3 posts tagged “story of the year”
This is just a quick note because I wanted to mention some of the great CDs that's being released today, Tuesday, April 22nd. We've covered a few of these bands, so I've included links to our articles below. I'm quite curious about the Whitesnake album. Cristina, please review this one!
|
|
|
|
|
|
Elbow - Seldom Seen Kid
Whitesnake - Good To Be Bad
Blind Melon - For My Friends
Goldfinger - Hello Destiny
El Perro Del Mar - From the Valley to the Stars
Billy Bragg - Mr. Love & Justice
Flight Of The Conchords - Flight of the Conchords
The Young Knives - Superabundance
Elvis Costello - Momofuku (vinyl only)
Neil Hamburger - Sings Country Winners
Apparently Elvis Costello got a whole lot of people talking about his latest album, Momofuku because he's releasing it vinyl-only. What people didn't know is that a CD version of the album will eventually be made available, two weeks after today.
I got a note last week about Billy Bragg's Mr Love & Justice (regular and deluxe version of his album) will be available today. The story behind this album is that they had finished recording the album with a full backing band (The Blokes), but for some reason, Bragg decided to go back into the studio with his electric guitar to re-record the whole album by himself.
You can see the videos for all 15 tracks on www.mrloveandjustice.net.
New Zealander's Flight of the Conchords is back with a self-titled album (their fourth!) on Sup Pop Records.
Also, be sure to get W♥M's favorite El Perro Del Mar today too.
04/22/2008 11:19:42
vu
my♥posts
weheartmusic.com
|
04/21/08 The Rock Nightc... Maplewood
Discography
04/22/08 The Pageant St. Louis 04/23/08 Blue Note Columbia 04/24/08 Cains Ballroom Tulsa 04/25/08 Baton Rouge Riv... Baton Rouge 04/26/08 Cynthia W Mitch... Spring 04/27/08 Pizza Hut Park Frisco 04/29/08 The Social Orlando 04/30/08 Floyds Music St... Tallahassee 05/01/08 State Theater St. Petersburg 05/04/08 Chameleon Lancaster 05/05/08 Mod Club Toronto, CA 05/10/08 Groezrock Festi... Meerhout, BE 05/11/08 Waterfront Rotterdam, AN 05/13/08 Markthalle Hamburg, DE 05/14/08 Oostbahnhof Berlin, DE 05/15/08 Elserhalle Club Munich, DE 05/16/08 Arena Vienna, DE 05/18/08 Volkshaus Zurich, CH 05/20/08 Mean Fiddler London, UK 05/21/08 Academy 2 Birmingham, UK 05/22/08 Academy 2 Manchester, UK 05/23/08 QMU Glasgow, UK 05/25/08 Slamdunk Festiv... Leeds, UK 05/30/08 Tivoli Brisbane 05/31/08 Luna Park Sydney 06/01/08 Billboard/ Afternoon show/ Under 18 Melbourne 06/02/08 Billboard/ Evening Show/ 18+ Melbourne 06/19/08 Warped Tour!!!! ALL DATES!!!! Pomona, California
|
Fans of St Louis's Story of the Year will be lining up in line tomorrow to get their much anticipated album, The Black Swan, their debut on legendary punk label Epitaph.
So a little background on SOTY, that they formed in 1995, originally as Big Blue Monkey, but due to conflict with a blues band, they changed their name to SOTY in 2001. Shortly after a huge buzz and a signing deal with Madonna's Maverick label, the group exploded on the alternative punk scene with their debut album Page Avenue (2003).
Sure, you've all seen the album art plastered on store's walls and windows, these guys were huge.
Their sophomore album, In the Wake of Determination (2005), wasn't as successful as their debut (probably due to lack of marketing and promotion), so I am assuming after their contract ran out, they decided to go with a great label as Epitaph that offers the kind of freedom and attention they need.
Surprisingly, the album starts off with a pretty hardcore song "Choose Your Fate", following some British television dialogue. The hardcore song soon gives way to what they're best known for: catchy alternative rock.
The key single is "Wake Up", which was the preceding single for the album. The song is mixed by Chris Lord-Alge, who you may know as mixer for Bad Religion, AFI, and My Chemical Romance. He really has an ear for constantly making the song sound louder and longer and more rocking.
For a second before the album ends with its riff-heavy song called "Welcome to Our New War", you're given this sweet and thoughtful dialogue:
The Earth is a very small stage in a vast cosmic arena. On it everyone you love, everyone you know, everyone you ever heard of, every human being who ever was, lived out their lives. Thousands of confident religions, ideologies, and economic doctrines, every teacher of morals, every corrupt politician, every hero and coward, every creator and destroyer of civilization, every saint and sinner in the history of our species lived there-on a mote of dust suspended in a sunbeam. Think of the rivers of blood spilled by all those generals and emperors so that, in glory and triumph, they could become the momentary masters of a fraction of a dot. Our posturings, our imagined self-importance, the delusion that we have some privileged position in the Universe, are challenged by this point of pale light. It underscores our responsibility to preserve and cherish the pale blue dot.
Apparently this is a rearranged excerpt from a speech by astronomer Carl Sagan's "Pale Blue Dot". For a complete translation (in its corrected unedited sequence), head over to wikipedia
The Black Swan is out tomorrow at most major record store. You can get additional tracks if you buy it from iTunes (pre-order). Story of the Year is also in the middle of a very long tour, chances are, they are headed to your town soon.
04/21/2008 22:51:18
vu
my♥posts
armyoftheblackswan.com
myspace.com
Just as there were a ton of album releases yesterday, there was also a ton of news. Here's your roundup:
Punk rock band Face to Face announced that they are reforming.
We miss playing these songs live. That's the only reason. We don't plan on writing any new material or releasing new records as FACE TO FACE, but we are looking forward to getting out there and playing for people. The live shows have always been the best part of this band so why not continue to do something we love to do.
- Trever Keith (singer/founder)
Although Face to Face will not be recording new material, Keith's recorded a solo album. The press material points to www.treverkeith.com, but at of this writing, there was practically nothing on that page.
Speaking of solo album, Peter Morén (you know him as Peter from Peter, Bjorn and John) will also be releasing a solo album through Quarterstick Records.
Apparently the album was "several years in the making". I suppose, because PB&J exploded last year and they were constantly touring and promoting Writer's Block that it's no wonder his solo album was set on the backburner until now.
According to the press release, the acoustic, low-key album is called The Last Tycoon and will be available on April 8, 2008.
| Tour
02/12/08 Chicago, IL - The Co-Prosperity Sphere
02/14/08 New York, NY - NY University 02/15/08 Cambridge, MA - The Lily Pad 02/16/08 Providence, RI - Underground 02/17/08 New York, NY - Bowery Poetry Club 02/18/08 Brooklyn, NY - Lutheran Church 02/23/08 Grinnell, IA - Grinnell College 02/24/08 Omaha, NE - The Waiting Room 02/26/08 Denver, CO - Larimer Lounge 02/27/08 Salt Lake City, UT - Kilby Court 02/28/08 Boise, ID - Neurolux 02/29/08 Seattle, WA - The Vera Project 03/02/08 Olympia, WA - Capitol Theater |
Calvin Johnson announces his tour dates with fellow K Records artist, Mahjongg.
I did check out Johnson's biography page which allows two free songs for download (which I'll include one of them here).
Apparently when not hanging out with Beat Happening, The Go Team, Dub Narcotic Sound System, and The Halo Benders, he founded and runs K Records since 1982!
Random Trivia: There is a football player also named Calvin Johnson.
Bonus Random Trivia: Kurt Cobain has a tattoo of the K logo on his arm.
Story of the Year's third studio album is called The Black Swan, to be release on April 22nd through Epitaph (the band was previously on Maverick).
Not much to add to the announcement, except that you can hear the new single, "Wake Up" on armyoftheblackswan.com, where fans are encouraged to sign up for "updates and exclusive opportunities."
Musically, we've grown so much. We have some very unique, timeless, face melting guitar riffs and solos that have come to define our sound, without compromising the idea of a classic song.
- guitarist Ryan Phillips.
The Donnas teams up with The Hives for a major tour, per their press release.
Their promise of "quality, ass-kicking performances" made me smile... and the two bands would compliment each other as their sound are similar.
I always think these girls are a lot of fun, with a lot of humor. Remember when they were underage and when they finally became adults, they released The Donnas Turn 21 in 2001.
They've been in the music industry for 15 years now - something about the rock n roll that keeps these girls going!
01/30/2008 06:52:46
vu
my♥posts
www.weheartmusic.com
