Category Archives: Indie

10.01.10
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Black Francis’ ‘Bluefinger’ to be Adapted as a Rock Opera

After releasing Bluefinger back in 2007 to mild acclaim, the former Pixies frontman, Black Francis, has taken to the idea of adapting the concept album for the stage.  The album centered around the life and early death of Herman Brood, a Dutch rocker who died, tragically, at 54 after jumping off the roof of the Amsterdam Hilton in 2001.  The Catastrophic Theater in Houston is set to premeire the rock opera that was originally conceived by Pixies biographer Josh Frank.  After seeing the Daniel Johnston spectacle, Speeding Motorcycle, Frank was compelled to pitch the opera idea to Black Francis for Bluefinger.  Frank introduced Francis to Jason Nodler, who eventually adapted the album for the stage. 

Opening November 12 in the 100-capacity DiverseWorks Artspace in Houston, the opera promises to be an intimate experience and a conceptual look into artists continuing the work of others through the inspiration they give to them.  In doing so, artists take that inspiration and discover themselves by first discovering – and even becoming – their predecessors.

10.01.10
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Hear Sufjan Stevens’ Age of Adz

Sufjan Steven

It’s been almost five years since Sufjan Stevens released his state-themed album Illinois.

Fortunately (or not) Stevens has abandoned his effort to release an album featuring all fifty states (I’m sorry, but a North Dakota album?) and has instead decided that he really likes playing with electric effects. Of all kinds.

On display in Age of Adz are everything from drum machines to electro-funk samples, and Stevens seems to master them all. You can hear it right now on NPR’s First Listen (link at the end of this post).

Despite all the technical aspects of the album, Stevens has decided to deliver it in a low-tech way, but yes he will be offering it on Amazon.

Stevens’ label, Asthmatic Kitty, said in a statement that while they appreciate getting good music into people’s hands “we also feel like the work that our artists produce is worth more than a cost of a latte.”

They do make a good point, lattes really should be cheaper than $5.00 anyway.

http://www.npr.org/v2/?i=130049247&m=130076387&t=audio

10.01.10
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New York City’s Weekend Show Round Up

Saturday – October 2nd

Menomena, Suckers, Tu Fawning @ Webster Hall

Radio Happy House With Born Ruffians @ (le) poisson rouge

Born Ruffians, Winter Gloves, First Rate People @ Bowery Ballroom

Mirah, Tami Hart @ Bruar Falls

Efterklang, Inlets, Xylos, Nonviolence @ Glasslands

Foals, Girl in a Coma @ Music Hall of Williamsburg

Van Dyke Parks, Clare & the Reasons @ The Bell House

The xx, Warpaint, Zola Jesus @ United Palace Theater

Sunday – October 3rd

Gayngs, Glasser @ Bowery Ballroom

Casiokids, Brahms, Bikini, VonChina @ Glasslands

Motel Motel, Zambri, Shilpa Ray, ArpLine @ The Rock Shop

10.01.10
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Watch Magic Kids’ “Candy” Performed Live In Oakland

Magic Kids’ debut album Memphis, named after their hometown, out on True Panther Sounds came out in August and has led them to be compared to E.L.O, Belle and Sebastian, all with a Beach Boys influence. The video they have just premiered for the artsy music bloggers at Yours Truly is a record of their first venture out in the Bay area, where they performed at the Oakland’s Ghost Gallery on February 15th, 2010. During this rendition of “Candy,” the band was joined by Christopher and Garrett from Girls, Max from Smith Westerns, members of a weekend flute club, a string section and more friends for a touching and laid back performance.
Watch the video below:

If this intimate live performance caught your attention, you may want to catch Magic Kids on their tour, which currently has them running around Europe but will see them back in the US of A in November!

Here are their upcoming tour dates:
10/1 – London, UK @ Barfly
10/2 – London, UK @ Camden Proud Galleries
10/3 – Bruges, Belgium @ Botanique/Witloofbar
10/5 – Amsterdam, Holland @ Paradiso
10/6 – Tilburg, Holland @Tilburg 013/Batcave
10/7 – Hamburg, Germany @ Molotow
10/8 – Helsingar, Denmark @ Musikhuset Elvaerket
10/9 – Oslom, Norway @ Café Mono
10/10 – Gothenburg, Sweden @ Pusterviksbaren
10/11 – Stockholm, Sweden @ Landet
10/12 – Copenhagen, Denmark @ Lades
10/13 – Berlin, Germany @ Magnet
10/14 – Köln, Germany @ Werkstatt
10/15 – München, Germany @ Atomic Cafe
10/16 – Zurich, Switzerland @ Club Zukunft
10/17 – Milan, Italy Indierocket party @ Rocket (free entry)
10/18 – Paris, France @ Point Ephemere
10/19 – Oxford, UK @ Jercicho Tavern
10/21 – Bristolm UK @ Louisanna
10/22 – Bristol, UK @ The Social
10/23 – Cardiff, UK @ Swn Festival
10/24 – Newcastle, UK @ The Cluny
10/25 – Leeds, UK @ Nation of Shopkeepers
10/26 – Birmingham, UK @ Hare and Hounds
10/27 – London, UK @ TBC
10/28 – London, UK @ Lexington
11/05 – Dallas, TX @ The Cavern (with Bosco Delrey)
11/07 – Houston, TX @ Numbers (with Bosco Delrey)
11/08 – Baton Rouge, LA @ Spanish Moon (with Bosco Delrey)
11/10 – Chapel Hill, NC @ Local 506 (with Bosco Delrey)
11/12 – New York, NY @ Mercury Lounge (with Bosco Delrey)
11/13 – Brooklyn, NY @ Silent Barn (with Bosco Delrey)
11/15 – Cleveland, OH @ Beachland Tavern (with Bosco Delrey)
11/16 – Chicago, IL @ Empty Bottle (with Bosco Delrey)
11/17 – St. Louis, MO @ Firebird (with Bosco Delrey)
11/18 – Nashville, TN @ The End (with Bosco Delrey)
09.30.10
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Colin Caulfield is a Growin’ ‘Boy’

colinYou may have not heard of Colin Caulfield, he is still ready to tell you his story. Or rather, stories. The young singer-songwriter, going by the moniker Young Man, has just released his debut EP Boy. He’s also just released the live video for “Just a Growin.’”

Caulfield has started a growing arnsel of music, a mixture of both originals and covers. With his first venture out on his own, he’s turned to writing about himself and the basic troubles of growing up. Check out the video of Caulfield crooning on “Just A Growin’” below.

Young Man – Just A Growin’ (Live) from Nathaniel Gravely on Vimeo.

Boy is digitially out now via iTunes and will be physically released October 12th.

09.30.10
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The Octopus Project Churn Out New Single, “Fugefat”

With an overly-ambitious concept that’s so overly-ambitious that it has to work in some realm, The Octopus Project are set to release Hexadecagon.  To make sense of the name, the group already blew minds at last year’s SXSW by arranging 8 speakers and 8 synchronized video projections into a 16-sided audio/visual carousel.  The project was the result of tireless work to refine home-crafted electronic equipment to configure the 8-channel audio system the album was recorded on.  The album was inspired by minimalist composers Terry Riley and Steve Reich, which is apparent in how structured and articulate the theoretically chaotic new songs are.   Though it starts out sounding like the next iPod or Google commercial, soon 40-plus piano tracks loop together to form a visceral, auditory spaghetti.  Give the track a listen HERE, on headphones preferably, and look out for The Octopus Project on tour with STRFKR on these dates:

09/30 – Shreveport, LA @ The Collective
10/01 – Birmingham, AL @ The Bottletree
10/02 – Atlanta, GA @ Drunken Unicorn
10/04 – Knoxville, TN @ Pilot Light
10/05 – Chapel Hill, NC @ Local 506
10/06 – Washington DC @ DC9
10/07 – Philadelphia, PA @ Kung Fu Necktie
10/08 – Brooklyn, NY @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
10/09 – New Haven, CT @ Cafe Nine*#
10/10 – Cambridge, MA @ TT the Bears
10/11 – Montreal, QC @ Casa Del Popolo
10/12 – Toronto, ON @ Wrongbar
10/13 – Pittsburgh, PA @ Garfield Artworks
10/14 – Cleveland, OH @ Grog Shop
10/15 – Chicago, IL @ The Bottom Lounge
10/16 – Minneapolis, MN @ Triple Rock Social Club
10/19 – Seattle, WA @ Neumo’s
10/20 – Portland, OR @ Roseland Theater
10/22 – San Francisco, CA @ Great Am. Music Hall
10/23 – Los Angeles, CA @ Echoplex
10/24 – San Diego, CA @ The Casbah
10/25 – Tucson, AZ @ Plush
10/29 – Asheville, NC @ Moogfest *

All shows with Starfucker (except *)
# w/ We Are Scientists, Rewards