Today Solids have announced that their debut album, Blame Confusion, will be released on February 18th, 2014. They are now sharing the first single from the album, which is called “Traces.”
Teengirl Fantasy is sharing their new video for “Nun,” which comes from their upcoming EP. Their Nun EP will be released on November 26th.
TEENGIRL FANTASY
Today, Slow Magic is sharing a remix of Delorean’s “Destitute Time.”
Slow Magic Tour Dates
Tracy Shedd released her new LP, Arizona, via New Granada Records. Stream “Broken Arrows”, a track from the new LP, now via Beats Per Minute.
The crowd at the Tabernacle last Saturday night seemed particularly anxious and with good reason. When the elusive Jeff Mangum announced six months ago that Neutral Milk Hotel would be putting on a reunion show, diehard fans everywhere rejoiced. For some, they had been waiting almost 15 years to hear the band live.
As the show began Mangum, almost unrecognizable with a long full beard, walked calmly to stage left and thanked everyone for being there. Mangum, known for his appreciation for privacy asked politely to keep cell phones and cameras off for the entirety of the show, a request that miraculously almost everyone was happy to oblige.
Mangum started to sing “Oh Comely” weaving in and out of verses first powerful then melancholy while playing acoustic guitar. Right before the songs climax, Scott Spillman joined on stage and began to blow the trumpet fiercely. For the last 45 seconds of the song the rest of the ensemble joined them on stage including well-known members Julian Koster, and Jeremy Barnes.
During the “King of Carrot Flowers parts 1, 2, & 3”, Koster introduced the accordion masterfully before switching to the banjo while Spillman blew the horns. Barnes picked up the tempo on drums, and the song evolved into a rowdy chorus that the crowd agreed is worth a little enthusiasm.
Giving the crowd a small opportunity to catch their breath, Mangum belted out the lyrics to the slow-paced and twisted “A Baby For Pree” before launching into “Gardenhead/Leave Me Alone”, all singles from high energy album, On Avery Island.
During the beginning of “Holland 1945”, the band experienced some feedback issues with microphones but sorted it by the end. The extremely fast paced ode to Anne Frank gave the singer little time to take a breath, and Mangum had some minor difficulty keeping up with the melody.
Perhaps one of the most well known songs off In The Aeroplane Over The Sea is the song of the same name. One of the band’s most uplifting songs, “Aeroplane” is an amalgamation of horns and the eerie musical saw, which Koster and Spillman brought to life.
As the rest of the band retreated off stage, Mangum, adorned in faithful mountain wool sweater and cap, picked up an acoustic guitar and began to sing “Two Headed Boy”. The crowd went crazy and began to sing along as he belted the majority of the song at the top of his lungs, never missing a beat. The band returned and followed with the “The Fool”, complimenting the previous track with trumpets and accordion.
The band closed out the show with “Ruby Bulbs” and “Snow Song Part One”, lesser-known songs that Mangum asked crowd members who knew the words to sing along to.
During the encore the bands played three songs from In the Aeroplane Over The Sea including “Ghost”, “Untitled” and “Two Headed Boy Part 2” which caused the crowd to become very emotional. At this time Koster exited the stage for the last time, leaving Magnum to finish the show by himself and the crowd to send him off with a heavy applause.
As Mangum finished up his encore, and his seventh bottle of water, he looked out to each tier of the Tabernacle’s balconies and thanked his fans for their unyielding support over the years. Neutral Milk Hotel pulled their reunion off almost flawlessly, giving die-hard fans an experience that was absolutely worth the wait.
Look who we caught up with for a second interview! We got to follow up with these guys just a few months after our first interview to talk about what they’ve been up to, touring, recording a new album, and what’s next for the band. We love these guys. When effortless and interesting conversation is paired with an awesome show, it’s hard to get enough. Be sure to catch them on tour!
Directed by Casey and Ewan, Cate Le Bon debuts her new video for “Are You With Me Now?”, a track from her upcoming LP, Mug Museum, out November 12.
Graph Rabbit is set to release Pink Floyd’s track, “Comfortably Numb”, on November 12, 2013. The track can be streamed below.
White Blush has released a new collaboration with DJ Gomexxx. Stream “Wish” now via SoundCloud:
With a 90’s garage-band punk sound, Midnight Reruns opens with energy in “Going Nowhere”, in which Graham Hunt sings, “I’m here for you and no one else…I ain’t going nowhere without you.” It’s as if Hunt exclaims his longing and promise to his restored project from 2010. Singer, songwriter, guitarist, Graham Hunt retired his position as guitarist of Trapper Shoepp & The Shades to dedicate his time to Midnight Reruns (both are Milwaukee-based). With the contributions of Karl Giehl, Brady Murphy and Sam Reitman, Midnight Reruns has proven to be quite versatile and layered.
The band has an expansive capacity for layered sounds and moods. For example, in “T.V.Z” and “Basement Guy”, a piano sets the tempo that the rhythmic drums work well with. Likewise, in most songs, two guitars can be identified, both very strong and harmonic, to create a somber mood, as in Grand Slam, or a sprightly sound, as in “King of Pop”. Although most of Midnight Rerun is upbeat, there is no lack of soft sounds. In fact, some of the most upbeat songs on the album start slow, like “King of Pop” and “Stop Lyin’ Down”. “Interlude” is the best example of this dream-like, lullaby sound. One would definitely be mistake to consider Midnight Reruns a flat sound, instead they force you to rethink your judgments and listen more than once, as stated in “Pharmacy Eyes” when Hunt sings, “Don’t look at me with those judging eyes, I can tell you’re sick of me.”
Moreover, Midnight Reruns brings about nostalgia, hence the name of the band, a message of replaying and feeling comfortable with past midnight mishaps. Hunt sings of memories, misadventures, and future ambitions (or lack of). “Grand Slam” relates of heartbreak, loneliness and tears, while Hunt reminisces in “Summer Smoker”, “I go to a place where I can smoke or get high…can we all just go back to that day in July”. The album ends with “Basement Guy”, which seems to be a reply to the monotonous and vague question, “Where do you see yourself in five years?” Apparently, “scarfing down on Cheetos”, being complacent, and never leaving the basement. Midnight Reruns is Dazed and Confused. It is high school. It is regret. It is contentment. And it is available November 12th.
FOR FANS OF: Superdrag, The Replacements, Weezer, Mean Jeans