Check out the zombie thriller video to the new Handsome Furs track, “I’m Confused” from their new album that dropped this week, Face Control. Unfortunately, their tour won’t be bringing them to the West coast but for those of you SXSW bound, you can catch them there!
Category Archives: SXSW
BLK JKS @ The Rickshaw Stop
Johannesburg-based BLK JKS played a rawkin’ show last night at the Rickshaw Stop in San Francisco. And from the looks of the lightly attended crowd, you guys didn’t know what you were missing. Their music is a wild concoction of transcendental African rhythms, Zulu soul and scorching rock and roll. And they like to jam. They are all completely self taught musicians and it was fascinating to watch them perform. I was struck by way they handled and played their instruments. It was definitely different. There was an air of reverence that translated into this feeling of the instruments playing them versus they playing the instruments. That or they worked some really good voodoo magic on me last night.
The band’s Mystery EP is out today on Secretly Canadian. If you’re heading to SXSW, you can check them out for yourself at one of the following shows:
Wednesday, March 18 11:00am
ME Television Studios (KEXP event)
Wednesday, March 18 10:00pm
Paradise Café (401 E. 6th St)
Thursday, March 19 2:00pm
The Parish (NPR event) (214 E. 6th St)
Thursday, March 19 10:30pm
Mohawk Patio (912 Red River St)
Listen to: “Lakeside”
Get this album free via eMusic’s 50 Free MP3 Promo
White Lies – To Lose My Life
Listen to “Death”
I’m having a momentary crush on White Lies. My first thought upon hearing them was Interpol meets Echo and The Bunnymen. And I have a serious soft spot for Brit rock and Ian McCulloch, so when I received an advance copy of UK trio’s To Lose My Life recently I couldn’t help but fall in love a little bit. It’s blatantly 80s influenced, but represents everything I like about Brit rock and the 80s in one album; guitar focused arena rock with a big dose of that new wave sound.
To Lose My Life drops on Fiction Records 3/17. Their US tour kicks off in Austin at SXSW, making their way to San Francisco April 11 to play Slim’s and wrapping up at Coachella. In the meantime, check out the new video to “To Lose My Life”…
The Boxing Lesson – Wild Streaks & Windy Days
I was intrigued by both the music and bio of Austin-based psych rockers, The Boxing Lesson. You could certainly classify the sound of the trio’s second LP, Wild Streaks & Windy Days, as stoner rock. And that’s where the story gets interesting. I couldn’t help but notice that the band’s drummer was in federal prison and therefore on the road with a touring drummer. Hmmm, I had to ask the press manager why. I mean we’re talking federal prison. He must’ve killed someone or something.
But no, turns out drummer Jake Mitchell is doing 60 months in federal prison on marijuana charges. Apparently he was running a little homegrown pot operation out of his house. What’s most disturbing is that he was convicted under the Patriot Act and has been branded a Narco-Terrorist. And it gets worse. His wife is currently serving a six month sentence as a conspirator for not turning her husband in. His family has lost everything trying to appeal this conviction.
I couldn’t help but contrast this story to that of Bernard Madoff’s – a man who has perpetrated the biggest scam in Wall Street history by admittedly defrauding clients for up to $50 billion in investments. He has completely ruined the lives of thousands and yet he sits comfortably in his NY penthouse secretly mailing his multi-million dollar watch collection to friends and family. Tell me, who is the terrorist here? Clearly we live in a society that enforces different rules for different classes of people. It’s sad really and only reinforces a hard lesson I learned a long time ago – what’s legal isn’t necessarily fair.
The band will be playing SXSW this year so if you’re going be sure to check them out. Reportedly their live shows are epic.
Video: Human Highway – “The Sound”
Hey SXSW goers, Human Highway will be playing Wednesday, March 18 at 11:00 p.m. at Red Eyed Fly.
Red Red Meat – Bunny Gets Paid
Listen to Gauze:
Red Red Meat’s third album, Bunny Gets Paid, has been out of print and unavailable for some time now. Sub Pop is planning to reissue a remastered, deluxe edition of the acclaimed 1995 album on March 24th. You can pre-order now. Plus the band is getting back together to play a few shows. They will be playing at the Sub Pop showcase at SxSW this year on March 19th and Waterloo Records in Austin during SxSW on Saturday, March 21st.
the OCMD 