Archive for January, 2008

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Spotlight: Panther

Matthew Montgomery

Panther / Photo courtesy of Kill Rock Stars, photo by Ingrid RenanPanther’s thumping dance-funk-indie-rock (on a more funky side of the spectrum than, say, The Faint; rather more in the vein of !!!) is a thing to behold. With a sound that ranges in influence from Tower of Power to Pavement, these two guys (Charlie Salas-Humara, of The Planet The, and Joe Kelley, of 31 Knots) produce engaging, interesting music that’s liable to induce dancing, or something a little like it. “Puerto Rican Jukebox” and “Violence Diamonds,” both posted for listening and download below, are excellent examples of the band’s addicting style. Panthers will be releasing 14 KT GOD on Kill Rock Stars on Feb. 19.

Panther — “Violence, Diamonds” | download

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Panther — “Puerto Rican Jukebox” | download

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Purchase 14 KT GOD from Kill Rock Stars

January 31, 2008 Tags: ,
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Music Geek #6: Appearance of “Superfriend” serves as a nice Weezer refresher

Matthew Montgomery

Matthew Montgomery wears funny glasses in a Cedar City, Utah park.It was in 2001 — six-and-a-half years ago — that I first heard tale of Weezer’s mysterious opus, Songs From the Black Hole, a project that frontman Rivers Cuomo had spoken of very little and much hype had arisen behind as a result.

It’s 2008 now, and still, there are several songs from the never-finished concept album that have yet to see the light of day. One of those, until sometime in the range of one month ago, was “Superfriend,” a track that had gained some notoriety on Weezer fan message boards, particularly the Rebel Weezer Board and the Rivers Correspondence Board, which I read voraciously but kept my posting to a minimum, for better or worse.

At any rate, the track quickly became a thing of legend, with only a very select few having actually heard it — and the track certainly wasn’t floating around the mass of information that is the Internet (or bootleg trading circles, for that matter) for easy listening purposes.

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Review: Rings – Black Habit

Matthew Montgomery

Rings / Photo by Kathy LoIt’s hard to classify Rings on first glance: This all-female band incorporates elements of experimental music, the modern pop tradition and Eno-inflected ambient, creating an ultimately unique style of music somewhere between the ranks of The Books, Broken Social Scene and Gorge Trio.

Invoking such diverse musical styles is difficult when creating experimental music, and Rings certainly managed to succeed in the matter. What’s interesting, though, is that these elements are not forefront endeavors; rather, a fair bit of examination is required to infiltrate the obscurity that surrounds the band and Black Habit.

Rings — “Mom Dance” | download

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January 30, 2008 Tags:
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Spotlight: Hammer No More The Fingers

Matthew Montgomery

Hammer No More The Fingers / Courtesy of Fanatic PromotionThe three-piece Chapel Hill, N.C.-based play an energetic sort of indie rock. Hammer No More The Fingers, seemingly inspired by a plethora of progenitors to more recent indie rock trends, released their self-titled debut EP on Power Team Records On Nov. 16, 2007. The group, with their Pavement-inflected style, provide something that’s been missing in prominence from the indie scene: unabashed energy and attitude that doesn’t end up woefully over-the-top.

Four tracks are posted below for listening and download: “Black Harmony,” “Fall Down Play Dead,” “O.R.G.Y,” and “Vodka Grasshopper.” The tracks all exhibit the flare with which Hammer No More The Fingers approaches their unique brand of indie rock.

Hammer No More The Fingers — “Black Harmony” | download

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Hammer No More The Fingers — “Fall Down Play Dead” | download

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Music Geek #5: Snow-covered headphones call for post-rock-stained emotional inquiry

Matthew Montgomery

Matthew Montgomery wears funny glasses in a Cedar City, Utah park.Once again, I’ve turned my attention to atmospherically pleasing music; this time, my interest has been sparked by flurrying snow that’s made its way back to Cedar City. I woke up, left for school, and was given a bit of a hassle by some inclement weather, but nothing was terribly pressing: No, it wasn’t until later that the real weather kicked in.

And it did kick in. Returning to the university after a lunch break, I suddenly found movement to be restricted by stabbing cold wind, my vision blocked by quickly approaching flakes of snow. So, what did I do? I slipped headphones over my bearded head, switched my music playing device (an iPod, if you must ask) to something suitable, and walked, head down.

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January 29, 2008 Tags: ,
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Spotlight: These United States

Matthew Montgomery

These Unitd StatesThese United States, a Washington, D.C. based group, release their debut album, A Picture of the Three of Us at the Gate to the Garden of Eden, on March 4. The band, who occupy a vaguely psych folk musical domain. “First Sight,” posted below, is replete with engaging electronic influence; it holds attention with almost-breathy vocals and a bouncy demeanor.

These United States — “First Sight” | download

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Kaki King announces U.S. tour dates

Matthew Montgomery

Kaki KingKaki King, the previous subject of a MusicGeek.org spotlight, announced 2008 U.S. tour dates, detailed below. Her entire catalog is essentially made of gold; it’s certainly worth of more than a few listens.

Kaki King — 2 O’Clock | download

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January 28, 2008 Tags: ,
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Spotlight: Reed KD

Matthew Montgomery

Reed KD / Courtesy of Fanatic PromotionReed KD, a northern California-based act with a refreshing indie-centric folk-bluegrass-pop style and a penchant for vocals that sound at least a smidgen influenced by Elliott Smith, are set to release The Ashes Bloom on Feb. 12. The album will be released on Dirty Laundry Records. The two tracks posted below, “Empty Bottles” and “Even If I,” are well-written, well-timed pop songs, and they’re certainly worth an attentive listen.

Reed KD — “Empty Bottles” | download

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Reed KD — “Even If I” | download

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