Available in iTunes: Issue #3 Discosalt Magazine
In preparation for the brand-new 4Knots Music Festival at South Street Seaport, the Village Voice is holding a free, all-ages kickoff show on July 9 with Ted Leo & The Pharmacists. Show starts at 6pm. Then the following week, on the 16th you can check out The Black Angels with Davila 666 and Oberhofer. More bands and DJ’s will be announced shortly and both days are rain or shine.
Yuck and Tame Impala played a sold out show at Webster Hall on Monday 25.4.11.
For a band that formed only a little over a year ago, the London/Hiroshima/ New Jersey foursome, Yuck are quickly becoming one of the best new bands out there. They might sound like they belong in the early 90′s but they are one of the more technically gifted guitar acts to tour in a long time, and prove themselves to be more than mere “Nineties revivalists” in concert. Drawing obvious inspiration from grunge and shoegaze bands from over a decade ago, they somehow manage to sound all their own, frontman Daniel Bloomburg channeling a bit of a young Dylan-esc stage swagger on a raw version of ”Georgia”, and the band showing a more melancholy dreamlike side on “Suicide Policeman”. Substance o
If you haven’t seen Yuck live yet, there are still Tickets available for their Headline show at Bowery Ballroom on May 27th or you can head over and catch them play a free in-store at Other Music TONIGHT.
Aussie musical ensemble Tame Impala took the stage last and is a beast. Their 70 minute psychedelic hypno-groove melodic rock performance was packed with enough emotion and atmosphere to keep your head swirling around like the light show they project behind them. With 9 flat screen monitors featuring a psychedelic light show rigged up to their guitars, the band tightly ripped through the entire Innerspeaker album, some lesser known tracks off their debut EP and even covered “Angel” by Massive Attack! Check out the full setlist and some pictures from the whole show, below:
Kentucky is not the first place you would expect to find a dance rock band of the caliber of The Pass, but these Louisvillians aren’t one to let their geographics tie them down. Which is lucky for us, considering we had two opportunities to see them play this past weekend in New York. Selling out venues across the country (twice selling out NY’s Pianos and even the 700 person Headliners in their hometown of Louisville), The Pass are nevertheless one of the more underrated bands of the scene. That was, perhaps, until Friday night when the line to get into Pianos stretched around the corner of the block and dozens of people that we spoke to were unable to get into see the band. For a young band still out to prove itself, there are certainly worse problems to have.
Drawing influences from Justice and LCD Soundsystem (R.I.P.), The Pass create a basement party kind of sweaty dance rock that packs crowds in and keeps even the most rigid hipsters moving. Recently featured on the CMJ and SXSW websites, big things are coming for this band who have found their music in primetime television and several CW and MTV televisions.
The sets at Pianos and Fontanas navigated the usual hits with all of the songs for which videos have been produced (except Criminal) making their appearance, but we were fortunate to be treated to two brand new songs, “It’s Less Dangerous” and “Hologram,” both of which were written in the last few weeks with kinks still getting worked out. The first of the new records had the anthematic quality showing the promise of that truly great record the labels are always looking for and the second displayed a really interesting wah wah kind of sound showing an exploration and development of guitar leads in their sound. Perhaps the tweet from Bank Robber Music said it best when they said “Wow. Suspicions confirmed at Pianos. @ThePassTheBand can’t write a bad song.” While they didn’t have the birdmen look this time, they put on a great show as always. In their feature, CMJ said “The courageous quartet pours passionate lyrics into a whirlwind of synthesizers and upbeat rhythms, all while catering to the perfect dance party environment” and notes that “the Pass’ music draws inspiration from dance parties, relationships, making out, the power of positive thinking and whatever rests in between.” It couldn’t be clearer from this week’s performances how true those statements are.
The Pass are definitely a band to keep up with so that you can be the guy or girl who knew about them before they blow up, and we’ll definitely be at the next performance (if we can get in the door).
Setlist:
Trap of Mirrors
Hologram
It’s Less Dangerous
Girl Don’t Wait
Treatment of the Sun
Crosswalk Stereo
How to Live
Colors
Vultures
The Pass: Live at Pianos
Cassette Kids: Live at Pianos
The Pass: Live at Fontanas
Record Store Day might be more fun than Christmas. Whether you manage to get your paws on some limited-edition wax or get a chance to check out an in-store performance or DJ set, hopefully, you get off the couch this year to show/get some love from your local record shop. Now in its fourth year, with support from Dylan, Elvis Costello, Neil Young, Leonard Cohen, The Smiths and tons of other great bands and musicians, Record Store Day is becoming a serious holiday for music nerds, vinyl junkies and anyone interested in their record shop community. 
In honor of the holiday, over 1400 independent record stores all over the country will commemorate the day by selling limited-edition vinyl LPs, Eps and singles produced specifically for the day, along with dinosaur disc CD’s and other merchandise by participating artists. There are also live in-store performances to make record browsing even more memorable. While itunes and Amazon may have eclipsed record shop sales, there is something infinitely more exciting about hitting up these cultural hubs, bonding with fellow music lovers and strolling the aisles looking for hidden treasure.
WHAT TO LOOK FORWARD TO THIS YEAR:
VIEW FULL LIST OF RECORDS HERE
Record Store Day Ambassador 2011:
The Oz Man, Ozzy Osbourne
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
Lower Dens
“Deer Knives”
b/w “Tangiers” SPP 7″ Vinyl
limited edition
100
copies
|
Nirvana
Hormoaning
UMe 12″ Vinyl limited edition
4000
copies
|
Sonic Youth
Whore’s Moaning
UMe 12″ vinyl
limited edition
4000 copies
|
Of Montreal
The Past Is A Grotesque Animal
12″ (w/ MP3) Limited to 1,000 on
180-gram black vinyl
|
Architecture in Helsinki
Places Like This
Special Edition LP (w/ MP3)
Limited to 500 on
180-gram pink vinyl
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
Television
Live At The Old Waldorf (2LP)
Rhino 2LP
white Vinyl
limited edition 3000 copies
|
Mute Records Compilation
Vorwärts:
Hand-numbered limited edition
1000 copies orange vinyl
|
Deerhoof
Friend Opportunity
LP (w/ MP3)
Limited to 1,000 on
180-gram
green vinyl
|
Bad Brains
“Pay to Cum”
ROIR 7″ vinyl
limited 1500 copies
|
Bad Brains
God Of Love
Maverick LP + 7″ vinyl
limited 2000 copies
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
The Rolling Stones
“Brown Sugar”
UMe 7″ Vinyl limited edition
Single 5000 copies
|
Deerhoof / XIU XIU
Almost Xiu Xiu, Almost Deerhoof
Split 7″ (w/ MP3)
Limited to 2,000 copies on orange vinyl
|
Fleet Foxes
Helplessness Blues
b/w Grown Ocean
SPP 12″ vinyl limited edition 3000 copies
|
13th Floor Elevators
Wait For My Love Snapper Music
7″green vinyl
limited edition 1000 copies
|
The Cars
“Sad Song”
Concord 7″ vinyl
on
picture sleeve
|
DON’T SLEEP IN! :
Just be smart, and hit the pavement early. I spent a frustrating portion of last years Day, trying to desperately snag copies of the Beck/Sonic Youth split 7″ and The Rolling Stones 7″ “Plundered My Soul ” single featuring unreleased track from Exile on Main St sessions. Both of which had unfortunately disappeared off all the shelves…
STAY OUT FOR THE AFTER PARTY:
WHAT WE PICKED UP LAST YEAR:
Miami’s psych-synth duo ANR brought their raw punk rock intensity to the Lower East Side on 4/7/11. And once again, drummer/ Singer Michael-John Hancock floored us with his seemingly effortless ability to belt brilliant melodies and shimmering falsetto croons while keeping unbelievably tight rhythm on drums. Keyboardist Brian Robertson’s skills were also on point showcasing some classical training and cinematic score sensibility to intensify the already atmospheric music of the band. We hung out with the gents before their set and have a really exciting interview coming soon.
You always know a band is on the serious up and coming when they can sell out New York’s Mercury Lounge. On Wednesday January 12th, I was a lucky enough to see Canadians The Rural Alberta Advantage rock out in the tiny, packed space. As people jostled to get a better look, their broad appeal became immediately apparent. Lead singer Nils Edenloff wailed his way through the entire new album, plus a few old songs in just over an hour, pausing only momentarily between their short, explosive songs.
MP3 Downloaf: The Rural Alberta Advantage “Frank, AB”
The band’s sound ranges from softer synth sounds, which border on 90′s emo, to no-holds rock and roll. There were definitely strong ties to various 90′s rock influences, but I don’t want to overlook the folky quality that characterize some of their softer songs. I think that is part of the allure of the band: they have a sound that appeals to a wide range of people. Throughout the set, I had a nagging feeling that I was missing something, and it finally dawned on me towards the end of the set: Edenloff’s voice has a similar quality to Billy Corgan. I kept trying to get a better look at drummer Paul Banwatt, but even if I had a better view, I wouldn’t have been able to see those arms moving. He was flying along with unparalleled precision. Although the record is catchy and entertaining, it’s Banwatt’s energy that gives the live set so much motion. A later conversation with Edenloff revealed that he and Bandwatt work together in song writing, and the synth songs are Bandwatt’s opportunity to explore a broader range in his drumming. The third member of the trio is Amy Cole, who plays back up keyboard and the recently added bass peddle. Her sweet voice accompanies the edgier sounds in Nil’s singing. Altogether, the band has a tight, balanced sound, even with the muddy sound system at Mercury Lounge.
The Rural Alberta Advantage releases their new record Departing on Saddle Creek 3/3. You can catch them at the awesome Bowery Ballroom on 3/10 or at the Knitting Factory Brooklyn on 3/12.
-Rachel Covert
Snowden came to New York’s Mercury Lounge on Friday (1/21/11). The last time we saw Snowden was in 2008 at the Forecastle festival, when I expressed my overwhelming love for the band (LINK). Since that time, a lot has changed for the band. The enigmatic Corrine as well as David have parted ways, leaving Jordan and Chandler to be joined by two new members. The change appears to have been very recent, as Jordan told the crowd that the new members had only one day to rehearse all of the songs. The tour is promoting the recent release of “Slow Soft Syrup”, the new free EP from Snowden, that operates as a bit of a teaser for the forthcoming full length release…their first since 2007′s “Fuel of the Celebration”. When you’re a band that hits the road as hard as Snowden has for the last several years, I would imagine it’s hard to find the time to write.
I’m glad they found the time. Syrup appears to be a good indicator of the new direction of the band as the album seemed to align with the slightly varied style of the live performance. The songs have a definite, deepened complexity, and it results is a less hookcentric, anthematic sound. In one portion of my review from 2008, I wrote “Virtually every song is an dance anthem….and when Black Eyes starts out….in my eyes, it’s impossible to not start moving.” The scene slower and darker now, although new songs like “Lemon Peel” still show that the guys know how to make the crowd dance from time to time.
So transitions like this can go either way for a band, but for a band that has spent playing club bangers like “Black Eyes”, they’ve made the transition amazingly well, and Syrup’s “No One in Control” is perhaps the perfect example. Jordan Jeffares’s songwriting skills really get put to the test, yet he passes effortlessly.
-Cory Greenwell
Grab a track from the new album below:
MP3 download: Snowden – “Don’t Really Know Me”
And check out more photos from the show:
Read more…
Jónsi (Jon Birgisson) front man of Iceland’s Sigur Rós, played the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York last night (11/10/10), marking an end to the bands North American Tour and treating the audience to a sensory maelstrom. The show set opened with a striped down acoustic “Stars in Still Water”, brandishing Jon’s trademark falsetto croon which permeated every hidden crack and cranny in the room, swooping and soaring through a forest of nature inspired animation projected behind the stage. The musical elements of the show, notably piano, harmonium and Jon’s signature sustained “ooooo” were only heightened by dramatic lighting and graphics that provided just the right stimuli to push the performance into a mesmerizing sensory realm, unearthing a wonderland of magical Icelandic forests, fire, animals, and spirits of the night. The only thing missing… elves.
The set ended on “Around Us”, with Jon alone on his knees fiddling with vocal effects pedals, returning for a ceremonial encore of “Sticks and Stones”, showboating an enormous feathered headdress, spinning around on stage like a mystical shaman. The final song, ”Grow Til Tall” was easily the most moving track from the night; Jonsi’s fragile tenor escalating the dizzying volume of sonic layers and then gliding back down, only to completely take off into a beautiful moody falsetto flight of “You’ll… know,You’ll… know,You’ll… know,You’ll… know!…” Only then, resonating into an intense percussive firework explosion, as bright lights flashed like lightning against a raging snow storm and blowing branches.
You can check out some videos from the show that have made their way onto youtube and a performance from Jonsi which aired last night on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon below:
Time to dust your wig, trick your treat, reeces your pieces and freak the demons again! The celebrated Discosalt Halloweekend Bash is back by popular demand. This year we are taking over the DCTV Firehouse on Lafayette Street, with live music from Brooklyn’s Team Genius, nihiti, a DJ set from The Surveyor and some special tricks and treats to satisfy your Halloween sweet tooth. The details:
LOCATION: DCTV Firehouse, 87 Lafayette Street (6 Train to Canal Street)
WHEN: 9pm-2pm, Saturday October 30
***OPEN BAR 9pm-2pm***
$20.00 Pre-Order
$25.00 at the door
After celebrating their new release Two, American folk pop duo, The Chapin Sisters Kick off their Fall Tour This Week. Real life sisters Abigail and Lily Chapin will continue to captivate audiences across the US with the same ethereal harmonies and refined musicianship seen throughout the new record and as a special October treat, Discosalt is giving away a pair of free tickets to their show this Sunday in New York at the Rock Shop.
HERE IS HOW TO WIN:
Twitter:
Tour Dates:
October
9 New York City – City Winery/John Lennon Birthday Tribute
10 Brooklyn, NY – The Rock Shop NY
12 Portland, ME – One Longfellow Square
13 Providence, RI – The Spot Underground
14 Shelbourne Falls, MA – Mocha Maya
15 Boston, MA – The Red Room @ Cafe 939
19 New York, NY – The Living Room for CMJ music Marathon
24 Vancouver, BC – The Orpheum Theatre (with She & Him)
25 Arlington, VA – IOTA Club & Cafe
27 Charlottesville, VA – Twisted Branch Tea Bazaar
28 Philadelphia, PA – The Tin Angel
29 Annapolis, MD – Rams Head On Stage
30 Arden, MD – The Nightcat
31 Buckhannon, WV – Wesleyan College Mountain Stage
November
1 Pittsburgh, PA – Thunderbird Cafe
2 Ann Arbor, MI – The Ark
3 Kent, OH – The Kent Stage
4 Oberlin, OH – Cat in the Cream Coffeehouse/Oberlin College
5 Cleveland, OH – Beachland Tavern
8 Des Moines, IA – Java Joe’s 4th Street Theatre
9 Zumbrota, MN – Crossings at Carnegie
10 Minneapolis, MN – Dakota Jazz Club
14 Evanston,IL – S.P.A.C.E.
15 Lexington, KY – The Kentucky Theater
16 Louisville, KY – ear X-tacy instore performance
19 Woodstock, NY – Bearsville Theater
30 Bellingham, WA – Green Frog Cafe & Acoustic Tavern
December
2 Portland, OR – Mississippi Studios
STACKED #9 is taking on THE WHITE RABBIT w/ DJ Epidemic (AZ)!!!
This week, the scallywags behind Stacked #1-8 will be jumping ship and setting sail for the White Rabbit on East Houston. You have no doubt walked by it a million times and apparently they have a freshly tuned sound system as well, which is begging for something nasty. Enter Stacked, bringing out Arizona’s Best DJ, Epidemic, for a special NYC appearance!!!
THE DETAILS:
- $5 vodka drinks 10pm-1am and 2 for 1 beer 10pm-12am*****
- Guest DJ Epidemic (Arizona’s Best) *****
- The party’s hosted by (Pretty) Girls & Lasers, Slouch and Chris Alker
- It’s at White Rabbit, 145 East Houston (btwn Forsyth & Eldridge)
- The party starts at 10pm and goes la
