With one of the most exciting and historical presidential elections underway, a satirical account of previous and current leaders entitled Of Great & Mortal Men: 43 Songs for 43 Presidencies, will be released September 9th on Standard Recording. Musicians Christian Kiefer, Matthew Gerken, and Jefferson Pitcher composed and recorded the 3-disc set along with such guest musicians as Jamie Stuart of Xiu Xiu, Marla Hansen, Califone, and Bill Callahan.
Year: 2008
Heavy Metal in Baghdad DVD Release and Chicago Screening
Heavy Metal In Baghdad (Vice Films) documents Acrassicauda – the first and possibly only Metal band in Iraq. Director Eddy Moretti and interviewer Suroosh Alvi of Vice magazine travel through the Middle East, tracking the band they’ve become infatuated with. They risk danger, donning flak jackets and are even escorted by armed guards just to tell the band’s story of woe.
An Albatross Preps for their LP with Two Upcoming Shows
After recently signing with Eyeball Records, Willkes-Barre, Pennsylvania-based An Albatross will return to New York City and Philadelphia to perform with Don Caballero and Ponytail! in late August.
Plants and Animals: Parc Avenue
Parc Avenue is the first real LP from Plants and Animals, the arty and expressive Montreal trio. Released on Secret City Records, it was recorded before their last EP, With/Avec, yet this album feels like Plants and Animals are now fully realized. Filled with spontaneity and jubilant, Parc Avenue is a joyous work of Arcade Fire-like enormity, set between three friends and many well-wishers.
The Sword: Gods Of The Earth
Austin-based quartet, The Sword plays derivative heavy metal reminiscent of Black Sabbath, full of witches-at-black-masses lyricism. Gods of the Earth employs vaguely blues-influenced rhythms and dense heavy metal chords intent on creating a vibe rather than showcase technical prowess. The album begins and ends in cinematic fashion.
King Khan and The Shrines: The Supreme Genius Of…
King Kahn and the Shrines sidestep gimmick and breathe new life into excavated soul sounds on the forthcoming The Supreme Genius Of (Vice, 2008). The album picks up right were the elusive Kahn and his nine piece enterprise left off, with last years What Is?! (Hazelwood, 2007). Opting for their signature analog nostalgia garage sounds; reverberating guitar riffs recall primal rock and roll at its most chaotic and ambitious. In lesser hands The Supreme Genius Of could come off exploitative, but Kahn treats his source material with a reverence that infuses agelessness and authenticity.
Destroyer: The Mad Genius of Dan Bejar
Destroyer‘s Dan Bejar is all over the place — the New Pornographers, Swan Lake, and Hello Blue Roses all employ and depend on his talents — but out of them all, Destroyer is his project, truly highlighting his own quirkily poetic style and interests.
Jamie Lidell: JIM
It’s obvious that techno producer-turned-soul crooner Jamie Lidell‘s voice has been gradually improving. On his last album, the outstanding Multiply, the instrumentation and production was the star of the show. On JIM, Lidell‘s voice is front-and-center.
Beck Confirms July 8th Release For Latest Disc, Modern Guilt
The robot funk master, Beck, has finalized plans to release his latest disc, Modern Guilt, July 8th on DGC Records. For his follow-up to 2006’s critically acclaimed disc, The Information, Beck hit the studios with famed producer Brian “Danger Mouse” Burton to record all of Guilt‘s 10 tracks.