pacificlectic : concert reviews & eclectic music news

No word on when this will hit the US market, but Italian band Guano Padano is releasing their 2nd album, 2, on March 13, 2012 (today!).  It doesn’t show up in the US Amazon store (yet), but the whole album is streaming on Rolling Stone Italy.  The track “Prairie Fire” features Mike Patton on vocals…

~Dan – np: John Zorn & Bobby Previte – Euclid’s Nightmare

Sufjan Stevens is set to release his first set of new music since 2010’s The Age of Adz with a new project titled s/s/s. The project also includes Son Lux and the rapper Serengeti. The group’s four-track EP, which is titled Beak & Claw, is set for a March 20 release through Anticon.  (It’s available for pre-order on vinyl now.)

The six-minute track ”Museum Day” features Sufjan singing Auto-Tuned lines alongside rap verses from Serengeti.

The EP features vocal contributions from Shara Worden of My Brightest Diamond on “If This Is Real“, while Doseone from Subtle & Themselves appears on the closer, “Octomom.”  Stevens and Serengeti collaborated in 2009 on a track for the Dark Was the Night compilation.

Beak & Claw Tracklist
1. Museum Day
2. Beyond Any Doubt
3. If This Is Real
4. Octomom

~Dan – np: John Zorn – From Silence to Sorcery

Chali 2Na, the quick-witted baritone from on-hiatus rap group Jurassic 5, has five “genre-bending” EPs in the hopper to release throughout 2012 as part of his new project called Against the Current.  Check the trailer and press release below:

With his distinctive and widely beloved baritone voice, Chali 2na has established himself not only as one of hip-hop’s preeminent and charismatic personalities, but has also garnered renowned praise as a highly respected artist across a myriad of mediums. Today, he has announced his latest project, Against The Current, a 5 EP installment that will be released throughout 2012. Breathing new life into his musical history, the project’s sound is heavily influenced by his history; from the blues music he was raised on and the hip-hop he produced as a member of Jurassic 5, to the urban-Latin music he created with Ozomatli and his love for performing live. Each EP will be a fusion of these experiences, and also include Chali’s trademark spitfire rhymes. A trailer for Against The Current, featuring snippets from the project’s first single and title-track, has been released today, and can be viewed here.

Fans can catch a preview of Against The Current this winter as Chali will be hitting the road for a nationwide tour (full routing below). Kicking off February 9th in Oakland, CA, the tour will encompass nearly 30 dates before wrapping in Austin, TX for a series of showcases at this years’ SXSW Music and Film Conference.

More details on Against The Current will be revealed in the coming weeks!

Chali 2Na 2012 Winter Tour

• February 9, 2012 Oakland, CA The New Parish
• February 10, 2012 Santa Cruz, CA Moe’s Alley
• February 11, 2012 Reno, NV Cargo
• February 12, 2012 Boise, ID The Reef
• February 14, 2012 Portland, OR Crystal Ballroom – Lola’s Room
• February 15, 2012 Victoria, BC Club 9one9
• February 16, 2012 Tofino, BC Tofino Legion
• February 17, 2012 Cumberland, BC Waverly Hotel – The Bridge
• February 18, 2012 Vancouver, BC The Rio Theatre
• February 20, 2012 Whistler, BC Garibaldi Lift Co.
• February 22, 2012 Nelson, BC Hume Hotel – Spirit Bar
• February 23, 2012 Fernie, BC The Northern
• February 24, 2012 Golden, BC Rockwater Bar & Grill
• February 25, 2012 Calgary, AB Hifi Club
• February 27, 2012 Ketchum, ID Whiskey Jacques
• February 28, 2012 Victor, ID Knotty Pine
• March 1, 2012 Bozeman, MT Zebra Cocktail Lounge
• March 2, 2012 Missoula, MT Top Hat
• March 4, 2012 Avon, CO The Snowball Festival
• March 6, 2012 Kansas City, MO Riot Room
• March 7, 2012 St. Louis, MO 2720
• March 8, 2012 Indianapolis, IN The Vogue
• March 9, 2012 Kallamazoo, MI Bell’s Brewery
• March 10, 2012 Chicago, IL Bottom Lounge
• March 12, 2012 Asheville, NC Asheville Music Hall
• March 13, 2012 Nashville, TN Exit In
• March 14, 2012 Knoxville, TN Cider House
• March 16 & 17, 2012 Austin, TX SXSW *Shows to be announced soon!
  Be sure to visit www.Chali2na.com/shows for the latest additions!

New music from a rap master.  Sign me up.  I won’t be hitting his tour this time, but I caught him at WOW Hall in Eugene last fall (where the photo at the top of this post was from)… knock out great show!

~Dan – np: John Zorn – Film Works XVIII: The Treatment

From Sufjan to Opeth… yeah, that’s how I roll.  Here’s “The Devil’s Orchard” (opens in new window):

It’s from Opeth’s upcoming album, Heritage, out in Sept 20th on Roadrunner.

~Dan – np: Opeth – Heritage

British knockoff rock act Coldplay have announced an Every Teardrop Is A Waterfall digital EP, featuring two more brand new tracks “Major Minus” and “Moving To Mars.”

The digital EP comes out Sunday (6/26).  It also comes out on CD and 7″ vinyl on Monday (UK) and Tuesday (US).  The title track is already available (see Amazon for sound sample).

If Chris Martin releases a video of him dancing by himself in an alley, well… you know where he got the idea.

Sorry, I hate to be negative (or do I?).  I just have very little patience for Coldplay.

~Dan – np: Basya Schechter – Queen’s Dominion

Celldweller’s 4th installment of Wish Upon A Blackstar comes out June 28th.  The artwork was just released yesterday… dark and fiery like the last three issues (1-2-3), and the first to show Klayton/Celldweller on the cover.  More details about its release when pre-ordering goes live.

The 5th installment should hit in late 2011.  Two years in the making.  Slow and steady must be Klayton’s motto.

~Dan – np: Radiohead – In Rainbows

Some new collaborative pieces from Sufjan Stevens and cellist/experimental music Gaspar Claus have shown up on an official.fm artist site.

Sufjan meets Gaspar

Click the song names for streaming mp3s of the electronic meets cello of “Romance Cave,” the noisy experimentation of ”Invalid Skin,” and the rain & electronic monstrosity that is ”Alien Vs Predator.”

~Dan - np: Mogwai – Hardcore Will Never Die,  But You Will

New music from Celldweller hits iTunes exclusively today…

Cellout EP 01 features 3 studio versions of songs taken from the Celldweller live show.

~Dan – np: Mourning Widows – Mourning Widows

My Brightest Diamond / Shara Worden has some new collaborations in the hopper…

• “I’m On Fire” is a duet that Shara recorded with Chris James of the band Stateless for their new album, Matilda, due out on February 21, 2011 in Europe on Ninja Tune.

• Colin Stetson’s forthcoming album, New History Warfare Vol.2: Judges, will be released February 22, 2011 on Constellation Records.  Shara is featured on 2 tracks: “Lord I Just Can’t Keep From Crying Sometimes” and “Fear of the Unknown and the Blazing Sun” (which also features Laurie Anderson)

• Murat Eyuboglu has produced a multimedia release entitled Letters to Distant Cities, which features poetry recitation and a song by Shara. New Amsterdam Records will be releasing it March 29, 2011.

She’s also has a few dates coming up, too…

My Brightest Diamond 2011 TOUR

• 01/27/11 New York City The Allen Room *
• 01/28/11 Milford, CT Daniel Street ~
• 01/30/11 Ithaca, NY Castaway’s %
• 01/31/11 Rochester, NY Bug Jar %
• 02/01/11 Cleveland, OH Beachland Tavern %
• 02/03/11 Holland, MI Knickerbocker ~
• 02/04/11 Chicago Lincoln Hall ~
• 02/05/11 Madison, WI Der Rathskeller ~
• 05/04/11 – 05/05/11 Minneapolis, MN Southern Theater +

* Shara, Drums, bass & yMusic
~ Rock Trio formation
% Shara performing solo
+ Shara & yMusic (co-bill with Sarah Kirkland Snider’s Penelope)

I’m soooo tempted to hit the Minneapolis dates… closest they’re getting to me.  I guess I’ll wait / hope they fill in a PacNW date or two in between February & May…

~Dan – np: No-Man – Housewives Hooked on Heroin EP

One of my favorite EPs of 2009 was Anakronic Electro Orkestra‘s The Yiddish Part.  My only complaint with the EP?  It was too short.  Well, in mid-November 2010, unbeknown to me at the time, they came out with their debut full-length Speak With Ghosts.  It’s digital only at this stage, with Amazon’s mp3 Download department being the best choice (which I found out after I bought it on iTunes).  Anyway, well worth the coin spent!

AEO hail from Toulouse, France, and crank out a mighty fine mixture of drum & bass mixed with Eastern European-fused klezmer.  Their new album is a 40+ minute shuffle through a modern klezmer forest – including one song featuring David Krakaeur (another favorite musician of mine).  I think AEO is also great for fans of Beats Antique and Balkan Beat Box.

I just downloaded Speak With Ghosts, and it’s definitely vying for a favorite in 2010.  See, this is why it’s so hard to put these lists out.  December 26th, and I have a new one pop on to the list. :)

For more info… http://www.anakronic.com/

~Dan – np: Anakronic Electro Orkestra – Speak With Ghosts

Texas rock family The DuPrees (aka Eisley) are finally free from the grasp of Warner… and their long-awaited third studio album finally has a name, cover art and release date.  Behold, The Valley…

(out March 1, 2011)

Free download of “Ambulance” over at http://www.eisley.com/…

~Dan – np: Dave Holland Octet – Pathways 

As reported on Antiquiet…

Last Sunday, singer/songwriter Michelle Branch gushed on Twitter that she had heard a couple of new Fiona Apple songs. Verdict? “Amazing.”

This Modern Drummer article on Charley Drayton mentions that his current projects include “playing, co-producing, and mixing Fiona Apple’s upcoming record, scheduled to be released in the spring of 2011.”

The last new music we’ve heard from Apple was this cover of Cy Coleman’s Why Try To Change Me Now released last year.  She released two songs on that soundtrack.

~Dan – np: Puscifer – Sounds Into Blood Into Wine

no free mp3 or flac download torrent here.  if you like music, support it by buying it!

So, announced and released today, August 20th… Sufjan Stevens‘ All Delighted People EP…

http://sufjanstevens.bandcamp.com/

1. All Delighted People (Original Version) 11:38
2. Enchanting Ghost 03:39
3. Heirloom 02:55
4. From The Mouth Of Gabriel 04:03
5. The Owl And The Tanager 06:38
6. All Delighted People (Classic Rock Version) 08:07
7. Arnika 05:13
8. Djohariah 17:02

A near hour-long “EP”… yippie… also from Asthmatic Kitty:

The EP, All Delighted People, is built around two different versions of Sufjan’s long-form epic ballad “All Delighted People,” a dramatic homage to the Apocalypse, existential ennui, and Paul Simon’s “Sounds of Silence.” Sounds delightful, yes! The song was originally workshopped (oh we hate making workshop a verb, but time is money!) on Sufjan’s previous tour in the fall of 2009. Other songs on the EP include the 17-minute guitar jam-for-single-mothers “Djohariah,” and the gothic piano ballad “The Owl and the Tanager,” a live-show mainstay (and Debbie Downer if you ask us; what’s it doing on a “Delighted” EP?). If you don’t have five dollars, you can stream the EP for free right on Bandcamp. Or if you’re into tactile sensations, we are making All Delighted People available on single-CD and double-LP formats later in 2010 (we’re aiming for December, fingers crossed). 180-gram vinyl.

~Dan – np: Masada – Live at Tonic 2001

no free mp3 download or flac torrent here ever.  if you like music, support it.  buy it.

Reblogged from Antiquiet

It’s always a good day when a new song from Maynard James Keenan arrives, whether through Tool, A Perfect Circle or his most shits-and-giggles collaborative project, Puscifer.

This time around it’s the latter headlining a song that should be familiar to us all – Elton John’s ode to orbital loneliness, ”Rocket Man”…

Officially credited to Puscifer & Steven Drozd (Flaming Lips’ lead guitarist) and dubbed Rocket Mantastic, the cover is a beautiful rendition of the 1972 classic. While the song appeared on Puscifer setlists last year – including the Los Angeles Nokia show we attended – the recording is attached to Christopher Pomerenke’s cheap music documentary The Heart Is A Drum Machine, in which Keenan appears for roughly 15 seconds – staring at the camera and not saying a word. You’re certainly not missing out if you haven’t seen the film; it’s poorly made and difficult to sit through. What’s more – the song’s not even in the damn thing.  But now you have it, here and autoplaying on Puscifer.com.

In more Maynard news, not only is Tool working on a new album, but [Antiquiet] recently got the scoop on new activity with A Perfect Circle as well. Songwriter Billy Howerdel and vocalist Maynard James Keenan are once again working together as A Perfect Circle, and new music from the beloved group is on the way.

The possibilities of a full album and tour are both still very much in the air. However, Howerdel told [Antiquiet] on the record that [A Perfect Circle are] working on “something” that should be out this year.

~Dan – np: George Hrab – Trebuchet

Two new digital releases showed up yesterday (thanks to Facebook status updates from both gents), both related and both excellent…

Wally Farkas, guitarist of the late great Galactic Cowboys, is putting the final touches on his debut solo album.  He’s released the single “Better Than Before” from his forthcoming debut, Past Due (due later this year).  This self-penned track shows just one side of what will be a diverse debut album. Also included is the song “Loving Kind,” which was originally recorded by the Peter Green-era of the original Fleetwood Mac and written by one of their brilliant and extremely overlooked guitarists, Danny Kirwan.  On these tracks… Wally Farkas – Vocals/Guitar, Ty Tabor (King’s X) – Guitar, Alan Doss (Galactic Cowboys) – Bass, and Darwin Keys (Pushmonkey) – Drums. It’s available on 320 kbps mp3 at Molken Music for only $2.50.

And while you’re there at Molken… Ty Tabor, of King’s X and many side projects, just put out a five-song EP from the upcoming Trip Magnet release.  This is a different side of Ty Tabor…somewhere between Xenuphobe (his ambient project with Wally Farkas) and his regular rockin’ studio/solo albums. For a melancholy trip into freakatude, check out Ty’s seventh solo release. An unusual outing for Ty Tabor, this release contains over fourteen minutes of instrumental music, as well as some Ty’s rock vocal numbers.  Ty Tabor – Vocals, Guitars, Bass and Randy St. John – Drums.  It’s available on 320 kbps mp3 at Molken Music for $7.99.

For just slightly over $10… some great new music!

~Dan – np: Ty Tabor – Trip Magnet EP

Excellent SXSW 2010 coverage of Holy Fuck from the Baeble Music stage (one of their many showcases)…

performance / interview

Get their latest record, Latin… out yesterday (May 11th, 2010) on Young Turks / XL…

~Dan – np: Holy Fuck – Latin

So, I usually don’t do album reviews, but I get tons of music; so I figured I’d do little snippet reviews once a month or so… here are some recent jazz CDs I got recently. All of them were pretty darn fabulous…

The Dreamers – Masada Book Two, Book of Angels, Volume 14: Ipos (Mar 2010) The Dreamers sextet is made up of Cyro Baptista, Joey Baron, Trevor Dunn, Marc Ribot, Jamie Saft, and Kenny Wollesen and it quite frankly one of John Zorn’s most accessible bands.  They weave in and out of some new Masada compositions.  Highly enjoyable and easily drinkable with enough complexities to keep you coming back to the well!
http://www.myspace.com/zornroz

John Zorn – In Search of the Miraculous (Feb 2010) This album was inspired by “esoteric spiritual practices, white magic, ritual, traditional myths and ancient legends.”  This album is a great adventure, and as a plus is performed by the soothing Alhambra Trio (who had a great, evocative album out in late 2009) joined by special guests Kenny Wollesen, Carol Emanuel, and Shanir Blumenkranz.
http://www.myspace.com/johnzorn

Jamie Saft - A Bag of Shells (Mar 2010) This soundtrack album is for the four films Murderball, God Grew Tired of Us, Dear Talula, and Brooklyn Exile.  It jumps all over the place, starting with the harder edged “Murderball” title track to many different styles – some background music and some that catch your ears and take them for a ride.
http://www.myspace.com/jamiesaft

Haftor Medbøe - A Box of Monkeys EP (Jan 2010) My only complaint about this EP is that… it’s too short. Haftor Medboe bridges the gap from contemporary jazz to electronic, and while I’m usually not fond of vocals in my jazz music, the Björk-like vocals from guest singer Anneke Kampman are a superb match.  This guitar-driven EP has a great mix of electronics and traditional jazz instrumentation (sax & trombone).
http://www.haftormedboegroup.net/

Loose Grip – Looking Glass (Apr 2010) This guitar and tenor sax infused contemporary jazz band is led by drummer Chris Wallace.  I dig this record a lot… great for fans of Chris Potter and Joe Lovano on the sax angle, great for fans of the guitar jazz like John Scofield, etc.  It’s a well made record, that I’m sure will get many more spins from me this year.
http://www.cdbaby.com/Artist/LooseGrip

VW Brothers – Muziek (Feb 2010) The Van Wageningen Brothers have played with many immense talents in the jazz world (anyone heard of Stan Getz?).  Finally on their own… they captured some great sounds on their band-leading debut album. From the funk of “You Guys Done Yet?” to the South American flavor of “Benito” and “Zapatos de Madera” to the Miles Davis cover “Milestones,” the VW Brothers don’t disappoint – check it out now!!
http://www.vwbrothers.com/

Chris Tedesco – Living the Dream (late 2009) Partially recorded with a big band and partially with a 32-piece studio orchestra, Living the Dream grabs for the 1960s jazz gusto led by Chris’s wonderful trumpet work.  This is a definite record to pick up if you dig the swinging big band style.  The album also features singer Tony Galla on a handful of tracks.
http://www.christedesco.com/

The Ullmann Swell 4 – News? No News! (early 2010) German reed-man Gebhard Ullmann and New York free-jazz trombonist Steve Swell trade off writing duties and collaborate to bring some great free-jazz improvisations as well as some concise, beautiful compositions to our ears.  There is definitely a noticeable juxtaposition between the four songs from each leader and the 2 collaborative pieces.  While the album isn’t cohesive, it’s not really intended as such.  With that being said, it is definitely an enjoyable spin for my ears.
http://www.gebhard-ullmann.com/
http://www.steveswell.com/

More by late April/early May…

~Dan – np: Sevendust – Alpha

So, I usually don’t do album reviews, but I get tons of music; so I figured I’d do little snippet reviews once a month or so… here are some recent jazz CDs I got recently. All of them were pretty darn fabulous…

Mycale – Masada Book Two, Book of Angels, Volume 13 (Jan 2010) I’m a BIG fan of the Masada Book Two series.  John Zorn’s post prolific book of music was for the Masada quartet… until he had a spurt of writing material and wrote 300+ songs for the Masada Book Two series.  Each year, 3 or 4 different artists release albums on Tzadik covering Zorn’s MB2 series (Secret Chiefs 3 and Medeski Martin & Wood have been my faves thus far).  This Mycale group is the first vocal group, and I was skeptical how it’d turn out.  Well, it turned out fantastic.  It features vocalizations by Ayelet Rose Gottlieb (Israeli singer), Sofia Rei Koutsovitis (jazz vocalist), Basya Schecter (of Pharoah’s Daughter), and Malika Zarra (Moroccan-French singer).  I am a fan!!  My favorite track is “Moloch.”
http://www.myspace.com/mycalevocalgroup

Yuka Honda – Heart Chamber Phantoms (Jan 2010) Yuka Honda puts out great music – whether it be with Cibo Mato, Sean Lennon, or downtown NYC jazz musicians.  This is her third CD in Tzadik’s Oracles series.  It’s a breath of fresh air.  Experimental yet poppy.  She keeps making enjoyably melodic music that punches the envelope in the mouth.  Give “Hydrosphere” a listen.  I hope it’s sooner than 5 more years until her next solo record.
http://www.myspace.com/yukahonda

Mark Feldman & Sylvia Courvoisier - Oblivia (Jan 2010) The duo of Feldman-Courvoisier is a familial one in the Tzadik catalog.  I always know I’ll like it.  While I can’t say that Oblivia is much different than their past releases, it is an enjoyable listen.  My favorite track is “Messiaenesque.”
http://www.myspace.com/sylviecourvoisier
http://www.myspace.com/markfeldmanviolin

Satoko Fujii & Natsuki Tamura – 4 records: Ma-Do’s Desert Ship / Zakopane / Gato Libre’s Shiro / First Meeting’s Cut the Rope (late 2009/early 2010) I’ve been a fan for Satoko Fujii’s for a while.  Her 2009 duo album Minamo with violinist Carla Kihlstedt (or Two Foot Yard & Sleepytime Gorilla Museum) was excellent.  For these four CDs, she teamed up with trumpeter Natsuki Tamura (with whom she has collaborated in the past).  Cut the Rope is a bit more experimental and improvisational (fave song is the title track). Desert Ship is an acoustic quartet jazz album (fave song is the title track and “February – Locomotive – February”). Zakopane features a larger orchestra led by Satoko (fave songs “Tropical Fish” and “Desert Ship”).  The Gato Libre album Shiro features a more subdued accordion and guitar alongside Tamura’s trumpet (fave song “Memory of Journey”).  All four of these records are great works in modern jazz, and Desert Ship has a great chance of making my 2010 favorites list.  These aren’t listed on Amazon yet, but they can be obtained from Downtown Music Gallery (my favorite jazz store, by far).
http://www.myspace.com/satokofujii
http://www.myspace.com/natsukitamura

Salvatore Bonafede Trio – Sicilian Opening (late 2009) This album is quite enjoyable, from start to finish.  Salvatore’s piano work is masterful, and the drums and upright bass bounce around nicely.  Sal has worked with Lester Bowie, John Scofield, Joe Lovano, Dave Douglas and more (and his musical chops show it).  He threw in a couple Beatles covers and a gospel number amongst a great album of original jazz numbers.  My favorite track is the opening title track, but the entire album moves really well from speakers to your ears.
http://www.myspace.com/salvatorebonafede

Peppe Merolla – Stick With Me (Feb 2010) So… drummers as band leaders.  I was skeptical, but I don’t know why.  Joey Baron’s done it nicely. Bobby Previte does it consistently well. George Hrab, while not in the jazz world, puts together a great band.  Paul Motian is legendary.  Art Blakey – do I even need to go into Art Blakey?  OK, Peppe Merolla… he’s in good company of being a great jazz drummer bandleader.  His smokin’ sextet is full of horns – which definitely adds to the appeal for me – sax, trombone, trumpet, piano, bass, and drums.  The album swings through its hard bop edges.  This is a great jazz album – plain and simple.
http://www.myspace.com/merollapeppe

More by late March/early April: including VW Brothers, Chris Tedesco, The Ullmann Swell 4, Loose Grip, Ron Miles, and February & March releases from Tzadik Records…

~Dan – np: Opeth – Blackwater Park