All posts by Concrete Opinions

concerts, live music, music

[CMJ 2011] First Round of Artists Announced

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CMJ Music Marathon & Film Festival just recently announced the first round of artists scheduled to play this year.  The initial lineup is fantastic and full of personal favorites—Portugal. The Man, Givers, Zola Jesus, Talib Kweli, Dum Dum Girls, Unknown Mortal Orchestra, Braids… just to name a few.

If you’re not familiar with CMJ, take my word for it, DON’T MISS THIS FESTIVAL.  I personally can’t think of a finer music festival in the US.  Not only is it your chance to catch an insane amount of live music, full of up-and-coming buzz bands that you get to enjoy before they lay claim to a swath of Grammys, but it just happens to also take place in one the world’s greatest cities.

I told myself last year I wasn’t going to miss 2011…let’s just say I’m already saving up for next year.  But don’t miss out on my account.  You can purchase badges here, peep the plethora of previously-announced industry-stacked panels here, and keep checking back here for more CMJ 2011 news.  CMJ is set for Oct. 18 – 22 in NYC, but in the meantime, familiarize yourself with the initial lineup below and enjoy some tunes along the way.

Artists playing CMJ 2011:
Portugal. The Man
CSS
Neon Indian
Wombats
Wild Flag
Metronomy
Talib Kweli
Givers ♫ Up Up Up ♫
Zola Jesus  ♫ Night ♫
Class Actress
Dum Dum Girls
Art Vs. Science
Viva Brother
Davila 666
Eleanor Friedberger
EMA
Jean Grae
Pharoahe Monch
Unknown Mortal Orchestra  ♫ How Can You Luv Me ♫
US Royalty
Datarock
Kermit Ruffins
Parlotones
Kvelertak
Sea of Bees
Handsome Furs
Memoryhouse
Kevin Devine
Braids  ♫ Lemonade ♫

music, video, watch

[watch] J.Viewz//Salty Air

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J.Viewz is the multi-genre electronica project of the Brooklyn-based Producer & Remixer Jonathan Dagan.  I’ve a bit out of the loop, so you may or may not already be familiar with the backstory of the recently completed album, rivers and homes, but here it goes anyways.

rivers and homes, is the result of his “Work in Progress” project, in which fans paid for the album in advance, and he released a new track every month or so.  Now that the the album is complete, he’s put together a beautiful 26 page booklet of artwork and lyrics to package it in, and mailed it out to his subscribers (order it here).

If you’re a fan of chill wave and such acts as Washed Out and Blackbird Blackbird, you’ll most definitely be a fan J.Viewz.  rivers and homes is set for release on September 5th, but in the meantime, enjoy the video for Salty Air.

anticipation, music

[anticipation] Icarus Himself//Career Culture

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Icarus Himself’s sophomore full-length Career Culture is a sonic cinema in electro-psych-folk, drenched in the influences of artists like Kurt Vile, Deerhunter, The Who, and David Bowie.

The story begins with frontman Nick Whetro living in Indiana, working third shift in a window manufacturing plant. “Wake Up / It’s time to do it all over again” (the opening track) evokes images of the film Metropolis. After his shift at the factory in this sepia-shaded scene, “Mornings At The Bar” sets the mood for the sunrise as workers trek to the bar at six in the morning. “There was nothing else to do in town. It’s about people who have nothing to look forward to but getting their paycheck and spending it at the bar. It seemed like they never wanted to leave,” illustrates Whetro.

“WI via IN” marks the shift in Career Culture. As the montage of the fictitious soundtrack, the looped bass line with added organs and synth give the song a Planet of the Apes/The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly vibe. This is where he makes a break for it. Whetro leaves the depressing factory life to start over in Madison, Wisconsin.

No epic journey would be complete without the love story, and Career Culture is no different. “On Your Side,” is replete with love-soaked euphoria. Written about the girl our protagonist would marry, the song is about “trusting someone that’s close to you.” Built on a loop of a drum machine hi-hat and a fuzzed-out Casio synth. “I found it hard / to think of past times / I’ve stopped trying now / because you’re on my side.”

Icarus Himself was started by Nick Whetro in 2008 as a solo project and has developed into a trio to include drummer Brad Kolberg and multi-instrumentalist Karl Christenson. Career Culture is the third in a series of auto-biographical recordings, beginning with Coffins, released by Science of Sound in May of 2009, followed by the EP Mexico, released almost exactly one year later. This new album was recorded at Science of Sound’s studio, engineered by Ricky Riemer and mixed with the band with the help of Riemer. Guest players include Michael Gallope on keys (Janka Nabay & the Bubu Gang, Starring, Skeletons), Jonathan Lang on keys and clarinet, Jacqueline Kursel on cello, and Rob Ferrett on tenor sax. [source: planetary group]

Career Changes will be available October 11 on Science of Sound Records.

♫ Icarus Himself – On Your Side ♫

music, video, watch

[watch] The Art of Flight

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The Art of Flight is the followup to 2008’s That’s It, That’s All.  Both are snowboarding films featuring Travis Rice, expensive Red Bull helicopters doing stuff they shouldn’t be doing, and crazy, good cinematography and production, courtesy of Brain Farm.  Now i’ve only seen the trailer for The Art of Flight, but if it’s soundtrack is anything like That’s It, That’s All, we’re in for a treat.  In fact, it was That’s It, That’s All which first introduced me to one of my favorite bands, M83.

And speaking of M83, as I was watching The Art of Flight’s trailer, I thought for sure it was a new M83 track from the forthcoming album (Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming, out Oct 18th).  But alas, I was wrong…but not completely.  The track in question is called Fire Shall Devour Them by The Three Corners Of The Earth, and The Three Corners Of The Earth just happens to be a collaboration between Anthony Gonzalez from M83 and Curt Morgan from Brain Farm.

Anyways, be sure to check out the trailer below.  Even if you’re not a fan of snowboarding, I promise you’ll enjoy the video.

hot off the press, music

[hot off the press] Big Black Delta//BBDLP1

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As a successor to the free debut EP BBDEP1, Los Angeles experimental pop project Big Black Delta’s debut LP BBDLP1 will be released on September 26th on Coming Home Records.

Citing “being out of tune” as a muse, the songs on the album are the spawn of multi-instrumentalist Jonathan Bate’s imagination and inspired musical exploration. It was recorded entirely on a laptop given to him by Alessandro Cortini (Nine Inch Nails, SONOIO) in and all over Los Angeles, from assorted apartments and friends’ houses to backyards across the city, often at all hours of the night. Guests on the album include Cortini, who played his buchla on “The Zebrah,” as well as Morgan Kibby (M83, White Sea) whose vocals are featured on Dreary Moon. Big supporter of the band, Los Angeles tastemaker Kevin Bronson premiered the track (and made it available as a free download!) Capsize on Buzzbands.LA yesterday (8/15).

If that wasn’t enough, in promotion of the upcoming release, Big Black Delta will have a September residency at elite Los Angeles venue The Satellite. For each Monday of the month, Bates will be  performing with live vocals, dancing, an orchestrated light show, and dueling female drummers Mahsa Zargaran and Amy Wood.  Be there.

♫ Big Black Delta – Huggin & A Kissin ♫