After a three year hiatus and a stab at the major leagues, Boston based outfit Wheat return with a new album this year. The cryptically titled Everday I Said A Prayer For Kathy And Made A One Inch Square is every bit beautiful as it can be noisy at times. More of a prettier Sonic Youth at times than My Bloddy Valetine will ever be, it's definitely one of those albums where multiple first listens are required through headphones; you'll definitely find yourself picking up new things with each well deserved listen. Being equally epic and grand moments a la The Soft Bulletin and being coated with the most saccharine shoegaze moments on Souvlaki, Kathy is a devastatingly beautiful record about love and loss and how one is to cope and move on from the past, but not without carrying that little reminder with you wherever you go.
To tide you over until the release of Kathy on May 22, the band will be playing a few shows around the northeast. You can also snatch up the five-song EP That's Exactly What I Wanted...Exactly That, featuring Kathy single "Little White Dove" and four non-album tracks.
Download: "Little White Dove" [mp3] /// [Buy EP Here]
Wheat Tour Dates: 03/31 - TT The Bear's - Cambridge 04/28 - Northstar Bar - Philadelphia 04/29 - Mercury Lounge - New York
You know that I can't blog here and not mention my all-time favorite, my hero, my Jesus, my personal NKOTB, ex-Guided By Voices lead singer Robert Pollard. His umpteenth release, the "mini LP" Silverfish Trivia, is out April 17th (isn't he just dreamy in that track jacket??) Originally slated to be the follow-up to last year's super pop that is Normal Happiness, Trivia went from a 15 song bombast to a mere seven tracks. Bookended by two string instrumentals, the album also features the epic "Cats Love A Parade," an eight minute suite featuring fragments of songs originally on last year's All That Is Holy, one of Pollard's numerous side projects on his about to be defunct Fading Captain Series imprint. With that being said, Trivia is on the newly created Prom Is Coming imprint (that being named after a song on Bob's first solo album, 1996's Not In My Airforce.)
Another song featured on the upcoming release is "Circle Saw Boys Club," a very moving number that was debuted during Pollard's short tour last fall in support of Happiness. The song looks to be a return the more prog-like moments on his other solo album from last year, From A Compound Eye. Either way, it's just Bob at his best (then again with me, Bob is always at his best.)
Download: "Circle Saw Boys Club" [mp3] /// [Buy Here]
Jason Schwartzman, star of such memorable films like Rushmore, Shopgirl and an all time fave, I Heart Huckabees has returned to his gig as a rock and roller. After departing Phantom Planet (he was their original drummer,) Schwartzman concentrated on making films but is now back with a solo project, dubbed Coconut Records. The debut album, Nighttiming, features guest appearances by Incubus guitarist Mike Enzinger and Schwartzman's ex-lover, Zooey Daschnel. The songs are reminiscent of his days in Phantom Planet and at times his brother's band Rooney but definitely have a fresh sound to them. The title track could be an instant hit this summer; what with its sampled strings and phat beat, "Nighttiming" could easily be a instant hit in the clubs of the 1970s and today. Nighttiming is available now via iTunes, and out on Young Baby Records this summer.
This Tuesday, Rusty finds that there are a handful of amazing records you should check out this week at your local independent record retailer (what, you really think Wal-Mart will carry the new Panda Bear?)
One album I cannot get enough of so far this year is the sophomore effort from LCD Soundsystem. James Murphy returns this week with an album that outdoes its predecessor by keeping up with the cowbell and exploring new sounds and textural plateaus. My review of Sound of Silver is up at the SiS site. Do check out the amazing Diplo mash-up of Silver's shining moment ("Someone Great") with something great by Mr. Timberlake. Download: "My Love (Diplo Mix)" [mp3] /// Buy Here
An album I still cannot get in to at all is the new one from Ted Leo & The Pharmacists. There are some great moments on their 4th album, Living With The Living, but there are also too many moments in general. Over the course of an hour, the 15 songs make Living hard to digest, with many different musical styles being tried and tested. It's almost as if there's a lot of filler among an album that could be trimmed down by a few songs and be morphed in to the best thing since Hearts Of Oak. Do track down the limited edition bonus EP, Mo' Living; I'd even go out on a limb and say the track "Old Souls Know" is Mo' interesting than any song on the album it comes packaged with. Download: "Bomb.Repeat.Bomb.(1954)" [mp3] /// Buy Here
Johnny Marr joins Issac Brock and the rest of Modest Mouse on another one of the more anticipated albums of '07, We Were Dead Before The Ship Even Sank. Logically progressing from the 2004 breakthrough, Good News For People Who Love Bad News, Sank is anchored in lots of references to the sea, amidst flourishes of strings ("Dashboard,") and lots of brass ("Spitting Venom.") The best part about this album is that with the addition of Marr they don't try to sound like his former band, but instead just work on perfecting their own sound. Do look out for a cameo by Shins frontman James Mercer on "We've Got Everything" and "Fire It Up." Download: "Fire It Up" [mp3]/// Buy Here
Finally, this is an album I honest cannot get enough of. I was never really in to Animal Collective, but am in love with Panda Bear (not to be confused with the Panda Band.) Panda Bear is Collective's Noah Lennox and his third album, Person Pitch, can easily be likened to Brian Wilson and his triumphant Smile LP. The album is a sonic haven of bright and beautiful sounds, competing with a lo-fi ethic that doesn't hold back Lennox's attempt at being grand. Check out the video for "Bros," it's definitely a trippy one. Download: "Take Pills" [mp3] /// Buy Here
So, yes this week is SXSW and I'm not there (Exitfare is having some good coverage, btw._ Instead your loyal blogger stuffed many an envelope to send out the newest issue of Stranded In Stereo. I hope you all enjoy it! Next time I'll take pictures so you can see all the fun that is involved with putting stamps on envelopes and stuffing them with great music and videos that will make your ears and eyes happy for a moment in time.
In better news, Kings of Leon will be releasing their third album, Because Of The Times, on April 3. It's a bigger, badder sound in comparison to their previous efforts. People are calling this their make it or break it record in the states (they are well established and believe their European fanbase has kept them going.) I have yet to formulate my opinion on the album; ask me again in a few weeks.
In better news, though, the band has announced the first leg of the US tour. Do catch them when they come to your town this spring / summer.
The video for "On Call," an interesting choice for the first single but one of the better songs on Times, can be found here
Kings of Leon Tour Dates: 04/28 - Coachella - Indio 05/02 - Moore Theater - Seattle 05/03 - Portland, OR Crystal Ballroom - Portland 05/05 - Denver, CO Ogden - Denver 05/06 - Kansas City, MO Voodoo Lounge @ Harrah's - Kansas City 05/07 - Tulsa, OK Cains - Tulsa 05/09 - Austin, TX Stubbs - Austin 05/11 - New Orleans, LA House of Blues - New Orleans 05/12 - Houston, TX Warehouse Live - Houston 05/13 - Dallas, TX House of Blues - Dallas 05/15 - Indianapolis, IN Vogue - Indianapolis 05/17 - Milwaukee, WI Rave - Milwaukee 05/18 - Minneapolis, MN First Ave - Minneapolis 05/19 - Chicago, IL Riviera - Chicago 05/21 - Louisville, KY Headliners - Louisville 05/22 - Cleveland, OH House of Blues - Cleveland 05/24 - Bogarts - Cincinnati 05/25 - Pageant - St. Louis 06/01 - Tabernacle - Atlanta 06/02 - Orange Peel - Asheville 06/05 - Roseland - New York 06/06 - Avalon - Boston 06/07 - Electric Factory - Philadelphia 06/12 - Kool Haus - Toronto 06/15 - Bonnaroo - Manchester
This week we go back to where it all began for me, but not really. I grew up outside of Philly and the second station college station I ever listened to with any regularity was Drexel Univeristy's WKDU, a station that saturates The City Of Brotherly with all of the awesome tunes that the other stations won't touch. Instead of asking Evan about cheesesteaks, Wawa and Randall Cunningham [that's in part 2], we talked about the station, the city and some killer new tunes.
1. How and/or why did you get involved with college radio? A Professor at my school who teaches some classes about radio, spoke in my university 101 class. I decided to join, and went down to the station to get some hours of work done and helped the current music director. The next day I came in and she said she didn't have enough time to do it and that I should. Without hesitation, I did it.
2. Name five bands you are currently in to at the moment. Modest Mouse’s new album We Were Dead Before The Ship Even Sank is constantly on my stereo. It's such a good album.
Other than that....
Deerhoof, Heavenley, Animal Collective and as always, Lou Reed. I recently picked up a Street Hassle 12." That in my opinion, it’s one of the best songs ever written.
3. What kind of show do you do? When is it on? How can people listen to your show (do you stream online, frequency, etc.?) On my show, I usually play a ton of new indie pop, but I completely balance it out with the bands that started it all, and I tend to focus a lot on "twee pop." It can be listened to on Mondays, noon to 3, and you can check that out on wkdu.org's live feed.
4. How does your station help the community? We promote brotherly love and peace through music. Free people, free format.
5. Can you give some advice to other MD's out there? It may get tough at times, but all the promoters are so awesome and there is so much new music to be heard, so never stop expanding your horizons.
One of the more hyped about bands coming from the Northwestern U.S. so far this year is Portland, Oregon's own Menomena. Named after that Muppets song (or was it an actual muppet?,) the band have a fresh and original sound (at least I find it to be worthy of using the words "fresh" and "original." Their third album and first for Barsuk, Friend and Foe, has been garnering much critical praise, including some kind words from our Stranded In Stereo's own Eavvon O'Neal. Check out his review here.
Subterranean Blog has the video up for the album's "Wet And Rusting." They claim it's the band's first music video, ever, yet it is not. They also made a clever video for "Cough Coughing" from their 2005 debut, I Am The Fun Blame Monster. Make sure to catch the band on tour with Field Music and at SXSW if you so lucky to be in Austin for the music industry spring break, 2007 edition.
"Cough Coughing" video:
Menomena at SXSW: 03/14 - Gen Art Showcase @ Beauty Bar - Austin 03/15 - Barsuk Showcase @ Buffalo Billiards - Austin 03/16 - Pitchfork Party @ Emo's - Austin 03/17 - Hot Freaks Showcase @ Mohawk - Austin
Download Audio/Video Tracklisting
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After a three year hiatus and a stab at the major leagues, Boston based outfit Wheat return with a new album this year. The cryptically titled Everday I Said A Prayer For Kathy And Made A One Inch Square is every bit beautiful as it can be noisy at times. More of a prettier Sonic Youth at times than My Bloddy Valetine will ever be, it's definitely one of those albums where multiple first listens are required through headphones; you'll definitely find yourself picking up new things with each well deserved listen. Being equally epic and grand moments a la The Soft Bulletin and being coated with the most saccharine shoegaze moments on Souvlaki, Kathy is a devastatingly beautiful record about love and loss and how one is to cope and move on from the past, but not without carrying that little reminder with you wherever you go.
