Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Watch out for this: BlakRoc

Normally I would laugh at the idea of a good Rap/Rock collaboration. Do you remember the abomination that was Limp Bizkit, Crazy Town, P.O.D. and Korn? It actually pains me that I remember all of these terrible musical acts that would be better left forgotten.

I've changed my mind recently, however. Welcome to Blakroc:


Aafter being introduced to Blakroc courtesy of Pitchfork, I had to re-think my stance on the Rap/Rock monstrosity. The Black Keys, one of the most incredible Rock and Roll bands out there, collaborating with awesome Hip Hop acts such as Raekwon, Mos Def and Q-Tip. This is something that deserves some attention.

The collaboration was spearheaded by Jim Jones, formerly of the Diplomats. 11 artists collaborated on this project recorded in 11 days. Artists include The Black Keys, RZA, Raekwon, Jim Jones, Mos Def, Pharoahe Monch, NOE, Ludacris, Nicole Wraye, Billy Danze, Ol' Dirty Bastard and Q-Tip.

According to an article on Billboard, the first sessions started in Brooklyn earlier this summer with Mos Def and The Black Keys collaborating. The album will be released on BlakRoc records on November 27.

Here is a video of Blakroc - Hoochie Choo (The Black Keys, Mos Def and Jim Jones)


Check out Blakroc at their website.
More video's courtesy of Blakroc's page. Check them here.


Posted by Lucas Vocos

Tuesday, September 29, 2009

Locals Showcase: Moostache


The Huntington Beach based, sibling quartet, Moostache, may be notably recognized for their quirky, avant-garde name, but don’t be fooled. The Orange County native’s most recent release, The Body Disagrees, portrays a keen sense of maturity that provides a better look into who these indie rockers truly are.

More of Mike's interview with Moostache after the jump.

Monday, September 28, 2009

Artist to Watch: Wolf In A Spacesuit


 Photo courtesy of Wolf In A Spacesuit


Wolf In A Spacesuit has made an interesting decision in refusing to disclose their identities. Hiding behind a veil of canine anonymity, Wolf In A Spacesuit first garnered attention through the support of psych-pop darlings MGMT, who placed the group in their coveted top friends list. The band's anonymity is both intriguing and infuriating, but above all else, it forces listeners to make judgements purely on the sounds they hear, and not on the physical appearance of the artists creating them.

Sunday, September 27, 2009

Mashup Mania

In a world where anything from screaming to synthesizers has become anticipated or even expected in new music, it is not a shock that a new trend for music lovers and creators, called mash-ups, have been making its way to mainstream audiences.

From the Beastie Boys in the 1980s sampling audio tracks from Led Zeppelin to Vanilla Ice sampling audio tracks from David Bowie and Queen, the art of blending two or more songs together, or mash-ups, have been becoming increasingly popular in a society who is starving for something new.

But today’s mash-ups artists have taken their creativity even further by mashing ten or so songs together into a single track.

“Right now I actually think it's expected. It's a huge trend now, even in mainstream music,” Nathan Pham said, a mash-up artist who goes by the stage name Easter Egg. “Listen to modern day hip-pop and wait to hear some obvious 90s sample.”

Pham, along with other mash-up artists, are seemingly always being criticized on the originality of their music creation.

“There is a fine line between making a mash up and making your own music. I do not believe that throwing down two obvious tracks and barely touching them is creating your own music,” said Pham. ”It’s just playing with other people’s music.”

Technology seems to be the spark for the popularity of this new production of sounds.

“There are now programs like Ableton and Acid Pro that make it so anyone with half a creative mind can throw together a mash up,” Pham said.

And with the help of software, mash-up artists have been successfully creating tracks with all kinds of different music genres, constructing them into something most would not expect.

One Easter Egg song in particular, “Saturday Night,” begins with a Bay City Rollers Track, a Guns and Roses track, and an experimental, electronic, post rock track from a band called M83, followed by vocals from various rap artists.

With all the music in the world waiting to be sampled, it seems there will always be something new for these samplers to work with.

“I get the chance to listen to music for 12 hours a day at work, so I hear a lot of things that stick with me, and I'll take the mental note to try it out,” Pham said.

Posted by Drew Wilson

Saturday, September 26, 2009

New Music from Sufjan Stevens!


This summer, Sufjan Stevens made headlines when he announced the release of his latest musical effort entitled The BQE. This particular album is based on a project from 2007. Asthmatic Kitty Records described the project as "a visual and musical homage to the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway".

A download of "Movement IV: Isorhythmic Night Dance with Interchanges" is available for streaming and download via Asthmatic Kitty Records. It starts off as a delicate and light-hearted instrumental piece. However, it picks up the pace towards the end with powerful sounds from the brass and wind sections. Upon listen, you can't help but wonder if you have been transported to the Baroque era.

The double-disc is set for release on October 20th.

Sufjan Stevens is also touring this fall with labelmates Cryptacize. There is no word of any west coast dates yet, however.


You can catch Sufjan Stevens on these following dates:

09-26: Champaign, IL - The High Dive
09-27: Minneapolis, MN - 400 Bar
09-28: Madison, WI - The Majestic
09-29: Bloomington, IN - Buskirk Chumley
10-01: Toronto, ON - Lee's Place
10-02: Montreal, QC - Cabaret
10-03: Portland, ME - Port City Music Hall
10-04: New York, NY - Bowery Ballroom
10-05: New York, NY - Bowery Ballroom
10-06: Brooklyn, NY - Hall at Williamsburg
10-07: Brooklyn, NY - Hall at Williamsburg

posted by Gabrielle Costa

Monday, September 21, 2009

Monsters of Folk Out Tuesday!

I never imagined a super group had potential to shock and awe... until I saw the lineup for Omaha's Monsters of Folk. Bright Eye's band mates Conor Oberst and Mike Mogis have teamed up with indie-folk superstars, M. Ward (M. Ward & She and Him) and Jim James (Yim James & My Morning Jacket) to create one of the most anticipated and well reviewed albums to hit shelves in 2009. Throughout the album, there are no real hints of a designated front man, if you will, yet we can see an alternating spotlight between Oberst, Ward and James with the occasional three-part harmony. Although most of the songs sound like they were thrown together on a whim with little thought of actual album flow, each song offers a unique sound and holds it's own among the rest. All in all, I can't wait to get my hands on a hard copy of the group's debut and can't wait to catch their live show.


Here's Monsters of Folk's single "Say Please." Enjoy!










Posted by Mike Slobom

Sunday, September 20, 2009

Brand New - Daisy

In the ever-changing realm of music, it has become nearly impossible for bands to consistently keep up with the times. Brand New, despite the constant transitioning of today’s music from one hype to the next, has managed to produce a few of the most influential albums of it’s time without restricting themselves to one genre.

To read more of Mike's review of Brand New - Daisy, click the link below!

Saturday, September 19, 2009

Hidden Gems

I don't know how I haven't heard of these bands sooner. All along I was thinking nothing really happened in Orange County and today I stumble across this great local blog Flower St Listing with these great bands showcased. It's really humbling, actually. Here I thought I had an extensive knowledge in music, and turns out there's still a long ways to go. I'm a bit sad I've been out of the loop for so long. That's part of the fun of journalism though, there's always something new!

Here are a few bands mentioned that stood out to me, and ones that I definitely plan on following closely in the future!

First, from Long Beach/Orange County we have The Growlers.
This is absolutely incredible. I have been listening to their songs on repeat as soon as I first heard them. They've got a really mellow style. Something like a 60's beachy-garage, yet dubby style. Singing reminds me a tiny bit of The Walkmen, I don't know why though. They've got a record release show coming up on October 7 at the Coach House in San Juan Capistrano for their album Are You In Or Out?


Next, we've got Charles' Mansion
Wow. Phenomenal. Think of a mix between Richard Hell & the Voivoids and The Breakers. I'm blown away at how incredible this band is.


Finally here is Tijuana Panthers
Another great local beach garage band. Really loved the video and single above. I can't wait to see what more this band has to offer.

We'll be working on getting some interviews with these great bands here on OCC Music Review.

Posted by Lucas Vocos

Pavement has reunited


One of the most relevant bands of the 1990s has re-emerged with news that Pavement fans across the globe have been waiting to hear since 1999- they're back!

The band, whose members haven't shared the stage since 1999, are scheduled to embark on a tour in 2010. However, only a few New York dates have been confirmed. They will be playing at Rumsey Playfield at Central Park Sept. 21 and the SummerStage festival at Central Park on Sept. 23 and 24, 2010, according to Pitchfork. Matador Records released a statement explaining that this tour is not an indication that Pavement will be reuniting permanently. Regardless, I am glad that they have come back together, even if only for one last tour. Could this mean a headlining spot at Coachella 2010? Let's hope so!

Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Coachella 2009 Timelapse

This is phenomenal. I found this on the Coachella Twitter page.

It's a Timelapse video of Coachella 2009. 3 days of music compressed into a 4 minute video. I'm also loving the use of the Phoenix - Lisztomania remix done by Classixx.

BannerHill!




Some may say female fronted pop-rock is marked territory by bands such as Paramore and No Doubt, but who says it must be rare and restricted? BannerHill’s debut EP, Beautiful. Dangerous, is an energetic whirlwind full of twists and turns with hooks sharp enough to cut diamonds.

To read more of Mike Slobom's review and interview with BannerHill, click below to read more!

Tuesday, September 15, 2009

New Vampire Weekend Announced!


Just read on Theophilus London's Twitter page an official release date for Vampire Weekend's sophomore album! The album is called Contra and will be released January 2010.

I've been waiting forever for this album to come out after I heard them perform "White Sky" last summer (2008) at a show at the Glasshouse with White Williams. They were still writing the album at that point and performed it as a test. The song is phenomenal, it continues Vampire Weekend's African pop-influenced sound adding more complex instrumentation. I've heard a few different versions floating around the blogosphere, a slower version played on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon and a quicker paced version played live in Glasgow, so it'll be interesting to see how "White Sky" and the other songs sound.



I was hoping their song "Ottoman" on the Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist soundtrack would have appeared on this album too.

Here is Vampire Weekend performing "Ottoman" at the Wiltern in Los Angeles:

You'll have to wait till January to cop the new album, but their self titled debut is available on iTunes.

Check Vampire Weekend's home page and MySpace page for more info.

Monday, September 14, 2009

Ohhhh Wowww Ohhh

I just wanted to share how incredible this video is. I have to admit, I wasn't the biggest Grizzly Bear fan the first few times I heard them. "Knife" was a great song, but it couldn't hold me long enough to keep listening. Their latest masterpiece, Veckatimest, is entrancing me in it's grandiose, choir-full rhythms.

Saturday, September 12, 2009

Amazing Baby Interview

INTERVIEW WITH WILLIAM ROAN OF AMAZING BABY

September 11th 2009


Amazing Baby is a five piece band from New York that has toured the world supporting acts such as Cold War Kids and MGMT, and has been hailed as one of the best new bands to come out of Brooklyn. The band is currently headlining a national tour in support of their debut full length album Rewild, released through Shangri-La Records. They'll be playing a show in Los Angeles on September 23rd, but before heading out west, lead singer and lyricist William Roan took the time to call The Music Pirate’s Eszter Zimanyi from Chicago and talk about the stress of touring, Amazing Baby’s new drummer, and the world’s “best” dancer. Read the transcript below and be sure to check out Amazing Baby with Night Horse and The Entrance Band at The Troubadour next week!





Video courtesy of Amazing Baby and Shangri-La Records

Tuesday, September 8, 2009

Weekly Roundup

So I'm going to try (keyword "try") to keep you posted with a weekly live music roundup. I'll try and keep it Orange County based, but let's face it. There's more going on in LA, and it's less than an hour away.

9/9/09. Club Pistol - Detroit Bar, Costa Mesa
Club Pistol is invading Detroit Bar in Costa Mesa Wednesday, September 9. Come dance to electro dance music and drink. DJ sets by Mr. Peaches, Joaquin, Nick Hernandez and Dallas Cornell. More info at clubpistol.com

9/9/09. Final Fight - Chain Reaction, Anaheim.
If you're still into hardcore, Final Fight are playing at Chain Reaction in Anaheim Wednesday September 9. Opening acts include Rotting Out, Creatures and more. Check Final Fight out at myspace.com/finalfight

9/11/09. New York New York! - The Crosby, Santa Ana
Obey Radio at The Crosby is hosting a tribute to the best city in the world by having a musical tribute to the 5 boroughs. Expect lots of classic, old-school hip hop and punk rock. Obey Radio starts at 10 p.m. The Crosby is located at 400 N. Broadway, Santa Ana.

9/16/09. Phoenix w. The Soft Pack - The Greek Theatre, Los Angeles
Parisian pop band Phoenix is playing the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles on September 16 alongside San Diego's The Soft Pack (formerly The Muslims.) This should really be an exciting show. Phoenix has blown up this year, thanks to their breakout album, Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix. Check out Phoenix and The Soft Pack's homepages for more info.

Thursday, September 3, 2009

Hercules and Love Affair DJ Set


After a mysterious cancellation to their Coachella gig, I've been yearning to see Hercules and Love Affair live. I was dying to dance to their neo-disco Yaz-inspired songs. As it turned out, there was a cancellation which ruined my day for about 20 minutes until I saw TV On The Radio. To my delight, I found out they are performing a DJ set tomorrow (Friday) night at the Avalon in Hollywood.

I'm not sure what to expect, and how a DJ set would compare to an actual band performance. It would be unreal to see Antony Hegarty doin' his thang on stage, but highly improbable. A guy can dream, can't he? All the same, I guarantee a non-stop disco glam dance party.

Be sure to head to Control at the Avalon Friday night to see Hercules and Love Affair DJ a non-stop disco infused dance party.




Also performing a DJ set are UK's Late of the Pier.





Control at the Avalon is located at 1735 Vine St. in Hollywood. Control Club lasts from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m.

Chairlift Interview

INTERVIEW WITH AARON PFENNING OF CHAIRLIFT
You may not immediately recognize the name, but you have definitely heard the band Chairlift at least once. The Brooklyn-based trio was first put on the map when Apple decided to use their infectious and charming song ‘Bruises’ in a national iPod nano campaign. Now, Chairlift is proving they have much more to offer with their sophisticated and genre-blending debut album “Does You Inspire You” released through Columbia Records this past April. Since then, Chairlift has been touring around the world playing festivals like Bonnaroo, Lollapalooza, and All Points West, and supporting acts such as Peter Bjorn & John. The Music Pirate’s Eszter Zimanyi caught up with Chairlift guitarist, lyricist, and vocalist Aaron Pfenning this past June in Los Angeles to talk about everything from shirt designs to twittering taco trucks. Here’s what went down:


Video by Eszter Zimanyi