The Big Pink, consisting of Robbie Furze and Milo Cordell, have recently blasted out of the London electronic drone and dance scene on the back of awe-inspiring live performances, convincing, fiery remixes, and searing singles like “Dominoes” that marry the pop sensibilities of early Jesus & Mary Chain with digital experimentalism a la labelmates Crystal Castles. All of this stands to reason as a band garnering such comparisons has every right to be great, but after giving a listen to the band’s debut LP A Brief History of Love, its clear this group has attained the status of phenomenal. So confident are their soaring riffs and so assured are their pulsating beats, coupled with anthemic lyricism, that this group seems poised for a worldwide shoegaze explosion. Definitely check this group out – ignore the hype and just give a listen!
Sludge-metal gods Boris have teamed up recently with alt-metal juggernauts Torche for some ear-sundering, metal castigation in the form of a brilliant new split EP entitled Chapter Ahead Being Fake (that’s the incredible cover art up there). Featuring a barn-burner of a Torche track called “King Beef” and one of the best Boris aural assaults in recent memory with the gripping twelve-plus minute “Luna”, the EP is certainly worth the cash if only for that sweet vinyl smell. Check out both tracks below but be sure and purchase it people – Satan is so watching you.
Converge’s Axe to Fall is quickly topping my list of most anticipated albums of the year, especially after hearing lead single “Dark Horse”. Also, some incredible news to announce, looks like Converge will be coming to Austin on Nov. 13th supporting none other than Mastodon with High on Fire in tow – an incredible, face-melting lineup that’s sure to annihilate Austin in the best possible way. Check the Converge website for details.
Fantastic news on the Lissy Trullie front in terms of new music – looks like not only has our famously fashionable New York starlet signed up to Downtown Records, home of the Cold War Kids, Spank Rock, and many other Cannibal Cheerleader-friendly artists, but her Self-Taught Learner EP has warranted the re-release treatment with an updated tracklist. Out on October 20th Lissy Trullie’s debut EP will now look like this:
01. Boy Boy 02. She Said 03. Self-Taught Learner 04. Money 05. Forget About it 06. Ready For The Floor 07. Don’t To Do (New Track) 08. Hold Your Head (New Track) 09. Just A Friend (Duet w/ Adam Green – Biz Markie Cover) 10. You Bleed You (Unreleased Demo)
All this packaged with the incredible news that Lissy and company are working with none other than Bernard Butler (perhaps you’ll remember his work with the Libertines, our favorite band ever, on their excellent singles “What A Waster” and “Don’t Look Back Into the Sun”) on their debut album, slated for release in early 2010. People are being turned on left and right to an artist we’ve already deemed as one of the best of the year. Also if you haven’t caught up with recent Lissy Trullie happenings, including the band’s runin with Swine Flu over in Europe, read it up over at their blog.
Also, subscribe to the band’s YouTube page, where they’ve just recently uploaded their new EPK – it’s definitely worth checking out if only for the excellent live footage.
And finally, here are a few “Boy Boy” remixes to round out your day (last post of the day, I swear). The first is a remix by U-tern from RCRD LBL and the second is a Cannibal Cheerleader exclusive remix from Blunt Laser. Check them both out below!
If you haven’t heard Humbug yet, the newest release from Sheffield’s Arctic Monkeys, be prepared to have your face slowly and painfully peeled back by the halting power and thunderous riffs of the group’s heaviest record yet. With a howling croon more reminiscient lead singer Alex Turner’s previous release, his one-off record as half of The Last Shadow Puppets, the tracks on the band’s third album seethe and melt with like butter on brimstone. Coupled with some of the best instrumentation that the Monkeys have ever conjured from their dark bag, Humbug is one of the best releases bar none of the year so far. Definitely pick it up at the earliest opportunity and check out these Japanese-release-only b-sides below.
(apparently the Arctic Monkeys don’t want free press because they sicked the ‘Web Sheriff’ on me – whatever you do, do not buy this album now)
Take a look at this soon-to-be iconic album cover for Converge’s next opus Axe to Fall – the familiar female theme now meshed with a disturbing Mexican-skull-face design to gruesome effect. Some stunning stuff.
That’s not all that’s rocking our world right now though, as the first single from the band’s latest LP has just been announced and is up for streaming over at the group’s Myspace. “Dark Horse” can only be described as a pummeling maelstrom, some unrelenting punishment for our musical sins, and a fiersome announcement that Converge, with Kurt Ballou’s signature wailing guitar sounds, Ben Koller’s destructive blast-beats, and Jacob Bannon’s all too familiar screech, buried here under a wall of thrashing sonics. Definitely check this one out – eagerly awaiting the full album. Tracklist below:
While a little antithetical to the group’s prevailing sound, Lumina is the side-project of Horrors frontman Faris Badwin and former Ipso Facto songstress Cherish Kaye and stands as staunch proof that 2009 may indeed be the year for goth-rock to return. More gothic and understated than the waves of unholy shoegaze that was Primary Colours, “I’ll Be With You”, a cover of a Black Lips song, might just be Badwin’s best track of the year. Check it out below.
Lumina – “I’ll Be With You” ******************************************************************** Elsewhere, speaking of unholy shoegaze, here’s the video for the new Horrors‘ single “Mirror’s Image” – crazy butterfly affects does not usually produce this sense of unease…
New format here at Cannibal Cheerleader – going with the GvB model of posting individual items when the need slices into us like a musical meat cleaver, starting off South London’s the xx whose self-titled debut LP has leaked like so much innocent blood onto the internet and into our wanton ears.
With striking minimalism in the form of titilating drum machines and wiry, pulsating guitar squiggles and red hot fiery passion by way of the whispered dual-vocals of Romy Madley Croft and Oliver Sim (here sounding like lovers separated by a great yawning chasm), the xx recall haunting Joy Division tracks run through streamy fantasy world and released on the Italians Do It Better label. Check it out below – early contender for album of the year, no doubt about it.
The Big Pink, consisting of Robbie Furze and Milo Cordell, have recently blasted out of the London electronic drone and dance scene on the back of awe-inspiring live performances, convincing, fiery remixes, and searing singles like “Dominoes” that marry the pop sensibilities of early Jesus & Mary Chain with digital experimentalism a la labelmates Crystal Castles. All of this stands to reason as a band garnering such comparisons has every right to be great, but after giving a listen to the band’s debut LP A Brief History of Love, its clear this group has attained the status of phenomenal. So confident are their soaring riffs and so assured are their pulsating beats, coupled with anthemic lyricism, that this group seems poised for a worldwide shoegaze explosion. Definitely check this group out – ignore the hype and just give a listen!
