Archive
ha’fway 2012
Happy 236th birthday, United States!
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
So, here are my faves of the first half of 2012… and outside of the Top 5, it’s all kind of random order on how I feel today… it’s all bound to switch around by year’s end (click album art for sound samples):
Artist – Album (style)
- OSI – Fire Make Thunder (glitch prog)
- Fiona Apple – The Idler Wheel Is Wiser Than the Driver of the Screw and Whipping Cords Will Serve You More Than Ropes Will Ever Do (jazzy pop)
- Peter Mulvey – The Good Stuff (indie songwriter playing standards with a band)
- Damien Jurado – Maraqopa (indie rock)
- Celldweller – Wish Upon A Blackstar (electronica)
- Sigur Rós – Valtari (ambient icelandic)
- Emily Wells – Mama (chamber hip-pop)
- Floratone – Floratone II (jazz)
- s/s/s (Sufjan Stevens, Son Lux, Serengeti) – Beak & Claw -EP- (interesting)
- Storm Corrosion (Steven Wilson & Mikael Akerfeldt) – Storm Corrosion (ethereal proggy departure)
- John Zorn – The Gnostic Preludes (jazzy experimental)
- John Zorn’s Moonchild Trio (Mike Patton, Trevor Dunn & Joey Baron) with John Medeski – Templars (noise rock)
- Earth – Angels of Darkness, Demons of Light 2 (drone)
- The Chance Brothers – Growing Concern (indie rock)
- Regina Spektor – What We Saw From the Cheap Seats (pop)
- Ani DiFranco – Which Side Are You On? (folk pop songwriter)
- Buckethead – Electric Sea (gentler instrumental guitar)
- Bad Veins – The Mess We’ve Made (indie rock)
- Cosa Brava (Fred Frith, Carla Kihlstedt, etc) – The Letter (rootsy jazz adventure)
- David Krakauer plays Masada Book Two – Book of Angels, Vol. 18 (Pruflas) (klezmer jazz)
I didn’t get a few that already came out this year (yet) and whatever “et cetera” that the cool kids are listening to these days; but they may make it to the list at the end of the year.
The 2nd half of 2012 promises to bring some potential great ones, too… a few more from John Zorn, Mike Patton & Luciano Berio’s Laborintus II, Ben Folds Five’s reunion studio album, Ric Hordinski’s Arthurs Garden (physical CD, though the download came out a bit ago), the Dusted debut from Holy Fuck’s Brian Borcherdt, Erin McKeown’s kickstarter, and I’ve heard rumors of a new Nellie McKay disc for the Fall.
Favorite concerts of 2012 (so far):
- Penn & Teller and Cirque’s Zumanity in Las Vegas, Jan 18th & 20th
- Secret Chiefs 3 in Eugene & Portland, Feb 6th & 7th
- Nellie McKay’s I Want To Live! in Eugene & Portland, Mar 2nd & 4th
- Puscifer in Portland, Mar 14th
- Seun Kuti & the Egypt 80 in Eugene, Mar 18th
- Radiohead in Seattle, April 9th
- Roger Waters presents Pink Floyd’s The Wall in Portland, May 22nd
- Beck in Bend, May 27th
(click pictures below for review links)
~Dan – np: Celldweller – Wish Upon A Blackstar
My Brightest Diamond “High Low Middle” video (#OWS)
Perhaps the new music video for “High Low Middle” from My Brightest Diamond is an unofficial theme song for the Occupy Wall Street movement (albiet unintentional – as it was in the can long before #OWS)… directed by Murat Eyuboglu, filmed in Detroit and featuring dancers from RunJitRun and Jitting Jesus:
When you’re privileged you don’t even know you’re privileged
When you’re not, you know
When you’re happy you don’t even know you’re happy
When you’re not, you know
full lyrics (link)
Fellow Detroit musician Blue Stahli makes an appearance in the video. If he or (*gasp*) labelmate Celldweller remixed some MBD tunes, that would be RAD as HELL! Afternoon Update: Blue Stahli responded with a “Funny you should say that…” twitter reply. Nice!
More MBD Stuff:
- There’s a 9-10 minute session with Shara/MBD on NPR’s All Things Considered right HERE.
- Check out my 11/5 review of the MBD show at Mississippi Studios in Portland Oregon right HERE.
- I’d also highly recommend you pick up her latest album, All Things Will Unwind… it’s right HERE (and amazing).
~Dan – np: Medeski Scofield Martin & Wood – In Case the World Changes Its Mind
Celldweller – Wish Upon A Blackstar #4
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 
Groupees teaming up with Celldweller (72 hour sale for Alabama Tornado Relief)
Groupees, an “innovative new flash sale platform featuring digital media content from exciting independent artists,” announced yesterday that it will be launching its next promotion featuring Detroit’s electronic rock mastermind Celldweller…
Known worldwide for pioneering new sounds and methods for creating his tracks, Klayton (Celldweller) continues to generate music that resonates and relates to both fans and the entertainment industry worldwide.
The Celldweller 4-EP Bundle Groupee is slated to start Wednesday, May 4th at 9:00 am PST at http://bit.ly/celldwellr.
20% of all proceeds from the sale go directly to Red Cross to support US/Alabama Tornado Relief.
The campaign will run for 72 hours and is priced using Pay What You Want which allows fans to name their price with a minimum of $3 (products retail five times that). The Bundle packages together 4 EP’s, one of which has 4 never before released tracks:
- Wish Upon A Blackstar Chapter 03 of 05 is the latest installment of the Celldweller sophomore album, featuring the tracks “The Lucky One” & “Tainted”
- Cellout EP 01 featuring re-imagined versions of Celldweller songs as heard in the Celldweller live show. This EP debuted in iTunes as the #1 Electronic Album in 5 Countries, including the US as well as top #10 Electronic album in 12 countries.
- Soundtrack For The Voices In My Head Vol. 02 (Chapter 01) featuring instrumental tracks used in Film/Tv/Video Games
- Exclusive EP will feature a brand new, unreleased track from Soundtrack For The Voices In My Head Vol. 02 (Chapter 02), 3 unreleased Remixes as well as a rare/limited release of Klayton’s remix of the track “Shapeshifter.”
The Celldweller 4-EP Bundle also includes a special bonus collection if the promotion’s goal of $10,000 raised is met:
All participants will receive an unreleased ‘Beta Cessions’ B-Side Demo along with the unreleased Remix of the track “The Lucky One”. At the close of the campaign, the #1 top donor will receive an additional bonus Unreleased Demo that will be exclusively theirs until we officially release the track at a later date.
Who is Groupees? Groupees, from Portland, Oregon, is a social media technology company. Their parent company, YAWMA, also operates a digital store and app for discovery and sharing of indie music and games through Facebook.
From Wednesday, May 4th, through Saturday, May 7th (9am PST/noon EST), dig in at:
~Dan – np: Steven Wilson – Insurgentes
Celldweller – Cellout EP 01
New music from Celldweller hits iTunes exclusively today…
Cellout EP 01 features 3 studio versions of songs taken from the Celldweller live show.
- Own Little World (Klayton’s We Will Never Die Remix)
- Frozen (Celldweller vs. Blue Stahli)
- The Best It’s Gonna Get vs. Tainted
Go here for Celldweller on iTunes!
~Dan – np: Mourning Widows – Mourning Widows
2011 anticipated albums
So, the year end recaps are in process (instrumental list maybe later today or Friday) … I needed something to fill the gap… here are some artists who are expecting to release new material in 2011 (some are carryovers from 2010’s anticipation), all of which I’m looking forward to…
Kevin Moore‘s Shine (digital out now, CDs en route), dredg has one due at the end of March, Over the Rhine‘s The Long Surrender, Earth‘s Angels of Darkness, Demons of Light 1 (in February), Iron & Wine‘s Kiss Each Other Clean, Mogwai‘s Hardcore Will Never Die But You Will, Reptet‘s At the Cabin, My Brightest Diamond‘s as of yet untitled (she’s in the studio), a bunch of new stuff from John Zorn, Derek Webb‘s Democracy Vol 2 (10 cover songs for 2011), maybe the Secret Chiefs 3 will finally release Book of Souls (it’s their “Chinese Democracy”), Eisley‘s The Valley, Jelly Jam with Ty Tabor of King’s X/John Myung of Dream Theater/Rod Morgenstein of Dixie Dregs, Goddamn Electric Bill‘s Jazz, A.N.M. featuring Doug Pinnick of King’s X and Jimi Hazel of 24-7 Spyz, Ken Andrew and Co’s Digital Noise Academy (maybe), Silverchair are working on one (didn’t hit in 2010), Radiohead have put in studio time in 2010 (maybe something out by year’s end), Glen Phillips likely has a few in the hopper (RemoteTreeChildren #2? new Toad? new WPA? new solo?), Opeth is in the studio, Steven Wilson with Mike Portnoy & Mikael Akerfeldt (of Opeth) too, Sufjan Stevens tribute album (due out in March), more chapters from Celldweller‘s Wish Upon a Blackstar, new tracks from Billy & Maynard’s A Perfect Circle, Mike Patton‘s electronic Fantômas or Peeping Tom #2, and… Ani DiFranco – I mean, it’s inevitable… right? Well, not always, she totally missed 2010 (as of now, no studio albums out in 821 days / 257 since a live EP on Record Store Day 2010).
Plus many more great albums due out in 2011, I’m sure.
~Dan – np: Kevin Smith – Red State of the Union (podcast)
Celldweller *Wish Upon a Blackstar* Chapter 3
The pre-order for Celldweller‘s Wish Upon a Blackstar: Chapter 3 went live yesterday. The third chapter (of five total) will feature the songs “The Lucky One” and “Tainted.”
Chapter 3 will be available for download in several bundles (including a deluxe edition for $4.99) on July 27th from Celldweller’s FiXT store. The deluxe edition features instrumentals, demos, and commentaries.
After all five chapters are released, I expect there will be a full-length album (and hopefully CD) issue.
~Dan – np: Chali 2Na – Fish Market Part 2
Celldweller *Soundtrack to the Voice in My Head Vol 2* Chapter 1
Celldweller‘s Soundtrack to the Voice in My Head – Volume 2: Chapter 1 went live yesterday. The first chapter (of an undisclosed total) features the songs “The Wings of Icarus,” “Pulsar,” “The Sentinel,” and the 20-minute “Adrift on Celestial Seas.”
Soundtracks Vol 2, Chapter 1 is available for download in several bundles (including a deluxe edition for $5.99) from Celldweller’s FiXT store. The deluxe edition features skads of Beta Cession snippets… After all chapters are released, I expect there will be a full-length album (and hopefully CD) issue.
~Dan – np: Isis – Pantopticon
Artists of the Decade – 2000s (#21 to 25)
So, I can’t / won’t do a Top XX Albums of the Decade… it’s probably more “can’t” than “won’t.” There are so many great albums from the past 10 years… but, what I can do is recount the artists that have been my chief form of musical pleasure for the past 10 years.
But first…
Artist of the Decade – Special Mention
Dweezil Zappa only had a couple albums in the 2000s, but he gets a special call out for carrying on Frank Zappa‘s music since 2006. Dweezil & Co have toured for the past three and a half plus years, playing Frank’s music in a new setting each year. I hope this continues. It’s a fantastic tour, every time I’ve seen it.
~*~*~*~*~
Artists of the Decade – Honorable Mentions
Tori Amos ~ In the 1990s, she ruled. I still love what she does, and she’s very important in the foundation of my musical interests. The fact that she’s still active with albums and touring all throughout the decade gets her an honorable mention.
Her best albums of the decade…
Celldweller ~ He’s only released one regular album in the entire decade… had he done more, he’d probably make the proper 25 list. Despite the one album, he has released a mostly instrumental soundtrack, a handful of internet-only singles and Eps and a skad of remix CDs and EPs. He’s been far from lazy. I look forward to the 2nd full length Celldweller release sometime in the 2010s.
His most excellent debut and instrumental “score” release…
Iron & Wine ~ I got into Iron & Wine mid-decade, but immediately fell in love with Sam’s flourishing vocals and interesting guitar work. He has a beautiful whispy voice, a penchant for storytelling, and a great eye for videos (prior to music, he taught film down in Florida, and the videos he’s produced for his band and other bands have been fantastic).
My favorite release of his this decade…
King’s X (and related solo & side projects) ~ Between the regular band albums, all three solo members’ albums, the side projects, the live albums, and the indie demo issues – there are probably close 30 releases in the 2000s. Prolificity abounds. This is one band that keeps on ticking, and for that, I am grateful.
A few gems from this decade…
Derek Webb ~ Creative and exploratory since leaving his first band, Caedmon’s Call, Derek continues to push the boundaries of what a singer-songwriter is supposed to do. His latest, Stockholm Syndrome, is a fantastic exit from the 2000s and entrance into the 2010s. Rumor is that he’s working on one (or multiple) Caedmon’s Call-related releases with his old band, too… should be interesting.
My faves from this decade…
~*~*~*~*~
Artists of the Decade
25 ~ Ben Folds (solo)
The Five were no longer at the turn of the decade / century / millennium, which left the name sake on his own. Ben Folds was one of the first to ditch the full length and rapidly release several EPs all in one year. He saw the writing on the wall for the eventual, slow death of the CD format… and his solo albums (all in the 2000s) were generally fantastic – yeah, they are always a few tunes on each one that are doozies. He ended the decade with a cute (and enjoyable) acappella tribute album to himself from various college singing clubs. I was skeptical, but once I got it, I was very pleased with the covers.
~*~*~
24 ~ Peter Mulvey
Peter Mulvey is one of my favorite singer-songwriters around. He’s a hard worker, touring all around from Alaska, the entire U.S. (including Alaska) and Europe. He’s put out more albums to count on two hands in the past 15 years. He started off the decade with the stunning The Trouble with Poets and ended the decade with the fantastic Letters from a Flying Machine. He’s a truly wonderful storyteller, and if he comes near your town… GO!
~*~*~
23 ~ Opeth
From singer-songwriter to Swedish death metal… roar! Opeth came along with the “getting into prog band Porcupine Tree” period of the decade for me (check in later for Porcupine Tree’s position). The string of three Opeth albums produced by PT’s Steven Wilson rank among the BEST metal out there… ranging from melodic rock to sweeping progressive movements to the in your face “cookie monster” vocals. The first in the series, Blackwater Park, may be my favorite metal album of all-time (sorry, Dave Mustaine, you’ve been trumped).
~*~*~
22 ~ dredg
I showed up early to a Coheed & Cambria show and was blown away by the opener… once I dug into dredg’s music, I really fell in love. They run a tight ship of well-crafted, melodic neo-progressive rock music. Gavin’s vocals and lyrics are a major selling point, too. Their latest album (The Pariah, The Parrot, The Delusion) is my favorite album of 2009 – hands down.
~*~*~
21 ~ Holy Fuck
Starting out as a more experimental “live electronic” noise-jazz band and evolving into a more groove-oriented electronic jam band, Holy Fuck shot up on my hot list quickly. Their 2nd full length is superb, and their live show is not to be missed. Raw energy, dual keyboards, groovy rhythm section, crazy film-reel instrumentation, and uncanny dance-ability. They’ve also embraced the vinyl comeback… score!
~*~*~
The rest of the decade recap to follow in the next few days… more musical variety awaits…
My Other Favorites of 2009 Recaps:
- Fave Concerts of ‘09 are recapped *HERE*
- Fave EPs/Vinyl/Live/more of ‘09 are recapped *HERE*
- Fave Vocal Albums ‘09 are recapped *HERE*
- Fave Instrumental Albums ’09 are *HERE*
- Old Years: 2008I, 2008V, 2008ep, 2008C, 2007V, 2007I, 2007C, 2006, 2005
~Dan – np: Charlie Hunter – Gentlemen, I Neglected To Inform You You Will Not Be Getting Paid
Oh, and for those who say that the decade ends at the end of 2010… meh. I’m starting with 0 and ending with 9 (like a LOT of people). Rationale: the 80s, the 90s… you don’t say the 80s went from 1/1/1981 to 12/31/1990 or the 90s from 1/1/1991 to 12/31/2000.
* Favorite EPs / Vinyl / Live Albums & more of 2009 *
This is sort of a precursor to my “official” Favorites of 2009 blogs. Up later this week, I’ll post my favorite vocal and favorite instrumental albums of 2009, as well as my favorite artists of the decade. Anyway, on with the music pimping…
Favorite EPs of 2009
- Celldweller – Wish Upon a Blackstar Chapters 1 & 2
- Emily Wells – Dirty
- Puscifer – C is For…
- Anakronic Electro-Orkestra – The Yiddish Part
- Eisley – Fire Kite
hm: Ellery – Down, Down, Down
hm: One Eskimo – Tour EP
Favorite Vinyl of 2009
- Symphony of Science featuring Carl Sagan – A Glorious Dawn 7″
(best song of the year, too) - Holy Fuck & Off the International Radar – Hot Lips 12″
(playable at 33 & 45) - Reptet – Agendacide 7″
(great jazz from Seattle) - Sufjan Stevens – The BQE special edition
(luscious packaging) - Melt Banana – initial t. 5″
Favorite DVDs of 2009 (I didn’t really get many)
- Michel Gondry – Videos 2
- Dollhouse: Season One
- Bill Maher’s Religulous
- Criss Angel – Mindfreak: Collector’s Edition
- Secret Chiefs 3 – Live at the Great American Music Hall 2007
Favorite Internet Only Releases of 2009
- Jenny Owen Youngs “Hot in Herre”
- Anakronic Electro-Orkestra – The Yiddish Part
- My Brightest Diamond – Shark Remixes
- Celldweller – Wish Upon a Blackstar Ch’s 1 & 2
- Eisley – Fire Kite EP
- Glen Phillips “Little Bunny Foo Foo”
- Talking Snakes – Nonogram Zen
- Puscifer – C is For…
- Ellery – Down, Down, Down
- Kim Taylor – Little Miracle
Favorite Live Albums of 2009
- Over the Rhine – Live from Nowhere, Volume 4 (’08 Reunion Taft show)
- Noctaluca – Unplugged
- Ani DiFranco – the Saratoga and Chicago shows
Favorite Audiobooks of 2009
- David Cross – I Drink for a Reason
- Richard Dawkins – The Greatest Show on Earth
- Ricky Gervais, Steve Merchant, and Karl Pilkington – The Guide to… (series)
Favorite Podcasts in 2009 (they’re free, yo! Search for them on iTunes)
- George Hrab – Geologic Podcast
- Keith Olbermann’s Countdown on MSNBC
- The Rachel Maddow Show on MSNBC
- Bill Maher‘s New Rules
- Kevin Smith & Scott Mosier – SModcast
- The Adam Carolla Podcast
- The Skeptics Guide to the Universe
Best Cover Art in 2009
- Celldweller – Wish Upon a Blackstar Chapter 1
- Nellie McKay – Normal As Blueberry Pie
- John Zorn – O’o (designed by Chippy)
Worst Cover Art: Tori Amos – Midwinter Graces
Best Packaging in 2009 (de-lux!)
- Sufjan Stevens – The BQE (gorgeous double-gatefold layout, super hero comic book, fun stuff)
- Porcupine Tree – The Incident (deluxe edition: sturdy hardback book with arty photos)
- Steven Wilson – Insurgentes (deluxe edition: sturdy hardback book with arty photos)
- Fanfarlo – Reservoir (deluxe edition: complete with a small board game)
- John Zorn – Femina (standard size, but nice clear slipcase and 52 page booklet. Tzadik has been kicking it up a notch!)
Favorite Local Releases in 2009 (PacNW represent)
- Douglas Detrick – The Turning Point (Eugene jazz)
- Hashem Assadullahi – The Strange Neighbor (Eugene jazz)
- I didn’t get jazz trio from Portland Trio Subtonic‘s CD yet… but soon…
Best Greatest Hits Releases of 2009
- Iron & Wine – Around the Well (tons of b-sides and new songs)
- Incubus – Monuments and Melodies (ditto)
Best Re-issues in 2009
- Radiohead – vinyl re-issues (I got the Drill EP on vinyl)
- Radiohead – Capital Special Collector’s Editions (2 CD + 1 DVD for their first 6 albums)
Best Surprise / Adaptation in 2009
- Despite the horrible cover art, Tori Amos‘ holiday album Midwinter Graces was quite delightful
Best Late-Getter in 2009 (something that came out before 2009)
- Ronin – Holon (from 2008)
Favorite iTunes iPhone Apps
- Lose It
- BeatMaker
- I Am T-Pain
- Veg Out (Around Me for Vegetarians)
- Veggie Passport (international translator specific to vegetarian concerns)
- Vegan Yum Yum (like Epicurious for veg only)
- Vegan Xpress (find veg items on national chains menus)
- Shop Saavy (bar-code scan and price shop)
- Dragon Dictation (speak an email or text message)
So, yeah, this was the catch-all post… check back tomorrow for the more traditional year end wrap-up festivities…
My Other Favorites of 2009 Recaps:
- Fave Concerts of ‘09 are recapped *HERE*
- Fave Vocal Albums ‘09 are coming soon
- Fave Instrumental of ‘09 are coming soon
- Fave Artists of the Decade are coming soon
- Old Years: 2008I, 2008V, 2008ep, 2008C, 2007V, 2007I, 2007C, 2006, 2005
~Dan – np: Mike Patton – Crank High Volume Soundtrack
Celldweller *Wish Upon a Blackstar* Chapter 2
The pre-order for Celldweller‘s Wish Upon a Blackstar: Chapter 2 went live yesterday. The second chapter (of five total) will feature the songs “The Best It’s Gonna Get” and “Eon.”
Chapter 2 will be available for download in several bundles (including a deluxe edition for $4.99) on December 8th from Celldweller’s FiXT store. The deluxe edition features a remix from chapter one, “So Long Sentiment” mixed by Toksin’s Anhedonia…
After all five chapters are released, I expect there will be a full-length album (and hopefully CD) issue.
~Dan – np: Celldweller – Wish Upon a Blackstar Ch 1 (coincidence, I swear)
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…
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
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
more OSI details
Well, the 3rd album from the Kevin Moore (Chroma Key) and Jim Matheos (Fates Warning) project O.S.I. (Office of Strategic Influence) now has a name, album art, a tracklist, and a release date. It features Porcupine Tree’s Gavin Harrison on the drums, and Mikael Åkerfeldt (OPETH) on “Stockholm.”
01. The Escape Artist
02. Terminal
03. False Start
04. We Come Undone
05. Radiologue
06. Be The Hero
07. Microburst Alert
08. Stockholm
09. Blood
It’s out on April 27 in Europe and May 19 in the U.S. via InsideOut Music.
From Blabbermouth: The creative process which produced “Blood” lasted more than a year. In their now familiar long-distance collaboration, Matheos sent his ideas via e-mail to Moore, who honed them to his own taste before mailing the results back to Matheos. At the end of the day, some pieces were sent back and forth countless times, while others, such as the pulsating metal track “Be The Hero”, required very little exchange. “When Jim sent me his tracks, I had a vocal idea right away,” Moore says of the song. “I think it all came together in a couple of days. I love when Jim sends really heavy ideas, and he doesn’t mind me chopping them up. It was fun to play around with the times signatures by editing, and adding a lot of Minimoog effects and unison lines.”
Unrelated sidenote, Celldweller‘s upcoming long-awaited sophomore album is called Wish Upon a Blackstar. Out… sometime later this year?
~Dan – np: U2 – No Line on the Horizon
Free Celldweller
I’ve been a fan of the musician currently known as Celldweller for, geez, who knows how many name changes… :-) Anyway, I thought I already posted a blog along these lines, but I s’pose I haven’t… perhaps I just dreamt it.
Celldweller‘s got a free demo track up on his Fixt Music imprint. Go Here for a free download demo version of “Birthright.” It’s from his upcoming album [1]…
Celldweller started as Brainchild in 1992 (or so), then went by Circle of Dust [2], worked with/produced other hard-industrial acts Argyle Park & Klank, then collaborated with (magician) Criss Angel with Angel Dust [3], then officially started going by Celldweller with his debut in 2003 (Celldweller was the moniker he formerly only used as producer).
His music is what I’d call melodic hard industrial. Very catchy, hooky, danceable, but with a definite edge. He’s totally indie (CDBaby artists represent!)… but regardless of no major label presence, if you’ve watched movie trailers in the past 5 years, you have heard his music (most notably on Spidey trailers).
Anyway, go download a free track. Also, check him out on the MySpaces.
Oh, and rarely can an artist write a song that’s so hooky that I don’t get sick of listening to 3.5+ hours of the same song (remixed)… the Take It & Break It, Volume 2 collection of “Frozen” is stunningly fresh [4] after 3 jam-packed CDs of the. same. song. :-)
~Dan – np: Circle of Dust – Disengage
[1]- 2008? 2009? 2010? No one knows… ;-)
[2]- Disengage is a fabulous record and very similar to Celldweller now, but maybe a touch darker…
[3]- Anyone else remember the Ricky Lake [5] appearance?
[4]- Or stuntingly fresh?
[5]- *shudder*
The 4 Elements (Mix CD)
Posty‘s Not-All-That-Quarterly Compilation
The 4 Elements
It’s thematic, obviously. Some of it is new music, yet most of it is just music I’ve always liked that seemed to fit the compilation’s schema. The liners are not completed, yet. Hell, a test pressing hasn’t even been completed; so the track order might change some. I’m just drumming up interest before I decide how much energy to expend… email me if interested. It’ll likely go out sometime in mid-to-late July ’06…
/ 
/ 
Music Shared without permission, but without ill-intent either, from these artists…
EARTH
1 – On “Avalanche” (from the album Shifting Skin )
2 – El Douje “Colision De Mundos” (from the album Worlds Collide )
3 – Celldweller “Own Little World” (from the album Celldweller )
4 – John Zorn “La Flor del Barrio” (from the album Music Romance, Vol. III: The Gift )
5 – Porcupine Tree “Collapse the Light into Earth” (from the album In Absentia )
SKY
6 – Tristeza “Stumble On Air” (from the album A Colores )
7 – Dredg “Ode to the Sun” (from the album Catch Without Arms )
8 – Pearl Jam “Thin Air” (from the album Binaural )
9 – The Tango Saloon “The Little Plane That Could” (from the album The Tango Saloon )
10 – Nick Drake “Pink Moon” (from the album Pink Moon )
WATER
11 – O.S.I. “Bigger Wave” (from the album Free )
12 – Au4 “An Ocean’s Measure of Sorrow” (from the album On: Audio )
13 – Chroma Key “Even the Waves” (from the album Dead Air For Radios )
14 – The Squirts “Lobster” (from the album Resquirted )
FIRE
15 – Tori Amos “Spark” (from the album From the Choirgirl Hotel )
16 – The Times “Laser Beams” (from the album Begin )
17 – Heatmiser (early Elliott Smith) “Flame!” (from the album Cop and Speeder )
18 – Fantômas “Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me” (from the album The Director’s Cut )
19 – Angeldust “Firestorm” (from the album System 3 )
Think of it as a stroll through a museum installation. The headsets are free this weekend.
And since we’re germophobes… um… go on and keep those there headphones…
~Dan – np: electric masada – john zorn’s 50th birthday month, vol. 4
Liner info, for those that care-o (fuzzy due to not having a proper Adobe P-Shop install on my new work laptop, had to do this via screencaps & MSPaint… oy…).
-Eyvind Kang
-Frank Zappa
Amazon.com mp3 downloads
Creative Commons
This blog and concert photos therein are licensed under a Creative Commons License. Available with Attribution for Non-Commercial, Non-Derivative Use.
pacificlectic : concert reviews & eclectic music news 