Experimental rock trio Liars is releasing its fifth studio effort, WIXIW, this June, following its acclaimed album Sisterworld from 2010.
To give you a glimpse of what’s to come, the band has recruited director/photographer Todd Cole, who provides an eerie visual interpretation of “No. 1 Against the Rush.” Watch as the video chronicles each band member’s abduction by a mysterious man whose dry-cleaning day job isn’t quite what it seems once darkness falls over Los Angeles.
It doesn’t look as if the famed Central London spot The 100 Club, where The Sex Pistols detonated one of its most famed and chaotic live sets during the 1976 Punk Fest, has upgraded the green room much. Earlier this month, a contemporary London slash-burn pop band, The Vaccines, brought a bit of that on-stage chaos back to the heralded stage. Our good pal and rock photographer Pat Graham was on the scene to commemorate the occasion. See more after the jump.
Eivind Opsvik: Overseas IV (Loyal Label, 4/17/12)
Eivind Opsvik, a Brooklyn-by-way-of-Norway crossover jazz musician, returned last week with his band Overseas for the latest installment in the Overseas series, Overseas IV, the fourth in nearly a decade-long span.
This video, directed by experimental filmmaker Iris Piers, is for the album’s closing track, “Youth Hopeth All Things, Believeth All Things,” a down-tempo and dirty jazz-rock piece incorporating rock-’n’-roll guitars and a despairing organ.
Jon Porras: Black Mesa (Thrill Jockey, 4/17/12)
“Into Midnight”
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Guitarist Jon Porras, otherwise known as one half of drone duo Barn Owl, has returned for his sophomore solo effort via Black Mesa, a concept album of sorts about an outlaw’s desert journey as he comes to discover another universe.
Tomorrow is the third Saturday in April, which means that independent record stores across the world will face an influx of limited-edition vinyl, avid fans, and rabid audiophiles. With myriad releases hitting shelves, we’ve provided you with some of our most anticipated picks to make Saturday’s shopping (relatively) quick and painless.
Jel: Greenball 3.5 (Fieldwerk, 4/17/12)
“Ignition Key”
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Knowing nothing about his sleeping patterns, Just looking at his discography, one gets the sense that producer/rapper Jel (born Jeffrey Logan) lives and breathes on beats alone — that for him, rest is but an afterthought. Ever since the 1997 formation of hip-hop duo Themselves, in which he partners with Adam “Doseone” Drucker, the prolific artist has put out multiple releases every year either under his own name, with Themselves, with other projects such as Subtle and 13 & God, or as producer for other innovative rap artists such as Serengeti. Oh, and he co-founded LA-based indie hip-hop label Anticon. No big deal.
Grinderman: 2 RMX (Anti-, 4/17/12)
“Evil (Silver Alert Remix f. Matt Berninger)”
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It’s not an obvious idea to remix Nick Cave. His status as a musical icon seems to discourage the thought that his manic tales of depravity can be improved or successfully altered. But Grinderman’s 2 RMX — damn, does it work well. From A Place to Bury Strangers’ post-punk rendition of “Worm Tamer” to the spooky, shamanistic vibe of “Evil” by Silver Alert (Grinderman’s Jim Sclavunos) and The National’s Matt Berninger, it’s a surprise to find a style so distinct that’s also so versatile. Grinderman is ripe for experimentation.
Shmu: Discipline / Communication (Grand Theft Zamboni, 6/5/12)
Multi-instrumentalist/singer Shmu — otherwise known as Sam Chown or the percussion half of Austin synth-prog duo Zorch — is about to make his solo debut in June with Discipline / Communication.
Compared to the manic sensibilities of Zorch, Shmu brings a more chilled-out vibe with elements of pop and shoegaze, opting for some serious grooves rather than spacey synths.
The video for the album’s first single, “House of Stares,” is highly infectious due to Chown’s vocal harmonies, catchy xylophone loops, and guitar accents — all while a grown man rocks some carnival-ready onesie pajamas.
Yann Tiersen: Skyline (Anti-, 4/17/12)
“Another Shore”
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French composer Yann Tiersen always has taken darker paths — even the Amelie soundtrack maintained a certain melancholy. His solo albums are more overt. On 2010 album Dust Lane, he appropriated a stark passage from Henry Miller’s The Rosy Crucifixion. On his latest, Skyline (finally released in the United States), he takes the tropes of horror films and makes music out of it — at least on “Exit 5 Block 20,” a track that begins with brutal howls that only subside for a short portion of the song.
Trentemøller: My Dreams (In My Room, 4/21/12)
Acclaimed Danish producer Trentemøller is among the roster of musicians gearing up for Record Store Day. His contribution to independent record stores across the world is a seven-inch single, My Dreams, which houses a cover of The Gun Club‘s song of the same name.
The track, which features vocals of repeat collaborator Marie Fisker, can be heard in the video below, which includes live footage and stunning cinematic visuals taken on the road.
