More Offsite Art

SCOPE Miami is another art fair not officially affiliated with Art Basel but occurs at the same time. It is the 6th anniversary of this emerging art fair, and it has expanded in size and reach. Over 98 exhibitors from 22 countries, and a new artist designed 60,000 square foot pavilion in the Wynwood Art District near the Rubell Family Collection, the Margulies Collection, and other Miami galleries this is a definite place to check out. Many say this fair trumps the one at the Miami Beach convention center (but it's a matter of taste and money).
There is so much going on there, take a look at the schedule and see what interests you. DJ Spooky even leads a panel discussion.

Admission is $12 unless you have a Scope VIP card.

Another cool thing I forgot to mention are the shuttle buses running between various events. There is a shuttle running daily to the SCOPE pavilion from The Standard Miami Beach, the Raleigh Hotel and Art Basel Miami Beach (Miami Beach Convention Center).

SCOPE Miami
Roberto Clemente Park
101 NW 34th St
Wynwood Art District, Miami

Here is where Off the Radar comes in....

On Thursday off-site from the fair, is the Scope Opening Party @ Opium Garden

VIP Card Holders and Exhibitors are invited to celebrate the official launch of SCOPE Miami 2007 with a Grey Goose cocktail or a chilled Grolsch Swingtop. I spoke with Andrea of SCOPE last night and she said that if you did not have a pass there would be a cover charge, but since when has that stopped Miami's finest night crawlers?

AHEM!!

In the Garden: Music provided by Ray Milian (Off the Radar, Apt 407, The Attic, Circa Saturdays, and Chocolate Sundays)

In the Imperial Room: Dj Busquelo (Radio show host of NYC "Mambo Machine") and Candela All Stars dj set ("Mi Swing is tropical")

Kid Robot Miami Beach Grand Opening

This is a very good thing for the town. The arrival of Kid Robot, indicates to the world's growing attraction to Miami. While it seems many residents are tired of the city, the world keeps flocking here. Yes, the city is young, and there a gazzillion anonymous commentors that try to compare it to NY and indicate how the "scene" doesn't exist or it is lame or the people do not support. That nobody comes out and blah, blah.

Well, they came out yesterday for the opening of Kid Robot. Hundreds of people lined Collins Ave hoping to get one of the limited edition Miamified 305 Skullhead Dunnys designed by Huck Gee and get a sneak peak of the store. I spoke to one guy at the front of the line (he had #49 of 250 reservations for the figure) and he had arrived around noon. AND from New York. Just to get the Dunny. He had a determined look on his face and anxiously kept an eye on the door to see when he would be allowed i, making sure no one sneaked by. A few minutes later, I saw him get his Dunny, tear open the foil and walk over to Gee to get it signed.

But the store, that's why I went. Inside, Kid Robot style colors exploded everywhere. All of the toys methodically arranged on the outer walls, with clothing and bags in the back of the store. They have a similar strategy like Base on Lincoln Road where the stock is stored in the back of the store and if you would like to purchase anything (minus a few products) a sales rep needs to go to the back and get it. Smart move, it allows a lot of products with minimal floor space taken up. If anyone has been to the closet of a store they have in Soho, you will feel like you walked into an airplane hanger when you go to the new beach location.

We jumped in line which conveniently moved as a snail's pace along one of the display walls and I picked up a few Smorkin' Labbits and T-shirt I have had my eye on. After chatting with some friends that were there and headed off to get ready for Apt 407.

Here are some photos of the night. I couldn't take any photos outside because I only had my camera phone with me and they would not have come out too well (and because I forgot). Tom (Grizzle) from Ocean Drive was there taking photos so I'm sure there will be some better quality ones soon.

Appropriate tune for toy shopping.

MP3: Alphaville - Forever Young (YSI)

Anybody care to join me?

We join the ranks of New York, Los Angeles, Toronto and San Francisco with our own Kid Robot store! I'll be there in my monkey suit straight outta work. (FYI... The only sticker I have allowed on my car is a Kid Robot sticker.)

Remember my wish list? You can go ahead and get me anything you want from here.

A-N-Y-T-H-I-N-G

Click for a clearer photo. I was too lazy (and too full from Pollo Tropical) to resize...

Moody Dubsteps

A little break from all the Art Basel stuff. There's more coming but I have a few new things I wanted to share and I couldn't wait until the end of the fair.

The new Burial album is on repeat at home and it seems burning a hole in people's pockets (the album is the number seller at NYC's OtherMusic). I'm glad to see the current UK obsession of dubstep and two step making a dent in the indie music scene. It is far from being accepted for regular play at bars and Lounges except at the most eclectic of venues (it is not really dance music, but I guess you can dance to anything) but does not mean you should not crank it up at home or on your headphones (speaking of which I had another pair die on me yesterday...). In fact he suggests it is music for walking home to after a long night out. A way to escape real life.

Burial is a mystery to most. Even to his family. He doesn't DJ, doesn't perform, doesn't grant interviews, doesn't take photos (those photos that exists are edited to hide his identity). In fact, "Only about five people outside of my family know I make tunes, I think. I hope," he says.

Some might strike a similarity between Daft Punk hiding behind masks and Burial. But it is much different. Daft Punk was a statement of sorts, Burial honestly does not want anyone to know who he is.

"I like it that way. I've had times when I've had mates sitting next to me and they've put my tunes on without knowing. I would just sit there whispering to myself, 'Please don't put that on - or at least, don't say anything bad about it. I've had someone say to me, 'Yeah, Burial's a girl. I know someone who met her.'"

He explains that he likes the mystery because he feels it helps the listener enjoy the music more. He references it back to a time when you would go to a club and hear a garage or jungle tune and not know a single thing about artist, so it is just you and the music.

I'm not a huge fan of Bloc Party, but this mix seems like a B-Side to Untrue. Untrue is out now on Hyperdub Records.

Oh the artwork for the album is a sketch by Burial himself that he has been drawing since he was a boy, "Just some moody kid with a cup of tea sitting at the 24 hour stand in the rain in the middle of the night when you are coming back from somewhere."

MP3: Archangel (YSI)
MP3: Bloc Party - Where Is Home? (Burial Remix) (YSI)

Quotes taken from the Guardian Unlimited article by Dan Hancox and internal Hyperdub interview.

Art Positions: Iggy Pop and the Stooges

A must go to event every year is the opening of Art Positions (also known as the "Containers") on Collins and 21st St in Miami Beach. It is an exhibition of young galleries in cargo shipping containers converted to public art spaces. It gets crowded, so in order to appreciate the art arrive early or come back during the day (there are events all weekend).

It is also the home base of P.S.1's art internet radio station WPS1. (P.S.1 is the Contemporary Art Center affiliated with the MoMA).

Opening night of the event has a special free performance by Iggy Pop and the Stooges at 10:00pm. The location could not be better. They set up a stage right on the sand and for anyone that has not been to Miami in the winter, let's just say we are the envy of the nation. Past performers have been Fischerspooner, Scissor Sisters, The New York Dolls, and Peaches.

Check out a recent interview with Iggy Pop over at Pitchfork.

NOTE: The show runs on time, so when they say 10pm that means Iggy is strutting his stuff on stage at 10pm.

Containers lined up/stacked up/filled up

Art Positions

Featuring new work by
Ryan McGinness
assume vivid astro focus

plus

Skate Ramp & Cafe Installation
Skateboarding Demonstrations
DJ Dance Nights
Open Air Cinema
Live streamcasts from Miami Dec. 5-9, 2-5 p.m. US Eastern Time and on WVUM 90.5 FM in Miami (University of Miami, Coral Gables)

Here are some classics to get you in the mood!

Well c'mon!

MP3: Penetration (YSI)
MP3: The Passenger (YSI)
MP3: Search and Destroy (YSI)
MP3: I Wanna Be Your Dog (YSI)

DJ Booth or Lookout tower?

Onslaught of Art to Commence Shortly

Next week starts one of the most (if not the most) spectacular weekends in Miami. From the horse's lips:

Art Basel Miami Beach is the most important art show in the United States, a cultural and social highlight for the Americas. As the sister event of Switzerland's Art Basel, the most prestigious art show worldwide for the past 38 years, Art Basel Miami Beach combines an international selection of top galleries with an exciting program of special exhibitions, parties and crossover events featuring music, film, architecture and design. Exhibition sites are located in the city's beautiful Art Deco District, within walking distance of the beach and many hotels.

And honestly I cannot disagree. What makes it more amazing and even larger than life, is that there are dozens of other shows, private exhibits, and parties that occur at the same time (using Art Basel's popularity to draw the crowds) and it becomes a feast for the eyes, ears and mind all over the greater Miami area and not just Miami Beach were the majority of the official Art Basel events take place. I am not an art scholar or critic, I just know what I like and what moves me. So I will try and highlight shows I think (or have heard) are worth attending and hopefully discover some new along the way.

One of the (let's call them companion shows) is the New Art Dealers Alliance (N.A.D.A.) Art Fair at the Ice Palace film studios. This show is full of contemporary art with the goal of making art more accessible to the general public, and nurturing the growth of emerging artists, curators, and galleries.

The show is FREE to the public and highly recommended if you are in town next week. It closes daily at 7pm, except Sunday at 4pm. On Tuesday is the opening night preview with a special performance by Deerhoof! And featuring the art of Ken Kagami (who designed the artwork for Deerhoof's Milk Man album). I think he might be performing with the band? Who knows what can happen it's Basel. More info about the fair here.

Now about that opening preview, if you go to the NADA site, you can buy tickets there for $100-$125, which prices going up to $200 that day of the show!! The lovely Lolo of Sweat Records (go visit the new store location that opens THIS Friday @ Churchill's) happened to give us a little stack of special invites for reduce and I mean REDUCED (speculation is $10-15 but don't quote us) admission to the show... All you gotta do is leave a comment with your favorite Art Basel memory or what you would like that memory to be and we will randomly pick 2 (maybe more, if you're nice) responses to get two fliers each for reduced admission.

Deerhoof @ Ice Palace Studios
Tuesday, December 4th, 8:30PM
1400 North Miami Ave

Since the show is next week, we won't have time to mail them out. So you will have to visit Ray either at Circa28 for CircaSaturdays or Purdy Lounge for Chocolate Sundays (backroom) to pick up your tickets. Hop to it! Deadline is Saturday evening~ish.

UPDATE: Just realized that you guys will have to leave your email (or some way to get a hold of you, MySpace, etc...) so that we can communicate with the winners!

Here is a nice collection of Deerhoof tunes that spans a few albums including their most recent LP, Friend Opportunity.

MP3: Deerhoof - Green Cosmos (YSI)
MP3: Deerhoof - Siriustar (YSI)
MP3: Deerhoof - Chi-tan First Guitar (YSI)
MP3: Deerhoof - +81 (YSI)

Check back through the week, for more Art Basel updates/suggestions/comments/sightings/musings...

Time to Celebrate!

CONSUMERISM! WOOOOO!

To be honest it's nice to get gifts. So to make your life easier, here is a portion of the list I sent to Santa. I wanted to ask him for the new Portishead album but even some things are out of Mr. Claus' control. So in no particular order (but feel free to chip in to get me the last item ;-) ).

Also, as a little gift is a new Outkast tune, Da Art of Storytellin' (Part 4). The song is no where near as infectious as Hey Ya! but when the boys start gong at it, you can't stop them.

(I mean even Ray can't deny Outkast, can he?)

And it's been 2 years since Metro Area released an album (not quite the 8 years Portishead is taking to release theirs...) So here is their follow up to Metro Area 6, appropriately titled Metro Area 7! Score one for originality! Thankfully, we here at the OTR office care more about the music than LP names.

MP3: Outkast - Da Art of Storytellin' (Part 4) (YSI)
MP3: Metro Area - 7 (Read My Mind - Special Dub) (YSI)

Oh and for all you Mall of the Americas h8rs, I scored myself a Wii (not for me, I already got one last year...) without breaking a sweat at the Game Stop here! Suckahs as Dadeland Station waiting at 4am to fight over 3 of them at Best Buy...

Dear Santa:

Daft Punk Alive 2007 - Limited Edition
Just because it was the best live show this past year.

Gorillaz - D-Sides Deluxe Edition
Comes with a whole mess of stuff.
Kano - I'm Ready
Can someone finally get me this 12"? It's forever out of stock.

Dalek Print
This would go nicely in my living room.

Jeremy Fish - Turtle Camper
I have wanted this for way too long.. Is this the year I get?
Blade Runner - The Final Cut Box Set
Include the workprint, the two 1982 original theatrical versions (U.S. domestic and uncensored International cuts), the 2006-remastered Director's Cut, the 2007 Final Cut, and bonus features. Whhhaattt??

50 inch Sharp Aquos LCD TV
Anybody? How else am I going to watch Blade Runner?

We Come In Peace

Zort from Argentina sound like they would be an alien race in a 80's sci-fi movie but in reality they craft intelligent electronic music. They combine glitchy beats with sampled instruments that honestly gives your mind a workout. I like it. In fact, the more I listen to it the more I like it.
They sent us a couple of singles to share with you guys and hopefully they will cross the Caribbean and visit us in Miami soon. They are touring Europe promoting their fifth independently recorded album Nublado con Sol (Cloudy With Sunshine I guess it helps I know Spanish) and recently played the Experimentaclub festival in Madrid.

MP3: De Tanto Mirar (YSI)
MP3: Rotasasaso (YSI) highly recommended

(I really need to visit Argentina now. And since I technically have family there...hmm...)

Ghosts and Skeletons

I admit, the name Skeletons and the Kings of All Cities drew me to the band. Currently this Brooklyn based band is signed to Ghostly Records. The Skeleton project started off as solo effort of Matt Mehlan (founder of Shinkoyo Records) and picked up a slew of members from classically trained trombonists to punk rock drummers. They have played CMJ and SXSW. And have toured with TV on the Radio and Animal Collective. It is hard to pinpoint their sound, Can, Prince, Sonic Youth, some even say Boyz II Men?

Their latest album Lucas, was recorded in the band's studio (the Silent Barn) in between scheduled shows. It sees not only a name change (they were known as Skeletons and the Girl-Faced Boys for the last release), the album also reflects more of their live experience, more guitars , two drummers, and a trio of horns.

Yet for all the oddness they are known for, they keep their pop sensibility intact.

You can download the web-only album Deity of Hair from their site Skeletons.tv.

MP3: Git (YSI)
MP3: What They Said (YSI)

Buzz In Our Backyard

This weekend you have a chance to catch Black Kids in their own backyard (they are from Jacksonville, FL) before they cross the big pond to play shows in London. The interest this band is creating is reminiscent of the The Arctic Monkeys or The Go! Team. And their music is not far off either. Infectious pop songs, girl group harmonies, 80’s synth-pop. I swear I can hear The Cure in the song Hit the Heartbreaks.

The ENTIRE Wizard of Ahhhs demo is available for FREE from their MySpace profile. The band is currently unsigned but picked up Quest Management who also handles Bjork and Arcade Fire to represent them. And it seems they will not be unsigned for long.

So if you live in South Florida don't miss your chance to catch them LIVE this Saturday (11/24/07 ) at Circa28 for CircaSaturdays. They have already played with the likes of Lo-Fi Fnk and Tiger City and you know we are fans of those bands.

More info about Black Kids at their website (http://blackkidsmusic.com/). Here is song where they channel The Cure and a remix not available on the EP.

MP3: Hit the HeartBreaks (YSI)
MP3: Hurricane Jane (Beige Reemix) (YSI)

More press on Black Kids:

• Vice Magazine: Interview (Sep 4 2007)
• Pitchfork Media: Best New Music (Oct 5 2007)
• Current: Daily Fix (Oct 23 2007)
• Treble: Album of the Week (Oct 31 2007)
• NME: CMJ Review (Nov 10 2007)

New Address - Same Great Music

Check it... easier to remember!!!

http://www.offtheradarmusic.com/

**Old links should still work (let me know if they don't!!)

Boom Shaka-Laka Boom

Hey folks sorry been away for a bit... Been busy preparing for Art Basel and some new parties coming up. Pretty excited to be spinning at some new venues with some new faces. Also my car's been out of commission for a few days. I hate relying on friends for rides. Not that my friends aren't the best. They hook me up all the time, but I hate to depend on anyone, know what I mean?

Anyways the end of the year is fast approaching and soon Chris and I will be putting together our Best Of's for 2007. As music geeks there's nothing we love more than to put together our lists of top 10 albums, singles, remixes, etc... Except as the years keep coming it seems like record companies are having harder times selling albums. You notice how many bands get super hyped up for their first album and then disappear after their second or third album into oblivion and some other new shit comes along. I mean it's great for me (and this blog) because I love new music, but the days when bands build followings over the years is disappearing I think. We're becoming a disposable society. We live in such a fast paced world I think people and society's attention spans are dwindling. I think singles will start to take over, the hits of the moment. I wonder if the whole album system will eventually fade out and people will just start releasing a song/mp3 at a time as they're being completed, kinda like what Beck did with Timebomb or how Justice releases one single at a time. Even though it kinda sucks for album fans like me, it could force artists to make each song as good as possible. There really is so much information bombarding us all the time it's hard to keep people focused nowadays.

I went by Starbucks the other day and I noticed now their selling these cards with art and a code and you go home and the album instantly downloads into your computer onto your itunes. I guess the record labels are really starting to freak out and doing some new innovative shit. I'm sure eventually CD's and stuff with all the packaging will start to dwindle as we look for more and more ways to be earth friendly as well. I can visualize a store with just those cards and art on them. You gotta keep the art no? Thats what makes records so nice I think. You have this big art on the covers and its part of the whole music experience. Now with singles and mp3's it's losing a little of that. Oh well. We shall see what develops.

Chris ran into this little snippet on Music Slut's Blog of Kaiser Chiefs drummer kinda saying something similar to what i've been saying. How he thinks albums are boring at the moment. Check out the link here http://musicslut.blogspot.com/2007/11/kaiser-chiefs-albums-are-boring.html

I haven't come across much great stuff lately. The whole hard electro thing were all the tracks sound the same and super twitchy is boring to me. It's hard to hear something done in a new and refreshing way. But don't worry I've managed to scrounge up a few killer tracks for you. Some of the best dance jams to get you to shake it on the dancefloor, in your room or your car.

The first track here is by Robots in Disguise and it's called 'The Sex has Made me Stupid'. Killer track and it kinda reminds me of what I've been talking about of the dumbing down of society. Kinda like the movie Idiocracy by Mike Judge. Not the best movie, but some of the ideas on there kinda make you think.

Here's also real cool modern discoey track by Chaz Jankel. He manages to merge disco with a modern twist.

The Scanners and new Cobra Snakes are both excellent tracks and this new M.I.T.C.H. track features Uffie. Not too much variation from her other stuff but if you like what she does this should be right up your alley.

Enjoy and have a great week-end!

MP3: Robots in Disguise - The Sex Has Made Me Stupid (YSI)

MP3: Cobra Dukes - Airtight (YSI)

MP3: Mountain of One - Can't be Serious (YSI)

MP3: Chaz Jankel - Get Myself Together (YSI)

MP3: Scanners - Raw (Blamma! Blamma! Scanner! Mix) (YSI)

MP3: M.I.T.C.H. feat. Uffie & Feadz - Fais Rentrer Les Euros (Audioporno Remix) (YSI)

Seems like The Teenagers finally did a video for Starlet Johansson. Would have been nicer if they actually were able to get Scarlett to be in the video, but I'm sure that would have cost a ton of money. What they did instead is got a girl to lie down in underwear and pose like Scarlett did in the beginning credits of Lost in Translation and put images of them on her back. Pretty cool. Probably my favorite track of theirs so far.

Get Out From Under the Covers

This is a very short post. Just a wake me up. Ease into the chilly (Miami) morning. It was in the high 50's this morning! DANG!

We had a great time last night once again at Apt 407. Jonathan and I had a blast DJ'ing back and forth for a bit. Just please no requests for The Killers. I don't mind suggestions, I try not to be too harsh (they could easily be at home drinking but decided to come out...) but I have to draw the line somewhere. And they're a good band, just not what I'm into playing right now. Maybe when they become retro. To that guy that asked for The Strokes, I might play that next week, who knows. I think it's to shake the dust off of Is This It (can you believe that came out almost 7 years ago?).

Anyways, this song is a - I guess - a mash up of Radiohead and Bjork performing Bjork's song Unravel. Radiohead most recently peformed this on a web cast last Saturday called Thumbs Down. You can pick that up just about every where just Google it. It is a pretty decent quality recording and it includes some quirky banter between the band.

MP3: Thom Bjork - Unravel {Pocket Mix} (YSI)

The pictures are here from acclaimed toy photographer Brian McCarty. He has a new calendar coming out for 2008 (we're that close... I already told you Thanksgiving is next week...). I'm a huge fan of (hate the term) designer toys. It's kinda funny what constitutes a toy and yet can make it an untouchable collector's item. Fuzzy line between using it for it's purpose (playing) and admiring it for it's aesthetics (art). Is it still valuable if the arm pops off? Or if its paint wears out?

Miami Boys Friends With You's Malfi
(they're blowing up son!)


Jeremy Fish's Silly Pink Bunny Van


Amos Toys' Vortigern's Machine's Harvey and Jubbs

Pop Danish

So after writing about Danish music last week, I bought some Entenmann's Danish this week at Publix and then it got me thinking about Danish music again and that's what got me posting about Diefenbach today.
I have been playing their last album (2005) quite a bit at home and I sometimes play their Hot Chip remix at Apt 407 on Thursdays. Like most indie bands it takes a while for a band to get noticed and even more so in the states (especially when a band hails from Scandinavia).
Nevertheless, music is timeless so it doesn't matter when it was released. Diefenbach have been said to take the best things in pop music from the past 40 years and combine it into something wholly their own. You will hear Beach Boy harmonies, electronic flourishes, crunchy guitars, and excellent song writing.
Go to their site for an clips of music as well as remixes by Lindstrom and Hot Chip.

http://www.diefenbach.dk/

And check out these two:

MP3: Make Your Mind (YSI)
MP3: Favourite Friend (Simian Mobile Disco Remix) (YSI)

I took the pictures above last week at the Levity III Luminarium at Collins Park in Miami Beach. The luminarium was designed by The Architects of Air (Holland) and was setup for the Sleepless Night event that weekend. The luminarium will be back for (the best weekend in Miami) Art Basel from December 6-9 at the Flamingo South Beach (condos on West Ave.).

What makes it amazing is that the entire structure is supported by air. And the colors are illuminated solely by the sun. It is incredible the impact of color on how we feel. The red room feels warmer while the blue is more refreshing.

It was something straight out of Danish designer Verner Panton's interior landscapes. And with THAT ladies and gentlemen we complete the Danish circle. From breakfast foods to fantastic music and interiors.

Panton interior 'Phantasy 2' inside the Loreley cruiseship Visiona 2

(...across the street from the Luminarium. Yes this was a lunch break. I honestly can't complain.)

Wh-what? Do my eyes decieve me?

I think this is the first time I am excited for the Langerado Festival!

It takes place from March 6th through March 9th (of next year). Check out this line up. I started highlighting the blog favorites and I realized it was a huge part of the list. Local favorites The Spam Allstars and Awesome New Republic are also playing. I'm sure as the festival gets closer we will have more info and definitely photos of the event after.

(Have you guys realized it's Thanksgiving NEXT WEEK????)

Beastie Boys • R.E.M. • Phil Lesh & Friends • 311 • Matisyahu • Thievery Corporation • The Roots • Gov't Mule • Ani DiFranco • Ben Folds • G. Love & Special Sauce • Medeski, Scofield, Martin & Wood • Built to Spill • The National • Les Claypool • Umphrey's McGee • The Disco Biscuits • Mickey Hart Band • of Montreal • Robert Randolph & the Family Band • The Wailers • funky Meters • Citizen Cope • Antibalas • !!! • Dark Star Orchestra • Ozomatli • Sam Bush • Minus the Bear • Ghostland Observatory • Arrested Development • Blind Melon • Sierra Leone’s Refugee All Stars • The New Deal • Benevento Russo Duo • Perpetual Groove • Railroad Earth • Martin Sexton • The Avett Brothers • Grace Potter and the Nocturnals • The Walkmen • Dr. Dog • Indigenous • State Radio • Vampire Weekend • The Bad Plus • The Felice Brothers • Pelican • Yard Dogs Road Show • Brett Dennen • Earl Greyhound • The New Mastersounds • Dan Deacon • Josh Ritter • Pete Francis • Ryan Shaw • Blitzen Trapper • matt pond PA • The Dynamites feat. Charles Walker • Bassnectar • Balkan Beat Box • The Lee Boys • Shout Out Louds • Golem • The Wood Brothers • Busdriver • RAQ • Will Hoge • Spam Allstars • Phix • American Babies • The Heavy Pets • Backyard Tire Fire • The Postmarks • Steel Train • Hoots and Hellmouth • Jonah Smith • Pnuma Trio • Awesome New Republic • That 1 Guy • Trevor Hall • American Bang • School of Rock All-Stars •

Monkey Business

Since I pretty much post anyting Gorillaz related, here is the video for a song off of their upcoming Gorillaz D-Sides album. I thought I had all the tracks already but now I see they have a bunch of things I don't have (I'll add this to my Christmas list...):

CD1:
'68 State' ('Feel Good Inc' B-Side)
'People' ('DARE' demo)
'Hongkongaton' ('Dirty Harry' B-Side)
'We Are Happy Landfill' (Website-only download)
'Hong Kong' ('Warchild' track)
'Highway (Under Construction)' ('DARE' B-Side)
'Rockit ('Demon Days' session demo)
'Bill Murray' ('Feel Good Inc' B-Side)
'The Swagga' ('Demon Days' limited edition track)
'Murdoc Is God' ('Dirty Harry' B-Side)
'Spitting Out The Demons' ('Feel Good Inc' B-Side)
'Don't Get Lost In Heaven' (demo version)
'Stop The Dams' ('Kids With Guns'/'El Manana' B-Side)

Bonus Disc:
'DARE '(DFA Remix)
'Feel Good Inc' (Stanton Warriors Remix)
'Kids With Guns' (Jamie T's Turns To Monsters Mix)
'DARE' (Soulwax Remix)
'Kids With Guns' (Hot Chip Remix)
'El Manana' (Metronomy Remix)
'DARE' (Junior Sanchez Remix)
'Dirty Harry' (Schtung Chinese New Years Remix)
'Kids With Guns' (Quiet Village Remix)

Video: Gorillaz - Rock It.

Lust

It always amazes me when international artists do not sound like music from their home country (or at least what I would expect from their home country - yes I admit that was a bit stereotypical).

The Raveonettes from Denmark are a perfect example. One would not expect something sounding like The Jesus and Mary Chain from a Danish group.

Taking 50's and 60's rock 'n' roll and harmonies and adding an ample amount of fuzz and dark lyrics, they craft a pretty unique sound. They are getting ready to release their latest album, Lust, Lust Lust next week (not in the U.S. yet - we get it ooh around March of 2008...).

The album was self-recorded and self-produced. In an interview on the Danish radio station P3, the band said that there is no live drums or bass, which is all programmed. Making it the most minimal and electronic or synthetic album the band has released.

So close your eyes and pretend we are in Europe hearing the first single (God knows when it will be released here... aren't you happy for this blog now?)

MP3: Blush (YSI)

Life Is Too Short To Be A Naysayer

Here is one more new band that I am thoroughly enjoying right now.

yea·say·er /ˈyeɪˌseɪər/ [yey-sey-er] – noun
1. a person with an optimistic and confident outlook.

Yeasayer is a band out of Brooklyn that seems to be set to take the record of year title for 2007 in the blogosphere. The track 2080 ranks high in my personal favorites of the past 11 months.

(That reminds me, we are running out of time to compile our top lists of 2007. Ray! Get on it! hahaha)

The music evokes sounds from the past but that is not to say that Yeasayer are stuck there. They are a modern band with influences as varied as religious chants to David Byrne. You feel their connection to the natural world but before they settle into a new age sounds, they burst through with almost gospel anthems (No Need to Worry).

Fans of Animal Collective, TV on the Radio or any other modern band with a spiritual leanings will enjoy them.

They have a track available for down on their MySpace profile so drop in and check it out. And here is their first single that I cannot stop playing (it's everywhere right about now).

MP3: 2080 (YSI)

The Art of Matching Album Covers

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Ready for take off! We're Going Out There...

Next up for new music is completely on the flip-side (compared to the last post). I have been listening to a bunch of stuff released by Peanut Butter Wolf's Stones Throw label (Matt and I actually had a talk about it at The Standard on Sunday) and just discovered their off-shoot label called Now-Again Records that specializes in funk releases.

What I discovered is beyond amazing...

"From the drummer sampled by Madlib and Yesterdays New Quintet... From the band that backed DJ Shadow..."


Malcolm Catto leads The Heliocentrics through psychedelic, jazz, funk, hip hop, electronic and to be honest once you start listening, you don't care. In fact, I want to finish up this post, just to keep listening to it without interruption. These are one of those records you play from start to finish. The songs meld from one to the next but never get boring. The bass line keeps it moving, the drums snap your mind in and out of consciousness. On top of that I really enjoy the space travel theme of the album. Sprinkled with choice spoken samples it helps keep the album cohesive.

MP3: Sirius B (YSI)

!!! (chk-chk-chk) Member Gone AWOL!!!

Time for some new music today. First up, Free Blood. This is the side project turned full-time project of ex-!!! (pronounced Chk-Chk-Chk for those out of the indie circle) drummer John Pugh. He describes the band , “the Fifties idea of what a band does, which is simply to soundtrack the party,” and “manic background music for ensuing debauchery.”

The music is definitely a notch up in intensity compared to !!!. Louder, in your face, and ready for the dance floor. Their first EP is only two tracks with two accompanying remixes. It is called Part 1, well, because Part 2 and 3 are still in the works.

As to why he left !!!, Pugh makes compares it to an army and he's gone AWOL.

!!! was like the army,” laughs Pugh. “We were all having fun but it was really intense and there was a lot of discipline involved. With Free Blood, I was interested in moving away from the space jam ethic and more into really mean pop songs we could flesh out with noise and chaos and our own emotion. There’s a certain freedom there – it definitely feels like I’m out of the army. After eight years, I’ve gone AWOL .

-Fact Mag

So here is one of the remixes off of the EP by Adventures Close To Home.

MP3: Never Hear Surf Music Again (ACTH Remix) (YSI)

Hear some more original tracks on their MySpace profile.

(Not sure about never hearing surf music again though. I kinda it sometimes... Oh and !!! really are awesome so go check them out too. I always have at least one of their albums on my iPod. In fact I think I'll play A New Name this week at Abraxas on Thursday.)

Morrissey Mixtape...

Morrissey is coming to Miami next week for his supposed Final Tour, so I thought I'd do a little Mixtape/Tribute to Morrissey in honor of the event.

I pretty much grew up listening to Morrissey and The Smiths along with a few others like Depeche Mode, The Cure, New Order, NIN etc... Back when I was in college (too many years ago!) The Smiths and Morrissey were my absolute favorites. I remember smoking with friends and making lists about which albums we would take with us if you could only have a few albums with us on a desserted island. Ha, we were high... One of the ones that would always make my list was The Queen is Dead by The Smiths. It still holds up really well I think. It's an amazing record and is their best regular full length release. Some would argue Meat is Murder which had some amazing guitar work by Johnny Marr but Queen is kinda were it all came together commercially and artistically. The guitar work on Bigmouth Strikes Again (Wow!) and There is a Light that Never Goes Out is probably one of the best pop songs ever written about teenage angst. Queens and Louder than Bombs which was a compilation released later on are probably the two most essential Smiths releases. You can get a pretty good idea of what they did with those two releases. But of course us die hard Smiths fans have to have them all!

Then Morrissey went on to have a great Solo Career of his own... Viva Hate was released only one year after he left The Smiths in late 87' early 88' I think and was probably the closest sounding Smiths record. Viva Hate could easily fit into The Smiths catalog. Probably cause he wrote it so close to his departure and he used some of the same musicians from his Smiths days. Then he released Bona Drag which is a compilation of hard to find solo rarities, b-sides etc. This was another fan favorite and the last before he started to change his style a bit and started working with long time collaborators Boz Boorer and Alain Whyte.

Boz and Alain would later go on to shape Morrissey's sound and have worked with him ever since. (Although I did notice Alain missing in that last Morrissey show a few months ago?) Anyways while with Boz and Alain they went on to create my two favorite Morrissey solo records of all time 'Your Arsenal' & 'Vauxhaul & I' in the early 90's. Those two records still hold up really well I think. Vauxhaul & I in particular did it for me. He just seemed to mature when that album came out and put out this brilliant mellancholly grown up record. It's still one of my favorites, especially for late nights. Not one filler in the bunch.

Anyways here is a compilation I put together of some of my favorite Morrissey solo tracks. He has so many it was hard to choose. Most of these aren't the singles or the big hits that end up on Best Of compilations but their amazing and give you a good idea as to the scope of his work.

Hope you enjoy them....

P.S. If your in South Florida we're having a Smiths/Morrissey Tribute this Sunday, Nov the 4th @ Chocolate Sundays/Purdy (BackRoom) Come out! Should be a blast!!

MP3: Lifeguard Sleeping, Girl Drowning (YSI)
MP3: Seasick, Yet Still Docked (YSI)
MP3: Sing Your Life (YSI)
MP3: Late Night on Maudlin Street (YSI)
MP3: Jack the Ripper (Studio Version) (YSI)
MP3: Boy Racer (YSI)
MP3: We'll Let You Know (YSI)
MP3: My Love Life (YSI)
MP3: Alsation Cousin (YSI)
MP3: I Am Hated for Loving (YSI)
MP3: Life is a Pigsty (YSI)
MP3: Speedway (YSI)

Morrissey and The Smiths never had the best videos, but here are a few Morrissey ones I dig...

Tomorrow



The More You Ignore Me, The Closer I Get



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