8
There are few genres that evoke such a strong connection with urban settings as post-punk -- from decaying factories and warehouses of Manchester to New York City streets littered with cigarette butts and shadows cast by streetlights and neon signs. While post-punk's claim of the metropolitan landscape has slipped in recent years with the rising popularity of remixes and the increasing prevalence of electronic music, Thieves Like Us have crafted a dark, creeping record that contains very few organic elements, evoking a strange marriage of Wire's "154" and the minimalist production existent throughout the Junior Boys' catalogue. In the near-absence of guitars, Thieves Like Us employ synthesizers and pads to create the atmosphere of "Play music" -- a menacingly ethereal tone on tracks like "An easy tonight" and "Program of the first part"; a dancehall-ready minimalism on "Drugs in my body" and "Miss you"; and a driving, mutedly violent desperation on "Your heart feels", the stand-out track on the album. Where Cut City's brand of post-punk oscillates between the atmospheric and the all-too-present, Thieves Like Us deconstruct pop songs, warping them into skulking, introspective shadows existing somewhere between the likes of Cut Copy and Gang of Four. The seductiveness of an album like "Play music" is in the strength of its skeletal nature, in the unvarnished and austere compositions, and in the breadth of emotion explored within this unembellished format -- all of which Thieves Like Us succeed and excel at.
- Lars Garvey Laing-Peterson
Sasu Ripatti aka (Luomo, Vladislav Delay) plays drums and percussion on The Moritz von Oswald Trio's upcoming album "Vertical ascent", due out June 22 via Honest Jon's Records. Hit up the label site for samples: http://www.honestjons.com/label.php?pid=34157&LabelID=14815
Swedish noiserockers The End Will Be Kicks have another brand new song available for free download called "Little pill": http://theendwillbekicks.com/download
Sounds great, as always.
Danish act Under Byen will be doing a number of Belgian dates in October:
10/07 - Botanique, Brussels
10/08 - Cultuurcentrum De Spil, Roeselare
10/09 - de Warande, Turnhout
10/10 - Cultuurcentrum, Mechelen
10/11 - Cultuurcentrum, Hasselt
Updated North American tourdates for Dungen:
08/03 - Metropolis Theatre, Montreal, Quebec
08/04 - Massey Hall, Toronto, Ontario
08/05 - Royal Oak Theatre, Royal Oak, MI
08/07 - Lollapalooza, Chicago, IL
08/09 - First Avenue, Minneapolis, MN
08/10 - Picador, Iowa City, IA
08/12 - tbd, Columbus OH
08/13 - Big Orbits Soundlab, Buffalo, NY
08/14 - Bell House, Brooklyn, NY
08/15 - Johnny Brenda's, Philadelphia, PA
08/17 - Otto Bar, Baltimore, MD
08/18 - Grey Eagle, Asheville, NC
08/19 - The Earl, Atlanta, GA
08/21 - Mohawk, Austin, TX
08/22 - The Loft, Dallas, TX
08/24 - Rhythm Room, Tempe, AZ
08/26 - Troubadour, Los Angeles, CA
08/28 - Street Scene, San Diego, CA
08/29 - Kemado/Mexican Summer/Folk Yeah, Big Sur, CA
08/30 - Bottom of the Hill, San Francisco, CA
09/01 - tbd, Portland, OR
09/02 - Richards on Richards, Vancouver, BC
09/03 - Neumo's, Seattle, WA
8
This is what well-executed tweepop should sound like: sweet and delicate with a soft, fuzzy coating. I've generally considered Norway's Je Suis Animal to be one of the finer current bands in this style currently going and this recent 7" of theirs does not disappoint. The a-side "Painted in my face" is an upbeat number full of clever melodic twists that give it a bittersweet edge. It's also as good, if not better than anything from their debut full-length "Self-taught magic from a book", promising proof that the band is moving forward onto bigger and better things. On the flip we're treated to "Photograph", a slightly slower, more extended track that trades guitar leads for the kind of vocal harmonies the also-rans are too scared to even try. While the first couple of Cloudberry vinyl releases more or less left me cold, this one is assured of repeated listens. Nicely done!
- Avi Roig
Hardcore Superstar have updated their international tour itinerary, taking 'em out towards the end of the year: http://www.hardcoresuperstar.com/tour.shtml
Danish act The Foreign Resort has been picked up by US label Three Ring Records who will be releasing the band's debut album "Offshore" over here in October. They'll also be bringing them over for some shows, including a record release party on October 29 in San Francisco. Hit up myspace for more dates and samples: http://www.myspace.com/theforeignresort
The new album "Machine dreams" from Göteborg-based artist Little Dragon (aka Yukimi Nagano) has been confirmed for release on August 19. Samples at myspace: http://www.myspace.com/yourlittledragon
Swedish posi-hardcore act Sista Sekunden will be coming back to North America in October for an extensive tour covering the East. Preliminary details here: http://blogs.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendId=54025215&blogId=495359265
I'm a bit disappointed that Nitad didn't make it out west on their current US tour, but what can you do? Hopefully things went well enough for them that they'll make it back for another go and will play the one coast that actually matters. The rest of you out East better get yourselves in gear though 'cuz they've only got a few more dates left before they head back home to Sweden. And while you're at it, pick up me a t-shirt! Size M, please (seriously!). You will reimbursed in full. But let's get back to the music, shall we? Nitad are one my favorite current hardcore acts, besides maybe Fucked Up, a band who they get unfairly compared to all too often. I say: Whatever! Both are great, though punkrock purists and internet soapboxers love to complain. As it was, it always shall be. Anyhow, Nitad has just the right edge of anger and melody, backed with a relentlessly driving energy level that can't be denied. "Rädslan" kicks off their debut full-length "Ibland kan man inte hindran sig själv" with a fierce four-on-the-floor beat, played at what I guess would be the band's midtempo velocity. So yeah, pretty raging one might say. You dig? I have CDs to give away -- all you gotta do is email nitad-contest@itsatrap.com with your details and I'll have Kranium Records send out discs to the first 10 respondents. Do it!
Nitad - Rädslan
Seeing as how Nordic Jazz Week is in full swing this week (no pun intended), here's a new interview with Norwegian artist Arve Henriksen from the Washington Post Express: http://www.expressnightout.com/content/2009/06/arve_henriksen.php
Norwegian artist Petter Carlsen will release his new album "You go bird" on August 24 and you can now hear the title track at myspace: http://www.myspace.com/pettercarlsen
Southside Stalkers are streaming a new single called "Bones" at myspace, along with two other new tracks: http://www.myspace.com/southsidestalkers
Expect a new album later this year.
Thieves Like Us
Je Suis Animal
