Have Conor Oberst returned to his roots?

Some voices have stated that Conor Oberst returned to his roots with his solo project with the Mystic Valley Band (Taylor Hollingsworth, Nik Freitas, Macey Taylor, Nate Walcott, Jason Boesel). In general a crazy statement. In my opinion he have just taken a turn towards exploring the country fundament a bit closer.

Either way, it is a solid and wonderful acquaintance with a prominent member of the country-rock scene, even though country-rock may have had its height as the ruler of folk-rock. Hopefully country-rock is disolving and floating towards a more complex folk-rock seeking syntheses with other aspects of folk and world music. Looking forward to the time when you for example are taking your turn with Celtic music, Conor. Happy new year!

Pitchfork 500 - Dec. 24th - Pavement

So here we are at the final day of our christmas/pitchfork countdown. The big question is who deserves the extremely prestigious role of ending this long, fine list of artists. Sometimes the answer just falls right into your lap. I always favoured Pavement as a strong candidate and when I saw this video there was just no better way to wish all our treasured Indie Laundry readers a merry christmas.

'Gold Soundz' is one of the best songs of one of the very best albums of the 1990's -'Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain' (1994). It is also the second single from Pavement's second release. And the video shows the five guys roaming around somewhere in California, almost like Beasties Boys in the legendary Sabotage video. Only, Stephen Malkmus & Co. are all dressed out as Santa Clauses and seem more confused. Along the way, they shoot a chicken and tumble down a hill. It doesn't make too much sense but hey... it's christmas. Have a good one!!

Pitchfork 500 - Dec. 23rd - Happy Mondays

Happy Mondays have always managed to carve a smile on my face. So I'll light this little Xmas day up with the Happy Mondays. Challenging the Pitchfork list.

I had one live-experience with Shaun Ryder and Bez. In 1995 where they did a terrible - slash - really awesome disturbed show with Black Grape at Roskilde Festival. Shaun Ryder was piss drunk and tumbled about on stage doing his mental stuff. Well. Before that time, they were the Happy Mondays. And just as badass crazy with ecstasy and manic obsessions.

Anyone who know their brit-rock trivia OR have seen 24 Hour Party People would be aware of that Mr. Manchester - Tony Wilson - found these guys. Quality was a trademark for Mr. Manchester, who pushed acts like Joy Division and Sex Pistols into the limelight.

Well 'nuff said. The Pitchfork 500 single with Happy Mondays is 'Kinky Afro' from album Pills 'n' Thrills and Bellyaches. That single hit the #1 spot in US. The songs chorus paraphrases the Labelle song "Lady Marmalade".

The challenge is that on the same album you'll find 'Step On'. That song didn't make the number one position in the US, but performed just as good back home in England.
To me this song is much more Happy Monday'ish, more bizare and freaky. Also this track is completely stolen from John Kongos' "He's Gonna Step On You Again" showing only that the Happy Mondays can steal anything claiming it their own.

But the real shit about this classic is the intro. Shaun Ryder on E or something singing 'You are twisting ma mellons maaaaaaaan'.

Either way. These two tracks are the most popular from Pills 'n' Thrills and Bellyaches. That album is a masterpiece and reminds me of good times in the 90's.

First: Step On


Second: Kinky Afro

Pitchfork 500 - Dec. 22nd - Brian Eno

Only two days till christmas. The race is heating up, people are stressed out. You know the drill. If you feel the strain yourself, Indie Laundry now provides you with an absolute perfect antidote in the shape of Brian Eno's ambient masterpiece, 'Ambient 1: Music for Airports' (1978). 

In fact, this album was the first to define the term 'ambient music'. It contains just four songs, rationally named 1/1, 2/1, 1/2 and 2/2. Pitchfork chooses the first and you cannot really argue with that. It is a stunning, gentle, ultra-slow piano driven piece of music. It is the musical parallel to a spa massage!

Eno came up with the idea for the record while being stuck at the Cologne Bonn Airport and being annoyed with the boring music there. Since then the album has been used in the LaGuardia Airport in New York. In fact, this can be seen as Eno's crusade against mindless muzak; to reestablish the power of music to create an interesting surrounding influence or atmosphere. You can only describe his project as extremely succesful. No matter your level of attention to it, 1/1 is a highly pleasurable experience.   

Pitchfork 500 - Dec. 21th - Sufjan Stevens

Casimir Pulaski Day is not really a hidden gem. It's a genuine Sufjan Stevens gem that always hits me like a ton of bricks.

I don't really know why, but the lyrics are really sad and the simple guitar-picking is perfectly mellow.

Casimir Pulaski Day is on his album Illinois. If you want to learn more about the Casimir Pulaski Day as it's observed in Illionis, read this article! :-)

Pitchfork 500 - Dec. 20th - The Clash

Play some Grandmaster Flash and Sugar Hill Gang for the members of The Clash and this single is what you'll get. Far from bad and close to brilliant.

The Magnificent Seven was inspired by old skool hip hop and build around a pretty funky bass loop originally issued by The Blockheads. The Magnificent Seven is the first major rap record by a white band and one of the earliest examples of hiphop with social and political content.

The song deals with consumerism, popular media, historical figures. In a funny way too! The first verses of the song deals with this nameless worker as he wakes up and goes to work, only to buy his girlfriend consumer goods.

Enjoy!

Keith Richards tells the stories behind his 10 all-time-favorite Rolling Stones riffs.

Keith Richards, who turned 65 thursday, reveals his favorite Rolling Stones songs. It's not really a groundbreaking piece, but fun to hear his own words on some of the more wellknown Stones songs.

Pitchfork 500 - Dec. 19th - Elliott Smith

Connecting to the earlier post today, we continue our Pitchfork 500 adventure with the late Elliott Smith. Steven Paul Smith - his real name - was a genius and besides that, heavily influenced by The Beatles. So often you cannot help thinking of the more moody and introspective Beatles songs, like 'Blackbird' or 'While my guitar gently weeps' when listening to Elliott Smith. Yet, Smith's music is not just moody, it is almost tragic, like loneliness put to sound. Compine this with his ability to write very strong, timeless melodies and you end up with a haunting cocktail that will get you hooked. 

Of course, his tragic death in 2003 only strengthens this perception. If you are in the right kind of mood, prepare to get moved when you hear 'Between The Bars'. The song featured in Gus van Sant's movie 'Good Will Hunting' which marked somewhat of a breakthrough for Smith. Originally, it is taken from his 1997 release 'Either/Or' - named after Danish philosopher Søren Kierkegaard's milestone book. No more bonus info - instead, enjoy Smith's chilling performance of the song, sitting in a kitchen (I think).

Elliott Smith - Between The Bars

Beatles Remastered

2009 will be a year of some very noticeable re-issues. The other day I anticipated the upcoming Neil Young 'Archives' release and today I give a shout out to The Beatles. The only cd-versions of their studio albums that exist, are the ones from 1987. That will change next year- about bloody time - when long overdue remastered versions will see the light of day. There are not too many details about how and when it will happen but it WILL happen. 

Anyways, it gives me the opportunity to give you this über-cool video of one of the fab four's lesser known, yet totally brilliant tracks. If you think you have grown apart from The Beatles, watch this and you will think again! 'Hey Bulldog'!

  

NB: Stay tuned for the continuation of our Pitchfork Christmas Special in a few hours...

Pitchfork 500 - Dec. 18th - The Pretenders

This is such a badass track. Powerful, with sad sad lyrics and even today with a bitterly rueful sound. It's from The Pretenders. Take it for a few spins.

At the time of release of the single 'Back on the Chain Gang' the band had been fractured by the drugrelated death of lead-guitarist and style-inventor James Honeyman-Scott.

The Prentenders only consistent member and songwriter Chrissie Hynde decided to go on and do this track with another line-up as a tribute to Honeyman-Scott and bassist Pete Farndon, who were dumped earlier that year. He succumbed to an OD in April 1983. Such awful tragedy in that band!

The track was put on the the album 'Learning to Crawl' from '84, which is among the finest work The Pretenders ever did.

The single marked a new level of musical sophistication for the band, who formed during the tail end of the original British punk movement. In 1978.

The bass-walk on this song is just sooo fokkin' brilliant, and that whole swinging pop-style part and chorus just sticks in your head instantly.

Bonusinfo: Chrissie Hynde has teamed up with Morrissey for vocalwork on his new release.

The Prentenders - Back on the Chain Gang





Got into the house like a pigeon from hell...

Pitchfork 500 - Dec. 17th - Orange Juice

Short post today... Now for some Scottish music. It is 1980 and Orange Juice is part of a string of new exciting post-punk bands from Glasgow also counting Josef K, Simple Minds and Aztec Camera. Orange Juice was fronted by Edwyn Collins (of later 'A girl like you' fame) and the song chosen by Pitchfork is their second single 'Blue boy'. And here is a video showing a gramophone playing it. Action-packed, huh?

Neil Young Archives Vol. 1. trailer

After countless delays it seems that this motherload of pure light and love is not far away. Call me a subject to clever advertising, if you like. I just want to get my hands on this a.s.a.p!

Pitchfork 500 - Dec. 16th - Yo La Tengo

One of my friends once told me that everything released by Matador Records is awesome. No more, no less! If there ever were an archetypical Matador band, it would have to be Yo La Tengo so they ought to something, right? Too dynamic to be shoegazing, too silky to be grouped with noise-rockers like Sonic Youth, Yo La Tengo carves their own niche in alternative rock and has done so since 1984. So if you find that they may sound similar to many other bands, you probably have to blame the other bands...

Yo La Tengo was formed by Ira Kaplin and Georgia Hubley; a married couple from Hoboken, New York. In 1993 they released the album Painful from which we give you 'From a Motel 6'. 

 

Pitchfork 500 - Dec. 15th - R.E.M

A whole different look, but a punk ass solid sense of rhythm! Todays choice of song had a lasting legacy when it was released in 1984 — it put R.E.M on the American rock map once and for all. Why? Check out below.

R.E.M has got it all on todays video from Late Night with David Letterman in june 1983. R.E.M here shows off what was soon to come. This their first television performance on national tv ever.

The song is 'So. Central Rain (I'm Sorry)' and was first released on Reckoning (1984) and didn't have a name when R.E.M played it on Letterman.

What I love about this video is the totally cool and relaxed atmosphere in the studio. Letterman talking with Buck & Mills about their music, while a shy Michael Stipe hides in the background. And their looks. It's brilliant. Mike Mills looks nerdy as a young Bill Gates and Stipe just looks amazingly cool and Godlike, with his hair and young and haunted attitude. Their style is almost grungy!

The music is superb as well. Sounds pretty campfire-simple, but changes a hell of a lot of chords and keys three times. I don't have a clue about the lyrics, but they are sung with so much emotional insight, that I don't even care.

R.E.M - So. Central Rain (I'm Sorry) (The Black Sessions 2001)

Pitchfork 500 - Dec. 14th - Television

For this Sunday we will treat you with a true classic. It was in 1977 that Television released the perhaps single most important album of the New Wave, erhh... wave. The title track 'Marquee Moon' is 10 minutes of duelling guitars. The track was done in one take but nobody told drummer Billy Ficca that. He thought they were only rehearsing! 

On top of Richard Lloyd and Tom Verlaine's guitar extravaganza, Verlaine delivers a haunted vocal. This a quite phenomenal stuff and it is easy to hear the spirit of Television roaming in much newer indie music, not least their fellow New Yorkers from Clap Your Hands Say Yeah. I can't believe I haven't bought this album yet, but I promise to fix that shortly!  

Television - Marquee Moon

Pitchfork 500 - Dec. 13th - Siouxsie & The Banshees

It's saturday so why bother with small problems. This song is about city of Pompeii, destroyed in a volcanic eruption in 79 CE. Besides that it's a cool little postpunk song with dark lyrics but a really poppy hook.

Siouxsie & the Banshees released Cities in dust as a single and was a cut on Tinderbox from 1986.

Pitchfork 500 - Dec. 12th - Hüsker Dü

Bob Mould is a legend and this song is Pink to Blue as played by Hüsker Dü.

The song is from the album Zen Arcade from 1984. The lyrics of Zen Arcade are usually interpreted as telling the story, in the first person, of an adolescent who runs away to escape an unfulfilling home life. In this song he tries drugs.

Rolling Stones writer David Fricke described Zen Arcade as "the closest hardcore will ever get to an opera ... a kind of thrash Quadrophenia."

Check it out. It has huge levels of energy.

Everything that happens will happen today

Art-rock legends David Byrne and Brian Eno has taken up their old partnership and released a new album 'Everything that happens will happen today'. Byrne is currently streaming it in its entirety. I definitely liked what I heard so I thought you should know about it too.

Pitchfork 500 - Dec. 11th - Osymyso

Osymyso is an English mash-up DJ. Not really a genre I usually spend any time on but I couldn't help being fascinated by his 'Intro-Inspection'; a 12-minute collage of hooks from an extremely long and diverse list of hits. This is pure dj-wizardry. To make it even better, some kind soul has gone through the huge trouble of putting together a video showing all the songs involved.

Intro-Inspection Part 1:

Intro-Inspection Part 2:

Pitchfork 500 - Dec. 10th - Super Furry Animals

Today we will lift the mood a notch or two. There was no way I was gonna ignore my favorite Welsh guys (aside from Ian Rush, of course) in the wonderful, spaced-out pack of Super Furry Animals. They have penned so many brilliant songs but Pitchfork have managed to choose one I did not know - well, I may have heard it once or twice but 'Ice Hockey Hair' only came out as an EP. As it doesn't figure on any of the Animals' regular albums, it is not to be found on my cd shelves (yes, I am very much a sucker for the good old album format).

Super Furry Animals have always produced excellent music videos that reflect their humoristic approach to their art. I challenge you to sit this one out without getting a smile on your face. Prepare for a vocoder soaked murder story, complete with sing-a-long choruses and some passive table tennis playing.

NB: In a strange way, both the use of vocoder and the video's stage scenario seems to quote Daft Punk's 'Around the world' which is from 1997. As 'Ice Hockey Hair' is from 1998, it could be the case. Judge for yourself. (the music kicks off after 20 seconds, so be patient)

Pitchfork 500 - Dec. 9th - The Clientele

London's The Clientele is very much the story of the forgotten band. Having existed since 1991 it was not until 2000 they released their debut album "Suburban Light' which collected a series of underground singles and EP's made between´97 and´00. 'Reflections after Jane' is taken from the debut and demonstrates the band's oozing and easy style. The music is perfectly matched by singer Alasdair MacLean's breathy, slightly nasal voice - not unlike Michael Penn or Scritti Politti's Gren Gartside.

The Clientele still spread their laid back vibes to this day and are slowly getting more and more recognition, as exemplified by Pitchfork's endorsement and also by the adoration of young folks like Peter, Bjorn & John. Enjoy and relaaaaax...

 

Pitchfork 500 - Dec. 8th - Suicide - Dream baby Dream

Today it's Suicide-time! Some thinks this duo were just as influential as The Clash. Nontheless they are phat! And can easily compete even today. Their raw-cool-doomsday electro is just perfectly depressing.

I bet that Sigur Rós has taken this song for a few spins before doing some of their kling-klang tracks. Listen on the mp3-version of "Dream Baby Dream" below.

By the way Bruce Springsteen has also used a solo keyboard version of "Dream Baby Dream" on his Devil & Dust Tour 2005.

Suicide - Dream baby dream

Carter USM revisited

There no good reason for this post. It's just one of those memories that pops in to your head during drifting. And it's a good memory from the late 1980's. It's Carter USM, it's electro-punk, it's Sheriff Fatman

Pitchfork 500 - Dec. 7th - Althea & Donna

I'm the only guy in the Indie Laundry-village who has a soft spot for sweet laidback reggae-rhytms. Or maybe dare to be honest about it?

While the other guys today are enjoying themselves in such different parts of the world as Paris and in the magnificent and colorful village of Stjær, Jutland I get to decide. So i thought: Let's play with girls with really rad hair-do's.

This sundays treat is a one hit wonder from jamaican reggae singing duo Althea & Donna. The song is 'Uptown Top Ranking' and has a sweet and simple riddim pumping.
30 years ago Althea & Donna reached number one in UK with 'Uptown Top Ranking' and disappeared forever. And has never been seen since. No where. Even their hair might be lost.

It's a cute little tuney-thingy. View a take from a BBC show below...

See mi in mi Benz and ting
Drivin' through Constant Spring...

Pitchfork 500 - Dec. 6th - Billy Bragg

In 1985, his song "A New England" became an instant top ten hit in the UK. Billy Bragg blends folk music, punk rock and protest songs. I know not at lot about this dudes carrier, but I know he collaborated with Johnny Marr, R.E.M and not at least, Wilco. I kind of like this song.

This video is 'A New England' and Billy Bragg performes together with a damn smoking hot object - Kate Nash - at NME Awards 2007. Enjoy this protesty and now super commercialized song. Honestly I don't know why the fuck I picked this song. But it touched me. Or Kate Nash did. My eyes fell on it on the list. Or I am to busy. Have your own opinion ready. Helmets on!

Delayed Thanksgiving from Ryan Adams

One of our alltime favorites here at the Indie Laundry-office. Ryan Adams playing it heartfelt.

Pitchfork 500 - Dec. 5th - Wire

Today we'll take you back again. It's 1978 and the place is London, England. The band is Wire.

Wire was inspired by the burgeoning U.K. punk scene. Wire expanded their sonic boundaries in the 1970s of not just punkt, but rock music in general. Wire can be described as art punk or a post-punk ensemble. Read more about Wire.

In 1978 they released the album 'Chairs Missing' (as in 'that guy has a few chairs missing in his front room.' ;-) ) giving their rockpunk a more complex, structured sound involving increased use of guitar effects and synthesizers. (UH!)

Check out this beautiful little New Wave song 'Outdoor Miner' from that album. It's more poppy than the stuff they done before (except from 'I Am The Fly' from that same album). Also this single was for some reason deleted from the charts in 1978, which meant it didn't meet the criterias of the BBC chart-list, which was the shit back then, meaning no commercial career for the band.

Download Outdoor Miner by Wire

The resemblance with the indie-sound anno 2005 or so is striking. Also remember to check out a quite unique - but way cool - ukulele-version of that song!

Pitchfork 500 - Dec. 4th - Slowdive

Today we make a minor jump forward in time to the early 90's. Slowdive was part of the English shoegaze scene alongside the likes of My Bloody Valentine and Cocteau Twins. In ´93 they released the album Souvlaki which contained the breezy tune 'Alison'. It cannot be because of this that Slowdive was dropped by their label Creation two years later. Parts of the band was not ready to take the dive, though and went on to form another well-respected band, Mojave 3.

Pitchfork 500 - Dec. 3rd - Mission of Burma

'That's when I reach for my revolver', Mission of Burma singer, Clint Conley, hollers - and that's when the last shadow of christmas spirit is blown away, you might add. Nevertheless, this is a very intense song with the mark of an indie classic written all over it. It has been covered by many, including Graham Coxon (of Blur) and Moby. However, the latter chose to change the lyrics to "That's when I realize it's over" in order to not to promote gun violence... Yeeeeees, Moby.

Unfortunalety, I have not been able to find any official video for the song, so this still image video will have to suffice. But it's the sound that counts, right?

Fuck homophobes in the asshole!

Fuckin hell. Everytime I listen to the wonderfull and absolutely weird Devendra Banhart I just feel like smokin joints and go to Califonia to party for a couple of months. I have blogged about the new side-project Megapuss before, but there's a video you gotta see and a song you gotta hear - because the lyrics in the song are so beatiful and the video is som funny. Sorry but I couldn't find a mp3 working so check out this link, and listen carefully to the song 'A Gun On His Hip and a Rose On His Chest'. It also contains a very ... original solo!!

Pitchfork 500 - Dec. 2nd - Talking Heads

Next up is Talking Heads. Admittedly, not exactly an unknown band. I'm a big, big fan but somehow this one has avaded me. 'This Must Be The Place (Naive Melody)' of their ´83 album 'Speaking in Tongues' differs from the Heads' usual quirky, white afrofunk. This is simply a lovely and joyful song. Perhaps their first love song on what were their fifth album.

X-special at Indie Laundry

Ok... so it has been awfully quiet here at Indie Laundry for the past few months. We really apologize for that but I will not bore you with stupid explanations. Instead, we'll try to come good by handing you a nice little christmas treat.

Pitchfork recently released a book compiling the 500 best songs since punk emerged, i.e. we are talking about the period 1977-2006. The list is as diverse as it is inspiring - in one word: brilliant!! We have scrutinized the list and this has inspired us to - as a tribute - present some of the unknown, or at least forgotten, gems of 'The Pitchfork 500'. 

Starting today and going on all the way till christmas, you can expect a daily, carefully chosen treat from this vast collection. Enjoy!

Dec. 1st takes you back to 1985 and the English post-punk band Felt's thrilling 'Primitive Painters'. This was back when music videoes really did not need to show anthing else than the band playing... Kind of nice, actually. 

 

Bang Gang - It's Alright

While surfing for cheap handheld digital HD video cameras(!), I ran through various gadgets and pricetags. The cheap hip pocket solution is the all new MinoHD, but I couldn't help myself. I HAD to check out the camera Red One. It's AMAZING and shoots at a higher resolution for less money than pretty much any other camera out there. But hey, it's almost 20.000 dollars! So welhttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifl. That brings me to the music!

While looking at sample-footage from the Red One, I noticed the music used in this clip. It struck me as something very simple, sad and all in all very beautiful. Of course it's from Iceland. The track is 'It's Alright' and done by Bang Gang, who is Barði Jóhannsson - kind of a icelandic Phil Spector / Brian Wilson kind of genius guy. He has done A LOT of music and I really like what he is doing to my ears. So much talent in the arctic ocean.
The tunes are pleasing but it's mood-music. Meaning emotional, sensitive, somber and maybe a bit too soft in the long run. But for now I really like having it in my Ipod and in my living room. It's excellent pop.

Check out the album Something Wrong and the newly released Ghost from the Past.


skate - shot on red #1347 - 120 fps from www.theglobules.com on Vimeo.


Bang Gang - The World Is Gray

Perfect movie-songs!

Besides using all my time and money on music - I teach about movies and cinema. There are many things which really fascinates me about cinema - but the one thing that can really move me in a movie is when the music supports the cinematography perfectly. This can make a surplus of meaning af feelings that no other art can. Here's a few favorite examples. Aimee Mann in 'Magnolia'. Tindersticks in 'Sopranos'. Nick Cave (performing) in 'The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford' and Elliot Smith in 'Paranoid Park' (the use of Smiths's 'Angeles' in same movie is even better, but couldn't find it!). Finally you can click Lars von Triers 'Dogville' poster to watch the perfect movie ending combining the photos of danish photographer Jacob Holt and the music of David Bowie's 'Young Americans'.

Björk releases single Nattura

Economic tragedy is happening in Iceland, but also rising awareness of mothernature. At least from one of its lovely daughters - Björk.

20. oct she releases her brand new single "Nattura". The single was composed specifically to encourage active support for the Nattura campaign, which aims at collating and providing sustainable and eco-friendly options suitable for Iceland, and generating alternative ways to utilize it's natural resources.

You can buy it on iTunes. And read more about the project here.

Of Montreal works both ways

Athens-based Of Montreal returns with a new album next week and to Copen-hagen later this October. 'Skeletal Lamping' follows their tradition for unusual and often impossible-to-remember titles (honestly, do you really recollect titles such as 'Hissing Fauna, are You the Destroyer?' in their entirety? Ok. - How about 'Cocuelicot Asleep in the Poppies: A Variety of Whimsical Verse'?? Yeah right!)

Anyway, their titles actually reflect their quirky, weird songs - often extremely creative mash-ups of crazy, surrealistic explorations and super-melodic hooks that any disco-pop band would kill for. In a way, Kevin Barnes and Co's biggest quality is their careless handling of tunes that - given a more conventional, i.e. boring, treatment - are catchy enough to top most hitlists. 

Enjoy this live version of 'An Eluardian Instance' from the upcoming release. Dead fun and exhilarating performance.

Ryan Adams playing new shit at Studio 92

One of our alltime favorite dudes Ryan Adams is touring the US with his Cardinals in the moment. Or well, they just call themselves The Cardinals now. Before they toured Canada supporting Oasis until Noel were attacked by some stupid fuck. Well. The Cardinals paid a visit the other day to WWTS Studio 92, where liveperformance took place. Unfortunately The Cardinals are not set for mainland Europe, but are set to play a handfull of shows in England.

Go to that station and listen to new tracks off Ryans upcoming album Cardinology. There are signs this is gonna be a killer-album with The Cardinals happier than ever before.

Also make sure you check out the video below featuring Ryan Adams other band named Sleazy Handshake. They havn't done many vids, but the track with the amazing title Brainfart Windtunnel is gonna rock your white metal ass showing off Ryans insanity and amazingness in one solid cocktail of awesome weirdity.


SLEAZY HANDSHAKE "Brainfart Windtunnel" from Wilson Wolf on Vimeo.

The naked truth of Devendra Banhart!!

Devendra Banhart's new project Megapuss goes naked. Click the dicks to go to their myspace and listen to brilliant retro-rock - doesn't get any better!

Glasvegas - band of the future?

At the moment I dig Glasvegas! And no one have written reviews about them here. (Maybe because musicmag Gaffa havn't read the new Q Magazine yet?) It's the sound of young Scotland, and the most exciting thing to come out of the scottish gutter of Dalmarnock, Glasgow, since the Jesus and Mary Chain in the 80s. Amazing, some would say.

At least that was what the scottish musicindustry mogul Alan McGee said. (Right, that's the guy who founded independent label Creation and signed Oasis). Just listen how big these guys think they can be! - Scotland's Sunday Herald made a late but patriotic challenge by proclaiming Glasvegas' eponymous debut The Best Scottish Album Ever, but Allan McGee had already hyped the band into another dimension: "Defined an entire decade of UK rock'n'roll with one tune ... change British working class culture ... easily eclipsed every modern band in the UK ..."

I've taken their debut-album for quite some spins and find it really, really interesting. But not groundbreaking nor a miracle. But hey, I'm not from Scotland. Maybe that's why I can hear some prentiousness in their tunes, like Starsailor debut with Phil Spector behind the knobs.

Glasvegas has a huge sound, which can make you feel like you step into some really important meeting without being the least prepared. Insted you just got annoyed. But when you are over it or really ready for it, there are moments which are reaaaaaly good. The band have a drummer who plays standing up, a love for 60s girl groups and a guitar-wall that produces an expansive, echoing shimmer.

When this works, it really works. Frontman James Allan writed wonderful, socialrealistic lyrics, which mirrors all the problems in the crime-ridden city of Glasgow. Daddy's Gone is a divorce saga, Flowers and Football Tops is powerful and melodic sweet, in deep contrast to the lyrics about the murder of Glaswegian teenager Kriss Donald. Geraldine sounds like a love song until its protagonist is revealed to be a social worker and so on.

Metallica had a global release plan for their new album Death Magnetic. The only country where Metallica postponed the release were in England. Why? Glasvegas album.

I'm not sure Glasvegas will create revolution like Oasis did, but at least they have the drive and the sound to do it. At least in United Kingdom. I'm exited about Glasvegas, so give them a spin!

Glasvegas - Geraldine

Glasvegas - It's my own cheating heart...

MTV Pool Party Crosby Stills, Nash & Young

Big Sur in California is a legendary place. For hippies and poets, and tourists. In 1969 Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young decided to wear some wicked ponchos and grow some crazy sideburns. Just look at Neil!

I tried to work it out and my research says this recording is from Big Sur Folk Festival, California. A festival where some of the finest folk singers and musicians in the world positioned themselves on the edge of some of America's most glorious scenery for a farewell to summer. And of course as a celebration of nonviolence in mid-September of 1969. It was the sixth annual Big Sur Folk Festival, one of the season's smallest (in attendance) and loveliest (in mood). It's said.

Regardless, this video shows you those dancing hippies that kind of freaks me out and makes me kind of nervous, but the music is magic. I guess this is the MTV Pool Party Generation of 1969 with more drugs less money. Joan Baez and some sister is there too.

Peace.

New Ryan Ada.. sorry CARDINALS album

Finally, it is official. Here's what the Mecca of Ryan Adams fans - a.k.a. The Ryan Adams Archive - reports:

a new Cardinals record titled Cardinology is to be released on October 27th in UK/Europe and 28th October in the USA 
recorded at Electric Lady Studios in NYC 
produced by the Cardinals and Tom Schick tracklisting is :

1. Born Into A Light
2. Go Easy
3. Fix It
4. Magick
5. Cobwebs
6. Let Us Down Easy
7. Crossed Out Name
8. Natural Ghost
9. Sink Ships
10. Evergreen
11. Like Yesterday
12. Stop

Preceding the album will be the first single, ‘Fix It’, which will be released digitally on September 23.

The band will celebrate the release with a performance on The Late Show With David Letterman on October 29.

Here is a live version of 'Magick' - my favorite of the three songs, I have heard from the album. The 'Halloween Head' of Cardinology, I suspect. Sound is lousy, so are the lyrics but it still rocks as f***!

Metallica sounds better in Guitar Hero

We who love old school Metallica - both the music and the real logo with sharp lightning edges - AND Guitar Hero are jeopardized by tthe news that the album Death Magnetic sounds way better in Guitar Hero than on cd.

I have yet to buy this album - maybe I never will - but if I should there's now a reason to buy it via Playstation Gameshop.

You can now go sign a pertition and send a message to the music industry that enough is enough, and we want decent-sounding records again!

Cocksucker Blues - The Stones - Youtube

In 1972, Robert Frank followed The Rolling Stones on their tour of North America and made a film called Cocksucker Blues. The title referenced a song written by the band as a fuck-you to their outgoing record label. The film was never released but bootleg copies exist...and a copy has inevitably found it's way onto YouTube in nine parts (93 minutes total).

Part one, part two, part three, part four, part five, part six, part seven, part eight, and part nine.

The quality is not very good but for hardcore Stones and music fans, it's probably worth a look if you haven't seen it.

Vintage Oasis / Pre-Nirvana

The Guardian compiled a very nice list of fifty great arts video available on YouTube, including Joy Division playing on Granada Television in 1978, Jack Kerouac reads On the Road in 1959, and Jackson Pollock making one of his drip paintings in 1951.

Nirvana - Love Buzz/Scoff/About a Girl - live


Oasis - tv debut - 18. march 1994

The Eternal Children by David Kleijwegt

It's not new, but I havn't seen it before. It's the documentary 'The Eternal Children' by David Kleijwegt (2006) for viewing on YouTube. You should really see this.

It'a an unique and interesting documentary about the the freak-folk artist such Antony & The Johnstons, CocoRosie, Vashti Bunyan, Devendra Banhart and so on. These folks are so individual and different. It's ever-interessting to listen to the Casady twins tell about their unusual childhood on the outside of what we perceive as a normal society or hear Devendra talk about the voice of his heart and about his dual mind.

Well, admitted, Devendra is a bit too much for me at times, so much form, but respect to him anyways for making music that are full of wellmeant feeling. The documentary is about that generation of musicians which share a common spirituality and certain lyrical understanding of the world. As a review puts it: it's people ‘with their eyes wde-open’, but not naive, but with hope; a young generation that shifts away from the rage and depression of early 90s.

C.S Lewis once said: "When I became a man I put away childish things, including the fear of childishness and the desire to be very grown up." - This is a good quote for this beautiful little documentary. As well for all the rest of us.

All six parts below!

Part 1:


Part 2:


Part 3:


Part 4:


Part 5:


Part 6:

Beastie Boys - Three MC's and One DJ

Ol' skool sunday with Beastie Boys Ghostbuster-dj-style

New Wilco song. New Wilco album

It is 'good news day' here at Indie Laundry. First, the exhilarating prospect of a 10-BluRay release from Neil Young. And now I bring you a brand new tune by our beloved Wilco - 'One Wing', live from Lollapolooza a fortnight ago. First impression: a quiet song. I can't say it knocked my socks off but just when it started to seem a tiny bit boring it accelerates into a stunning guitar-driven jam. Judging from the various live versions of the song, they are still working on its final form - or at least the form which will go on the forthcoming album due out in spring 2009.

Neil Young - Innovation & Music - JavaOne 2008 - Blu-ray

Neil Young rattles on... Always innovative and having a blast doing it. I can't wait for Neil Young Archives Vol 1 to come out on Blu-Ray... a 10 disc set with high resolution 24 bit/ 192 kHz audio. Then I'll promise myself, that my PS3 finally will be used for something more than just FIFA!


Neil Young Archives Vol 1...a 10 disc set coming on Blu-ray Disc

The many forms of Jason Molina - Magnolia Electric Co.

I have never really gotten around to explore the music of Jason Molina - until last week... and that can only be desribed as a case of better late than never! This guy is a rock-solid songwriter and an enjoyable, soulful singer. Fans of the cheerful country rock of The Jayhawks should definitely take notice. Neil Young and Will Oldham also spring to mind when listening.

For the past ten years, Molina has crafted music of consistently high quality but - to some confusion - under several names. Most important is Songs: Ohia - mainly low-key, introspective band. In 2003, he turned to a more country rocking style which he marked by changing the band name (and some members) to Magnolia Electric Co. - which also was the name of the last Songs: Ohia album... Confused?

Last year, Magnolia Electric Co. released 'Sojourner', a wonderful wooden box containing 4 CDs and 1 documentary DVD. The four CDs count three abums and one EP and they consist partly of new material and rearranged versions of formerly released songs, including 'Don't fade on me' and 'Hammer down'.

Magnolia Electric Co. - Don't fade on me

Magnolia Electric Co. - Hammer down

Magnolia Electric Co. - The dark don't hide it (live)

Gutter Twins for black nights!

I have just moved to the country. Outhere it's dark. Very dark! So is the excellent album from Gutter Twins with Mark Lanegan and Greg Dulli. Saw them last night at Voxhall i Aarhus. So impressed with the energy and the combination of Dulli's high and Lanegans hell-deep voice. Check out this brilliant version of the best song from their album. It kicks ass. To be played LOUD.

Elastica - retro findings

While having a few minuts I took a timewarp back to the mid-90's and revisited my old room back at my parents house. It was a mess. A drumkit, magazines and cd's. And sometimes Elastica. It was rocking, sexy music, lots of hooks and just enough punk to stay interesting.

Even though evil tongues will know that Justine Frischmann's then-boyfriend Damon Albarn was the actual mastermind behind the band's first album, it's nontheless a brilliant rocking album to listen to again. (Listen to the beginning of Connection - it's really Blur-like, isn't?) Anyways it's appealing, teasy and edgy.

An interview with Justine Frischmann from The Guardian, 2002.

Elastica - Connection

Elastica - Waking Up

Elastica - Human

La Vida No Loca - Coldplay analyzed by

We write about music we love and The New Yorker writes about music as a study of interest. And they've just done a great piece on Coldplay with a squirt of subtle sarcasm. Is Coldplay warm milk or just quietly dependable?

Listen to this:

For the band’s second album, Martin started singing in free-floating slogans. “Am I part of the cure? Or am I part of the disease?” is a line from “Clocks,” perhaps the group’s loveliest song. The music evokes the song’s name, revolving around three circling and falling piano arpeggios. The payoff comes when Martin stretches out the words “you are” in a falsetto sung over the piano figure. You are what? Go figure, and I haven’t the slightest idea what is going on with the “tides” and the “clocks” in the lyrics. Doesn’t matter. “Clocks” is a big-budget “Ooh!” with lots of pretty lights—it works. At the end of the song, Martin repeatedly sings, “Home, home, where I wanted to go.” There’s the only part you need take note of—an essentially conservative sentiment, and probably a comfort zone for a guy who grew up thinking he wasn’t particularly cool and lost his virginity at the age of twenty-two.

I was all for Parachute back then, but this band is just so vague. As Pitchfork puts it: "A grandma-friendly, Radiohead-normalizing, disarmingly polite rock band led by a man who sounds like he's still yearning for puberty"

Cut Copy synth mp3

Due to a sunny day this entry might not contain linkage for quality music! Well, at least I havn't made up my mind about Cut Copy, but they score points for being from Australia and making me think about old days in '95 when I was backpacking the dusty outback listening to Silverchair, Los Del Rio, Savage Garden, Shaggy and Fugees. What a mess!

Cut Copy does synthpop/rock and samples the sounds from the 80's and 90's very well. The band is signed to the record label Modular Recordings, home of Wolfmother, The Presets and New Young Pony Club.

I don't really know about this synth-wave thingy. It can be really corny, but sometimes I'm just up for dirty bass-lines and 80's synth. I'm liking 'Hearts on Fire' (Youtube below). It’s kind of schizophrenic yet somehow still cohesive.

You can catch Cut Copy 080808 in Lille Vega, Copenhagen.

By the way: back then we drove a Ford Falcon, 1972, 6 cylinder, 3.0 l. It was punished for 15.000 km. Best concert we saw was Silverchair and Primus live in Brisbane. Worst experience: car broke down at gasstation 250 km south of Alice Springs. Best Experience: Captain Cooks backpacker in Cairns. Best price: Jug of beer 5 au$.

Hearts On Fire (Midnight Juggernauts Remix)

Dr. Do-owww-ohhhh-oggg Fate mp3

The oddballs in Dr. Dog has a new album - FATE - out in a few days time. I've took it for a spin and will do it again.

Dr. Dog is one of these D.I.Y bands using lo-fi recording techniques and has a complete I-don't-care attitude towards current trends. It's all very pop 60's in it's sounds and sounds quite a bit like the Beatles. So if you like The Fab Four (of course you do) then this is recommended. It's quite charming. Also check out their nice MySpace-enviroment.

Dr Dog - The Ark

Dr Dog - The Old Days

Dr Dog - Hang on (from Almost Famous soundtrack)

Dot matrix Radiohead + Google + Laser

Radiohead + Google + data visualization + lasers. Radiohead and Google release the source code for the amazing "House of Cards" video. Including a short documentary on how it was made and a license that allows remixing.

"House of Cards" was "filmed" using lasers insted of cameras. No lights either. Just data.

Radiohead and their technical team continues to impress me with their innovative shit... I obey your work of art. Timeless.

You can view the video, watch a short documentary about how it was made, interact with the video in 3D, download some of the data, and download an iGoogle theme and gadget - all at http://code.google.com/creative/radiohead/

Radiohead - House of Cards

Roskilde flashbacks....!

It's now four days since we came back from an almost perfect Roskilde Festival 2008. I've been trying to find out what I've been doing through four wild days, that seems to fly away when your in the middle of it. Proudly I can say, that I saw all bands on my guide to Roskilde except one. But I saw even more bands. But one thing that I missed this year was the big surprise. The newcomer that I didn't now before. Maybe because of the great number of really good bands I allready knew. But all in all a great festival - perfect weather, perfect camp and the never missing Roskilde spirit. Here's my favorite concerts this year:

1. Neil Young
Without doubt one of the greatest concerts of my life. A perfect balance between a setting sun, feeling, wildness, experience and a man that looked like he meent it, when saying that Roskilde is his favorite festival.

2. Band of Horses
Perfect festival-feeling at 4 in the afternoon.

3. Yeasayer
Very late, very drunk - but great all in all experience!!

Unfortunately sound fucked up some concerts this year. It allmost killed Bonnie Prince Billy, before he got the sound and feeling right and saved the concert. And hyped danish rockers from Spleen United showed at 2 in the morning how you shouldn't handle a sound-breakdown. ("I gonne go backstage and have a beer????!!")

Besides that we shaked our bootie at huge Solomon Burke's soul-greatest-hits-extravaganza, drank cool drinks at Radiohead and almost fainted in the big Chemical Brothers lightshow. What more can you want?!

See you in 2009!!

The energy of the essential - Cohen in Copenhagen

Most of the Indie Laundry-boys attends Roskilde Festival right now. Jealous? Absolutly, but I hope they enjoy it fully - the rock, the sun, and that terrible first morning beer that makes the rest of the day worth while. Instead I'll attend and hopefully enjoy a great concert with a master of folk rock. I'm of course refering to Mr. Leonard Cohen. 'Cause tonight his well-reviewed world tour will hit down town Copenhagen, after another superb performance at Glastonbury.

"Ring the bells that still can ring / Forget your perfect offering / There is a crack, a crack in everything / That's how the light gets in." Have beauty ever been served and told with such a simple, but tightful elegance? It might explain why Mr. Leonard Cohen's songs resonantes beyond time. But then again, that would be a horrific simplification of his art. Instead, go see him and get the feeling of why this man's work shouldn't be explained with humble words

Last minute guide to Roskilde

7 hours from now I'm gonna take my backpack and walk to the train. Then it´s my 13th Roskilde Festival in 15 years. And I'm lookin forward as it was my first time. I've said goodnight to my kids and are again looking through this years excellent program. Only a few times before the odds have been so good as this year. Perfect weather. Great program. Brilliant plan. The best camp. So if the whisky and warm beers doesn't get my all confused - heres my tips for a perfect festival:
Thursday:
1930 - MGMT - Odeon
2200 - Radiohead - Orange
Friday:
1600 - Band of Horses - Arena
1930 - Kings of Leon - Orange
2100 - Mogwai - Arena
2230 - Grinderman - Orange
0100 - Yeasayer - Pavilion
0200 - Spleen United - Arena
Saturday:
1830 - Joan as Police Woman - Odeon
2130 - Neil Young - Orange (notice he's got 3 hours!!)
0200 - Black Mountain - Arena
Sunday:
1800 - Cat Power - Odeon
2015 - Bonnie Prince Billy - Odeon

It can't go wrong!!
Have a great festival - and look forward to the Indielaundry festival-review!

Reys de Roskilde #2! Radiohead!

SMS from icelandic girlneighbours in camp: "Your camp is fine. We take good care of it, yes. No worries.". We are relieved.

Today I read a bunch of of reviews from Glastonbury on some of the bands visiting Roskilde. And on a Radiohead-gig in Manchester saturday.

Bands from Glastonbury coming to Roskilde:

Radiohead: 5 out of 6 (Manchester Evening News)
MGMT: 6 out of 10 (The Guardian)
Jay-Z: 9 out of 10 (The Guardian)
Hot Chip: 9 out of 10 (The Guardian)
The Ting Tings: 8 out of 10 (The Guardian)

Reyes de Roskilde #1! Yeasayer!

Indielaundry had some saturday night. Spend four hours queuing from 0200 to 0600 a.m moving about 400 meter just to enter the festival and put up our campsite. It sure put some preasure on our tired legs and bladders!

As always we are thrilled beyond words about this venue, but due to work we had to use diplomacy with our new neighbours (icelandic girls with Opal, guys with huge soundsystems and quiet swedish dudes) so that they would protect our camp. I think we managed.

We'll try to inform our readers with news from camp and festival. But as always we are pretty unstable at this festival, so bear with us!

A must see is Yeasayer, perfect timed to play 01 in a small tent. It'll be bliss!