NEW MARS VOLTA ALBUM NEWS AND COVER ART Check that bad boy out! Word on the street is (very early, blogosphere speculative word that is) that this wonderful monstrosity is indeed the face of Octahedron, the newest release from Texas’ own The Mars Volta, one of our favorite bands of all time. Lots of speculation and rumor surrounding this release so let’s lay down a few things we do know, starting with the tracklist:
“Since We’ve Been Wrong”
“Teflon”
“Halo of Nembutals”
“With Twilight as My Guide”
“Cotopaxi”
“Desperate Graves”
“Copernicus”
“Luciforms”
Also notable is the suggestion that this album will be a more subdued and listenable approach to TMV’s sound, an experience Omar Rodriguez-Lopez has dubbed “acoustic”, though it’s anyone’s guess as to what acoustic can mean for this band. Still, a step towards listenability may just be an approach to greater rockness, though there’s hardly any chance this album could conquer the behemoth (no pun intended) that was the Bedlam in Goliath. Still, here’s hope “Since We’ve Been Wrong” is a Kelly Clarkson cover (it IS the first single after all).
Another interesting tidbit – check out this photo below, which is the background of Hello Merch’s Mars Volta page. Below that you’ll see the mountain the picture was based on, called “Cotopaxi”. Coincidence? We think not! Maybe another piece of the art puzzle, look out for more clues folks! Lastly here’s a live bootleg version of “Since We’ve Been Wrong” from their New Year’s Eve show this past December. Get excited.
The Mars Volta – “Cavalettas” ******************************************************************** NEW BALMORHEA VIDEO Here’s Austin’s own Balmorhea’s newest video for “Remembrance” off their excellent third LP All Is Wild, All Is Silent. Enjoy!
Balmorhea – “Settler” ******************************************************************** THE ARM TO REUNITE IN AUSTIN Back in the day, back when things were real different here in Austin, there used to be this rather electric dance-punk group whose combination of Interpol-esque pathos merged seamlessly with their industrial, Bloc Party beats to create a local powerhouse of Gang of Four-style indie rock – that group was called the Arm and they broke up YEARS ago it seems. Well imagine our surprise when we found out the group would be reforming for one night only at a headling show at Emo’s on May 9th. You know we’ll be there! Check out the group’s Myspace for more details!
We’ve been lauding one of our favorite UK hardcore acts Rolo Tomassi for quite some time now, so we’re incredibly excited to offer up an exclusive interview with the group right here on Cannibal Cheerleader.
CC: Tell us about how the band formed and how you came into your unique sound. What are your biggest influences? RT:We formed out of a neccessity to have fun. We were aged between 14 and 16 and enjoyed making music together. As our tastes had changed we wanted to reflect that in musical output so we formed Rolo Tomassi. I think the sound just came about from listening to all sorts of different hardcore. Bands like Dillinger Escape Plan and At The Drive In have always been hugely influential to our sound but more recently everyone has gone off in their own directions and tangents musically.
This interview also coincides with an exciting announcement: Cannibal Cheerleader will be issuing our third zine edition this March to coincide with SXSW! You’ll be able to read the full spread in the zine, as well as interviews with other exciting acts and independent articles on a variety of subjects. What, don’t have issues #1 or #2 yet? Email me at cannibalcheerleader@gmail.com and I’ll try and mail you one (fair warning, in exchange you’ll have to send me an article I can stick on the site)! Until then, check out more of our Rolo Tomassi interview below and be prepared to check this band out when they step across the pond for SXSW ‘09.
******************************************************************** TRYOUTS: BALMORHEA’S ALL IS WILD, ALL IS SILENT
With the official release of their third LP creeping closer, Austin act Balmorhea’sAll Is Wild, All Is Silent quietly found its way onto popular mp3 sites, instantly lighting up download clients the world over and becoming one of the most wildly popular music torrents literally overnight. For a group basing their sound on delicate layering and hushed melodies, the fervor surrounding this release might come as quite the shock – even given their status as a cult-favorite the remains a neo-classical post-rock band. However, the hype is more than warranted, as the material presented on All Is Wild eclipses Balmorhea’s previous work to such a degree as to argue past releases were only building momentum to this monumental awakening. The album conjures images of the haunting glow of a dying campfire, shining in the reverent blackness of a nighttime forest as the world envelopes you from all around. Never ones to rely on repetition for effect, the band conjures tunes that flit wildly in different directions, sometimes within the span of a single song, darting from terse violin strains to soulful vocal refrains to lilting piano chords then back again. The album’s title describes its content perfectly, a wonderful dichotomy between chaotic instrumental strains and intense minimalism, both of which speak to the sincerity of the music and make for a fantastic headphone listen. Captain of the cheerleading squad for 2009 thus far.
On another note, be sure and check out our All Is Wild, All Is Silent preview video, featured below, which shows off the energy that these songs capture live.
Also of interest to Balmorhea fans will be the fact that this song recorded below and originally “Untitled” has been since renamed “Remembrance” and recorded officially for this album. Watch it again below.
Here’s more of our Rolo Tomassi interview – you can check out the entire interview in our new edition of the Cannibal Cheerleader Magazine, out during SXSW here in Austin.
CC: How would you describe your music to the uninitiated? Have you ever heard descriptions of your music that seemed way off base? RT: We all recently decided that the term we’re happiest with is ‘progressive hardcore’. I think we’ll always have our hardcore roots but the sound has evolved from there and in that sense become progressive. I think a lot of current bands would be keen to shy away from ‘prog’ as a label but we like it. I can’t stand being called spazzcore.
CC: What’s it like being in a band whose popularity seems to be growing everyday? Is all the press exciting or daunting? Is it hard to stay focused on the music amongst the image politics of today’s music press? RT: It’s really exciting. We’re just incredibly happy that we can keep touring more and more extensively and have the opportunity to come over and play events like SXSW. Whilst sometimes it is easy to get caught up in the press side of things it never detracts from us making music or staying focused on the fact that we are a band!
CC: Which scene does Rolo Tomassi belong to? Metal? Punk? Some crossover or none of the above? Do music classifications help or hinder a band like yours? RT: We belong in a community of bands who tour hard and help each other out. Its more about the people than bands sounding similar. I believe any band can be seriously hindered but specific classification musically. As soon as you say we’re ‘X’ kind of band, you immediately exclude people who don’t like that kind of music.
CC: What is it to ‘make it’ as a band? When can you say you’ve achieved your goals? RT: It completely depends what you want out of it. I long surpassed any goals I had for this band and we’re on a constant bonus round right now. As long as we can keep touring at the frequency we do and visit more new countries I’ll be happy.
Happy New Years Cannibal Cheerleader faithful! Whether you’re just tuning in or you’re an old-school follower, we’d like you to know that 2009 is going to blow 2008 out of the water here on the blog. We’ve had more than one ‘returning to the fold’ post but this one represents a new direction, a dedication to creating new content, new videos, and introducing more new music. The blogosphere collectively suffers from multiple ailments: story-swapping, shameless copying, ‘hipster-dom’, and a general lack of originality. I’d like to think Cannibal Cheerleader is the cure for what ails you, the reader of the common everyday music blog. Let the CC crew rip out the old and inject you with a healthy dosage of bloody good music. This is Cannibal Cheerleader 2009 – we won’t let you down.
One of our favorite Austin bands Balmorhea continue to creep closer to the March 10th release of their third LP All is Wild, All is Silent on the excellent Western Vinyl and they’re celebrating by releasing a new track per week on their Myspace until the album drops. Check out the excellent “Settler” this week. Also, we recently recorded a video of the group performing tracks from their new album at a show at Austin’s own Parish. Check it out below!
While we can’t purport to know every band that calls the music capital of the world its home, we’re shocked the utterly fantastic local group known as Ume managed to fly under our radar for so long. A trio originally from Houston this group packs the energy of Sonic Nurse era Youth (with Kim Gordon vocals care of lead-shredder and riot grrrl Lauren Larson) and combines it with a furious punk drive that gives way to haunting minimalism in parts. Ume is a complicated band deserving of repeated listens and multiple viewings – luckily we’ll be checking them out this very Thursday at Emo’s Free Week! Come down and check them out out.
Check out this Brooklyn Vegan report on the happenings of the one and only Crystal Castles and their late night New Year’s Eve antics at Music Hall of Williamsburg. Seems like the show(s) was beyond wild, featuring hits old and new. Check out this video below of the group performing what I believe to be “Yes/No”, a track that will be featured on their sophomore LP. Rumors abound about who will be producing the album (Rick Rubin tops this list) and when production will start (ASAP we hope) so if anyone has any Crystal Castles news, hook us up people!
******************************************************************** AS DID MY MORNING JACKET
After a lauded performance at Bonnaroo 2008, it seemed that My Morning Jacket couldn’t possibly top themselves. Only that they have, with their ringing in of the New Year with a performance at Madison Square Garden in NYC. Go here for pictures but more importantly go HERE to download the live set, which features Marvin Gaye covers, MMJ rarities, and a classic countdown. Check it out immediately.
An amusing anecdote for the Cannibal Cheerleader faithful. It’s no small secret that we’re huge horror fans here at CC, so imagine our surprise when we Google ‘cannibal cheerleader’ and come across an upcoming film featuring just that – a cheerleader who goes about slaughtering and devouring her male classmates. Yes it seems that Diablo Cody of Juno fame long ago penned a horror script entitled Jennifer’s Body (titled perhaps off the Hole track of the same name from their seminal LP Live Through This) and its currently being produced with eyes on a September release. Starring Megan Fox as the title character and featuring dark humor (ala Heathers), oodles of gore, and much talked about female nudity, we have already labeled Jennifer’s Body as the best film of 2009. Now, some may disagree about labeling any piece of media as the ‘best of’ this early in the year. However, we at Cannibal Cheerleader think that we’ve found the cinematic equivalent of Merriweather Post Pavillion for 2009, and we plan to bring you obsessive coverage of the film throughout the year. Brace yourselves.
Seems our friends Balmorhea have been busy over the last few months, recording, mastering, and ultimately finishing their upcoming third LP All Is Wild, All Is Silent (cover up above). From the recent show we covered (video coming soon!) the gang’s new tunes are going to blow the lid off of everything they’ve done before now. Check the tracklist below, CD due out March 9th!
TRACK LISTING: SETTLER MARCH 4, 1831 HARM AND BOON ELEGY REMEMBRANCE COAHUILA NIGHT IN THE DRAW TRUTH NOVEMBER 1, 1832
With a setlist to die for and sounding tighter than Jenny Lewis’ thigh-highs, Rilo Kiley blazed through classics old and new at their triumphant turn at Austin’s Stubb’s BBQ.
4. MY MORNING JACKET AT THE PARISH
We managed to catch My Morning Jacket three times this year but none better than in the intimate setting of the Parish, where their magnificently raucous live antics threatened to collapse the second-story floor and show off their technical skill rather than their arean-rock readiness.
3. BE YOUR OWN PET AT STUBB’S
Ripping and shredding up the stage like a pack of wolves, Be Your Own Pet managed to sound both fresh with their brand new Get Awkward tracks and wizened with their undeniably punk ethos during their brief set at Austin’s Stubb’s BBQ.
2. CONVERGE AT RED 7
With a fiery set reminiscent of end-of-days prophecies, Converge annihilated all expectations with a set that was both brutal and enthralling, recalling the days when punk meant something more than just fast guitars.
1. CAT POWER AT STUBB’S
Easily topping the list of this year’s most enthralling live sets, Cat Power at Stubb’s recalled classic soul songstresses of yesteryear, soaring through classics from You Are Free, the Greatest, and this year’s Jukebox, all the while maintaining the composure and confidence of a road-weary but hardened troubadour. Chan Marshall has walked through the fire and come out the other side a little older, a little dustier, but all the better for her trials.
TOP FIVE HORROR MOVIES OF THE YEAR
5. THE RUINS
Simple setting, not-so-simple enemy, the Ruins managed to combine pleasingly-gory special effects with an overbearing sense of dread as the protagonists find themselves trapped on an ancient pyramid being eaten by, what else, rabid plants. Bloody pom-poms awarded all around.
4. THE STRANGERS
Perhaps the most outright terrifying flick on our list, the Strangers captures the nihilism of modern horror with stark and brutal imagery and enough impending dread to make you queasy throughout. Plus, check out the awesome old-timey poster, great stuff.
3. TEETH
A coming of age tale for the morally reprehensible amongst us (myself definitely included) Teeth tells the story of a young girl blossoming into full-fledged womanhood and all the blood, guts, and terror that it inevitably involves. Recommended for every frat-boy considering date-rape (warning: castration abounds).
2. FUNNY GAMES
A horrifically stark and undeniably enjoyable trek into the darkest reaches of the horror-film psyche, Funny Games forces the viewer themselves into sadism for continuing to watch the terrible torture of an affluent family by a deranged duo of golf-club wielding maniacs. Are we the real monsters for enjoying the film? It’s hard not to be when Naomi Watts starts gunning people down. A must see.
1. THE SIGNAL
Of all the horror movies this year to question the brutal and sadistic nature of the genre, none dared to go so far as to question the medium of delivery itself, to identify the maddening pervasiveness of media in our society and our cult-like devotion to it. In the Signal, the three directors attempt just that, fusing elements of horror, drama, zombie-flick, dark comedy, gore, and psyche-freak-out all into a visionary masterpiece that undeniably captures what is at times both the best and the sickest elements of horror cinema – the unending search for meaning in a cruel world attacking from all sides. So highly recommended I’m wondering why you’re still reading this and not buying it. You must have the crazy.
Any other readers have horror movie faves? Comments?
It’s finally here Cannibal Cheerleaders, the new SpinneretteGhetto Love EP has arrived and none too soon for our ears. It seems that ex-Distiller Brody Dalle has been reincarnated as a nightmarish punk burlesque dancer, wrapped in layers of electronic decadence while still maintaining the poignant and fierce lyricism on which she’s built a name. Dead romance, blood mixing with tears, makeup running down one’s face, all wrapped in pleather in a smoky, shady bar corner, that is Spinnerette (our kind of band!). Check the video for “Ghetto Love” below and head here to purchase the new EP (only five bucks people, quite the deal we’d say).
Today we begin our ‘end-of-year’ wrap-ups, mercifully soon so we can get back to the real business of music journalism! Seems like every blog does their “best of’s” around this time so we figured we’d hop onboard, with a few Cannibal Cheerleader touches of course. Our first category…
TOP FIVE LOCAL AUSTIN BANDS
SOUTHERN DRAMA
Whether you interpret this local all-female trio as a wildly imaginative Vaudevillian act or a indie-pop folk band wrapped in old-time mystique one thing’s for certain, Southern Drama is easily the most original and creative act currently playing in Austin and one of our favorites of the year.
With the release of their stellar sophormore LP Pardon Me, Are Those Your Claws in My Back, the Faceless Werewolves have cornered the Austin market on furious blues-rock and garage-punk, cementing themselves as one of the Capital City’s most treasured acts.
Soaring in on a wave of delicated strings and hushed arrangement, Balmorhea has made good use of one short year, finding themselves poised to be the next big thing in neo-classicist cum indie-rock and making it easily onto our 2008 best local band list.
With a fiery carnage matched only by the band’s steadfast determination, Prey For Sleep have brought the brutality back to the Austin metal scene, whipping the small but vengeful community into a fury behind their debut LP and carving a spot into our end of the year list.
Swirling down on a wave of guitar squalls, Ringo Deathstarr single-handedly have revitalized the flagging shoegaze scene in Austin with an MBV-referencing sound and a distinction for being lost in a vortex of white noise, though they managed to find their way onto our top local band list with ease.
With girl-group vocals and shoe-gaze guitars all combined into a surf-rock playing style, the Vivian Girls have proven themselves as a formidable new act through relentless touring, capturing a sound long thought dead and revitalizing a genre with the ease of a reverb pedal.
With a level of delicate instrumentation and unique percussion almost unheard in indie rock, High Places have taken lilting pop ballads into the realm of wild experimentalism and are on the crest of a wave of musicians combining creativity with indelible songwriting abilities.
With a torrent of positive press flying their way after the release of their sophomore LP, the Gaslight Anthem have gone from celebrated underground Jersey punks to acclaimed rock and roll stars all in the course of one short year, due to their combination of lovelorn Springsteen-referencing lyrics and Social Distortion riffs.
Blazing onto the scene on the backs of several fiery singles and EPs, Heartsrevolution took punk-electro to new heights, combining dance-rhythms and electronic whirlings with shrieking vocals and violent imagery, making them one of the most original and exciting acts of the year.
Equal blues rock and female fronted indie-pop, Grand Ole Party deliver fiery vocals and spidery guitar lines in a fierce package of minimalistic garage punk that heralds this trio as an act to watch for years to come.
BELLE & SEBASTIAN RELEASE BBC LP An unequivocable favorite of our over here at Cannibal Cheerleader through the years has been the now sadly ‘on-hiatus’ group Belle & Sebastian. From their indie-pop masterpiece If You’re Feeling Sinister to their subversively excellent b-sides and rareties (collected on Push Barman to Open Old Wounds) we love it all. That’s why we’re so excited to hear that the band is officially releasing a collection of some of their lauded BBC Sessions. Included is the rare John Peel session that includes the last recorded material with Isobell Campbell as part of the band’s lineup, as well as alternative versions of BS favorites like “The State I Am In” and “Lazy Line Painter Jane”. Tracklist below, thanks to P4K for the info!
Disc One – Radio Sessions:
01 The State I Am In (Mark Radcliffe Session; 07/96) 02 Like Dylan in the Movies (Mark Radcliffe Session; 07/96) 03 Judy and the Dream of Horses (Mark Radcliffe Session; 07/96) 04 The Stars of Track and Field (Mark Radcliffe Session; 07/96) 05 I Could Be Dreaming (Mark Radcliffe session; 12/96; abbreviated version) 06 Seymour Stein (Evening Session; 07/97) 07 Lazy Line Painter Jane (Evening Session; 07/97) 08 Sleep the Clock Around (Evening Session; 07/97) 09 Slow Graffiti (Evening Session; 07/97) 10 Wrong Love (later recorded as “The Wrong Girl”) (Evening Session; 07/97) 11 Shoot the Sexual Athlete (John Peel session; 05/01) 12 The Magic of a Kind Word (John Peel session; 05/01) 13 Nothing in the Silence (John Peel session; 05/01) 14 (My Girl’s Got) Miraculous Technique (John Peel session; 05/01)
Disc Two – Live in Belfast (12/21/01):
01 Here Comes the Sun 02 There’s Too Much Love 03 The Magic of a Kind Word 04 Me and the Major 05 Wandering Alone 06 The Model 07 I’m Waiting for the Man 08 The Boy With the Arab Strap 09 The Wrong Girl 10 Dirty Dream #2 11 The Boys Are Back in Town 12 Legal Man
Belle & Sebastian – “Dog On Wheels” ******************************************************************** NEW BALMORHEA LIVE VIDEOS CC fave Balmorhea recently recorded some live sessions as a part of the Retread Sessions at Austin’s KUT. Check these videos out below, they feature songs that will be on the group’s upcoming third LP!
Balmorhea “Untitled 2″ from Retread Sessions on Vimeo. Balmorhea – “San Solomon” ******************************************************************** WHO IS MEMORY CASSETTE? With a mysterious and lonely Myspace and a lone photograph (see above), Memory Cassette is a secretive but nontheless entrancing new act with a sound that recalls the disco-retro of bands like Glass Candy and the Chromatics, albeit with a little more techno experimentalism. Check out this tune below and head here if you want to download the whole EP. Thanks to the guys over at GvsB for the heads up on this awesome new artist.
NEW TREASURE MAMMAL 7” Fresh from our mailbox to your computer screen comes the newest release from Phoenix-based rapper/experimental artist/motivational speaker Treasure Mammal, and boy it’s a doozy. The EP is a split with Whitman but it’s our friend T. Mammal who steals the show, especially with his excellent rendition of “Ain’t No Shame in My Game”. Seriously, Abe’s flow is becoming a serious force to be reckoned with, his scattershot metaphors mixing seamlessly with his vocal delivery, which dances between righteously spastic and smoothly droll. It’s a one-two punch from the mammal-master, so hook yourself up and buy one now. While you’re at it, buy your friends one too so you all can have a proper dance party, Treasure Mammal style.
Treasure Mammal – “Let’s Get Naked” ******************************************************************** NEW TEGAN AND SARA VIDEO Tegan and Sara are still making videos it seems for last year’s excellent The Con, but we here at Cannibal Cheerleader don’t mind one bit! Check out the vid for “Call It Off” below.
Balmorhea – “San Solomon” ******************************************************************** NEW TV ON THE RADIO VIDEO CC faves TV on the Radio have released the video for “Golden Age”, the first single from their new and most excellent LP Dear Science. Check it below!
Swinging in for a free in-store performance at End of an Ear Records a little over an hour later than expected, Thao Nguyen and her backing backing band the Get Down Stay Down nonetheless managed to tear through a set of bluesy indie rock that kept the audience rapt with attention throughout short set. With intricate guitar-picking skills that nonetheless seems to flow from her fingertips like raindrops, and a voice that recalls a mix between a Southern
songstress croon and a riot grrrl yelp, Thao beat-boxed, strummed, wailed, and shredded her way through an abbreviated set in preview for her Emo’s performance tonight. However, the
intimacy of the record store maximized the poetic and heartfelt nature of her songs and while the downtown concert venue will no doubt attract a bigger crowd and ellicit a longer set, the experience of seeing Thao and the Get Down Stay Down in this tiny room stands out as one of the best live performances this year in Austin. We’ll definitely be keeping up with Thao as she
Balmorhea, the neo-classical sextet that wowed us with their unbelievable sophomore LP Rivers Arms are goin’ out west with Bexar Bexar in tow and meeting up with Tiny Vipers along the way. Touring violinist Aisha Burns has set up a blog called Stages, Stories, and Highway Signs to chronicle the bands’ adventures. You know we’ll be checking it out daily to see where this great band goes.
At the same time, Prey For Sleep, our favorite Austin crust-punk-meets-metal act, is heading up north to Ohio to record a six-song EP. Driving all the way, lead singer Hunter Townsend will be blogging about his adventures when the quintet gets a free second over at the band’s Myspace.
Here’s to both these groups, we’ll be checking in on your progress over the next month with great interest. Good luck you guys and you move across the country!
******************************************************************** WEEZER ANNOUNCE TOUR W/ AVA, TOKYO POLICE CLUB
Now that Weezer has returned to form musically, it’s about time they return to touring like a normal band as well. The Rivers Cuomo-fronted foursome will trek across America with Cannibal Cheerleader faves Angels and Airwaves and Tokyo Police Club in tow, landing at the Frank Erwin Center here in Austin on Oct. 20th. Get your tickets now because this show will sell out quick!
BALMORHEA IN SHORT FILM According to Balmorhea’s Myspace their haunting, etheral music was recently used in an equally haunting and moving short film by Jared Hogan of the Savannah School of Art and Design. I’m a film student first and a music critic second, so this post is perfect for Cannibal Cheerleader! Watch the film here and comment on what you think. That picture of there is of the real Balmorhea, Texas skyline and fits the band’s music pretty closely as well. ******************************************************************** NEW FACELESS WEREWOLVES VIDEOThough this particular piece isn’t Cannibal Cheerleader produced, we’d nonetheless like to show it to everyone, as it features some solid live action from our favorite local garage-rock act the Faceless Werewolves. Check this out!
******************************************************************** NEW BAND CHEER – THAO NGUYENThao Nguyen, more commonly known as Thao with The Get Down Stay Down (the name of her backing band) is a Kill Rock Stars signee with a smokey croon that recalls CC fave Cat Power and a Southern rock vibe that’s equal parts joyous bounce and terrific pathos, all rolled into one. We here at Cannibal Cheerleader saw her perform live opening for Rilo Kiley and we’ve been in love with her new LP We Brave Bee Stings and All ever since. Definitely check this one out if you like acoustic-y southern songstresses as much as we do (and we like ‘em A LOT). ******************************************************************** THE HORROR, THE HORROR – THE HAPPENING I went into The Happening this weekend not expecting much, as the critical reception of M. Night Shyamalan’s newest film had been lukewarm at best. However, I was pleasantly surprised with what was a taut, well-formed thriller, with plenty of guts and gore to offset the the dreamy dread that has become one of the director’s trademarks. First however, I have to contextualize my feelings on Mr. Shyamalan, whose films I’ve always unabashedly adored. While the current zeitgeist in horror filmmaking might be leaning towards horror-porn and increased shock-value (not that I don’t like that stuff mind you), this director has chosen to approach the genre from a different direction, employing his own vision that I’ve dubbed ‘horror slowcore’, a steady stream of dread mixed in with intense introspection, religious questioning, and philosophical and political undertones. Excellent films like the Village (my personal favorite of his) come across as so divergent from the horror norm that many fans of the genre fail to engage themselves into the world of the film as they would with another scare-flick. Still, Shyamalan crafts layers upon layers of meaning into his worlds and is one of the only directors evolving the genre beyond its slasher roots (for better or for worse). That said, the Happening isn’t the Village or the Sixth Sense, but it does have its share of great kills (death by lawnmower and suicidal construction workers for the win) and truly beautiful moments (Mark Walhberg’s and Zooey Deschanel’s final attempt to be together at what seems like their last moment is stirring and genuine). However the film’s evil force and its tendency to make people kill themselves sometimes comes off as absurd and the acting beyond the leads was spotty at best. Still, more than worth the price of admission and deserving of three out of four bloody pon-poms. Go see it folks.
Hey Cannibal Cheerleader faithful, we’re halfway through the year so I figured it was about time to announce the albums, acts, songs, and shows that I feel are the best of the year SO FAR. Below are some tentative lists with the entries in no particular order and I’m not going to comment on these choices because frankly, they could change tomorrow! But I think what follows will be a good template of where we stand here in the middle of June and I believe a good deal of these may join us again in December. So, without further ado, the Halfway There Cannibal Cheerleader lists:
Check that bad boy out! Word on the street is (very early, blogosphere speculative word that is) that this wonderful monstrosity is indeed the face of Octahedron, the newest release from Texas’ own The Mars Volta, one of our favorite bands of all time. Lots of speculation and rumor surrounding this release so let’s lay down a few things we do know, starting with the tracklist:
Lastly here’s a live bootleg version of “Since We’ve Been Wrong” from their New Year’s Eve show this past December. Get excited.
Here’s Austin’s own Balmorhea’s newest video for “Remembrance” off their excellent third LP All Is Wild, All Is Silent. Enjoy!
Back in the day, back when things were real different here in Austin, there used to be this rather electric dance-punk group whose combination of Interpol-esque pathos merged seamlessly with their industrial, Bloc Party beats to create a local powerhouse of Gang of Four-style indie rock – that group was called the Arm and they broke up YEARS ago it seems. Well imagine our surprise when we found out the group would be reforming for one night only at a headling show at Emo’s on May 9th. You know we’ll be there! Check out the group’s Myspace for more details!
