Yet another quick classic from our friends to the East in the form of a new split EP entitled Golden Dance Classics featuring Boris, this time paired with 9dw, an electro-jazz fusion band also from Japan. Once again Boris shines with bright and unrelenting tracks that feature washed-out guitar riffs over blasting drumwork and whip-crack electronics, while 9dw brings their best work to the table as well, stripping away the former band’s shoegaze elements in favor of a dancier, more techno sound that nonetheless doesn’t delve into the realm of kitsch and instead noodles into abstraction and experimentalism. Overall a very worthwhile and interesting EP, very bright and sunny compared to the split with Torche and an excellent addition for any Boris completionist (cough cough, including Cannibal Cheerleader faithful!). Check it:
On the Boris front, don’t forget the band will be contributing a sizable amount of music to Jim Jarmusch’s new flick The Limits of Control about a lone wolf criminal and his travels through Spain. The film will hopefully receive a wide-run (or at least a DVD release) soon so keep your eyes peeled and check out the trailer below until then!
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.
BORIS BLOWS AUSTIN AWAY It goes without saying that when it comes to metal, Japanese trio Boris remains in a completely different league than the majority of other ‘heavy’ bands working today. With a combination of sludge, drone, and stoner metal built on top of a framework of mind-blowing virtuosity by guitarist Wata, guitarist/vocalist/bassist Takeshi, and drummer Atsuo, one could expect the band to put on a live show that borders on perfection. Saturday here in Austin at the Mohawk, Boris did not disappoint. While opener Clouds experimented with melodic metal and Torche brought the requisite crunch-factor that metal-heads crave, the Boris experience was near mystical, as they whipped through tracks from their latest LP Smile as well as cuts from Pink with the help of master guitarist and special unannounced guest Michio Kurihara (who assisted the band on their Rainbow LP). As the smoke machine billowed around the band who played loose and free during their entire set, the audience quickly became mesmerized, only snapping from their metal-induced haze at the end of each extended cut, which was ultimately followed by rapturous applause. Starting slowly with “Flower Sun Rain”, Boris built up speed through the entire set before eventually settling on such fantastic cuts from Smile such as “My Neighbor Satan” and ending on a sublime note, leaving the audience begging for more. Ultimately Boris proved that metal can be an avant-garde art form, melodic and breathtaking in its head-banging fury, all while treating Austin to the heaviest show it might see this year. Here are a ton of pictures I took at Mohawk and a cut from their latest LP. Enjoy! Boris Wata Takeshi Atsuo Michio Kurihara Clouds Torche Boris – “My Neighbor Satan” ******************************************************************** GRAND OLE PARTY ON MTV2 It appears that our old friends from San Diego Grand Ole Party are tearing it up on MTV2, as their video for “Look Out Young Son”, a choice cut from their Humanimals LP is now in rotation according to the trio. Definitely keep an eye out for it and check the rad video below.
Grand Ole Party – “Look Out Young Son” ******************************************************************** HEADLIGHTS NEW DAYTROTTER SESSION Illinois-natives Headlights have just put up a new Daytrotter Session and it includes a great rendition of their hit from Some Racing, Some Stopping “Cherry Tulips”. According to the band’s Myspace:
“All these songs were re-invented for the Daytrotter sessions. We used all the great vintage gear — old keyboards and an upright bass, loop pedals and what not. They have really cool toys.”
Thanks everyone for readings and thanks to Treasure Mammal for stopping by my work yesterday even though I missed his show! He’s a really great guy so be sure and check him out! Any comments?
According to the Giant Drag website, Annie Hardy of our favorite My Bloody Valentine-referencing, shoegazey, post-punk solo/duo band will be recording a new, as of yet untitled EP. The tracklist will include live favorites such as “Swan Song” and “White Baby” as well as tracks “Heart Carl” and “Stuff to Live For”. This is a welcome change for Hardy who was unceremoniously dropped from Interscope following her first awesome LP Hearts and Unicorns. Hardy and other GD contributors are hard at work slamming out a new record but in the meantime visit her Ebay Store so you can donate to the cause of saving Giant Drag from obscurity. Seriously, this is one of my favorite bands in recent memory and definitely deserves to get the opportunity to make more music, so check it out. Also, here’s a sample of “Swan Song” taken live from a Giant Drag show in Paris.
******************************************************************** PREY FOR SLEEP TOUR CANCELLED!
“Due to issues with our booking agent we’ve been forced to cancel our upcoming nationwide summer tour”, says lead singer Hunter Townsend of awesome Austin metal act Prey For Sleep. Apparently the booking agent was unable (or too lazy!) to secure spots for PFS and the band was forced to call it off due to monetary issues. In the meantime though Hunter and the boys would like to know what Austinites or any of their fans want from the band now. Their latest Myspace bulletin reads:
“Here’s a thought.
What do you want from Prey for Sleep in the next few months?
T-Shirts? Lighters? Hoodies? DVDs? Lunch boxes?
Let us know what you need to spread the word.”
So there you have it, let Prey For Sleep know what you need from them by contacting them at their Myspace. A PFS lunchbox sounds pretty rad to me that’s for sure.
The band will be heading up to Cleveland in August to record an as of yet untitled EP, then plans to attempt a nationwide tour in January. Good luck guys! ******************************************************************** SUMMER SHOWS IN AUSTIN – CC CALENDAR
Here’s a rundown of some upcoming shows in Austin that Cannibal Cheerleader will definitely be attending:
Hey to all of the readers/users of Waffles.fm, the best replacement ever for Oink.cd in my opinion. Thanks for swinging by the blog and reading the ‘Converge’ piece posted on the front page of Waffles. If you don’t know what Waffles is you should read this article about file-sharing and see if the Oink/Waffles movement is right for you. Until next time, comment people!
Sorry about taking a break for Memorial Day guys, hope this monster post makes up for it! See you tomorrow!
Remember when we told you earlier in the week that there was no news on that 3-song EP featuring the tracks that were left off the US version of Be Your Own Pet’s sophomore LP Get Awkward because of a record label dispute? Well turns out there IS news and it’s in the form of Get Damaged, an EP (or two 7″ records) that feature all three missing songs (”Becky”, “Blow Your Mind”, “Black Hole”). The EP is due out June 3rd (smokes that’s soon!). Read here for all the details and check out that completely rad cover up there! Here’s an obscure BYOP track as well for the newly converted.
******************************************************************** NEW BORIS MUSIC VIDEO – “STATEMENT”
Here’s the new Boris music video for their single “Statement” off of the excellent Smile LP. Remember, these guys are playing Saturday June 28th at the Mohawk right here in Austin. You know Cannibal Cheerleader will be there, sporting our rad Boris hoodies!
******************************************************************** GUESS WHOSE BIRTHDAY IT IS?
It’s John B.’s! Thanks to everyone for reading my blog the past few months – the best kind of birthday present is having people enjoy your work. If you know me and live in Austin, hit me up – we’re having a pool party before we hit up Terror Thursday tomorrow. See you there!
Japanese metal gods Boris are set to tour the US again this summer, riding the wave of their awesome (if bizarre) new LP Smile. Check out the dates here and notice that they’ll be coming to Mohawk here in Austin June 28th. You know we’ll be there. ******************************************************************** EVIL URGES LEAKS
It’s official, My Morning Jacket’s latest LP Evil Urges is on the Internet in its entirety. So how is it? The best description I can give is imagine attending the Church of Jim James and him playing the character of an eccentric Baptist preacher wailing to the ceiling. Except he’s evil. VERY evil. I am reminded of the Flaming Lips is they were to take on R&B and soul music. This album’s going to be contentious but let me be one of the first to say this album rules, it’s a natural progression from Z, and no one can touch Jim James. Five out of five bloody pon-poms. ******************************************************************** TERROR THURSDAY: ONE DARK NIGHT
Yet another Terror Thursday this week and it was the hilarious One Dark Night (comes with like fifty different titles there according to IMDB, yikes). You can definitely tell this was made during the height of 80s fashion and despite its PG rating it had some pretty serious gore going on with the walking dead. Not really gorey enough though at parts and groan-inducing with its bad dialogue/acting through most of the movie. Overall, two out of five bloody pon-poms. Maybe worth the rental if they don’t have The Car from last week! ******************************************************************** HEARTSREVOLUTION SWITCHBLADE EP OUT NOW
Our last ‘cheered band’, Heartsrevolution, is finally releasing their Switchblade EP and check out how cool that thing looks up there. Pick up a copy right now at the band’s Myspace. This EP includes one of my favorite tracks of the year “Wolves and Libertines” so give it a whirl if you’re into the Crystal Castles-like artists we’re always talking about here. ******************************************************************** NEW BAND CHEER: TINY VIPERS
While not necessarily ‘new’, I was reminded of Seattle female singer-songwriter Tiny Vipers by my friend Michael of Balmorhea recently and just how awesome she is. Mike recommends everyone view this YouTube video that features Vipers on the Burn to Shine DVD collection. Check it out and swing by her Myspace for more info.
Sorry about the sporadic updates this week. What with Internet troubles it’s hard to find the solution at 5 in the morning. Next week will be more on time though. Hope everyone has a good weekend and stay tuned for Cruiserweight and Dynamite Boy videos next week!
Yet another quick classic from our friends to the East in the form of a new split EP entitled Golden Dance Classics featuring Boris, this time paired with 9dw, an electro-jazz fusion band also from Japan. Once again Boris shines with bright and unrelenting tracks that feature washed-out guitar riffs over blasting drumwork and whip-crack electronics, while 9dw brings their best work to the table as well, stripping away the former band’s shoegaze elements in favor of a dancier, more techno sound that nonetheless doesn’t delve into the realm of kitsch and instead noodles into abstraction and experimentalism. Overall a very worthwhile and interesting EP, very bright and sunny compared to the split with Torche and an excellent addition for any Boris completionist (cough cough, including Cannibal Cheerleader faithful!). Check it:
