Red Sparowes announce tour, release album preview
Red Sparowes
Red Sparowes, Los Angeles post-rock (or, if you will, post-metal) group, have announced plans to set out on tour at the end of March through the first half of May in support of their forthcoming release, The Fear is Excruciating, But Therein Lies the Answer, set to be released April 6, 2010.
Red Sparowes — “Giving Birth To Imagined Saviors,” from The Fear is Excruciating, But Therein Lies the Answer
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In anticipation of their third album, the band has released “Giving Birth to Imagined Saviors” for public consumption. Featuring a more nuanced approach than their previous efforts — but lacking none of the bombastic fervor they’ve set out as their own, the latest effort from Red Sparowes is one to watch for.
By Matthew Montgomery 
Feb 26, 2010 
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Symphony of Science debuts “The Poetry of Reality,” latest in science mashup series
Symphony of Science, the brainchild of electronica musician John Boswell, has released the latest entry in a series of inspiring and geeky music videos: “The Poetry of Reality,” the fifth video in the series, describes the simultaneous beauty and utility of scientific inquiry through snippets from figureheads of science and skepticism.
The Symphony of Science — “The Poetry of Reality” | download
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The video includes lectures and interviews from the widely known — Carl Sagan, Richard Feynman, Stephen Hawking — to some known in more specific circles — PZ Meyers, Brian Greene, Carolyn Porco, Michael Shermer — and represents an engaging cross-section of figures of science advocacy.
Musically, “The Poetry of Reality” is perhaps the strongest piece since the first video, “A Glorious Dawn.” If the Symphony of Science is successful in spreading its very important message, it will be to the benefit of humanity as a whole.
By Matthew Montgomery Feb 25, 2010 Downloads, News, Video Comments (0)
Matt Pond PA “Starting” 7-inch available now; new album drops in April
Matt Pond PA, credit: Jeremy Balderson
April 6, 2010, Matt Pond PA, indie-pop all-star band from New York, NY, will be releasing their latest album The Dark Leaves on Altitude Records. Currently, their single “Starting” is available for download on Paste. In November, Matt Pond PA released a limited edition EP showcasing the single. The EP, THREEEP, includes 3 A-side tracks, instrumentals, and 3 additional B-side tracks. Currently, their “Starting” 7″ is available for purchase on Altitude Records. The three song EP includes “Starting” as well as “The Colour Out of Space” and “Stopping.”
Matt Pond PA will be performing at SXSW this year, and will be touring with The Wooden Birds through February and March; The Wooden Birds are also appearing at SXSW.
Matt Pond PA — “Starting,” from Starting 7″ (2010) | download
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See below for a video and tour dates from Matt Pond PA.
By Scott Mathews Feb 24, 2010 Downloads, News, Video Comment (1)
The music of “Chrono Trigger” continues to evolve after 15 years
Box Art from the SNES game "Chrono Trigger"
Since “Chrono Trigger” was released in 1995, it has been widely regarded as having one of the best soundtracks on a video game. It helped spur the scene of video game music remixes and has had many iterations over the years. The soundtrack by Yasunori Mitsuda, originally in just 16-bit audio, still contends with full orchestral music heard in today’s games and has a large cult following in the video game scene.
One of the most notable renditions on the soundtrack is the acid jazz album Chrono Trigger Arranged Version: The Brink of Time. The album was released just over three months after the game and features ten remade tracks. Initially, the album had very mixed reviews with critics claiming to either love it or hate it. Personally, I enjoyed this acid jazz arrangement of the soundtrack quite a bit. It has all the workings of an enjoyable acid jazz album mixed with memorable songs that incite great memories. The choice of acid jazz seems like an obvious one simply because the sounds used, if not emulate, at least do justice to the original 16-bit sounds.
Yasunori Mitsuda arr. DJ Ali Haeri – “Kingdom Trial” remixed with “1, 2 Step” by Ciara feat. Missy Elliott from Chrono Trigger Mixtape, Vol. 1
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Yasunori Mitsuda arr. DJ Ali Haeri – “Underground Sewer” from Chrono Trigger Mixtape, Vol. 1
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Yasunori Mitsuda arr. Daniel Floyd – “Morning Sunlight” from Chrono Symphonic (2005)
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Tags: acid jazz, hip-hop, symphonic, video game
By Jared Montgomery Feb 20, 2010 Downloads, Features, Video Game Music Comment (1)
SPOTLIGHT: I Call Fives
I Call Fives
In a sea of new independent pop punk music, I Call Fives really floats above the rest. They are a refreshing take on the typical pop punk band and deliver catchy guitar hooks and anthemic lyrics. The track “My Last Mistake” from First Things First stands out exceptionally well and offers up some of their best material.
Hailing from New Jersey, this incendiary pop punk outfit never fail to deliver. Every song on their 7 track debut, First Things First, grabs you and doesn’t let go until the next track is starting up.
I Call Fives, “My Last Mistake” from First Things First | download
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Tags: independent, pop-punk
By Jared Montgomery Feb 16, 2010 Artist Spotlight, Downloads Comments (0)
BRIEF: Cap’n Jazz reunite, plan Chicago show and LP re-release
Courtesy of Force Field PR
Cap’n Jazz — “Oh, Messy Life” | download Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
Read on for a video of Cap’n Jazz performing “Oh, Messy Life” as part of the Joan of Arc Don’t Mind Control Variety Show, the surprise set in January.
Tags: emo, post-hardcore
By Matthew Montgomery Feb 16, 2010 Downloads, News Comments (0)
Album Review: Elizabeth & the Catapult – Taller Children
Elizabeth & the Catapult - Taller Children
Despite what could be construed as a strangely typical name for this era of music, Elizabeth & the Catapult are hardly the typifying outfit of the accompanying sound. Inflected with vocals with a style more keen on jazz than post-punk and an outright affinity for Cocteausian dream pop, Taller Children is something “new” from the outset.
Elizabeth & the Catapult — “Taller Children” | download
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Produced largely by Saddle Creek alumnus Mike Mogis — the one exception is the titular track, which was produced by Jim Eno of Spoon and the dubious-careered Jon Kaplan (who has produced such masterworks as … the Jonas Brothers!) — Taller Children is a solid pop record with a cheerful melodic bent taking the musical front seat in the recording, and the production supports that without becoming intrusive. Never does a song sound overproduced or forced, much to the album’s benefit. (more…)
Tags: indie jazz, indie pop
By Matthew Montgomery Jun 18, 2009 Album Reviews, Downloads Comments (0)
Politics and Music: Mark Berube
Mark Berube, a Canadian indie musician who performs folk-inflected indie with his group, Mark Berube and the Patriotic Few, discusses his perspective on music and politics. This is the third in a series of interviews with musicians discussing political perspectives.
What role do politics play in your music?
Politics in modern music can very easily have the tendency to be preachy. I avoid this sort of statement as much as I can, unless I really want to put some balls behind something. I prefer subtlety, like “Ojala,” by Silvio Rodriguez, probably one of the most potent and subtle statments made in a song against Castro.
Mark Berube and the Patriotic Few – “Flowers on the Stones” | download
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What role do you think music should play in politics?
Music has always been a reference point for society to bounce itself against, or it has been pure escapism. Most of the time it fills an entertainment quota in politics … you only have to look as far as Palin’s use of “Barracuda”. (more…)
Tags: indie
By Matthew Montgomery Sep 12, 2008 Downloads, Politics and Music Comments (0)
