Archive for the News Category

Far signs a deal with Vagrant for ‘return’ fifth album

Posted in Music News with tags , , , , , , , on Thursday, March 5, 2009 by Ryan Buege

Just a quick update for all of you who have been waiting for news since I posted that Far had reunited. Jonah, Shaun, Chris, and John have now announced that they’ve signed a deal with the reputtable Vagrant recording label. Also, accompanying this announcement was the great news that the band’s fifth long-player will be ready for public ears by the spring, the Southern Cali band’s first album in 12 years! From what I understand, Far had been looking to return to the edgier post-hardcore sound that they enjoyed on Tins Cans.. and their earlier albums. After watching Jonah dabble in the softer side of folk and emo for the last decade, it should be riveting to see him really rocking again. Here’s the word from Jonah:

“We had no idea all this would happen. We were just planning on getting to know each other again and playing a few shows, in between everything else we’ve got going on. But now, all of a sudden, the songs are coming, and it feels really good. All we’ve ever promised as people and as a band is that whatever we put out, whenever we come around, we’re gonna mean it.”

www.thebandfar.com | myspace.com/far

Mastodon steals Kylesa and Intronaut for a North American tour

Posted in Music News with tags , , , , , , , , , on Tuesday, March 3, 2009 by Ryan Buege

Several months ago, Mind Inversion made the announcement that The Haunted would be coming to St. Paul for what promised to be an amazing show with Nachtmystium, Kylesa, and Intronaut in mid-April – which is why I was pretty caught off guard when I read the announcement yesterday for a April 12th Mastodon headlined gig at the Fine Line with Intronaut and Kylesa in tow. I’m really not complaining; if these bands were going to unexpectedly drop off an awesome tour, it might as well have been to go on an equally awesome tour.

Mastodon recently crafted the most psychedelic and unrestrained album of their career, Crack the Skye, and they decided to present it live to Minneapolis at one of the most intimate and unrestrained venues in the city. This is a very lucky occurence! Despite their growing success, it’s great that I’m still able to see Mastodon headlining club venues (like they did last time at First Avenue with Converge) rather than opening for some lesser bands. And while it’s only been 4 years, it seems like it’s been an extremely LONG time since their blistering, under-attended performance at the Triple Rock with Burning Brings. To me, it’s commendable that they’re still keeping it as small as they can. Additionally, they’ll be playing Crack the Skye in its entirety, and you don’t even have to go to Maplewood or sit through any shitty bands! Clearly, these guys still know how to book tours that their fans will love; this is a show no one should feel okay missing.

However, I really hope that this doesn’t mean that the Haunted/Nachtmystium performance is going to be canceled. Nachtmystium put out my favorite album of last year, and I was pretty bummed when they dropped off the Opeth tour that came through Maplewood in the middle of last year. I could really care less which show I see Intronaut and Kylesa play at – as long as I get to see them play – but if dropping off the Haunted tour causes this show’s cancellation, I’ll very fucking disappointed.

Continue on to see all the relevant dates these bands have scheduled… Continue reading

Evidence and Alchemist are “Step Brothers” in the lab…

Posted in News, Video with tags , , , , , on Sunday, March 1, 2009 by Tim Althaus

I don’t know about you readers out there, but this video makes me claw with anticipation. As many of you know, Evidence & Alchemist are putting out an album together as the group “Step Brothers”. This is one of my highest anticipated releases of this year (besides EV’s Cats & Dogs) because both of these guys are incredibly talented musicians. Not only are they incredibly talented, but they are two of my favorite artists in the Hip-Hop game right now. EV & ALC are also two of the hardest working cats in the game right now. Evidence has the Step Brothers album as well as the Cats & Dogs album, and Alchemist has potentially three albums due out this year (Step Brothers, Chemical Warfare & Gangrene (which is a side project with Oh No)).

This video is only 48 seconds long, but it’s definitely enough for me to know that this album is going to be classic material. Make sure you stay tuned to Mind Inversion for all of the latest news and updates on both Evidence & Alchemist as well as the progress on these albums.

Mogwai plans to revisit Minnesota on 2009 U.S. tour

Posted in Concert Dates with tags , , , , , , on Thursday, February 26, 2009 by Ryan Buege


After their First Avenue show was abruptly cancelled late last year due to Martin’s heart complications, many Mogwai fans were left a bit shocked and bewildered. Thankfully, he was quickly on his feet again, and the band has stayed true to their promise to return to the midwest as soon as possible. So far, no openers have been announced for their rescheduled show on May 10th at First Avenue in Minneapolis, and I hope it stays that way. The Hawk Is Howling had some of my favorite songs from last year on it, but I’m definitely in support of giving the band plenty of time to honor their classic albums, as well.

Keep reading for all the dates on Mogwai’s world tour… Continue reading

Clipse & Rick Rubin “Cooking Up” Classics

Posted in Music News with tags , , , , on Thursday, February 26, 2009 by Tim Althaus

149402clipserubin525 It looks as though your favorite Cocaine Cowboys and one of the most legendary music makers of our time are “cooking up” some classic material. Clipse & Rick Rubin have been in the studio recording material for Clipse’s new album Til the Casket Drops which is due out sometime in the summer. According to the article that I read on Pitchfork, they have finished one track and they will be recording one or two more tracks together in the studio. I can’t even imagine what the outcome of this collaboration is going to be, both Rubin & Clipse are at the top of their game.

The first single off Til the Casket Drops, “Kinda Like a Big Deal”, will be dropping on March 9th and it features Kanye West and DJ Khalil (who did one of the best beats on the Weatherman LP, “All Said and Done“). Til the Casket Drops, like many other albums, is going to be one of the highlights this year. Make sure you stay tuned to Mind Inversion for updates on the album.

Peter Bjorn and John have “Nothing to Worry About”

Posted in Audio, Downloads, Music News with tags , , , , , , , , on Thursday, February 26, 2009 by Erik Burg

Peter Bjorn And John’s new album Living Thing hasn’t dropped quite yet, out officially March 31st, but a few of their singles from the new album have been leaking out. Most notably is the overly-happy and upbeat “Nothing to Worry About.” It’s a track that changes a lot of what PB&J have been known for. Gone is the clean style and extreme likable-ness in exchange for distorted and nearly lo-fi vocal choruses. I’m personally a huge fan of the track, I think it’s a great step for the band especially after the under-rated SeasidepbjRock instrumental album. Some of the instrumentals on the track are very derivative of what they created on Seaside Rock, but the vocals are nothing like their past material… No whistles, sorry guys. Though “Nothing to Worry About” is certainly a track you could find yourself whistling to. It’s a fun song, very danceable, very fun, and yet nothing too outlandish or silly like some tracks of Writer’s Block. It’s a great track, hands down. Check it out below, Enjoy!

MP3: Peter Bjorn & John – “Nothing to Worry About”  off of Living Thing out March 31st.

I promised more remixes and Mash-ups too, so here you go. It’s one of the most sampled and mashed up tracks I know of- B.I.G.’s “Party and Bullshit” with the new aforementioned “Nothing to Worry About.” And while many of the crazy mash-ups out there today fail miserably, this one actually does a pretty fine job of staying sane and accomplishing what any remix should do, it makes you want to put a giant grin on your face and groove your feet all night long. I love this edit, I love the original, I love music. And I hope you do too, Enjoy!

MP3: Peter Bjorn & John vs. Notorious BIG – “Nothing to Worry About, Just Party and Bullshit” (Dave Wrangler Mash-up)

Fargo’s Battlefields set release date for Translation Loss debut

Posted in Concert Dates, Music News with tags , , , , , , , , , , 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.

Faith No More reunion is OFFICIAL

Posted in Music News with tags , , , , , , , , , 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 , , , , , , on Tuesday, February 24, 2009 by Ryan Buege

And 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.

torchedreg09

All the Torche/Dredg spring tour dates are… Continue reading

Swan Lake get all creep and crawly on their new single

Posted in Audio, Downloads, Music News with tags , , , , , , , , on Monday, February 23, 2009 by Erik Burg

March 24th marks the release of Swan Lakes newest album Enemy Mine (on Jagjaguwar records), but a few tracks have already been released in anticipation of the album. The newest single, entitled “Spider”, is a short romp in line with other Swan Lake material, from this album and their debut effort as well. It’s a hard-to-describe whirlwind of a track that, unless you kind of know what you’re getting yourself into, can be a complete turnoff upon first listen. Like most of their work, “Spider” is a herky-jerky (I’m an amazing writer) track that spills over with vocals and heavy rhythmic drums. The synthesized keys in the background add for a nice twist, especially in the chorus when they wind and swerve with the vocals, complimented by Spencer Krug‘s small vocal part toward the end of the song, “Spider” is a splendid track. Along with the other singles already released, Enemy Mine is shaping up to be an amazing album. Check out the mp3 below along with the album artwork (some of my favorite of 2009 so far). 

MP3: Swan Lake – “Spider” or check out “A Hand At Dusk” off of Enemy Mine as well.

 

Swan Lake's "Enemy Mine" set for release on March 24th.

Swan Lake's "Enemy Mine" set for release on March 24th.