Category: Rock ‘n’ Roll Photog

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Video: Sisters of Mercy, Jolene

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The first time I heard this song was in the late spring of 1996.

I was sitting on the floor of a friends’ flat in Glasgow, half listening to them talk and half listening to the music coming out of the stereo – everything they played was new to me, at the time – and when this tune came on, I listened to two verses in stunned baffled silence before finally asking Who is that and is he for real singing a Dolly Parton song?

The answers are: a) Andrew Eldritch, of the Sisters of Mercy, b) yes, yes he is.

It remains one of my favorite versions of Jolene, as well as one of my favorite cover songs of all time.
 
http://youtu.be/AdUHxFKCQBs

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Milan Jay: In the Shadows of Footsteps

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Because every time I listen to it I find something new and interesting within the layers of tones, and because it’s the exact sort of full-throttle industrial-flavored jam I need in my life in general, but even more so for the next week and a half.

It’s a free download on Soundcloud for right now; the “official” release is August 4, the same day Milan Jay (now with new drummer!) will be at Indiependence in Cork.
 
In The Shadows Of Footsteps (Free Download) by Milan Jay

For more music from Milan Jay, visit their bandcamp page. And if you like you can read my thoughts on some of their earlier work (spoiler: I like their tunes a lot) over here.

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Postcards from the Pit: JJAMZ, Webster Hall, 7/10/12

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IMG_6264
Alex Greenwald and Z Berg, during LAX

I’m putting this shot first mainly because it is my favorite from the evening. I’m fond of the song, too, even though at first Alex Greenwald + what seems to be a frilly love song = major cognitive dissonance.

But by his second verse – So I carved both our names into my pale white chest/Asked you to do the same/It seemed a reasonable request/I nearly lost it when you said yes. – things have taken a turn back towards familiar and deeply weird territory.

Overall feelings: It was a great show. They powered through a selection of tunes from their new record, Suicide Pact (out now!), including the title track, Heartbeat (now with super-creepy ’80s horror movie video!), Never Enough, Cleverly Disguised,Get What You Want and Square One, and also did an awesome cover of Elastica’s Connection.

They are on the road with the NYLON + Starbucks Summer Tour through the end of July, and after a few of their own shows will be headed out with the Superhumanoids in August. Check their listings and see if they’re coming near you.

Here are a few more pictures:
 

IMG_6250 Z Berg and James B. Valentine

 

IMG_6259

Alex Greenwald

 

IMG_6285Michael Runion

 

IMG_6291Z Berg

 

IMG_6253Alex Greenwald, Michael Runion, and Z Berg. Jason Boesel is there but hidden by his drums!

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Video: Erasure, Oh L’Amour

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For no other reason than sometimes this song gets stuck in my head and I have to put it on repeat for a little while and then tell the Internet get your glitter and your heels we’re going out.

Okay maybe one other reason: check out those harmonies at the beginning. Angels never sounded so good.

 

Erasure - Oh L'Amour (Original Video)

 
They’re still singing, as well; there was a new Erasure record last year (Tomorrow’s World) and Andy Bell is headlining Poptronik in Spain in September. And they have a new live record out too!

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Tour Alert: Beast Friends Forever: Lucas Carpenter, Mark Rose, Jon Walker

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Lucas Carpenter, Mark Rose and Jon Walker are headed out on the road together once again. This time around they’ll be playing it songwriters circle style, i.e. rotating through songs and accompanying each other. And if you think the tour poster is as adorable as I do, you can snag yourself one at the shows.

As enticement and introduction, some videos. First up is Lucas Carpenter:
 
http://youtu.be/xuA6O7I1TJQ
 
Reasons Lucas Carpenter is awesome: 1) Totally cool with people who cackle loudly when something funny happens during his set, as I did last fall, when he busted out the fancy vintage live-looping machine and, you guys, it honked; yes I am secretly twelve and also 2) Writes songs that are by turns poignant and hilarious and also make snarky references to emoticons.

Next is Mark Rose (Spitalfield):
 

Mark Rose live at Lincoln Hall

 
Highlight of his set in September: That moment he dropped a little bit of Smells Like Teen Spirit neatly and seamlessly into one of his songs without even breaking the rhythm.
 
And then Jon Walker (The Young Veins, Panic[!] at the Disco), freshly returned from a sojourn in Costa Rica:
 
Fairytale by Jon Walker [OFFICIAL VIDEO]

 
Jon Walker barefoot and playing the guitar means all is right with the world and everything is in its proper place.

Special note: later in July he’s opening for Gold Motel at their shows in Indianapolis (7/25 @ Hoosier Dome), Chicago, IL (7/26, Schubas) and St. Louis, MO (7/27, @ The Firebird.)

 
Tour dates below are as of 7/7/2012; for updates/more information go to the Beast Friends Tour Tumblr.

07-07: Pittsburgh, PA @ Diesel Club Lounge (5PM | ALL AGES)

07-08: Erie, PA @ Basement Transmissions (4PM | ALL AGES)

07-09: Rochester, NY @ Lovin’ Cup (7PM | ALL AGES | $5 COVER)

07-10: Cleveland, OH @ Beachland Tavern (8PM | ALL AGES)

07-11: Ardmore, PA (Philly) @ Milkboy (8PM | ALL AGES)

07-12: Allentown, PA @ Planet Trog (5:30PM | ALL AGES)

07-13: Morgantown, WV @ The Cue (7PM | ALL AGES | $7 COVER)

07-14: Dayton, OH @ Ghostlight Coffee (8PM | ALL AGES | $3 COVER)

07-15: Bloomington, IL @ Coffee Nation (7:30PM | ALL AGES)

07-16: Online Show – “Live! at Threadless” @ StageIt.com (8PM (CST) | ONLINE TIX (PAY WHAT YOU WANT) | LIVE TAPING [in Chicago] TIX ([$7,] 30 AVAIL))

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Video: Fireworks after Midnight, Gold Motel

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Fireworks after Midnight is one of my favorites from Summer House (2010), but – ALERT ALERT, Gold Motel fans – they just released a WHOLE NEW RECORD just yesterday.

It’s called Gold Motel and you can listen to it at Spinner and (if/when that link dies) at their Facebook. And then (most importantly!) you can buy it here.

They’re headed out on tour later this month as well, so also be sure to check the tour dates and see if they are stopping near you!
 

Gold Motel -- Fireworks After Midnight

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Video: Beach Bones, More Amor feat. Ryan Ross

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Sometimes waiting for new music is like a summer science experiment, the kind where you catch a caterpillar in late spring, put it in your cut-out milk jug terrarium, let it make a cocoon, and then spend several months waiting to see what kind of butterfly (if any) will come out.

I have several of these imaginary terrariums perched on my kitchen window. Early this morning I found a beautiful butterfly with sea and sand wings waiting for me: Beach Bones, by More Amor feat. Ryan Ross. It’s from More Amor’s new EP to be called In Spanish, evidently due in late July.

Retiring the butterfly metaphor: I like this song / video a whole lot. I’m especially fond of the extended cameo by the inflatable Stanley Cup.

Anyway, here it is, watch and enjoy:
 

More Amor ft. Ryan Ross: Beach Bones

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White Arrows: Dry Land is Not A Myth

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This has been a fever-dream summer, in which I have been occasionally sleepless and sometimes adrift in a sea-fog of bleepy-bloopy fuzzy distorted electronic tones.

White Arrows are sometimes fuzzy and distorted too, but they also bring a certain amount of vibrant clarity to the proceedings – the sun burning off the fog, if you will.

They are the promises of wave-jumping, beach-lounging, Ferris Wheel riding, and eating terrible food on the boards at Coney Island that hover on my distant horizons.

A sampling of their sound, starting with Get Gone, from Dry Land is Not a Myth.

NOTE: This video uses strobe-y effects! Alternate visuals here.
 

White Arrows - Get Gone OFFICIAL VIDEO

 
Fireworks of the Sea, also strobe-y (alternate visuals: here):
White Arrows | Fireworks Of The Sea

 
And finally, not on the record but still pretty a great, a cover of Springsteen’s I’m on Fire:
 
http://youtu.be/r7zJHSQEKsU

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Never Fake Desire: Bethany Weimers, Harpsichord Row

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Eagle and Girl painting © Annika Olesen

NTSIBers, please meet Bethany Weimers, of Oxford, England. Harpischord Row is her first record; on it, she balances folk and pop in interesting ways, and weaves complex stories through delicate melodies. Every time one of her songs floats up on shuffle I pause for a moment to greet her characters properly, as they are compelling people.

Here is a video for the title track:
 

 

And one for 30,000 Days, wherein the video picture is somewhat unusual – filmed by Improbable Blue, the YouTube notes indicate it was originally recorded both in silhouette and in darkness, so what you see here is a “salvage job” – but I like it, as an unintended special effect:
 

Bethany Weimers - 30000 Days

 
And two more I especially like. First, Silver Moon, which I love because the beat is dreamy and soothing, a slow Loreena McKennitt-style stomp and swirl, and the lyrics contain a bright ribbon of stubborn defiance: I will not be pushed around / I will not be sacrificed.
 

 
And second, To the Land, which is a beautiful, spare incantation of determination:
 

 

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Receiver: Ian Curtis Wishlist

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Receiver is the debut album by Ian Curtis Wishlist, also known as Aaron Struble, of Springfield, Missouri. I found it while noodling around the internets looking for things to make my brain stop spinning while I made bar review flashcards (this will be a recurring theme in my life/posts until the end of July, just fyi) and I am here to tell you this is 1) deeply weird but also 2) really good.

I realize “he had me at hello” is a terrible cliche, but, well, he kind of did, or at least he had me at the first 30 seconds or so of Flutters, which you can watch the video for below. That beat is blunt. It’s arresting. It demands attention. I have sat through his record twice now, and the rest of it is equally compelling.

This video is less blunt, but I find that even though I’m kind of wondering what in the world is going on here, I don’t really need an explanation. I can enjoy it as a brief foray into WTAFville, which, much like Vitamin C, is something I feel one should have every day.
 

ian curtis wishlist - flutters

Video by Joshua Rogers of brokenmachinefilms.com
 

Another favorite from the record: emerald park i: awash in you
 

 
If you like it, Receiver is a free download at bandcamp, and there’s much more to be had at ICW’s Soundcloud. For example, this one which is called Flights, and is the work of both ICW and VΞRACOM:
 
VΞRACOM & ian curtis wishlist – FLIGHTS by ian curtis wishlist
 
And this one, which is called HWMY<3BHVS0.9 which I’m pretty sure translates to “How My Heart Behaves 0.9”:
 
HWMY<3BHVS0.9 by ian curtis wishlist