Feeds:
Posts
Comments

Archive for the ‘music’ Category

wrath
I woke up today to an amazing story on Pitchfork: Numero Group to release Dungeons & Dragons Inspired Compilation, companion board game

That is just a whole bunch of wow. Numero trolled a bunch of 70s-era obscure rock bands, for songs that seemed inspired by high fantasy.

This music hails from an occluded realm, somewhere just beyond the pot-addled minds of its creators. Lyrically, the Darkscorch Canticles trifle with themes most grave: crippling fear, pagan hostility, paranoia, power addiction—even necromancy. Satan’s name is openly invoked, alongside Sauron’s. These worried, warlike Canticles occupy a miniscule niche in the American underground of self-released rock, but their appeal is more broad today than in any previous era.

There will also be a companion D&D-esque game called Cities of Darkscortch.  Gosh darn I’ll want to play that!

Go with yourself.

Read Full Post »

cloud nothings
Me and the kid just wrapped “reading” the graphic book Ianto’s Tomb last night.  The comic is set in the Dungeons & Dragons world of Athas. After the story I did my best to explain Dark Sun and Dungeon & Dragons to my 5-year-old and you know what she said, “when can we play?”  Bless her little heart!

***

Logged on to the old information superhighway today to a new NEW!!! Cloud Nothings song.

April 1st, Carpark Records will release Cloud Nothings’ Here and Nowhere Else.

Consequence of Sound says the single “”I’m Not Part of Me” is the BEST Cloud Nothings single to date.  A half-dozen spins in, I might agree.

”You’re a part of me,” Baldi pleads on the pedal-cruiser, as if he’s not only crushing his own soul but those around him. There’s plenty of heart in “I’m Not Part of Me”, an anthem for any young hopeful who’s ever felt the motions without knowing exactly what they are and why they’re obsessed with them.

Lead singer Dylan Baldi says of the new music (from Pitchfork), “I was feeling pretty good about everything so I just made stuff that made me happy. I had nothing to be angry about really so the approach was more positive and less ‘fuck everything.'”

Everyone is taking a seat on the positive rock train these days… strap in and hit play on THIS!

Go with yourself.

Read Full Post »

Keep staying useless….

cloud nothings
yeah, Cloud Nothings from Cleveland, Ohio are cool.  I am beyond amped for the new record which comes out sometime in 2014.  The follow up to 2012’s Attack on Memory was recently performed live in Brooklyn.

I was plucking through my 45s today and rediscovered a 2011 single the band split with Carpark label-mates Toro y Moi.

I am so happy I bought that 45 all those years ago.  Neat song.

Go with yourself.

Read Full Post »

johnny galactic
Have a listen to Johnny Galactic performing “San Francisco Babe” live on the Zone @ 91-3.

Go with yourself.

Read Full Post »

Primitive-Parts-Open-Hands
2/3s of English punkers Male Bonding have teamed up with Lindsay Cortsorphine of Sauna Youth (great band name!) for a little hot side-project action, Primitive Parts.

The Coming Soon Jon Williams featured the song “Open Heads” on Tea Time yesterday and I loved it.  So I thought I better share this bad mamajama with you.  Hit GO! on this.

MOAR from Stereogum.
MOAR from ClashMusic.

Go with yourself.

Read Full Post »

towers and trees
Back in November, our second Band of the Month Showcase went down at Upstairs Cabaret on the inner harbour of Downtown Victoria. The show was amazing (as they always tend to be).  A full room of groovy people out for a Friday night celebrating live and local rock & roll.  There were many highlights, including Towers and Trees‘ performance of their single “Montreal.”

Have a listen to THIS!

Band of the Month is brought to you by Lighthouse Brewing Company (readers from outside Victoria should check it out, great Island craft beer).  All the live sets were recorded and mixed by Todd Hooge at Hooge Studio.

Go with yourself.

Read Full Post »

FIDLAR make it super awkward

awkward
We first got to see FIDLAR back in 2012 when they supported The Hives at Club 9one9.  These guys are a sea of rad.  Current;y touring in support of the Pixies… they were in Toronto last week.  After their show at the Massey Theatre, it was off to Queen Street West for a DIY style punker show at an indoor half-pipe.  A photographer named Amanda Fotes was there and took some pictures that made me very jealous of all the young and hip scenesters of Toronto.

Look at this!

Then listen to THIS!

Go with yourself.

Read Full Post »

Neon Trees
Neon Trees are a band we do know here at the Zone.  The group from Provo, Utah had a hit on the Zone back in 2010 called “Animal.” New record is called Pop Psychology and it’s out in April.  This song about sleeping with your buddy is charting it up on the modern rockers in the U S of A.

American Authors are a positive rock band from Brooklyn.  Their song is called “Best Day of My Life.”  The style is similar to Lumineers or Of Monsters and Men, they sing about positivity, and their logo looks like a coffee shopI think these guys will do alright.

Kongos are a brother band from South Africa now living in Arizona.  The four brothers bring a noise that melds a little accordion into an AWOLNATION-esque beat. (I’d share the band’s official stream, but they have “embedding” turned off)

Lastly… maybe the highest charting song we’re not playing too much in Canada, Phantogram.  The longtime friends from Upstate New York have a record out in February called Voices.  Song is getting blasted pretty regualr on KROQ and The End in Seattle.

You feeling any of these song?  All of these songs?  DERP! none of these songs?

Go with yourself.

Read Full Post »

dirty narwhal
I
 heard it on the radio…a few sounds from the Zone @ 91-3 today.

Vancouver’s Head of the Herd came to Victoria today for a sold-out show at Lucky Bar.  I am home with a new baby so I am off the warpath for awhile…but luckily Head of the Herd came to me and performed their song “By This Time Tomorrow” on the show.

Mike Devlin over at the Times Colonist had a great interview with the band. Have a read.

***

Friday Night is a busy one in Victoria.  Local beauty Vince Vaccaro also had a show.  VV’s new record is called Koa and is a collection of ukulele songs. 

Vince performed the song “Here in My Place” (and I really ought to post that live cut… but while sound checking I asked him to riff a bear story into a song.

What?  Mike Devlin ALSO interviewed VV.  Have a read right here.

***

Finally….listening to Dylan and Jason on The Morning Zone, they were talking about Steve Martin coming to Victoria and performing at The Royal Theatre, May 12th. 

Jason is obsessed with the man. But how obsessed?  Dylan goes back to 2009…

Go with yourself.

Read Full Post »

you blew it
My minor obsession today…. Orlando’s You Blew It!  The band is heavily hyped as modern emo revival.  That all sounds peachy to me.

Pitchfork gave their new record, Keep Doing What You’re Doing a glowing review.   Pitchfork’s Steven Hyden loved the first cut, “Match & Tinder.”

Now, I’ve played “Match & Tinder” many, many times, because it has an addictively chunky riff and pleasurably hyperactive drumming and therefore is an excellent example of sensitive-dude melodic punk rock. But I never notice the aforementioned vocab casseroles when I’m listening. Because “Match & Tinder” (and the entirety of Keep Doing What You’re Doing) really boils down to the last line, which is kind of brilliant: “I’m having trouble trying to find the right way to say I feel less than confident.”

Cool.

Here is another song, “Award of the Year Award.”

Reminds me of every band I listened to in 2002.

I had to buy the LP from Top Shelf Records… I just wish I was hipper than I am… the “coke bottle clear” is all sold out.  Had to settle for translucent yellow.

Go with yourself.

Read Full Post »

« Newer Posts - Older Posts »