June « 2008 « AZLTRON

June 17, 2008

AZLTRON’s Dance Antidote Mix

Filed under: Air,Alaska in winter,Brian Eno,Daft Punk,Goldfrapp,Graig Markel,Jon Sonnenburg,Jose Gonzales,Midlake,mobius band,Ratatat,Spoon,Stereolab,The Notwist — AZLTRON @ 6:34 pm

On the cusp of summer and my full-time employment, I impart to you, my faithful readers this creation of mine, the dance mix antidote. But wait? Don’t I largely support dance music? Yes, but dance music is largely loud energetic and entices you to move. Which are all great things that I will continue to revel in at almost every opportunity, but you know what? Sometimes I get tired. I bet you do too. So why not bask in a collection of healing and soothing songs that will re-energize you for another synth/punk/indie/electro dance party? After all, we are not robots, no matter how much some of us might like to be.

Sebastien Tellier – La Ritournelle (Jim Noir Mix)

Stereolab – Cosmic Country Noir

Air – Left Bank

Graig Markel – Black Mesa

Brian Eno – And Then So Clear

Alaska in Winter – Balkan Low Rider

Au Revoir Simone – Don’t See The Sorrow

The Bird and the Bee – I’m a Broken Heart

The Walkmen – New Year’s Eve

World Leader Pretend – Lovey Dovey

Midlake – We Gathered In Spring

The Notwist – Gone Gone Gone

Daft Punk – Make Love

Kings of Convenience – Misread

The Octopus Project – Snow Tip Cap Mountain

Jens Lekman – Jen’s Lekman’s Farewell Song to Rock Dennis

Jon Sonnenburg – Yesterday

Goldfrapp – Clowns

Moby – Mothers of the Night

Ratatat – Shiller

Jose Gonzales – Down The Line

Spoon – Bring It on Home To Me

Comments (1)

June 16, 2008

Futuristic Prince

Filed under: Daft Punk,Detroit Techno,Futuristic Prince,Justice,Michael Jackson,Prince — AZLTRON @ 6:01 am

Futuristic Prince is an electro duo hailing from San Francisco, California. Their new single ‘And The Children Will Lead Them” sounds something like if you went back in time, captured Michael Jackson with a vocoder, dropped him off in the roughest Detroit Techno neighborhood where mechanics transformed him into a giant moonwalking robot with bass guitars for arms and synthesizers for legs. Maybe I got carried away there, maybe it sounds like a gang fight to Daft Punk’s ‘Crescendolls’, either way they’ve got some sweet beats. Break dancing cardboard anyone?

Futuristic Prince – And a Child Shall Lead Them

Futuristic Prince – And a Child Shall Lead Them (Fonzie Remix)

Futuristic Prince Myspace

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June 15, 2008

Tim Russert Died Friday

Filed under: campaign,clinton,election,mccain,Meet the press,obama,Tim Russert — AZLTRON @ 1:30 pm

Tim Russert died Friday and he was one of my favorite moderators. Not just because of his long career and thorough questioning, but that little snicker he had as he was doing the grilling, showing that he was having fun as much as he was working hard. Meet the Press won’t be the same.

RIP Tim Russert

May 7, 1950 – June 13, 2008

David Bowie – Under Pressure (ft. Queen)

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Oppenheimer Boosts the Midrange

Filed under: Belle and Sebastian,power pop,The New Pornographers — AZLTRON @ 1:18 pm

Imagine for a second that someone gave Belle & Sebastian some crack and keyboards, that’s what The Belfast, North Ireland band Oppenheimer sounds like, power Pop pushed to its limits by good songwriting and ample electronics. Here’s a sample of their album “Take the Whole Midrange and Boost it”.

Oppenheimer – Only Goal & Winner

Oppenheimer – I Don’t Care What Anybody Says About You, I Think You’re Alright

Oppenheimer Myspace

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Does it Offend You Yeah?

Filed under: Bloc Party,does it offend you yeah,Justice,MSTRKRFT,the rapture — AZLTRON @ 1:00 pm

Does it Offend You Yeah? is a UK band preying on the innocent with their electronic/dance influenced indie rock. Their debut “You Have No Idea What You’re Getting Yourself Into” teeters on the edge of crazed samples and angry distorted bass ala MSTRKFRT or Justice and emotional charged dance punk akin to The Rapture or Bloc Party. This schizophrenic nature gives the band a depth of sound beyond current musical trends and provides some interesting compositions and transitions.

The songs themselves are pretty bangin’ all around. As much as I love vocoder, I actually like it better when they don’t use the heavy electronics over their live rock sound. Don’t get me wrong, their use of vocoder and electronics is top notch, particularly on “Weird Science” but the standouts are the songs with unprocessed vocals like “Epic Last Song” and the most true return to form of Sebastien Grainger post DFA 1979 in “Let’s Make Out”. There’s even a a fantastic instrumental theme song to a movie that doesn’t exist, “Attack of the 60 ft. Lesbian Octopus”. In the end the album’s name serves as an accurate description of it’s sound, but as wildly as Does it Offend You Yeah? switches between electro and dance punk it’s all dance music of superior quality.

Does it Offend You Yeah? – Attack of The 60ft Lesbian Octopus

Does it Offend You Yeah? – Let’s Make Out

Does it Offend You Yeah? – Epic Last Song

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Natalie Portman’s Shaved Head

Filed under: alphabeat,CSS,Dandy Warhols,does it offend you yeah,Frankmusik,glistening Pleasure,The Cure — AZLTRON @ 11:35 am

Natalie Portman’s Shaved head is a 5 piece out of Seattle that rivals the likes of CSS and Does it Offend You Yeah? with their clever hipster fashion references and relentless electro/power pop. Their new album ‘Glistening Pleasure’ drops July 15th and it is a bangin’ album. The concepts of the songs are amusing alone, like “Sophisticated Sideways Ponytail” and “Beard Lust” but wait there’s more, they erupt into a full on indie dance party often calling to mind the Cure’s experimentation in the early 80′s with pop/dance and the falsetto layering of the Dandy Warhols. If you’re in the mood for some reckless abandon with a shot of coy self awareness NPSH can provide you with a good time.

Natalie Portman’s Shaved Head – Me + Yr Daughter

Natalie Portman’s Shaved Head – Confections

Natalie Portman’s Shaved Head Myspace

Upcoming Shows

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Jul 19 2008

3:00P

DOWNLOAD FESTIVAL!

San Francisco, California

Jul 25 2008

9:30P

CAPITOL HILL BLOCK PARTY!

Seattle, Washington

Jul 30 2008

8:00P

FIRST AVENUE (w/ CSS!)

Minneapolis, Minnesota

Jul 31 2008

8:00P

TURNER HALL w/ (CSS!)

Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Aug 5 2008

8:00P

KOOL HAUS (w/ CSS!)

Toronto, Ontario

Aug 6 2008

8:00P

GARFIELD ARTWORKS

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Aug 7 2008

8:00P

THE TROCADERO THEATER (w/ CSS!)

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Aug 8 2008

9:00P

THE PILL @ GREAT SCOTT

Boston, Massachusetts

Aug 9 2008

8:00P

THE PALLADIUM (w/ CSS!)

Worcester, Massachusetts

Aug 10 2008

8:00P

HOUSE OF BLUES (w/ CSS!)

Atlantic City, New Jersey

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June 12, 2008

The Incredible Hulk

Filed under: bill bixby,edward norton,jack kirby,stan lee,The incredible hulk,william hurt — AZLTRON @ 11:20 am

So the new “Incredible Hulk” movie comes out tonight (tomorrow), and I have to say I’m pretty pumped for it. I think Edward Norton is inspired casting, he does intelligence really well, so I’m excited to see him play Bruce Banner. I also think that the casting of William Hurt as Gen. “Thunderbolt” Ross is inspired casting because of his role in ‘Altered States’ as a man getting in touch with his primal side. So he’s the perfect villain for Banner, considering he knows where he’s coming from. Another positive thing, the new movie is engineered by Marvel Studios to appeal to fans of the old 70′s show, the comic book, and the cartoons (Lou Ferrigno Voices the Hulk!). I think this time around it’s going to be a smash, no pun intended. I’m definitely going to see it tomorrow. Heck, they even brought back the classic theme in full on orchestral form. Until they release the score, you can enjoy the original here.

The Incredible Hulk Theme

The Incredible Hulk Official Site

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June 11, 2008

M83′s Saturdays are Youthful

Filed under: breakfast club,Brian Eno,Daft Punk,Godzilla,John Hughes,M83,New Order,Pretty in pink,Toys — AZLTRON @ 2:57 pm

On M83′s new album “Saturday = Youth” all the ethereal and shoe gaze elements are still present, although they are distilled in a more accessible John Hughes tribute type package. Like on the effervescent “Kim & Jessie” you can imagine kids in leggings and giant neon sunglasses running through the streets to escape the pressure of growing up or Godzilla. Granted, not every track is throbbing with proto-nostalgia, but the ones that stay with you the longest are.

My particular favorite is “Skin of the Night” that would be perfect for a poignant relationship scene in any coming of age 80′s flick, scratch that, any poignant relationship scene. It has the most epic use of electro toms I’ve ever heard, and the vocal melody is just ethereal, it reminds me of Tori Amos singing at the end of ‘Toys’. M83 even plays around with straight up dance music with the 8 minute ghostly funk of “Couleurs”. M83 improves with each release and this is no exception.

M83 – Kim & Jessie

M83 – Skin of the Night

M83 Myspace

Comments (1)

Quitzow

Filed under: Andrew Bird,Art College,Erica,Quitzow — AZLTRON @ 11:11 am

Quitzow is the stage and band name of the musical project of Erica Quitzow. Her music calls to mind what would happen if musical styles could mate and produce new bands, if those mating bands were Andrew Bird, CSS, and The Kills.

Her opening track Sponsor “(It didn’t mean a thing)” bears a striking resemblance to The Breeder’s “Band On” but I’m sure it’s coincidental and doesn’t take the enjoyment away form either song. “On TV” explodes with a corrosive vocal laced with vocoder, like a lollipop with a razor blade inside. The lyrics also sharply criticize crass consumer culture over a party starting beat. “Jackpot” starts off with a fuzzed out beat to hint at the CSS style synth party that kicks in at 55 seconds that seldom lets up for the rest of the track.

Some other tracks are more down tempo and experimental but overall the tracks are upbeat and playful and always interesting. Her latest release might not get you a degree in the arts, but it’ll make your next 40 minutes go by a lot faster.

Quitzow – On TV

Quitzow – Jackpot

Quitzow Myspace

Quitzow Tour

Jun 12 2008

8:00P

Celebrating my birthday with Cannonball Jane and Margo Farr @ 60 Main

New Paltz, New York

Jun 17 2008

9:00P

Cafe Nine w/Cannonball Jane

New Haven, Connecticut

Jun 24 2008

9:00P

Khyber Pass w/Setting Sun

Philladelphia, Pennsylvania

Jun 25 2008

8:00P

War Memorial (All Ages) w/Setting Sun, Greg Loftus & Black Fences

Shepardstown, Virginia

Jun 27 2008

8:00P

Room with a Brew (all ages) w/Setting Sun

LEONARDTOWN, Maryland

Jun 28 2008

8:00P

Spazzatorium (all ages) w/Setting Sun

Greenville, North Carolina

Jun 29 2008

6:00P

The Accoustic Coffee House w/Setting Sun

Johnson City, Tennessee

Jun 30 2008

9:00P

Lenny’s w/ Setting Sun, Cat Riley & Nerdkween (cd release!)

Atlanta, Georgia

Jul 2 2008

9:00P

Murphy’s w/Setting Sun

Memphis

Jul 3 2008

7:30P

The Hallway (all ages) w/ The Beau Weevils and Setting Sun

Tahlequah, Oklahoma

Jul 6 2008

8:00P

The 806 (All Ages) w/ Setting Sun & Wolf Cub

Amarillo, Texas

Jul 7 2008

8:00P

Atomic Cantina w/Bellemah Setting Sun

Albuquerque, New Mexico

Jul 8 2008

8:00P

Totah Theater (all ages) w/Setting Sun

Farmington, New Mexico

Jul 9 2008

10:00P

Three Clubs w/ Setting Sun and Layer

Los Angeles, California

Jul 10 2008

9:00P

Rickshaw Stop w/ Setting Sun and The Love X Nowhere

San Francisco, California

Jul 11 2008

9:00P

The Crepe Place

Santa Cruz, California

Jul 12 2008

8:00P

Jambalaya w/John Ludington and Setting Sun

Arcata, California

Jul 14 2008

9:00P

The Hight Dive w/ Setting Sun

Seattle, California

Jul 16 2008

9:00P

Neurolux

Boise, Idaho

Jul 17 2008

8:00P

Boing! Collective (All Ages!) w/Setting Sun

Salt Lake City, Utah

Jul 18 2008

9:00P

The Lions Lair w/ Setting Sun, Able Archer & Princess Tiger

Denver, Colorado

Jul 19 2008

9:00P

Oleaver’s w/ Setting Sun & Landing on the Moon!

Omaha, Nebraska

Jul 20 2008

8:00P

TBA

Chicago, Illinois

Jul 21 2008

9:00P

Mac’s Bar w/ Setting Sun

Lansing, Michigan

Jul 22 2008

9:00P

Von’s AKA The Vault w/w/ Statement of a Burning Paradiso & Setting Sun

Detroit, Michigan

Jul 23 2008

8:00P

TBA

Pittsburg, Pennsylvania

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June 10, 2008

The Only One for the Cure

Filed under: Porl Thompson,Robert Smith,The Cure — AZLTRON @ 7:10 am

It’s been 4 years since their last album and The Cure is slated to release their 13th studio album later this year tentatively titled “13″. This also marks the first contribution of famed guitarist Porl Thompson as a full time member of the band since his departure from the band in 1995. His mark can be heard clearly on the new single “The Only One”, which hearkens back to The Cure’s earlier halcyon days of hyper melodic and sickeningly sweet love songs like “In Between Days” and “Friday I’m in Love”. Not that I’m complaining, it’s a fun song. The b-side “NY trip” is a lower tempo number filled with swirling Wah-Wah guitars and Robert Smith’s trademarked warbling enhanced by minimal vocal effects. It’s remarkable that after all this time, even though the Cure themselves are getting old, their music is not.

The Cure – The Only One