Category Archives: Recycled News

David Byrne Makes Noise, Bad Twin Peaks Joke

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Gearing up for a benefit hosted by NYC’s art collective The Kitchen, ex-Talking Heads frontman/artful blogger David Byrne created a fantastic forced-interaction art piece. In honor of the May 21st’s spring gala benefit honoring Christian Marclay, Byrne has stitched together 100 effects pedals designed to be walked across as the patrons enter the space randomly engaging them with each cautious step. The above photo shows a peek at the work in progress.

If you’ve ever spent any time, as I have, hunched over a few random pedals idly twisting knobs to force out some squelches and echoed bleets, the prospect of this massive citylike grid of noiseboxes brings more than a bit of joy. I’m also a fervent fan of forced participation art. The more unsuspecting the better, in my book.

The only thing I could probably fault the revered Mr. Byrne would be for the Twin Peaks pun in the title of his post. “Pedal Walk With Me”? Let that be the greatest sin committed.

The Kitchen Spring Gala Benefit takes place Wed. May 21st at The Puck Building – 295 Lafayette Street. Tickets start at $600.00.

Mahjongg plays the Empty Bottle TONIGHT

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I think this flyer wins. Screw the specifics, nobody needs to know the cover…let’s just put the spooky visage of Hurley floating over a desert. I’m sold.

If you’re in Chicago, skip Lost and go see Mahjongg at the Empty Bottle.

As it stands, I’d probably not skip Lost for this show (a potent combination of laziness and dedication to that damn tv show), but my situation is solved by not living in Chicago anymore.

Both the Machinegong EP & Raydoncong 2005 are tinny, weirdo gems, full of danceable quirk. This year’s record Kontpab, released on K Records has yet to fully win me over but I guarantee that tonight’s Empty Bottle show will be well worth seeing.

The Notwist Return With ‘The Devil, You & Me’

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It’s been six years since Neon Golden was released and three since 13&God hit the shelves. That’s a long time to wait for any band, even for one tucked away in the corner of the indie-universe that they quietly occupy.

Just when I had taken a moment to wonder, “What did happen to The Notwist?” a leak of their new album The Devil, You & Me appeared, floating around the fringes of the interwub and without hesitation, grabbed it.

The album is a half step forward, moving on from Neon Golden, stressing less the glitchy backing and relying more on elements that album composed as a band. For The Devil, You & Me, the subtlety from 13&God carries over to many of the songs as they solemnly click along, propelled by an undercurrent of noise or subtle electronic backing. Where formerly the electronics would step to the spotlight, defining the construct of the song, it now feels like they function as the undercurrent that drives each. The beautiful digital harshness of Neon Golden has taken backstage to more organic measures to set the tone: delicate acoustic strumming underpins the album closer ‘Gone Gone Gone’ and a terse swirl of strings ducks in and out of the tension of “Where In The World”.

Markus Archer’s vocals stand strong as the core of most every track on The Devil, You & Me. His voice is a comforting coo that occasionally strains when stretching around moments of the brightest melody. There’s something wonderful in Archer’s voice that varies so little in tone yet conveys so much emotion. The beauty in The Devil, You & Me, and as well The Notwist on a whole, is that there is something so uncomplicated yet expressive to every track on this album. With this record, they continue to build on the emotional dynamic established with Neon Golden, creating something beautiful, enveloping, and worthy of repeat listenings.

Check out the notwist’s homepage for the video for the lead single ‘Where In The World’. As well you can purchase the 7inch single, which features a b-side remix of The Devil, You & Me track ‘Sleep’ by Odd Nosdam, who, in my opinion, turns everything he touches into hazy awesome.

Take a listen to the album opener “Good Lies” which was released via their label City Slang.

CLICK TO DOWNLOAD “GOOD LIES”

The Devil, You & Me releases in Europe on May 2nd.

NEWS? – GYBE done.

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Hiatus has become breakup and it’s ultimately no surprise. In the six years since Godspeed You Black Emperor released Yanqui X.U.O, I could only hope that they’d get their shit together and release something new…but it’s not going to happen. In an interview, former GYBE guitarist gives the full details on why the band is no more. Even though A Silver Mt. Zion remains (and will release a new album in a month), there’s nothing that can truly replace GYBE.

Read all of what ex-”frontman” Efrim Menuck had to say in the Drowned In Sound interview.

I won’t even begin to poke fun at the whole “blame the war” factor in the band’s break-up. Seriously, it’s better without jokes.