Category Archives: Recycled News

Conceptual April Fool’s – Nosaj Thing’s remix of 4’33

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UPDATE: Boo, he took it down. Long story short, it was an mp3 of silence. The soundcloud comments all were adoring each nuance and “sick drop” of the satirical “remix”. This post likes “theoretical quotes”.

Nosaj Thing has produced what I can deem the most conceptual April Fool’s gag. Today saw the release of his remix of John Cage’s legendary 1952 minimal performance piece. This is probably the only moment in time when Sound Cloud’s usually godawful comment system plays perfectly into the joke.

It’s been a while since I’ve seen any good John Cage jokes, since the fake youtube copyright claim gag perpetrated by Married To The Sea author @drewtoothpaste

Get it?

On one level, I love a good John Cage joke, but on at the same time, I wish people would educate themselves to the playful history that Cage brought to the world. It’s easy to dismiss some of his contributions, as they feel old and simple, but put yourself in the context of the time and the magic is easy to see. Long ago, I read John Cage Explained, but it seems now out of print. Text gave a great sense of context to his life and work, so I highly suggest it.

Now I want to read John Cage books. Any recommendations?

Das Racist’s Heems presents ‘Nehru Jackets’ Mixtape

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I don’t have a strong opinion about Das Racist, every so often someting pops up from them that you can’t deny the slacker brilliance. I grabbed Heems’s recently released mixtape ‘Nehru Jackets’ on a whim and was pretty impressed. More than a few tracks are built around awesome chopped samples of Indian vocalists paired with some quite decent beats. As well, the mixtape has guest spots from the likes of Danny Brown, Mr. Muthafuckin’ eXquire, Das Racist’s Kool A.D., Action Bronson, Childish Gambino and Despot. ‘Nerhu Jackets’ is petty good for a guy who broke onto the scene with an ode to Yum! Brand franchises. Though, to be fair, they moved on to Žižek references which is in my mind, a fine evolution.

This free mix was unleashed on the world via the insidious playground that was Megaupload. Thanks to the Feds, that dark shadow has been purged from the earth. (Whatever will Swizz Beats do?) You can still grab it from Hulkshare…don’t tell anyone.

DOWNLOAD HERE

Also, here’s my favorite thing done with their rhymes – Anamanaguchi’s remix of ‘Rainbow In The Dark’:

The Social Network & That Creep Cover

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The newest teasery-trailery thing for the next Fincher movie The Social Network hit the web yesterday. I can’t really tell yet if the movie is going to be worth a damn as there’s an unnecessary drama slathered over every inch of the trailer. Ultimately, we’ll be sitting down to watch a movie about an empire not yet toppled. Don’t you really need hindsight to craft a biopic like this that brings anything to the table besides sensationalism?

I am interested in the cast though…Jesse Eisenberg, a man I once described as “Discount Michael Cera” has wormed his way into my heart with Zombieland and his non-inverted chin, so I’m curious to see how he does in this lead role. Plus, you’ve got the next Spiderman in the film. (They haven’t realized what they did by casting him and swapped for someone more Amerrrrican yet, right?). I’ve lost a lot of trust in Fincher as a director over the years, but maybe there will be some glint of his former self somewhere in this film.

Featured in the clip (along with recycled dialog that’s been abused in the earlier teasers) is the live rendition of Radiohead’s ‘Creep’ as preformed by Scala & Kolacny Brother’s choir of Belgian ladies. I hadn’t heard this track in a while, despite blogging about it a while back. The music adds a bit of the overbearing drama to the movie clip but revisiting the track alone, I again realize that it’s a really fantastic rendition of the song.

Here it is again for download:

SCALA & KOLANCY BROTHERS – CREEP (LIVE)

Also, check out my original post about the song.

Michael Gira’s Swans return, new material & tour!

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I’ve had a draft of a post dedicated to the Swans sitting in the queue for probably a year now. What I was planning to do was create a selection of posts just dedicated to things deemed in my mind “classics” and the late career live album Swans Are Dead is something that falls into that category. Perfect transition, as the news has hit that Michael Gira, frontman to both Angels of Light and Swans is reforming the latter with a mixture of old members and new for a tour this year. As well, Tiny Mix Tapes reports that an album of new material currently in the mixing stages will be released in September and will be titled My Father Will Guide Me Up A Rope To The Sky

I never got a chance to see them live, as the first introduction I had was the postumous 1997 live album recorded around the world in various cities like Amsterdam, New York City, Trondheim, Prague, Brussels and Atlanta. Some of the reworkings on that two disk set are brilliant, angry crescendos fueled by the sometimes unnerving tenor of Gira’s voice. My favorite tracks ‘The Sound’, ‘I See Them All Lined Up’ and ‘Blood Promise’ all take their time, leaving long wordless passages that are spaces where heavy riffs grow like stormclouds. Often bolstered by the dull whir of ominous keyboards, the songs billow upward guided by heavy percussion. I think a lot of the more cascading, layered moments from those last live shows were some of what set me up to be an ardent fan of the post rock movement which would blossom the following year.

[audio:http://takingtigermountain.com/audio/Swans - Blood Promise (live).mp3]
SWANS – BLOOD PROMISE (LIVE)

I was lucky enough to catch Michael Gira wayyy back in 1999 at the Bowery Ballroom, for a show to benefit Swans bandmate Jarboe, who had caught a chair to the face while recording in Israel. The show then was a bit of a preview for the Angels of Light lineup that was to follow that year, featuring Larry Mullins, Bill Bronson, and Kid Congo Powers. More reserved than the Swans final live tour, the lush, folk derived sound was a shock, but still impressive. Selections from that show and another at Tonic were released as a cd for the Jarboe Emergency Medical Fund. The Angels of Light have had a good run in the last 10 years, but I’m happy to see Swans return, even with the altered line-up.

I’ll forgive Gira act of unleashing Devranda Barnhart upon the world by signing him to his Young Gods label, as the prospect of both touring and new material will outweigh the damage done by that fruity beardo.

Dates below:

09.28.10 – Philadelphia, PA – Trocadero Theater
09.29.10 – Washington, DC – Black Cat
09.30.10 – Boston, MA – Middle East
10.01.10 – Montreal, Quebec – Pop Montreal Festival
10.02.10 – Toronto, Ontario – Lee’s Palace
10.04.10 – Detroit, MI – Crofoot Ballroom
10.05.10 – Chicago, IL – Bottom Lounge
10.06.10 – Columbus, OH – Outland Live
10.08.10 – Brooklyn, NY – Brooklyn Masonic Temple
10.09.10 – New York, NY – Bowery Ballroom
10.22.10 – Birmingham, England – Supersonic Festival

Chicago’s Maps & Atlases sign to Barsuk, tour with Frightned Rabbit

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Math pop Chicagoians Maps & Atlases, announced yesterday that they’ve finally found a home at Barsuk Records. Now sharing a label with Mates of State and Ra Ra Riot, it looks like the band will release their personally long awaited full-length album this year, as mentioned by Barsuk. Always good news, as their first two releases were incredibly solid affairs. I’ve been a long time fan; here’s Taking Tiger Mountain’s coverage of their first EP release show, from way back in 2006.

They’ve also announced a string of dates through March and April with Scotland’s propulsive sadsters Frightened Rabbit. It’s always wonderful when you can get a killer double bill.

Apr 25, Cat’s Cradle – Carrboro, North Carolina
Apr 27, Black Cat – Washington, Washington DC
Apr 28, Webster Hall – New York, New York
Apr 29, Paradise – Boston, Massachusetts
Apr 30, First Unitarian Church – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
May 3, Petit Campus – Montreal, Quebec
May 4, Opera House – Toronto, Ontario
May 5, Grog Shop – Cleveland, Ohio
May 6, Southgate House – Newport, Kentucky
May 7, The Old Rock House – St. Louis, Missouri
May 8, Metro – Chicago, Illinois
May 9, Pabst Theatre – Milwaukee, Wisconsin
May 10, Varsity Theater – Minneapolis, Minnesota
May 12, Bluebird Theatre – Denver, Colorado
May 13, Urban Lounge – Salt Lake City, Utah
May 15, Biltmore Cabaret – Vancouver, British Columbia
May 16, Neumo’s Crystal Ball Reading – Seattle, Washington
May 17, Berbati’s Pan – Portland, Oregon
May 19, The Fillmore – San Francisco, California
May 22, Casbah – San Diego, California

All dates above with Frightened Rabbit. Maps & Atlases also have SXSW dates and an additional tour with Drink Up Buttercup. Check out their myspace for all the info.