January 2009
24 posts
4 tags
FAWM: February Album Writing Month
Tomorrow will mark the start of the February Album Writing Month (FAWM), a challenge first initiated in 2005, in which participating ‘fawmers’ must complete 14 songs in 28 days. Songs constitute “Pop songs, instrumentals, “sound art,” whatever. The goal is to be challenged, build community, and have fun… by whatever musical means.” There is also a thriving community of...
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Jakob Battick - Some Songs in Chronological Order
Jakob Battick, previously of 1800s Sea Monster and Mt. Moon (I reviewed their epic LP A Burial in Seven Births last year) has recently put out the compilation Some Songs in Chronological Order. This includes two of his original tracks from Mt. Moon’s LP release (“The Worm To The Robin” and “Massive Moth, My Dreamfield”), both massive (in length and substance)...
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Somersault- Single Of The Week
Somersault is a indie pop band based in Tempe, Arizona. I stumbled upon their utterly charming tunes, one night visiting a friend in North Phoenix. At first i assumed they were going to be another bland folk pop band from the Phoenix area. I was greatly mistaken, these folks put the majority of radio friendly tunes to shame with their emotional yet goofy songwriting. So for this weeks single of...
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Artist Feature: The Handcuffs
The Handcuffs are an independent rock band from Chicago, Illinois, originally formed by Chloe F. Orwell (lead vocals) and Brad Elvis (drums), with the later additions of Emily Togni (bass) and Ellis Clark (keyboards/guitar). They have had numerous tracks from their 2006 debut Model for a Revolution and new album Electroluv featured on MTV, VH1, and FUSE programming. With an eclectic range of...
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Glen Strachan - 8 Love Rivals
The man formerly behind the punk group The Bed (1999-2005) and psych-folk England & The April (2005-2007), Glen Strachan has a new solo “mini-album” out digitally, 8 Love Rivals. “Michael Are You Breathing?” was featured on Tom Robinson’s BBC Introducing last year. The track remains the strongest example of Strachan’s style of musicianship; there is an...
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Panda steps in chocolate - Creep Of The Crop
If you have been following A Future in Noise since late summer of last year, checked out my Best of 2008 list, or had a look at my Last.fm charts, you are likely to have noticed and possibly listened to Panda steps in chocolate. Whether this is your first time here or your gazillionth, take heed of this now: there is a new PSIC album! Creep Of The Crop, released on 1/20/09, is the latest chapter...
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MySpace Music Discoveries: Issue #1
I’m hereby establishing a tradition of highlighting artists and bands on MySpace Music that are worth checking out in one single issue on the fourth Thursday of each month; that one bit was in italics because, being that MySpace Music is so saturated with musicians, it can sometimes be difficult to find interesting and cool music. The qualifications for an artist/band to be featured this...
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Why Major Record Labels Must Die
Despite racking up an impressive three Top 10 albums and nine Top 40 singles and penning “Valerie,” a massive UK hit for Amy Winehouse, English band the Zutons were dropped by their record label Deltasonic, an imprint of Sony/BMG, over the Christmas holiday. Why? Their last single failed to chart. Remember, when you buy major label music, that sort of nonsense is what you’re...
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Sonic Youth Are Preparing a New Record
I’m pretty stoked for this. Their last three proper albums (Murray Street, Sonic Nurse, Rather Ripped) have been ace. Thurston Moore told the NME to expect “a record replete with juicy, supersonic songs!” Right then. The Eternal is tentatively scheduled for issue in June on the band’s new record label, Matador (home of Pavement). For those of you who aren’t huge SY...
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The 44th President's Taste in Music
As you know, Barack Hussein Obama was officially sworn in as the 44th President of the United States of America earlier today. Regardless of whether or not you voted for him, what’s undeniable is that his taste in music is, Ludacris aside, pretty much unimpeachable. Here are some Barack-and-Ian approved videos: Bob Dylan - “Like a Rolling Stone” Rolling Stones - “Gimme...
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'Merriweather Post Pavilion' Released Today!
Animal Collective’s delightful eight record, Merriweather Post Pavilion, is officially released on CD today. Though you’ve probably already heard the leak, please support the band by dropping by Amazon and ordering the CD or double-LP. (UK readers can order the CD here) Granted, we’re not even a month into the year, but I really think this record will be one of 2009’s...
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Auditorium - New Audio/Visual On-line Game
Auditorium is a newly developed, music-based on-line puzzle game, and the first game release of Cipher Prime. From its debut in December, it has already surpassed a million plays and has been quite popular on Digg and StumbleUpon. Still in demo form, to be released in full with community features sometime soon, it is one of the most impressive demos I have played to date. In the wake of the...
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Bollywood Songs: Part 1
I’ve recently developed a Bollywood obsession, and begun rediscovering the classic Indian cinema I grew up with. I speak Punjabi, but like most non-Hindi speaking desis, I still watch the films and get the gist of what’s happening anyway. For those of you not in the know, a typical Bollywood film is like a Western musical, with spontaneous interjections of song and dance. For whatever...
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E.K. Wimmer - What Was Once Veduta Is Now Found
E.K. Wimmer is an electronic/soundtrack musician from Denver, Colorado. His work in film scores and in album releases, under the name Veduta, continued from 1999 to 2007; see Wimmer’s discography for a full listing of his projects. What Was Once Veduta is Now Found (the first LP to be released under his own name) was recorded over three years and released in October, 2008, all...
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Coconut Records-Davy
So do you know how it is, when you just seem to notice something being promoted beyond belief, almost to the point were it seems like subliminal messaging? Well that is how it was for me when Coconut Records started to push their new album or shall I say when Jason Schwartzman started to push his new solo album, “Davy”. If you don’t know Schwartzman, he is already famous from his drumming in...
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Shoegaze - From the Beginning and Beyond
Shoegaze, the term coined because of associated band members’ tendencies to, well, gaze down at their effects pedals on the floor, is the sort of music where dream-pop meets noise-rock. (Pictured at left is one of the the most beloved shoegaze albums, My Bloody Valentine’s 1991 Loveless) Let’s go back for a moment… Influences on Shoegaze: Wall-of-Sound: Phil...
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New Last.fm Tag Station for 'a future in noise'
For you Last.fm users, Marilyn has created a new tag station called ‘a future in noise,’ where you can stream the music of artists we’ve covered here on the blog. I’ve gone in and added a few as well, and Cristiano may do so well. As a rule of thumb, most artists we’ve discussed at length (or plan to) are included. Enjoy!
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The Spinto Band, Small Town Heroes
Upon strolling into a state like Delaware the last thing on ones mind is probably the thought of how cool the local indie pop bands are. However in the case of Wilmington, Delaware that is the only thought that should be residing in your head. Local pop sensations “The Spinto Band” have been creating mesmerizing radio friendly songs...
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Tonight: Franz Ferdinand...in Review!
This one had to leak. While I will be purchasing a gratuitously furnished deluxe version soon, I couldn’t help but listen. Their sophomore album You Could Have it So Much Better, which received mixed reviews and fan reception, was released back in October 2005. What Franz Ferdinand fan hasn’t been eagerly awaiting album number 3? Speaking of mixed reception, “Ulysses” kicks...
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Burnt Fur - Unfurl
Music that sounds like a collision of the best of new wave, post-punk, and electronica, with a dash of modern sensibility- there you have Burnt Fur, a four-piece band from Boston, Massachusetts, comprised of members Scott Harrison (vocals/guitar/bass/drum pads/synth), Patrik Tirda (synth/samples/drum pads), and Ian St. Germain and Jean Kennedy on drum pads/bass. Unfurl is the debut album they...
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Daniel Ouellette - Kaiju Carnival EP
Daniel Ouellette is an electronic solo artist from Massachusetts. He released 2003-2008 compilation Monsterland- The Revenge of Daniel last spring via his own label Meanie Jeannie, and the Kaiju Carnival EP (pictured at left) in October on the New Shiner label, co-produced by Scott Harrison (Burnt Fur). The colorful and quirky cover of the crane reaching for the dinosaur toy prize seems oddly...
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Happy Birthday, David Bowie! / Elvis Presley!
Today is the 62nd birthday of David Bowie (b. 1/8/1947). Bowie has proved massively influential through his music (his epic 70’s ‘Berlin Trilogy’, albums Low, Heroes, and, my most beloved Bowie album: Lodger, pictured at left), through his work producing albums by other artists including Lou Reed, Iggy and the Stooges, and Mott the Hoople, and, of course, his...
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Youth and Music Journalism
A new article I wrote about an important topic, Youth and Music Journalism, was recently published at Dorq, a collaborative project featuring “Digital Opinions, Reviews and Questions” from their contributors, now including…yours truly! They have articles from various authors on a variety of subjects, and this is quality material: Read Marilyn Roxie’s Youth and Music...
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In 2009: Happenings and Predictions
*Wishing a Very Happy New Year to all the readers of A Future in Noise!* In 2009… Look forward to new releases from a bevy of known artists (a few on my wish-list: Hush - Asobi Seksu, Davy - Coconut Records, The Fountain - Echo & the Bunnymen, Tonight… - Franz Ferdinand [see video for “Ulysses” below the text], Changing Horses - Ben Kweller, Years of Refusal -...