Dirty Beaches - Casino Lisboa
I love the new Dirty Beaches 2XLP. Its a masterpiece, and definitely Alex’s most accomplished work yet. This video embodies everything about his music perfectly. Bravo. As usual.
If you didn’t get a fancy white Zoo Music copy of Drifters / Love Is The Devil, grab the regular one from Midheaven here.
Crocodiles - Cockroach
New track from upcoming album, Crimes of Passion
If you’re not on the Zoo Music email list, and you’re a Crocodiles fan, get on it now. Traditionally ZM releases will come out on another label, like Crimes Of Passion is on also on Frenchkiss. But for loyal email listers, you’ll get access to purchase and receive a Ltd edition colored vinyl before anyone else. The new Dirty Beaches was on Ghost vinyl. New track sounds rad, can’t wait for the album. Seems like just last week Endless Flowers debuted…
Glass Candy - Redheads Feel More Pain
From After Dark 2
More treats from After Dark 2. It’ll be like christmas when this shit finally drops on vinyl.
Desire - Tears from Heaven
From After Dark 2
After Dark 2 is finally here!!! Too bad I can’t say the same about the vinyl…delayed as usual. Watch the store like a hawk for yours.
Julia Holter - Maria + 2HB
Not really sure why the digital track was released a year ago and it took this long for the clearly intended Ltd 7” to follow? Meh here it is, and its up for order from Boomkat here. I usually try to order direct from labels whenever possible, but Human Ear Music has possibly the most frustrating site ever to navigate, and I’m at a loss where the hell to find the their store products and this 7”?!?
Regardless, the gradated pink vinyl makes for one of the nicest 7”s I’ve ever seen. This should hold you over until her the next full length from Julia Holter comes out August 20th on Dead Oceans.
After Dark 2 is finally finally coming out this Friday.
Thank Fucking God. Bout Time.
Italians Do It Better:
“Let’s Kiss” was written the same week as “Under Your Spell” in November 2008. After a bizarre & beautiful twist of fate, I walked into a remote bar in Montreal where I met the love of my life. The next morning… Ida & I had to leave. We flew to France for a handful of sweaty club shows. On the train out of Paris, I realized my whole world had been permanently turned upside down. The rain was crashing against the windows… & I decided I wanted to make a record that felt like that moment frozen in time… “For Ever Ever”. That’s when After Dark 2 was born. The last five years have been a blur of art & parties. This record represents the people we’ve connected with along the way…in Moscow, in Mexico, in Barcelona, in London, in Portland, in Montreal, in Melbourne, in Houston, in Berlin, in Beijing, in Los Angeles, in Dublin, in Athens… I am so excited to finally be sharing it with you. In 20 minutes, Ida & I get on a plane to Warsaw for our first tour overseas with Chromatics. Even though she is on crutches thanks to a brutal Roller Derby pile up on Sunday… we can’t wait to see all of you again… it’s been way too long. After Dark 2 is out this Friday.
It’s 78 minutes & 16 seconds.
See you on the train!
xo
Johnny Jewel
I’m not one to post trailers, but this merits an exception because 1.) its a fucking amazingly stylish trailer and 2.) the soundtrack is killer and out on vinyl from one of my favorite fresh labels Death Waltz.
Founded by Spencer Hickman, manager of Rough Trade East in London, Death Waltz started last year as a high end label exclusively releasing cult classic soundtracks. Each album consists of the highest quality color vinyl, packaging, with subscription only collectors versions as well. Each release features bad ass original art work inspired by the film, with a heavy stock poster, and extensive liner notes, photos, and directors/composers comments.
So far the cult classic movie list includes: Zombie 2, Let the Right One In, Donnie Darko (original OST not the 80s pop soundtrack), Prince of Darkness, The Living Dead at Manchester Morgue, The Devil’s Business, Escape from New York, Halloween II, Halloween III, and They Live.
As you can see mostly 70s/80s classics, a lot of John Carpenter & Alan Howarth, with a few more contemporary selections. The Devil’s Business was a low budget independent film released last year, and if you’re wondering what it’s doing on this list, you haven’t seen the highly underrated film.
The lastest batch of releases came on RSD, including the crowning gem, Yellow from composer Antoni Maiovvi. Yellow is a low budget crowd source funded short horror film directed by Neo-Giallo that’s been receiving much acclaim and visibility at numerous film festivals; it debuted last August at Film4 Frightfest.
I haven’t even seen the film yet (desperately eager), but I can tell you I just received my Death Waltz vinyl today and the soundtrack sounds superb with looks that could kill.
As of writing this, there are exactly 8 copies left of Yellow on Ltd to 1000 blood splattered translucent yellow vinyl. This was a RSD release, so there was a very limited amount of copies put up for sale online afterward. Grab Yellow from Death Waltz before its gone.
Next up in June from Death Waltz…The Fog !!!
Goddamn I love this label.
Mind Slums - Flesh Side, Death Side
Sold out Eyedress and Skint Eastwood Hearing Colors LP was the best secret gem to emerge from Phantasma Disques yet, and its unfortunate it was such a short run & vinyl only affair. It caught my attention hard after seeing their pitch:
If you are into Chromatics-ish-synths, 8-bit-Crystal Castles-ish tricks and Hype Williams-ish-chills you should give this a try…
All supremely true. And I’m psyched to see that Eyedress side project Mindslums are releasing a Ltd cassette monday that sounds slated to be equally top notch. Ltd to 100 cassettes, with the traditional multiple art style releases, in batches of 10, 40, and 50. The Ltd to 10 is of course sold out, but grab another one of the cassettes while you can. That Eyedress LP I purchased a couple months ago continues to be one of my favorite records of the year.
Mindslums - CS4 (Design B) Calm Oceans is Ltd to 40 cassettes and up for pre-order here. Design A is Ltd to 50 and available here.
Speaking of King Tuff…Kyle & the guys made an appearance on possibly the internet’s weirdest short format series the Gorburger Show. The 48 second introduction of how an alien/monster?? maimed the Japanese staff of a show and then took it as his own to have 5min interviews with hip bands should be enough to give you an idea of what its all about. Despite having some serous names, like Flea, Dum Dum Girls, HEALTH, La Sera, etc. most of episodes seem kind of aimless with Gorburger doing most of the talking and the bands presence as mere props.
That is expect for the King Tuff episode, which is pure genius. How Tuff is King Tuff? Find out.Then the band plays live, which should really be in every episode. Anyways give it a view, and maybe the Flea one so you can see him do the worm.
Oh internets.
Peach Kelli Pop - Dreamphone
By now you likely know that I am certifiably obsessed with King Tuff, especially with his debut record Was Dead (finally receiving a much deserved repress soon) from the awesome Burger Records. So as I was perusing the Burger catalog I came across Peach Kelli Pop, and instantly fell in love. The band name couldn’t be more perfectly suited, and the sugar coated pop lyrics are filled with instant hooks abound. She’s got two equally excellent records out that barely pass the 20min mark with every track short and sweet. Burger Records released her sophomore s/t LP available here, and you can grab her first s/t LP from Infinity Cat Records here on gorgeous chocolate/tan split colored vinyl. Check out her latest music video for Red Leather, released last week.
You Me & Us - Steve Holt
Check out a couple sweet live tracks from the Violitionist Sessions. You Me & Us played a sick Albany house show with my friends band last year that I have been regretting missing ever since. They have a fantastic but deadly short 9min EP originally out on cassette & 7” now both sold out, but you can still grab it from BnDcMp here digitally for a name your price. If you’re a fan of P.S. Eliot, you will love it. Highest Recommendation.
Tour Tape split between Dirty Beaches and homies TONSTARTSSBANDHT for their upcoming Russian tour. Ltd to only 100 copies and while already sold out from the label, TONSTARTSSBANDHT still has copies available on their bandcamp. It went pretty quick from Space Bridge, but I think these copies are below the radar.
Also Alex’s sophomore 2XLP Drifters/Love Is The Devil is out soon from Zoo Music. The email list version is on beautiful white vinyl and is getting shipped a week early to all us lucky listers. If you missed out on that, guess you’ll have to settle for the regular one available from Midheaven here.
The Casket Girls - Unforgetting
Premiere from the RSD exclusive s/t 12”
Feast your eyes (no pun intended) on the gorgeous etching on the reverse side of RSD 12” from The Casket Girls. This is the second band that label master and operator Ryan Graveface has been directly involved in, following a number of 7”s and a debut LP from his other in label band The Marshmallow Ghosts. Ryan always releases spectacular vinyl, seriously only the best in quality & design, nearly always colored, a picture disc or sometimes even scratch n’ sniff. I got turned on to his label (now also a real live record store) from Black Moth Super Rainbow, followed by Dreamend, and most recently his own two projects.
Well Ryan I’d say you take the cake for best RSD release easily, as if there was ever any doubt. The vinyl color is beer and mustard swirl (srsly) with the b side being a metaphysical etching. Mine is above. Ltd to 500 copies. Even the album sleeve art, was actually embrodered by William Schaff (Okkervil River, Godspeed You Black Emperor, Mighty Mighty Bosstones), and I do love that on the actual jacket the underside of the embroidery is on the reverse.
I do believe there are a number of copies for sale on discogs for the very reasonable price of $20. Do not hesitate to snatch this up if you’re a fan, because in addition to all the pretty packaging, the 5 tracks are superb. If you never got their debut LP, you can snag a special cassette version with the Sleepwalking LP on side A and this s/t 12” on side B from Graveface here. A nice gesture to anyone that misses the RSD 12”. Oh Ryan you so thoughtful.
Selebrities - Temporary Touch
New single sounds fantastic and I can’t wait for the new Lovely Things LP out June 25 on Cascine. Their debut Ladies Effect EP of 2010 and their 1st full length Delusions LP out the subsequent year were both highly underrated, and I always seem to think they’re on Captured Tracks because they have that perfect CT sound. Glad to hear they haven’t stopped recording new material.
Palma Violets - We Found Love
Good morrow oh you beauties of noble and homeley shores - great tidings I bring from stateside. As we’re crossing an arrogant, rain-flecked, concrete motor-bridge lacerating the tranquility of Seattle’s Lake Washington, I have the chance to take stock and consider home and it’s impending brightening thanks to the little shock of sunlight sent forth by the news I bear.
So, I hesitate to say it again but a cliche is a cliche for a reason, show your commitment: for us, for taste. Get the single, get your moves ready cos if you’re anything like me it’ll make ya limbs feel like liquid and its perfect to throw some shapes.
Fuck what I say - the song’s a better rallying call than any of my words, so get it and I’ll see you at the show for a lil’ dance.
Oh Palma Violets, I still love your album. If you still haven’t snagged a copy yet, grab one from Rough Trade Here.
