On 12/31/00, dropped-D alt-rockers Hum played their final show in Chicago, appearing with the Flaming Lips at the Metro. Now, eight years to the date, the group reconvenes in the Windy City for a double dose of reunion performances.
ALARM intercepts transmissions from Hum singer Matt Talbott and bassist Jeff Dimpsey before these impending shows, the first of which is tonight at Chicago’s Double Door.
This is far from a radical idea, and it certainly seems to be the direction in which the music industry is heading. But technology consultation/analysis firm Gartner has suggested a swift move towards digital-first releases, sometime before Christmas of 2009.
Japanese new-wave quartet Polysics can fry synapses with its sequenced vibrations, surges of thousand-gigawatt melodies, and Devo-influenced punk rock.
Chris Catania communicates with front man Hiro Hayashi to learn about the group’s inspirations, thoughts on Japanese punk rock, and using a “space language.”
Infusing traditional Japanese sounds with shredding, progressive metal, Tsugaru-shamisen master Kevin Kmetz creates a high-speed cultural collision with his band God of Shamisen.
The group released a phenomenal full-length late this year on Reptile Records, and now Kmetz is working on a major-label release for EMI Japan.
After the jump, you can watch a few exclusive videos of the group in the studio. Make sure to throw those horns up for the double bass, and be sure to geek out for the Star Wars cover.
Ambient, cinematic acoustic/electronic duo Zombi has pair of preview tracks from Spirit Animal, its new album set for a February 3 North American release via Relapse.
True to form, the tunes — “Spirit Animal” and “Spirit Warrior” — showcase a sound that fits horror films and any number of other retro soundtracks. The songs are a bit more focused on modern rock sounds than the older material, and they certainly pack a punch.
He’s got knickers with flashing fairy lights, others that glow in the dark, a bra-and-knickers set shaped like manicured women’s hands enveloping the wearer’s crotch and breasts.
In a slightly higher price range, he’s got remote-controlled bras and knickers, designed to spring open and fall to the floor with a clap of the hands or a press of a button.
This week, we bring you a DIY pioneer. During the 15 years this space has been open, a tight-knit community of anarchists, punks, and musicians has been established. Try as they may, authorities cannot shut this place down. The Trumbullplex plans to continue its promotion of music as a weapon for years to come.
Instrumental math-rock gurus Don Caballero are hitting the road again in February, playing select dates around the Midwest, Texas, and out West. All shows will include quirky Toronto rockers DD/MM/YYYY, and some will include the melodic 8-bit rock of sBACH. Check out the tour dates after the jump.
Sunday, December 28th at The Empty Bottle in Chicago. Info below.
Thirsty Ear recording artists Blink. are a beacon in the already-bright future of Chicago’s avant-jazz scene. Between holiday parties, some of us will sneak out to see the group’s grooving creations of hard-hitting alternative jazz.
It features Snoop Dogg’s “Singh is King,” “Dhoom Taana” from Om Shanti Om, and songs from Oscar contender Taare Zameen Par. Weird, danceable, and awesome. You can stream the entire record below.