In what must be the equivalent of an unpredicatable yet highly talented winger leaving Chelsea to join Manchester United, The Dirty Projectors have left Rough Trade in the UK to sign up with those other indie 'heavyweights' Domino Records.
Dave Longstreth joins up with Correcto on the label with whom they'll play three shows as part of the Triptych festival. He's currently working on the follow up to his reworking of Black Flag's 'Damaged' (re-titled 'Rise Above') which tickled our fancy last year. This new album is expected in 2009 and will be his first for his new home.
Richard Brown (View Original Article)
The line-up for this year's Triptych festival which takes place in Glasgow, Edinburgh and Aberdeen has been published and the good news is that the line-up is as stellar and eclectic as ever. The bad news, however, is that this will be the last time the festival runs.
Confirmed to appear at some or all locations are:
1990s, A.Skills, Aidan Moffat & Bill Wells, Alela Diane, Andrew Bird, Andrew Divine, Annie Nightingale, Bass Clef, Buraka Sistema, Candi Staton, Chris "Beans" Geddes, Chrome Hoof, Clinic, Copy Haho, Correcto, David Shrigley (DJ Set), Dee J A'La Fu, Departure Lounge, DJS, Derrick May, Dirty Hospital DJs, Dirty Projectors, DJ Skurge, Errors, Flying Lotus, Found, Four Corners DJs, Four Tet, Frightened Rabbit, Funky Transport, Gerard Love (DJ Set), Gilles Peterson, Grant Campbell, Harri & Domenic, Hudson Mohawke, Human Bell, Jah Shaka, James Blackshaw, Jamie Lidell, JD Twitch & JG Wilkes (Optimo), JD73, Joe Acheson Quartet, Jose James, Kinky Afro, Krafty Kuts, Laurence Hughes, Magik Markers, Malcolm Middleton, Messenger Soundsystem, Michael Hurley, Mikel Rouse, Miso DJs, Model 500, Mogwai, Mr Velcro Fastener, Mungo's Hi-Fi, Mweslee, Neil Cowley Trio, Norman Blake (DJ Set), Octogen, Orgue Electronique, Pastel DJs, Paul Cawley, Pram, Rememberremember, Rub-A-Dub DJs, Rustie, Sace, Sebadoh, Skeletons & the Kings of all Cities, Sushil Dade, Syntheme, The Bays, The Fence Collective, The Parsonage, The RZA, Theo Parrish, Zilla / King Cannibal.
Check the official site for details on who's playing where and how you can get hold of tickets.
Richard Brown (View Original Article)
After the experimental wonder of 2007`s re-imagining of Black Flag, `Rise Above`, Dave Longstreth has much to live up to with a comparatively hi-fi debut required for new `major indie` label Domino. At best the collective sound like Ladysmith Black Mambazo swaying choirlike in skinny jeans and Converse but, for the most part, it brings to mind Flight of the Conchords sans irony (check apparent album highlight `Temecula Sunrise` to hear what I mean).
Praise has already been heaped on `Bitte Orca` for an unwillingness to follow convention that flies in the face of the modern "indie" blueprint - rip off your influences and make as much money as possible - but the obtuse need not always be rewarded. Most tracks are little more than Longstreth`s children`s music set to excruciating falsetto (like some horrendous meeting between Brian Cant and Mika) and an acoustic guitar suffering altitude sickness, with all other vocals and instrumentation effectively serving as percussion.
No doubt the Projectors` latest will be mentioned in the same breath as more deserving releases from Grizzly Bear and, especially, Animal Collective but they both represent worthwhile flights of fancy outside the norm, while this is more cattle-class across the Atlantic - beset by constant turbulence and the in-flight entertainment sucks.
Richard Brown (View Original Article)
The latest release from Warp, who have successfully reinvented themselves from one of the finest dance labels into one of the finest labels period, is branded an EP despite its ten tracks and three quarter hour length but happily remains at mid-price. 'Friend' is a brand new collection of reworkings, re-recordings and even third party re-imaginings of Grizzly Bear material over their three years together. The title adds extra significance as the band are joined on the release by no less than CSS, Beirut, The Dirty Projectors, Band of Horses and Atlas Sound.
The resultant collection is both captivating and, at times, terrifying. For instance, by only the second track they've twisted the timeless pop melody of The Crystals 'He Hit Me (It Felt Like a Kiss)', dispensed with the parentheses and replaced Spector's Wall of Sound with their own Wall of Terror.
Whether 'Granny Diner' is supposed to reflect the mild ennui of standing behind an old lady as she holds up a queue at a cafe is not clear, but like the real thing it's no trial - more a chance to eavesdrop on a tenuous conversation and a gentle one at that. That is until the old lady snaps right at the end - 'Why don't you do any dishes? / Why? / I always clean up the kitchen / Fine.'. Peculiar yet lovable.
CSS's cover of 'Knife' adds a bizarre early 80's disco strain that the original was clearly lacking while Atlas Sound take an austere, brooding route. Conversely Band of Horses new version of 'Plans' jigs its way straight out of the deep south country vaults swinging banjos wildly before collapsing as the fuzz Sheriff jails their collective asses. Yee-ha!
This collection shows a band more than happy to step outside the traditional band setup, exploring new sounds, techniques and partnerships to get their point across in a way that never grates, always spellbinds and occasionally shocks.
Richard Brown (View Original Article)
