Alexander Laurence's Blog, page 2559
October 17, 2013
Stone Roses "Made Of Stone" coming to theatres and DVD
Iconic UK Band THE STONE ROSESReformed and Revealed in New DocumentaryTHE STONE ROSES: MADE OF STONE Syndctd Entertainment To Release In North American TheatresBeginning November 6th MVD Entertainment Group To Release DVD and Blu-ray on December 3rd Exclusive clip on RollingStone.com, click HERE
Last year, a resurrection took place that no one thought was possible when critically acclaimed UK band The Stone Roses reformed after a 16-year hiatus. What followed were numerous festival appearances, a sold-out UK reunion tour, and a headlining spot at the 2013 Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival in California - cementing the band as one of the most important British acts in music history. With unprecedented access to archives and live concert footage,
Made of Stone
is a revealing journey through the life and times of The Stone Roses, whose eponymous 1989 debut album has topped NME's list of "100 Greatest British Albums Ever". Featuring never-before-seen footage, a cameo by a gushing Liam Gallagher (Oasis), as well as rare glimpses into the personal moments between bandmates, BAFTA award-winning director Shane Meadows ("This Is England") brings his unique directorial style, humor and emotional depth to the film, capturing the band at work and in their everyday lives as they rehearsed for their much-anticipated reunion, which culminated in three triumphant homecoming gigs at Manchester's Heaton Park in front of 220,000 adoring fans. Meadows, a lifelong fan of the band, muses: "I know what it's like to miss out on a Stone Roses gig and I know that a lot of the North American fans have been waiting to view this film since the summer, so I'm just glad we can finally share the film with them all. Throughout filming, my love for the music has just grown and grown and to be party to watching something grow is a real privilege. What I saw in those first rehearsals blew my mind, and yet when I returned a month later it was even better."
A complete list of participating theatres for Screenings: http://madeofstonefilm.com/theatres/ Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2oMZkW0RjE4
Last year, a resurrection took place that no one thought was possible when critically acclaimed UK band The Stone Roses reformed after a 16-year hiatus. What followed were numerous festival appearances, a sold-out UK reunion tour, and a headlining spot at the 2013 Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival in California - cementing the band as one of the most important British acts in music history. With unprecedented access to archives and live concert footage,
Made of Stone
is a revealing journey through the life and times of The Stone Roses, whose eponymous 1989 debut album has topped NME's list of "100 Greatest British Albums Ever". Featuring never-before-seen footage, a cameo by a gushing Liam Gallagher (Oasis), as well as rare glimpses into the personal moments between bandmates, BAFTA award-winning director Shane Meadows ("This Is England") brings his unique directorial style, humor and emotional depth to the film, capturing the band at work and in their everyday lives as they rehearsed for their much-anticipated reunion, which culminated in three triumphant homecoming gigs at Manchester's Heaton Park in front of 220,000 adoring fans. Meadows, a lifelong fan of the band, muses: "I know what it's like to miss out on a Stone Roses gig and I know that a lot of the North American fans have been waiting to view this film since the summer, so I'm just glad we can finally share the film with them all. Throughout filming, my love for the music has just grown and grown and to be party to watching something grow is a real privilege. What I saw in those first rehearsals blew my mind, and yet when I returned a month later it was even better."A complete list of participating theatres for Screenings: http://madeofstonefilm.com/theatres/ Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2oMZkW0RjE4
October 16, 2013
NONONO @ The Echo 10/24
NONONO, the Swedish indie-pop trio behind the addicting goodness of "Pumpin Blood," will be playing a very special show this coming week at The Echo on Thursday, October 24th. Space is tight, but let me know if you're interested in checking them out live, or can help cover the show and I'll do my best to get you sorted. This string of dates is the first time NONONO, aka lead singer Stina Wappling, and the production duo Astma & Rocwell, have ever played the US. They're in the midst of becoming the breakout act of CMJ. NONONO's first ever US gig was Monday night, to a packed house at Le Baron as part of Aboslut's Encore Sessions series. They sold out Mercury Lounge last night, and everyone from Vogue to The Fader to Daily Candy to Teen Vogue to Nylon to Under The Radar fired up about the future.
Post & Share: "Pumpin Blood" Official Video on YouTube http://youtu.be/3j4I0PqNzKE "Pumpin Blood" Stream on Soundcloud http://snd.sc/Z3tdu5
Official Website: http://www.nononoofficial.com/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/nononoofficial Twitter: https://twitter.com/nononoofficial
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nononoofficial
Post & Share: "Pumpin Blood" Official Video on YouTube http://youtu.be/3j4I0PqNzKE "Pumpin Blood" Stream on Soundcloud http://snd.sc/Z3tdu5
Official Website: http://www.nononoofficial.com/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/nononoofficial Twitter: https://twitter.com/nononoofficial
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nononoofficial
Gary Numan @ Amoeba today 6pm
Gary Numan will be at AMOEBA today, Wednesday October 16th 2013.
Photos: Angel Ceballos
Widowspeak @ The Echo
Widowspeak will be playing at the Echo tonight Wednesday, October 16th 2013.
All photo taken in Brooklyn by Daniel Murtagh.
JORGE ELBRECHT AND CAROLINE POLACHEK SHARE THE MUSIC VIDEO
JORGE ELBRECHT AND CAROLINE POLACHEK SHARE THE MUSIC VIDEO FOR "I.V. AIDED DREAMS" VIA PITCHFORK
GLOSS COMA SINGLE AVAILABLE NOW VIA MEXICAN SUMMER
Collage by Caroline Polachek and Jorge ElbrechtWatch: "I.V. Aided Dreams" - http://youtu.be/U7LKCmXZsNU Today, Jorge Elbrecht and Chairlift's Caroline Polachek are proud to share the music video for "I.V. Aided Dreams", the a-side of a new collaborative single entitled Gloss Coma. The video was directed by Cara Stricker and features artist/photographer Petra Collins and actress India Menuez. The single is being released digitally by Mexican Summer worldwide and Cara's brother Daniel Stricker will release a physical 7" via Siberia Records (home to Kirin J Callinan) in Australia, New Zealand and Japan. Gloss Coma is the third release in a series of collaborations helmed by Jorge Elbrecht (Haunted Graffiti, Violens, Lansing-Dreiden), following the "Hang On to Life" / "No Real Friend" 7" with Ariel Pink. In a bold showcase of his stylistic versatility, Elbrecht's collaboration with Chairlift's Caroline Polachek takes a total 180 into deep, dark techno. The first track "I.V. Aided Dreams" lays a paranoid bass pulse over a soundscape of screeches, garbled screams and industrial clamor. Polachek's vocals are rendered disembodied atop these - sounding positively ghostly on b-side "Full Mental Erase", which boasts a dancefloor-friendly groove underneath its clinical snare rolls. On the closing "Drained Brain" remix Elbrecht injects a muscular bassline and a ghoulish voiceover to the original, pushing it into some seriously dark club territory. Plans to follow this release include collaborations with Damon Tutunjian (of Swirlies) and a soundscape for artist Max Hooper Schneider's glowing Beluga whale skeleton, to be exhibited in Los Angeles and New York this fall. Jorge Elbrecht has previously been involved with musical projects such as Violens and the NYC art company Lansing-Dreiden. He is currently a touring member of Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti. He has also helped make records for many other artists. Most recently he produced/mixed No Joy's Wait to Pleasure and he co-produced/mixed the forthcoming Au Revoir Simone record, Move in Spectrums. In addition to all of that, Elbrecht is teaming up with other artist/songwriters for a series of 7" releases on Mexican Summer. The first collaborative 7", a cover of Turning Shrines' "1/4 Circle Black" featuring Tamaryn, was released by Mexican Summer for Record Store Day this past April. Most recently, Jorge worked with Ariel Pink to create "Hang On to Life" B/W "No Real Friend" which was also released via Mexican Summer.
Photo by Holland Brown JORGE ELBRECHT FEATURING CAROLINE POLACHEKGLOSS COMA 7"
(MEXICAN SUMMER)PURCHASE HERE
1. I.V. Aided Dreams2. Full Mental Erase3. Full Mental Erase (Drained Brain remix)
GLOSS COMA SINGLE AVAILABLE NOW VIA MEXICAN SUMMER
Collage by Caroline Polachek and Jorge ElbrechtWatch: "I.V. Aided Dreams" - http://youtu.be/U7LKCmXZsNU Today, Jorge Elbrecht and Chairlift's Caroline Polachek are proud to share the music video for "I.V. Aided Dreams", the a-side of a new collaborative single entitled Gloss Coma. The video was directed by Cara Stricker and features artist/photographer Petra Collins and actress India Menuez. The single is being released digitally by Mexican Summer worldwide and Cara's brother Daniel Stricker will release a physical 7" via Siberia Records (home to Kirin J Callinan) in Australia, New Zealand and Japan. Gloss Coma is the third release in a series of collaborations helmed by Jorge Elbrecht (Haunted Graffiti, Violens, Lansing-Dreiden), following the "Hang On to Life" / "No Real Friend" 7" with Ariel Pink. In a bold showcase of his stylistic versatility, Elbrecht's collaboration with Chairlift's Caroline Polachek takes a total 180 into deep, dark techno. The first track "I.V. Aided Dreams" lays a paranoid bass pulse over a soundscape of screeches, garbled screams and industrial clamor. Polachek's vocals are rendered disembodied atop these - sounding positively ghostly on b-side "Full Mental Erase", which boasts a dancefloor-friendly groove underneath its clinical snare rolls. On the closing "Drained Brain" remix Elbrecht injects a muscular bassline and a ghoulish voiceover to the original, pushing it into some seriously dark club territory. Plans to follow this release include collaborations with Damon Tutunjian (of Swirlies) and a soundscape for artist Max Hooper Schneider's glowing Beluga whale skeleton, to be exhibited in Los Angeles and New York this fall. Jorge Elbrecht has previously been involved with musical projects such as Violens and the NYC art company Lansing-Dreiden. He is currently a touring member of Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti. He has also helped make records for many other artists. Most recently he produced/mixed No Joy's Wait to Pleasure and he co-produced/mixed the forthcoming Au Revoir Simone record, Move in Spectrums. In addition to all of that, Elbrecht is teaming up with other artist/songwriters for a series of 7" releases on Mexican Summer. The first collaborative 7", a cover of Turning Shrines' "1/4 Circle Black" featuring Tamaryn, was released by Mexican Summer for Record Store Day this past April. Most recently, Jorge worked with Ariel Pink to create "Hang On to Life" B/W "No Real Friend" which was also released via Mexican Summer.
Photo by Holland Brown JORGE ELBRECHT FEATURING CAROLINE POLACHEKGLOSS COMA 7"(MEXICAN SUMMER)PURCHASE HERE
1. I.V. Aided Dreams2. Full Mental Erase3. Full Mental Erase (Drained Brain remix)
UPSET SHARE "YOU AND I" MUSIC VIDEO
UPSET SHARE "" MUSIC VIDEO VIA ROOKIE
TOURING WITH SCREAMING FEMALES
DEBUT LP FROM DON GIOVANNI RECORDS
WATCH THE "YOU AND I" MUSIC VIDEO VIA ROOKIE
Upset have shared a music video for the track “You And I” via Rookie Magazine. In the video you can watch rich privileged kids, played by comedians Whitmer Thomas, Clay Tatum, Budd Diaz, Rodney Berry, James Pumphrey, Jess Lane, Chris Thayer and Michael Busch, choose life on the streets pretending to be broke gutter punks. The video, shot on location at The Church on York and directed by stand-up comedian Sean O’Connor, is a parody (mockery?) of Soul Asylum’s video for the 1993 hit “Runaway Train.
ABOUT UPSET:
For the past few years, Ali Koehler has been best known as the drummer of the pop group Best Coast and the noisy girl punk trio Vivian Girls. After her departure from Best Coast, Koehler decided to step up from behind the kit to front a band of her own, embracing her melodic punk-spirited songwriting impulses with Upset. Joined by Patty Schemel (of Hole) on drums and Jennifer Prince on lead guitar and vocals, Upset will release its massively hooky debut record, She’s Gone, this fall.
With 12 songs in just under 30 minutes, it’s a pop-punk album that immediately sounds classic, full of unshakeable hooks and the sincerest of shouts. It is fitting that She’s Gone will see a release with Don Giovanni Records; the record could easily fit in the record collections of Ergs or Lemuria fans. She’s Gone was recorded primarily at Koehler’s house in April of 2013 by Kyle Gilbride of Swearin’.
As a songwriter, Koehler draws on the snarky angst and punk simplicity of her previous bands, with a delivery that masks angry and cheeky lyrics with a sweet-sung and wide-eyed infliction. She’s Gone opens with “Back To School,” conveying that sense of first-day anxieties and uncertainty that comes with a return to an old routine. “First day back’s a heart attack,” Koehler sings. It’s an intro to the sort of personal and relatable lyrics she sings throughout, full of anxious introspection. “Game Over” (written and sung by Jenn Prince) is bored and angsty, channeling distant vox and 90s-indebted noise-pop guitars; “Never Wanna” is an urgent and impatient earworm. “I just don’t know what to do / I can’t stop thinking of you,” Koehler sings.
“Queen Frosteen” uses childlike, upbeat rhymes and a sticky chorus to set up her indictment of a friendship gone wrong. “When she sets the scene / it’s a sugarcoated fantasy,” she sings, in a way that’s so overly sugar-sweet, it almost sounds sarcastic. “Queen Frosteen, my enemy / she’s everything and I'm nobody / Queen Frosteen, my enemy.” The closing track sounds similarly burned and pissed about it. “This was a lesson learned / this is goodbye,” the band sings, girl-gang style. “That’s not what friends are for.”
She's Gone has moments of self-doubt and resonant angst (“I can’t remember feeling worse than this,” Koehler sings on “Oxfords and Wingtips”) but it has a sense of humor about it as well; “About Me” even starts with a giggle. It’s a sort of record that’s not afraid to have sincere open-book, downer moments, but doesn't take itself too seriously.Tour Dates11/15 - Seattle, WA @ Black Lodge *11/16 - Portland, OR @ The Know Bar *11/18 - San Jose, CA @ The Blank Club *11/19 - Oakland, CA @ 1-2-3-4 Go! Records *11/20 - San Francisco, CA @ Bottom of the Hill *11/21 - Los Angeles, CA @ Echoplex *11/22 - San Pedro, CA @ Harold's Place *11/23 - San Diego, CA @ Soda Bar *
* = w/ Screaming Females
UPSET
SHE'S GONE
(DON GIOVANNI RECORDS)
OCTOBER 29th, 2013
1. Back to School
2. She's Gone
3. Oxfords and Wingtips
4. Queen Frosteen
5. About Me
6. Game Over
7. Don't Lose Your Dinosaur
8. Never Wanna
9. Let It Go
10. Tobacco
11. Phone Calls
12. You And I
TOURING WITH SCREAMING FEMALES
DEBUT LP FROM DON GIOVANNI RECORDS
WATCH THE "YOU AND I" MUSIC VIDEO VIA ROOKIE
Upset have shared a music video for the track “You And I” via Rookie Magazine. In the video you can watch rich privileged kids, played by comedians Whitmer Thomas, Clay Tatum, Budd Diaz, Rodney Berry, James Pumphrey, Jess Lane, Chris Thayer and Michael Busch, choose life on the streets pretending to be broke gutter punks. The video, shot on location at The Church on York and directed by stand-up comedian Sean O’Connor, is a parody (mockery?) of Soul Asylum’s video for the 1993 hit “Runaway Train.
ABOUT UPSET:
For the past few years, Ali Koehler has been best known as the drummer of the pop group Best Coast and the noisy girl punk trio Vivian Girls. After her departure from Best Coast, Koehler decided to step up from behind the kit to front a band of her own, embracing her melodic punk-spirited songwriting impulses with Upset. Joined by Patty Schemel (of Hole) on drums and Jennifer Prince on lead guitar and vocals, Upset will release its massively hooky debut record, She’s Gone, this fall.
With 12 songs in just under 30 minutes, it’s a pop-punk album that immediately sounds classic, full of unshakeable hooks and the sincerest of shouts. It is fitting that She’s Gone will see a release with Don Giovanni Records; the record could easily fit in the record collections of Ergs or Lemuria fans. She’s Gone was recorded primarily at Koehler’s house in April of 2013 by Kyle Gilbride of Swearin’.
As a songwriter, Koehler draws on the snarky angst and punk simplicity of her previous bands, with a delivery that masks angry and cheeky lyrics with a sweet-sung and wide-eyed infliction. She’s Gone opens with “Back To School,” conveying that sense of first-day anxieties and uncertainty that comes with a return to an old routine. “First day back’s a heart attack,” Koehler sings. It’s an intro to the sort of personal and relatable lyrics she sings throughout, full of anxious introspection. “Game Over” (written and sung by Jenn Prince) is bored and angsty, channeling distant vox and 90s-indebted noise-pop guitars; “Never Wanna” is an urgent and impatient earworm. “I just don’t know what to do / I can’t stop thinking of you,” Koehler sings.
“Queen Frosteen” uses childlike, upbeat rhymes and a sticky chorus to set up her indictment of a friendship gone wrong. “When she sets the scene / it’s a sugarcoated fantasy,” she sings, in a way that’s so overly sugar-sweet, it almost sounds sarcastic. “Queen Frosteen, my enemy / she’s everything and I'm nobody / Queen Frosteen, my enemy.” The closing track sounds similarly burned and pissed about it. “This was a lesson learned / this is goodbye,” the band sings, girl-gang style. “That’s not what friends are for.”
She's Gone has moments of self-doubt and resonant angst (“I can’t remember feeling worse than this,” Koehler sings on “Oxfords and Wingtips”) but it has a sense of humor about it as well; “About Me” even starts with a giggle. It’s a sort of record that’s not afraid to have sincere open-book, downer moments, but doesn't take itself too seriously.Tour Dates11/15 - Seattle, WA @ Black Lodge *11/16 - Portland, OR @ The Know Bar *11/18 - San Jose, CA @ The Blank Club *11/19 - Oakland, CA @ 1-2-3-4 Go! Records *11/20 - San Francisco, CA @ Bottom of the Hill *11/21 - Los Angeles, CA @ Echoplex *11/22 - San Pedro, CA @ Harold's Place *11/23 - San Diego, CA @ Soda Bar *
* = w/ Screaming Females
UPSET
SHE'S GONE
(DON GIOVANNI RECORDS)
OCTOBER 29th, 2013
1. Back to School
2. She's Gone
3. Oxfords and Wingtips
4. Queen Frosteen
5. About Me
6. Game Over
7. Don't Lose Your Dinosaur
8. Never Wanna
9. Let It Go
10. Tobacco
11. Phone Calls
12. You And I
Pony Boy “If Only He Were You” Featured on ABC’s Betrayal
Pony Boy
“If Only He Were You” Featured on ABC’s Betrayal,
MP3 Drops w/ American Songwriter Today
“Sultry, smoky and soulful vocals ... and songs that explore the myth of the Old West and heartache make for an all-original junkyard country meets southern gothic soul sound.”
– Lucky Magazine
“Her blend of country, blues, and rock might just make her the next big crossover artist…” -- VICE
Pony Boy is Marchelle Bradanini, a sultry songwriter with seductive vocals who isn’t afraid to explore her dark side. With twangy guitars and smoky melodies, her music conjures up images of the desolate landscapes of the old west, littered with danger and mystery. Having released various singles over the past year and played alongside bands like The Mynabirds and Clairy Browne & The Bangin’ Rackettes, Pony Boy has won over audiences and critics alike with her beautifully eerie sound.
Pony Boy’s latest track “If Only He Were You” recalls the great highs of unforgettable American country songwriting alongside Marchelle’s signature vocals & a modern, rock ‘n’ roll twist. Marchelle was inspired by her move from the West Coast to the “Music City,” Nashville, and the “simple songs about those feelings of longing for someone you can’t hold onto or seem to let go of against one’s better judgement.” The song was recorded to tape in one take by producers Adam Landry & Justin Collins (Deer Tick, Middle Brother, Diamond Rugs, T. Hardy Morris) in Nashville, and also features Robbie Crowell (Deer Tick) & singer-songwriter Carey Kotsionis on harmony.
“If Only He Were You” was featured on the ABC hit drama series Betrayal this weekend. You can download the “If Only He Were You” MP3 where it premiered today with American Songwriter , or HERE . We encourage you to post & share!
Luring listeners in with her infectious, slow-burning voice and mysterious lyrics, Pony Boy’s songs sound like they belong on a Twin Peaks soundtrack. Stay tuned for more from Pony Boy, coming soon!
“If Only He Were You” Featured on ABC’s Betrayal,
MP3 Drops w/ American Songwriter Today
“Sultry, smoky and soulful vocals ... and songs that explore the myth of the Old West and heartache make for an all-original junkyard country meets southern gothic soul sound.”
– Lucky Magazine
“Her blend of country, blues, and rock might just make her the next big crossover artist…” -- VICE
Pony Boy is Marchelle Bradanini, a sultry songwriter with seductive vocals who isn’t afraid to explore her dark side. With twangy guitars and smoky melodies, her music conjures up images of the desolate landscapes of the old west, littered with danger and mystery. Having released various singles over the past year and played alongside bands like The Mynabirds and Clairy Browne & The Bangin’ Rackettes, Pony Boy has won over audiences and critics alike with her beautifully eerie sound.
Pony Boy’s latest track “If Only He Were You” recalls the great highs of unforgettable American country songwriting alongside Marchelle’s signature vocals & a modern, rock ‘n’ roll twist. Marchelle was inspired by her move from the West Coast to the “Music City,” Nashville, and the “simple songs about those feelings of longing for someone you can’t hold onto or seem to let go of against one’s better judgement.” The song was recorded to tape in one take by producers Adam Landry & Justin Collins (Deer Tick, Middle Brother, Diamond Rugs, T. Hardy Morris) in Nashville, and also features Robbie Crowell (Deer Tick) & singer-songwriter Carey Kotsionis on harmony.
“If Only He Were You” was featured on the ABC hit drama series Betrayal this weekend. You can download the “If Only He Were You” MP3 where it premiered today with American Songwriter , or HERE . We encourage you to post & share!
Luring listeners in with her infectious, slow-burning voice and mysterious lyrics, Pony Boy’s songs sound like they belong on a Twin Peaks soundtrack. Stay tuned for more from Pony Boy, coming soon!
Black Hearted Brother Debut Album "Stars Are Our Home"
Black Hearted Brother Debut Album Stars Are Our Home
Out October 22 On Slumberland Records Band features Slowdive's Neil Halstead, Seefeel's Mark Van Hoen
& Nick Holton of Holton's Opulent Oog
Stream Stars Are Our Home At The New York Times Press Play
Listen: Stars Are Our Home via New York Times Press Play
"Black Hearted Brother make some glorious noise" - SPIN Neil Halstead, Mark Van Hoen, and Nick Holton of the newly-formed Black Hearted Brother will release their debut album Stars Are Our Home on October 22nd on Slumberland Records. In anticipation of the release, The New York Times is streaming the album in full a week before street date. Magnet said, "The LP has plenty of space-rock elements, but it's also able to merge order with chaos to drench the listener in an awesome sonic experience" while PopMatters added, "Take members of Slowdive, Mojave 3, and Locust, mix 'em together, and you get the space-rock album of the year." Stars Are Our Home is available now for pre-order now in the Slumberland Online Store.
A brave, beautiful yet experimental album, Stars Are Our Home boasts the craftsmanship of Halstead, Van Hoen, and Holton's impressive resumes: Neil Halstead, previously an influential member ofSlowdive and Mojave 3; Mark Van Hoen, an original member of Seefeel, subsequently working solo and as Locust; and Nick Holton, the main mover behind Holton's Opulent Oog, and member ofColey Park, who have released albums on Halstead's Shady Lane label. They had also previously worked together on Halstead's 2001 solo album, Sleeping On Roads, though Van Hoen also co-produced Mojave 3's Out Of Tune (1998), Excuses For Travellers (2000) and Spoon & Rafter (2003), while Holton took up production duties for Halstead's Palindrome Hunches (2012). Van Hoen and Halstead go back much further still, to 1992, when they were in Seefeel and Slowdive respectively.
Stars Are Our Home mirrors the similar experimental nature of Halstead's previous work - he describes the album as, "a lot of very long and indulgent space rawk." The space-rock elements of the album are obvious in the album's opening title track, but Halstead says there's more to it: "The idea was to just make a record that was in some ways 'unedited.' To not worry about a particular sound or style, but to just go with the flow. We all make quite focused records individually so, as Mark says, it's our 'guilty pleasures' album."A record that beautifully merges "order" and "chaos", Stars Are Our Home is full of unexpected twists and turns that drench the listener in noise and then flip back to acoustic melody, and offers surprises with lyrics that sometimes reference romance and other times UFO abduction. Although unexpected and surprising, the experimental nature of the album never forgets the importance of pop with tracks like, "Take Heart," "I'm Back," and the closing track, "Look Back Here They Come."Black Hearted Brother will announce U.S. tour dates in support of Stars Are Our Home in the coming weeks. For more info, please visit:
Slumberland Records Black Hearted Brother Official Website
Out October 22 On Slumberland Records Band features Slowdive's Neil Halstead, Seefeel's Mark Van Hoen
& Nick Holton of Holton's Opulent Oog
Stream Stars Are Our Home At The New York Times Press Play
Listen: Stars Are Our Home via New York Times Press Play
"Black Hearted Brother make some glorious noise" - SPIN Neil Halstead, Mark Van Hoen, and Nick Holton of the newly-formed Black Hearted Brother will release their debut album Stars Are Our Home on October 22nd on Slumberland Records. In anticipation of the release, The New York Times is streaming the album in full a week before street date. Magnet said, "The LP has plenty of space-rock elements, but it's also able to merge order with chaos to drench the listener in an awesome sonic experience" while PopMatters added, "Take members of Slowdive, Mojave 3, and Locust, mix 'em together, and you get the space-rock album of the year." Stars Are Our Home is available now for pre-order now in the Slumberland Online Store.
A brave, beautiful yet experimental album, Stars Are Our Home boasts the craftsmanship of Halstead, Van Hoen, and Holton's impressive resumes: Neil Halstead, previously an influential member ofSlowdive and Mojave 3; Mark Van Hoen, an original member of Seefeel, subsequently working solo and as Locust; and Nick Holton, the main mover behind Holton's Opulent Oog, and member ofColey Park, who have released albums on Halstead's Shady Lane label. They had also previously worked together on Halstead's 2001 solo album, Sleeping On Roads, though Van Hoen also co-produced Mojave 3's Out Of Tune (1998), Excuses For Travellers (2000) and Spoon & Rafter (2003), while Holton took up production duties for Halstead's Palindrome Hunches (2012). Van Hoen and Halstead go back much further still, to 1992, when they were in Seefeel and Slowdive respectively.
Stars Are Our Home mirrors the similar experimental nature of Halstead's previous work - he describes the album as, "a lot of very long and indulgent space rawk." The space-rock elements of the album are obvious in the album's opening title track, but Halstead says there's more to it: "The idea was to just make a record that was in some ways 'unedited.' To not worry about a particular sound or style, but to just go with the flow. We all make quite focused records individually so, as Mark says, it's our 'guilty pleasures' album."A record that beautifully merges "order" and "chaos", Stars Are Our Home is full of unexpected twists and turns that drench the listener in noise and then flip back to acoustic melody, and offers surprises with lyrics that sometimes reference romance and other times UFO abduction. Although unexpected and surprising, the experimental nature of the album never forgets the importance of pop with tracks like, "Take Heart," "I'm Back," and the closing track, "Look Back Here They Come."Black Hearted Brother will announce U.S. tour dates in support of Stars Are Our Home in the coming weeks. For more info, please visit:
Slumberland Records Black Hearted Brother Official Website
BABY ALPACA Reveals "WILD CHILD"
BABY ALPACA Reveals "WILD CHILD" (Shaun J. Wright & Alinka Twirl Remix)
via East Village Radio HERE (+ free to share HERE)
New York Times Features Baby Alpaca's Chris Kittrell HERE
Baby Alpaca Live:
TONIGHT 10/16 – New York, NY @ Pianos - 8:45pm (only CMJ show!)
Mon 10/21 - Los Angeles, CA @ Fonda Theatre (w/ Best Coast for LAAR.org)FADER Premiered "SEA OF DREAMS" (TURBOTITO REMIX) HERE (+ free to share HERE)
photo credit: Rudoph Bekker - hi res HERE
NPR "First Watch" Vogue "Band of The Week"
Interview MagazineBullett MagazineLA Canvas
"...I love the threat of a trance song lurking beneath such sleepy-eyed vocals..." - FADER
“…Sea of Dreams, which channels The Smiths with it’s dreamy, light dada-rock production - think soft, romantic rock that makes you feel all warm and fuzzy on the inside. His debut EP ranges from playful to emotional, but always leaves you impressed.“ - Disco Naïveté
"My dreams are never like Chris Kitrell's "Sea of Dreams," but I wish they were" - NPR's Bob Boilen
When trying to identify the music made by NYC band Baby Alpaca, it’s perhaps easier to try and figure out what the music is NOT. Judging by the music on the band’s first proper EP, it’s easy to say that this is definitely not your standard indie rock fare: an autoharp is involved, as well as both live and programmed beats and a smattering of guitars. The music eschews any musical tropes typically assigned to wispy bedroom electronica, beardy folk music, or the new wave of alternative R&B, but it could perhaps exist as a distant cousin to all of those things. Buoyed aloft by the winsome vocals of front man Chris Kittrell and shaped by the guitar styling of Zach McMillan, Baby Alpaca make music that is both romantic, vaguely tropical, and sufficiently futuristic—music that seems born of a million dramatic road trips that might provide a suitable soundtrack for a million more.
The four songs on the Baby Alpaca EP make for a striking, remarkably blissed-out statement of intent. The EP’s first single, “Sea of Dreams” (whose Dada-esque video premiered earlier this year via NPR.org) is as fitting an introduction as any band could hope to have: all echo-chamber vocals that seem to be haunted by reverby guitar lines and gently-played piano notes that drift through the song like ghosts. Tracks like “Wild Child” and “On The Roam” evoke a palpable sense of modern restlessness, something that permeates all of Baby Alpaca’s music. It’s a feeling that Kittrell attributes to his own meandering youth—a time spent experimenting, studying, travelling, and trying to locate his own creative voice.
“A lot of this music is about running way,” explains Kittrell, “I don’t mean that in a escapist kind of way, but more in terms of exploration. So much of my life has been about running away from tradition and traditional ways of thinking, which seeps into the music we make together. It’s about discovery. It’s not so much about running away from something bad, but rather running towards something really beautiful.”
http://babyalpa.ca
http://www.twitter.com/babyalpacalove
http://www.facebook.com/babyalpacalove
Atlas Chair Records - atlaschair@gmail.com
via East Village Radio HERE (+ free to share HERE)
New York Times Features Baby Alpaca's Chris Kittrell HERE
Baby Alpaca Live:
TONIGHT 10/16 – New York, NY @ Pianos - 8:45pm (only CMJ show!)
Mon 10/21 - Los Angeles, CA @ Fonda Theatre (w/ Best Coast for LAAR.org)FADER Premiered "SEA OF DREAMS" (TURBOTITO REMIX) HERE (+ free to share HERE)
photo credit: Rudoph Bekker - hi res HERE
NPR "First Watch" Vogue "Band of The Week"
Interview MagazineBullett MagazineLA Canvas
"...I love the threat of a trance song lurking beneath such sleepy-eyed vocals..." - FADER
“…Sea of Dreams, which channels The Smiths with it’s dreamy, light dada-rock production - think soft, romantic rock that makes you feel all warm and fuzzy on the inside. His debut EP ranges from playful to emotional, but always leaves you impressed.“ - Disco Naïveté
"My dreams are never like Chris Kitrell's "Sea of Dreams," but I wish they were" - NPR's Bob Boilen
When trying to identify the music made by NYC band Baby Alpaca, it’s perhaps easier to try and figure out what the music is NOT. Judging by the music on the band’s first proper EP, it’s easy to say that this is definitely not your standard indie rock fare: an autoharp is involved, as well as both live and programmed beats and a smattering of guitars. The music eschews any musical tropes typically assigned to wispy bedroom electronica, beardy folk music, or the new wave of alternative R&B, but it could perhaps exist as a distant cousin to all of those things. Buoyed aloft by the winsome vocals of front man Chris Kittrell and shaped by the guitar styling of Zach McMillan, Baby Alpaca make music that is both romantic, vaguely tropical, and sufficiently futuristic—music that seems born of a million dramatic road trips that might provide a suitable soundtrack for a million more.
The four songs on the Baby Alpaca EP make for a striking, remarkably blissed-out statement of intent. The EP’s first single, “Sea of Dreams” (whose Dada-esque video premiered earlier this year via NPR.org) is as fitting an introduction as any band could hope to have: all echo-chamber vocals that seem to be haunted by reverby guitar lines and gently-played piano notes that drift through the song like ghosts. Tracks like “Wild Child” and “On The Roam” evoke a palpable sense of modern restlessness, something that permeates all of Baby Alpaca’s music. It’s a feeling that Kittrell attributes to his own meandering youth—a time spent experimenting, studying, travelling, and trying to locate his own creative voice.
“A lot of this music is about running way,” explains Kittrell, “I don’t mean that in a escapist kind of way, but more in terms of exploration. So much of my life has been about running away from tradition and traditional ways of thinking, which seeps into the music we make together. It’s about discovery. It’s not so much about running away from something bad, but rather running towards something really beautiful.”
http://babyalpa.ca
http://www.twitter.com/babyalpacalove
http://www.facebook.com/babyalpacalove
Atlas Chair Records - atlaschair@gmail.com
