Archive
Sufjan Stevens reveals health problems
New info from Sufjan Stevens during his recent Toronto show…
“I probably shouldn’t go into the gory details of what I went through, but I will say that I did get very sick last year and had some serious health issues that were really confusing and mysterious and debilitating. For several months, I couldn’t really work and was forced to focus on my physicality and restoring myself. It took several months before I could even get back to working again and recording music…It was a virus I had that affected my nervous system and I no longer had control of my responses to circumstances and events…It was really bizarre.”
Read the rest over at Exclaim.
His Fall 2010 tour is underway now. One week until the Portland show… squeeee…
~Dan – np: Sufjan Stevens – The Age of Adz 
no free download of mp3 flac torrent on this site, ever. if you like music, support it. buy it.
Shara Worden & Sarah Kirkland Snider – Penelope
On October 18th, at (le) Poisson Rouge in NYC, Shara Worden (aka My Brightest Diamond) will be performing the music of Sarah Kirkland Snider backed by yMusic, a six piece chamber ensemble with violinist Rob Moose at the helm (who has played on MBD’s albums).
The album, entitled Penelope (which comes out on October 26th) is a 60-minute song cycle composed by Snider for Worden and the orchestral group, Signal, based on texts by playwright Ellen McLaughlin, derived from the music theater piece of the same name she and Snider wrote together in 2007-2008.
Here is a free taste: “This is What You’re Like” mp3
Penelope is up for pre-order on the Amazons…
The songs loosely tell a story: A woman’s husband appears at her door after an absence of 20 years, suffering from brain damage. A veteran of a modern war, he doesn’t know who he is and she doesn’t know who he’s become. While they wait together for his return to himself, she reads him Homer’s epic poem The Odyssey, and in the journey of that book, she finds a way into her former husband’s memory and the terror and trauma of war.
Oh, and sorta related to My Brightest Diamond… her labelhead, Sufjan Stevens‘ new album The Age of Adz comes out today, and it’s on special deal over at the Amazons. $3.99 for the download version (for a limited time).
But it’s also out on CD & vinyl, and you know those are better for your diet anyway. :)
~Dan – np: Holy Fuck – Latin
no free mp3 download or flac torrent ever. if you like music, support it by buying it
Sufjan’s AGE of ADZ (in its entirety)
The entire Sufjan Stevens‘ album The Age of Adz is streaming over at NPR until its release date (October 12th).
You can pre-order the record here: CD / VINYL / digital
~Dan – np: Sufjan Stevens – The Age of Adz
no free flac torrent of mp3 download here ever. if you like music, support it – buy it
Sufjan Stevens – The Age of Adz
Last week they announced the All Delighted People EP. And the week before the fall tour was announced. And today, Asthmatic Kitty announced the upcoming release of The Age of Adz (pronounced Odds), the first song-based full-length from Sufjan Stevens since 2005’s Illinois.
8/27 update: Preview of “I Walked” HERE.
http://asthmatickitty.com/the-age-of-adz
The Age of Adz tracklist
1. Futile Devices – 2:11
2. Too Much – 6:44
3. Age of Adz – 8:00
4. I Walked – 5:01 preview
5. Now That I’m Older – 4:56
6. Get Real Get Right – 5:10
7. Bad Communication – 2:24
8. Vesuvius – 5:26
9. All for Myself – 2:55
10. I Want To Be Well – 6:27
11. Impossible Soul – 25:35
The Age of Adz will drop on October 12th (CD, MP3) with a double-LP following on November 9th. For the next three weeks you can pre-order the CD or LP, and receive an MP3 download on September 28th, two weeks before the release date.
Per Asthmatic Kitty:
“It’s much too soon to cast descriptive lots, but we can say the new album sounds nothing like the All Delighted EP (although it shares similar themes of love, loss, and the apocalypse). Nor is this new album built around any conceptual underpinning (no odes to states, astrology, or urban expressways). We can say it shows an extensive use of electronics (banjos and acoustic guitars give way to drum machines and analog synthesizers), and an obsession with cosmic fantasies (space, heaven, aliens, love), to create an explicit pop-song extravaganza, augmented by heavy orchestration, and maybe even a few danceable moments. Enjoy Your Rabbit meets the BQE. But with songs. Verse, chorus, bridge, backbeat. Gated reverb. Space echo. Get your boogey on. The ‘Adz’ of the title loosely refers to the apocalyptic paintings of outsider artist Royal Robertson (1930-1997), whose work is used for the album cover, interior design, and as general inspiration for the tone of the album.”
Wow… 2010 is the Year of the Sufjan.
~Dan – np: John Zorn, Bill Frisell/Marc Ribot/Tim Sparks – Masada Guitars
no free mp3 download or flac torrent here ever. if you like music, support it. buy it.
Sufjan Stevens – All Delighted People
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.
Sufjan Stevens on Tour 2010
Sufjan Stevens, who has been on an extended touring hiatus as of late, is returning to the road in October / November 2010. A double scoop of dates, playing larger theatres. Pre-sale tickets go on-sale Tuesday, August 10th at 1pm EST (10am PST).
- Tuesday, 12 October – Metropolis Theater, Montreal QC
- Wednesday, 13 October – Massey Hall, Toronto ON
- Thursday, 14 October – Royal Oak Music Theater, Royal Oak MI
- Friday, 15 October – Chicago Theater, Chicago IL
- Saturday, 16 October – Orpheum Theater, Minneapolis MN
- Sunday, 17 October – Uptown Theater, Kansas City MO
- Tuesday, 19 October – The Long Center for the Performing Arts, Austin TX
- Wednesday, 20 October – McFarlin Memorial Auditorium, Dallas TX
- Friday, 22 October – Mesa Arts Center – Ikeda Theater, Mesa AZ
- Saturday, 23 October – The Wiltern, Los Angeles CA
- Tuesday, 26 October – The Paramount Theater, Oakland CA
- Thursday, 28 October – Orpheum Theater, Vancouver BC
- Friday, 29 October – Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, Portland OR
- Saturday, 30 October – The Paramount Theatre, Seattle WA
- Monday, 1 November – Kingsbury Hall, Salt Lake City UT
- Tuesday, 2 November – Paramount Theatre, Denver CO
- Thursday, 4 November – Hilbert Circle Theatre, Indianapolis IN
- Friday, 5 November – Bijou Theater, Knoxville TN
- Saturday, 6 November – The Tabernacle, Atlanta GA
- Sunday, 7 November – Thomas Wolfe Auditorium, Asheville NC
- Wednesday, 10 November – Kimmel Center, Philadelphia PA
- Thursday, 11 November – Orpheum Theatre, Boston MA
- Sunday, 14 November – Beacon Theatre, New York NY
- Monday, 15 November – Beacon Theatre, New York NY
His last record, The BQE (an instrumental affair dedicated to the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway), came out in October 2009… so perhaps this tour is a ramp -up for a new studio album? We can only hope.
~Dan – np: Masada – Sanhedrin
Fol Chen is “In Ruins”
Fol Chen sent director Chris Wilcha (This American Life Showtime series / The Target Shoots First) to Iceland to film amidst the volcanic dust from the erupting Eyjafjallajökull for their new music video, “In Ruins.”
Two Icelandic youth wander through an apocalyptic wasteland wearing masks just to breathe and see amidst the dust. “In Ruins” is from Fol Chen’s Part II: The New December. Director: Chris Wilcha // Producer: Petur Sigurdsson // Director of Photography: Tómas Örn Tómasson //Editor: Catherine Bull // Featuring: Gudfinnur Sveinsson & Elìn Elisabet Einarsdóttir
~Dan – np: Weird Al‘s NPR Tiny Desk Concert
Shedding Light on New Sufjan Stevens LP
From Exclaim.ca…
The National’s Bryce Dessner Sheds Light on New Sufjan Stevens LP
6/10/2010 By Ian Gormely
Sufjan Stevens’s Axl Rose-like recording pace is enough to get even casual fans wondering if the guy’s got another record in him following the triumph of 2005’s Illinois. In the five year’s since its release, he’s managed to produce an outtakes disc, an album of Christmas tunes and even a tribute to the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway. But he also admitted his 50 State project was just a promotional gimmick. And despite sneaking some new tracks into set lists last fall, in November he told Exclaim! that “I don’t really have as much faith in my work as I used to,” leaving a proper follow-up looking ever more doubtful.
Well, good news, kids: according to The National’s Bryce Dessner, Stevens is indeed hard at work on a new album and is currently recording in the band’s Brooklyn studio.
“We’ve played on some of the tracks and been listening to some of the stuff as he’s been working on it,” Dessner told Exclaim! in a recent interview.
Dessner, who described Stevens as “very solitary in what he does” and “one of my closest friends” didn’t want to reveal too much about the new as-yet-untitled Stevens album. But when asked if the new material sounded like Stevens’s older records, Dessner offered a resounding “no.”
“It’s going to be incredible,” he adds. “It’s going to probably blow people’s minds.”
I consider this to be most excellent news… any new Sufie on the horizon is a-OK with me.
~Dan – np: John Lennon – Acoustic
My Brightest Diamond with Blind Boys of Alabama
If you head over to the Asthmatic Kitty website, they have a streaming video of My Brightest Diamond (aka Shara Worden) singing “Jesus” with the Blind Boys of Alabama on Australian TV…
http://asthmatickitty.com/news.php?newsID=588
As you can see from the video, she’s about to pop… so, I guess the next project she has been working on is about to come out. I don’t know if the album… um… er… child is a boy or a girl, but here’s hoping it’s a healthy and happy baby diamond.
Other news snippet… Tori Amos is releasing a live DVD from her 2009 Artist’s Den performance in NYC. It’s available for pre-order via Barnes & Noble at this time… not elsewhere (yet).
~Dan – np: Imogen Heap – Ellipse
2010: The Year of the Zorn
As posted on Tzadik.com…
GREAT NEWS FOR ZORN FANS!
2010 will be a landmark year for John Zorn who promises 12 new CD releases-one every month! Included will be new music from The Dreamers, Moonchild and Alhambra, 3 new releases in Masada Book Two: Book of Angels series, a major new studio composition dedicated to the Korean-American writer Theresa Hak Kyung Cha, a classical release featuring his acclaimed violin concerto Contes des Fées, the DVD release of his opera with Richard Foreman ASTRONOME, a ripping improvised duo recording with Fred Frith and undoubtedly several surprises. Most of the recordings are already completed and the release schedule set, so keep your eyes and ears open and expect a new Zorn release every 4th Tuesday of the month in 2010!
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Also on the new album front… as discussed earlier, the My Brightest Diamond remix boxset (4 EPs on 2 CDs) is now up for pre-order. There are only going to be 1,500 sets pressed, signed and numbered by Shara Worden. Find out more HERE.
~Dan – np: Nellie McKay – Normal As Blueberry Pie
My Brightest Diamond Remix EP #4
As previously reported here, the fourth and final remix EP for My Brightest Diamond‘s A Thousand Shark’s Teeth will finally be coming out – set for January 26, 2010. It’s a remix EP by DM Stith and a “fancy box set” of all 4 EPs will also be coming out on Asthmatic Kitty at the same time. All four remixers being: Alfred Brown, Son Lux, Roberto C. Lange, and DM Stith.
The Shark Demos, a 1KST pre-order special, will be available for free download beginning December 12th as well…
http://www.mybrightestdiamond.com/
http://www.asthmatickitty.com/
UPDATE: Shark Remix boxset now available for pre-order: http://asthmatickitty.com/shark-remixes
~Dan – np: Godspeed You! Black Emperor – Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas to Heaven
Sufjan Steven’s “States a gimmick”
I think deep down, we all knew this was the case… here’s Sufjan Stevens from a recent Guardian article…
“I have no qualms about admitting [the Fifty States project]
was a promotional gimmick.”
Oh well… I’ve heard some of his new stuff, and it’s delightful. So, regardless of statehood, I’m looking forward to more Sufjan.
~Dan – np: Peter Mulvey – Letters from a Flying Machine
Music for Insomnia
I mentioned the Asthmatic Kitty Records‘ Library Catalog Music Series back here (yeah, buried amongst 8 other music stories). Anyway, 900X’s will likely not be my only multiple-spinnable one (sidenote: I just got the 900X album on vinyl… yay!).
Coming out in December are three more in the all-instrumental series…
- Lowell Brams: Music for Insomnia
- Yuuki Matthews: Music for Savage Tropical Imagery
- Roberto Carlos Lange: Music for Memory
Bryce Dessner (of The National) and Sufjan Stevens are all over the Lowell Brams: Music for Insomnia release. Find out more on the AK webpage.
PS– Aimee Mann at Portland’s Aladdin Theater tonight. Yay! Look for a review (and hopefully photos) later this week.
~Dan – np: Finger Eleven – Greyest of Blue Skies
New Sufjan Song / Swell Season Tour
I Guess I’m Floating have a new live-captured Sufjan Stevens song “There’s Too Much Love.” Snag the free mp3 here:
Sufjan Stevens – There’s Too Much Love {external link mp3}
Or watch the video here:
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The Swell Season, comprised of Glen Hansard from The Frames and Marketa Irglova, is releasing their new album, Strict Joy, on 9/29. They’ve got a U.S. Tour on the map. I got my Portland tickets in the mail the other day…
November 2009
1 – Milwaukee, Wisc. @ The Pabst
2 – Indianapolis, Ind. @ Clowes Memorial Hall
3 – Toronto, Ontario @ Massey Hall
4 – Montreal, Quebec @ L’Olympia de Montreal
6 – Boston, Mass. @ Berklee College of Music Performance Center
7 – Providence, R.I. @ Lupo’s Heartbreak Hotel
8 – Philadelphia, Pa. @ Merriam Theater
9 – Washington, D.C. @ 9:30 Club
12 – New Orleans, La. @ House of Blues
13 – Houston, Texas @ Warehouse Live
14 – Dallas, Texas @ Palladium
15 – Austin, Texas @ Paramount Theatre
17 – Mesa, Ariz. @ Mesa Arts Center
18 – Los Angeles, Calif. @ The Wiltern
20 – San Francisco, Calif. @ The Paramount
22 – Seattle, Wash. @ The Paramount
24 – Portland, Ore. @ Crystal Ballroom
25 – Vancouver, B.C. @ Centre in Vancouver for Performing Arts
27 – Boise, Idaho @ Egyptian Theatre
28 – Salt Lake City, Utah @ Jeanne Wagner Theatre
29 – Denver, Colo. @ Ogden Theatre
30 – Kansas City, Mo. @ Uptown Theater
December 2009
3 – Chicago, Ill. @ Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University
4 – St. Louis, Mo. @ The Pageant
5 – Minneapolis, Minn. @ State Theatre
~Dan – np: Failure – Fantastic Planet
Sufjan’s The BQE
So… I’ve heard the new CD from Sufjan Stevens, called The BQE. (Thanks Asthmatic Kitty for the pre-release download.) Wow. No vocals, but very much a Sufjan album, though. The instrumentation borders on classic Sufjan instrumentals from Illinoise and Michigan (specifically the flute trills) mixed with more conservative chamber music (piano, strings, horns, tympani, et al). It also jumps into a very Enjoy Your Rabbit moment with “Movement IV – Traffic Shock.”
AK DOWNLOAD: Sufjan Stevens – Movement VI–Isorhythmic Night Dance with Interchanges (FREE MP3)
The BQE tracklist
- Prelude on the Esplanade (2:56)
- Introductory Fanfare for the Hooper Heroes (1:07)
- Movement I–In the Countenance of Kings (5:19)
- Movement II–Sleeping Invader (4:34)
- Interlude I–Dream Sequence in Subi Circumnavigation (3:33)
- Movement III–Linear Tableau with Intersecting Surprise (4:09)
- Movement IV–Traffic Shock (3:24)
- Movement V–Self-Organizing Emergent Patterns (3:45)
- Interlude II–Subi Power Waltz (0:28)
- Interlude III–Invisible Accidents (0:54)
- Movement VI–Isorhythmic Night Dance with Interchanges (3:17)
- Movement VII (Finale)–The Emperor of Centrifuge (3:51)
- Postlude–Critical Mass (2:59)
I think it fits very well within Sufjan’s oeuvre. A fan of his instrumental tunes interspersed within his State’s records should truly enjoy The BQE. The limited edition, which is on order for me, has presumably a lush packaging with a full-color booklet accompanying the vinyl. I can’t wait to crack it open…
It’s available for pre-order from Amazon and Asthmatic Kitty (and other eTailers):
Amazon CD/DVD ~ LINK
Amazon limited edition vinyl ~ LINK
AKitty CD/DVD ~ LINK
AKitty limited edition vinyl ~ LINK
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And a complete side-note, Opeth frontman Mikael Åkerfeldt is planning releasing a Nick Drake-ish acoustic solo album (Blabbermouth link). Man, I love music. Seriously. Frank was right. It’s the best.
~Dan – np: Sufjan Stevens – The BQE
no free downloads or torrents here
Sufjan Stevens & Celldweller news
So, I’d have posted about this sooner (Monday), but I’m less enthused about it, as Sufjan Stevens is not making his way out of the East & Midwest… this were one of those times, I wish I lived in Cincinnati, as I’d hit 2-3 of these shows…
Oh, but wait, there’s a Portland date!!!
Damn… Portland, Maine… not Oregon… :(
Sufjan Stevens & Cryptacize Tourdates
(from Pollstar as of today)
- Mon 09/21/09 – Philadelphia, PA – Johnny Brenda’s
- Tue 09/22/09 – Philadelphia, PA – Johnny Brenda’s
- Wed 09/23/09 – Ithaca, NY – Castaways
- Thu 09/24/09 – Cleveland, OH – Beachland Ballroom & Tavern
- Fri 09/25/09 – Pontiac, MI – Pike Room
- Sat 09/26/09 – Champaign, IL – High Dive
- Sun 09/27/09 – Minneapolis, MN – The 400 Bar
- Mon 09/28/09 – Madison, WI – Majestic Theatre
- Tue 09/29/09 – Bloomington, IN – Buskirk-Chumley Theater
- Thu 10/01/09 – Toronto, ON – Lee’s Palace
- Fri 10/02/09 – Montreal, QC – Scene Cabaret
- Sat 10/03/09 – Portland, ME – Port City Music Hall
- Sun 10/04/09 – New York, NY – Bowery Ballroom
- Mon 10/05/09 – New York, NY – Bowery Ballroom
- Tue 10/06/09 – Brooklyn, NY – Music Hall Of Williamsburg
- Wed 10/07/09 – Brooklyn, NY – Music Hall Of Williamsburg
So, I guess some Sufjan activity is better than no Sufjan activity. Also, over on blackbookmag, they received a pre-release copy of Sufjan’s The BQE CD/DVD package…
It’s out on October 20th. It’s not available for pre-order… yet…
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So, the other news…
Information on Celldweller‘s next album, Wish Upon a Blackstar, is being leaked purposefully by Klayton himself. Here’s the album cover for Chapter 1…
Over on Klayton’s blog, you can listen to a streaming sample of “Hit Me.” I like the cover. It kinda of reminds me of this, though…
~Dan – np: Dream Theater – Master of Puppets
Sufjan Stevens – The BQE (Oct 20th)
Well, ask and ye shall receive…
The BQE – out 10/20/2009
Sufjan Stevens‘ has a new project coming out, The BQE. Nope, not a state… it’s a a cinematic suite inspired by the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway and the hula hoop. It’s due out on October 20, 2009, and will be available as a CD/DVD combo, a double gatefold vinyl with large scale booklet & black-and-white comic book, and a sold-separately color version of the comic book.
The assumed cover art (at top of blog) has a dreadful, tangled mass of a font… much like what I imagine driving on the BQE is like. :)
Sufjan performing the BQE suite at the Howard Gilman
Opera House in Brooklyn, 11/1/07 (theanimalshow)
View the cinematic trailer to the release here:
http://vimeo.com/5682252Read TONS more about The BQE over on the Asthmatic Kitty webpage:
http://asthmatickitty.com/the-bqe
I’ll post pre-order information on The BQE once it’s announced.
~Dan – np: Dave Douglas & Han Bennink – Serpentine
no free download or torrents available here
upcoming David Bazan & a Sufjan senior project
Pedro the Lion’s David Bazan is finally releasing his full-length debut. It’s not his first release under his own name. He had an EP out in 2006 (Fewer Moving Parts) and has released a few iTunes EPs/singles and some 7″ vinyl releases since Pedro the Lion’s last “band” record, Achilles Heel (in 2004). David’s album comes out September 1st (on Barsuk Records CD/LP/mp3)… it’s called Curse Your Branches…
1. Hard To Be
2. Bless This Mess
3. Please, Baby, Please
4. Curse Your Branches
5. Harmless Sparks
6. When We Fell
7. Lost My Shape
8. Bearing Witness
9. Heavy Breath
10. In Stitches
Keep your peepers here or on davidbazan.com for info as it shows up.
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Also, as reported on All Good Naysayers, student Jax de León did a senior graphic design project on Sufjan Stevens‘ 2005 album, Come On Feel the Illinoise, called Illinois: Visualizing Music.
Check out more about Illinois: Visualizing Music (link).
Speaking of Sufjan, Asthmatic Kitty is trying to call Osso’s upcoming album a Sufjan Stevens’ release. Ha!!! We’re on to you guys… come on, when is Suffie’s real next album coming out!? :)
OK, I know… Osso’s Run Rabbit Run album is a “real” album… and it’s gonna be rad as hell… but you know what I meant.
~Dan – np: Dave Douglas & Brass Ecstasy – On Stage: 6/18/09 (early set)
Osso::Rabbit
So, back in 2007, I had the pleasure of seeing the just-named Osso String Quartet‘s worldwide premiere of Sufjan Stevens‘ electronic album Enjoy Your Rabbit songs arranged for strings. That show at the MusicNow Festival 2007 (full festival review) was utterly fantastic. Since that time, the band has been busy, including being the backing band for My Brightest Diamond‘s wonderful A Thousand Shark’s Teeth album.
Two and a half years will have passed since the worldwide stringed Rabbit debut to finally see the release of Osso’s full length debut… Run Rabbit Run, out October 6th:
- Year of the Ox (arr. Michael Atkinson)
- Enjoy Your Rabbit (arr. Michael Atkinson)
- Year of the Monkey (arr. Michael Atkinson)
- Year of the Tiger (arr. Rob Moose)
- Year of the Dragon (arr. Nico Muhly)
- Year of the Snake (arr. Olivier Manchon)
- Year of the Horse (arr. Rob Moose)
- Year of the Sheep (arr. Maxim Moston)
- Year of the Rat (arr. Olivier Manchon)
- Year of the Rooster (arr. Gabriel Kahane)
- Year of the Dog (arr. Rob Moose)
- Year of the Boar (arr. Michael Atkinson)
- Year of Our Lord (arr. Michael Atkinson)
Pre-order not available, yet. More info here: http://asthmatickitty.com/run-rabbit-run
~Dan – np: Dengue Fever – Escape from Dragon House
PS- Sigur Ros’s Jonsi & Alex’s Riceboy Sleeps debut has the deluxe edition officially on pre-order on their webpage (see here for more info).
No free download or torrents available here.
tons of news
Nine Stories!
In this episode: The new Masada Quintet with special guest Joe Lovano, the Jenny Owen Youngs‘ video that I somehow missed, Nellie McKay‘s Election musical, Fanfarlo for $1, the deaths of JazzTimes & Jeff Hanson, the resurrection of Futurama, a new Wussy video, and Asthmatic Kitty’s most excellent Library Catalog Music Series…
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The new Masada Quintet with special guest Joe Lovano just came out for June on Tzadik Records. It’s the original Masada Quartet (John Zorn on alto sax, Dave Douglas on trumpet, Greg Cohen on bass & Joey Baron on drums) plus pianist Uri Caine… plus special guest tenor sax Joe Lovano. Holy cow!!! It’s the first official studio release from the Masada Quartet since 1999’s י [Yod] (or 2005 if you count the unreleased/rarities compilation Sanhedrin). This album is bound to be at the top of my “best of” list for 2009.
This video from Jenny Owen Youngs came out in September 2007. How did I miss it? It’s a brilliant singer-songwriter cover of rapper Nelly‘s “Hot in Herre” (so take off all your clothes). I bought the iTunes single… great stuff:
Nellie McKay is writing a musical based on the book/movie Election. Read more about it over on Brooklyn Vegan blog.
Fanfarlo just put on their debut album, Reservoir, for $1. Fanfarlo is a London-based band founded by Swedish musician Simon Balthazar. Nice textured indie pop… think Sigur Rós meets Sufjan Stevens. The album, in full, is available for only $1.00 until July 4th, 2009 at http://www.fanfarlo.com/.
The economy took another print-media victim. This time it’s the death (or “temporary suspension”) of JazzTimes magazine. The 38 year old magazine couldn’t maintain readership in the new era of online content. It’s a sad day, as it was a great magazine. I hope it’s able to come back later in some form or another under new ownership, as mentioned in the Howard Mandel article.
Whispy singer-songwriter Jeff Hanson died last Saturday (6/5) after an accidental fall on his cement-floored apartment in St. Paul, MN. Jeff was known for his feminine vocal style and songwriting/sound similar to late indie rocker Elliott Smith (who also died young). He had three great albums out on Kill Rock Stars. I hate to sound selfish, but I’m bummed I missed him when he recently came through Portland. We lost another one, far too young…
In “Oh Sweet, Futurama’s On” News, the resurrection of Futurama is eminent. Much like Family Guy, the popularity soared even after being originally canceled. Futurama had some straight-to-DVD movies recently, and it will return with new 26 episodes on Comedy Central in the winter 2010.
A favorite band of mine from Cincinnati, Wussy, has a new “acoustic from an RV” video of “Maglite.” They recently put out their 3rd full length album, and it lives up to the quality and momentum in their prior two albums (plus 1 EP). Check out the video and then check out the album at Shake It Records:
Asthmatic Kitty’s most excellent Library Catalog Music Series just came out. The naming of the series sounds… boring. However, it’s really great instrumental music. There are three issues thus far: 900X: Music for Lubbock 1980, Law of the Least Effort: Music for Measurements, and Casey Foubert/James McAlister: Music for Drums. My favorite is the 900X one. Really, really good electronic, post-rockiness. If you liked a more “sane” version of Sufjan Steven’s Enjoy Your Rabbit, I bet you’d like the LCMS. Check it out at Asthmatic Kitty Records.
~Dan – np: Fanfarlo – Reservoir
-Eyvind Kang
-Frank Zappa
Amazon.com mp3 downloads
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