Their new album, due out March 31st, is absolutely great. Peter, Bjorn, and John have really stepped up their game on Living Things, and I’m so happy to say so. I’ve been slightly disappointed by big releases from popular bands lately, but PBJ have not let me down in the least. So go check out their album and be sure to pick it up when the physical copy comes out. I’d suggest “Nothing to Worry About” or “Lay It Down”. Enjoy!
You, You’re Awesome are set to release an EP tomorrow, entitled “You’re My Superhero”. I hadn’t really heard of these guys until today, thanks to an awesome preview over at And Music Will Set You Free, but now I’m completely in love. You, You’re Awesome creates some amazing electro-pop music that utilize vocals a bit different from most other acts like this. And that’s what sets them apparent, though similar to some other stuff out there, these guys still remain unique. I love the piano over-lays, and the in-and-out styled composition. The sound feels like it drifts from near to far away, giving the listener a unique experience. These guys rock, so check them out, and be sure to grab their EP tomorrow. Enjoy!
Playing only a few tracks together, and sounding rightfully out of sync, Gza of the Wu-Tang Clan and garage punkers the Black Lips took the stage at this week’s South By Southwest Festival. The footage comes courtesy of adkenc, and for being the middle of the crowd, picks up the audio very well. Gza spits over-top of the the basic and strange instrumentals that the guys put out. It’s like watching a DJ try and put together a really bad beat for a freestyle, it repeats the same kind of rhythm over and over and doesn’t seem to go along with the actual tune that Gza is trying to recreate. So yeah, It was a great idea in theory, and I’d encourage more cross genre stuff like this stuff, but this time it didn’t seem to work too well. Check it out for yourself though, Enjoy!? and check out more from adkenc HERE
Anyone who has seen Heima knows about the incredible, unsuspecting power of a low-key Sigur Rós acoustic session.
“For me, the equation is as follows: the band is staying at the Kube hotel, north of Paris; their equipment is at porte de la Villette; Moon and his camera are wedged at la Closerie, in the south of Paris; and, obviously, Sigur Ros are playing at Zénith this very evening. We only have a little time […] We bought a bucket at a bazaar in a side-street, and we decided not to bother pulling out the costumes. We moved some tables to set up a splendid harmonium, we took over the piano, and everything seemed ready… the only thing missing was two drummer’s brushes, which weren’t in the van. While we wait, we ask the group in vain to play a few other songs in the mean time—any song that doesn’t need the brushes. They decline.As John reminds us, they’ve never done anything like this before—they usually don’t perform acoustic. We just have to wait […] Little by little the room empties, the remaining diners drag out the final moments of their lunch, and then the drumsticks arrive. The environment is tense, but they jump in. A few notes on the harmonium, and an incredible voice that it would have been a shame to exhaust. We don’t know if the sticks were essential. But in three minutes, our patience was repaid.”
(via La Blogotheque)
New, raw audio has been leaking out from the Boston MA legends of technical hardcore & metal experimentation in Converge over the past year. First as background music to certain Deathwish podcasts in late-2008, then early this year in their select live shows, and now as a rehearsal in-studio video. It’s a time to be excited; this is the first truly audible recording of the forthcoming Converge album to hit the web! All I’m gonna say is that it sounds like Kurt Ballou has been working overtime (the riffing is out of this world, but man, that tone is fucking incredible!). I’ll let the music do the talking… Continue reading
Usually when I watch a film, I like to play like a critic and try to really “interpret” what the director is trying to get across. Some people prefer to simply enjoy a movie for its visual pleasures, but understanding the intricate aspects of editing and directing tends to provide a much more fulfilling viewing experience to me. With the music video for Neko Case‘s “People Got A Lotta Nerve”, her lead single from the new Middle Cyclone album, it’s hard for me to even begin to come to any solid conclusions about what it’s about; but I do know that I don’t mind wondering. Girls are frollicking around and playing with every type of wild beast imaginable; everything from elephants and tigers, to dogs and monkeys, to cranes and (yes, you guessed it..) killer whales. The animation, though simple, is gorgeous, and the warm colors and cheery atmosphere make me forget why I even wonder why the red-head cartoon girl (Neko?) is trying to shoot the apes who just want to gander at pictures of Neko. It’s an adventurous piece of work, veiled in multiple meanings; a dream that has been dreamed awake.
Click ‘read more’ to watch “People Got A Lotta Nerve” after the jump… Continue reading
It was already a month ago that Solid Gold went to the United Kingdom for a string of shows and showcases in London. Since then, the band has played a few local shows, headlined the super eclectic Are You Local? event (..unfortunately I forgot my camera in the car, sorry guys..), and made the trip to SXSW for over half a dozen shows in only a few days (they’re most likely headed back to Minneapolis now). But, we don’t want to forget about the guy’s trip abroad to impress the big wigs yet! Thankfully, a couple of Brits have decided to upload some live videos from the band’s recent trip and we are proud to link to them here at Mind Inversion for you. Hope this starts your Monday right..
Solid Gold, “Neon Rose” (live at Buffalo Bar in London, Feb 26. 2009)
Click ‘read more’ for a video of Solid Gold playing at Water Rats in London… Continue reading
Woot! Back from my spring leave of absence and ready to assault the web with more writing! For my past few Metalhead Minutes, I’ve been delving into some band’s from the obscure underbelly of some of metal’s rising artists (in my eyes). This week I’ll bring things back a bit closer to the surface; some of the commoners might actually be listening to the choices I’ve selected for this post. These songs come from two albums that will be unavoidable for anyone who even passively associates themselves with metal in the spring of 2009!
First, take a listen to the lead single from Mastodon‘s newest album, Crack the Skye. As a reminder, this album will be in stores everywhere on Tuesday, and “Divinations” is an epic, psych’n’roll metal masterwork that is only an indicator of the direction these Georgian metalheads have decided to take. I’ll have my review of the album posted on Monday, so I won’t get into the specifics now, but just enjoy the preview video for now to tide you over!
Video: Mastodon, “Divinations” (from Crack the Skye, available 03/24)
Maybe this is an unsuspecting choice for anyone who’s followed my tastes on the site, but honestly, Chimaira is a band that has never let me down. Despite the harsh treatment the band has endured from the community in general over the past few years, I’ve always seen them as a band that is thinking outside the box and pushing boundaries rather than being confined by them. Over the years, their attack has continued to be refined and “Secrets of the Dead” indicates another progression. The track comes from their forthcoming album The Infection, an album that will be sure to cement the band a permanent place in the metal history books. Though it still clings tight to the trash and groove metal centerpiece that Chimaira fans will know and love, death metal, epic doom metal, and black metal are all nuanced, as well. Simply put, “Secrets of the Dead” seems to meld my favorite aspects of all things brutal, and I hope the rest of the album is of the same caliber. In theory, a song like this could’ve been a mess, but Chimaira seems to have hit created a legendary sound for their newest evolution. Listen to “Secrets of the Dead” now and see what you’ve been missing!
MP3: Chimaira, “Secrets of the Dead” (from The Infection, available 04/21)
It’s Called Just Hear It, and Tony the Tiger gives it 2 thumbs up!!!!
Was doing some stumbling on stumbleupon.com, and came across this site that allows you to search any song in the world, for free, and listen to it. Cool Stuff!
DIG DEEPER: Website
Nearly half a decade has passed since Doves had released Some Cities, and now the English indie rock trio has been the studio getting ready to release Kingdom of Rust. I, for one, will be scrounging up the pounds and pence to purchase the album on April 6th. Who is with me?!?
Doves, no doubt, encompass a mystical aura surrounding their music. Their sound emerges like a crisp and fresh, spring morning. The bells and guitar in, There Goes the Fear, paint an image of reflected light off dew-covered grass, as I stroll to my 8 a.m. class. Ahhhhh, I feel relaxed and refreshed from the heavy lulls of the guitar. Thank You, Doves. Thank You.
LISTEN: myspace.com/dovesmyspace
It pleases me to bring you an interview that I found off of Doves.net. Andy Williams (Drums) talks about revisiting and readjusting to being on tour again, as well as early fan responses to Kingdom of Rust.
Hello Andy, how’s it feel to be back out on the road?
Really good, we’re all really enjoying it. We’re just getting used to being back on the bus again but it’s great to be out on the road again and gigging. I’ve forgotten how much fun it really is… Continue reading
MIND INVERSION 