Tuesday Bits & Pieces + Prince’s Plan to Save the Newspaper Industry
Prince's 20Ten Boosts Newspaper Sales & Floods File-Sharing Sites
With the free release of his new album 20Ten, bundled with various newspaper’s in the UK including The Daily Mirror and The Daily Record, Prince single-handedly rose sales to 334,000 from previous Saturday’s numbers of the former and boosted sales for the latter by 45,000… Oh, and the internet? Announced as deceased by the Purple One, setting off a flurry of commentary last week, 20Ten is making its rounds via file-sharing networks just fine… Hard L.A. festival scheduled for this weekend at Los Angeles State Historic Park featuring M.I.A., Die Antwoord, Sleigh Bells and others has been canceled due to security restrictions, though recent reports of very sluggish ticket-sales may be a more likely reason at this late date… Elsewhere, Susan Boyle is launching a talent search of her own… And will Twitter jump-the-shark and start allowing users to directly buy followers?
07.8.10Indie Dispatches: Top 10 Releases of the Half-Year
Top Ten of '10 So Far
In a flash half of the year has flown by and thoughts are turning to BBQ’s, the beach and the ubiquitous ‘best of the year so far’ lists… In a busy six months there have been standouts, some obvious, some maybe not so…
- – -
Avi Buffalo Avi Buffalo (Sub Pop) – What were you doing when you were 17 years of age? Chances are you were still fretting over skin problems, obsessing about cheerleaders, and trying to cadge school assignments off fellow classmates. I can guarantee what you were not doing, was writing and recording one of the most accomplished indie releases of this year (or any other actually), as young Avi has done. ”What’s In It For” is the proverbial ‘feel good hit of summer’ and it just goes on from there.
Villagers Becoming a Jackal (Domino) – The folk clubs of the world are littered with the bones of average singer songwriters, so it is a reason to rejoice when one emerges from the pack with special talents. And the fresh-faced Conor J. O’Brien’s cupboard is overflowing in that department, as evidenced by his debut solo album. Another youngster showing that the future is very, very bright.
Sally Seltmann Heart That’s Pounding (Arts & Crafts) – “Sally who?” you say? An Australia formerly disguised behind her New Buffalo moniker, the (almost anonymous) writer of Feist’s hit “1-2-3-4″ released an album that is front-to-back choc-full of infectious sing-along pop tunes. The release may have been low key, but the talents within are far from it. Oh, and Sally is married to Darren Seltmann, head honcho of The Avalanches, and It doesnt get much cooler than that.
Hey Marseilles To Travels and Trunks (Onto) – this is cheating as the album had been self-released in ‘08, but a spruced up repackage and ‘proper’ release justifies its inclusion here. Including a lot of the great elements of fellow-Northwesterers The Decemberists, but without the tendency for their rather tiresome sea shanty-isms. Some strings, some horns and some handclaps, makes this a thoroughly enjoyable multi-layered album.
Holly Miranda The Magician’s Private Library (XL) – Anyone who saw the young Jeff Buckley play his legendary shows at Sin-E in NYC in the 90’s will wax lyrically about his presence and the sheer majesty of his voice – a captivating spell that enveloped the listener. Miranda, formerly of New Yorkers Jealous Girlfriends, with help from TVOTR’s Dave Sitek, surprised everyone by duplicating that magic on her debut solo album – a record that, considering its beauty, lay around for way too long searching for a home, before XL thankfully picked it up for release.
Surfer Blood Astrocoast (Kanine) – Warranting inclusion, if only for the track “Swim”. They may be, at heart, the new Weezer, but these Florida kids have more than one sing-along indie hit on their debut release. Joining Best Coast, WAVVES and their brethren in the ‘new beach scene’ of 2010.
She & Him Volume 2 (Merge) – Even without Zooey Deschanel’s status as the #1 indie rock heartthrob, this record would still be close to the top as one of the year’s best, and rightfully deserving its smashing opening week chart position. Deschanel brims with 60’s girl group sweetness, and is more effervescent than a vintage soda shop, backed by the solid chops of elder statesman M. Ward. Bonus points for the version of “Gonna Get Along Without You Now”, (which the Lemonheads covered with great results in the 90’s)
Phantogram Eyelid Movies (Barsuk) – Barsuk may not have been the most obvious label to release this slab of throbbing electronica, and Saratoga Springs may not be the most obvious hometown, but that shouldn’t disguise this New York duo’s class. Like early LCD Soundsystem, or acclaimed French group M-83, the album is a hypnotic swirling beat-driven classic, which live they take to another sweaty, grooving level.
Sleigh Bells Treats (Mom & Pop) – Another duo, this time from Brooklyn, who could be the most newsworthy two piece since The White Stripes, or The Kills at least. A chartbusting debut album that could be seen as the dark underbelly to the squishy fuzziness of a band like the Ting Tings. In two year’s time people may not care, but Sleigh Bells have definitely succeeded in capturing the zeitgeist in 2010.
Karen Elson The Ghost Who Walks (XL) – She may be better known as a model, and of course, as Mrs Jack White, but Elson shows on her album that she can make an album combining some classic elements into a cohesive whole – a dose of Tammy Wynette, a splash of Ann Margret, some Nico and a heavy serving of Bobby Gentry.
- Cool Hand Luke
| Posted in Indie Dispatches, Uncategorized | No Comments »
More Bits & Pieces…
The Shins Release "Goodbye Girl" on Levi's Pioneer Sessions
The Shins cover of Squeeze’s “Goodbye Girl” is the latest offering from Levi’s Pioneer Sessions. So far the project has featured cover songs from Nas, The Swell Season, She & Him with tracks from Passion Pit and The Kills among others on the way… Treats, the debut album from Sleigh Bells saw a wider physical release this week, bumping the album up to #55 on the charts… Tuesday night at the Echoplex was a sold-out crowd for Health and Best Coast… And it appears Surfer Blood is the next band to make the jump from indie Kanine Records to a major label. This follows Chairlift’s move from the indie to Columbia Records last year…
| Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »
Indie Dispatches: Columbia’s Horseplay & Remembering Ian Curtis
Band of Horses Release New Album 'Infinite Arms'
This week marks what will be another interesting case study in the annals of indie-artist-gone-major with the release of Band of Horses third full-length, Infinite Arms, the act’s first album on a major label. After two well-received and bestselling albums for Sub Pop, the former Seattle-based combo’s latest effort is out via Columbia Records. The question for many is whether they can achieve the same level of sales as their prior releases – both of which easily topped the quarter of a million mark on the legendary Northwest indie label. In making the switch, Band of Horses are following a similar path as former labelmate, James Mercer, who transitioned from Sub Pop to Columbia for his Broken Bells release. That album has seen healthy sales so far, but is it poised to out-strip the numbers The Shins sold? The jury is still out, but the history of indie rock is littered with tales of bands making the switch from independent label to the major label world, many times with damaging consequences. So will the new Band of Horses album embolden more indie bands to make the leap to major labels, or will it reinforce the grass isn’t actually greener attitude of acts like Spoon and Arcade Fire?
An altogether different milestone is this week’s 30 year anniversary of the untimely death of Joy Division singer Ian Curtis, who committed suicide on the eve of the band’s US tour in 1980. Joy Division, of course, were a groundbreaking act. Recording for legendary UK indie Factory Records, they were a major influence for a host of maudlin rockers since. Their neo-gothic majesty has been a template for everyone from New York’s Interpol and UK acts like Elbow and The Editors, right up to current day favorites The National - whose new album High Violet just smashed into a #3 chart debut this week. Even three decades later, the argument could be made that the Manchester band’s run of singles from “Atmosphere” to “Love Will Tear Us Apart” remain unsurpassed through today.
And a final notable item for the week… Treats, the debut album from Sleigh Bells that was released last week on Mom & Pop Records, looks to have unexpectedly smashed into the top 40 chart. With no prior records this is quite an achievement for the Brooklyn duo, though maybe most significant is the fact that the sales were 100% digital – a physical release is slated for next month. Welcome to 2010 – it’s a different world out there…
-Cool Hand Luke
| Posted in Indie Dispatches, Uncategorized | No Comments »
Indie Dispatches: Down the Rabbit Hole; 10 Essential Things To Do This Week
Sleigh Bells Debut LP Out this Week on Mom & Pop; Streaming on NPR
1. Listen to the debut Sleigh Bells LP Treats that is streaming on NPR’s First Listen
2. Check out the bountiful slate of great shows coming up in LA at the Hollywood Bowl this summer – She and Him with The Swell Season (July 18), Chemical Brothers, Yacht & Chromeo (August 29), Phoenix, Grizzly Bear & Girls (Sept 18), Vampire Weekend & Beach House (Sept 26) and of course Pavement, Sonic Youth & No Age (Sept 30)
3. Be thrilled that the latest albums by the Hold Steady Heaven is Forever (Vagrant Records), The New Pornographers Together (Matador) and Minus the Bear Omni (Dangerbird) all cracked the top 50 this week
4. Wish you were in the UK hanging out in your chalet with your music friends going to the latest ATP festival
5. Watch the debut video for “What’s In It For” by Avi Buffalo
6. Marvel at the fact that 1000 people came out to the recent Broken Social Scene instore at Amoeba Records in Los Angeles and buy a copy of their new album Forgiveness Rock Record on Arts and Crafts
7. Read Mike McGonigal’s excellent oral history of seminal nineties act Galaxie 500
8. Visit your local vinyl emporium to see if there are any more Record Store Day goodies floating around (you may be pleasantly surprised)
9. Download the new track “Lights” from Interpol and rue the fact that bassist Carlos D has left the band
10. Purchase the much praised new album High Violet from The National
11. Mark down the date for the 2010 Siren Festival in your calendar (July 17!)
-Cool Hand Luke
| Posted in Indie Dispatches, Uncategorized | No Comments »
Indie Dispatches: Coachella Music Preview & Record Store Day
Band of Skulls set to rock Coachella this Saturday
It’s that time of the year again, when music fans and industry folks alike make the trek to Indio California to sit by the pool, and sip… err, we mean, visit the Empire Polo Fields for three days of the Coachella Festival. And despite the recession and the absence of single-day tickets, we hear the mega-festival has already sold out. As always, it looks to be a great weekend with a solid lineup, but going beyond the big acts like Muse, Gorillaz, Thom Yorke and Faith No More, there is a healthy line-up of more underground but equally exciting artists to check out… Friday highlights include Brooklyn’s Sleigh Bells, who are odds-on for a “most likely to…” status in 2010, and Deer Tick who count NBC’s news anchor and indie tastemaker Brian Williams‘ as a fan… Looking to Saturday, Sub Pop’s Beach House have converted a lot of fans this year with their new album Teen Dream, while Scotland’s Frightened Rabbit should be the perfect summery pop-soundtrack for basking in the afternoon sunshine. From the West Coast, the Pitchfork-approved Girls and the odd-named-but-great-sounding Portugal the Man, who recently signed to Atlantic Records, are both worth a look, while the must-see for the day could be the UK’s Band of Skulls. Expect LCD Soundsystem to wow crowds in the desert, after wowing crowds with surprise shows in NYC last week, and keep an eye on The xx, who are fast-becoming the subject of obsession by music fans on both coast. Finally before escaping the desert, a must-see on Sunday’s dance card list includes: Australia’s The Middle East, who are rolling off a huge SXSW buzz, Sigur Ros singer/guitarist Jonsi, and Local Natives, who are one of the hardest working bands in L.A… Get Coachella set-times here.
If a trip to the desert is not in your future, don’t forget April 17th is the annual Record Store Day. A visit to support your local music emporium should always be a weekly event, but this Saturday is twice as exciting with a cool selection of limited edition items available. Just like a sample-sale event, record geeks will be out in full-force when the doors open, elbowing and jockeying their way to nab a copy of the limited Sonic Youth LPs, the Bon Iver 7″ and that Pavement compilation… Happy shopping!
- Cool Hand Luke
| Posted in Indie Dispatches, Uncategorized | No Comments »
Promiscuous Drunks, Friendly Calls and Humbug Resolutions… Happy New Year!
Chiddy Bangin on BBC Radio 1
It was one-year ago today that we published our ‘welcome back & happy new year‘ piece for 2009, so a post-holiday roundup and a look at the early action in 2010 on this date only seems fitting.
Taking up the digital marketing reins at Hollywood Records is J Scavo, who exits his GM position at MySpace Records where he was integral in promotions like Toyota Rock the Space and Wendy’s Fresh Faces, as well as the signing of artists such as Christina Milian and Meiko among others… It appears things are heating up stateside for Philly’s Chiddy Bang with the Crush-managed artist being signed by EMI in the UK and their track “The Opposite of Adults” getting spun regularly on Radio 1. Another early contender for one of the new year’s first bidding-derby acts is TMills, as we hear major-label heads are lining up to showcase the tattooed auto-crooner… Distorted electro-duo Sleigh Bells appear to be closing a deal with indie shop Mom & Pop, while Austin’s Ume is being courted by multiple big-indies on opposite coasts. Stay tuned…
In other updates, the next New Music Seminar will take place in Los Angeles on February 2nd, and will feature Spotify founder Daniel Ek as keynote speaker and numerous panelists including Ian Rogers, Alex Patsavas, Jason Bentley and Kevin Lyman to name a few… And in case you missed this holiday reading, checkout And Party Every Day: The Inside Story of Casablanca Records, the new inside account of the influential and infamous record label was penned by label co-founder Larry Harris.
| Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment »
| Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »