Stacked Decks: The Art and History of Erotic Playing Cards and
Private Stash: A Pin-Up Portfolio By 20 Cartoonists
Young Marble Giants: Colossal Youth
Colossal Youth has cast a long shadow. Kurt Cobain was one of Young Marble Giants‘ more public fans, but their influence travels from their seminal — and sole — full-length album through such descendents as R.E.M., Yo La Tengo, and Belle & Sebastian to cause a shudder traveling up the post-punk spine.
In Rotation: July 17, 2007
Brace yourselves; Coalesce is back. The pummeling hardcore unit’s new two-song seven-inch may not be out until September, but that doesn’t mean we can’t rock it on repeat.
Soviet Posters: The Sergo Grigorian Collection
In the 1880s, Russian advertisers picked up an advertising technique that was being used with great success in France and Germany — the poster. Cookie and cigar companies began commissioning posters and respected artists started to develop the medium. By the end of the century, it was one of the most effective advertising mediums available.
Making Life Choices in the Music Business
Okay, show of hands: who in the past year or so has had a friend or relative come to them with an article proclaiming the death of the music business? It’s usually followed by comments like, “I think you should really reconsider this music thing. Take that job with my uncle doing carpet installations. People always need carpet.”
The Meat Puppets: Rise to Your Knees
Let’s get this out of the way first: the first new Meat Puppets record in seven years (twelve if you’re really counting) isn’t a glorious return to form. Luckily, it’s an exceedingly good one.
Small Brown Bike, Big Reason to Reunite
The Spice Girls, Rage Against the Machine, The Smashing Pumpkins — what does Small Brown Bike have in common with these groups? You guessed it: a 2007 reunion. But this post-punk indie rock band actually has a reason to get back together besides capitalizing on past achievement.
Aesop Rock Schedules Touring Bonanza
Definitive Jux has announced that Aesop Rock will be gracing us all with his manic, mind-altering presence for thirty-nine tour dates this Fall in support of his forthcoming album, None Shall Pass, due out August 28.
Nanos Operetta, Nils Frykdahl Join Absurdist Opera
Performance company inkBoat has joined forces with the seven-member music ensemble Nanos Operetta and vocalist Nils Frykdahl (shown left) to compose a multi-disciplinary opera entitled “Our Breath is as Thin as a Hummbingbird’s Spine.”
Talk To Me Revisits Radio Integration
Talk To Me, an affecting biopic from director Kasi Lemmons, details the real-life story of Ralph Waldo “Petey” Greene, an ex-con who became one of Washington D.C.’s most popular radio deejays during the height of the ’60s Civil Rights Movement.
MM.. an MF Doom Tour!
MF Doom, the man of a thousand collaborations and aliases, has announced the dates for his first foray into the concert circuit since his 2004 MM.. Food Drive Tour. In addition, Rhymesayers has scheduled the re-release of his MM..Food? album, which will feature a DVD of footage from the ’04 tour, for July 24.
The Early Bird Gets the $25,000
Picture this: You recognize Frank Black‘s brilliant, balding figure walking down the street. Somehow you find it in you to run up to him and say, “Hey, Frank. How about you listen to my demo and tell me what you think?”
You give him a CD-R with a lo-fi, poorly mixed recording of your best song. He likes it, so he plays it for Tom Waits, Loretta Lynn, and Robert Smith. They all love it.