Saturday, March 2, 2013

Vol. 4 Episode 9




There will be a single released for the veronica falls track called Teenage. It will be released March 12, 2013. This info was officially released by Slumberland Records this week. The UK version of this single has been out for a while now. You can actually pick it up from the bands web page while supplies last. There will be a different cover used for the SLR version. It is different from the UK version. The songs will be the same though.

The preorder is now up for the new Bleached album. It comes with an immediate download of the album if you get it from Dead Oceans along with a few extra goodies. You can also get it from your favorite e-taler.

Record Store Day 2013 is fast approaching (April 20th 2013). The lists are not up yet but expect them soon! I am very excited as I will be getting my new born son his very first record! 
 
And here we go...


This is the first full length album from the Thom Yorke headed group Atoms For Peace. It was released this past Tuesday (February 2013). The group was formed originally as a live band for Yorkes’ solo project, The Eraser. The group worked so well together that they decided to put together an album. AMOK is the result of that time together. You can get the album in multiple formats, including a limited double vinyl version. This limited version is 100% debossed in black and white with foil stamped parts. It comes with a download card and a 12 X 12 art sheet. The UK version comes with a CD instead of a download. I whish that record companies in the US would offer a CD instead of a download. That is just me though; I like to have physical copies of music.

The first single from the album was released a few months back. That song is called Default. I talked about this single in Vol. 3 Episode50. I had this to say about it: “The song is super glitchy sounding. As a matter of fact the opening few notes are so dizzying your head will spin until the whole track kicks in to straighten it out. The bass line sounds very similar to something that Radiohead wrote but there is enough difference with the other parts of the song that it is easily over looked. There are vocals on this track and they are silky smooth Yorke vocals. I know that the group is supposed to consist of other members but this song seems like it is all Thom like the album that He put out as his solo effort, The Eraser. I like it but was also looking forward to hearing some bass lines from Flea.”

The second single from the album, to be released in the beginning of March, is called Judge Jury & Executioner. This song has been floating around for quite a while. I have a live version from the recording that was done at the Orpheum Theater back in 2009. I am very excited to have an official studio version of the song. The song has a cool start off with a beat box bass line. This is used sporadically through out the song but is a cool way to start the song off. The vocals are very cool and the backing vocals are very floaty additional Yorke vocals. There is also a nice acoustic guitar that fits between the vocals and human styled bass line. The drums seem to be more programmed than real/live drums. The vocals work really well and that is why I like the song. The live version that I have of this song some how doesn’t feel as full as this studio version. I think that is because the floaty vocals are not on the live version as is the extra percussion. Both versions have their merits though.

There is already a third single being pushed digitally so far. That song is called Ingenue. It is a very electronic/synth track but it works with the big drum beat that pushes its way to the front. Yorkes’ vocals are pushed back a bit with this track so you mainly just get the musicality of his voice. This is a good track from the album but I think that there are stronger stracks on the album that could have been released before this one.

They have done it again. With the release of their second album, Veronica falls have released a second volume of covers. There have only been 600 of this vinyl record pressed. They will also be selling a CD tour version of this second EP when they come to your town soon. The record was supposed to come out next month but I found my copy in the mail last week. This means that it was released in February 2013. The group took all their equipment over to the guitarists place to record this EP after finishing up the second album. All the songs were recorded in one take to an eight track reel-to-reel tape. The tracks were recorded this was because of an eviction notice on the flat and the band wanted to keep the noise down to avoid complaints from the neighbors. They also recorded the vocals in the bathroom to get natural reverb. This is an EP that is created just for the fans. There are no singles that will be released from this EP.

The first track is called Is Anybody There? The track is a cover of a cover. The song was originally recorded by Cocksperrer. Veronica Falls specifically stated on the cover of the record that they covered the Home Blitz cover version. It is a fun punk song about a band that thinks that nobody knows who they are.

The second track is a cover of a Bob Dylan track Love Minus Zero/No Limit. I have never heard the original track. This cover version fits Veronica Falls perfectly. It is a slower track that plays to their strengths. It is sweet and moving.

The third track is called Teenagers, originally recorded by The Rats. This is a good punk song that sort of fits the groups’ style. The song is interesting though and I can look past the rough sound of the track. It is a short track and it also works because of that.

The fourth track that was covered is called Burry Me Happy. This is a cover track from The Moles. This track also fits the groups’ style and reminds me a little bit of the track from their new album called Burry Me Alive. This track, Burry Me Happy, is a softer track and really stands out for me as single worthy if they were going to release one.

The Fifth track, called Timeless Melody, is a cover from The La’s. I have always liked the La’s but never got into their music. I have never heard this track but the way that Veronica Falls sounds this track apparently works very well. I think this is almost as good as the previous track.

The last track that they cover was originally recorded by Ween. The song is called What Deaner Was Talking About. I have never been a fan of Ween. That being said, This is a very slow song that sort of works for the band. I feel like they have pushed themselves out of their comfort zones for this track. This is a good rendition but not a great rendition.

I believe that Rough Trade Records has sold out on this release but if you gotta have it you can get it from Discogs. Sadly, the tracks have not been put up on YouTube yet so you can not listen to them there.


This is one of two albums that have been released as part of The Machine De Ella Project, the other being Midnight On Earthship (MOE). There was an audio book of the same name released with this project as well. Both of the albums and the book were released on a track by track schedule from the beginning of October 2012 to February 2013. These albums are the sixth and seventh albums released from the group and the third and fourth albums released from the group independently. I am very happy that they have a fan base that allows them to continue to release albums independently and that they still have a drive to do so. I really hope that they do continue to do so and that they continue to gain in popularity so that they can keep making these awesome records. As I mentioned with MOE in the previous post, both of these albums will see a physical release in a bout four months.

There has not been an official single released from this album as of yet. The album is very different from MOE. It is more rock inspired and deals with themes from the book. The book is a sci-fi based Christian novel. I have not yet listened to the book but am looking forward to it. This album musically reminds me more of their first couple of albums. I liked those albums a lot more than some of their more recent work. Therefore I like this album more than MOE. I think that it has more meaning to it musically and vocally.
  

This is a collection of tracks from Prince and a couple of his friends. The album was released in 1985 but originally recorded in 1977 before his break through. The project was put together by Pepe Willie, the former husband of Prince's cousin. When I was house hunting last spring my realtor and I were talking about music. I live in Minnesota, so naturally Prince came up. She told me that he knew a friend of Prince’s and that there may be a few copies of a record that he was a part of still on hand. I was excited to hear a different side of Prince and accepted without hesitation a sealed copy of this record. It wasn’t until recently that I actually got around to listening to the record. This is the only record that 94 East put out. There are a few other releases but they are just variants of this album.

There are six tracks on this record. They are all synth infused funk tracks. Prince composed one of the tracks on the album and it stands out above the other five tracks. The song is called Just Another Sucker. The song is a fun pop/funk track that really sounds like it came from the late 70s during the dance/disco craze. It has a great guitar sound, cool slap bass and the early synth sounds of the start of the electronic era.

It is really a fun funk album. If you are looking for more from Prince, this is an interesting side. If you are digging for fun funk from the 70s don’t over look this 80s release of 70s funk material.

 That is all I have for now...

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