All That Music & Video

As Tall as Lions made a late-aughts splash on the indie music scene with a sound characterized by Coldplay-esque melodicism, U2-ish ethereal guitar textures, and the supple, soaring, Jeff Buckley-influenced lead vocals of singer Dan Nigro. On You Can’t Take It with You, the Long Island-based group continued in much the same vein as on its 2006 self-titled release, matching the abovementioned sonic palette with kinetic drum’n'bass beats and heaping helpings of old-fashioned rock energy. Sounding at once accessible and inscrutably mysterious, “In Case of Rapture” bristles with a nervous energy that should please emo fans, but remains densely textured enough to appeal to listeners with an ear for the progressive. “Circles” starts out softly melancholy, with a vocal that recalls Art Garfunkel or Elliott Smith before eventually exploding into a guitar freakout underpinned by tense, wiry, claustrophobic rhythms. Throughout, You Can’t Take It with You represents the sound of a band striking a delicate balance between emotional directness and artful experimentation.

Here is a teaser for the new album “You Can’t Take It With You”.

Popularity: 4% [?]

BETWEEN THE BURIED AND ME vocalist Tommy Rogers recently told Noisecreep about the group’s upcoming effort, “A lot of the record deals with the human brain. There’s definitely a lot to do with alien abductions, and one song is about a group of people who write music in the desert, because music is outlawed across the entire Earth. I get borderline obsessed with certain topics, and that bleeds into my lyrics. During the writing of this record, I got really obsessed with the human brain, magic and code, and wrote a song about all of that. I got obsessed with freaking alien abduction and stuff like that. It’s basically what’s in my head. I want to create stories and lyrics that go well with our music, because it is so dynamic. I want the lyrics to follow that.”

On pushing the limits of musical expression:

“When we started this band, the big goal was not having limits as far as what we wanted to do musically, and as musicians, there’s a lot of freedom in this band. We’re not opposed to trying anything. And I love having that freedom, to know that the limits are endless, and that we won’t be afraid to try anything. It’s awesome. I hope we keep evolving as musicians, and writing better and better music.”

“When you try to push the envelope, that’s when things can go wrong. When you’re, like, ‘We gotta write something that’s different, that stands out,’ that’s when you’re forcing yourself to be weird or technical, just for the sake of doing it. The reason why our music is so unique is because all five of us write and in a lot of bands, it’s not like that. We all write stuff on our own, and put it all together, and it’s such a collaboration of ideas. It comes out sounding unique without really trying.”

“We never go in and say, ‘We need this kind of part’ or ‘We need this kind of part.’ We just write, and see what happens. It’s always a fun building process, because you feed off of each other, and you feed off of other peoples’ ideas. The day we start forcing things out is the day we need to stop making music. Right now, it’s fun to write because it’s very organic, and we’re really expressing what we’re feeling.”

The CD is scheduled for release on October 27 via Victory Records.

BTBAM have issued several videos following the progress of the new record “The Great Misdirect”. Check ‘em out below.

Popularity: 7% [?]

Between The Buried And Me “Colors”

“Colors” is a continuous hour-long musical trek that, in my opinion, is truly a landmark album in the world of progressive metal. Not only did Between The Buried And Me manage to capture almost every element of the metal genre on this release but they even incorporated Ambient, Jazz,Country/Folk and even Polka. Yes, Polka.  Not very many acts can pull this off, yet BTBAM effortlessly crossed many musical boundaries on “Colors” with such fluidity & musicianship that it will be sure to influence many future fledgling bands.
One of the reasons that “Colors” remains to be one of my favorite albums is that BTBAM draw from their many influences without ever sounding like second rate copies. You can definitely hear the influence that bands such as Pink floyd, Rush, King Crimson and even Dream Theater have had on them.  They take the progressive sound that these groups have laid out before them and an build upon it by adding their own aggressive and extreme twist.

-Serge

The Police “Synchronicity”

“It’s such a great album because each song is so different… “Synchronicity i” just makes you want to run at lightning speed. The beat is so infectious: you just go crazy. “Miss Gradenko” brings it down a step and has a cool rhythm. “Wrapped Around Your Finger” is this dreamlike state floating you on the sea of sting. Of course there’s no denying the hit, “Every Breath You Take”. It’s not only the smooth feel of the song, but the words. When Sting sings, “since you’ve gone i’ve been lost without a trace/ i dream at night i can only see your face,” you cringe because you’ve been there too. The album ends with the ghost-like “Tea in the Sahara” with Sting singing the phrase over and over. I believe it is teatime. What a classic! Too bad this was their last album together. Viva the Police!!!

Sunny & The Sunliners “Carino Nuevo”“

Carino Nuevo” by Sunny and the Sunliners takes me back to my childhood in Odessa, Texas circa early 1960’s.  Each song brings a rush of bittersweet memories.  Back then was truly a time of discovery, innocence, and respect.  I recall many friends and relatives (some long gone) on any track i drop the needle on (of course I’m playing the vinyl).  I know I’m not the only one who feels this way.  The proof is in the undying popularity of this timeless recording.  After so many decades it remains a top seller and always will.

-Eddie

Led Zeppelin “IV“

Led Zeppelin’s IV is one of my favorite albums of all time. It captures Led Zeppelin at the height of their career. Each song has received radio airplay throughout the years. The album features Robert Plant’s and Jimmy Page’s great song writing abilities as well as the band’s unbelievable musicianship. “Stairway to Heaven” is still one of the most requested songs in history. The album features the heavy side of the band with songs such as “Black dog” and “Rock and Roll” as well as the acoustic, soft side with “Going to California” and “The Battle of Evermore. -Mike

The Beatles “Rubber Soul“

Besides having the three best beatle ballads of all time (“Girl”, “Michelle”, & “In my Life”), it contains the best blend of non-hit beatle songs and was their first concept album

”  -Bill

Popularity: 5% [?]

This horror comic combines urban myths with the serial killer and revenge flick genres in an entertaining and thrilling manner. This is a dark story. Heads are lopped off, the innocent are harmed, and sins are committed. Writer Jaime “Jimmy” Portillo has a good eye for staging a moody scene and punctuating it with a horrific payoff. Writer of the extremely moody and frightening vampire tale GABRIEL (covered right here in Indie Jones last year), Portillo seems to have a firm hold on what can scare a reader. There were a few instances where the captions redundantly described the action in this issue, but those are minor missteps. The dark tone, horrific action, and damn fine art from Arturo Delgado Molina make THE RAILROAD KILLER one horror comic to look out for.

CHeck out the trailer for “The Railroad Killer”.
THE RAILROAD KILLER TRAILER BY JAIME “JIMMY” PORTILLO

Popularity: 7% [?]

With his unmistakable voice and charisma, PeeWee has become America’s “Latin Sweetheart” and at his young age has assembled quite an impressive list of achievements and successes.

PeeWee initially began his career as a member of the Kumbia Kings, and then later as a member of the Kumbia All Starz. PeeWee achieved great popularity and stardom as the lead vocalist of various chart-topping hits such as “Sabes A Chocolate,” “Na Na Na” (Mi Dulce Niña), “Speedy Gonzalez,” and “Chiquilla.”

After a successful run with the groups, PeeWee made his solo musical debut during the network television broadcast of Premios Juventud 2008, where he performed his hit single “Life is a Dance Floor”. The audience response reached a fevered pitch, and the single went on to become a summer anthem, achieving multi-format, radio chart success throughout the United States.

In late 2008, PeeWee participated in the popular reality television program “Show de los Sueños: Sangre de Mi Sangre” and quickly won over the hearts of millions of viewers throughout the United States, Mexico and Latin America. PeeWee won the program’s talent contest, and given his popularity amongst viewers, was invited to participate for the show’s second season. During the second season, PeeWee competed against several major artists including Gloria Trevi, Kalimba and Edith Marquez and following his performance during the season finale, he once again notched first place honors.

PeeWee’s debut release, “YO SOY” was recorded in the U.S. and Mexico and was produced by some of the industry’s top Latin producers including Luny Tunes and Carlos Lara of RBD fame.

“Yo Soy” available now!

Popularity: 8% [?]

Following the same format as 2004’s 1st Infantry, Alchemist recruits a capable lineup of rappers for his new disc, Chemical Warfare. With the usual suspects, like Prodigy and Jadakiss, still in tow, this go-round, the Beverly Hills–bred producer offers several unexpected collaborations, and surprise attacks as well.

It isn’t every day that you hear Three 6 Mafia and Juvenile over an Alc beat, but on “That’ll Work,” the producer’s bouncy take on crunk wins. Juve steals the show with a fast-paced flow, while Juicy J chooses his usual stop-and-go rhyme pattern on the standout track. Another remarkable pairing comes from Maxwell and Twista, who, respectively, provide a soulful hook and awe-inspiring verses on the slow-paced hip-hop love fest “Smile.” Hardcore fans need not worry, though, as Eminem links with Al and gets down and dirty on the album’s title track, offering to “eat the fuckin’ Octomom’s pussy lips with some okra/While I watch Whoopi Goldberg scissoring Oprah.”

Not all the artists have as much chemistry, however. The bass-farting “On Sight,” which links Lady of Rage and Tha Dogg Pound, only seems to fulfill the West Coast quota, and Prodigy’s sex talk over Al’s pulsating drums on “Keep the Heels On” just sounds creepy. Still, in all, Chemical Warfare proves that Alchemist keeps an arsenal of WMDs just in case shit jumps off.

Popularity: 8% [?]

It is no exaggeration to say that Jenni Rivera is one of the most polarizing figures in regional Mexican music. Her hardcore fans absolutely adore her, while her detractors aren’t just mildly critical of her gutsy, often in-your-face approach to banda — they are vehemently critical. Is there a middle ground? Absolutely. Discussions of Rivera’s work aren’t necessarily confined to either total praise or total condemnation; there is room for nuance. And in fact, Rivera’s recordings themselves have plenty of nuance; nuance abounds on Jenni, which marks the first time Rivera did all the producing on one of her albums. Certainly, Jenni has its share of anger; Rivera has long been known for embracing irreverent, in-your-face lyrics, and that hasn’t changed. But Rivera has hardly been one-dimensional. So even though Jenni demonstrates that the Los Angeles resident can be inflammatory at times, this 44-minute CD has a range of other qualities as well. Among them: vulnerability, warmth, and compassion. Emotionally, there has been a lot of complexity in Rivera’s work — and that is another thing that hasn’t changed. Nonetheless, Jenni is unlikely to win over the people who have been highly critical of Rivera in the past; folks who never acknowledged the nuance and complexity of Se Las Voy a Dar a Otro, Parrandera, Rebelde y Atrevida, or Mi Vida Loca aren’t going to suddenly change their minds about Rivera after hearing this 2008 release. But the disc will easily appeal to those who have been able to comprehend and appreciate her artistry, and while Jenni isn’t among Rivera’s essential releases, it is still an engaging and memorable addition to her catalog.

“Jenni (Super Deluxe Ed.)” available now!

Popularity: 9% [?]

On September 9, 2009, after a nearly 22-year wait, digitally remastered versions of all of the Beatles studio albums will be released, a press release has confirmed. Each album will feature the track listings and artwork as it was originally released in the U.K. and come with expanded booklets including original and newly written liner notes and rare photos. For a limited time, each of the Fab Four’s 12 proper albums will be “embedded” with a brief documentary about its making. The rereleases will include the Beatles’ 12 studio albums and Magical Mystery Tour as well as Past Masters Vol. I and II, which will be packaged as one collection. All 14 discs will be available with DVDs of the documentaries in a stereo box set, and a set titled The Beatles in Mono featuring 10 discs will also be released.

A crew of engineers at London’s Abbey Road Studios have spent four years working on the remasters using new technology and vintage equipment, the press release says, in an effort to preserve “the authenticity and integrity of the original analogue recordings” and ensure “the highest fidelity the catalog has seen since its original release.”

9/9/09 promises to be a huge day in Beatles lore, as it’s the same day The Beatles: Rock Band will hit stores. This weekend brought a bit of Beatles news, too, as Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr reunited onstage at a New York benefit for David Lynch’s Transcendental Meditation foundation (see photos here). Preorders for the remasters are already popping up on Amazon.co.uk. Demand for Beatles remasters has steadily increased since 1987, when Capitol/EMI first released the Beatles’ discography on CD with what many audiophile fans deemed substandard sound quality compared to the original vinyl.

While it seems like other artists remaster their entire catalog every several years, Capitol/EMI have barely touched the Beatles’ discography since 1987, with the exception of 2004’s The Capitol Albums, Vol. 1 box set, which compiled and remastered the band’s first four American releases in stereo and mono formats. The soundtrack for the Beatles’ Love show also gave listeners a brief tease of how fantastic the band’s songs would sound if properly remastered.

The Beatles in Mono will include the 10 albums originally mixed for mono release, as well as two additional discs the press release says features similar songs to those on the Past Masters compilations. The mono versions of Help! and Rubber Soul will boast bonuses: the albums’ original 1965 stereo mixes, which have not been previously released on CD, per the press release. The mono collection, like the stereo one, will include all original inserts and label designs, and the CDs are designed as tiny vinyl replicas.

The press release didn’t include news regarding a possible deal with iTunes or another digital-music vendor to distribute the catalog digitally: “Discussions regarding the digital distribution of the catalog will continue. There is no further information available at this time,” the press release reads. Both Apple Corps. and Paul McCartney have expressed reluctance to release the Beatles’ music digitally until all the albums had been remastered.

Popularity: 7% [?]

Tempting as it may be, Twang cannot be classified as a thematic counterpart to 2008’s Troubadour, an album that followed through on its rugged journeyman title. Once the opening title track twangs out of view, the album quickly veers toward the comfortably weathered balladeering that Strait has made his stock in trade for the better part of three decades now, quick enough to suggest that Twang might be little more than another reliably steady Strait record. To be sure, this is recognizably within his comfort zone — as always, when you do it as well as he does, there’s no need to change — but beneath that supple exterior there are a few surprises, chief among them the re-emergence of Strait the songwriter. George hasn’t penned many songs since the early ’80s, when his son George “Bubba” Strait, Jr. was just a baby, but now that he’s a grown man Bubba has turned into a songwriter in his own right, coaxing his dad into composing three songs with him, including the terrific tear-in-my-beer single “Living for the Night” and the breezy lament “He’s Got That Something Special” (Bubba also pens the excellent Johnny Cash homage “Arkansas Dave” on his own). These are change-ups, not curveballs; Strait saved his twists for the end, when he slides into some “Hot Grease and Zydeco” or goes full-on Mariachi for the closer “El Rey.” It’s these little twists — the stylistic stretches and original tunes — that give Twang some serious character and make it more than just another sturdy Strait record.

Here’s George Strait on the new album…

“Twang” featuring Strait’s new song, “El Rey” is available now!

Popularity: 6% [?]

Realigned with Philippe Zdar, the half of Cassius who mixed United, Phoenix make adjustments on the polarizing characteristics of their second and third albums — the pokey and occasionally listless Alphabetical, the jagged and tune-deficient It’s Never Been Like That — with some of the most direct and enjoyable songs they’ve made to date. The two opening songs, the bopping “Lisztomania” and the buzzing “1901,” are so immediate and prone to habitual play that the remainder of the album is bound to be neglected. There is plenty to like beyond that point, including “Lasso,” which niftily alternates between a tangled rhythm and tight-spiral riffing, and the labyrinthine “Pt. 1″ of “Love Like a Sunset,” which serves the same purpose as the extended instrumental passages on Roxy Music’s Avalon, at least until its rousing conclusion and shift into “Pt. 2.” Beyond containing the band’s best, most efficient songwriting, the album also stands apart from the first three studio albums by projecting a cool punch that is unforced. Vocalist Thomas Mars, more bright-eyed and youthful than ever, also sounds more a part of these songs, rather than coming across as a protruding element that clashes against the instruments. Maybe they’ve just hit their stride.

“Lisztomania” from “Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix”.

Stop by and pick up “Wolfgang Amadaeus Phoenix”!

Popularity: 4% [?]