That's right. So all you hipster shits out there better keep your skinny jeans and aviator sunglasses out of his sight or else he'll take a freakin' axe to your neck. No seriously, in Jonah Matranga's recent video for "Not About A Place or A Girl," he goes around singing what sounds like a Gin Blossoms cover and kills scenster zombies without mercy. It's a wonderful video despite the sugarcoated song. In fact, don't judge that song alone for his newest record, And. Only one other song follows that happy late nineties escapism radio rock shit; the rest of the album is as much as an emotional punch as the newest Radiohead. Actually Radiohead ripped off Jonah whether they know it or not. Jonah Matranga has been using the sliding scale price system for years and has always brought new and strange ideas to his shows and music. Although, you have to see Jonah Matranga live to really embrace what and who this man is. His shows are something so intimate and personal, that you feel as if it is only you and him in the room. Even picking up his recent live CD/DVD won't do him justice. You actually have to show up and experience the show first hand. If you are at all curious as to who or what Jonah Matranga is; go to www.jonahmatranga.com or www.myspace.com/jonahmatranga. Or you can even download the songs I posted of him performing solo, under the moniker onelinedrawing and his old band New End Original.. If you're a scenster, keep an eye out for this guy, he'll rip you limb from limb, Mwahahahaha!
NOVEMBER
6 Nov @ Boston, MA - Paradise - 8pm doors, 9pm-ish
8 Nov @ NY, NY - Mercury Lounge - 8pm-ish
9 Nov @ Philadelphia, PA - Unitarian Chapel Room - 7pm-ish
10 Nov @ Orlando, FL - Anti*Pop Fest - 10pm-ish
12 Nov @ East Coast Show TBA -- IDEAS?
13 Nov @ Hoboken, NJ - Maxwell's - 8pm doors - ALL AGES
14 Nov @ East Coast Show TBA -- IDEAS?
DECEMBER
5 Dec @ Hamburg (DE), Grüner Jäger*
6 Dec @ Kiel (DE), Weltruf*
7 Dec @ TBA*
8 Dec @ TBA*
9 Dec @ Bielefeld (DE), TBA*
10 Dec @ Paris (FR), TBA*
11 Dec @ Saarbrücken (DE), Garage*
12 Dec @ Cologne (DE), Blue Shell*
13 Dec @ Gießen (DE), Muk*
14 Dec @ Lüdenscheid (DE), Alte Druckerei*
15 Dec @ Rotterdam (NL), Waterfront*
17 Dec @ Berlin (DE), Magnet*
*Ian Love opening and playing guitar w/Jonah
Download: Jonah Matranga - Breathless from the album, The Three Sketchy's (1999-2005)
Download: Jonah Matranga - Oh, I'm So Lucky from the album, The Three Sketchy's (1999-2005)
Download: Jonah Matranga - Savory (Jawbox Cover) from the album, The Three Sketchy's (1999-2005)
Download: Jonah Matranga - Lukewarm (Live) from the album, There's A Lot In Here
Download: onelinedrawing - Smile from the album, Visitor
Download: onelinedrawing - We Had A Deal from the album, The Volunteers
Download: onelinedrawing - Um... from the album, Visitor
Download: New End Original - Lukewarm from the album, Thriller
Download: Jonah Matranga - So Long from the album, And
Well it's all come down to this; tomorrow I will finally see Division Day live at the Middle East Club in Cambridge, MA. Since 2003, I have been listening to their self-released EPs and their limited released version of Beartrap Island. Now it's time for them to gain some fans and recognition for their haunting soundscapes and twisted lyrics. So do something good for yourself and pick up the re-issue of Beartrap Island and tell everyone you know...or don't know. Just randomly run up to some stranger and yell, "BUY THE NEW DIVISION DAY ALBUM YOU HANDSOME BASTARD!" You may find that they feel inspired and a little creeped out. Nonetheless, you are spreading the good word of Division Day and all is well. I have posted the last 2 songs from their Covers and Remixes EP; both of which don't suck.
Download: Division Day - Plowed (Sponge Cover)
Download: Division Day - Reversible
While this year has become quite a year for record releases, nothing has received the amount of attention and critical acclaim as Radiohead's, In Rainbows. Now I'm not about to give in to the hyperbole behind the release of this record or how it has royally screwed the record companies. Or how Jonah Matranga was the first to coin the whole "sliding scale" price system. I will, however, explain why all of it rocks; none of it sounds like any other band on earth. It delivers an emotional punch that proves all other rock stars owe us an apology. Listening to In Rainbows brought me back to the first time I ever heard Radiohead; putting The Bends in my walkman and being nearly brought to tears my songs like High and Dry and Fake Plastic Trees. Now, songs like Bodysnatchers and Reckoner are giving me the same emotional punch all other Radiohead albums have given me. If you are in any way a Radiohead fan; go here to download the entire album for whatever price you like. For now here's one of my favorite tracks off In Ranbows...
Enjoy!
Download: Radiohead - Bodysnatchers from the album In Rainbows
“The senator from Illinois, Barack Obama, is with us today.”
Applause follows.
Such is the greeting received for the junior senator visiting the land of Maine.
That Obama is considered a top contender for the Democratic Party’s 2008 nomination for president rarely needs explaining. I had the unique privilage to see Senator Obama at the Portland Expo Center in Portland, ME on the 25th of September. He wowed the crowd as he spoke with confidence and charm. Obama said that to truly effect change; partisan politics must be stopped and the people must have access once again to the federal government. "You've got young people and old people," he said. "You've got poor folk and not-so-poor folk. You've got blacks, whites, Asians, Native Americans. You've got gay and straight. You've got people with disabilities. You've got Democrats and independents, and, yes, you've even got some Republicans."
He received thunderous applause when he said many came to the afterneen rally because they are fed up with the Constitution being treated as a "nuisance" instead as of the foundation of the country, and with a war "that never should've been authorized and has cost us thousands of lives." Whether it's the poverty exposed by Katrina, the genocide in Darfur, or the role of faith in our politics, Barack Obama continues to speak out on the issues that will define America in the 21st century. That is why he has my vote.
If you want more information, I have posted a video of an exerpt of his speech in the Vlog section and photos of the rally in the Fotoes section. You can also click on the Obama '08 icon on this page to learn more about him.
Radiohead is back and royally f&%$ing the record company!
Okay people! Take a couple deep breaths, count to 10, switch the caps lock off, clean up the triple espresso you just spit all over the computer screen, and check this: that new Radiohead album, In Rainbows? The one that the world knew practically zilch about 24 hours ago? The one that drops digitally (DRM-free, no less!) in nine days, for a price of your own choosing? The one that's also coming out in a deluxe "Discbox" in December? Well, it's also coming out in good, old fashioned CD format early next year.
No word on when exactly or through which label-- if any label at all-- but that's the news thus far from the band's publicist.
So, let's sort this whole mess out, shall we? You will eventually have three ways to pick up the seventh Radiohead LP, the Nigel Godrich-produced In Rainbows. It all depends how much you want to pay, which goodies you'd like, and how soon you want the tunes. Observe:
1. As a DRM-free mp3 download, beginning October 10 (and available for preorder now), via www.inrainbows.com (interestingly enough, last week's RickRoll, www.radioheadlp7.com, now directs here as well). This version contains the 10 tracks that comprise In Rainbows, and you can pay whatever the hell you want for it. This is basically the band leaking the album and asking you for a donation to access it.
2. As part of a deluxe "Discbox", available for preorder now and shipping in December. In addition to the 10-track In Rainbows on CD, you also get the release on LP and as a digital download, plus an enhanced bonus CD packed with eight more tracks, photos, and artwork (and an LP of the bonus tracks), plus art and lyrics booklets and some nifty looking packaging. This thing costs £40.00/$81.00.
3. As a traditional CD, available in early 2008. This will presumably cost as much as traditional CDs tend to cost.
What Radiohead's doing here is actually pretty cool. Rather than preface their new album's release with the usual three months of press ballyhoo, only to have it leak at some random time before it comes out, they've kept it completely under wraps, then essentially gone and leaked it themselves. What's more, they've turned this into a moral question of sorts, by giving us the freedom to pay actual money for what amounts to an album leak.
Only a band in Radiohead's position could pull a trick like this. Well played, gentlemen.
Download: Radiohead - "No Surprises" from the album Okay Computer
Minus The Bear Is The Best Band You Haven't Heard Yet!
Minus the Bear's brightly appealing indie-pop may be dispensed with remarkable technical prowess — complete with precise guitar work and complex time changes — but it also benefits from the band's sweetly personal lyrics and flair for writing power-pop hooks...Planet of Ice, maintains an organic quality that allows the songs' innate catchiness to shine through.
Katie and I will be visiting the Middle East Club in Cambridge, MA to see our friend, Minus the Bear perform with Subtle and ELA. I hope you all can join us.
Download: Minus the Bear - Throwin' Shapes from the album Planet of Ice
Download: ELA - Checks Getting Cashed from the album Red Blood on Fake Trees
Whew. This is a long one. I've been busy for the past few days but I'll be posting again by the end of the week. Hope you enjoyed this one!
