BUZZGRINDER

Damien Jurado, Richard Swift on FPK After Dark

Sean Cannon — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 15:00:23 +0000

Since Maraqopa came out yesterday, I thought this would be a good opportunity to plug the interviews I did with Damien Jurado and Richard Swift for my “day job.” (That’s in quotes because it’s actually a nighttime gig…irony, right?)

During the FPK After Dark conversations, a number of topics were discussed. We talked about everything from Swift’s time in Starflyer 59 to Jurado’s love for the Grateful Dead. And no, that’s not a typo.

We also talked at length about Maraqopa and the nuances of their relationship in the studio. Plus Swift used the term “grown ass woman” while discussing Captain Beefheart. That counts for something.

Damien Jurado on FPK After Dark

Richard Swift on FPK After Dark

Slices Release Four Tracks From Upcoming Album, Still Cruising

Dylan Hensley — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 15:00:54 +0000

Slices have offered up a handful of cuts from their upcoming LP Still Cruising. The record will be released March 1 on Iron Lung Records. There are a lot of superlatives that could be used to describe the noise rock quartet, but why waste your reading when you can hear for yourself? All you should know is to expect something raw, but catchy.

A Grand Design: Tonight Alive

Jay DiNitto — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 19:00:04 +0000

Tonight Alive – What Are You So Scared Of?
Release date: February 14, 2012

This features great art with a decent logo, but it’s kind of ruined by the label maker album title.

Tonight Alive is actually pretty big for just putting out its first full-length. But the band can only go so far. If you’re a pop-punk act with a female lead singer, you’ll be toiling in Paramore’s gargantuan, red-haired shadow forever.

Torche Releases Kicking, Or the Day I Admitted Torche Isn’t Metal

Sean Cannon — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 22:00:31 +0000

Torche isn’t a metal band. There, I said it. That’s a thought I’ve entertained in the back of my head for a while now — but I couldn’t bring myself to broach the topic for fear of ridicule. “Torche…not a metal band? How dare you, dirty brigand. Have you ever listened to music?” Or at least that’s the reaction I imagine.

But seriously, after the Guided By Voices songs they covered, the general trajectory of Songs for Singles, and now with Kicking — the first track from Harmonicraft — it’s become apparent that Torche is no longer a “metal band.”

Sure, the riffs are present and there’s just enough peripheral sludge these days to fool you. That’s a given. Plus Meanderthal was flush with metal signposts. Then, when you take into account the band’s collective musical heritage (Floor, Shitstorm) and former label home (Hydra Head), I can see why you’d use the M word.

Really though, if you strip away the exoteric correlations and listen to Kicking, U.F.O or even Fat Waves — you can’t say, “This is obviously a metal band.” I’m not saying you’ll find no trace of metal in Torche these days. Far from it. Far, far from it. But calling them “metal” is no different than calling Fucked Up “hardcore” or Ted Leo “pop punk.”

Those assessments would be technically correct if you’re using a particular rubric. However, I think we all know that contrary to Central Bureaucrat No. 1′s opinion, being technically correct isn’t always the best kind of correct. At the very most, you could say that Torche is an aggressive, metal-informed rock band with pop tendencies. That’s definitely not the same as “metal band.”

Now that I’ve wasted your time with my inane conjectures, listen to Kicking. It’s a badass jam.

Kittie Control Their Career

Seth Werkheiser — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 21:00:29 +0000

Morgan Lander of Kittie talks about the business of maintaining a working band, and keeping a relationship with their fans:

We certainly pride ourselves on the level of personal interaction that we have with our fans and listeners. Since our inception, we have made sure that we are the ones in control of our careers, image, music and presence, be that online or in print. We update our website, control our Twitter and Facebook page, own our publishing and merchandise rights, run the company and manage ourselves.

The band will be touring North America starting in April.

Bonnaroo Announces 2012 Lineup

Sean Cannon — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 17:27:18 +0000

I’ve never been to Bonnaroo, and I was hoping to keep it that way in 2012. Nothing against AC Entertainment (the promoters of the fest) or the thousands of stinky hippies that populate Manchester, Tenn. a few days each year; massive outdoor festivals just aren’t conducive to a great live music experience most of the time.

Sadly though, it looks like my streak will end here, thanks to three words: The Beach Boys (even though it’s with John Stamos). You can also throw in these two words: Bad Brains. Sure, there are some good undercard acts as well, but I’ve either seen them or could see them without the gentle waft of patchouli.

Oh yeah, and Radiohead is headlining. Yawn.

Bonnaroo 2012 lineup
Radiohead
Red Hot Chili Peppers
Phish
The Beach Boys
Bon Iver
The Avett Brothers
The Shins
Foster The People
Skrillex
Aziz Ansari
Dispatch
Feist
The Roots
Alice Cooper
SuperJam
Black Star
The Word
Ludacris
Ben Folds Five
Flogging Molly
Spectrum Road
Mac Miller
Childish Gambino
Major Lazer
tUnE-yArDs
Afrocubism
Flying Lotus
Umphrey’s McGee
Little Dragon
St. Vincent
City and Colour
The Civil Wars
Young The Giant
Two Door Cinema Club
Punch Brothers
NEEDTOBREATHE
Fitz & The Tantrums
Bad Brains
Yelawolf
Dawes
Battles
Danny Brown
The Black Lips
SBTRKT
Phantogram
Kendrick Lamar
Charles Bradley and his Extraordinaires
The Kooks
The Joy Formidable
The Antlers
Kathleen Edwards
Mimosa
Kurt Vile & The Violators
Alabama Shakes
Das Racist
Delta Spirit
Gary Clark Jr.
Ivan Neville’s Dumpstaphunk
Laura Marling
Trampled by Turtles
Mogwai
The War On Drugs
Ben Howard
Grouplove
Blind Pilot
ALO
The Devil Makes Three
White Denim
EMA
Here We Go Magic
K-Flay
The Lonely Forest
Mariachi El Bronx
Big Freedia
Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr.
The Soul Rebels
Kvelertak
SOJA
Steven Bernstein’s MTO Allstars Plays Sly
Big Gigantic
Sarah Jarosz
Orgone
Darondo
Fruit Bats
Moon Taxi

Narrows Debut TB Positive

Dylan Hensley — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 17:00:40 +0000

Narrows recently introduced a new song from the forthcoming album Painted, which is out Feb. 28 on Deathwish. TB Positive comes to us in the form of a video comprised of stock footage. Narrows frontman — and former Botch vocalist, mind you — Dave Verrellen introduced the video:

I’m happy that we get the opportunity to create and release music, and I’m also grateful that folks are interested in the origin, content, lyrics, feelings and so forth. But I generally let the songs speak for themselves. To be honest I enjoy thinking that someone might adapt a song to their own experiences and feelings and love it for that reason. So I’m leaving my soap box out of it.

Morning Buzz: The Mars Volta, Meshuggah, MySpace

Seth Werkheiser — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 13:00:01 +0000

:: MySpace gained a million users.

:: The latest from The Mars Volta, The Malkin Jewel, is available for streaming. Thank goodness At the Drive-In is getting back together.

:: Listen to and watch the lyric video for Meshuggah’s Break Those Bones Whose Sinews Gave It Motion.

:: Uncle Jesse is determined to ruin the Beach Boys reunion.

Fun Streaming Some Nights

Sean Cannon — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 17:30:09 +0000

While I haven’t had time to work my way through Some Nights, it’s obvious (even from the first single, We Are Young) that Fun has embraced the slick production offered by bigger budgets and notable producers. And again, I’ve only skimmed through about half the tracks, but the arena-sized hooks that populated Aim and Ignite seem present here and there.

Converge’s Jane Doe Gets Piano Treatment From Chris Evans

Dylan Hensley — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 17:00:18 +0000

Chris Evans, keyboardist for The Sleeping, recently posted his take on Converge’s Jane Doe. “This was all played in a few live takes,” Evans said. “No midi programming at all just me and my fat little fingers.”