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Friday, May 28, 2010

Neon Magus is Watching

M_f04f556ffae040dfbc5434c6e9baf933 This just in from our old pal, former 7D intern and current correspondent with The Deli New England, Will Ryan: his band, Neon Magus, is set to release its long awaited debut album Watching the Watcher with a show Saturday night at … um, well, I'm actually not supposed to tell you. Of course, my merely mentioning a show happening at a venue that I'm not allowed to write about should give Burlington readers a pretty good idea of where said secret(ish) show happening. Hopefully the cops aren't as quick on the uptake and/or are too busy hounding "undesirables" on our precious Marketplace. Still, you didn't hear it from me. Nor did you hear that Nuda Veritas, Ghost Weapons and The Le Duo will also perform.

What you can hear from me is a track from the record, which was recorded at Thee Mighty Hotel2Tango in Montreal. The album, released on Burlington imprint Aether Everywhere, was engineered and mixed by Howard Bilerman (Arcade Fire, Godspeed! You Black Emperor) and features guest turns from Thee Silver Mount Zion's Efrim Menuck, The Le Duo's JB Ledoux and experimental auteur Greg Davis, the last of whom mastered the recording.

So without further ado, I give you "Andromeda, Pt 2 (Spirit World Daydream)" by Neon Magus, from their new album, Watching the Watcher

Wednesday, May 26, 2010

Paul and Storm, "Opening Band"

I just caught this little tune by comedy duo Paul and Storm on a recent live episode of the The Nerdist podcast and thought the denizens of Solid State might appreciate it, especially those who have ever been in an opening band — which is probably most of us. Take it away boys …


Guy (and Gals) Smiley

Oppressive heat and/or the crazy pollen outburst got you down? Check this clip from sweet Swedish indie-pop outfit A Smile and a Ribbon, yet another band on the bill at this Saturday's Smittens-led global showcase at the Monkey. Stay cool, kids.

A Smile And A Ribbon - 'Sweet Sixteen' from Mr Logic on Vimeo.


Tuesday, May 25, 2010

Oh, the Irony: Moustache of Insanity

I can't decide if I love this band or loathe them. But you gotta admit, Moustache of Insanity does inspire a sort of geeky curiosity — and a mild desire to grow a moustache. The London-based duo are part of an international indie pop showcase of sorts at The Monkey House this Saturday, curated by our very own lovable tweeny boppers, The Smittens. And yes, I'm running out of "twee" puns.

Anyway, we'll get into the other bands on the bill later this week. But for now, here are Moustache of Insanity, performing their cheeky lo-fi pop nugget, "Cheese and Freckles."


Tuesday, May 18, 2010

Torched

This just in: Miami-based psych-metal band Torche apparently had some trouble crossing into Canadia for a scheduled gig in Montreal — something about stolen gear and passports. So they'll be making a surprise appearance at the Monkey House tonight with shoegazers The Sight Below and Burlington outfits Painted Manes and Burrows.

Just as a frame of reference for why this is kind of a big deal, this weekend Torche will be at The Electric Factory in Philly for a two-night stand with Coheed and Cambria. So yeah, for the band to swing through the comparatively tiny Monkey House on a random Tuesday is pretty rad.

(Thanks to Michael Nordstrom and his 13 year-old son for the head's up!)

Good Morning (Jacket)

What a pleasure to wake up this morning and find this little bundle of press release joy nestled in my inbox. Higher Ground has just announced that My Morning Jacket will rock Champlain Valley Expo's Midway Lawn on Friday August 20. Tix go on sale this Friday at 11 a.m. The announcement comes on the heels of last month's news that Primus, Gogol Bordello and Heloise & the Savoir Faire will play the Fairgrounds on July 29.

Very quietly, the good folks at HG seem to be trying to curate a legitimate, mid-level outdoor venue on the Midway Lawn. Especially as the Concerts on the Green at Shelburne Museum continues to trend a little older — but then, don't we all? — this is an interesting development. Here's hoping the experiment works!

In the meantime, here's a clip of MMJ front man Jim James performing earlier this month with the Preservation Hall Jazz Band. (And no, it's not representative of an MMJ show at all. It's just cool.)

Thursday, May 13, 2010

Thursday Ramblings

A happy Thursday to you, Solid State! Feeling a little scattered today, so bear with me …

Higher Ground delighted aging hipsters (like me) around the region earlier this week by announcing that Broken Social Scene will play the Ballroom on Wednesday September 22. Tickets go on sale Friday at 11 a.m. And if it doesn't sell out by, say 11:03 a.m., I will never give Alex Crothers and Co. a hard about time about booking indie bands ever again.

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Speaking of Higher Ground: Li'l Kim. Wednesday, June 02. Really.

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I'll probably mention this in my column next week, but it never hurts to give new material a dry run, right? Anyway, earlier this week, I was minding my own business, just compiling some club listings for next week's issue when I stumbled across this listing for Thursday, June 20 Langdon Street Café website.

JP and the Tough Choices

J.P. Harris and The Tough Choices play Country-Goddamned-Music. Period. Sick and tired of the modern Pop-Country filth broadcast shamelessly and persistently across our beautiful countrysides, The Tough Choices set out to right the wrongs done to a music so classically and quintessentially American. As we speak, Hank Williams, Buck Owens, Carl Smith, and countless other champions of Honky Tonk are rolling in their graves, groaning with disgust over the watered-down contemporary excuse that Nashville presents us for Country Music. Save a few Randy Travis gems and Alan Jackson hits, this flim-flam is pathetic, at best.

And then, I noticed this curious addition to the band's press blurb …

FREE BEER IF YOUR NAME IS DAN BOLLES.

JP, you had me "country-goddamned music."

(PS- Not that I'm above boozy bribery, ahem, but I'll actually be on my way to Philadelphia that night. Sorry, boys. Another time, perhaps?)

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In the last week or so, I've had three or four separate people — none of whom are not involved with the band or promoting the show, mind you — email about how much they think I would personally like The Barr Brothers. The Slip-offshoot will be at Parima this Saturday. I'm only just digging in this morning, but I'll say this, any band that effectively uses a harp and hammer dulcimer is aces in my book. Here's a clip:


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As it turns out, Thom Yorke is fan of Vermont's own Bill McKibben and his website 350.org. Neat-o.

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Apparently, my column this week stirred up some grumblings in the local comedy community. Take it away, Wacky Pete …

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And last but not least, this week's paper contained an enormous production goof. Long story short, my lead music feature about local hardcore punk band Unrestrained and their upcoming bicycle tour of New England — yes, bicycles — was regrettably omitted from the print edition. Or, at least the first 700-ish words were. Do the band a solid and check out the full story here. And if you really want to help me make it up to them, you could attend their farewell show tonight at 242 Main.

Wednesday, May 12, 2010

Rock You Sideways

As the well-known Bible story goes, Jesus pulled the world's greatest party trick by turning water into wine at a wedding that had run dry. Talk about a savior, right? Anyway, it turns out JC's trick was kid's stuff, at least compared to Maynard Keenan's efforts to legitimize northern Arizona as world class wine country.

The hard rockin' Tool front man is the subject of a new documentary film called Blood Into Wine that chronicles his journey from splitting eardrums with Tool and Puscifer to smashing grapes with Caduceus Cellars. The flick, directed by acclaimed filmmakers Ryan Page and Christopher Pomerenke (Moog, The Heart is a Drum Machine), has been lauded by critics across the country, including a scribe at FilmCritic.com who called it, "a rock ’n' roll version of Sideways." High praise, indeed.

Here's the trailer for Blood Into Wine, which will screen at Merrill's Roxy Cinema from Friday, May 14 through Thursday, May 20 as part of the theater's Food & Wine Film Festival and 7D's Vermont Restaurant Week. And if all this talk about wine has made you blush (ha!), prior to the 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. screenings this Friday, The Vermont Wine Merchants and Daedalus Wine Shop will offer tastings of Keenan's spirits.


         

Tuesday, May 11, 2010

Suck It Up, Buttercup

It's been like pulling teeth to get some blogging done around here lately. Sorry 'bout that. I could make excuses. But really, I just need to suck it up and make with the typing. So here 'goes, in rapid-fire, I'm playin' catch-up fashion.

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If you haven't submitted your application to take part in this year's Burlington City Arts JAZZLAB Studio Sessions during Jazz Fest … get on it already. The deadline for submissions is Wednesday, fer crying out loud. And just what the hell is JAZZLAB? Great question.

In official BDJF lingo, "JAZZLAB is an experiment in the effect of community energy and other organically developing factors on the [music] being created." In layman's terms, it's a chance for your band to jam at the Firehouse Center and work with JAZZLAB's engineers-in-residence Ben Collette and Rob O'Dea while people watch.

Sounds pretty cool, right? If you're interested in applying, email [email protected]

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Semi-regular 7D music section contributor Matt Bushlow has a new-ish gig working with VPR. His last bit was a nifty little farewell to The Cush. Check it out here.

By the way, I mention this now because I just received a nice email from Gabby Douglas, who says she and Burette are settling in nicely, deep in the heart of Texas.

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While perusing the Twitterverse this morning, I stumbled upon an interesting (and welcome) new addition to the local music blogosphere, On Permanant Rotation, written by Burlington web-builder and music nut, Brendan Bush. Today's post concern's this evening's Drunk Up Buttercup show at the Monkey House and includes the attached video from IndieATL.com.


Handling opening duties tonight is the Seth Gallant-led side project The Dirty Watts. In an email sent earlier today, the In Memory of Pluto front man writes that the band is "for fans of bad bar rock," adding "I may be kidding … then again, maybe not." How mysterious! Gallant adds that the band, which also includes members of Cannon Fodder and "a dude that works at City Market," are finishing up a debut EP which should be released … sometime. Rock and roll. And welcome to the fray, Brendan.

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Last but not least, and unrelated to music, this blog post by Village Voice editor Tony Ortega is exactly why I work for an alt-weekly newspaper (and hopefully why you read 'em).

Tune in tomorrow when we take a look at a new wine documentary starring Maynard from Tool. Really.

Thursday, May 06, 2010

Merry X-Mas from Aqua Teen Hunger Force

I've been meaning to get to this post all week long, but somehow the days (and nights) keep getting away from me. One of those weeks, Solid State. One of those weeks.

Anyway, you may have noticed Aqua Teen Hunger Force Live! on the Higher Ground Ballroom calendar Friday night and thought, "But that's a cartoon! Cartoons aren't real people!"

No, no they aren't. And good of you to recognize that, I might add. However, cartoons are made by real people. In the case of Cartoon Network's ATHF, they're made by Dave Willis and Dana Snyder, who, in addition to writing and creating the series, also voice most of the characters — at least those not played by Neko Case.

So what do they do live? Dunno, really. But according to the press blurb they sent along, you can expect: "Dave and Dana live! Performing music! Reading from scripts! Amazing unseen videos that may never be shown again! But probably will! Clips from upcoming episodes of ATHF and Squidbillies! Giving out free junk!"

Well, OK then.

Dave and Dana are on the last leg of their tour, and reports from around the blogosphere … exist. I haven't actually read any. Like I said, one of those weeks. I did, however, scavenge the cavernous depths YouTube for like three, maybe four minutes just now and unearthed this gem from an ATHF show in New Orleans last month. Call it Christmas in May. Warning: Hilarity ensues.


Tuesday, May 04, 2010

Roger, Wilco

When I interviewed J.C. Brooks of Chi-town's J.C. Brooks & the Uptown Sound for last week's issue, we chatted about a video the band had recently shot for their killer cover of Wilco's "I Am Trying to Break Your Heart." For those of you not industrious enough to go seek it out for yourself, here's that vid, and a friendly reminder/nudge/kick in the pants that the band will be at the Monkey House tomorrow (Wednesday) night. Enjoy.

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