Representing a random sampling of ambiguous pop-culture references, Tyler Cufley unveils his latest work at NEXT, the Invitational Exhibition of Emerging Art in Chicago.
Music
Autolux: Patience for a “Perfect” Sequel
Autolux guitarist Greg Edwards is well accustomed to the demands of recording your own music. In 1995, Edwards spent months recording what ended up being the band Failure‘s final album, Fantastic Planet — a sprawling alt-metal epic with a cinematic narrative.
Five years since the release of Future Perfect, Autolux’s full-length debut, the alt-rock trio only recently announced labels for its follow-up, titled Transit Transit (TBD Records in the US and ATP Recordings everywhere else). This time, though, Edwards says that he was a lot more comfortable waiting patiently.
Zine Scene: Tom Moniz’s Radical Parenting
“The zine has a life of its own, so as the time for it approaches, I start pulling together my own story and the stories of others, and that’s the most rewarding thing — building community, reaching out, making friends.”
That’s how zinester/blogger Tom Moniz describes the uniquely organic process of creating his zines, which cover topics like trans and queer fatherhood and the anarcho-punk lifestyle. His works describe not just the parenting styles of its subjects but their lives and passions.
Sage Francis debuts track with Yann Tiersen, lists tour dates
Prefix Magazine has premiered “The Best of Times,” a single from rapper/poet Sage Francis‘ forthcoming album, Li(f)e. The track, whose lyrical content is a revealing and personal reflection, is built on a neoclassical composition by Yann Tiersen, best known for his work on the Amelie soundtrack.
James Blackshaw: Upholding a Rich 12-String History
Though he’s been hailed as a twelve-string-guitar virtuoso for the better part of five years, James Blackshaw didn’t really graduate to the Jedi class of contemporary instrumental artists until the spring of 2009, when he made his much anticipated debut on Michael Gira’s Young God Records.
World In Stereo: Next Stop…Soweto Vol. 2
Is there anything that apartheid didn’t fuck up? The disgusting policy of extreme segregation seeped through every aspect of South African life, even the music scene.
When white politicians started sensing “trouble” (as in blacks having concerts), they passed a series of laws that kept blacks from playing shows in concert halls in white Johannesburg. This meant that any black musician had to play shows in the Soweto Township, a poor and segregated neighborhood next to the city’s mining district.
Angel Deradoorian steps out of Dirty Projectors’ shadow on debut EP
Mind Raft is a trip into the ether of Angel Deradoorian’s mind — by turns spacey and beautiful, eerie and unsettling.
Crystal Antlers’ DIY dedication
Though not inherently punk, Crystal Antlers‘ unique mix of psych fuzz and layered chaos channels a distinct DIY ethos.
Dysrhythmia: Hyperactive Technicality
Strip down, way down, the layers of the moody energy of Brooklyn post-rock metal trio Dysrhythmia’s fifth album, Psychic Maps, and you can hear an indication of the agility responsible for the band’s deep intensity.
Poster Art: Mara Piccione’s Anthropomorphism
Netherlands-based artist Mara Piccione explores love, childhood, nightmares, sadness, mental illness, and the “beauty of it all” in her silk-screened, music-centered work.
In addition to her themes of of human/animal hybrids, this blend of features depicts expressions that “make is possible for a character to be sweet, sad, and weird at the same time.”
Kylesa signs to Season of Mist, plans new album for 2010
After four full-length albums, psychedelic sludge-punk quintet Kylesa has signed to French avant-metal label Season of Mist. The Savannah band made a splash last year with the release of Static Tensions, its best recording to date.
Refused announces deluxe edition of The Shape of Punk to Come
In 1998, Swedish hardcore quartet Refused released a magnum opus, combining explosive riffage with assorted elements of punk, electronica, and jazz. That album, The Shape of Punk to Come, doubled as a swan song and left the world wanting more.