The Tape

I’ve often mocked artists like Neon Indian and Passion Pit, bands that oddly release deluxe and expanded editions of records only months after the originals come out. Yes, they’re trying to build on success and recent buzz, but I normally associate a deluxe re-issue with a seminal album, most often after many years have passed. I’m sure I would have enjoyed both of these expanded editions more if I actually enjoyed said bands, but I don’t. This is where the conundrum comes in. What am I supposed to make of Domino re-issuing Dirty Projectors’ Bitte Orca? It was the best record of 2009, but is it still too soon for a re-issue? The band has been touring for a year and a half straight, which I thought was a satisfactory way to generate the appropriate amount of buzz; but in today’s day and age, that’s apparently not the case. Luckily for Dave Longstreth and Co., they’ll probably encounter thousands of die-hard fans who will most likely shell out 15-20 bucks for Bitte Orca Expanded. The flip side of the coin is the fact that most of the songs on the second disc of the deluxe edition are easily attainable. The first six tracks are live tracks from their performance at Other Music in New York, which seem to be the hardest to track down. The tracks are acoustic, so their NYCTaper recording probably won’t suffice. A simple Youtube search will yield multiple results, although they’re not from the Other Music set. So, if there is a reason to buy the deluxe edition, it’s probably for these six tracks – along with their cover of Bob Dylan’s “As I Went Out One Morning.” Funny how my two favorite bands have now covered the same Dylan track. You’ll also get both b-sides from the Temecula Sunrise EP (“Ascending Melody” and “Emblem Of The World”), along with every track from the Stillness Is The Move EP, which includes “Wave The Bloody Shirt”, “Bitte Bitte Orca”, and “Stillness Is The Move (Lucky Dragons Remix).” While the deluxe edition may not be a fiscally responsible purchase, I’m sure there are going to be plenty of people (including myself) who will buy it. If you’re not so into the whole thing, maybe you’ll want to pre-order their 12″ at the Other Music shop. Test the waters with “Temecula Sunrise (Live At Other Music)” and see if it’s worth it. If not, you can always stare at their lovely new press photo for long periods of time.

Dirty Projectors- Temecula Sunrise (Live at Other Music)

Past FYF Fests (formerly F Yeah Fest) have been somewhat of a love/hate thing for me. First there was the quaint 2008 festival, headed by No Age and Matt and Kim: an introduction into the power and vitality of the L.A. community arts circuit. Followed by an unforgettable L.A. Scavenger Hunt, F Yeah weekend rounded out the summer in style. One year later, the festival had sprouted from a small gathering to an musical juggernaut, boasting a high end lineup and a new location. The day was poised to be a triumph yet between the cancellation of Dan Deacon, and some poor organization, the day left a lot to be desired. (the scavenger hunt was also postponed, adding to the overall disappointment) Still, FYF seems hell bent on redeeming itself, revealing a roster that, at a 25 dollar clip, seems simply too good to be true. So, barring any cancellations or logistical nightmares, FYF will be back with a vengeance this September 4th. Check back for updates regarding the show/an FYF Tape Mix…

After a radio silence that lasted far too long, Chk Chk Chk (!!!) are back with the highly anticipated followup to 2007′s Myth Takes. Although the new album, Strange Weather, Isn’t It? was recorded mostly in New York and Sacramento, lead singer Nic Offer calls it, “the perfect Berlin album.” About a fourth of the record was recorded in Berlin, and old school influences such as David Bowie, Iggy Pop and Depeche Mode (all of whom recorded in Berlin at some point) have definitely made their imprint on the record. It’ll be out August 24th on the always wonderful Warp Records. Until the late summer release date, all we have is a streaming copy of the first single, “AM/FM.” Definitely drowned in Berlin noises, “AM/FM” is a textural masterpiece, layering groove on top of groove. As its name suggests, “AM/FM” sounds like something that should be on the radio–think the funk station in Grand Theft Auto: Vice City. The stream is definitely not enough, but this little tease has given us a great deal of anticipation and excitement for what’s to come.

Chk Chk Chk – AM/FM (stream via their website)

I got a fun little b-side for y’all. It’s an extra from Sebastian Krueger, taken from the Inter Arbiter session. “Spotsylvania” is a quick track, clocking in at under two minutes. Led by an organ, the track is far more undeveloped than anything else on the record, which I assume is why it didn’t make the record. Krueger’s delicate vocals are fantastic on this track, singing subtle harmonies that almost blend in with the power tones of the organ. Along with this track, Krueger has announced that he’s about to embark on full US tour, which you can check out below.

Inlets Tour Dates
06/12 – New York, NY @ 92Y Tribeca
06/13 – Brooklyn, NY @ Littlefield
06/15 – Portland ME @ Space Gallery
06/17 – Montreal, QC @ Suoni Il Popolo Festival (Casa del Popol)
06/18 – Toronto, ON @ NXNE Festival (Whippersnapper Gallery)
06/19 – London, ON @ Gigs
06/20 – Detroit, MI @ Magic Stick
06/23 – Madison, WI @ Gates Of Heaven
06/24 – Minneapolis, MN @ Cedar Saloon
06/26 – Fargo, ND @ The Aquarium
06/30 – Boise, ID @ Neurolux
07/01 – Missoula, MT @ The Badlander
07/02 – Calgary, Alberta @ Sled Island Festival
07/04 – Vancouver, BC @ The Railway
07/05 – Portland, OR @ Doug Fir Lounge
07/06 – Seattle, WA @ High Dive
07/07 – Olympia, WA @ Northern
07/09 – Davis, CA @ Sophia’s
07/10 – San Francisco, CA @ Hemlock Tavern
07/11 – Los Angeles, CA @ Spaceland
07/12 – Tucson, AZ @ Solar Culture
07/14 – Denver, CO @ Larimer Lounge
07/15 – Lawrence, KS @ Jack Pot Saloon
07/16 – Columbia, MO @ Mojo’s
07/17 – Lexington, KY @ Al’s
07/18 – Asheville, NC @ The Rocket Club
07/19 – Washington, DC @ Black Cat
07/21 – New York, NY @ Joe’s Pub

Inlets- Spotsylvania

Seriously, go do it. Cosmogramma fucking rules, it’s Fly Lo’s best work to date. Cosmogramma doesn’t hit stores until next Tuesday, but since it leaked I guess Fly Lo’s streaming it on his Myspace. The record is so fucking good, it’s hard to put into words. I saw him play at Coachella and he blew my mind. Easily the best set at Coachella, which is saying a lot because I generally hate DJs. He’s going on tour real soon, including a couple of album release parties at The Echoplex in LA. If you go stream the record, you’ll be able to hear his track with Thom Yorke that is pretty much the coolest collaboration of all time (besides Rusko and Amber Coffman, but more on that l8r). I don’t think I’m allowed to give you any MP3s from the new record, but if I could I would because I love y’all. So since I don’t want to leave you guys empty handed, download his Weezy remix, which brought the house down at Coachella.

BONUS KANYE FLY LO FOR SHITS AND GIGGLES. YAYYYYY

STREAM COSMOGRAMMA HERE. DO IT RIGHT NOW.

Flying Lotus- I Feel Like Dying

Kanye West- Love Lockdown (Flying Lotus Remix)

Though DoE experienced their first taste of “mainstream”-recognition with 2008′s In Ear Park, the collaboration between Daniel Rossen and Fred Nicholaus dates all the way back to their college days and 2004′s (pre-Grizzly Bear) debut effort, The Cold Nose. Though adored by some, Rossen was somewhat discontent with the styling and “piecemeal” nature of the album and aimed for his future music to reflect a “sophisticated, dark americana” akin to Van Dyke Parks’ Song Cycle and Brian Wilson’s infamous SMiLE (co-written by VDP). With this vision in mind, Daniel recorded a series of songs in an NYU practice room, aptly entitled Practice Room Sketches, which provided the skeleton for future GB and DoE songs, as well as establishing the trademark Daniel Rossen aesthetic. The duo set out to record an album based on these and other sketches, yet this crusade proved a little over-ambitious and ultimately was deemed a lost cause. Now, for the first time, these early works along with the fabled yet ill-fated January Sessions will be available on record, capturing the beginnings of what would prove a very fruitful career, and providing a bare bones, pre-arrangement look at the unique songwriting styles of both GB and DoE.

Department of Eagles
Archive 2003-2006
(American Dust)
US Street Date: July 20, 2010
UK Street Date: July 19, 2010

1. Practice Room Sketch 1
2. Deadly Disclosure
3. While We’re Young
4. Grand Army Plaza
5. Practice Room Sketch 2
6. Brightest Minds
7. Practice Room Sketch 3
8. Flip
9. Practice Room Sketch 4 (Tired Hands)
10. Golden Apple
11. Practice Room Sketch 5

Montreal’s own Wolf Parade are gearing up for all the action surrounding an album release and tour, this time for their follow-up to 2008′s great At Mount Zoomer. The music press’ lucky older brother Pitchfork has wrangled an interview with Dan Boeckner, leaving us here at the Tape with just hand-me-downs again. I personally spent most of my time in middle and high school at the altar of Wolf Parade and/or Spencer Krug, so this news is big around the Tape. Check out the parade dates after the jump, and be sure to read the interview, which is full of info that promises a bigger, better, noisier album than ever before.

(Read more…)

For a long while now, Will Wiesenfeld (Post-Foetus, Geotic, Nephews) has casually established himself as one of the more prolific and eccentric artists on the Los Angeles community arts circuit. Lauded by some as prodigious and brilliant, it seemed only a matter of time until Will’s vision was realized on a slightly more mainstream level than the backyards of his friends. And, low and behold, this day has finally come to pass. In a transformation that seems to have occured over a matter of hours, Will went from little-known hometown hero to Anticon signed and Pitchfork acclaimed, mentioned in the same breath as Flylo and described as a cross “between the sun-drenched haze of glo-fi torchbearers (Washed Out, Toro Y Moi) and the woozy beat math that lights the spliffs of Los Angeles’ Brainfeeder collective”. High praise indeed. Well all I can say is, we were there first (see Post-Foetus) and we wish Will the best of luck in his promising career.

Baths-Maximalist

The Tallest Man On Earth’s sophomore record (his first with Dead Oceans) has been floating around the internet for quite a little while now. That’s great news for an asshole like me, but if you’re a loyal listener (I commend you), you can now legally sneak a listen of The Wild Hunt. The label is offering pre-orders for the new record, which come with quite a few perks. All who pre-order the album will instantly receive a free digital download copy. Those who act quickly will be rewarded even more handsomely – the first 175 pre-orders will also receive a bonus CD single for “King of Spain” that was exclusively sold on his recent European tour. “King Of Spain” is such a fantastic track that its b-sides have to be good just by association. You can pre-order the record right here.

In addition to pre-orders, the label is also giving away the wonderful “Burden of Tomorrow” for free, which you can download below. Check that out, along with “King of Spain”, and the album’s tracklist. Enjoy!

The Tallest Man On Earth- Burden Of Tomorrow

The Tallest Man On Earth- King Of Spain

Quinn Walker and friends have some exciting news. The band will be releasing their debut record, Wild Smile June 8th, on Frenchkiss Records. To accompany the news, the Brooklyn dudes are giving away a cover of the Raveonettes’ “Boys Who Rape (Should All Be Destroyed).” I’ve never heard the Raveonettes version, but I’m really digging the version Suckers is doing. The record was recorded, produced and mixed in NYC by Chris Zane who does work with the Walkmen. The only track not produced by him is EP standout “It Gets Your Body Movin’”, which was produced by Yeasayer’s Anand Wilder. It seems like the band got together everybody who’s cool in Brooklyn to help them record the LP. If it sounds anything like their tremendous debut EP, I should have no problems. In some more exciting news, Suckers will be joining Local Natives on tour, who they’re now label mates with.

Here’s what one of the members of Suckers had to say about the Raveonettes cover: “The original version is super fuzzy, so our first instinct was NO FUZZ. We wanted to keep the poppy aspects of the original, but make as much of our own as we could… after messing around with it for a while, it turned into this weird 50′s kinda dark Doo-Wop thing that reminds me of Twin Peaks for some reason (which actually ended up working well with the subject matter on a completely different level).” Download the cover below, and check out the tracklist for Wild Smile as well.

Wild Smile
01 Save Your Love For Me
02 Black Sheep
03 Before Your Birthday Ends
04 You Can Keep Me Runnin’ Around
05 A Mind I Knew
06 Roman Candles
07 It Get Your Body Movin’
08 Martha
09 King of Snakes
10 2 Eyes 2 C
11 Loose Change

Suckers- Boys Who Rape (Raveonettes Cover)