7inch Sunday is a segment devoted entirely to 7” vinyl and the all-encompassing experience surrounding it. Although most publications cover major releases, the vinyl single is often overlooked and given nothing more than a half-hearted nod of acknowledgement. This weekly feature is a hub for 7” reviews, exploring the B-sides and rarities of artists that may often go unnoticed.

Each Sunday I will review 7” vinyl from artists who venture this extra mile to hold their singles high above the sea of digital releases. I hope to embody the spirit of vinyl while sharing some fantastic music with you, the reader. Let’s get started.

Split singles are often as much a gift as they are a curse. The intrigue of hearing two groups juxtaposed on the same vinyl is overshadowed with the worry of neither act getting the proper amount of deserved attention. Luckily for Braid and Balance & Composure – who managed to get two tracks on each side of their forthcoming split – this was not the case. Braid, a Polyvinyl act and Illinois post-hardcore staple since the early 90s, and Balance & Composure, a younger act with an astronomical rise and paralleled success, have joined forces to bring us a tour de pop punk that works for all the right reasons.

To accommodate all involved, the split was released in six different colors and varieties for each respective band and label. Ranging from ‘Coke Bottle Clear’ to ‘Dark Maroon Red,’ the palette of options was cut short only by their highly-limited status. I got a hold of the white retail exclusive, which had the largest amount of pressings at 1,000. Fun colors aside, the cover of the record is a tiling of photographs ranging from notable architecture to personal riverside shots. The names of both artists are proudly displayed in a bold red and comprise the majority of the forefront, an affirmation that is deservedly so.

The A-side features two tracks from Braid, “Lux” and “Many Enemies.” With neither breaching the three-minute mark, the tracks concisely present a band that successfully reinstated themselves in the post-hardcore annals with a fresh sound and relevant approach that does not feel like a 90s entrapment. The instrumentation is a tight, well-oiled machine and feels polished to the point of no discernible flaws. Lead vocals are spot-on, gang vocals are perfectly mixed into the background and even the miscellaneous guitar wailing is warranted.

Balance & Composure control the B-side of the single with a more collected wind-down to complement Braid’s previous pop party. “You Can’t Fix Me” takes intricate guitar licks and harmonies and combines them with a fragile, melancholy story. The end result is a slow-building track that climaxes into a driving rock riff teeming with emotion and substance. Likewise, “Say” packs a similar punch with a dreamlike pace, retaining both the group’s notable harmonies and sultry storytelling. Just like their namesake, Balance & Composure have their sound and attitude safely secured.

Check back next week for a look at the Sinistarr/Calculon & Austin Speed split.

Folk Rock singer/songwriter Laura Veirs has announced that she has begun recording her next album, the first since her critically acclaimed LP July Flame which was released in January 2010.  The album has a tentative release date in late August, and it will be distributed by Raven Marching Band in North America and Bella Union internationally.

Veirs and her ensemble began recording March 6 in Flora Studio, the first time in her more than fifteen years as a musician that she has recorded in a proper studio and not a basement.

This is not the only good news for the singer/songwriter–she and husband Tucker Martine are also expecting a child in April.  Congratulations!  They hope to finish recording before the due date.

You can enjoy the track “Wide Eyed, Legless” from July Flame here:

In the midst of their 10-year anniversary celebration of the release of Give Up with a slew of tour dates, Ben Gibbard and Jimmy Tamborello will be reissuing their lone, adored album on April 9 via Sub Pop. Along with album B-sides, remixes and rare in-studio glimpses, The Postal Service’s Give Up (10th Anniversary Deluxe Edition) features two new songs: “A Tattered Line of String” and “Turn Around.” The Give Up reissue will come in the form of a two-CD package or a 3-LP vinyl version pressed in varying colors.

The duo released a “A Tattered Line of String a few weeks back, while  Seattle radio station 107.7 The End featured the world premiere of “Turn Around” this week. You can stream both new songs below.

The Postal Service – “Turn Around”

The Postal Service – “A Tattered Line of String”

*Pre-order Give Up Deluxe 10th Anniversary Edition

Give Up (Deluxe 10th Anniversary Edition) Tracklist:

Disc 1

01. The District Sleeps Alone Tonight

02. Such Great Heights

03. Sleeping In

04. Nothing Better

05. Recycled Air

06. Clark Gable

07. We Will Become Silhouettes

08.This Place Is a Prison

09. Brand New Colony

10. Natural Anthem

Disc 2

01. Turn Around

02. A Tattered Line of String

03. Be Still My Heart

04. There’s Never Enough Time

05. Suddenly Everything Has Changed

06. Against All Odds (Take a Look At Me Now)

07. Grow Old With Me

08. Such Great Heights (John Tejada Remix)

09. The District Sleeps Alone Tonight (DJ Downfall Persistent Beat Mix)

10. Be Still My Heart (Nobody Remix)

11. We Will Become Silhouettes (Matthew Dear Remix)
12. Nothing Better (Styrofoam Remix)

12. Recycled Air (Live on KEXP)

13. We Will Become Silhouettes (Performed by The Shins)

14. Such Great Heights (Performed by Iron and Wine)

Ty Segall releases albums more often than most of his fans do a load of laundry.

After releasing three stellar albums last year — one solo, one with his touring band, and one with Tim Presley AKA White Fence –Segall shows no signs of slowing down. He formed a new group called Fuzz with guitarist Charles Mootheart of his touring band and bassist Roland Cosio, and dropped a 7″ in January.

The debut 7″ sold out in days and featured two tracks oozing with ’70s Sabbath worship. Now the group has announced two more releases: a 7″ single called “Sleigh Ride” on April 16th via In the Red Records and a debut full-length set for later in 2013.

Segall and co. have tackled garage rock, folk rock, grungy pop, and surf rock freak-outs. Now it’s time for them to test their mettle on some metal. The chips are stacked in their favor.

Call them aggressive, innovative, or scary, but don’t call Death Grips slouches when it comes to maintaining their enigmatic presence.

The hip-hop group, consisting of Stefan “MC Ride” Burnett, Andy “Flatlander” Morin, and math rock titan Zach Hill, released two albums in 2012 to massive acclaim. But if you heard about Death Grips last year, chances are it was due to the controversy surrounding the latter album, “No Love Deep Web.”

The album was supposed to be released on Epic Records, but when the label wanted to push the release date to 2013, Death Grips went ahead and leaked the album.

Oh yeah, and the album cover was a photo of Hill’s penis.

Needless to say, Death Grips are adept at getting media attention. This week, they baffled fans by posting a series of videos entitled “No Hands” on their YouTube channel. The mysterious videos were all a little over a minute long, and contained seemingly random footage.

Today, the group has released the sixth video in the series, a music video for “Unlock Your Doors” off “No Love Deep Web.” The “No Hands” concept, it turns out, refers to the video, which was shot live at the band’s performance at SXSW using head-mounted Google Glass technology.

Check the video out below. Between all the flashing lights, grainy filters, and shifty camera movements, you just might get a sense of what it’s like to be in Death Grips.

Explains a lot, doesn’t it?

Atoms For Peace have confirmed their US tour dates for this fall.  The band consists of Thom Yorke, Nigel Godrich, Flea, Joey Waronker, and Mauro Refosco.  AMOK entered the US chart at #2.

Their tour begins September 24 in Philadelphia and will include shows at the Barclay Center in New York as well as venues in Washington DC, Los Angeles, and Chicago before their final show at the Santa Barbara Bowl on October 17.

Yorke and Godrich recently held a series of sold-out AMOK events in London, Berlin, and New York.  In July, the full band will go on tour in Europe.

Atoms For Peace: 2013 US Tour

Sept. 24: Liacouras Center in Philadelphia, PA
Sept. 27: Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY
Sept. 30: Patriot Center in Fairfax, VA
Oct. 2: UIC Pavilion in Chicago, IL
Oct. 16: Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles, CA
Oct. 17: Santa Barbara Bowl in Santa Barbara, CA

Click here for tickets and more information.

With Phoenix’s Bankrupt! due out in just over a month (4/23), Dinosaur Jr. have treated the world to an immaculate reincarnation of the album’s first single, “Entertainment.”

Phoenix’s tune is a single that capitalizes on a sound the band took to incredible heights to earn endless praises for Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix, this time fashioning some decidedly Eastern flair into a winning formula. The video for “Entertainment,” which you can watch below, brings the Eastern inspiration to the surface with a Patrick Daughters-directed clip that uses the same actors to weave romance and action across multiple generations to intriguing and strange effect a la Cloud Atlas.

Phoenix – “Entertainment”

*Phoenix’s Bankrupt! will be out April 23 via Loyaute/Glassnote.

Today, Dinosaur Jr.’s scruffy, revisionist take on “Entertainment” surfaced, and the end product is nothing short of marvelous. Leave it to J. Mascis and co. to take a Phoenix hit that promises to be everywhere throughout 2013 and turn it into a smoldering, guitar-heavy ballad that is totally unrecognizable from the original…and arguably better than the Phoenix tune fans have been sitting on their hands for well over three years waiting for.

You be the judge, and doesn’t have to be a right or wrong – both  versions of “Entertainment” are pretty magnificent.

Download: Dinosaur Jr. – “Entertainment” (Phoenix cover)

We regret to inform that The Flaming Lips have pushed back the release of their forthcoming LP, The Terror, back two weeks from April 2nd to April 16th via Warner Bros.

Luckily – for those of you who cannot fathom the wait – our favorite musical weirdos are streaming a performance of the album in full from their SXSW showcase (see below). Also, for those adverse to bootleg quality, check out the official single stream at NPR.

Fun fact: the pre-order for The Terror will also include a mega remix of the entire from Dan Deacon titled “We Don’t Control the Controls (Mashed-The-F-Up-Remix).”

The Terror Tracklist:
01. Look…The Sun Is Rising
02. Be Free, A Way
03. Try To Explain
04. You Lust
05. The Terror
06. You Are Alone
07. Butterfly, How Long It Takes To Die
08. Turning Violent
09. Always There…In Our Hearts

Vampire Weekend have released the first official tracks from the band’s upcoming third album Modern Vampires of the City, which will be out May 7 via XL Recordings.

With “Diane Young” and “Step,” Ezra Koenig, Rostam Batmanglij, Chris Baio and Chris Tomson have excavated sonic territory that sounds decidedly like a natural progression from the self-titled debut and Contra, but each song also brings along a wealth of new ideas that are quite different from songs on either of wildly successful albums. On “Diane Young,” Koenig and co. dive headfirst into a titular pun to sing “dyin’ young won’t change your mind.” Riding the theme, the Koenig manically croons out a string of “baby, baby, baby” like it would’ve sounded on the radio The Day the Music Died, but the band mangles the melody and the playing with a disorienting, funhouse production, refurbish their experiment for a wicked 21st Century update, and then smash it against the wall into a thousand distorted pieces.

The closest existing cousin to “Step” in Vampire Weekend’s catalog is likely the exquisite “Diplomat’s Son” from Contra. Far gentler and more pristine than “Diane Young,” it’s a tune that eases you into its splendor as you hang on to Koenig’s every word dancing around the glistening production. It’s easily both one of the most arresting and fashionable moments in the band’s impressive discography to date, although even here the guys are willing to play it entirely straight – as evidenced by the curious coda in the final 25 seconds which threatens to leave a bad taste in some listeners’ mouths after all the elegance.

Consequence of Sound reported that “Diane Young” and “Step” will be available digitally starting on March 19, and a limited-edition 7″ will follow on April 9.

Modern Vampires of the City will be out on May 7.

What are your thoughts on the new tunes?

Vampire Weekend – “Diane Young”

Vampire Weekend – “Step”

Rap icon Lil Wayne was hospitalized last Tuesday after suffering from a seizure.  He was released Tuesday night only to be rushed back to the Cedars Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles.  TMZ reports that he has been in the Intensive Care  Unit until today.  Lil Wayne was shooting a music video during the time of the first seizure.  Birdman tells Angie Martinez (via MissInfo) that the seizures have “nothing to do with drugs…. He works around the clock, he’s just a hard grinder for this music. But it wasn’t nothing about no drugs. He just needs to get some rest and relax. He’ll be back to normal like anybody else.”

Rumors of Lil’Wayne drinking too much ‘sizzurp’ could be the cause of his sporadic episodes.  The rapper is notorious for his codeine-based drink which may have been the cause of his hospitalization both this time & last October.  Although no one will really say what his health problems are, his publicist, Kia Selby, told CNN, “Lil Wayne is doing well.”

Friends, Nicki Minaj, Drake, Birdman & Chris Paul were all seen paying Lil Wayne a visit at the hospital this past weekend.   Everyone is wishing the rap idol a fast recovery, especially with his new album I Am Not A Human Being II releasing on March 26^th.

The cover art of Phosphorescent’s Muchacho depicts a grittily lit scene with two topless women on a motel room bed – one on her back and the other upright and beaming, sporting a cowboy hat. Matthew Houck (aka Phosphorescent) laughs in the foreground, much of his face off to the side of the frame. Something about the photograph’s atmosphere – given one’s familiarity with the aching and forlorn terrain of Phosphorescent’s music – tells you the joy of the scene is likely fleeting. We are uncertain whether these women are newfound acquaintances picked up from a local cantina, good friends or paid company; any of the three is easy to believe. Something tells us the levity of the scene is but a short-lived reprieve to a nagging heartache, and neither of these women is the cause nor the cure for the restless heart on display on Muchacho (and Houck’s five previous albums). The scene is lovely, happy, slightly seedy and sad all at once, even with broad smiles etched upon the faces in the room. It’s with this imagery that we enter Muchacho.

Phosphorescent fans coming into the Matthew Houck outfit’s sixth album will discover a few new flourishes (notably in the album’s electronic-abetted sounds of the album’s cleansing bookends) to a beloved sound, but the ten tunes of Muchacho capitalize on a range of sounds and themes that have been inextricable from Houck’s versatile music from his decade-plus recording career.

The first words following the Muchacho prelude “Sun Arise! (An Invocation, An Introduction),” a celestial, harmonized mantra colored by electronic blips and swirls (a new weapon in the Phosphorescent arsenal), find Houck opening “Song for Zula” by paying homage to Johnny Cash: “Some say love is a burning thing / That it makes a fiery ring.” Over the course of his career, Houck has shared a thing or two about being scorched and scarred by a ring of fire, and he has made prodigious use of his love for the legends of country music (see: 2009’s To Willie, a Phosphorescent album consisting entirely of wonderful Willie Nelson covers) . Taking full advantage of his singularly breathtaking voice that alternates between singing out like a dozen-deep choir of fragility and a naked vessel of often-cracking notes, Houck crafts impossibly gorgeous tunes of dusty nomadism and love in vain that coalesce into earned, tender grace. The unfolding beauty of his recorded heartache is always music to endure and ultimately cherish, but the wealth of beauty contained within the six minutes of “Song for Zula” transports the listener to especially grand heights born out of a man gutted down to his calloused innards.

Of the fiery ring, Houck sings, “I know love as a fading thing / Just as fickle as a feather in a stream /…I saw love disfigure me / into something I am not recognizing.” He knows the scars love brings all too well, and he promises “I will not open myself up this way again.” By the time all is said and done, Houck has conjured “love as a caging thing / Just a killer to call from some awful dream,” and he declares, “My heart is wild / And my bones are steam / And I could kill you with my bare hands if I was free.”

Often, Houck’s finest songs – and “Song for Zula” (not to mention many others on Muchacho) is a perfect example – have the power to summon a glorious clarity born of a pain that equates to the first unstrained inhalation after a blast to the gut that knocks the wind out of you. Prostrate on the ground (or, more fittingly, on your knees) you gasp and strain with flooded eyes, and the relief rushes to you in an instant. The relief and the dissipating fear settle your palpitating heart and bring a freeing clarity, but the memories of pain and fear will hang around for the long haul.

Much of the rollicking country-rock backed by a full band that brought the songs of 2010’s Here’s To Taking It Easy to life is absent on Muchacho; the boisterous, brassy “A Charm / A Blade” is the most notable exception here. That’s not to say Houck doesn’t bring some swagger and noise to the album now and again. “Ride On / Right On” envelops the listener with a boozy, electric groove while Houck yelps and rattles off “rose on the back,” “we sit at the bar,” and “we lay in the dark” backed with “hej, you turn me right on.” Where “Song for Zula” is a high-water mark far as transcendent ballads go in the Phosphorescent catalog, “The Quotidian Beasts (The Familiar Attendants)” delivers the stunning highs Houck is prone to unleashing when he loosens up and rocks out. Starting with a tantalizing groove borrowing liberally from Chris Isaak’s unforgettable “Wicked Game,” Houck and his cohorts tear through a seven-minute blast of Tonight’s The Night-worthy rock and roll that howls westward across the Badlands and washes into the desert skies.

For the most part though, Muchacho brandishes a quieter, bleary-eyed fragility that is undeniably Phosphorescent. Born of an admitted rough stretch resulting from the loss of his New York residence and forcing him to set forth south of the border to regroup in a beach hut on the Yucatan Peninsula, the album is clearly the work of a talented, red-blooded artist sorting through his demons, dusting off his soiled denim and crafting the experiences into sublime music. Houck wrote, recorded and produced the album in his new NY home after returning from his Mexican sojourn, bringing in gifted players to add the wonderful layers of horns, pedal steel, bass, fiddle and even synthesizer to the songs. Houck’s writing, the playing, and his own production on the album are nothing short of superb.

There is absolutely no mistaking a Phosphorescent album, and the transcendence achieved throughout Muchacho ranks alongside the finest music he has ever made. On “Muchacho’s Tune,” the album’s lilting, wounded namesake fleshed out with exquisite pedal steel and horns, Houck comes right out and admits, “I’ve been fucked up / And I’ve been a fool.” Down but refusing to let go, he promises, “Aw now, mama, here I stand / Mama, reaching for your hand / I fix myself up / Come and be with you.” In the magnificent late-album ballad “Down to Go,” Houck presents a telling conversation that explicitly gets to the heart of Phosphorescent’s greatest strength: “You say ‘Oh, you’ll spin this heartache into gold’ / And I suppose, I ain’t got much choice now do I tho?” In interviews, Houck is often unafraid to admit his personal life works its way into the strife of his tunes, but he also leaves it open-ended as to exactly how much of the subject matter is fact or fiction. Whether his heartache songs are entirely personal choice or crafted from a sense of resignation, Houck lives up to his word and weaves Muchacho’s tapestries into priceless, hardened gold.

★★★★½ 

Phosphorescent – “Song for Zula”

7inch Sunday

Each Sunday I will review 7” vinyl from artists who venture this extra mile to hold their singles high above the sea of digital releases. I hope to embody the spirit of vinyl while sharing some fantastic music with you, the reader. Let’s get started.

When it comes to choosing friends, Wampire has it down to a science. In particular, the duo comprised of Rocky Tinder and Eric Phipps have buddied up alongside well-known Portland acts such as STRFKR and Unknown Mortal Orchestra. After UMO’s Jacob Portrait produced their first two tracks and an opening slot secured for a STRFKR show, it was only a matter of time until Polyvinyl caught wind. Fast-forward to now, and Wampire is about to release the two Portrait-produced numbers as well as a full-length on clear vinyl. With debut LP Curiosity’s release not until May 14th, The Hearse serves as a brief sampler of what is to come for the Portland-based duo.

The cover of Wampire’s The Hearse is a clean-cut collage of an underwear-clad woman (sporting a censored, pixelated face) resting on a hearse. Wampire’s name hangs above this in a sloppy, makeshift fashion reminiscent of Harold and that damned purple crayon he used for his frequent habit of playing God. Regardless, the vibrant purple against the stark film images creates a pleasant balance on a plain white backdrop.

The single opens up with a shaky synth triad, setting both the key and a somewhat macabre tone one might consider appropriate for a song titled “The Hearst.” However, this slow-grooving funeral procession is cut short with an 80s, Police-esque instrumental that escalates both tempo and mood do a dancing pace. The synth remains in the picture, but now its attitude has been revived into an upbeat affirmation of the vocals and bouncy bassline. It’s a fun track that neither demands too much nor drags us down.

Less fervent than its predecessor, B-side “Das Modell” starts off with a monophonic synth/vocal parallel that mimic one another until we reach what appears to be the chorus. I approach calling it such with hesitation considering the ‘chorus’ in question is merely the track morphing into an instrumental breakdown. The synth continues its melodic wandering against an electronic beat and dual guitar parts interweaving into a blanket of concepts.

Wampire’s The Hearse is set for release this coming Tuesday, March 19th, in the form of a stylish purple vinyl via Polyvinyl Record Co. Visit the label’s site to order now! And make sure to check back next week for a look at Braid and Balance & Composure’s split EP.

Brace yourself folks! We’re talking about Neutral Milk Hotel.

Or, more accurately, Neutral Bling Hotel. We’re continuing cover month with more a mash-up instalment this week, as Neutral Bling Hotel mash up various rap all stars with the Martyred Saints of Indie themselves.

Now, honestly, the first thing that strikes you about In My G4 Over Da Sea is the amazing cover art. I mean, God damn I’ve never seen album art so perfect. It’s really a testament to how tongue-in-cheek the album is, along with titles like “There Two Headed Boy Go” and “Miami, 1981”. A great deal of these mash-ups exist more for comedic value than providing an actual substantial listening experience, but at times, In My G4 Over Da Sea really does capture that wonderful feeling of when two songs just click. I mean, the first track on the album just kicks your ass.

A perfect example would be “Communist Mic”, a fusion of Neutral Milk Hotel’s “Communist Daughter” and “One Mic” by Nas. The original Nas track had a solemn tone coupled with (expectedly) honest lyrics – to me, however, the song always fell flat on the build. It’s very apparent what Nas is going for, however at this point in his career he put so much more thought into the lyrical content than the composition that the power of his words doesn’t really come across. The bleak tone of the song is so ever present that it just feels hollow. In “Communist Mic”, though, Neutral Bling Hotel manipulate both songs. A steady optimism is added by the brass section of “Communist Daughter” which really invigorates the track.

Then it’s immediately followed by “Oh Dougie”, which to be fair got a shock laugh out of me, but is really not worth listening to beyond that.

In My G4 Over Da Sea merits a full listen, at least once. I feel as if going into any more detail would almost count as spoilers, since so much of the fun on the album is contained in the surprise, and its staying power by how well it works. If you fly your Hipster flag proudly, definitely check this one out.

Listen to In My G4 Over Da Sea here.

Shotgun Jimmie, the stage name of New Brunswick’s Jim Kilpatrick, is releasing his newest album, Everything Everything, through the You’ve Changed Records label.  It’s a feel-good album that will transport you to sunny California with acoustic strumming and beach party riffs and drums.

Shotgun Jimmie impressed with his previous album Transistor Sister, which the Sheaf called “his best LP to date.”  Unfortunately, I cannot say the same for Everything Everything.  Granted, his lyrics are charming and his melodies are solid, but there were some production issues that I simply could not ignore.  Kilpatrick recorded the album on his own and played most of the instruments, although he also features several guests: Julie Doiron, John Kilpatrick, Cole Woods, and Leanne Zacharias.  It is a sweet, feel-good album, but lacks the re-playability of a professionally produced LP.

I noticed clipping in several tracks.  Clipping is when an instrument overdrives the pickup, microphone, or amplifier beyond volume capacity, resulting in a messy sound, like moving furniture across a hardwood floor.  This was the first thing I noticed in the song, “Adventure in the Heart.”    He either needs better equipment or needs to strum a little more gently, but the choruses in this track have noticeable clipping.  Clipping, feedback, and buzzing were problems in the tracks that involved an electric guitar, and may leave attentive listeners shaking their heads.

But even leisurely listeners will cringe when they hear “I Will Climb Mountains,” which opens with sixty seconds of heavy bass and a guitar that sounds like fingernails on a chalkboard.  Once you get through the intro, however, the song is a mystical, melancholy journey into the misty wilderness.  The chorus features soothing instrumentals that you might hear in a Tibetan temple.  Luckily, iTunes allows users to set a start time on individual tracks, so set “I Will Climb Mountains” to begin at 1:01 and enjoy!

The tracks “Growing Like a Garden,” “Last Night,” “Skype Date,” “Sum of My Parts,” and “Bridge Street Stage” feature acoustic strumming, vocals, and little to no percussion.  It’s unusual for an LP to have so many stripped down songs, and each under two minutes to boot.  Clearly, this open mic or street musician sound is what Jimmie feels most comfortable with, judging by the quantity and quality of these tracks.  These songs are sweet and somewhat silly.  I never expected to hear lyrics like “Accept your call/receive the transmission” and “Close my email and all other applications/I don’t want to freeze up or add any complications” in a song, but he pulled it off in “Skype Date.”

The tracks on Everything, Everything can be divided into two groups: the simple, charming acoustic songs that are relatively easy to record, and the bona fide rock songs which pose a challenge to the untrained producer.  However, my favorite song on the entire album is “Ladyhawk,” a great rock and roll track that not only survived the production process, but came out as a danceable, head-bobbing, innovative gem.  In the intro, you will hear a tremolo over a basic drum beat, but listen carefully for the bass guitar — it sounds like a ragatone part.  The electric guitar and vocals follow the same melody during the verse, and the drums build the excitement leading into the chorus, where Jimmie sings, “You’ve got another thing coming/You’ve got another thing coming.”

Considering the recording problems, I would recommend picking some of your favorite tracks off of Everything, Everything instead of buying the entire LP.  Hopefully, Shotgun Jimmie will hire a professional to mix the tracks on his next album!

★★½☆☆ 

In Perth, on the first night of Guns ‘n’ Roses’ Australian tour, Axl Rose sent his cordless microphone flying into the crowd, where it promptly hit 39-year-old Darren Wright in the face, breaking his two front teeth.

The microphone chipped one of his front teeth and took a large chunk out of the other, leaving the nerve exposed.

While Wright believes the incident was unintentional, he plans to sue Rose for AUD 5,000 (that’s about $5,190) to pay for the dental work necessary to fix his mangled teeth.

Wright, a longtime Guns ‘n’ Roses fan who first saw the band on their first ever tour of Australia when he was 17, claims he has no hard feelings about Rose because of the accident.

Reportedly, tour promoter Andrew MacManus attempted to extend an olive branch to Wright by offering him a signed microphone, which Wright turned down. No confirmation can be made on whether or not it was the same microphone still coated in Wright’s dried blood.

Clutch is the hard rock and roll band, best known for songs like “Electric Worry,” “Careful with That Mic…” and “The Mob Goes Wild” is currently on tour to promote their tenth studio album, Earth Rocker, available on March 19.  Earth Rocker, the first full-length album to come out now that their Weathermaker Records label is up an running, is markedly different from their earlier albums in its conciseness and efficiency.  Drummer Jean-Paul Gaster said, “We really tried to reign in the jam aspect of the band.  We like to improvise a lot, but this album, we really wanted stuff mapped out.  We wanted to go into the studio fully armed to make a really powerful record.”

“In the past, we would go into the studio and write,” said Neil Fallon, the band’s frontman, songwriter, and vocalist.  ”That never worked out to anyone’s satisfaction.  It was really important to do a lot of pre-production, knowing exactly what we would be doing when we went into the studio.  It was crucial that we did all that prior to hitting record…it was so mapped out that we weren’t even in the studio together.  You had to take a lot on faith.  But once you know a part inside and out, you can move on to worrying about performance.  If you’re trying to remember it, then you’re not playing from the heart–you’re playing from the brain.  That always sounds stale on playback.”

The songs are fast-paced, loud, and laced with deep lyrics, blasting guitar solos, and drum shuffles.  ”When you hear a light shuffle, or the brushwork on ‘Gone Cold,’ at first it can be a head-scratcher,” said Fallon.  ”But when you join in, you will be taken to a place you wouldn’t have gone by yourself.”

“You wouldn’t have heard an album like Earth Rocker five years ago,” said Gaster.  ”We’ve continued to grow on our instruments, finding our own voices.  Hopefully, you hear that on the new songs.”

I was recently able to interview bassist Dan Maines about the new album and the recording experience:

The Silver Tongue: The album art for Earth Rocker is very eye-catching. Where did the inspiration for that come from, and how does it relate to the music overall? And where did the name Earth Rocker come from?

Dan Maines: The image started with us looking at pictures of Oldsmobile 88 hood ornaments from the fifties and sixties.  That led to seeing hood ornaments from other models that featured an Indian chief head.  All of this research into automobile badges and hood ornaments spread out into the architecture of Detroit at that time.  All of these images were collected by the art director for the album and the Face was the product.  Earth Rocker was one of the earliest songs written for the record and the theme seemed to represent the album as a whole very well.

TST: I read that you are considering making a music video for the track, “Earth Rocker.” Is that in the works? Are you planning any music videos for other tracks?

DM: We released a lyric video for the song.  We are interested in doing a proper band video for a song, but which song has yet to be determined.

TST: Neil Fallon said that none of you were in the studio at the same time during the recording sessions. Was this an obstacle, or did it make recording more efficient?  Do you think this affected the final product in any way?

DM: That was the approach the producer Machine is most comfortable with.  It is a little unorthodox for us but in the end I feel like it worked well for this record.  It forced us to have the songs completely written before we went into recording so there was more attention paid to specific moments of the songs as opposed to the general arrangement.  In the end it takes about the same amount of time as recording together as a band.

TST: People have called Clutch’s music stoner rock, post-hardcore, metal and grunge — which are not necessarily bad. What genre of rock are you shooting for in Earth Rocker, and do you think you achieved it?

DM: We call ourselves a rock & roll band.  We pull inspiration from metal, punk, funk, R&B, and whatever else we may be listening to on a given day, but at the end of the day, we are just a rock & roll band.

TST: Why did you decide to create the Weathermaker Records label, and where did the name come from? How has having your own label change the way you work?

DM: We have had a long history of releasing albums for major labels and indie labels.  Not all of those experiences were negative, but we reached a point where putting everything under our control was the only way we were going to feel good about putting out a record.  Growing up in the Washington D.C. area lets you see the DIY approach towards making music from bands of all types.  Now is the right time for us to embrace that mentality.  The name Weathermaker comes from a song of ours on the Blast Tyrant album.

TST: On Earth Rocker, it seems you did a lot of things differently that what you’re used to. For example, you scaled back on the jamming and went into the recording studio with detailed plans. What else did you do differently this time, and what did you learn from the experience? What would you do the same, or differently, in the future?

DM: Machine likes to have all the material in the bag before he hits record.  The five of us spent time together in our rehearsal space fleshing out the arrangements.  When we felt like the song was dialed we recorded it together along to a click track.  We later took those recordings to the studio and individually played along.  It allows you to spend time on your own instrument at your won pace, but the idea of doing any “jamming” doesn’t enter the picture.  Our intent with these songs was to end up with something that had an intense focus of energy, each song needed to be direct with a no frills punch.

TST: Jean-Paul Gaster mentioned that we wouldn’t have heard an album like Earth Rocker five years ago because you have grown so much in that time. How have you developed musically leading up to Earth Rocker?

DM: I think every one of our albums can be described that way.  We were very young when we made Transnational Speedway League.  We did a lot of touring in support of that record and as a result we became better players from what we were two years prior, so when it came time to make our second record we had the musical vocabulary to say something different and the self-titled album was the result.  Earth Rocker is an album made by a band that has been playing together for over twenty years, taking all of those experiences and influences into the studio.

TST: Clutch has been playing for more than twenty years! If you could go back in time to when you were new musicians, what kind of advice and encouragement would you give yourselves? What would you tell young musicians today?

DM: As an individual player, practice.  Try to learn something new and don’t be afraid to execute it on stage.  Learn about other styles of music, and play shows every chance you get.

Clive was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis late in his life, which left him in a wheelchair. Iron Maiden were later responsible for a series of charity concerts, as well as the founding of the Clive Burr MS Trust Fund.

From the band’s site:

“Steve Harris said “This is terribly sad news. Clive was a very old friend of all of us. He was a wonderful person and an amazing drummer who made a valuable contribution to Maiden in the early days when we were starting out. This is a sad day for everyone in the band and those around him and our thoughts and condolences are with his partner Mimi and family at this time.”

Bruce Dickinson adds “I first met Clive when he was leaving Samson and joining Iron Maiden. He was a great guy and a man who really lived his life to the full. Even during the darkest days of his M.S., Clive never lost his sense of humour or irreverence. This is a terribly sad day and all our thoughts are with Mimi and the family”

As Maiden fans all know, Clive joined Maiden in 1979 and performed on the first three albums Iron Maiden (1980), Killers (1981) and The Number Of The Beast (1982). Prior to that he was a member of Samson, the band Bruce fronted before he too joined Maiden.”

With a flawless new EP, Old Haunts, Halifax quintet Quiet Parade are staking their claim as one of the finest unsung acts in all of North America. My sincere apologies if that strikes you as grossly hyperbolic, but I have to assume you haven’t listened to much Quiet Parade.

Quiet Parade, originally started as a solo project for songwriter Trevor Murphy, is a band that crafts exquisite songs, both somber and melodic, rooted in the ephemeral joys and relentless aches of tender adulthood. The music bares the scars of once-exuberant youth and all the unfulfilled dreams of years floating away. Murphy’s keen eye for unaffected, penetrating prose that guides its way into the holes of honest hearts is perhaps Quiet Parade’s strongest asset, but fully fleshed songs of solemnity and hope are brought to chillingly real life in the hands of his bandmates, Josh “Pinky Pothier (drums), Jay Methot (guitar), Julia Weir (piano, vocals) and Anthony Phillips (bass).

Previously hailed as Best Band To Listen To Quietly by Halifax regional magazine The Coast’s “Best of Music Readers Poll,” Quiet Parade found their way onto my radar with a subtly stunning record in 2011’s Please Come Home (We Hate It Here Without You), which I discovered courtesy of a glowing recommendation from Cory LeBlanc, frontman for Rain Over St. Ambrose and a friend of Quiet Parade. The hushed, bleeding-heart tunes of Please Come Home landed body blows with a potent mix of steadily elegant arrangements and a devastating understanding of the heartache that lingers inside much of the human condition.

I was eager to see which new avenues the Halifax quintet might take with Old Haunts, and I am pleased to report Quiet Parade made few changes between Please Come Home, and those few changes have only made the band’s songs more powerful. Reviewing Please Come Home, Halifax music site Noisography hailed the record as having “the feel of an Elliott Smith album produced by George Martin.” As much as I’m kicking myself for not coming up with that first, Noisography deserves applause for concisely (and accurately) summarizing the greatness of Quiet Parade’s songs.

Once again teaming up with Daniel Ledwell (producer of Please Come Home and winner of the 2013 East Coast Music Association Award for “Producer of the Year”), the five songs of Old Haunts are layered jewels that balance crisp, nuanced beauty and bombastic nerve with a beefier sound that’s a slightly new addition since Please Come Home.  Songs bubbles with visceral energy whether muted or torn through with gusto. The slower-tempo moments sway in foggy, forlorn beauty, and the gorgeous compositions build to muscular crescendos of earned release and rock in all the right places (“Edge of the Ocean,” the back half of “How Come You Never Call (Or Write)?” and “Go Easy”).  Throughout, multi-part harmonies swell towards the heavens and the Quiet Parade’s lustrous chamber-pop arrangements bring the Murphy’s gutted emotions to the surface like rawhide wrinkles and shocks of silver hair. They are irrepressible character marks derived from temporal life ticking away.

In “Ghosts,” Murphy looks at the lives of his town and lineage and sings, “I’ve got ghosts that haunt my life, and I swore I would never be like them.”  It’s a motivational tool born of corrosion that we’ve all felt at some point in our pursuit to become better men, fathers, wives, mothers and children. Murphy taps into that universal need to right wrongs of our lives, and that’s why it hurts so much more when he cavalierly sings, “Your love is lost on me… / I swore I would never be like them / Oh, but I’m like them.”

When Murphy sings, “Every time I fall / You’re not there at all / Are you in bed with the kids? Are you screening your calls? / Is this what you want? / I can’t sleep at night” on “How Come You Never Call (Or Write),” you feel the utter desolation. It creeps inside you and elicits suppressed feelings or ones you never knew you had. When he repeatedly asks the titular questions, you feel the gravity.

On the heart-stopping closer “Feel Young,” Murphy sings, “I may be young in age, but I’m old in heart, and I’m beginning to fall apart.” He bares himself for the listener, and the sparseness of the minor-key piano and vocals production forces you to look at the truth squarely. He goes on to sing, “When my brittle bones are rusted / And my vision turns to gray / When I’m old and weak and overdue, I’ll always feel young with you.” His words come through crippling and true as genuine love in our imperfect world, and the result is a truth to hold dearly. It’s a love song – as tortured as they come – and it’s an honest one that amounts to warts-and-all relationships of pain, trial and loyalty.

Murphy’s most valuable gift as a songwriter is his willingness to tap into the insistent depths of every man’s plight that go unexamined too often in modern pop music. Murphy and his band aren’t afraid to delve into the wealth of emotions void of callouses, and we’re better for it as listeners. That Quiet Parade is skilled enough to craft chamber pop-rock arrangements and choruses engrossing enough to carry all of the weight only makes the music that much more irresistible. There are entertaining, earnest or challenging songs; then, there are songs of nearly impossible artistry and heart such as the five songs Quiet Parade have crafted on Old Haunts.

For me, songs are rarely as vital and fulfilling as those of Old Haunts. I have yet to hear five songs from another artist this year that equal such brutal splendor, and, to be perfectly honest, I’m not sure I expect to.

★★★★¾ 

Old Haunts is out now (released March 12) on Acadian Embassy. Visit Quiet Parade’s Bandcamp to purchase the EP and find more information.

Quiet Parade – “Edge of the Ocean”

Quiet Parade – “How Come You Never Call (Or Write)?”

In a hilarious rendition of the classic opening scene of Apocalypse Now, Phish announces a tour spanning the US and Canada from July to the beginning of September. The dates mainly consist of two- to three-day stints in their respective cities, starting in Maine and wrapping up in Colorado.

Check out the group’s official site for more information on tickets for each show, and look below for the announcement video and list of dates!

Phish 2013 Tour Dates:
07/03 – Bangor, ME @ Darling’s Waterfront Pavilion
07/05 – Saratoga Springs, NY @ Saratoga Springs Performing Arts Center
07/06 – Saratoga Springs, NY @ Saratoga Springs Performing Arts Center
07/07 – Saratoga Springs, NY @ Saratoga Springs Performing Arts Center
07/09 – Toronto, ONT @ Molson Amphitheatre
07/10 – Holmdel, NJ @ P.N.C. Bank Arts Center
07/12 – Wantaugh, NY @ Nikon Theatre at Jones Beach
07/13 – Columbia, MD @ Merriweather Post Pavilion
07/14 – Columbia, MD @ Merriweather Post Pavilion
07/16 – Alpharetta, GA @ Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre
07/17 – Alpharetta, GA @ Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre
07/19 – Chicago, IL @ Charter One Pavilion at Northerly Island
07/20 – Chicago, IL @ Charter One Pavilion at Northerly Island
07/21 – Chicago, IL @ Charter One Pavilion at Northerly Island
07/26 – George, WA @ The Gorge Amphitheatre
07/27 – George, WA @ The Gorge Amphitheatre
07/30 – Stateline, NV @ Harvey’s Lake Tahoe Outdoor Arena
07/31 – Stateline, NV @ Harvey’s Lake Tahoe Outdoor Arena
08/02 – San Francisco, CA @ Bill Graham Civic Auditorium
08/03 – San Francisco, CA @ Bill Graham Civic Auditorium
08/04 – San Francisco, CA @ Bill Graham Civic Auditorium
08/05 – Los Angeles, CA @ Hollywood Bowl
08/30 – Commerce City, CO @ Dick’s Sporting Goods Park
08/31 – Commerce City, CO @ Dick’s Sporting Goods Park
09/01 – Commerce City, CO @ Dick’s Sporting Goods Park