musings from boston

Lorde: The Pure Heroine?

On March 5, 2014

I ask a lot from my music. A strong beat, something tuneful or catchy, isn’t enough for me. It’s not enough to hold my attention, and it’s not enough to inspire me to write. There has to be philosophical inquiry, social observation, searching, or struggling, scathing commentary, yearning, mourning, hunger. If it doesn’t provide me with answers, at the very least it has to ask the right questions. Whether it does this in words, in music, or both, I really don’t care. But it has to do something.

I don’t know if Lorde can be trusted. Is she the youngest philosopher of our time, or a savvy business woman light-years beyond her earthling age? In either scenario, if she indeed is the author of these coming of awareness tales, precociously making her social observations and spewing her venom towards mainstream culture while starkly framed by the skeletal remains of modern tribal electronica, then she’s a genius.

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Introducing… Mystery Twins (from Nashville)

By julie

On March 3, 2014

In Indie Music

Back in November, Doug Lehmann (guitar, vocals) and Stephanie Brush (drums, vocals), previously 1/2 of The Clutters, released their debut album as Mystery Twins. It’s a stark and lovely musical document that focuses squarely on their songwriting and closely woven vocals. It’s just guitars, drums and their voices (with maybe few piano notes here and there?), and that’s just plenty. Their own description of their sound as “Everly Brothers vs. Reigning Sound” is apt. It’s stripped-down “garage honest” music with tight harmonies tinged with Appalachian Americana and a haunted Southern Gothic quality. Nice. Have a listen and support them.

<a href="http://mysterytwins.bandcamp.com/album/ghost-in-the-ground">Ghost In The Ground by Mystery Twins</a>

“The River,” a song from the new album, was featured in the Poetry Sucks! anthology and compilation from Third Man Records (curated by Ben Swank and Chet Weise and featuring poetry, short stories and music). Mystery Twins have a show scheduled for The Basement in Nashville, Tennessee on March 19.

web | facebook | twitter | soundcloud | bandcamp
|| We Own This Town (Nashville/Murfreesboro music podcast)

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“Keep Me” ~ a new song from Doom and Gloom

By julie

On February 28, 2014

In Indie Music

Here’s a lovely little tune by Doom and Gloom called “Keep Me.” It was released on 2/26 and is also available on iTunes. Please support them with a few $ if you can. For those of you not keeping up (that would include me for the past few months), this is Nate and Liska, formerly of the simply wonderful (and missed) Eastside L.A. band Castledoor. It’s great to see they’re still making pretty music. They’re currently based in Fresno.

<a href="http://doomandgloom.bandcamp.com/track/keep-me">Keep Me by Doom & Gloom</a>

facebook | bandcamp

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Silversun Pickups release The Singles Collection with a live streamed performance at Aemoeba Records TONIGHT at 6pm PST (9pm EST)

By julie

On February 25, 2014

In Indie Music

Big Silversun Pickups news today! It’s the official release of The Singles Collection, a vinyl boxed set that features all their “hit” singles on six 7″ vinyl records. It includes their new song “Cannibal” (see official video below) and “Devil’s Cup,” from the 2009 Swoon album sessions.

To commemorate this event, they Brian and Nikki will be performing an acoustic set at Amoeba Music in Hollywood tonight (February 25) at 6pm PST. It will apparently be STREAMED LIVE, so check it out! (that’s 9pm for the East Coast).

The Singles Collection

The “Cannibal”/”Devil’s Cup” disc is pressed on silver colored vinyl. The Vinyl Box Bundle with extras ($65) includes an autographed vinyl box set, custom 7″ vinyl adapter, exclusive T-shirt, 11×17″ poster and instant mp3 download of “Cannibal.” The vinyl box with just the music, adapter and download is $45. You can also download The Singles Collection on iTunes.

1. Kissing Families
2. Lazy Eye
3. Well Thought Out Twinkles
4. Little Lover’s So Polite
5. Panic Switch
6. Substitution
7. The Royal We
8. Bloody Mary (Nerve Endings)
9. The Pit
10. Dots and Dashes (Enough Already)
11. Cannibal
12. Devil’s Cup [VINYL EXCLUSIVE]

web | facebook | twitter | dangerbird records

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Nightmare Air – New Vinyl Release and NYC/Boston shows!

By julie

On February 21, 2014

In Indie Music

L.A. band Nightmare Air are back in town! They’re playing a few shows in support of a brand new vinyl release (Goodnight Records) for last year’s debut album, High In The Lasers. It’s not out until March 25, but it will be shipped out on March 11 to those who preordered. There’s also a special package available that includes the “California Adventure Pack” (band branded frisbee and koozie).

<a href="http://store.goodnightrecords.com/album/high-in-the-lasers">High in the Lasers by Nightmare Air</a>

If you’re in or around NYC, you can see them performing tomorrow night (Saturday, Feb. 22) as part of the Goodnight Records showcase, and they’ll have the new vinyl available at the show. This is at Death by Audio (49 S 2nd St, Brooklyn) with The Big Sleep, KNTRLR and Sun Club. Nightmare Air are on at 10pm.

They’ll be at Elevens in Northampton, MA on Sunday night (2/23) and at The Middle East (Upstairs) on Monday night, 2/24. In Boston, they’re up second to last, with inAeona headlining and André Obin and then Lehnan opening.

web | facebook | twitter | soundcloud

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Aaron Embry’s New Solo Album and Kickstarter Campaign

By julie

On February 18, 2014

In Indie Music

In my general mania for Eastside Los Angeles musicians and bands over the past five or six years, it seems I’ve only given a passing reference to one of L.A.’s true luminaries, Mr. Aaron Embry. This was a huge oversight on my part, which I’ll try to make amends for, at least briefly. For now, a quick bio and news about his upcoming solo album and Kickstarter campaign. When the album is released, we’ll have a proper look and a review. Does that sound ok? Good.

Aaron has been huge on the L.A. music scene since the mid 1990s. He’s performed on guitar and keyboards for Elliott Smith (touring with him for the Figure 8 album) and toured with Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros (2009-2012). In 2012, he opened some shows for Mumford and Sons to support his debut solo album, Tiny Prayers (which you can listen to below). He’s also an engineer and producer, and has worked with Avi Buffalo and Daniel Lanois.

<a href="http://aaronembry.bandcamp.com/album/tiny-prayers">Tiny Prayers by Aaron Embry</a>

Learn more about Aaron Embry on Kickstarter, read about his story, listen to some of his beautiful music and support this amazing musician!

web | facebook | kickstarter campaign | wikipedia

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I give you an azure sky

By julie

On February 14, 2014

In Musings

The sky is a constant, as we toil away
in our contracts of love, bound as slaves.
It’s a debt to be paid, we fulfill obligations
allay age-old guilts or dutifully obey,
with the wool securely over our eyes.

As one speaks of pure intent through perfect blooms,
they’ve already been plucked from their natural state of bliss,
imbued with a false purpose,
and surely they begin to wilt and fade.

Bargains are struck which are ofttimes unspoken
resentment builds when those contracts are broken
with the personal lawsuits and battles waged
upon breaches of faith schemes are hatched and then staged
and meanwhile arises a crescendo of mistrust
and a dark cloud obscures the azure sky.

Each pays in turn for imagined transgressions
or seeks a quick salve for the heart’s rejection
throughout all of time from the one to the other
while in the disguise of love.

If I could end this mass charade right now
I would give you the sky with no strings attached
not of puppets played nor plots imagined
but only the azure sky.

Where the birds are free in their state of bliss
descending with messages from lovers delivered
and word from lost ones forever reunited.

A lone eagle over a still blue lake
gazes down at his perfect reflection
he’s startled to see it, his soul’s mirror image
gazing back serenely in comfort
from water that stands apart from all time
under an azure sky.

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From Very, it’s Beauty/Beast

By julie

On February 11, 2014

In Indie Music

Here is something very beautiful for your next meditation session or yoga practice. Or for ethereal housekeeping, if you’re in need of spiritual sonic inspiration to clean your refrigerator. Very is Brian Cleary’s special side project (or “lovechild,” as it’s referred to on his soundcloud page). For those of you not up on your Los Angeles band lore, Brian’s main gig currently is as keyboard player with Radar Brothers, though countless years ago, he was also part of a now legendary band known as The Movies, which actually, before they became well-known in the Silver Lake part of Los Angeles, began in Boston of all places.

But never mind about all that. Brian is also part of Strange Parade (yes, it most certainly is), which is probably the best place to get notice of when Very’s Beauty/Beast is available to purchase, which it will be, um, very soon. Beauty/Beast is Very’s debut album. It was recorded in Brian’s home studio using analog keyboards, acoustic guitar, effects and a Zoom hand held recorder. As for the inspiration behind this gorgeous soundscape, it began on New Year’s night in 1984, when the first Very recording was made (coincidentally titled “1984”). It had to do with “The Day After” TV movie and Bill Nelson’s “Bette La Belle.” It’s all about dark versus light, which is revisited in Beauty/Beast. Just listen, ok?

[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/playlists/21368737″ params=”auto_play=false&hide_related=false&visual=true” width=”100%” height=”300″ iframe=”true” /]

Strange Parade: facebook | bandcamp | The Movies: wiki

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Pisces (Sarah Negahdari) presents us with a gift of a Winter Horse

By julie

On February 8, 2014

In Indie Music

photo by Eric Kelly

From the inimitable Sarah Negahdari is a song offering from her beautiful side project Pisces. Called “Winter Horse,” it was first premiered on Buzz Bands in late January. Needless to say, it’s every bit as magical as her main gig with The Happy Hollows and her “fill in work” last year with Silversun Pickups. Charlie Mahoney and Chris Hernandez of The Happy Hollows add their magic on bass and drums. It was engineered and produced by Joel Morales and David Newton. Just awesome.

facebook | twitter | bandcamp

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Happy Year Of The Horse!

By julie

On January 31, 2014

In Not about a band

Performers do the horse dance on the evening of the Lunar New Year, or Spring Festival, at a park fair in Beijing (The Independent)

Yes, I do realize that I once again “owe you all” several bands and/or pointless ramblings. The problem is that just a month in, this year has seemed to gallop off without me. I now realize why that is — it’s the Year Of The Horse!

The Chinese Zodiac (Shengxiào) has been around for a little while; since the Han dynasty, in fact (206-220BC). Anyone who has been to a Chinese restaurant will likely be familiar with the 12-year calendar cycle, represented by animals. This year, it’s The Horse (or more accurately, The Wood Horse, as they cycle through five elements — fire, earth metal water and wood).

So what does all this mean? The horse is energetic, and it is said that the wood “provides fuel” for its fiery nature. This could mean many heated arguments, so be aware of that and try to stay cool. From The Independent in the U.K. comes these Predictions for the Year Of The Horse. You can also look up your particular animal (it’s based on the year of your birth) and see what 2014 holds for you by clicking through the cute animals.

Eight things you (probably) didn’t know about the year of the horse

Before I trot off, I’ll leave you with my own horse symbol. Stay focused! Be positive!

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