January 5, 2009
With "Snowblind," +/- {Plus Minus} showed us they weren't afraid of dramatic, narrative video treatments. Same goes for X's On Your Eyes's slighter "Unsung," which sadly isn't a Helmet cover. What it is is a sweet song accompanied by a David Lobser-directed video starring Alice In Wonderland with a pierced nose and a forlorn look along with her inexpressive White Rabbit and a helpful Jiminy Cricket that leads her to an hidden surprise -- which makes her mushroom-tea party a bit more exciting.
Continue reading New +/- {Plus Minus} Video - "Unsung" ...
Posted at 6:03 PM by brandon in
Tags: Plus Minus
Every week, Amazon.com lets us select one recent release from its MP3 store to go on super sale (up to 75% off normal prices). Hopefully you'll be able to add these must-own LPs to your library without breaking your budget.
While they landed album of the year at Decibel and were more often relegated to the lower ends of lists in indie publications (Pitchfork gave them an Honorable Mention), Torche's second full length Meanderthal was one of the best albums of 2008 in any genre. It's just that people need to lighten up about metal -- even the poppier stuff -- because like country (or, in books, romance and sci-fi), it's often pushed into its own separate genre-relegated realm. Anyhow, Torche: We mentioned being blown away by the heavy stoner goodness of the band a couple CMJ's ago and then the Steve Brooks-fronted Miami/Atlanta crew released the superb, Kurt Ballou-produced Meanderthal, a mix of math angles, Melvins-esque sludge, and full-on turbo-powered pop hookery. Call us blown away doubly.
Continue reading Stereogum X Amazon MP3 Friendly Deals #9: Torche's Meanderthal...
Posted at 1:52 PM in
Tags: Torche
latest by agrokrag
When we gave Noble Beast its Premature Evaluation, we noted Andrew Bird (here with flyaway hair) hasn't been shy about previewing album tracks live and via streams. The record -- along with the instrumental deluxe-edition disc Useless Creatures -- is out in a couple of weeks (1/20) and the previews have gained momentum: Catch Noble Beast in its entirety at NPR and those Useless Creatures at Bird's site. Contrary to the titles, the Useless instrumentals are more interesting than the Noble collection.
Posted at 1:01 PM by brandon
Tags: Andrew Bird
latest by jta
As we've mentioned in the past (2007), Robert Schneider's not afraid of the graceful sellout. So, no, we're not surprised that he and his E6 cohorts just scored a Pepsi commercial. (Heck, we already knew how much E6-related bands loved steak.) We're more surprised it's 2009 and the Apples In Stereo are still alive and getting work. See, for instance, the use of New Magnetic Wonder's "Energy" in Pepsi's slick new-for-2009 rebranding campaign. The logo's color scheme remains red, white, and blue, but the spot's theme is about delivering soda pop (aka good cheer) the world over.
Continue reading Apples In Stereo Energize Pepsi Rebranding...
Posted at 11:40 AM by brandon in ,
Tags: Apples In Stereo
latest by Rinjo Njori
Not everyone (anyone) agreed with VH1's 100 Greatest Hip-Hop Songs. Let's see what happens when they talk about folks with guitars. Before we dig in, though, it's helpful to understand what they've counted as "hard rock," so keep in mind that the five-part television version was hosted by Bret Michaels and that Winger, along with Skid Row, Scorpions, Ratt, and, of course, Poison made the list. As did ... Buckcherry.
Continue reading VH1's 100 Greatest Hard Rock Songs...
Posted at 11:02 AM by brandon
latest by SCORL3Y
Courtney Love's New Album Sponsored By Prominent Menstrual Company • In a sycophantic MySpace post by Courtney Love's "Head Administrator of her Myspace," we're told why Nobody's Daughter was delayed, that it will sound like "TRUE PERFECTION!," and that the followup to America Sweetheart has "30 million dollars in sponsorships, from a prominent feminine hygiene/menstrual company and a prominent tequila company." Here's an image for the sponsors' ad campaign.
latest by J
December 24, 2008
Brooklyn-via-Buffalo songwriter DM Stith entered the Asthmatic Kitty stable via the design work on Shara Worden, aka My Brightest Diamond, albums and the vocals and piano he contributed to her Bring Me The Workhorse. He released the Curtain Speech EP earlier this month (12/9). Stith's full-length debut Heavy Ghost, which includes no songs from the EP but does include appearances from Worden and Sufjan Stevens, is out 3/10 on Asthmatic Kitty. "Ecstatic Only Static Peace (Peace to Me)," though, is a holiday song he wrote especially for this yuletide 'Gum Drop. Listen here.
This week we also have a cool Christmas present for one lucky subscriber: an 8 GB iPod Nano that includes the entire Smashing Pumpkins catalog including rarities, B-sides, and a brand new unreleased song, "Translucent" (studio recording). Not many bands release new songs via an iPod. The giveaway is in support of the Pumpkins' new double 20th anniversary DVD, If All Goes Wrong. The winner also gets a copy of that.
Continue reading The 'Gum Drop LXIX: Hear New DM Stith, Win A Smashing Pumpkins iPod...
Posted at 11:07 AM in ,
Tags: DM Stith | The Smashing Pumpkins
latest by zayin_451
December 23, 2008
Not all of Stereogum's favorite sounds conform to what folks expect us to cover. In this space, resident Bananafish fetishist Brandon Stosuy focuses on bands, albums, singles, and villages in Sweden that may otherwise pass by unnoticed. This installment's virtual milk crate contains The Best Albums Of 2008.
In 2008 I spent more time listening to metal than anything else. (Note: To that top 20 I would currently find a way to squeeze in Nox Inferi's Adverse Spheres, Aura Noir's Hades Rise, and Mitochondrion's Archaeaeon. Plus, Darkthrone jumps about five points.) That said, these are a few of the other albums I returned to frequently. It's hard labeling them as "Outsider" because they're very much in heavy rotation, and it's the sort of music I'm most drawn to (i.e. I don't find it at all inaccessible), but they're also albums that didn't receive as much mainstream indie hype as, say, Fleet Foxes or TV On The Radio. That's sort of the guiding principle. As far as their link to heavier tastes, I think most of these releases touch upon a certain sonic/aesthetic darkness. Except when noted, the list is in no particular order.
[Liz Harris/Grouper]
Continue reading The Outsiders: The Best Albums Of '08...
Posted at 1:52 PM by brandon in
Tags: Blank Dogs | Caïna | Cold Cave | Dennis Cooper | Dominick Fernow | Grouper | Harry Pussy | Kevin Drumm | Mick Barr | Ocrilim | Peter Rehberg | Peter Sotos | Prurient | Roberto Bolano | Shit And Shine | Valet | Yellow Tears
latest by glazzy
