NED IN NEW YORK

(Photo by Natalie van den Dungen)

Ned Collette and drummer Joe Talia head off the big apple next week to mix the upcoming Ned Collette and Wirewalker album with producer Joel Hamilton. If the name doesn’t ring a bell, Brooklyn based Hamilton has worked with a diverse range of artists from Lou Reed and Tom Waits right through to Justin Timberlake.
Recording started last year at Melbourne’s Headgap studios with Neal Thomason before Ned and band embarked on the 2008 European tour, recording was then completed last month in a studio in country Victoria with Joe Talia in the engineer’s seat.

Collette says of the album:
"It took a while but it's a simpler album in a lot of ways than what I've made before. The band being formed and present throughout the whole process added dimensions I couldn't have come up with on my own - it's kinda no bullshit, or less bullshit anyway."

Once they head back home, Ned Collette and Wirewalker will embark on some live shows including Mistletone’s Castle Tone festival in Melbourne on June 27, supporting Augie March in Geelong on July 2 and playing their first Sydney show for 2009 at The Factory on July 17th.

St Helens album launch in Melbourne this weekend

“one of the best local debuts in recent times” The Age ****

“a timeless world” Sydney Morning Herald ****

“razor sharp guitar interplay and bitter-sweet, intertwining vocals” Triple J – Next Crop

“Heavy Profession is a rock record proper, romantic and drunk on poetic absolutes like all good bleeding heart music should be.” Threethousand

A reminder to all Melbournians that St Helens will launch their brilliant debut album Heavy Profession this Saturday the 30th of May at Northcote Social Club supported by Panel Of Judges, Circle Pit and DJ Ann Ominous.

Since the release of the album these guys have been pretty hard to miss. Heavy Profession has received glowing reviews, was RRR album of the week and last week the band graced the cover of Inpress.

Check it out!

Something else worth checking out is Hannah and Jarrod's appearance tonight on Dancing About Architecture at 9:30 on Channel 31.

Hosted by creator Clem Bastow and her co-panellists Tim Finney and Mia Timpano, Dancing About Architecture covers all things music. Whether it be the latest or the greatest, from CDs to DVDs and MP3s, music blogs to boutique 7" labels.

On tonight's episode Hannah and Jarrod take up One Mic Challenge, previously taken up by Jessica Says and Lee Memorial.

If you don't live in Melbourne, or just can't watch Channel 31 without a snowstorm of static, the lovely people from Dancing About Architecture post up episodes weekly here.

Heavy Profession is out now through Dot Dash.

New Discovery mp3 (Vampire Weekend/ Ra Ra Riot Side Project)

So about a month ago we mentioned a side project that Vampire Weekender Rostam Batmanglij had been working on with Ra Ra Riot singer Wes Miller.

To the delight of many curious fans, details have surfaced of Discovery’s new LP which is set to be released through XL later this year.

Some highlights from the very literally named ‘LP’ includes an Autotuned cover of the Jackson 5’s classic “I Want You Back”, a remix of Ra Ra Riot's "Can You Tell" (re-dubbed "Can You Discover?") and vocal contributions by Vampire Weekend’s Ezra Koenig and Dirty Projectors' Angel Deradoorian.

If you haven’t had time to ‘discover’ Discovery you can hear tracks up on their MySpace and here on stereogum.

Orange Shirt [mp3]

Osaka Loop Line [mp3]

Discovery LP out July 10 in Australia through XL/ Remote Control.

myspace.com/discoverdiscovery

Looking for mp3s?
Check out our free mp3 download page here!

Jarvis Cocker Further Complications out tomorrow!

“Gold” 4 * The Age
“Produced by Steve Albini, Cocker's excellent second solo disc sets hilariously over-the-top come-ons to bruising garage rock and woozy soul” Rolling Stone .
“The dapper man-boy is back and is absolutely brilliant” Beat

Yes, that “dapper man-boy” is most certainly back. Tomorrow, the 23rd of May sees the release of his anticipated second “Pulp-free” effort, Further Complications.

Although Jarvis had assigned the recording duties for this album to studio rat extraordinaire Steve Albini, Jarvis insists he hasn’t “Gone Rock”.

You’ve probably already heard Angela, the catchy, rough around the edges rock tune we posted up a while ago. Here is the full tracklisting with some priceless notes about a few of them from Jarvis himself:

1. 'Further Complications.'
2. Angela
3. Pilchard
4. Leftovers
5. I Never Said I Was Deep
"the phrase that I would like carved on my tombstone"
6. Homewrecker!
"an absolute racket featuring saxophone from Steve Mackey [he played on The Stooges' 'Funhouse', you know]"
1. 'Further Complications.'
7. Hold Still
8. Fuckingsong
"is my surrogate. It's like I can't possibly fuck all the women in the world, but I can at least penetrate them if they listen to this song. [Laughs] It's going to put people off buying it, isn't it? That song going into your ears is like me penetrating your orifice." [via] [via]
9. Caucasian Blues
"an attempt to understand the pain of a man whose Honda Goldwing has run out of petrol"
10. Slush
"I guess that slush will be the ultimate outcome of global warming"
11. You're In My Eyes (Discosong)

Further Complications is out tomorrow May 23 through Rough Trade/ Remote Control

Jarvis Cocker to star in Wes Anderson directed Roald Dahl adaptation

Is Jarvis the-man-that-can-do-no-wrong at the moment?

From The Guardian UK: "A stop-motion version of the former Pulp frontman will feature in Wes Anderson's forthcoming film of Fantastic Mr Fox"

Wes Anderson (director of such classics as Darjeeling Limited, The Life Aquatic, The Royal Tenembaums, Rushmore) is adapting Roal Dahl's classic 1970s childrens book The Fantastic Mr Fox into a stop animation film. Jarvis is set to star in it, well a stop animation version of Jarvis is at least, as Petey "a mandolin-toting child", the Guardian reports.

"Though Petey initially featured more prominently in the film, his role was reduced when American viewers found Cocker a little, er, incomprehensible. "I did a narration bit at the start of Mr Fox," the singer told the Times, "but they showed that to test audiences in the US and they were very bamboozled. So I've ended up on the cutting-room floor. I tried to enunciate clearly!""

Read more here

The film is due out in the UK in October this year, so hopefully the Australian release won't be too far behind.

Jarvis' ALBUM however is out THIS WEEKEND! Further Complications hits the record stores Sat May 23 through Rough Trade/ Remote Control.

Cat Power to tour with Juliette Lewis?!

According to Pitchfork.

Is the world really ready for this?

New British Sea Power soundtrack for Man Of Aran

British Sea Power have written and recorded a new soundtrack for the 1934 film Man Of Aran. The film is being re-released on DVD with the new BSP soundtrackThe BSP Man Of Aran package includes two discs - the re-scored Man Of Aran DVD, plus the soundtrack by itself on CD.

This is an excerpt from it. Each chapter of the DVD corresponds to a track from album, this is chapter 3 and the track is ‘Come Wander With ME’, watch out for the huge sharks in the later chapters…

British Sea Power - Come Wander With Me from Rough Trade on Vimeo.

“It’s a wonderful film,” says BSP guitarist Noble. “The images vary between huge drama and a brilliant kind of ridiculousness - check out the amazing foot-wide bobbled berets that the fishermen wear. It’s a great look, like a 1930s Irish version of Jack White or Kraftwerk. It’s a film that’s also relevant to the current era – a time when the idea of living a simpler life is in the air. The film shows something I'd like to think I could do, but know I never will.”

Man Of Aran is a powerful and provocative dramatised documentary from the late American filmmaker Robert J Flaherty. In a series of startling black-and-white sequences the film presents daily life on the inhospitable Aran islands on the west coast of Ireland. The film was both celebrated and controversial on its release.

The film was created from half a million feet of film shot by Flaherty while living closely with the islanders. But Man Of Aran isn’t a straightforward documentary. The ‘family’ at the centre of the film weren’t related, rather a group of islanders cast as the family unit by Flaherty. The fishing expedition for basking sharks which forms the film’s dramatic heart was based around methods that hadn’t been employed on the Aran Islands for decades. Blending reality and staged elements, Flaherty arrived at a compelling document that captures the elemental power of the island’s past and present. The film won the Grand Prix at the 1935 Venice Film Festival and the eminent film critic Pauline Kael described it as, "The greatest film tribute to man's struggle against a hostile nature."

New Golden Silvers video True Romance - Later Live With Jools Holland

Golden Silvers appeared on Later Live With Jools Holland last night. Check it out:



The band blogged:

"Live on Jools!!!
We had a blast on Jools last night!

It actually does feel like it looks on tv.. pretty hectic!

Specially enjoyed the hypnotic brass ensemble (Pretty sure i saw them playing in the street in Camden a few years back) and baba maal…

you can watch the live show again here

check our electric church style keyboard cloth which we had made specially for the big day!"

True Romance is out now through XL/ Remote Control.

St Helens Melboune launch Sat May 30

Julian Plenti's album details

Behold, here is the cover art and full tracklisting for the upcoming debut album by Julian Plenti (solo release from Paul Banks of Interpol).



Tracklisting for Julian Plenti Is... Skyscraper:

01 Only If You Run
02 Fun That We Have
03 Skyscraper
04 Games for Days
05 Madrid Song
06 No Chance of Survival
07 Unwind
08 Girl on the Sporting News
09 On the Esplanade
10 Fly as You Might
11 H

It is due out July 31 through Matador/ Remote Control and includes guests such as Mike Stroud from Ratatat and Sam Fogarino from Interpol.

Check out the mp3 of Fun That We Have here.

Looking for mp3s?
Check out our free mp3 download page here!

Radiohead recording their next album

Radiohead are back in the studio, recording the follow up to their 2007 album In Rainbows.

Colin Greenwood told BBC, "We just went in last week," bassist Colin Greenwood said. "It was really good. It was really noisy and chaotic and really fun. We're at the stage where we've got the big Lego box out and we've tipped it out on the floor and we're looking at all the bits and thinking, what next?"

This will be the band's eighth studio album and will be recorded with their long time producer Nigel Godrich.

Read the full interview here.

Deerhunter and The Breeders get together for a Bragging Party

So damn cute. Bradford Cox and the Deal sisters jamming out together on The Amps 'Bragging Party' at ATP festival. Yeeee!

As blogged on Deerhunter's blog and Stereogum.

Don't they just sound beautiful together? Kelley gets the giggles towards the end. Yeeee!

New Golden Silvers video Arrows Of Eros

Here's the new clip for Golden Silver's track Arrow Of Eros.



Golden Silvers' album True Romance is out now through XL/ Remote Control. Buy it now on iTunes.

New The Magistrates mp3 Heartbreak

No where near as serious as their name suggests, The Magistrates are four kids hailing from Essex churning out “unashamedly sexual music for the mind, feet and hips"

Being latest singing to XL these boys are fast becoming hot property, NME have already dubbed them as “MGMT and Stevie Wonder mixed to disco perfection”

Hailing from Essex, the musical melting pot that gave us The Prodigy, Blur and Depeche Mode, and thousands of weekend ravers, drinkers and dancers, Magistrates channel their love of 80’s house, early Prince and timeless iconic pop into something of their own.

A fitting introduction is their new single
Heartbreak [mp3]

Buy the EP from iTunes.

And here's the video:


Stay tuned for an album release later this year on XL.

Looking for mp3s?
Check out our free mp3 download page here!

New Julian Plenti mp3 Fun That We Have

Here's our first full taste of Julian Plenti, aka Paul Banks from Interpol's solo project.

As we mentioned last week, the album is due out August 1 through Matador/ Remote Control.

We like what we hear!

Fun That We Have [mp3]

Looking for mp3s?
Check out our free mp3 download page here!

Friendly Fires announce debut Australian tour

“Friendly Fires are on an unstoppably stratospheric trajectory” NME

“Sophisticated and fun, Friendly Fires is a fine example of dance music with a brain in it’s head” Drum Sydney

“One of the most exciting bands out of the UK at the moment” Music Network

“Friendly Fires show an amplified, ambitious, and inventive attention to detail that helps steer them away from sounding like just another polished party band.” Pitchfork Media

“This is the definitive nu-rave album” Inpress

This UK trio have been labelled everything from dance-punk, to the new nu-wave, electro-pop, melodic song, and disco dance. Call them what you will, we can safely say that U.K’s Friendly Fires are undeniably one of the most exciting bands of 2009. We are pleased to announce their debut Australian tour surrounding an appearance at Splendour In The Grass this July.

Ed Macfarlane, Jack Savidge, and Edd Gibson have been playing together since they met at age 14, although they have come a long way since the days of their first band, post-hardcore outfit First Day Back. Nowadays they consider the artists on the German techno label Kompakt the greatest influence on their sound, and have been called leaders of the “intelligent disco revolution”.

The band released their debut self-titled record this year through XL Recordings in the UK – also home to Peaches, The White Stripes, M.I.A., Sigur Ros, and Vampire Weekend, just to name a few. Their track ‘Paris’ received massive radio airplay and has been named Single Of the Week by The Guardian and NME, not to mention being amongst Pitchfork’s Best 100 Tracks Of 2008. Locally, the record was triple j’s Feature Album of the Week, and several tracks from the record have been added to high rotation nationally on both commercial and community radio.

“The surprise is their sophistication; like Klaxons, they're just fluorescent enough to keep club kids interested, but their real commitment is to sparkling, modern pop” The Guardian (UK), 4 stars.

So after playing sell-out shows throughout Europe and the UK and opening for acts such as Interpol and Blur, we are very excited to finally have Friendly Fires heading our way in 2009. They will be appearing at the Splendour In The Grass in Byron Bay, along with as club shows in Perth, Sydney and Melbourne.
All show details below.


TICKETS ON SALE FRIDAY 29 MAY

FRIENDLY FIRES DEBUT AUSTRALIAN TOUR
JULY 2009

Perth
Friday 24 July
Amplifier
Tickets from Mills, Planet, Star Perth, Heatseeker and Moshtix
Presented by triple j & Drum Media.

Sydney
Tuesday 28 July
Manning Bar
Tickets from Moshtix, 1300 Get Tix (438 849), on your mobile via Moshtix Mobi and all Moshtix outlets.
Presented by triple j & Drum Media.

Melbourne
Wednesday 29 July
Prince Bandroom
Tickets from Missing Link, Polyester Records (City & Fitzroy), Greville Records, POW Public Bar, Prince Bandroom website or phone bookings (03 9536 1168)
Presented by triple j & Inpress.

Splendour In The Grass
Belongil Fields, Byron Bay
25 & 26 July
For more info click here

Friendly Fires self-titled album out now on XL through Remote Control Records.

FRIENDLY FIRES MYSPACE
FRIENDLY FIRES WEBSITE

VulgarGrad at The Tote tomorrow night

Vulgargrad & Clinkerfield
…the russian criminals attempt to smash the drunken pirate convicts, and vice versa…

Saturday 16 May, The Tote Hotel
Corner Johnston & Wellington St, Collingwood VIC, Ph 03 9419 5320
Doors 8:30 pm, $15 entry.

Finally, after more than a year of evil-eyeing each other from across the way, with many snide remarks and rude retorts tossed provocatively at each other from across the bar-room, the Russian criminals and the drunken pirate convicts assemble for a showdown on the same stage. Vulgargrad was heard to say, “That’s not a pirate ship – it’s a bathtub, you half-baked bunch of babies!” to which Clinkerfield shot back, “You’re nothing but an overstocked shop-window full of striped candies”. The knives are out and they’re smashing bottles over each others heads at the Tote, Saturday 16th May, when Clinkerfield and Vulgargrad rush headlong at each other, with support from Pete & The Tar Gang.

This be Vulgargrad’s first show back after packing the Old Bar to the roof on Anzac Day when they danced with Clinkerfield’s alter-ego The Miserable Little Bastards, and last before touring nationally to pervert minds across the country with their new CD King of Crooks. It’s also Clinkerfield’s final local show for two months before their riotous ringleader Jimmy Stewart vanishes to the USA for a solo musical misadventure. So it’s just gonna be extra special and crazee emotionally charged with the possibility for brawling and blood.

www.myspace.com/vulgargrad
www.clinkerfield.com
http://www.myspace.com/peteandthetargang

VulgarGrad's King Of Crooks is out now through Unstable Ape.

New Jarvis Cocker video Angela

Here's the new clip for Jarvis Cocker's latest single Angela from his forthcoming album Further Complications.



Further Complications is out May 23 through Rough Trade/ Remote Control.

Jarvis turns the tables and becomes the music critic + stream his album

Well if a whole week of Cockery wasn't enough for you, Jarvis seems set on taking over The Guardian newspaper in the fortnight leading up to his latest album release 'Further Complications'.

First up, you can stream the album ahead of its official release, on The Guardian website.

Secondly, Jarvis has again enlisted help from children, this time his own kids Otto (13) and Albert (6), as he steps in as guest review for the Singles Column.

Read the hilarity of the Cocker clan here.

Further Complications is out May 23 through Rough Trade/ Remote Control.

New Little Joy video Next Time Around

A charming video for a charming track. From last year's self titled album, here is Little Joy's clip for Next Time Around.

An 8mm video shot on a vintage Bolex.



Little Joy's self titled record is out now through Rough Trade/ Remote Control.

New video The Veils on Sun Gangs [short film]

"Sun Gangs has it all: strong songwriting, excellent performances and an interesting lyrical bent... dense, electic and moving" Inpress

"truly great... staggering" Drum Media

"masterful and melodic" **** Rave

"suave yet haunting" **** MX

Sun Gangs has been out for a little while now and the concensus amongst the critics is that while its predecessor Nux Vomica put the band on the map, Sun Gangs is the band's best album yet.

Here's a short film about the album with singer Finn Andrews and bass player Sophia Burn.



Sun Gangs is out now through Rough Trade/ Remote Control.

New Titus Andronicus video Upon Viewing Bruegel's "Landscape With The Fall Of Icarus"

Check out Titus Andronicus in this new video for the soon to be classic Upon Viewing Bruegel's "Landscape With the Fall of Icarus". Directed by Michael Reynolds.



Titus Andronicus' album The Airing Of Grievances is out now through XL/ Remote Control.

New Elvis Perkins In Dearland video Hours Last Stand

Here are two more tracks taken from the Gold Room sessions with Elvis Perkins In Dearland.

We have already brought you Shampoo and now here are Hours Last Stand and Doomsday from their self titled album out now through XL/ Remote Control.

Jessica Says launches in Sydney this weekend

"an intelligent and affecting soundscape" **** The Age

Sydney-siders! Jessica Says is heading east this weekend to launch her album in your city. The entire country has been won over by Jessica's debut so be sure to catch one of her shows:

WE NEED TO TALK’ SYDNEY ALBUM LAUNCH
Fri 15 May - Sydney, Hopetoun w/ Hugo Race (official launch)
Sat 16 May - Sydney, Bar Me w/ Caitlin Park

"eloquent, affecting and downright gorgeous" - ****1/2 Album Of The Week, Beat & The Brag
"a compelling figure... a phenomenal debut" Inpress
"a guilt-free musical indulgence" J Mag
"a disarming debut... an elegant and touching recording from an excitingly fresh local voice" **** MX
"delicate but swooning classical-folk-pop songs" Rave
"a magical release .. a ghostly and blossoming talent" 9/10 Rip It Up
"an intelligent and affecting soundscape" **** The Age
"windswept, baroque and tender" - Melbourne Magazine
"with sweeping strings, melancholic piano and a voice that is part Kate Bush and part Joanna Newsom... Jessica Says has set the bar very high indeed" Xpress

www.myspace.com/jessicasayssongs

Jessica Says 'We Need To Talk' on [iTunes]. Out now through Unstable Ape.

M.I.A. in Time Mag's World's Most Influential People list, meets Oprah, pleads her for help

M.I.A. really is taking over the world.

Time Magazine included her in their Top 100 World's Most Influential People list with a small profile on her written by Spike Jonze




Following the Time Mag's announcement night this appeared on MIA's myspace blog:

LAST NIGHT , I WENT TO THE TIME 100 EVENT COZ THEY ADDED ME TO THE LIST OF 100 MOST INFLUENTIAL PEOPLE OF 2009,

I SAW TAVIS SMILEY WHEN I WALKED IN AND SAID THANKS FOR STICKING YOUR NECK OUT AND BEING A REAL JOURNALIST, HIS PROGRAM WAS THE FIRST PROGRAM TO VOICE THE TRUTH ABOUT WHATS GOING ON IN SRI LANKA, WITHOUT FEAR OF CONSEQUENCES.

THE NEXT PERSON I MET WAS OPRAH!!!!


SHE SAID SHE LIKED MY JACKET FROM THE MAGAZINE (THE ONE MY BROTHER GOT FOR ME FROM THE SIDE OF THE STREET AT SXSW 09) SHE SQUEEEEZED MY HAND SO HARD , I WAS CONVINCED SHE CARED. MICHELLE OBAMA GAVE A SPEECH AND THERE WAS MAD SECRET SERVICE IN THE AIR SO I DIDNT GET TO THROW A PAPER PLANE AT HER SAYING " STOP THE BOMBING OF THE TAMILS IN SRI LANKA"


Sri Lanka government admits bombing civilian safe haven - Times Online

THE TWITTER GUYS SAID THEY FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER @ _M_I_A_ ILL TWITTER

SHOUT OUT TO THEM AND STELLA MCCARTNEY, NICE TO MEET A FELLO BRIT IN NYC ASIDE FROM THE GIRLS AT TOP SHOP.

I MET MANY MORE PEOPLE , SOME KNEW ME , SOME DIDNT ....... I WASNT SURE ABOUT MY INFLUENCE BUT........IF I DO HAVE ANY INFLUENCE, I WISH I COULD GET THE MEDIA TO SPOTLIGHT THIS:

THANKX TO BRITISH PRESS WE GET THIS MUCH

Grim scenes at Sri Lankan camps - Channel 4 News

OPRAH CAN YOU DO SOMETHING BOUT THESE CAMPS PLEEEEEEEEEEASE?

Jarvis Cocker taking it to the kids

If you didn't manage to catch Jarvis' week long live installation at Galerie Chappe in Paris you can still see the recorded footage up on his site.

But if you need to condense it down, THIS is the must see piece of footage from the week:

'Children's Day' (no school for French kiddies on Wednesdays!), with Jarvis leading the kids on a dance routine, like a cool unskivvied one man Wiggle, performing Angela...

Song kicks in around 3.15pm but turn up the volume and hear Jarvis canvassing random questions from the kids mid-set, such as 'where's Albert?', 'where is the toilet?' and responding in French. And bet he never got heckled with 'I'M HUNGRY!' at a Pulp gig.



Further Complications is out May 23 through Rough Trade/ Remote Control.

New God Help The Girl video Come Monday Night

Here is the new clip for the first single from Stuart Murdoch (Belle & Sebastien)'s God Help The Girl, Come Monday Night.



If you pop on over to their website you'll see they have relaunched it with a subscription package offer which includes 7″s, a Deluxe CD or LP of the new album, a 10″ and oodles of extra digital goodies. Plus, if you order you will get an instant stream of the entire album.

"This subscription package will gently unwind over the months allowing you to soak up the living, breathing world of God Help The Girl. A musical project with a beautifully and diligently crafted narrative that deserves to be listened to over time, for each place, character and voice to be properly digested before moving on to the next."

In The Guardian's interview with Stuart Murdoch, they describe how the album "comes with a backstory depicting a girl rebuilding herself after a year on a psychiatric ward" and is now "set to be made into a film". Read more about it here.

www.godhelpthegirl.com

God Help The Girl is out June 20 through Rough Trade/ Remote Control.

White Stripes News

Jack White's been doing a few interviews recently and what with all this talk of his numerous side projects, it's good of Jack to put us at ease and let us know that though The White Stripes have been taking a break, another WS album is not too far away: "It won't be too far off. Maybe next year."

In his recent Music Radar interview, Jack also talks of the cancellation of their last White Stripes tour due to Meg's acute anxiety, which he says "was a very real problem, but one that I'm happy to say is in the past."

The full interview with Music Radar is here.

[via]

TV On The Radio... on your radio Monday night!

Just a quick reminder that TV On The Radio's extraordinary live set from The Metro Sydney recorded in January this year is going to air on Triple J's Live At The Wireless this coming Monday 11th May at 8pm.

Tune in on the radio or stream on line from 8pm AESTtriplej.net.au.

Check out some of the accompanying footage here [Dancing Choose] and here [Wolf Like Me].

Julian Plenti is... Skyscraper

Does this man look familiar?


Julian Plenti is Paul Banks, lead singer of Interpol. He will be releasing his debut solo album 'Julian Plenti is... Skyscraper' later this year.

Listen here.

Julian Plenti is... Skyscraper is out August 1 through Matador/ Remote Control.

Jarvis Cocker In Paris Day 1

Day 1 of Jarvis' week of Cockery in a Paris art gallery:





Further Complications is out May 23 through Rough Trade/ Remote Control.

PREPARE for sonic warfare Sydney ... RC vs Purple Sneakers

... As Sydney’s raddest party crew PURPLE SNEAKERS take on (or take out) REMOTE CONTROL RECORDS - pimps of damn fine music.

Each month the PS and RC crews will battle it out tune for tune, dance for dance with special guest DJs from RC’s local and international roster, album launches, giveaways and exclusive musical crusades.

The monthly night kicks off in May with an exclusive, invite-only listening session/ sneak preview of ‘The Eternal’; Sonic Youth’s colossal new album.

Stay tuned for details of the June 19 special event with special guest djs.

The evening is supported by Converse and Lovells Lager with giveaways courtesy of Diesel.

www.remotecontrolrecords.com
www.boundarysounds.com

Lee Memorial launch album in Melbourne this Saturday

'just as rewarding musically as lyrically, and every note seems to be hung exactly in the right place' - Inpress

'a compelling record' - Beat

'Smith is clearly a man with the Midas Touch... one of the best local releases of 2009' **** TimeOff

'a touching journey of extreme social, political and daily relevance, delivered through beautifully realised metaphor and honest personal recount... a striking debut' - The Vine

Lee Memorial are launching their album this Saturday in Melbourne at the Northcote Social Club, supported by Witch Hats and Matt Bailey (ex Paradise Motel).

Lee Memorial started out as a ramshackle solo project of Karl Smith from Sodastream, but after enlisting the help of a brigade of unlikely cohorts from Ninety-Nine, The Nation Blue and Gaslight Radio, the project soon took on a life of its own. They tumbled in and out of luck through 2008; recording and playing sporadic live shows, all-the-while battling illness, relationship breakdowns, death and uncooperative computers. But now they’ve dusted themselves off, combed their hair and are now ready to share their debut album – the lives of lee memorial – with anyone who’ll listen.

LEE MEMORIAL (album launch) with Witch Hats and Matt Bailey
Northcote Social Club
Sat 9 May (Doors 8.30) Tickets: $12 at the door only


The Lives Of Lee Memorial is out now through Dot Dash.

Jarvis Cocker Is Making An Exhibition Of Himself

Here's a rather long note from Jarvis detailing his schedule of events as he and his set up shop in a Parisien art gallery all this week to rehearse, jam with the audience, provide live accompanying music to yoga and pilates classes and host a children's day amongst other things!

For us poor sods who aren't anywhere near Paris for glorious week of Cockery, we can tune in to Jarvis' website to see it all there: www.jarviscocker.net. It should kick off at 8pm AEST tonight, Tues 5th May.

---

FROM JARVIS:

Back in October 2006, when I was asked to edit The Observer Music Monthly in the UK, I asked the question “What is Music for?”. Two & a half years on I would like to shorten that question to: WHAT IS MUSIC?

ALSO

I have lost count of the number of articles proclaiming the imminent or actual death of the music industry. Does this mean that music can now go back to being an art form again? & If so, is it the first art form to begin adapting itself to the post-capitalist society we now find ourselves living in? Or is it just something you get free when you buy a mobile phone? Digital content.

ALSO

What happens if you get a band to rehearse in an art gallery instead of a rehearsal space? What if you invite members of the public to play with the band? Or invite them to submit song titles which the band then have to base an improvisation upon? Could a live band provide the accompaniment to an aerobics class? What happens if you play music from 12 noon til 7pm, 7 days a week? & What if you invite the kids from the local school to come round on their Wednesday off?

SO

From Tuesday 5th of May until Sunday 10th of May I will be occupying Galerie Chappe, 4, Rue Andre Barsacq, 75018 Paris, France (+33 1 42 62 42 12 www.galeriechappe.fr) from 12 noon til 6/7pm each day (maybe later some nights) & attempting to answer these pertinent questions. I will be assisted by the members of my band: Martin Craft, Steve Mackey, Tim McCall, Ross Orton & Simon Stafford plus, at various times, we hope to be joined by other musicians currently living in the Paris area.

& THEN

If you live locally please come down & join in this experiment. If you don’t you can follow its progress on www.jarviscocker.net which will run for the duration of the installation (more details soon). Each day will be archived & re-broadcast for the convenience of those living in different time-zones.

& FINALLY

A selection of Rankin’s photography for my soon-to-be-released album “Further Complications” will be on view during the course of this show. These images are an integral part of the exhibition & will also be offered for sale through the gallery.

TIMETABLE OF EVENTS

MONDAY 4th MAY – Set-up day. Closed to the public (though no-one can stop you looking through the windows).

TUESDAY 5th MAY
12 – 2pm – BAND REHEARSAL
2 -3pm - BRING AN INSTRUMENT (members of the public are invited to bring an instrument with them & play along with the band. Amplification will be available for electric instruments).
3 – 4pm - YOGA CLASS (with a qualified instructor. The band will provide suitable live accompaniment. Participants must provide their own yoga-mat.).
4 – 5pm – IMPROVISATIONS ON A THEME (throughout the course of the exhibition a box will be available in the gallery into which members of the public can post titles, phrases, suggestions, lyrics or anything else that the band can then base improvisations around. During this hour the band will create a number of pieces based on selections of this material).
5 – 6pm – GUEST PERFORMANCE ( an invited guest will play with the band)

WEDNESDAY 6th MAY
12 -2pm – BAND REHEARSAL
2 – 4pm - CHILDREN’S DAY ( French children traditionally have Wednesday off school. The band will supervise a number of music-based children’s activities over the course of these 2 hours. Parental supervision is required for children under 11).
4 – 5pm - RELAXATION ( the band will provide musical accompaniment to a relaxation class. Participants should provide their own exercise mat).
5 – 6pm GUEST PERFORMANCE ( see Tuesday 5th May)

THURSDAY 7th MAY
12 – 2pm – BAND REHEARSAL
2 – 3pm - IMPROVISATIONS ON A THEME ( see Tuesday 5th May)
3 – 4pm – PILATES CLASS (with a qualified instructor. The band will provide suitable live accompaniment. Participants must provide their own exercise mat)
4 – 5pm – BRING AN INSTRUMENT (see Tuesday 5th May)
5 – 6pm – GUEST PERFORMANCE

FRIDAY 8th MAY
12 – 2pm – BAND REHEARSAL
2 – 3pm - IMPROVISATIONS ON A THEME
3 – 4pm - AEROBICS CLASS
4 – 5pm – BRING AN INSTRUMENT
5 – 6pm – GUEST PERFORMANCE

SATURDAY 9th MAY
12 – 2pm – BAND REHEARSAL
2- 3pm - BRING AN INSTRUMENT
3 – 4pm - DANCING ( the band will play an hour of music designed to encourage people to dance. Dress appropriately)
4 – 6pm - SET-UP FOR OUTDOOR PERFORMANCE (weather permitting)
6 – 7pm - OUTDOOR PERFORMANCE ( the band will play a short open-air concert just outside the gallery)

SUNDAY 10th MAY
12 – 2pm – BAND REHEARSAL
2 – 3pm - QUIET HOUR ( an hour of the softest music the band can play)
3 – 4pm - GUEST PERFORMANCE
4 – 6pm - REVIEW OF THE WEEK ( the band will play music written over the course of the past 6 days)

This is a very rough schedule & will be subject to change at the drop of a hat – but it does give some idea of the kind of things that will be happening. Updates will be available during the course of the exhibition through the gallery’s website.

www.jarviscocker.net

Jarvis Cocker's new album Further Complications is out May 23 through Rough Trade/ Remote Control.

Dark Was The Night - Youtube Footage from the concert

Well the reviews for Dark Was The Night, the concert are in from Pitchfork and Stereogum overnight and it sounded incredible!

The setlist (courtesy of Pitchfork)

Dirty Projectors:
"Useful Chamber"
"Stillness Is the Move"
"Ambulance Man" [ft. David Byrne]
"Knotty Pine" [ft. David Byrne]

My Brightest Diamond:
"Feeling Good" (Nina Simone cover) [ft. the National]

The National:
"Slow Show"
"England"
"So Far Around the Bend" [ft. Bon Iver]
New Song [ft. My Brightest Diamond and Bon Iver]

Dave Sitek:
"With a Girl Like You" (The Troggs cover)

David Byrne:
"Don't Fence Me In" (Cole Porter cover)
"Dreamworld: Marco de Canavezes" [ft. Bon Iver]
"Waters of March" [ft. Feist]

Bon Iver:
"Brackett, WI"
"Blood Bank"
"Big Red Machine" [ft. the National]
"Flume" [ft. My Brightest Diamond]

Feist:
"Wagoner's Lad" (Tim O'Brien cover)
"Look at What Light Did Now" (Little Wings cover)
"Train Song" (Vashti Bunyan cover) [ft. Bon Iver]
"Someday Baby" (Bob Dylan cover)

Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings:
"Not Gonna Cry"
"When I Come Home"
"Inspiration Information"
"100 Days, 100 Nights"

Dark Was the Night All-Stars/Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings:
"This Land Is Your Land"

And for those of us who were stuck on the other side of the globe while this all went down, we can attempt to piece together what we can of it thanks to the wonders of Youtube:

Looking for mp3s?
Check out our free mp3 download page here!

Meg To Wed

Well there's the sound of a thousand hearts breaking.

It has been confirmed that Meg White is set to wed Jackson Smith, guitarist for Back in Spades and son of punk legend Patti Smith and the late MC5 guitarist Fred "Sonic" Smith. Talk about rock union!

According to the Detroit News it's set to happen May 22 in Nashville.

More goss here, here and here.

More Sonic Youth live on Jools Holland

33 more sleeps til The Eternal is released, but hey whose counting?

There's plenty to keep us excited til then.

Here's more footage up at YouTube of Sonic Youth's performance on Jools Holland last week.

First up here is the single Sacred Trickster with Kim on the mic plus the Thurston fronted Antenna:


And if that's not enough, why don't you sign up for a direct hit from the band by following them on TWITTER?

Sonic Youth's The Eternal is out June 6 through Matador/ Remote Control.

Dark Was The Night concert in NY this weekend

From 4ad, for the lucky buggers of NYC:

This weekend sees the special Dark Was The Night Live event in New York take place.

Happening at the famed Radio City Music Hall on Sunday evening (May 3rd), The National, David Byrne, Feist, Bon Iver, Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings, Dave Sitek (TV on the Radio), The Dirty Projectors and My Brightest Diamond are all confirmed to appear and they be both performing songs from Dark Was The Night and other material as part of mini-sets and also numerous collaborations.

If you're in the city, please do come and join us celebrate Dark Was The Night. Some tickets are still available from here. All proceeds will benefit the Red Hot Organization and its mission to combat the AIDS pandemic. You can learn more about the project here.

For the unaware, Dark Was The Night is a 31 track charity compilation that both Aaron and Bryce Dessner from The National produced on behalf the Red Hot Organization, which was released by 4AD earlier in the year. More information here.

Dark Was The Night is out now through 4ad/ Remote Control.

Looking for mp3s?
Check out our free mp3 download page here!

New Devendra Banhart on Rudo y Cursi soundtrack

Stereogum have given the heads up on a new Devendra Banhart track Lindo Cihuatlán featured on the soundtrack to film Rudo y Cursi featuring Gael García Bernal and Diego Luna.

It is quite beautiful:

Read more about it at Stereogum.

Ratatat announce extra Melbourne show

So RATATAT arrived in the country today and are excited about how much everyone down this way is responding to the tour... so much so that due to the demand for tickets they have reconfigured the tour plans to include a SECOND MELBOURNE show on MON 11 MAY.

This is on top of Perth moving to the larger venue CAPITOL after tickets sold out at our first visit there.

Wellington has also sold out... and both Sydney and Auckland are moving that way very fast as well...

We have also added in Vietnam and Malaysian shows.

After three albums - 2004's RATATAT (with Seventeen Years), 2006's CLASSICS (with Wildcat), and 2008's more recent LP3 (with Mirando and Shempi)... and completion nearing on LP4.

From supporting Daft Punk at the LA Sports Arena in June 2007, to tours with Daft Punk, Mouse on Mars, Interpol, Franz Ferdinand, CSS, The Faint, Super Furry Animals, Björk, Clinic, Panther and The Killers... and Mogwai in Japan... along with their own outstanding headline tours including the 2005 Australia/NZ debut tour, and the Essential Festival and dates with Regurgitator in 2007.

“the coolest unconventional musicians of 2008 – there’s no doubt this is genius at work” (Rip It Up)

“The hallmark of Ratatat’s genius is their willingness to process the absolute hell out of their guitar sounds, warping them almost beyond recognition to create a blueprint for the progression of music for decades to come” (Time Out Sydney)

Evan and Mike navigate their unique sonic hover crafting a free flowing chromatic wave of guitars, keyboards, beats, smoke and mirrors back to add another overwhelming layer of atmosphere with TOUR3.

This tour will also include for the first time shows in China, Hong Kong, Vietnam... and more if the wind allows it.

Consume presents...
RATATAT
AUSTRALASIA TOUR3

MAY 2 - TOWNSVILLE Groovin the Moo, Lou Litster Park
with Architecture in Helsinki, De La Soul, The Drones, The Grates, Living End, Okkervil River and more...
Tickets from: www.groovinthemoo.com, Moshtix - www.moshtix.com.au or 1300 438 849 GET TIX), Ticketek - www.ticketek.com.au or 132849 and selected outlets around town.

MAY 3 - BYRON BAY The Great Northern
plus special guests QUAN and DZ
Tickets from: the venue, www.thenorthern.com.au and consume.oztix.com.au

MAY 4 - BRISBANE The HiFi
plus special guests QUAN, DEL TORO and Honky Kong DJ.
Tickets from: www.thehifi.com.au, tel 1300‐THEHIFI (8434434), Rocking Horse Records, Butter Beats , Sunflower Pacific Fair, Disaster piece, Mosh Pit Music, Kill The Music, Gooble Warming, Rockaway Records and consume.oztix.com.au

MAY 6 - GOLD COAST The Coolangatta Hotel
plus special guests QUAN, ELKE and Action DJs Ben Rama and Ruftuck
Copresented by KClub, Dima Mak, Havefunclub, The Antijoy, Joy Hysteric and Bats Magazine.
Tickets from: the venue, www.thecoolyhotel.com.au, Disaster Piece Southport, Sunflower Pacific Fair, Rockaway records Springwood, Rocking Horse Records, Butter Beats , Mosh Pit Music, Kill The Music, Gooble Warming and consume.oztix.com.au

MAY 7 - WGONG Waves - Libertine Ranch & My Sydney Riot present A Night with the Phantom
plus TAME IMPALA, YOUNG & RESTLESS, FAIT ACCOMPLI and more
Tickets from: www.moshtix.com.au (132 438 849)

MAY 8 - SYDNEY Manning Bar
plus special guests QUAN, QUA, DEPT & PhDJ
Tickets from: the venue, www.moshtix.com.au (132 438 849) and consume.oztix.com.au

MAY 9 - MAITLAND Groovin the Moo, Maitland Showground
with Architecture in Helsinki, De La Soul, The Drones, The Grates, Living End, Okkervil River and more...
Tickets from:: www.groovinthemoo.com, Moshtix - www.moshtix.com.au or 1300 438 849 (GET TIX), Ticketek - www.ticketek.com.au or 132849 and selected outlets around town

MAY 10 - CANBERRA Anu Bar
plus special guests QUAN and QUA
Tickets from: the venue, Ticketek outlets and consume.oztix.com.au

MAY 11 - MELBOURNE The Corner - SECOND SHOW DUE TO DEMAND!!!
plus special guests
Tickets from: the Corner Box Office (57 Swan St Richmond 12-8 Mon-Sat), phone bookings on 9427 9198, online bookings www.cornerhotel.com and consume.oztix.com.au

MAY 13 - NZ AUCKLAND Montecristo - VENUE CHANGE!
in conjunction with Universally True - open to ALLAGES
plus special guests MORON SAYS WHAT and F IN MATH
Tickets from: www.undertheradar.co.nz and Real Groovy auckland and wellington

MAY 14 - NZ WELLINGTON Bar Bodega SOLD OUT
in conjunction with Universally True
plus special guests
Tickets from: www.undertheradar.co.nz and Real Groovy auckland and wellington

MAY 15 - MELBOURNE The Corner - SOLD OUT!
plus special guests QUA and WORLDS END PRESS
Tickets from: the Corner Box Office (57 Swan St Richmond 12-8 Mon-Sat), phone bookings on 9427 9198, online bookings www.cornerhotel.com and consume.oztix.com.au

MAY 16 - BENDIGO Groovin the Moo, Prince of Wales Showgrounds
with Architecture in Helsinki, De La Soul, The Drones, The Grates, Living End, Okkervil River and more...
Tickets from: www.groovinthemoo.com, Moshtix - www.moshtix.com.au or 1300 438 849 (GET TIX), Ticketek - www.ticketek.com.au or 132849 and selected outlets around town

MAY 17 - PERTH Capitol - VENUE CHANGE!
plus special guests THESE SHIPWRECKS and FRENCH ROCKETS
Tickets from: Moshtix, Bocs, Oztix, 78 records, Mills records, Planet Video and consume.oztix.com.au

MAY 20 - China BEIJING Mao Live house
plus special guests REBUILDING THE RIGHTS OF STATUES and ZIGZAG
MAY 21 - China SHANGHAI Zhi Jiang Dream Factory
plus special guests AV OKUBO and THE YOUTH AND THE DESTROYER
in conjunction with Modern Sky
Tickets from usual outlets

MAY 23 - HONG KONG Grappas Cellar
plus special guests QUAN and DJs
in conjunction with The Peoples Party
Tickets from usual outlets and www.thepeoplesparty.tv

MAY 28 - Malaysia KUALA LUMPUR Zouk
plus special guests
in conjunction with Freeform

MAY 29 - Vietnam HO CHI MINCH CITY Pacharan

MAY 30 - Vietnam HANOI venue to be confirmed
plus special guests
in conjunction with CAMA

LP3 is out now on XL/Remote Control.
LP4 is on the way.
www.ratatatmusic.com

Heinz Reigler, Karl Smith + Tom Lyngcoln Melbourne gig tomorrow

Heinz Reigler, who once fronted Nightstick (and Not From There), is in Melbourne this weekend, performing a solo show tomorrow afternoon with Karl Smith (Lee Memorial, Sodastream) and Tom Lyngcoln (Nation Blue, Lee Memorial).

Nightstick's self titled ep was our very first release on Dot Dash.

Catch Heinz, Karl and Tom tomorrow Sat 2nd May at The Old Bar, 74-76 Johnston St, Fitzroy from 2pm.

And don't forget Lee Memorial's Melbourne album launch Sat 9th May at Northcote Social Club.

The Lives Of Lee Memorial is out now through Dot Dash.

Sonic Youth perform What We Know on Jools Holland

Another teaser from the forthcoming Sonic Youth album The Eternal, out in Australia through Matador/ Remote Control June 6.

Here is their performance on BBC's Jools Holland show earlier this week. It's the Lee Renaldo sung What We Know: