolab will release new material on 4ADat the end of the summer. The new record's called Chemical Chords and I scoured my feeds to find a track for you guys to preview. The scouring was not done in vain. Download a track from Chemical Chords:
Stereolab - Three Women

4. Orphan Review contributor, miss Jessica (machinesaysno) has started an L.A. events blog. If you're looking for something to do, look no further. Just click here.

5. And finally, Orphan's own Fascinoma played an absolutely phenomenal set at the Silverlake Lounge last Tuesday. I feel sorry for you if you missed it, and am glad I didn't.

Final note: In the future, Orphan Review updates certainly won't be as few and far between as they have been lately, but make sure you subscribe to The Orphan Review via RSS so you don't miss a single one!

Yours (sometimes),
c4

Stream Tapes n Tapes Walk it Off Now!

c4@orphanrecords.org (c4) — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 16:39:55 PDT

Tapes n Tapes Walk It Off isn't due for another couple dayss (April 8th, to be preceise) but you can hear it in its entirety on the mtvU website as of today. The band posted an alert in their myspace blog and I'm listening to it as I write this post, because

wanna see 'em live? THere are a lot of really good shows coming up but if you let tapes n tapes cruise through the LA area WITHOUT sinking your teeth into one of their thighs you'll regret it forever. The band is scheduled to appear on Conan O'Brien on April 9th, after which they head off on tour supported by Austin's White Denim. The tour won't stop in L.A. for a month after that, till they're at the Troubadour on May 8th and 9th.

Think you can wait that long??? At least Walk It Off comes out on April 8th. and like I said, you can listen to it NOW by clicking HERE.

Andrew Bird--Musician and Blogger, Extraordinaire

c4@orphanrecords.org (c4) — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 22:49:25 PDT

So Pitchfork told me that Andrew Bird is blogging for the New York Times now. What? You don't believe me? Alright, fine, maybe they didn't tell me, like, in person, but I did read it there which is pretty much the same thing. Duh.

ANYWYAYSSSS--

Being famous must be nice because you don't have to start small--you just get invited in to stuff that's already big. I'd probably be pissed if he were blogging ABOUT music for the NY Times, but since he's blogging about writing songs from a musician's point of view, it's totally forgivable. Cause in case you hadn't noticed, I'm pretty incapable of writing about music FOR musicians. In fact, I'm pretty incapable of writing about music for anyone other than people who don't know the first thing about the technical side of music. So it's cool. Bird's no competition.

EXCEPT FOR THE FACT THAT HIS WRITING IS POSITIVELY GRIPPING! Jeeze man. I totally wasn't interested in how to write a song, but go read his blog guys, seriously, cause remember how I said I wasn't interested? Well I am now. Taste the first paragraph:

In about a week I will load up my car with amplifiers and guitars and drive to Nashville to begin recording my next record. I don’t drive much anymore and I’m glad for that except that I used to write a lot while on the road. Solitude, boredom, and the desperate need to entertain oneself are ideal stimuli for songwriting.

Want more? Check out Andrew Bird's blog, Measure for Measure, on nytimes.com

RTX, Tweak Bird, and Blow Up Blow: Saturday at The Prospector

c4@orphanrecords.org (c4) — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 16:20:44 PDT

LA Record presents:

ex members of royal trux...
RTX (MP3: Black Bananas)
TWEAK BIRD (MP3: White Lips)
BLOWUPBLOW (MP3: Lost All Control)

Saturday, 3/29 at The Prospector
2400 E. 7th St.
Long Beach, CA 90804
(S/E corner of Junipero & 7th St.)
$5 // 21+ with I.D.

Better Late Than Never: Mariee Sioux - Faces in the Rocks

c4@orphanrecords.org (c4) — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 09:06:15 PDT

Mariee Sioux's debut LP came out last year and got a lot less hype than it deserved. Released by Grass Roots Record Co., it is a spiritual, poetic, and musically un-ordinary journey into the mind of the young Native American from California. Guest musicians on Faces in the Rocks include grammy-nominated, Native American flutist Gentle Thunder, and Sioux's father Gary Sobonya on mandolin. The Nevada City native recorded her debut LP "with the intent of aligning the magnificence of the human voice with the universe’s creative energy". She has toured with the likes of Brightblack Morning Light, and is currently on tour with Alela Diane. A single from the debut LP, 'Two Tongues at One Time,' was recently released rare 7” vinyl and is referred to as "a sonnet-filled homage to the ancestors who traversed the wild lands of America hundreds of years ago." The song is guilty of "reminding listeners of our vital ties to our past."

Download it here:
[MP3] Mariee Sioux - Two Tongues At One Time
[MP3] Mariee Sioux - Wizard Flurry Home

but make sure to buy it here.

Orphan Recommends: Basia Bulat Daytrotter Session [mp3]

c4@orphanrecords.org (c4) — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 02:27:04 PDT

Keeping with the current trend of really spectacular, folk-esque, female musicians (Alela Diane, Marie Sioux, Fascinoma) The Orphan Review brings you a new favorite. Miss Basia Bulat is Ontario's own warbling nightingale, whose debut LP Oh, My Darling! was released in the U.S. through Rough Trade U.S.A. on February 5th of this year. It's an extremely musical recording totally packed with strings, and the Motown/Stax/Beatles/Beach Boys influenced composer is vocally reminiscent of a classier Kate Nash (my apologies for the trite comparison). Anyway, Basia Bulat is getting set to tour with Devotchka on their post-Coachella U.S. trek, which will unfortunately not stop in Los Angeles. Better luck next time, I guess. But it's kind of okay, because Bulat has (quite recently) recorded a session with (what might just be Orphan's favorite website ever, for obvious reasons) Daytrotter dot com. That the entire world can download for free. So that totally makes up for us Los Angelenos NOT getting a live taste of Basia Bulat. Right? And this video of Basia performing 'Snakes and Ladders' live in Brussels helps too huh? Pshhhtyah, right. Sorry dudes, but it's all I got.

FREE DOWNLOADS:
Transliterator - Devotchka

From the Daytrotter session:
Untitled - Basia Bulat
The Pilgriming Vine - Basia Bulat

Check out the rest of Basia's Daytrotter session here...

Enter The Hot Chip Triathalon to Win Tickets to See Them in NYC!

c4@orphanrecords.org (c4) — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 16:13:59 PDT

Assuming some of you don't know: Hot Chip are those British electro kids that brought you that poppin little dance track, called 'Ready for the Floor,' that came out back in January and has been remixed by everyone under the sun (to the point where some of you probably haven't even heard the original version. Fix that now--you can listen and read).

Listen to // Download - 'Ready for the Floor'

Why it bears mentioning: I heard the song on the radio last night and realized how good it is--I even put it on a mix CD I made for a dude who listens mainly to metal. I TOTALLY love it. This morning I went to add it to my myspace profile, and what I found on Hot Chip's myspace page is quite frankly the best internet marketing campaign for an indie artist, ever. It was all aimed at promoting the album that was just released on February 12th, Made In The Dark. The major is now on a[n extremely well designed] Facebook App that hosts "The Hot Chip Triathalon." At midnight on March 31st, the winner of this trilogy of memory games will be whoever holds the highest score in the Facebook App. The prize: 2 round trip tickets to see the band in NYC on April 12th (airfare, hotels, etc.--but London to New York only--outlanders are ineligible). The fact that there are only 37 active users means that if you happen to be reading this and you live in the UK you really DO have a fighting chance.

The campaign also includes an official Hot Chip YouTube page and a link to download the new album's title track for free. You have to fill out a form first, but that form is actually your entry to win all formats of the album and & new single “Ready For The Floor” (released January 28th 2008). Read the Terms and Conditions.

I know, it's a lot to digest. Just make sure you chew your food, and wait at least 30 minutes to go swimming after you eat.

Hot Chip rules.
The End.

Dear Portishead: I'm Sorry I Downloaded The New Album So Early

c4@orphanrecords.org (c4) — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 08:12:28 PDT

I was so overly excited to hear the new Portishead record, Third, which is scheduled for release on April 29th in the US, that I jumped the gun and figured out how to download the whole thing for free. Two weeks ago. I kinda feel like I ruined Christmas or something. BUT I JUST COULDN'T WAIT. And you know what? I wish I had, because I totally spoiled the surprise and made the entire thing utterly anti-climactic. I didn't get the chance to get stoked when the band made the first single off the album, Machine Gun, available for purchase/download through their website last night, and I didn't even bother to take a gander at the video until just now AND IT IS SO GOOD! Maybe the actual video isn't too amazing, but god damn this song is good. I've listened to the album several times but not until watching this video did ANY of it It make me feel like I was listening to Portishead in 10th grade again. Which is something stupidly sentimental and I won't even pretend that I can actually make any of you understand what I mean. (but does anyone know where the sample at the end of 'Western Eyes' comes from?)

Anyway, they're being real top-secret about all this, so go to the website and sign up so you can watch the video, buy the song, and and swoon over it all for yourself.

Steve Albini, Where the Hell Do You Think You're Going?

c4@orphanrecords.org (c4) — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 11:10:59 PDT

I'm just not sure if I say it enough. Actually, I'll take that back--I'm totally sure that I DO NOT say it enough--Steve Albini, I love you, I love Rapeman, I love Big Black, and I love Shellac. Seriously this man writes like the most bitter, petty, cathartic, and universally comprehensible lyrics I can think of. He thinks the same psychotic, homicidal thoughts that you do when you find out that your girlfriend has been sleeping with your sister, but he has the guts to say it--LOUD. Really fucking loud. Steve Albini writes like, the best, meanest, craziest, heaviest, TOUGHEST, bitter, angry, break-up music I can think of.

Example #1: Copper - This song is track 8 on 1998's Shellac release, Terraform. Once when I was pissed at this stupid kid (I'm not getting into it) I played this song on loop for like 5 hours. I think I even made a 7-minute-long pissed off video of me destroying the shit that he left at my house, and I KNOW I pissed off all 11 of my heroin-junkie roommates. But it wasn't my fault: I blame said behavior entirely on the one line from the song. But I blame my speedy emotional recovery on the same line: "Copper, you will never be gold." (read more lyrics)

Example #2: Big Black - Songs About Fucking - 03. Bad Penny--(what's with the copper motif?)--I remember this record from when I was like 16. It came out in like 1987 or something, but my parents weren't that cool--I was left to my own devices to fight off Barbara Streisand and Supertramp. I'll admit, it was hard, so I didn't hear Songs About Fucking for another 13 years. I like 'Bad Penny' for reasons I can't really say here--I can only direct you to watch the video, and if you don't understand after that just go read the lyrics. Sorry dudes, I promised the Orphan Powers That Be that I'd try to watch my language.

Example #3: Shellac - 1000 Hurts - 01. Prayer to God--The only thing I really need to say about this song is that it's scared the shit out of my ex boyfriend when I played it at full volume while he was at my house picking up his things. The video will do the rest of the talking.

So now that we've established Steve Albini pretty much owns at life, here's the kicker: Shellac is touring this year. STOKED. Punchline: check out WHERE they're touring. TOTALLY NOT STOKED. I'm gonna go throw something now.

03-25 Rio de Janiero, Brazil - Teatro Odisseia
03-26 Buenos Aires, Argentina - Niceto Club
03-27 Santiago, Chile - Galpôn Victor Jara
03-28 Porto Alagre, Brazil - Garagem hermetica
03-29 Sao Paulo, Brazil - Clash Club
04-01 Bauru, Brazil - SESC
04-02 Sorocaba, Brazil - SESC
05-02 Berlin, Germany - Maria um Ufer *
05-03 Dresden, Germany - Scheune *
05-04 Wroclaw, Poland - W-Z *
05-05 Prague, Czech Republic - Palace Akropolis *
05-06 Weis, Austria - Alter Schlachthof *
05-07 Vienna, Austria - Szene Wien *
05-08 Ljubljana, Slovenia - Gala Hala *
05-09 Zagreb, Croatia - Zedno Uho *
05-13 Skopje, Macedonia - Club Castro *
06-07 Paris, France - Villette Sonique

Make Out Parties, Rollerskates, and the Homecoming Game: THE TEENAGERS

c4@orphanrecords.org (c4) — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 20:37:02 PDT

Nothing reeks of high school more than day-glo graffiti, awkward make-out parties, football games, boys obsessed with fornicating, cheerleaders, rollerskates, and the Fresh Prince of Bel Air. Nothing, that is, except for maybe the Teenagers MySpace page. The visuals included in this post are really only a tiny fraction of the serious gems that make up ~~the collage I used to have inside my locker~~ that treasure trove of all things pre-mature ejaculation. I hope the only reason it took me more than a minute to realize that these 3, certainly-over-25-year-old men CAN NOT BE SERIOUS, is that I didn't get much sleep last night. Truth is, their brand of 90's inspired synth-pop (sounds gross, I know...) is quirky--it's like a mock boy-band that does it WAY better than the real thing. They are talented dudes with a serious sense of humor so convincing that it probably goes unnoticed.

The Teenagers 'Homecoming'

(how fitting is it that they got famous on myspace????)

It's positively undeniable: these dudes are hilarious. Normally I wouldn't host a download for a song that came out as a single like two days ago, but The Teenagers offer a pretty good incentive to make the purchase. They released three different versions of the single, each version on a different color 7 inch vinyl: red, white, and blue (all super limited editions, of course, and rought five bucks each). The 7 inches feature 4 different versions of the title track (feat. tepr and delorean remixes as well as a cover by soko) and two B-sides ('Trouble' and 'Tiger'). Safe to say they've made it well worth the purchase (which can be made here), so I've got no qualms with offering up the MP3 to the loyal readers of the Orphan Review.

Download: The Teenagers - Love No (MP3)

Album Review: Tapes 'n Tapes - Walk It Off

c4@orphanrecords.org (c4) — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 20:39:48 PDT

The sophomore release of Minneapolis quartet Tapes 'n Tapes isn't a departure from the style established in 2006 by their debut release, The Loon. Apart from the not-so-subtle similarities in the cover art, the two releases are musically quite akin. Actually, it seems like the foursome intended Walk It Off to be more than just a second album, but a more relaxed continuation of its angsty and neurotic (and slightly Violent Femmes-esque) predecessor. Unfortunately, only the seasoned Tapes 'n Tapes listener will be able to fully appreciate (or despise) what the band has done with the upcoming release. The songs are crisp and catchy, with drums so clean they almost sound electronic. Walk It Off gallops ever-so-steadily from the first beat to the last, and when it's over, the absence of sound is discomforting.

Downloads:
The Loon - 01. Just Drums
Walk It Off - 01. Le Ruse

Want the rest? You can buy it on April 8th, when Walk It Off is released on XL Recordings, or pre-order it today from INsound.

Photos: Leslie Hall and Michael Mangia @ the echoplex!

c4@orphanrecords.org (c4) — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 10:51:06 PDT

Sorry dudes, but The Orphan Review will not be posting a review of Friday's Leslie & the LY's show at the echoplex. I'm sure it it was terrific and all, but Michael was so busy preparing for this week's SXSW festival in Austin (if you see him around say hello!), that I didn't even get a chance to ask him for one. Luckily he added some photos from the March 7th show to his myspace before he went to mess with Texas. Check it:

Miss Hall workin' it on-stage at the echoplex!

Michael Mangia with Leslie Hall (in the flesh!!)

Michael, Leslie, & a friend

Orphan Recommends: Don't Miss These Shows, Los Angeles

c4@orphanrecords.org (c4) — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 17:03:55 PST

TONIGHT, March 7th

@ the troubadour:
The Virgins
Delta Spirit
Port O'Brien
at the Troubadour TONIGHT. Get there early because Port O'Brien plays first and they are worth it.
buy tickets here.

@ the echoplex:
if you're not into the whole folk thing, go see Leslie and the LY's in echo park. If you miss it, check here next week for a review of the show.

@ ground zero (USC):
The Dodos
w/The Ohsees
FREE and ALL AGES, 7pm

The Dodos are great. I'm not going to the show tonight because I live way too far away, but I'm gonna see them...

@ Silverlake Lounge TOMORROW, Rock Insider and LA Record present:
The Dodos & Crystal Antlers, with The Ohsees & Unnatural Helpers. Early show; Doors at 4PM, $5 before 6PM and 8$ after.

There you have it. Now you can't blame me if your weekend sucks.

Breeder's Digest: New Single 'Bang On' and Los Angeles Tour Dates

c4@orphanrecords.org (c4) — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 13:44:33 PST

Alrigiht, I'll admit it. I've been lagging. I haven't been giving you ANY news, and now you're totally out of the current musical loop. I'm sorry. But if you haven't been lagging, then you've already had the chance to hear the new single from the Breeders, Bang On. And maybe you think it's really weird and un-breeders-like, and a sort of half assed attempt at a comeback, but maybe you've downloaded it already anyway. If you have, it's also possible that you know that the SEVERLY over-priced coachella ticket isn't the only place you can see them this year:

Because of the fact that all of this was news to me this morning when I woke up and (finally) decided to renew my subscription to the human race, I'm gonna pretend like it's news to you this afternooon. You are welcome.

Download:
The Breeders - Bang On (MP3)

What the Folk? The Fleet Foxes release Sun Giant EP

c4@orphanrecords.org (c4) — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 14:34:43 PST

I like it when new music is good. I'm sure you do, too. So naturally, imma be pretty into the Fleet Foxes. And I bet you will be, too. Because I've been in hiding for a while, it's entirely possible that this band is old news, but I'm gonna take my chances and say that you probably HAVEN'T heard them yet. So get on it.

(and let me know if you agree with me, cause contrary to how it may seem, I AM interested in your opinion.)

Anyway, their EP, Sun Giant, is out on Sub Pop and it reminds me of like, Cease to Begin era Band of Horses (which I could just call 'current' Band of Horses) mixed with Black Mountain and the Manson Family. Only, without girl singers and less weird. Does that make sense? You can buy it from insound for like 6 bucks by clicking here.

The five piece hails from Seattle, WA and are playing at SXSW a bunch. Check their myspace for specific details, and if you're lucky enough to be attending that spectacle, make sure you do not miss them. For serious.

Fleet Foxes.
Sun Giant.
Learn it.
Know it.
Download it.
Or something to that effect kthxbai.

Rickie Lee and the Jones

c4@orphanrecords.org (c4) — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 23:13:23 PST

It was fun seeing Rickie Lee Jones last night. Last night I left the warm/suffocating nexus of my domicile and ventured out to Echoplex to get laid (just kidding). She was 1/2 way into her set, singing to a roomful of people seated just to see her do her thing. At first she was hard to see -- camouflaged by the video projections and piano -- but her voice came out like the twisted trumpet it is. A weird swan. It was quite good to hear that voice. You know it's famous going in -- I heard it at the top of the stairs of the Echo and knew it was her. It's distinct --no question -- but what makes it? That it has a right to exist, to sound tight and nasal, and still feel everything. You can hear the insides of her nostrils rubbing together and somehow it's. . .soulful.

My favorite part of the show was just seeing how her body ("There's enough of me to be a gang.") worked to conjure up sound. . .Arms flapping, fingers flying, hair tossing, wise cracking.

As another journalist might quip (not I) --more of you to love, Rickie, more of you to love (for the record - this is the best answer to anyone complaining of self-fat).

But in summary.

Orphan Grade: Yum Burger

See the Robots Walk

c4@orphanrecords.org (c4) — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 13:29:53 PST

Last weekend I paid almost $30 to see the Hives play at Portland’s Roseland Theater.

In retrospect, I'm pretty certain I paid $30 to watch a troupe of cyborgs pretending to be an overtly enthusiastic mod-rock band.

Sweden now rivals Japan in robot production.

The high kicks were all too high, the amp climbing too calculated. The whole spectacle seemed meticulously choreographed, though oddly enough not a single Hive so much as broke a sweat. A shame too, because they each wore adorable black-and-white kerchiefs tucked into the breast pockets of their black-and-white blazers. Obviously for show, as everyone knows droids are incapable of producing humanoid secretions.

Hand securely clamped on hip, frontman Howlin' Pelle Almqvist sashayed across the stage like a RuPaul/Mick Jagger hybrid. He is the amalgam of wild flamboyance and cavalier machismo.

Also, he reminds me of Martin Short in Father of the Bride.

The other, less notable Hives are decidedly uninteresting. The only exception is chiseled drummer Chris Dangerous, who appears to have potential for candidacy on a Real World/Road Rules challenge. The remaining Hives are rudimentary figures behind Almqvist, occasionally mustering a spin or half-hearted karate kick. Mostly, they are going through the motions before heading back to Babylon 5 or wherever it is that robots live when they aren't on tour.

While the Hives certainly put on a rock show, it is a gimmicky one. Their “spontaneous” stage antics are a bit contrived and largely theatrical. Look for them in Vegas, 2020.

- Written by Kate Nacy

Brand new, unreleased, unmastered Sparrow House track!

c4@orphanrecords.org (c4) — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 14:27:28 PST

If you EVER read The Orphan Review, you know about my obsession with Jared Van Fleet (Voxtrot)'s solo project, Sparrow House. The first E.P. released under that name, Falls (2006) was totally out of this word and I am pleased to announce that a follow up is on the way. The artist writes,

"thanks to corduroy (every last thursday of the month at cake shop) for inviting me to play. i'll be playing a short set there this thursday around 11:30.

thanks also to everyone that has written and asked about new songs. i'm sorry, i've been digging a hole. television snow next winter. i'm too sick of it now. branches will be next, sooner than i thought.

here is a song for the way spring moves in, if you'd like to download it. turn up your ipod, it's not mastered.

new york is cold but i like where i'm living... see you soon

jared"

and you listen to it here.

Don't you remember you told me you loved me, baby?

c4@orphanrecords.org (c4) — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 16:01:22 PST

I was on my way from one sad affair to another sad affair and the radio, which I've made a habit of listening to lately, managed to provide me with the perfect soundtrack. It was a Sonic Youth cover of the Carpenters song 'Superstar', which I guess comes up in that movie Juno, which I haven't seen, and until today, I hadn't even heard the song. It's awesome. Download it.

Sonic Youth - Superstar (MP3)

I guess there was a Carpenter's tribute album that came out in 1994 and this track is from it; which means I am like 14 years late on this one. Shocking.

Whatever. The video is pretty sweet, too:

Sonic Youth - Superstar
Uploaded by Sonic-Youth

Crystal Antlers van got jacked, and here's your chance to help 'em out.

c4@orphanrecords.org (c4) — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 15:09:28 PST

Crystal Antlers‘ van was stolen outside a show they played in Long Beach last week. Shit deal, huh? It gets worse: all of their gear was inside. These are the nicest, most hard-working rock n roll dudes, and this is just devastating news. Instant karma’s gonna get that bitch. In the meantime, be on the lookout for:

a White Ford Econoline E-150 w/ Lime Green curtains in the back windows (may be taken down already) and ladder racks.
w/ the PLATE NUMBER: 7U15238, with a license plate holder that says : “It’s not easy being Puerto Rican!”

Please, please, contact us, if you know anything, or send a message to the Crystal Antlers' myspace account, or just call one of your friends and someone will be able to get ahold of these guys.

Anyway, here's a list of the equipment that was jacked:

-73′ Telecaster Bass/ light yellow with red tortoise shell pickguard (tone knob broken off & repaired, exposed wood on back, single neck pickup) w/ case
-63′ Danelectro shorthorn/ Black with white pickguard (single neck pickup, missing tone knob) w/ gigbag
-99′ Fender Stratocastor/ light yellow with white pickguard w/ case
-60’s AceTone Fenix Organ/ Blue-Grey
-60’s Farfisa Mini-Compact Organ/ Grey
-68 Fender Bassman 4×12 Cabinet
-Late 60’s Fender Bassman 100 Head
-70′ Fender Twin Reverb
-60’s Jordan 1×15 combo amp
-2 boom cymbal stands, bongo stand, snare stand, high hat stand
-60’s Pearl Drumkit (kick, floor tom, rack tom, snare) Yellow & Brown stripey wraps 20″kick
-60’s Maestro Echoplex
-Boss Tuner pedals (2), Tube Screamer, Vox wah, Danelectro Echo, Ibanez Echo
-Pearl Kick Pedal (in case)
-Bongos/ assorted Percussion shit
-Ride Cymbals (2) High hats w/ bag

a benefit show is being held at the que sera tonight, february 13th, where a portion of the door sales will go to the Crystal Antlers:

Holy Fuck: Way to make lemonade, dudes.

c4@orphanrecords.org (c4) — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 11:20:02 PST

M.I.A. and her paper plane bullshit kinda pisses me off.
Holy Fuck would probably bug me too, but know this: together, M.I.A. and Holy Fuck become something kinda good.

Thanks for switching it up, guys.

That's all I'm gonna say about it because I'm way too tired to give you anything more than this. Deal with it.

Download (MP3)
M.I.A. - Paper Planes (Holy Fuck Remix)

Piss on me once, shame on you. Piss on me twice...

c4@orphanrecords.org (c4) — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 06:53:42 PDT

Black Lips live at the WOW Hall, 2.06.08

The standard congregation, moist with sweat and fervently sparking Parliament Lights, stands outside the Wow Hall excitedly discussing puke and piss. Or more appropriately, the lack of puke and piss. Despite the trace of endorphins lingering after a mosh-friendly show, most attendees can’t disguise a bit of disappointment at having missed a four-man sword fight.

My friend Jeremy takes a stab at the mechanics of pissing in one’s own mouth. “Morning wood is the only way to get that kind of arch,” he proposes.

The Black Lips aren’t about piss, really. An unrivaled reputation for rowdiness helped catapult the Atlanta foursome to notoriety, but the Black Lips aren’t going to be your monkey. And they certainly won’t piss just because you want to see them do it.

The Black Lips and their brand of [insert adjective] punk are refreshingly legitimate. Charming, even. Their latest album, Good Bad Not Evil (VICE Records), features genre melding at its finest. Garage punk is layered skillfully with elements of country and psychedlica, Motown and surf rock, even a touch of Southern voodoo.

Standing at the base of the stage, I watch the small crowd come unhinged as the band rips through rambunctious tracks, bouncing in systematic unison. They launch into the spooky “Off the Block” and someone’s entire face is blindly planted in the small of my back. Within the sweaty crowd, masses of skin and sweatshirt heave backward and forward in waves both erratic and systemized, sometimes with the unified goal of knocking a microphone loose or launching a skinny kid onstage. Devil horns are emphatically thrust toward the heavens, and occasionally someone loses control of a beverage, sending its contents spilling across the stage.

Mid-set the lights are cut and the stage backdrop becomes a magnified psychedelic Petri dish. Singer/bassist/mustache cultivator Jared Swilley raises his fingers above his head, palms forward, and prompts the audience to wiggle jazz hands at the sky. It looks as if a Grease II rehearsal is being conducted in a crack alley.

People who come to watch the Black Lips have come to partake in a chaotic free-for-all, even if they have to create one for themselves. The crowd shares a persistent sense of urgency: a need to digest everything about the band and their music immediately, because soon it will be over and they will be gone.

Weirdly enough, I walk out of the venue clean and dry. If piss lingers on me somewhere, it’s from having to hover behind a plastic shower curtain in the tiny venue’s bathroom.

-Written by Kate Nacy

Why I never have to go to another show for the rest of my life: Tuesday at the Troubadour

c4@orphanrecords.org (c4) — Fri, 08 Feb 2008 11:37:45 PST

Holy crap. I mean, seriously, WHEN DID BLACK MOUNTAIN GET SO FREAKING GOOD? I've seen them before. Twice, actually, and THEY WERE NOT EVEN CLOSE to as good as they were on Tuesday night at the Troubadour. I've listened to both of their records over and over and over again--they're both good records, but nothing in the world could have prepared me for such a f**king amazing performance. See, I smoke a lot of cigarettes. It's gross, actually. I mention this only because I find it amazing that I didn't want to step outside even once during the show for fear that I would miss something totally sweet. I was completely blown away by the dense cloud of avant-prog (yet somehow still folky and melodic) sound that filled the whole place, and I seriously feel that if I could replay it in my head over and over I would never have to see another band play again for as long as I live--and I'm not the only person who feels this way. The crowd (mostly made up of my very drunk friends) was totally insane, the venue was totally awesome (the Troubadour is WAY better once you're over 21 and you don't try to show the bouncer a fake ID that he takes away after calling the cops on you), and the sound quality was totally impeccable. Basically, the night exceeded every expectation I had and all the ones I didn't have, too. But contrary to singer/guitarist Stephen McBean's on-stage comment, I will still probably make fun of Canada sometimes.

I'm through gushing. Here's the only video I could find for you on YouTube. It sucks. Watch it anyway:

Canadian Wolf Packs Attack! WE ARE WOLVES Totally Owns Long Beach

c4@orphanrecords.org (c4) — Fri, 08 Feb 2008 11:09:47 PST

Monday night was a good night in Long Beach. M for Montreal put on an excellent show at The Prospector, bringing together an eclectic mix of music that included Montreal's best band of the year, We Are Wolves, and 2 local bands, Sparro w Love Crew and Repeater.

We are Wolves isn't merely a 'post-punk' outfit, and to call them such would cut them short; to label them 'dance' or 'pop' would be to neglect their stellar ability to drone; to call them 'noise-rock' would draw more attention to the serious volume they can produce and avert much needed focus from their intensely musical sound. So how can I describe the 3-piece? Their sound is at once unique and predictable, and this contradiction is created by the convergence of a digitized new-wave drum beat and some seriously analog, punk rock rhythms played by a drummer who stands up the whole time. This rhythm section, backed by synthesizers, high end basslines, and harsh vocals allow the music of We are Wolves to span an unfathomable spectrum of sound. To be blunt: it's like nothing you've heard before, Los Angeles, and they freaking rock.

Fun fact: The keyboard player, Vincent, says that his favorite show that the band played in the Long Beach area was with 60 Watt Kid at Koo's Art Center. This really happened, it was on Sunday, and I can't believe I wasn't there.

What's with Montreal and wolves, anyway? AIDS Wolf, Wolf Parade and We are Wolves are a wolf pack ready to attack. More and more Canadian bands are gaining international hype, especially with the help of organizations like M for Montreal, who put together a showcase of bands from Montreal for international music delegates on the hunt for export-ready talent.

Enough about Canada. Let's talk locally--Sparrow Love Crew. They just wrapped up a residency at the Detroit bar in Costa Mesa, and at Monday's show SLC had some trouble with the sound--a fairly typical situation at the prospector--but being the bad-asses that they are, the group was able to pull it together for a pretty decent set. They are definitely worth checking out, so FYI: Sparrow Love Crew will play at the Vault 350. The event's called LEtS BE FRiENDS, it's on Saturday March 1st, and performers include: ON BLAST, Look Daggers, Pop Noir and Repeater will also be playing the event.

--Contributed by Jeff Phifer
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Thanks again to Jeff Phifer for another awesome review, and to the Fever Dragon, Mr. Kehni Davis, for the kick ass visuals. Oh and click here for more photos of the show at the Prospector.

In the waiting room: Vampire Weekend @ Amoeba Hollywood

c4@orphanrecords.org (c4) — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 07:40:01 PST

I went to Amoeba on Monday evening to see Vampire Weekend but only made it as far as the elevator lobby/entry way (just above the downstairs parking lot). I stood there for like an hour and went through every flier in those racks. All I got was a free Dead Meadow poster (whose new record came out yesterday) and a bunch of rave fliers that seemed real cool at the time. They're on the floor in my car now. I may not have seen the show, but I did hear a little bit of it, and now I understand why my friend would refer to Vampire Weekend as "like, 5th wave ska." Here's what I, and probably you, missed: