This is a great interview, simply because of the crazy number of props this dude is hiding in his bin. Lykke has a hard time responding to the questions because she’s just so amazed by what this wacky Canadian keeps pulling out, and it’s quite hilarious. She gave an incredible performance a few weeks ago at the Varsity in MPLS and Culture Bully captured the whole show. Anyone who’s asking themselves “why should I care?” should quickly set themselves straight; dig deeper to find out what you’re missing from this beautiful Swede.
Author Archive
Lykke Li gets a blast from the past on Nardwuar
Posted in Video with tags canada, lykke li, much music, sweden on Wednesday, February 25, 2009 by Ryan BuegeFargo’s Battlefields set release date for Translation Loss debut
Posted in Concert Dates, Music News with tags 400 bar, battlefields, fargo, frontier, irepress, minneapolis, minnesota, north dakota, translation loss records, triple rock social club, vernal pool on Wednesday, February 25, 2009 by Ryan Buege
This is just a short update to bring you up-to-speed on one of my favorite mind-expanding metal bands from the area, the young Fargo-ND ethereal post metal/chaotic hardcore innovators in Battlefields. Their debut full-length on Translation Loss Records (Dysrhythmia, Intronaut, Total Fucking Destruction) is now scheduled to be released on March 31, 2009. Listening to some of the goodies from the album that they’ve got on their myspace gives me the impression that (even after several months of waiting with these snippets on repeat) I’m not quite ready for what I’m about to hear. Post-metal truly hasn’t sound this fresh, defiant, and unstoppable to my ears since it first became my drug of choice. It’s too bad the album won’t be available before they play at the Triple Rock Social Club on March 11th with rising psych/prog rockers Irepress, Minneapolis’s Frontier, and our friends in local doomgaze lords Vernal Pool, but that’s no reason to miss this show. With all of these bands supporting unbelievable new material, there’s no doubt in my mind that this will be one of the the most impressive “local” underground metal shows lined up for the remainder of the 2009 winter. Can’t miss!
To round out some great pre-coverage of this show, we’ll have an excellent interview online next week that we conducted with Vernal Pool at their stomping grounds in NE MPLS a few days ago about the show and their forthcoming debut full length album. Also, they’ll will be playing a verrrrry late set on Saturday at the 400 Bar for the Devil’s Work Shop 5 Year Anniversay Party, so metalheads shouldn’t fail to stay around til bar time to be impressed before the Battlefields/Irepress tour sweeps through the city.
Disfear incite “Fear and Trembling” with new track
Posted in Audio with tags 7", disfear, doomriders, relapse, split, sweden on Wednesday, February 25, 2009 by Ryan Buege
Sweden’s long-running D-beat hardcore devotees in Disfear have recently posted the brand new track, “Fear And Trembling”, for listening at the band’s MySpace: MySpace.com/Disfear. This track is the first public release they’ve made from their recent highly anticipated split 7” release with Doomriders that recently became available. As I hoped, “Fear and Trembling” is the perfect introduction for anyone who has not heard this incredible band yet.
It’s a much longer track than you’re used to hearing in hardcore, and the driving rhythm and galloping riffage quickly makes you lose sight of this. It’s an anthemic gem, bristling with power and gaining steam as each verse sets loose into its own vicious chorus. During the brief interlude, the dense atmosphere that Disfear creates is lifted, and the never-ending beat is stripped down and given some breathing room in the spotlight. Not for long, as the madness quickly creeps back in dissolving the surroundings back into the unforgiving sickness..
LISTEN: “Fear and Trembling” (from Disfear/Doomriders split, 2009)
NPR listening session to Neko Case’s Middle Cyclone this week
Posted in Audio with tags alternative, blues, calexico, country, female vocals, Folk, garth hudson, giant sand, guitar, los lobos, M. Ward, middle cyclone, neko case, piano, sarah harmer, the lilys, the sadies, visqueen on Tuesday, February 24, 2009 by Ryan Buege
Many have been waiting and the moment is finally here! You can now listen to what is sure to be (and deserves to be) the most prominent release from Neko Case yet, via NPR. Middle Cyclone will officially see a release on March 3rd, and this stream will be available until then!
Only a voice this seductive could’ve lured me to investigate more modern country music… I’ll have my review of Middle Cyclone coming next week!
LISTEN: Middle Cyclone (available in stores on March 3rd)
Faith No More reunion is OFFICIAL
Posted in Music News with tags "big" jim martin, billy gould, chuck mosely, european tour, faith no more, jon hudson, mike bordin, mike patton, reunion, roddy bottum on Tuesday, February 24, 2009 by Ryan Buege
After months of quiet whispers, a subtle message has just leaked out from Mike Patton’s team this week, indicating two things. A) he has just completed his first major motion film score for the film Crank 2: High Voltage and B) Faith No More has officially confirmed their reunion!!!! Although no U.S. dates are planned yet and Mike Patton is denying all press requests, we’re really hoping that these shows, the first for Faith No More in over a decade, will eventually make it to the Midwest. Read the entire update on Patton’s film activities and forthcoming schedule is after the jump… Continue reading
Torche and Dredg touring through Dinkytown’s Varsity Theater in April
Posted in Concert Dates with tags concert, dredg, minneapolis, minnesota, torche, tour dates, varsity theater on Tuesday, February 24, 2009 by Ryan BuegeAnd they’ll be a part of the Varsity Theater‘s jam-packed spring/summer concert calendar this April 10th. The billing is a very unlikely one, but there’s no denying this show will be massive and awesome; can’t miss!
Torche is huge on cd, but they are ten times bigger in the live setting. These guys are extremely fun to watch and have never failed to put on a blistering, entertaining show set both times I’ve seen them over the years (once with Jesu in 2007 and at their P4K showcase with Nachtmystium and Boris last year). Personally, I’m very curious to see what kind of set Dredg plays. On their early albums, they had me completely captivated, but I kind of fell off after Catch Without Arms and the show they did at Taste of Choas in 2005. Really, I don’t know what they’ve been up to since, but apparently there’s a new album lined up for release on March 24th. Who knows what they sound like now, but they can’t be doing too much wrong if they’ve lined this gig up.
All the Torche/Dredg spring tour dates are… Continue reading
Cancer Bats on the “Deathsmarch”, new music video
Posted in Video with tags alexisonfire, black market activities, cancer bats, hardcore, music video, punk, southern rock on Monday, February 23, 2009 by Ryan Buege
Maybe it’s just me, but I’ve always envied the the prolific and seemingly “tight-knit” Toronto/Buffalo hardcore-punk scene; its no secret that there has been a long line of stellar bands to from this region, and this post is about the latest. The brand new “Deathsmarch” music video is pretty much quintessential Cancer Bats, a Toronto band of gritty punk rockers that is quickly gaining notoriety. “Deathsmarch” may be a bit more mid-paced than usual from these guys, but at its core it’s still the enthralling, disgusting, southern infected hardcore that they are known for. While perhaps a bit cheesy at times (though I think that probably has more to do with the overly enthusiastic fans than anything else), the video is a pretty awesome clip. It’s a really well-shot piece that could easily be mistaken for one of their lives shows if it the edit weren’t so clean.
When they are at their best, there is no one better at what they do. The over-the-top riffage and impassioned, engaging vocals that make their live shows so fun are also exactly what make “Deathsmarch” a great aural piece for this type of clip. Enjoy!
(featuring a guest appearance from Wade of Alexisonfire)
Sonic Youth unveil tracklist for 16th album… a while ago
Posted in Music News with tags echo canyon west studio, hoboken, john agnello, kim gordon, lee ranaldo, mark ibold, matador records, new jersey, Pavement, rather ripped, sonic youth, steve shelley, the eternal, thurston moore on Monday, February 23, 2009 by Ryan Buege
.. How did I forget to post this on the site? This is only the one band that finds its way into my ears each and every day. Nevermind, the album won’t be here til this summer anyway..
The Eternal is the first music Sonic Youth has recorded since their 2006 album, Rather Ripped. We can expect this to be in our hands on June 9, 2009, and it is the first release the Sonic Youth is making through the thriving and decidely independent Matador Records after their long tenure at Geffen. Produced by John Agnello and the band, The Eternal was recorded through November and December of last year at the band’s Echo Canyon West studio in Hoboken, NJ. Additionally, this album will feature the SY recording debut of former Pavement bassist Mark Ibold.
The press sheet says its their most inspired effort in a long time, and since Rather Ripped ranks near the top of the catalog for me anyway, I’m not complaining. The tracklist is:
1. Sacred Trickster
2. Anti-Orgasm
3. Leaky Lifeboat (For Gregory Corso)
4. Antenna
5. What We Know
6. Calming the Snake
7. Poison Arrow
8. Malibu Gas Station
9. Thunderclap for Bobby Pyn
10. No Way
11. Walkin’ Blue
12. Massage the History
Sonic Youth will be touring throughout the summer in support of the new album, and I urge them to book a Minneapolis show.
These Arms Are Snakes plan split release with All The Saints (on Touch and Go?)
Posted in Music News with tags all the saints, darker my love, hardcore, Metal, minneapolis, minus the bear, post-hardcore, post-rock, progressive, Psychedelic, split, these arms are snakes, touch and go records, triple rock social club, young widows on Monday, February 23, 2009 by Ryan Buege
These Arms Are Snakes are pushing the art of the split release like no other these days, and have announced plans to put out a limited split 7″ with upcoming tourmates, All The Saints. This is the fifth split they’ve planned in the last two years, and right now it’s one of two that are expected this year (the other is the Minus the Bear split that was already announced). Despite releasing an amazing new album at the end of last year entitled Tail Swallower and Dove that provides enough furious and progressive post-hardcore to satisfy those looking for new material, TAAS still isn’t able to sit still and just tour like normal musicians.
On this split with All the Saints, These Arms are Snakes side of the split features the track “Washburn” (a Japan-only bonus from the Tail Swallower.. album) in addition to artwork from Alicja Trout. Apparently, Touch and Go Records will be releasing the split within the next month or so, but there’s no word whether the massive (and very sad) cuts that Touch and Go announced today will hold up this release. My guess is that the vinyls have already been pressed, but who knows?… Hopefully it will be available in time for when TAAS comes through Triple Rock Social Club in Minneapolis with All the Saints and Darker My Love this Thursday, February 26th. Either way, it’s been a few years since I’ve had the chance to catch their gig and I’m looking forward to a wild show.
Keep reading for all the band’s upcoming US tour dates… Continue reading
Sunday Metal Minute: Agoraphobic Nosebleed, “Agorapocalypse Now”
Posted in Sunday Metalhead Minute with tags agoraphobic nosebleed, agorapocalypse, death metal, electronic, grindcore, Jay Randall, KAT, richard johnson, scott hull, thrash metal on Sunday, February 22, 2009 by Ryan Buege
The Massachusetts gore-grind mind Scott Hull is on the loose again, and this time it’s his Agoraphobic Nosebleed violent grind onslaught that’s doing the damage. On “Agorapocalypse Now”, the current tri-vocal combination between Jay Randall, KAT, Richard Johnson is doing wonders for the ANB sound and while it’s still gritty, chaotic, thrashy, and messy, it’s a much more digestible sound than what was found on the outfit’s earlier albums. Scott Hull has made a way for his violent electronic death grindand to sound almost classic, in a way. Anyone who was hasn’t payed attention to Agoraphobic Nosebleed in a few years should tune back in; Scott Hull is the riffmaster and this band is in the finest form of the existence.
MIND INVERSION 