I first met Mark Linkous after I released The Grey Album in 2004. His manager played him my album and told him that I was a Sparklehorse fan, so he took an interest. We began working on Dark Night of the Soul in 2005. It became obvious that both Mark and I wanted to write songs that were melodically out of our range, or at least just not within the realms of what we could…
We’re well beyond the mid of the year and by the end of the summer, when most of the season’s notable releases get around surfacing, we’ll also probably be able to make outselves a solid idea of what the best records of 2010 are. NPR thought about this for a while and decided to hold a poll for their readers and listeners in which people were invited to vote their favorite album of the year…
After a string of highly successful 7″s released last year when Bethany Cosentino, aka Best Coast, showed her immense talent to the world, in a few weeks time we’ll finally be graced with the apparition of her debut album, “Crazy for You”. Bethany’s music can be simply described as noise-pop, but even from a first listen, you’ll notice something truly different. It’s a sound that’s somewhere in between ’50s girl bands and early ’90s alt…
Finally, someone thought it would be only decent to grant my favorite track off Merriweather Post Pavilion, “Guys Eyes”, its own music video. When talking Animal Collective, it’s either extravagantly complex or in your face simple, and it’s that exact subtle mix between avantgard and AC’s straight forward, no bullshit approach to music that makes us love and cherish this band – this particular video falls on the more grounded part of the AC. The…
A matter of weeks ago, I took a short trip to London, during which I was serendipitous enough to catch an Amber Rubarth gig. Although that may be less down to serendipity, and more to the fact that I flew over specifically for it. She was also gracious enough to allow me to pester her with questions and bad jokes for half an hour or so. Now, following some internal complications and day-job-related lethargy and…
Damon Albarn and his Gorillaz had some big shoes to fill this weekend at the famous Glastonbury Festival, where they played as headliners, replacing U2 who had to cancel their summer tour after Bono’s injury. Add that to the fact that last year Damon Albarn headlined the festival, when he played a legendary gig with Blur, and you’ve got really high expectations on your hands. Gorillaz where up to it, however, and delivered an uplifting…
Complementary body painting, drugs, Asian chicks, polygons fetishes, and some gross dripping saliva which could pass for NSFW if someone just happens to see that particular scene of Interpol’s latest video for Lights. Gosh, that was weird.
First off, I’m not really sure why I’m going ’bout posting this kind of crap, but here goes nothing. John O’Regan, known on the indie scene under his Diamond Rings moniker, is a Toronto based maxx pop artist who’s been turning some heads locally with a few 7″s and gigs, and is now prepping for his full length debut “Special Affections”, allegedly slated for a fall release. This morning, O’Regan’s video for his latest single…
Bleurgh. Apologies for that. But! There is good news to share. And here it is: perennial ZME favourite, talented indie songstress and rather lovely person to boot, Amber Rubarth had a hand in scoring the new Joan Rivers biopic, Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work, which opens in US theatres on Friday. Of course, in some ways, this isn’t good news. One way it’s bad is because I’ll never see this film, a result of…
Here’s another glimpse of Nathan Williams’ upcoming narcotic full swing trip of an album, “King of the Beach” (check out the cover art. You’ll lol). The track is called “Post Acid”, and even though nothing’s the same after a hit, Nathan still goes on with this rather bright piece – his most accessible track to date for that matter, if you take in account his previous distorted, bratty, hipsterish, whatchamacallit material. Hit the download button…
Tibi Puiu
Al Byrne