thenewno2 are a group I have discussed frequently since early stages of A Future in Noise, shortly after their debut LP You Are Here was released digitally on iTunes in August of 2008. Months later, on March 31st, 2009, the album has been released as a physical CD at long last, after several web broadcasted Stickam concerts, a release on a new-fangled slotMusic card format, relying on mostly word-of-mouth for promotion, though there was some hubbub over Dhani Harrison (yes, son of George) in Rolling Stone, Blender, and the NME, particularly in regards to his work on the Beatles Rock Band game, and a confirmation to play Coachella on April 17th. After all of this, it is certainly time for a proper album review.

thenewno2 were originally formed by Dhani Harrison (guitar, vocals, Kaoss pads) and Oli Hecks (drums), with the addition of members Jon Sadoff (keyboards, guitar, vocals), Jeremy Faccone (guitar, vocals), and Jason Hiller (bass) in recent times, at the advent of touring. There’s naturally the Beatle influence, and many an article has commented previously on the ‘striking similarity’ of Dhani to George vocally- all the while You Are Here stands out as one of the most unique releases of the 2000s by far, with thenewno2’s original brand of ‘electronic-blues’. EP001 from 2006 might make for a promising, worthwhile listen, but really it is only a taste of what was to come.

From trippy, mellow beginnings on “So Vain”, and more than a little artistry with electronics, this band has a sound that is immediately refreshing. Of particular note here, and throughout the whole album in effect, is Dhani’s voice, with his smooth-textured, precise tone and range. “Another John Doe” (released as a single) is a drifting, quasi-ambiguous commentary on social anonymity. “Back To You”, opening with newscast samples, could very well be about one’s relationship with the media or with another human being. “Give You Love” returns to the aesthetics of “So Vain”, ambling along and then picking up at the least expected points, and more quirky electronic modifications. “Bluesy” and “Hiding Out” show a somber side, and still thenewno2 manage to remain cool and collected, not restrained, and more importantly, without self-indulgence.

“Yomp” (featured on Rock Band) was the first song of theirs I had heard, and remains an especial favourite. Perhaps the most modern, ‘commercial’ sounding of their singles, and yet sounding like nothing else around in the 2000’s, or any era, “Yomp” serves as a high-powered anthem against oppression. “Crazy Tuesday” (also available on Rock Band) is a lament over a lost love interest; “Idle Lover” touches upon the same themes, with greater force and multiple layers of sound. “Shelter” begins to wind You Are Here down to a close, about a desire to escape from the confusion the world into the shelter of another, and “Wind Up Dead” a cautionary tune warning against excesses: “Better learn to slow it down now, brother…”, before the album melts away.

As impressive a listen as it is, one can’t help be curious to hear what sort of follow-up thenewno2 may have in store. You Are Here is an album that has to be heard- an event to observe, listen to, and experience.

thenewno2 - Official Site | on MySpace Music | on Facebook |
Absolutely Dhani Harrison

They’re back! thenewno2 have a gig at the Key Club tonight, airing at 7 PM PST (thenewno2 go on around 9 PM PST), and are broadcasting it live via Stickam, as they did with their previous gigs in September. Their album You Are Here was my #1 album pick for 2008, available on iTunes and SlotMusic; thenewno2 will also be appearing at Coachella on April 18th!

Check out thenewno2 on Stickam tonight!

I have the fortune/misfortune of my birthday (December 13th) being near the holidays. The fortune is that I can potentially get many more presents around the same time at once than non-Saggitarians and Capricorns do…the misfortune possibly being that gifts may be bundled as a “birthday+holiday season+New Years+whatever” package. But, no matter… ;) I already got an 120 GB iPod for my birthday, so what on earth more could I possibly expect?! Though pictured as such, my iPod doesn’t really have night vision, but the Picnik filter makes it look that way…that might be a cool feature for Apple to keep in mind, actually.

There are a handful of music-related goods and events I’m questing after, regardless of the time of year; this is my Musically Inclined Wish-list:

• A sitar
• The 5 or 6 albums I don’t have of the Fall’s studio album discography
  
• The Blur 10th Anniversary Box Set: even though I have all the B-sides already, I love the individually packaged singles!
  
• RockBand: I’ve played it several times…must…have. Also, I can’t believe there are Siouxsie songs on there!
  
• Quadrophenia: The movie; it’s out of print, alas.
  
• To see these artists in concert someday (and probably more that I’m forgetting right now): thenewno2, Tom Verlaine, Pete Doherty, Suicide, Pete Townshend, and a reunited Blur
  

There are still so many more albums from 2008 I have yet to hear, as Ian’s post and many of the other end-of-year roundups I’ve been noticing have made me realize. It was hard just narrowing it down to a top ten!

1. You Are Here - thenewno2 I’ve raved about Dhani Harrison’s group since I first heard them in August. The newest sounding album of the year, by far; this could not have been made any year other than 2008. They have remained fairly under the radar, playing some shows in Los Angeles (and broadcasting them live via Stickam in September) and releasing their album first as an iTunes exclusive, and then on one of those new-fangled, extremely tiny SlotMusic cards. Read more about thenewno2 in my original post.

2. Imperial Wax Solvent - The Fall Ah, the mighty Fall! I have been a fan since, by chance, someone posted an mp3 of “Dead Beat Descendant” on The Killers Network in 2005. After I realized that they had a boatload of albums, I settled on the excellent 2-disc compilation 50,000 Fall Fans Can’t Be Wrong…and ended up obtaining most of the studio albums anyway. So, here we have Imperial Wax Solvent which is not only the best Fall album of the 2000s, but one of the strangest Fall albums. Ever. Seriously, it’s a classic. Stream it on Last.fm

3. Midnight Boom - The Kills Reaction on this album has been fairly mixed. The production is a lot cleaner, perhaps less “raw” or live sounding than the first two. This album actually happens to be my favourite of theirs so far, and shows that they still have quite a lot of room to grow. Check them out on MySpace Music

4. Sixes & Sevens - Adam Green While not my top favourite of his (mine is Jacket Full of Danger), this album runs more like a mix tape than an ordinary LP. Adam Green is the man.

5. Box of Secrets - Blood Red Shoes I think I may have found their music when I was looking up related artists for The Kills on Last.fm They have not yet reached their full potential, but this album shows a band so promising that I just had to put it in my top ten. Stream (part of it!) on Last.fm

6. In Ear Park - Department of Eagles Did I say thenewno2’s You Are Here was the new-est sounding release of the year? There is a contender in Department of Eagles. Something Beatle-esque about this group for sure. Check them out on MySpace Music

7. Plutonium Blonde - The Legendary Pink Dots
Like the Fall, they have a massive discography, though they are lesser known. And, comparable the Fall’s 2008 release Imperial Wax Solvent, this is a contender for “most strangely enjoyable” in their entire catalog. The eerie album art offers a clue to the sounds inside. Stream it from Free Napster

8. Just Pretend You’re a Pegasus - Panda steps in chocolate Found by pure chance of typing in “chocolate” in Last.fm’s tag radio… Read my full review | Stream it on Last.fm Also check out PSIC’s Paper EP

9. A Burial in Seven Births - Mt. Moon Epic release from a summer-long band… Read my full review | Stream it on Last.fm Check out the new Tea and Oranges project!

10. Crystal Castles - Crystal Castles A lot of people…well, they hate Crystal Castles. They are frequently reduced to being just another “chiptune” group, and are probably known best for their Creative Commons issues and Madonna image-use controversy. I luckily heard their album before uncovering all of the hullabaloo, and I love it. Atari bits and sampling and all. Stream it on Last.fm

I, too, will be posting a list of ‘08’s best singles soon; and, I’d love to hear your top ten album + singles picks as well!

How would you like to find a mystery mix CD or tape left on a bench? What about making one?

I had tossed around the idea in my head of making a mix and leaving it somewhere for awhile, and then this item on 43things reminded me again a few months ago. So, I made a playlist…that has gone untouched and unremembered for 3 months. I decided that, tonight, I am going to finish it up, and leave it on a bench in a park tomorrow.

The reason people generally want to do this is because some random, music-thirsty soul might happen upon it and, thus, end up hearing some pretty cool tunes. My own music taste has been very much affected by taking someone’s advice on listening to a band or looking up a group after reading about them in a magazine; a random mix CD could do just the same. The difficult bits: 1) finalizing the playlist, 2) deciding where the heck to leave it, and 3) not knowing who found it, if in fact it didn’t get sat on and crushed or thrown away!

I love burning mix CDs for people, and it is done with great care. I consider the music they’re already into, as well their general personality, what music might suit them. There’s the problem with the mystery mix; you don’t know who is going to find it! There are some bands a person might figure to be generally beloved, but looking up some of my favourite albums on Rate Your Music, using Sort: negative shows it’s not so. Ouch. There is not guaranteed love.

What then? I think the more unusual and personalized the mix is, there are actually better chance that someone stumbling across it may enjoy it. They might believe it was intended for someone else, and it’s like they are listening in on something secret. Or that it was made just for them…which, of course, it is!

15 songs by 15 different artists is my ideal mix; usually somewhere between 40-60 min. Not to much to digest, just enough to leave the listener wanting to hear more. It could be placed in an ambiguous paper sleeve or decorated to reflect the theme of the songs inside. It could be left on a bench, in a library book, in an elevator, perched atop a staircase rail, in a Geocache; anywhere where a person is bound to see them and be inclinded to check it out. A casette tape may be an even more enticing find, since they are being seen less and less often as all music goes digital.

Aside from the tracklisting, I plan on including another important document; a suggestion for the finder to pay it forward if they so choose by making their own mix and leaving it in the same spot or elsewhere. It’s all about music awareness, exposing hidden gems, and maybe it could even drive someone to buy a CD they wouldn’t have otherwise.

I would love to hear your take on Mixes on Benches in the comments. What would you put on your tracklisting? I’ve got mine below; there are lots important favourite artists of mine that I did not include, but I could always make another in the future:

Mix on a Bench #1 - Tracklisting
1. Yomp - thenewno2
2. Snow Flower - Ananda Shankar
3. No Big Deal - Love and Rockets
4. Bayou - Danielle Dax
5. What Goes On - The Velvet Underground
6. Pocket Calculator - Kraftwerk
7. Tales from the Riverbank - The Jam
8. Caravan - Blur
9. A Future in Noise - Tom Verlaine
10. The Gala Event - Beastie Boys
11. I’m Not Like Everybody Else - The Kinks
12. A Dream Away - The Cars
13. Radio America - The Libertines
14. A Bunch of Lonesome Heroes - Leonard Cohen
15. The Endless Plain of Fortune - John Cale

Every Tuesday this month, thenewno2 are streaming their concerts live on Stickam (10 pm Pacific time); last week’s was a complete blast! If you haven’t yet heard them, for some crazy-ish reason, you’ll want to listen here first. Make sure to tune in and enjoy the show! ;)
thenewno2 on Stickam

It was complete happenstance that I came across it…I was actually in the middle of setting up a MySpace Music page for myself last night, when I went to the official Beatles Myspace to add them. I was looking at the top friends and I spotted thenewno2, with a rather noticable animated avatar (though freaking Blogger won’t let me post the animated one…pfft). I was like “WTF is that?”, so I clicked and…I couldn’t figure out why they have less than 1,000 listeners on Last.fm and ‘only’ 10,000 friends on MySpace Music (that’s small for that site), being that, in no particular order: 1) Dhani Harrison, on lead guitar, synths, and vocals, is the son of a Beatle, 2) he is also very attractive, 3) their band logo is ambiguous in nature and strangely addictive to look at, 3) “Yomp” is available in RockBand for Xbox and Playstation 2, 4) Their. Music. Is. Effing. INCREDIBLE.

There has been almost zero buzz about them, it’s ridiculous, though there are a few factors involved. Dhani appears to have been fairly low-key about his music; heck, I knew of his existence but had no idea he had been working on any music until just last night. They (him, and this guy Oli Hecks on synths/drums) released EP001 in 2006 (available on CDBaby and streaming on their MySpace), and their first full-length album You Are Here came out on August 1st, 2008. The trouble with the album is that, so far, it’s apparently only available as a digital download and purchase on iTunes…no physical release! Their official website hasn’t even been updated since January, when they were still working on the album. I’ve searched awhile, only to find that absolutely no blogs have put up mp3s (for *cough* ‘evaluation’ purposes, of course) of thenewno2. And that’s the other thing. The band name is completely _blah_. Who would check that out, based on the name alone? I had to be drawn in by a flashing avatar, for heaven’s sake! Someone needs to get on this, PR-wise, ASAP.

As far as what the music sounds like, it’s tricky to describe. There is, naturally, the obvious Beatles-influence, but it goes beyond that. It is not stuck in reminiscent psychedelia, though there may be tinges, and there’s a bit of a rebellious, political undercurrent at times as well. It sounds fresh, and most importantly new. The only other band that sounded this new to me this year was Crystal Castles, but that’s on a completely different side of the spectrum. thenewno2 are self-descibred as Post-Bristol Electro Blues…sounds right to me. Minutes after I tagged “Yomp” as delicious on Last.fm, I read a review description on CDBaby describing their first EP as such, so I guess that’s a dang accurate adjective. :P Go here and listen!