MIND INVERSION

Black Blondie introduces debut album Do You Remember..? with a tune

Posted in Downloads with tags black blondie, candy cigarettes, do you remember who you wanted to be?, download, female vocals, Hip-Hop, minneapolis, minnesota, mp3, pop, r&b, romi da luna, soul on Tuesday, March 24, 2009 by Ryan Buege

Displaying an elegance and savvy soulfulness of a band wise beyond their years, it’s hard to believe that Black Blondie are only now making the announcement for what they consider to be their “debut”. The local fourpiece has been earning respect and acclaim both locally and nationally over the past few years for their danceable, experimental style of gritty, soul, pop, hip-hop and R&B; they’ve been tapped to open for everyone from the Roots to Jill Scott to K’naan to Amy Winehouse (as well as participated in countless much smaller local gigs) and even appeared on URB‘s shortlist of artists to watch out for in the Mar/Apr 2008 issue. Now, thanks to City Pages Gimme Noise, we’re aware that the group has scheduled an April 14th release for their first official LP, Do You Remember Who You Wanted To Be? The time couldn’t be better for them to release this, and from the sounds of the sample that they provided, “Candy Cigarettes”, they’re not holding anything back. As strong and powerful as it is soothing, the vocal combination of Black Blondie’s Samahra and Channy Moon Casselle from Roma di Luna is a something to be commended. Indeed, it’s a haunting mood they’ve created on this song, and I’m grooving on it; I can’t wait to hear more when the release comes April 14th and I’m sure many longtime Black Blondie fans are thinking the same thing.

MP3: Black Blondie, “Candy Cigarettes (featuring Channy Moon Casselle)” (from Do You Remember Who You Wanted To Be?, available 4/14)

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Dredg resurfaces with “Saviour” from new album

Posted in Downloads with tags Audio, download, dredg, mp3, progressive rock, saviour, the Delusion, the Pariah, the Parrot on Tuesday, March 24, 2009 by Ryan Buege

These days, waiting 4 years between albums is basically the equivalent to a lifetime, and maybe that’s why it seems like Dredg basically disappeared from the face of the earth after they releaseed 2005’s Catch Without Arms. The growth that Dredg showed from their earlier releases to CWA was something quite remarkable (which may be why I didn’t appreciate it as much upon its initial release), and given 4 more years of growth, one couldn’t be very sure what to expect from Dredg’s forthcoming album The Pariah, the Parrot, the Delusion. Well, the time is soon coming for the release of the entire album – which is good, considering Dredg’s conceptual tendencies – but for now they have treated us to a new track! “Saviour” is an off-time, poppy, progressive rocker that combines both the upbeat, catchy charm of Catch Without Arms with the dirty, heady, psychedelic rock that Dredg perfected on Leitmotif. Personally, I’m still interested in hearing the somber experimentation they displayed on el Cielo, but if they’ve moved on, I guess I can try to move on with them. Listen for yourself:

MP3: Dredg, “Saviour” (from The Pariah, the Parrot, the Delusion, available 5/19)

UPDATE: File has been removed after request from WMG/Independent Label Group. Hopefully we’ll hear it again soon.

UPDATE 2!! After some pestering, they led me to Dredg AbsolutePunk.net profile, where they are currently streaming “Saviour”! Head over there to listen to this new jam from Dredg’s forthcoming album.

Keep reading for a full listing of Dredg’s spring tour dates, including a stop at the Varsity Theater in Minneapolis with Torche and From Monument to Masses! Continue reading →

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Extreme Noise Records plans series of legendary 15th Anniversary shows

Posted in Concert Dates with tags 15th anniversary, amebix, architect, assrash, coalesce, condominium, detonate, disembodied, extreme noise records, frontier, hardcore, living hell, minneapolis, minnesota, misery, punk rock, shit kids, the daily void, the kids, the retainers, tragedy, triple rock social club, veil of maya, war//plague on Tuesday, March 24, 2009 by Ryan Buege

Extreme Noise Records has been holding down the punk rock scene in Minneapolis to its roots since it began 15 years years ago, and for their anniversary coming up they plan to reaffirm that to anyone who may have forgot! The reputable independent/co-op punk record shop has planned a 15th Anniversary concert itinerary at the Triple Rock Social Club that is sure to make any local crusty as giddy as a schoolgirl; for me, the biggest excitement from this recent announcement is knowing that the reunited crust-punk innovators of Amebix will be making an appearance in our fair city, but the awesomeness of none of these shows can be understated. Among others, the legendary punks The Kids, Shitkids, and many of Minneapolis finest names in underground punk will be some of the personalities to contribute the soundtrack for these shows in honor of ENR. The party begins at the end of April when influential reunited Minnesota hardcore heroes in Disembodied headline their reunion show with tech masters in Coalesce, and it will continue until the respected, reclusive d-beat hardcore punks in Tragedy finish up the festivities on July 11th.

All shows take place at the Triple Rock Social Club. Please visit triplerocksocialclub.com for ticket information (starting at noon today). Keep reading for all the dates! Continue reading →

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Mos Def gets “Ecstatic” about his new album

Posted in Music News with tags Hip-Hop, Mos Def, Okayplayer, The Ecstatic on Monday, March 23, 2009 by Tim Althaus

mos-def-the-ecstatic2 I was over at Okayplayer the other day and this news article definitely caught my eye. I’ve been looking forward to a new Mos Def album since his last one. I sadly wasn’t a huge fan of Tru3 Magic but I know that Mos has it in him to make another classic. They were saying that the date that is tentative for the release is June 9th (not official), but I’m not going to count on it. Make sure you check out the video below which has Mos spitting a pretty dope acapella.

Vodpod videos no longer available.

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José González’s song “Down the Line” = perfect song for rainstorms & procrastination

Posted in Video with tags Berklee Internet Radio Network, BIRN, Down the Line, In Our Nature, Jose Gonzalez on Monday, March 23, 2009 by Nicholas Blexrud

josegif_ As I was listening to the Berklee Internet Radio Network (BIRN), I caught the trail end of some unfamiliar lyrics”Don’t Let the Darkness Eat You Up”. I quickly searched the lyrics and found the song “Down the Line” sung beautifully by a Swedish lad, José González. “Down the Line” was a single off his September 2007 release of In Our Nature. Cool. I found the song. I am so good at this. Ha. Anyway, as I work vigorously on a well-procrastinated marketing plan due bright an early at 8 am, while staring hopelessly into the darkness of the rainy night here in Winona, I (hold on a sec have to go to YouTube and restart “Down the Line”, ah, there we go) find it soothing and fitting for my slacker ways of school. Maybe, if you are reading this, you, too, will view the video while taking brief glances out into a dark, dreary night, but hey, “Don’t let the darkness eat you up!”

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Black Milk is having “Dreams”

Posted in Downloads with tags Black Milk, Detroit Hip-Hop, Random Axe, Slum Village, Tronic on Monday, March 23, 2009 by Tim Althaus

artist_blackmilk-reald Man it seems like the year that Black Milk has been having can only happen in a dream. He released (in my opinion) the best album of last year, and is coming out with more deadly venom this year with a wide array of projects (Random-Axe, Tracks on the new Slum Village, working with KRS on a track).

This track “Dreams” is a web exclusive that Black Milk released and it sounds much like anything else he has done in the past, fire as hell. The beat starts out with a hard hitting bass to snare and fades to a nice piano and synth loop. Continue reading →

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Pearl Jam 10 Special Editions!

Posted in Media with tags Pearl Jam, Pearl Jam Ten Special Editions, Special Editions, Ten on Monday, March 23, 2009 by Nicholas Blexrud

pj_ten I was talking to super-fly uncle and he had told me to check out this fun, interactive website: Pearl Jam 10 Special Editions.

Pretty much you assemble a 3-D photograph of a Pearl Jam album cover, and you are rewarded with a free download of one of their Special Edition Tracks.

DIG DEEPER: Website

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Cymarshall Law & Elzhi Are on a “Bullet Train”

Posted in Downloads with tags Cymarshall Law, Elzhi, Hip-Hop, Masia One on Monday, March 23, 2009 by Tim Althaus

cymar-law This gem has been sitting in my inbox for a few days because I haven’t had the time to get it on the blog because of school issues. I am glad that I finally have time to get this up because it features two of the illest emcees in the game right now. “Bullet Train” is a track by Cymarshall Law, and it features the always flame throwing Elzhi and the female emcee Masia One.

If you haven’t heard of Elzhi or Cymarshall Law you really need to do yourself a favor and jump on the bandwagon. They put out two of the best albums of last year with no question and they have some of the best flow and rhymes that you will ever here. It seems like they are both able to make any beat they are given and make it their home. Elzhi really kills the beat, “I steamroll your team whole/get your whole dream stole/then take my supreme role as an extreme goal/I been in my zone chattin’ on an iPhone with a chick twistin’ up trees like a cyclone”. Masia One and Cymarshall Law follow in the same line and kill this hard hitting synth beat. If you like good rhymes do yourself a favor and download this one, you will be very dissapointed if you don’t.

Download “Bullet Train” here

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Metal A/V Roundup: New ISIS music! Amon Amarth, Cattle Decapitation videos, much more

Posted in Audio, Video with tags amon amarth, Audio, cattle decapitation, Isis, mastodon, Metal, music video, New Album, new music, torche, warbringer, wavering radiant on Monday, March 23, 2009 by Ryan Buege

Isis is back. In only a few weeks, their new album Wavering Radiant will be officially unveiled, and this guy couldn’t be happier! Really, when it rains it pours; within a short 24 hour period I’m getting my ears on the first tastes of music from new Converge AND Isis – I think my head is about to explode. Isis just posted the song “20 Minutes/40 Years” over at their MySpace website (UPDATE: we’ve got a free MP3 linked below), and I’m now, for the indeterminate future, dutifully listening on repeat to this precursor of the divine psychedelic doom metal that is coming to everyone’s ears by April 21st. You’ll all likely just have to resign to the same lifestyle as well, and Isis seems to think it should be enough for now. In their words:

We feel this [“20 Minutes/ 40 Years”] is a good representation of [Wavering Radiant]. Our friend Matt Santoro is working on a video for this song which will be completed around the time of the records release. This is also the song we showcased on the ATP tour we did back in December. We hope you enjoy it. There’s lots of “ear candy” in this one, so be sure to listen on some headphones – or, better yet, wait until the vinyl is released for full sonic enjoyment.

MP3: Isis, “20 Minutes/40 Years” (from Wavering Radiant, available 4/21)

In other obscure regions of the metal realm, it was a very busy weekend as well. A number of metal videos and songs that recently surfaced are posted below for your viewing and listening entertainment. Enjoy!

Cattle Decapitation – music video released this week for their first single (is it really called that for a grindcore band?) from The Harvest Floor, “Regret and the Grave“. It’s one that leaves little to the imagination; haunting, scary, sick’n’twisted, in-your-face blasting, grinding, gritty madness!

WATCH: Cattle Decapitation, “Regret and the Grave” (from The Harvest Floor)

Amon Amarth – their second music video from their recent Twilight of the Thundergod is now available, created for the defiant Viking death metal battle hymn “Guardians of Asgaard“. The song features Petrov from Entombed, and the video is epic and fucking awesome (in plainspeak). Nothing more needs to be acknowledged other than the fact that Amon Amarth owns, and the video and new album are further proof of their exalted status.

WATCH: Amon Amarth, “Guardians of Asgaard” (from Twilight of the Thundergod)

LISTEN: Torche, “Sugar Glider” (from Healer/Across The Shields 12″)

WATCH: Mastodon, Crack the Skye In Studio Video (full length, 10 episode edition!!)

LISTEN: Warbringer, “Severed Reality” (from Waking Into Nightmares, available 5/19)

WATCH: Iron Maiden, Flight 666 Trailer (available 4/21, and select screenings)

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Bassnectar {beys nek ter} : Other Side Tour

Posted in Concert Dates with tags aphex twin, bassnectar, Blonde Redhead, Capital Hill, CO, Colfax Ave., denver, Gnarles Barkley, Lil' Wayne, M.I.A., Ogden Theatre, Other Side Tour, slayer, Southern Comfort Music Festival on Monday, March 23, 2009 by Nicholas Blexrud

Bassnectar, Other Side Tour So, what does Bassnectar mean? According to his website it means, “A freeform project that merges music, art, new media, social involvement, and community values; dedicated to a constantly-evolving ethos of collaborative creation, self-reinvention, and boundary-pushing experimentation.” My personal meaning is, “WOW, this guy FUCKIN’ ROCKS YOUR SOCKS OFF!”(Fist raised and pounding).

I have had the wonderful opportunity to see Bassnectar twice since I have been alive. The first time was at the Southern Comfort Music Festival held in Denver, CO, which featured headlining artists like Blonde Redhead and Gnarles Barkley; in addition to, the outrageous, whomping bass and eclectic visual display of new media broadcasted behind the low-hanging head of Bassnectar himself. The second time was more recently at the Ogden Theatre located on Denver’s renown Colfax Ave located on Capital Hill. I had just walked in when I heard the bass going through my sternum and knocking down the young raver behind me. A triad of lights, video, and sound, (specifically bass), overcame my senses as I jockeyed for a good position to watch the montage. Bassnectar was mixing everything from Slayer, Aphex Twin, MIA, and Lil Wayne, while producing ear-shattering cheers and roars from the crowd.

His diverse style of presenting and processing music, both audibly and visually, lulls eardrums into an ancient, transcendent melody of rhythm and rhyme. His music makes me look past hearing and seeing music at a live show, but rather the mixture of what Bassnectar stands for: A merger of music, art, new media, social involvement, and community values.

Keep reading for all the dates for the Other Side Tour… Continue reading →

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