NEWS: New No Age Album

Punk duo No Age have announced a new album called An Object due out August 19 in the UK and on the 20th in the states through Sub Pop. The press release says:

This new LP finds drummer/vocalist Dean Spunt exploding from behind his kit, landing percussive blows with amplified contact mics, 4-string bass guitars, and prepared speakers, as well as traditional forms of lumber and metal. Meanwhile, guitarist Randy Randall corrals his previously lush, spastic, sprawling arrangements into taught, refined, rats' nests.

The track listing is:

1. No Ground
2. I won’t Be Your Generator
3. C’mon Stimmung
4. Defector/ed
5. An Impression
6. Lock Box
7. Running From A-Go-Go
8. My Hands, Birch and Steel
9. Circling With Dizzy
10. A Ceiling Dreams of a Floor
11. Commerce, Comment, Commence 

MUSIC: ...Like Clockwork Stream

Queens of the Stone Age are streaming their amazing new album on iTunes. Drop whatever you're doing and listen to it if you haven't already. Clicking the picture will get you to their artist page on the iTunes website, but to get to the stream, you have to go to the iTunes program.

REVIEW: Random Access Memory by Daft Punk

     Daft Punk's new album, Random Access Memories, has been one of the most long-awaited and hyped album in recent memory. Not having a formal LP in eight years, people have been waiting the new album from the duo who created the modern EDM scene. Most people accredit the album Homework for creating electronic music as we know it today, for better or for worse. The dance music scene today has become who can create the biggest bass drop and Daft Punk aren't happy about that. Daft Punk's new album is trying to fix the problems they made with Homework by creating a more organic album, to confront the Skrillexes of the world. In RAM Daft Punk have created a mostly organic album, that only uses computers and synthesizers to fulfill to get the music to its fullest potential. Daft Punk have made the best electronic album in recent memory by creating an album that isn't really electronic.

     The album stars out with the track "Give Life Back To Music." The title of this song is purpose to this album in a lot of ways. The next track 'The Game of Love' is a slow jam like 'Within' later in the album. These slow jams really help pace the album nicely and give the album a different feel from the rest of the songs. The all important third track starts with an interview with famous producer, songwriter, and performer, Giorgio Moroder. The interview feels a bit out of place, but the background music keeps it mostly grounded. What really shines about this tracks the music after the interviews. These instrumentals are some of my favorites on the album, perfectly blending synth and live instruments (in this case, drums). The payoff at the end is fantastic. With 'Instant Crush', the album starts to carve out a sound for the rest of the album, which in this case is a nostalgic disco and slow jams. All the vocals on these disco tracks from Julian Casablancas to Panda Bear are well done and fit in at least relatively well with the rest of the album. These disco songs and slow jams can feel a bit cheesy at times, but your too busy enjoying it to notice. The only exception to the disco and jam mold is 'Motherboard', which nicely breaks up this mold that is starting to take hold. All of this changes though when the album gets to 'Contact'. This song reminds me of the music in 'Giorgio by Moroder', but it still feels different in a way. The album definitely ends on a bang.

     So the question many people probably have on their minds is the album worth the hype. My answer to that depends on what you expected. If you expected another Homework or Discovery, you'll be horribly disappointed, but if your willing to listen to something different and new, this album is amazing. The album that is meant to be listened to in whole, as the flow from song to song is perfect. If you listen to in that way, the complaints you might have with the slow jams or disco go away. It all makes sense in the big picture. The duo have put out music that is serious, while still being fun to listen to. Masterful production overshadows  sometimes weak lyrics. Daft Punk have come back from the dead to destroy their creation that has mutated beyond what they wanted and they have succeeded. I can find very little wrong with this album, it's just a great listen. I'm going to give this album 9/10 stars for being fantastic and one of the best electronic albums in awhile, even if  it's a bit cheesy sometimes.

BEST TRACKS: Give Life Back To Music, Giogrio by Moroder, Instant Crush, Get Lucky, Doin' It Right, Contact

★★★★★★★★★☆ 

NEWS: New Franz Ferdinand!

Franz Ferdinand have announced a new album, titled Right Thoughts, Right Words, Right Actions! It will come out August 27th from Domino Records.

REVIEW: MCII by Mikal Cronin

    Mikal Cronin's MCII is a blend. It's a perfect blend-- the music goes together better than strawberries and bananas do in a smoothie. And that's saying a lot.
    Cronin tackles garage-rock, indie pop, soft rock, blues, folk, psychedelic and probably more on the ten tracks. Confused? Just listen to the album, and you'll quickly discover that this range is strung together artfully. The transitions are so seamless that it takes a moment to realize that Cronin has just completely changed the genre.
    He maintains a steady theme and rhythm, though, and that is what defines this as a great album. Cronin describes being lost in very simple terms lyrically, but the musical variation is the true indicator of his confusion (thematically-- he knows the direction of the album).
    This sentiment expressed is that of his fellow 20-somethings. He sharply describes not being able to do what he wants as young adult. MCII is guaranteed to have at least one song that will become an anthem of Williamsburg youth-- they too are infatuated with big dreams, love, and ideas, but Cronin has the guts to admit its a load of bullshit. 
    Ironic because MCII is that dream. He has achieved it. Just like blogger/author Emma Koenig, he has taken the desperation of being young and created a stellar and relatable work of art.
He is finally stepping out of Ty Segall's shadow and has truly worked on the quality of his music since his 2011 solo album. 

(P.S. This was written by l'homme run, only posted by Eon)

MUSIC: Even More Queens Of The Stone Age

Queens of the Stone Age have released another disturbing video for another song off their new album ...Like Clockwork. Man, these guys are messed up.

MUSIC: Daft Punk stream!

Daft Punk's long awaited album, Random Access Memory, is streaming on iTunes! Check it out here.

SONG: New Queens Of The Stone Age

Queens of the Stone Age have released a live recording of a song off their new album ...Like Clockwork. This is my favorite track from that they've released from the album yet.

INTERVIEW: Brian Mazzaferri of I Fight Dragons

So one of my favorite bands, I Fight Dragons, just released a Kickstarter, so I thought I'd ask the singer and guitar player, Brian Mazzaferri, to do another interview for the blog. Enjoy and donate to the Kickstarter here: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1899688657/project-atma-i-fight-dragons-creates-an-epic-new-a.

1. To introduce yourselves to people who haven't heard of you before, who are you guys, what is your genre of music, and where are you guys from?

We are I Fight Dragons, we play a somewhat geeky flavor of chiptune-infused rock, and we're from Chicago.

2. So your Kickstarter for you new album has already been funded, in about 8 hours, and the amount of funds is still steadily going up. What was the level of elation when you saw that number?

We've been completely floored at this response.  In the first day of the campaign we were already way past our wildest hopes for the entire thing!  It's a week later now and I'm still pinching myself every morning.

3. Why Kickstarter?

Kickstarter is amazing.  It's the most efficient tool ever for connecting artists and fans - everyone wins!

4. What amount of funding do you predict you'll hit at this point?

It's hard to predict precisely, but as mind blowing as it sounds we may have a chance of breaking $100,000.  I can't quite comprehend it.

5. How much of a departure will this album be from your previous work or will it generally be similar?

I think it will be a natural evolution. We're still IFD, and this album will likely pick up right around where KABOOM! left off and go some interesting places from there.  

6. What was the inspiration to do a 20-minute (epic) song and using vinyl for the main format of the album?

Honestly I've been wanting to do a longer-form piece for a long time - I actually wrote an entire rock opera script in 2012 that we ended tabling because it was just too complicated.  When the idea came up of doing the album on Vinyl only, I knew I wanted to do something in the vein of side-long epics like Rush's 2112.

7. Can a reward of hitting an amount be bringing back your ill-fated but amazing Youtube show? 

Lol technically we never really launched it!  And we used the theme song for the kick starter!  That said, we may still do more episodes of "I Fight Dragons Takes Over The World" in the future.

8. I know you are big Weezer fans. Is this album going to be your Pinkerton?

Hah!  I love that question - actually I think this album is much more likely to be our "Songs From The Black Hole,"  the album that Rivers was writing and then scrapped to make Pinkerton instead.

9. Anything else you want to add?

Thanks for taking the time to cover us!

REVIEW: Silence Yourself by The Savages

   "Come on in. I have a bar set up, how about a drink?"
"No thanks."
 "Oh, come on, loosen up a little, have a drink"
"No thank you, I don't want one."
"Sit down. Should we call room service, you're not hungry?"
"No."
"How old are you really? I'm trying to be patient, how old are you? Hm?"
 "I'm sixty five. How old are you?"

      This how the fantastic debut album by all-female, British, post-punk band Savages, called Silence Yourself, opens. These words are spoken and then we are introduced to the music in a throbbing bass line that starts to layer on guitar, then drum, and then vocals. The opening track 'Shut Up' demands to be listened to with your full attention and doesn't let go. This describes the album very well in total. This an album that refuses to be ignored. There is not one moment where the atmosphere lets up on the attack. The ferocity of the music might change, but the ferocity of the feelings behind the music are always there. The second track is actually called "I Am Here" which feels like a statement about the album refusing to let down. At shows The Savages put up signs that tell you to put away your phone and live in the real world. This album tears you away from the digital world and other any other imaginary worlds and places you into reality, but you're happy to be in reality because this album is there and this album is just so damn awesome.

      This album recreates the raw emotion of Closer or Unknown Pleasures and even tops it some places with brutal and honest lyrics and pure distortion. While Jehnny Beth might not be a beautiful singer, her voice creates an extremely high amount of emotion that goes perfect with the blistering instrumentals. Often violently delivered lyrics are clearly heard while still being full of energy and anger. This anger goes against social norms. Even in a more calm setting in the song 'Marshal Dear', you can feel the despair and sensuality of the album. Not to give all credit to Jehnny though, instrumental track "Dead Nature" is one of the most emotional on the album, creating a vivid picture of death. Even with all this emotion, the songs on album are relatively catchy and just a blast to listen to. The album doesn't go too experimental which would make it hard to listen to, but it goes far enough to make it very interesting to listen to. The guitar and in particular the bass create a beautiful, angry, and catchy base for the music to stand on. I have very few problems with this album, it very rarely deviates from being the fantastic album it is. I'm going to give this album 9/10 stars for being a great album, one of the best of the year so far.

BEST TRACKS: 'Shut Up', 'Strife', 'No Face', 'Hit Me', 'Husbands'

★★★★★★★★★☆ 

MUSIC: I Appear Missing by Queens Of The Stone Age

Queens of the Stone Age have released a weird, but fantastic video for a song off their new album.