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biglisbonnews · 2 years ago

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Fresh Pressed: Neverland Digital's Medusa's Ball This is Fresh Pressed, in which photographer Matt Weinberger takes us inside some of the rawest moments happening in NYC and beyond. Fresh Pressed is all about encountering the juicy ideas, aesthetics and people shaping culture through the lens of the city's many creative scenes.Neverland Digital’s Medusa’s Ball (3/25)NYC art/music house and creative agency Neverland Digital (Nora Luciano, Elsie Drew and Ester Shmulyian) hosted Medusa’s Ball at BAF Art Gallery, where guests and collaborators all came together to party like the gods. The event was thrown in honor of Medusa, with ten visual artists tasked with creating and presenting work inspired by Medusa’s famous story. The group show featured a 30-foot glowing snake in the middle of the room, projection work, interactive pieces, photography and paintings, all created by local artists. They also presented live music, opening up with refreshing jazz by Wayne Tucker and Addison Frei, followed by Stew Jefe who rapped and hyped everyone up for Max Volante (producer, songwriter and instrumentalist) and his band. Max had some seriously great vibes and got the whole crowd feeling his soul as they swayed and danced around to the electric energy of his genre-bending performance.We Take Manhattan Party @ Old Flings (3/22)Organized by Allyson Camitta (aka Shallowhalo) and Charlie Baker, the We Take Manhattan party at Old Flings brought together some of the city’s most influential downtown scenesters for a night of shoulder-to -shoulder dancing and cramped but quality conversation. The event was the fourth party in the ongoing party series organized by Allyson and Charlie. The name of the party series is a reference to the Leonard Cohen song "First We Take Manhattan," which explores the idea that once one takes over Manhattan, one can take over the world. In addition to Shallowhalo and Charlie Baker DJing, Curtis Everett Pawley, aka The Life, took to the DJ booth and played a set to the delight of the audience. Shallowhalo is on tour at the moment — they just put out a new single, "Renaissance Affair," and have a single release show on April 5 at Elsewhere Zone One where Thoom and Birthday Girl will be performing and Angel Emoji will be DJing. I wouldn’t be surprised if the lyrics ring true: first they’ll take over Manhattan, then Berlin and, in no time, the world. The next We Take Manhattan party will be at The Cock on April 26.Stand Up NYC Drag Benefit @ 3 Dollar Bill (3/21)Aiding the fight against the anti-trans bills that have just been passed in Tennessee, NYC drag performer Julie J sold out the Brooklyn venue 3 Dollar Bill (in one day) for a night of community and drag. The cast included RuPaul's Drag Race current contestants and alums Marcia Marcia Marcia, Olivia Lux, Luxx Noir London and Jax as well as NYC staples Marti Gould Cummings, Rify Royalty, Janelle NO.5 and so many more fabulous talents. Elaborate costumes, riveting performances, mesmerizing hair and makeup and heart-pounding dance moves filled the night as the crowd came out to support Julie J and the wonderful cast of performers that came out to "drag out the vote." A key element of the event was to encourage everyone to register to vote so that they could have their voice heard via casting a ballot. The event felt like both a protest against anti-trans, anti-queer and homophobic legislation and a celebration of democracy. Political and community organizer Samy Nemir Olivares took the stage in between drag performances to give a speech explaining the importance of the event and why the community needs to get together and fight against harmful legislation. Proceeds from the event benefitted the ACLU of Tennessee, The Trans Formations Project and Black Trans LiberationBlack Trans Liberation. Baby's Presents SXSW NYC Beat (3/18)The NYC (and LA) music scene took over this little corner of Austin at the SXSW NYC Beat concert — presented by Baby's All Right — at popular downtown venue "The Cave and The Creek." The showcase featured two stages, both sporting incredible lineups of musicians. The indoor stage was curated by Sunflower Bean and featured sets by The Life, Strange Ranger, Thus Love, Malice K, Hello Mary, Model/Actriz and Sunflower Bean themselves. The energy inside was booming, with a mix of music industry professionals and seasoned concertgoers vibing out.Things got pretty wild in the later sets, and, by the end of the night, as Sunflower Bean took the stage, the crowd was stirring up into a bountiful mosh pit of bodies smashing into one another. The outdoor stage, curated by Perfectly Imperfect, featured sets by Eera, Mgna Crrrta, Club Eat, Damon Rush, Blaketheman1000, Snow Strippers, The Helpp and Isabella Lovestory. This side of the venue was more electronic-heavy and brought out a younger demographic of fans than those inside, with bubbly fans ripping cigarettes and jumping up and down as they popped to their favorite bops. Isabella Lovestory gave a particularly compelling performance to end the night, wrapping things up with a cherry bomb bang. The Helpp is no easy act to follow but Isabella managed to go beyond holding her own, delivering what felt like the perfect storybook ending to a night filled with great performers.Austin Rave by 1222 BY-PRODUCT With Snow Strippers, Club Eat, Eera (3/17)The Snow Strippers may be the next big thing. The band is a duo made up of members Tatiana Schwaninger and Graham Perez. They met in Florida back in 2018 and began making music together around the end of 2021. The duo produces an electronic, icy eargasm sound, making music that makes you want to dance. This is the kind of stuff that will make you bang your head with no shame as you ride a crowded L train to work. Graham had been producing music for a number of years, while Tati had no previous experience making music before they teamed up. Despite her lack of prior experience, she has the voice of a thousand snow angels. Their live set was a fun departure from the more refined sound you might hear when streaming their music online. In concert, Tati jumped around the stage, glitching into multiple dimensions of hype and glory, pulling the whole audience into dark recesses of happiness and fun. Alongside the Snow Strippers, Club Eat and Eera also took the stage and gave solid performances, providing the concertgoers with additional icy cold, refreshing beats to enjoy.You Missed It's Backyard Bash (3/17)The Kerwin Brothers have struck again, succeeding in throwing an absolutely epic party, co-organized with the Mauri sisters, Cristina and Andrea. With backyard tattoos, unlimited booze, oil wresting, free cigarettes, and a lineup that included High, The Dallas Cowboys, May Rio, Blaketheman1000, Nite Fire, Tagabow, Hotline TNT and The Frost Children, everything was in place for an incredible night to ensue. And ensue it did. Smashing beers and taking flash pics, the crowd of mostly local college students and NY/LA weekend visitors partied harder than a school of fish during summer vacation. In NYC, it's very rare to ever get to party in a backyard, so all of the NY locals had the time of their lives. Green grass turned to mud as the crowd jumped around to the electric sets by the many talented musical acts. The Dallas Cowboys stood out for their ability to get the crowd moving, and once the crowd was going, the energy didn’t stop for the rest of the night. They say everything is bigger in Texas and that rang true for the crowd's energy. Legendary nightlife photographer Mark Hunter, aka The Cobrasnake, claimed that it was potentially in the top 10 parties he had ever been to. Yeehaw and God bless Texas!Simone Films Oscars Watch Party @ Nine Orchard (3/12)Simone Films, founded by filmmakers Rebekah Sherman-Myntti and KJ Rothweiler, is a New York-based independent entertainment company doing things unlike any other production company in NYC right now. It's known within the downtown scene as a pillar in shaping a certain subset of the creative community. The company has achieved some degree of a cult following via its exciting events and through curating other scene-centered activities such as hosting a popular actors' studio for up-and-coming talent with teachers such as Michael Imperioli, Alex Ross Perry, Dolly Wells and Peter Vack. On this particular occasion, Simone Films threw a banger of a party, with drinks flowing, an abundance of popcorn and a bumping vinyl DJ set by Billy Jones, the owner of the popular music venue Baby’s All Right. The Oscars watch party was attended by actors, directors, musicians, podcasters, art shmos, indie sleaze queens, cinephiles and a slew of other creatures of the downtown scene. Some notable attendees included Bart Cortright, Makunda Angulo, Eugene Kotlyarenko, Lotfy Nathan and Marcelo Gaia. The owner of Nine Orchard, Andy Rifkin, also pulled up to the event. One thing is clear: Simone Films knows how to bring together a large group of exciting people. It wouldn’t be a surprise if a number of the attendees are at the Oscars in a few years, rather than watching it on TV.The Twink Next Door's Party Backstage @ Dallas BBQ (3/11)Texas-sized piña coladas, glitter and faux fur were all the rage behind the scenes at The Twink Next Door’s debut NYC runway show, unveiling his new collection as a tease of what’s to come as he plans on dropping his new clothing line, TWINK, this Friday. Inspired by icons like Julia Fox, Lady Gaga and Cruella DeVille, The Twink Next Door is bringing maximalist experimental fashion to the downtown NYC scene in stride. Throwing a fun, quirky, DIY aesthetic into the Wild West that is Dallas BBQ made for an undoubtedly memorable (albeit mildly chaotic), ultimately fabulous experience. The collection ate, and so did lots of the attendees. As far as I can tell, this BBQ stood for big, bold and queenly. Those fits were royally delicious. You Missed It Party @ Baby's All Right (3/4) https://www.papermag.com/fresh-pressed-neverland-digital-medusa-2659589146.html

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sinceileftyoublog · 4 years ago

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30 (Technically 34) Albums We Loved That Happened To Come Out in 2020

So much has already been said and written about this cursed past year, but a few good things came out of it, including the music. Album-wise, like many before it and many to come, it was an embarrassment of riches. But even with so much time on our hands to devour new tunes, it was often old favorites, songs of comfort or familiarity that garnered the heaviest rotation. For many artists, too, it was a year ripe for revisiting or reissues of old material, looking at existing songs with fresh and new perspectives. Simply put, with so much to listen to, new and old, the prospect of ranking a finite number of albums felt not only daunting, but frankly a bit stupid. Maybe we were late to the game, but 2020 taught us that music should and can be appreciated in multiple contexts, not limited to but including when it first came out and when it was heard again and again, even if years later. The records below--listed in alphabetical order--happened to be released in some form in 2020, whether never-before-heard or heard before but in a different format. And the only thing I know is that we’ll be listening to them in 2021 and beyond.

Autechre - SIGN & PLUS (Warp)

The legendary British electronic music duo surprise released SIGN a mere month and a half after its announcement and then PLUS 12 days later. The former was a beatific collection of soundscapes that belied the band’s usual harsh noise, while PLUS embraced that noise right back, drawing you in with the clattering chaotic burbles of opener “DekDre Scap B” and lurching forward. -Jordan Mainzer

Against All Logic - 2017-2019 (Other People)

The perennially chill ambient house artist Nicolas Jaar had a busy 2020, as usual, releasing two albums under his name, Cenizas and Telas. But it was 2017-2019, the follow-up to the debut album from his Against All Logic moniker, that came first and throughout the year helped to illustrate Jaar’s penchant for combining inspired samples with club beats and tape hiss. Take the way the lovelorn vocals of “Fantasy” or soulful coos of “If Loving You Is Wrong” war skittering, scratchy percussion and cool arpeggios, respectively: Jaar is coming into his own as a masterful producer almost a decade after he released his first full-length. Oh, and bonus points for including none other than Lydia Lunch on a banger so blunt it would make Death Grips blush. - JM

Bartees Strange - Live Forever (Memory Music)

Like many, my introduction to Bartees Strange was through Say Goodbye to Pretty Boy, his EP of The National covers. Creativity and shifting perspectives shine through each song’s reimaging, like flipping the coarse, almost manic “Mr. November” into something softer, more meditative. It felt like a mere peek into what was to come on Live Forever. Bartees Strange is a world-builder. Each track on his debut unfolds and welcomes you to a wildly engaging tableau, a fully constructed vision. “Jealousy” opens with soft vocals and birdsong. “In a Cab” is the slick soundtrack to racing through a cityscape in the rain, seeing the blurred lights of the high-rises above as you pass by. “Kelly Rowland” warps wistful pop song feelings. “Flagey God” takes you into a dark, pulsing club while only a few songs later, “Fallen For You” wraps you in echoed vocals and romantic, raw acoustic guitar.

It’s an accomplishment to craft an album of individual songs that stand strongly on their own but still feel cohesive. 2020 wasn’t all bad. It gave us Live Forever, a declaration of an artist’s arrival. - Lauren Lederman

Charli XCX - how i’m feeling now (Atlantic)

Back in the spring, many of us wondered who would put out something great in 2020’s quarantine. It was hard to imagine that the intensity of a global pandemic would really allow for artists to embrace creativity. That thought carries the same eye-roll inducing feeling of “We’ll get some great punk music out of a Trump presidency,” but of course, Charli XCX delivered. Through live workshops with fans and longstanding collaborators, she delivered songs to dance alone to in your bubble. Charli embraces the unknown of the moment but clutches onto what’s familiar. Under the glitch-pop veneer of the album, she digs into the anxieties of not just this moment of time but of the bigger questions we all confront: trajectories of relationships with friends, romantic partners, ourselves. Album standouts “forever” and “i finally understand” embrace that feeling of both looking for control and accepting the lack of it. Charli is a master at balancing this. - LL

Christine and the Queens - La Vita Nuova (Because Music)

Named after a Latin text by Dante Alighieri about missing a woman who has died, Chris’ La Vita Nuova is not about mourning a death but instead about loneliness and isolation, post-relationship or otherwise. It doesn’t bang quite like her previous two albums, but it hits harder than ever.

Read our full review here.

Dogleg - Melee (Triple Crown)

Released on March 13th, right as the COVID-19 pandemic hit, Melee was supposed to be supported by three cancelled tours–SXSW, an opening slot for Microwave, and an opening slot for Joyce Manor–and an appearance at this year’s cancelled Pitchfork Music Festival. Listening to the songs on the record, you can only imagine how they translate: the jerky momentum of “Bueno”, build-up of “Prom Hell”, gang vocals of “Fox”, clear-vocal anthem of “Wrist”, and odd groove of “Ender”.

Read “Buckle Up, Motherfucker”, our interview with Dogleg.

Dua Lipa - Future Nostalgia & Dua Lipa/The Blessed Madonna: Club Future Nostalgia (Warner)

Where Dua Lipa’s much-anticipated second album Future Nostalgia succeeded was in its disco anthems and retro, club-ready beats, so who better to bring out the best of the record than The Blessed Madonna? The turntablist masterfully curates a mix of heavy hitters of the charts and the underground that not only offers an essential complement to Future Nostalgia but transcends it. Sending the tracks out to various producers and singers for features and then adding her own samples on top, she invites you to peel back the layers, enter a YouTube rabbit hole of sample searching as much as bopping along.

Read our full review here.

Emma Ruth Rundle & Thou - May Our Chambers Be Full (Sacred Bones)

Roadburn Festival has long been on my bucket list, and since the pandemic showed me how much live music can be taken away in a flash, when it’s safe again to travel and go to a festival, I may just pull the trigger and go--especially considering it’s the springboard for such fruitful and inspired collaborations as the one between Louisville singer-songwriter Emma Ruth Rundle and Baton Rouge sludge dwellers Thou. Rundle embraces the heavier opportunities on the follow-up to her incredible 2018 record On Dark Horses with the ever-flexible Thou backing her up vocally and instrumentally. Slow-burning opener “Killing Floor” offers a familiar introduction to fans of both--sort of what a Rundle/Thou song would sound like--before grunge chugger “Monolith” introduces huge, catchy riffs and “Out of Existence” a True Widow-esque dirge, newfound inspirations for both artists bringing the best out of each other. - JM

Fiona Apple - Fetch the Bolt Cutters (Epic)

What makes Fetch the Bolt Cutters stand out among Apple’s catalog and music in general is the clarity with which Apple seethes at those who have wronged her, whether ex-boyfriends or patriarchal oppressors, and looks to her relationships with other women for peace of mind.

Read our full review here.

HAIM - Women in Music Pt. III (Columbia)

For HAIM, the title Women in Music Pt. III is suggestive that, more than their previous two records, their third centers around the experiences of being an all-female band in a historically white cis male-dominated scene, at least one that wouldn’t call catchy riffs written by a man “simple” or call attention to the faces a man makes while playing. What it doesn’t let on to is how deeply personal the record is, how, by unabashedly embracing genres and styles of music that they love, HAIM have made far and away their best album. Co-produced by the usual suspects, Danielle Haim, Ariel Rechtshaid, and ex-Vampire Weekender Rostam Batmanglij, it’s instrumentally and aesthetically dynamic and diverse, consistently earnest without devolving into cheese.

Read our full review here.

Irreversible Entanglements - Who Sent You? (International Anthem)

I’ve been captivated by Irreversible Entanglements ever since I first saw them at Pitchfork Music Festival 2018. The radical poetry of Camae Ayewa (aka Moor Mother) is the perfect front for a ramshackle mix of Luke Stewart’s spidery bass, Tcheser Holmes’ weighty drums, and a horn section that concocts tones that range from hopeful to desperate. At their best, Who Sent You? is a shining example of celebratory Afrofuturism and metaphysics that makes the urgency of Ayewa’s more concrete and political words all the more necessary. “No Más”, composed by Panamanian-born trumpeter Aquiles Navarro, is a declaration against imperialist oppression, while the stunning title track flips the switch like a Kara Walker painting, as Ayewa’s the one interrogating the police officer terrorizing her community. “Who sent you?” she repeats, never spiraling, grabbing a hold of the power and never letting go. - JM

Jeff Parker - Suite for Max Brown (International Anthem/Nonesuch)

It’s Jeff Parker’s mom’s turn. After 2016′s The New Breed ended up being a tribute to the guitarist’s father, who passed away during the making of it, Parker decided to pay tribute to Maxine while she was still alive. Suite for Max Brown (Brown is his mother’s maiden name; Max is what people call her) is a genre-bending collection of tracks inspired by Parker’s DJing, juxtapositions of sequenced beats with improvisation that certainly sound like the brainchild of one individual. Indeed, Parker plays the majority of the instruments on it and engineered most of it at home or during his 2018 Headlands Center residency in Sausalito, CA; though all of the players and the vocalist (Jeff’s daughter Ruby Parker) on The New Breed show up, plus a couple trumpeters (piccolo player Rob Mazurek and Nate Walcott of Bright Eyes) and cellist Katinka Kleijn, Suite for Max Brown is a distinctly Jeff Parker record.

Read our preview of Jeff Parker & The New Breed’s set at Dorian’s last year.

Jeff Rosenstock - NO DREAM (Polyvinyl)

Jeff Rosenstock throws us right into the spinning, manic energy of NO DREAM, his latest release from a seemingly endless well of music that never lacks urgency. It’s a reminder that though it’s been a strange year, the issues Rosenstock tackles here aren’t new. There’s no interest in making you feel comfortable here. On the album’s title track, Rosenstock sings, lulling you into a false sense of security, “They were separating families carelessly / Under the guise of protecting you and me.” But reality sets in, and the hazy guitars spin out as he spits, “It’s not a dream!” and, “Fuck violence!”

My image of Jeff Rosenstock in the year 2020 is masked up with “Black Lives Matter” scrawled across the fabric of his mask in Sharpie, performing album highlight “Scram!” on Late Night with Seth Meyers as high energy as ever. It felt like watching someone send out a beacon, both a distress signal and a call to arms. - LL

Jessie Ware - What’s Your Pleasure? (PMR/Friends Keep Secrets/Interscope)

I am not someone who goes to clubs. I don’t “go out dancing,” preferring to let loose in the privacy of my own home or a trusted friend’s house party. But Jessie Ware’s What’s Your Pleasure? makes me think I could embrace a night out like that, once the world opens up again, of course. The album is filled with syncopated disco beats that feel fresh and classic all at once. The abundant horns and strings on “Step Into My Life” are decadent, like light bouncing off sequins in a dark room. Ware’s voice is slinky and velvety one moment, windswept like her album cover the next. It’s songs like “Save a Kiss” that embrace both, allowing her to show off her range. - LL

Laura Marling - Song for Our Daughter (Partisan)

With sparse production, mostly from her but with additions from Ethan Johns and Dom Monks, Marling foregoes the comparative maximalism of the Blake Mills-produced Semper Femina, her last proper full-length, and 2018′s LUMP collaboration. The songs aren’t simple, but they’re succinct, and every element, from Marling’s finger-picked guitars, the occasional slide guitar, and that unmistakably calm voice, sometimes alone and sometimes layered, fits. It’s her most universal set of songs yet, centering around the times when we’re apart from one another but reflecting on when we were together and when we might be together again, with no guarantees.

Read the rest of our review here.

Les Amazones d’Afrique - Amazones Power (Real World Records)

The groovy pan-African collective expands upon their debut Republique Amazone and then some with Amazones Power, a tour-de-force statement of female empowerment in the face of oppression against women throughout the African diaspora. Indeed, the album is more than just songs boldly decrying FGM, though those demands ring heavily. Instead, the group goes further, delving into gender power structures in marriage on “Queens” and selectively finding strength in tradition on “Dreams”. And this time, they include men to stand alongside with them. “Together we must stand / Together we must end this,” sings Guinean musician/dancer/artist Niariu on opener “Heavy” in solidarity with features Douranne (Boy) Fall and Magueye Diouk (Jon Grace) of Paris band Nyoko Bokbae. But perhaps it’s her kiss-off on “Smile” that hits hardest: “I shut up for no one.” - JM

Lianne La Havas - Lianne La Havas (Nonesuch)

The British singer-songwriter’s much anticipated follow-up to 2015′s Blood was better than I could have ever imagined. A song cycle about life cycles--of nature, of lives, of a relationship--inspired by an actual breakup, Lianne La Havas is a contemporary neo soul masterpiece. Overview opener “Bittersweet” is an instant earworm, La Havas’ coo-turned-belt filling the space between classic and increasingly emotive slabs of piano and guitar. Funky, lovestruck strut “Read My Mind” is the soundtrack for the unbridled confidence of finding new love. Yes, the doubts begin to sow on the fingerpicked melancholy of “Green Papaya” and “Can’t Fight”, and where the album goes from a simple narrative perspective may be predictable: They break up, they don’t get back together, La Havas enjoys her independence. But the depth of the arrangements and assuredness of La Havas’ singing is a product of an artist starting to really show us what she can do. And how many people can pull off a Radiohead cover like that? - JM

Lomelda - Hannah (Double Double Whammy)

What does it mean to title an album after yourself? Lomelda’s latest album is centered around discovering more about yourself while not always having the answers. Despite the lyrical content, the album is self-assured. Hannah Read’s voice feels as steady as ever as it navigates these twisting questions, like the way the world can shift after a kiss. She finds power in softness and reflection throughout the album, like when she explores the mantra-like words of “Wonder” or through a reminder to do no harm in “Hannah Sun”. In a year that allowed for perhaps more reflection than usual, Hannah makes space for the questions that arise out of figuring yourself out, of making sense of the messiness of it all, wrapped in warm guitar, balanced vocals, and steady drums. - LL

Moses Sumney - Grae (Jagjaguwar)

“Am I vital / If my heart is idle? / Am I doomed?” Moses Sumney famously sang on his stunning 2017 debut Aromanticism, an album that saw him developing his acceptance of being alone. grae, his two-part 2nd full-length, and his first since officially moving from L.A. to the Appalachian Mountains of Asheville, North Carolina, doubles down on themes of heartbreak, but instead of being sure in his seclusion, he embraces the unknown. The album teeters between interludes of platitudes about isolation and ruminations on failed human connection, and maximally arranged clutches of uncertainty. “When my mind’s clouded and filled with doubt / That’s when I feel the most alive,” Sumney coos over horns and piano on slinky soul song “Cut Me”; it’s an effective mantra for the album.

Read the rest of our review here.

Norah Jones - Pick Me Up Off The Floor (Blue Note)

At the time we previewed Norah Jones’ 7th studio album, she had only released a few tracks from it. Turns out the rest was just as powerful. From the blues stomp of “Flame Twin” to the rolling piano stylings of “Hurts to Be Alone”, Pick Me Up Off The Floor is an album full of jazzy orchestrations and soul and gospel-indebted arrangements, Jones’ silky, yearning voice tying together the simple, yet lush and deep instrumentation. And that other Tweedy feature, that closes the album? It’s a heartbreaking portrait of loneliness, one of many on a record that still manages to celebrate being alive all the while. - JM

Phoebe Bridgers - Punisher (Dead Oceans)

Phoebe Bridgers is a master of details. Her lyrics shine when they get specific. They range from the mundane to morbid: A superfan’s ghost-like wandering under a drugstore’s fluorescent lights, a skinhead likely buried under a blooming garden, reckoning with the you in “Moon Song”’s lines, “You are sick, and you’re married / And you might be dying.” Bridgers has always been able to set a scene meticulously, and Punisher arrived with 11 songs that expanded that skill, both lyrically and musically, with her dark humor intact and a fuller sound that includes her boygenuis collaborators’ harmonies. - LL

PJ Harvey - To Bring You My Love: The Demos & Dry - The Demos (Island)

Yes, revisiting Dry’s demos as a separate entity is still worthwhile. Harvey’s powerhouse vocal performance carries the acoustic strummed “Oh My Lover”, while the comparatively minimal arrangement of “Victory” highlights bluesy riffing, call-and-response harmonies, and layered guitar and vocals. The singles, the slinky and sharp “Dress” and propulsive anthem “Sheela-Na-Gig”, hold up to their ultimate studio versions, too. But it’s the To Bring You My Love material that provides novelty because it’s never been released and more so because it encompasses the greatest aesthetic contrast from the album. From the warbling hues and guitar lines of the title track to the tremolo haze of “Teclo” to the crisp snares of “Working With The Man”, the demos show a continuity and level of cohesiveness with the diversity of Dry and Rid of Me not shown on the studio version of Harvey’s more accessible commercial breakout. (Predictably, the album’s most well-known song, “Down by the Water”, is the closest to its eventual version.) “Long Snake Moan” is simultaneously more spacious and more noisy, its garage blues a total contrast to the lurking “I Think I’m A Mother” and swaying shanty “Send His Love To Me”. And “The Dancer” fully embraces its flamenco influences, hand claps and all.

Porridge Radio - Every Bad (Secretly Canadian)

Is there a better opening line than “I’m bored to death, let’s argue”? That kind of duality is found across all of Every Bad as it grapples with the frustrations and anxiety of trying to figure it all out, whatever that might mean for you. “Maybe I was born confused, but I’m not,” vocalist Dana Margolin repeats throughout the opening track, roping in listeners with the dizzying feeling of trying to make sense of yourself. The band’s guitar and synth sound coupled with Margolin’s howl makes for a dance party filled with dread, rendering Margolin’s already strong, repetitive lyrics even more spiraling. And yet, by the time we get to “Lilacs”, a glimmer of something else shines through as the music gets more manic and Margolin’s voice begins to soar: “I don’t want to get bitter / I want us to get better / I want us to be kinder / To ourselves and to each other.” - LL

Sault - Untitled (Rise) & Untitled (Black Is) (Forever Living Originals)

Yes, Black Is still pulls plenty of devastating punches. “Eternal Life”, a segue from the gospel boost of “US”, juxtaposes a deliberate drum beat with zooming synths, both ascending like a chorus of angels, as they sing, “I see sadness in your eye / ‘Cause I know you don’t wanna die,” presenting the oppression of Black life at the hands of white supremacy in inarguable terms. Ultimately, though, it’s the anthemic nature of the songs, resistant of platitudes, that shines through. “Nobody cared / This generation cares,” says Laurette Josiah on “This Generation”. Whether she’s talking about young people in general or the latest generation of young Black leaders, the sentiment is reflected on songs like “Black”, wherein over dynamic, sinewy instrumentation, the singers alternate between encouragement, support, and love of the self and others.

Read our full review here.

Shamir - Shamir (self-released)

Shamir’s voice is a bright beacon in a sea of conventional singers. Shamir captures the effervescence of pop music and weaves it together with elements of country, alt rock, and diary confessional lyrics all supported by the emotion and range of his vocals. There’s something for everyone across the album’s 11 shimmering tracks. Lead single and opener “On My Own” feels like a declaration of self and self-sufficiency, an anthem of a breakup song. The almost pop-punk bounce of “Pretty When I’m Sad”, paired perfectly with lines like the angst-ridden, “Let’s fuck around inside each other’s heads,” feels impossible to not bop along to. The twang of “Other Side” would put a country crooner to shame. That’s the power of Shamir. His voice has the ability to smoothly convey joy, resilience, and humor. He uses elements of several genres, not just the dance-pop of his debut, to build a unique album that gives listeners so much to sift through and, of course, dance to. - LL

Songhoy Blues - Optimisme (Fat Possum)

If Songhoy Blues’ second album Resistance lacked “the grit of its predecessor,” it’s clear from the hard rock stomp of the opening track of Malian band’s third album Optimisme that they rediscovered their mojo. More importantly, they couple this maximal brashness with tributes to those who make their world a better place: fighters for freedom, women, the young. It’s perhaps the first Songhoy Blues record to truly combine the celebratory nature of their desert blues with a balanced mixture of idealism and vigor. - JM

Spanish Love Songs - Brave Faces Everyone (Pure Noise)

How can you find hope in hopelessness, or optimism when every news story points to cruelty? Is it naïve to keep searching for light in the dark? I don’t think so, and I don’t think Spanish Love Songs does, either. I’d like to think we both believe that’s not naivety, but power. It’s the embers you need to really ignite a flame. After all, this is the band with a song titled “Optimism (As a Radical Life Choice)”. It’s a band whose crunching guitars and earnestness insist that despite death and depression and addiction, the instinct to survive shines brightly above all. That relentless hope resurfaces across Brave Faces Everyone’s 10 tracks even as it works through the bleakness of everyday life. - LL

Tashi Dorji - Stateless (Drag City)

The magnum opus from the Asheville-based picker is a group of evocatively titled, disorderly songs about the desolate hellscape of America for outsiders and immigrants. Enigmatic in its nature, not exactly narrative, Stateless combines Dorji’s urgent strumming with moody motifs, captured beautifully in a studio setting for maximum emotional wallop. - JM

Touche Amore - Lament (Epitaph)

Is this what an almost uplifting Touche Amore album sounds like? It’s cathartic in a newer way for the band, especially after the beautifully rendered grief of Stage Four. Lament loses none of the band’s aggression or urgency. “Come Heroine” thrusts listeners into that urgency and introduces a moment of warmth, Jeremy Bolm’s vocals still rasping and insistent: “You brought me in / You took to me / And reversed the atrophy.” The bounciness of “Reminders” may seem close to optimism, but a sharper look at the lyrics uncovers more than blindly looking to the things that bring joy. “I’ll Be Your Host” is reflective, a few years removed from Touche Amore’s previous album and the immediacy of loss, self-aware and growing, but still raw. The album closer, “A Forecast”, takes a turn, a lone voice and piano acting as a confessional before giving way to thrashing guitars and the realization that growth and reckoning with trauma doesn’t mean minimizing it. It means learning to keep moving forward and to stop for help when you may need it. - LL

Waxahatchee - Saint Cloud (Merge)

The best album yet from Katie Crutchfield is inspired by positive personal change (getting sober, dealing with codependency issues, her blossoming love with singer-songwriter Kevin Morby) and reflections on family and friends. Named after the suburb of Orlando where her father’s from, Saint Cloud is a genre-hopping collection of stories and feelings that doesn’t necessarily follow any semblance of narrative. On opener “Oxbow” and country-tinged ditty “Can’t Do Much”, Crutchfield’s increasingly aware of the need to pick your side and your battles, whether in the relationship between two people or between the allure of the bottle and the next-day hangover. Some of the best songs on the album see her finding commonalities with others as a means towards self-love. Gentle strummer “The Eye” refers to her natural creative relationships with Morby and her sister Allison. “War” she wrote for herself and best friend, who is also sober, the title a metaphor for one’s fight to remain substance-free. “Witches” is an ode to her best friends, including Allison and Snail Mail’s Lindsey Jordan, all equally frustrated by the toxic nature of the music industry and the world at large, ultimately lifting each other up because they simply have each other.

Read our full review here.

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ohhgeezz · 6 years ago

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Threw a party in DTLA last night. It was fun ⚡️

#dj #djing #hip hop #open format #dtla #los angeles #broadway bar #me

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dakotajones · 4 years ago

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How to Continue Using Spotify with djay Pro for Mixing

It is known that Spotify was no longer be playable through 3rd party DJ apps since July 1, 2020. Djay Pro, as one of the former partners of Spotify, now can’t DJ Spotify anymore. Although Tidal, Deezer, and SoundCloud are available for djay Pro, Spotify is still the first choice in many DJ users' minds. No worry, in today's article, I would love to share the latest workable method to continue to DJ Spotify music with the djay Pro app.

What You Need to Keep Using Spotify with Djay Pro

This method is available on Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android devices. The first step is to get Spotify music downloads on your local devices. Next, convert the local Spotify songs to the common format that is usable in the djay Pro. For example, the MP3 audio file format. Then import the Spotify MP3 files to djay Pro for DJing.

You might prepare to try this method with your Spotify Premium account. Wait! Spotify Premium can’t allow you to download and convert Spotify songs to MP3 on the local device. That is why you need to use a simple but smart app called Music Converter. This smart tool is dedicated to downloading and converting Spotify music to MP3, AAC, FLAC, and other most-used audio formats. The output sound settings are customized, you can either keep the same sound quality as original songs or change the sound effect as you like.

How to Download Spotify Music to Use with Djay Pro

Download and open the AudKit app on your local computer. The trial version offers 1-min free conversion. After you purchase a new license and register for a new account, you can batch convert at least 100 songs from Spotify to MP3 in one conversion. Here are 4 simple steps for you to refer to.

Step 1. Drag Spotify music to AudKit

In the Spotify app, create a dedicated Spotify playlist for DJing. Then select the title of the playlist and drag it to AudKit’s interface. Or you can hit 'Share' > 'Copy Playlist Link' > paste the link to AudKit’s search bar. Then hit the '+' icon.

Step 2. Change the output settings for djay Pro

Reset the output format, bitrate, sample rate, etc. from the menu > 'Preferences'.

Step 3. Start to convert Spotify playlists for djay Pro

Hit the 'Convert' tab from the interface to start conversion.

Step 4. Add Spotify songs to djay Pro

Locate Spotify music files on the local device and add them to djay Pro as common audio files.

Now you can DJ Spotify with djay Pro again. You can also transfer the local Spotify songs to iOS and Android devices for audio mixing.

Is it legal to DJ Spotify music in 2021?

"The Spotify Service and the Content are the property of Spotify or Spotify's licensors. We grant you limited, non-exclusive, revocable permission to make use of the Spotify Service and limited, non-exclusive, revocable permission to make personal, non-commercial use of the Content (collectively, “Access”). This Access shall remain in effect until and unless terminated by you or Spotify. You promise and agree that you are using the Spotify Service and Content for your own personal, non-commercial use and that you will not redistribute or transfer the Spotify Service or the Content."

Spotify terms and conditions clearly state that users are able to use the Spotify content for personal and non-commercial purposes. Let's suppose you can remix Spotify music and enjoy it at your home, car, or maybe at a picnic. Now just go for the steps above to use Spotify with djay Pro for DJing and private listening.

#djay pro spotify #djay pro spotify offline

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fanfic-inator795 · 5 years ago

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What kind of jobs do you think the turtles whould have?

Oooh, this is a fun question! ^v^ I’ll start with the easy ones first and go from there

(warning, this got preeeeetty long, lol)

Mikey: So uhhhhh *casually self-promotes my 2019 Big Bang fic*

Yeahhhh, while he totally still does art and DJing as hobbies/occasion side gigs like if someone wants to commission him or hire him for a party, but I truly believe that his love of cooking combined with the discovery that mutant/yokai restaurants are a thing are enough for him to want to be a professional chef.

He works at Run of the Mill starting at 13 and stays there till he’s 19. From there, he travels the world, working at restaurants both on the surface and hidden down below, gaining experience/food knowledge/cooking techniques (as well as a bunch of friends and connections) and saving all the cash he can. By the time he returns home, he’s ready to open up his own restaurant - and despite him not being able to afford a huge, fancy place at first, it quickly gains popularity as one of the best places to eat in NYC no matter what you are - yokai, mutant or human!

Donnie: I like to think that he’s eventually able to either enroll in a Hidden City university or take online courses like his 87′ counterpart. Once he has his doctorate (and yeah he makes everyone call him Dr. Donnie for like a week after he gets it. The others don’t mind too much since they know how hard he worked to get it, but again they only do it for a week), he pretty much jumps around on projects, being a ‘freelance scientist’ as it were.

Sometimes he’ll be paid to work at a certain lab on a certain project, other times he’ll just work on inventions or designs for cars/computers/etc. on his own and then try to sell them. As for how successful he is, well... let’s just say he doesn’t have to make Shelldon hack ATMs anymore.

If he ever decides that he’s tired of being an inventor or just wants to retire early, I could see him doing several things. Being a science teacher is one possibility (he does love explaining stuff), another is going into local theatre and being a minor actor (not as glamorous as the movies, but Splints is still proud), maybe even meeting up with Bullhop and being in a couple of his ballets.

Or maybe he becomes a science museum curator, or a librarian down in the Mystic Library (oh man he would LOVE that), or a video game designer, or maybe he just gets really world and decides he’s going to go all Evil Mad Scientist for a couple months and try to take over the world, just to see if he could. Honestly, with Donnie, he has the talent to do anything he wanted to.

Raph: While pro-wrestling would probably be the easiest answer, as well as the one that makes the most sense, like with Mikey’s art and DJing I could see that being just a hobby/part-time job rather than a career. Yeah, Raph loves fighting and wrestling, but I feel like if he tried to do that ALL the time he’d burn himself out. Fighting is a fun thrill for him, but where’s the thrill in curbstomping 90% of the human opponents he’d face in the ring? And with how barbaric the Battle Nexus is, that would be out of the question too - he wouldn’t want to be hurt, and he wouldn’t want to seriously hurt or kill anyone else.

Nah, I think whatever career Raph ends up having, it’ll be working with kids. He’s an awesome big brother with a ton of patience, encouragement and enthusiasm, and while his own now-adult brothers don’t always need him, there’s plenty of little yokai and mutant kids that do need someone like that. I could see him being a coach for some little league/junior team, or heck maybe even a gym teacher or martial arts master. He and Buddy/Frankenfoot teach the kiddos how to safely spar, and for those who struggle with physical activity, he gives them easier exercises to do and tells them that the most important thing is to try.

Another job I could see him having wouldn’t technically be a ‘career’ but I could see Raph doing it with no shame whatsoever: Teddy Bear Town employee (probably the manager). I mean... come on, Raph would freaking LOVE that job. He helps kids pick out the perfect bear/accessories, and he just loves seeing them go home happy. The 10% employee discount is pretty sweet too. Also, you just know that if some entitled parent came in and started being rude to his co-workers or tried to shame kids (”You can’t get that, you’re a boy and that’s for girls!” crap like that), he’d tell them to knock it off or get thrown tf out, no hesitation.

Honestly though, out of all his brothers, Raph is the most into being a ‘hero’ so if having an actual paid job doesn’t work out, he’d probably be pretty content just being a ninja/vigilante and stopping baddies around NYC, usually going solo but occasionally being joined by his bros and April for old time’s sake. A less angsty version of the Nightwatcher, perhaps?

Leo: Hooooo boy, this is definitely a tough one...

This boy loves being the center of attention, so like with Raph you’d think that the obvious choice would be Battle Nexus Fighter, just like his daddy. But uh, even if you ignore the unfortunate implications of what Lou went through while imprisoned there (and how he’d probably be pretty damn against it if Leo tried to make that his career) as well as the dangers in the Nexus, I have a feeling that by the time this season’s over, Leon’s not gonna want anything to do with Big Mama OR her Battle Nexus.

Unfortunately, there’s not a ton of options for Leon. Unlike his brothers, he doesn’t have a ton of hobbies or interests that can translate into a career. He’s good at skateboarding, martial arts and basketball, so if the Hidden City has any pro sports teams he could maybe get into those, but again idk if he’d want to do that full time, even with the adoring fans. He likes sci-fi and Jupiter Jim, so maybe he’d try to be an actor in a sci-fi franchise, buuuut that’s pretty much a pipedream. Splinter was lucky enough to make it big as an actor, but idk if Leo would be that lucky.

So where does that leave our blue boi? ...Honestly, I could kinda see him being a radio personality or a podcaster. The kid’s got a ton of charm and a pretty likable personality, not to mention his wit. On the right format, he could gain fans fast, and all while pretty much doing his own thing.

He’s also really good at planning/strategizing (’Many Unhappy Returns’, ‘Lair Games’) as well as calming down conflict (as seen a bit in ‘You Got Served’), buuuut idk what jobs those skills could apply to that Leo would also be interested in. So for now, I’m gonna say he alternates between doing radio/podcasts and being a ninja/vigilante alongside Raph. But hey, I’d love to hear suggestions from you guys! ^v^

Aaaaand of course April majors in journalism and eventually becomes an awesome newscaster/investigative reporter ^v^ But hey, that’s a given, heh.

So yeah, those are all my ideas on what jobs the boys could have, should they decide to become members of human/yokai society instead of just being super awesome ninjas of the night and the heroes of NYC.

#rottmnt #lots of headcanons lol

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vapormaison · 5 years ago

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Best of 2019 Future Funk Release 1/4: Toyama’s Love Island by Skule Toyama

A common argument I get into on audiophile and vinyl forums — that by virtue of interest and venue tend to skew boomer (who isn’t on discord now? Answer: Your grandpa.) — often revolves around the raison d’être of pressing future funk. In an earlier piece, I gave my opinion on the subject — but I didn’t really evidence the critique by many opposing audiophiles. As far as they’re concerned, I might as well be collecting Funko Pops — that is to say that these presses aren’t worthy of serious hi-fi consideration and are merely collector’s items. To their credit, when posting about my experiences with the genre, most of these aged audiophiles scratch their head not at the anime art on the box nor at the picture disks (usually reviled by the old-heads)— but at the oft-digital source itself. These guys are the ostensibly cool uncles with the dope music collection, after all.

While they often are a wealth of information on the analog format, and voracious consumers of early City Pop — a genre beloved by audiophiles, — forums like this tend to create feedback loops of retrograde understanding. Their enjoyment of all things analog turns them into intense luddites, often to the point where I question why they are interfacing with a computer in the first place, that dreaded source for the perceived decline of their hi-fi culture.

I’ve more or less given up on the prospect of turning them around on the subject of future funk. However, this summer, on a thread where we review recent vinyl purchases and upload lossless rips, I made a rather pedestrian post about how much I enjoyed Skule Toyama’s latest release — Toyama’s Love Island. And to my complete and utter surprise, my vinyl-to-digital rip of “Sunset Hasn’t Come Yet” brought all the boys to the yard. While I got my usual peanut gallery of “lol future funk, lol vaporwave, buy jazz” posts, its turns out more than a few Joe Boomers with vintage, $10k-valued Sansui stereo sets could vibe with this too. You know, the purely purists of the pure.

This caused me to consider for a time precisely why Toyama Love Island whispered to these boomers I share a particular corner of internet space with. What about it warmed the heart of these old men so cold to cold media? It obviously had to be something more than the mastering or the press itself. Most of these guys had been engaged in serious listening to absolute titans in their craft for forty plus years now. Many had studio experience themselves. Even now, I don’t have a really good answer. The best one I can supply is this: the warmth that emanates from Toyama Love Island can melt even the iciest heart. Cliche? No doubt. Apropos? Of course.

PART 1: THE MUSIC

Intro warms us up with a minute-long evergreen bit. By whom and what from— I genuinely don’t know (perhaps that’s the appeal for me personally, the mystery but also the universality)— but the punch line certainly feels nostalgic, and the horns do too.

Have a Good Time fronts the funk after a minute-long intro track. It’s an absolutely fantastic true open because of its principal horn loop that absolutely claws into your cerebral cortex and takes root there. Between listens, I found myself humming it while brewing a pot of coffee. While it’s not my favorite of the tracks on the album, its pure energy and catchiness is a master class on how future funk albums should inject you with an uncut hit of unapologetic brass funk within the first couple minutes.

Electricity takes the initial energy of Have a Good Time and subtly ratchets up the vibe with clever layering and a sweet progression. While my initial take on my first listen was that the bass was too muted (a slight boost from the hi-fi set of your choice can obviously erase that distinction quickly!) — I warmed to the mix after hearing how well it meshed with the following track.

Love Island serves as a sort of kinetic climax to the first quarter of the album and a great midpoint for the A-side, but the treble feels just slightly compressed and off-balance on the wax here. After fiddling with EQ and my pre-amp settings on the second listen, the track came through vastly better. My suggestion is to subtract here and there if you have a Japanese-built set that tends to run bright. After doing so on the 2nd listen, Love Island began to shine — and the distorted loops that seemed discordant on my initial listen were brought back into a more complimentary role with the rest of the piece.

Midnight Mall is my absolute favorite of the album because it just unabashedly brings the boogie with a pure, slap-worthy bass, crisp midrange from the intermittent horn flares, and absolutely atmospheric vocal compliments. Although Love Island is a strong title track, so to speak — I really do think Midnight Mall is the true baby-maker banger of 2019. For peak enjoyment, boost the bass a little on your stereo, add mood lighting and engage in the wholesome romantic activity (impassioned stares, hand-holding) of your choice.

Sunset Hasn’t Come Yet is the boomer whisperer. My guess regarding what makes this track appeal so authentically to the boomer crowd is the strength of its arrangement. You get a comfy arrangement throughout, a bass twang that sounds like its straight outta Miami Vice coupled with very moody Japanese vocals. For a future funk record, this feels like the track most in sync with its roots, creating a very authentic, fun sound.

Marsala’s effortless sonic transition from Sunset Hasn’t Come Yet’s stage is definitely a highlight of this album’s pretty flawless composition and arrangement. It feels very much like a palette cleanser for the album’s first half, and is perfect for an LP format — as you feel this transition writ large by the very nature of the format. The blaring synths feel like they would meld into place effortlessly with a Michael Mann-directed denouement to a period action-psych drama.

Flying Star is a soft reset to the album from a vibe standpoint, and is competent at what it does in the overall scope of the album. My only significant criticism of Skule Toyama’s output — which is somewhat present here — is that they don’t really let the vocals carry enough water. While exquisitely layered in relation to the rest of the piece, I want to hear the vocals take up a sort of primary mantle in the soundstage in a track like this. We get it in Flying Star’s middle third, but it does feel like a sort of pointless delay in gratification. A track like this has a chance to capture the listener and bring them into the sonic space. It comes just short of doing that.

Sailor Moon Rock manages to decimate that previous criticism by running at me and grabbing the tempo by the collar with an absolutely fire set of loops and immediately accelerate. I love it for that, and is definitely the B-side’s strongest composition. We get some no-doubt nasty guitar riffs and some iconic SFX that really bring this track together and make a B-side banger exemplar, reason enough to flip the wax.

Keep On Going brings us closest to a synth-wave composition that we get in the entire album on the track’s first third, but finds its funk at the ideal moment. It definitely succeeds in fleshing out of the B-side, and creates its niche on the project subtly but at the same time, at the risk of seeming hyperbolic — brilliantly.

Do Me definitely feels the most “Nu-Disco” of both the side and the overall album. It’s definitely one of those tracks that you can both happily wait for in the queue and then just revel in — knowing that while the record nears its conclusion, you get a track that just would not at all be out of place in a Shibuya nightclub circa 1979 or weave its way into a Haruki Murakami novel.

Outro is a perfect closing for the album, but I question the utility of making it the penultimate track instead with the inclusion of the bonus track. That said, it’s impossible not to vibe with the arrangement and layering of this piece. My hope is that when I die and arrive at the pearly gates (admission pending), St. Peter (recently taking up a hobby in DJing to pass eternity) will have a special edition pressing of that will have this as the final track on the wax.

Live Now! is definitely the track I feel coolest about. A good piece on the whole, just feels a bit out of step with the rest of the project. But I’m never going to look the gift horse in the mouth when it comes to the prospect of additional music, so a welcome addition nonetheless.

PART 2: VINYL EXPERIENCE

I really like the Toyama Love Island purple wax. This seemingly benign statement is no doubt going to incur a chorus of audiophiles in that forum criticizing me for this. Vinyl is not designed — as much as some will tell you, to be a perfectly neutral hi-res medium. There is natural warmth, scratchiness, minor distortion — et cetera. It also features natural imperfections that develop over time — like any piece of physical media. What’s more, some perceived hiccups on the overall master might actually be caused by a slight offset or error in the press, a common and natural occurrence when dealing with physical media like this. That’s why graphic equalizers were so prominent in vinyl hi-fi set in its late 1970s/early 1980s heyday. This is just an aspect of the vinyl experience.

Toyama’s Love Island features, in my view, a few of these imperfections. But these imperfections are nothing major — a quick re-equalization (oxymoronic, but I’m sure you know what I’m getting at here) a little fiddling around with the pre-amp here and there — these are natural to any experience and remind me why I became fascinated with the hobby in the first place — to maximize an audio experience. If every indie press gave that to me out of the box, well, what’s the point of the system that I own? It exists to provide a platform for a rich, diverse, and vibrant sonic experience. But the platter is just decorative without real warmth coming from the music, and Toyama’s Love Island brings that in droves.

My Pet Flamingo has a long (in vaporwave measurements, obviously) history of putting out quality physicals. Toyama’s Love Island builds upon this with a big’ol brick and a heaping slab of mortar. I’m also a big fan of MFP’s visuals. I’m not sure who they use to make the sleeves, but I think they’re generally constructed well, and the cover images that grace them never feel compressed or feature much in the way of artifacts. When you become deeply intimate with a vinyl sleeve, you start to notice these things — and I’ve never had this inkling when fingering a Flamingo release, so kudos to the label’s curation.

The mix feels exceptionally bright on my current system, and that has been a consistent point of curiosity with My Pet Flamingo releases. My guess is whatever they test their masters on is engineered by a British/American company not named “KEF” — think Cambridge, Wharfedale, McIntosh, etc — or a damper sounding Japanese unit like Technics or Yamaha. Again — I don’t see this as a problem, just a note to those running more traditional Japanese (80s Harman, Sansui, TEAC) or Nordic systems (B&O, Blaupunkt) that tend towards that end of the spectrum.

With obvious digital and analog appeal, Toyama’s Love Island is the closest thing to a “holistic” future funk release that I can think of — which makes me wonder why Skule Toyama’s hasn’t blown up yet. Only a matter of time, I’d guess — especially after earning a nod from this little outfit, I’d hope.

#future funk #bestof2019

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itwasanangryinch · 6 years ago

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JCM Projects -- 2019

My aim is to update this at least monthly, ideally weekly with all of the projects John Cameron Mitchell will be working on, debuting, or a part of in the upcoming year. If you know of a project not listed here, please message me thru inbox or IM. | | Updated June 19th

This Week (June 19th-23rd)

(DJing) Mattachine – Monthly queer dance party with Amber Martin and Ang DiCarlo at the Julius

The Origin of Love Tour (North American) (ongoing)

New York – June 27th, at The Town Hall (3 left!) New York – June 28th, at The Town Hall – sold out! New York – June 29th, at The Town Hall – sold out! New York – July 27th, two shows! at Fischer Theatre/Bard College (16 left!) Michigan – November 2nd, at the University of Michigan, (tix on sale in Aug.) Austin – February 7th, 2020, at University of Texas at Austin/Bass Concert Hall (tix on sale in August) San Fransciso – February 29th, 2020, at Berkley University. (tix on sale in Aug.) Salt Lake City – April 3rd, 2020, at Kingsbury Hall (tix on sale in July) Los Angeles – April 11th, 2020, at UCLA/The Theatre at Ace Hotel (tix on sale in July)

more dates to come!

MERCHANDISE: Junction City Mercantile (launched! all proceeds go to helping John’s mum)

Other Concerts

New York – June 22nd, John will be singing a selection of songs from Anthem as part of the first Topic Talks: Music concert. Tickets on sale now.

TV Shows

Shrill (series regular) – Hulu, first season available now! – RENEWED!!

The Good Fight (guest star) – CBS All Access Trailer | | Sneak Peak | | Episode

Movies

Hedwig and the Angry Inch (2001) – June 25th. Critereon Collection DVD/Blu-Ray release featuring a new 4K restoration of the film, a new chat with the original creatives behind the film, a talk between Stephen Trask and Rolling Stone writer David Fricke, and all of the features from the original DVD release. Critereon.com | | bbfc certification | | watch now

How to Talk to Girls at Parties (2017) – May 8th. Transmission Films. After almost a full year since JCM was there and told that there were no immediate plans for distribution, Australia is finally getting HtTtGaP on DVD and digital.

Podcasts

Anthem: Homunculus: A ten episode podcast series written by JCM and HtTtGaP collaborator Bryan Weller and featuring performers such as Glenn Close, Patti LuPone, Madeline Brewer, and Nakhane. All episodes available. Luminary Podcasts. Little Known Facts with Ilana Levine: Upcoming. John was interviewed on April 29th, episode presumably airs soon. iTunes | | Podbean | | Stitcher The Orbiting Human Circus (of the Air): New episodes dropping generally 2019. A fictional series set in the world of a radio show that broadcasts from the top of the Eiffel Tower. Season one, season one remaster featuring interviews with Julian Koster and JCM, and The Second Imaginary Symphony (does not feature JCM) available now. WNYC Studios.

Too Hot For Radio: 2019. John recorded a live reading of a short story for the NPR program. If it follows past airings, it will be included sometime when the new season starts streaming later this year.

Dreamboy: an ethereal monster movie told in podcast form. JCM guest starred in the finale, aired March 25th, and sang a song. NightValePresents Website.

More John podcasts

Albums

Anthem: Homunculus (Soundtrack) – Out now. Full soundtrack currently available as a digital download from Ghostlight Records. Featuring John, Glenn Close, Patti LuPone, Nakhane, and others, written by JCM and Bryan Weller. Ghostlight Records

T-Rex Tribute Album – John will be singing ‘Diamond Meadows’ as part of producer Hal Willner’s project. No release date yet. Variety, JCM ig

Interviews

For interviews that are not really part of a podcast or other thing.

Big Think: May 18th. Video. (Different from the 9th) [ YT, BT ]

Psychology Today: May 15th. Text interview with John about one of the key plot points in Anthem. More talking about the show than actual interview. There is a more spoilery interview linked off of it relating to ep 7, though the spoiler is something that’s been hinted at in past interviews. [ PT, C ]

Big Think: May 9th. Video [ YT ]

BuzzFeed AM to DM: Daily webshow. May 2nd. [ Periscope, Twitter, BFN ]

New York Live TV/The Hub Boston: TV interview. Same interview ran on both programs. About 5 minutes. May 1st [ YT ]

Time Out Mexico: Text interview. Translated into Spanish. April 29th [ TO ]

Backstage.com: John answered questions from the people at Backstage and fan questions left on their forum and social media. April 25th. [ FB ]

Broadway.com Live at Five: John was interviewed to talk about Anthem: Homunculus and Hedwig. April 24th. [ YouTube, text write up ]

Other Projects

Come Back Once More So I Can Say Goodbye – a theatre piece by Labyrinth Dance Theatre. About gay life in NYC 1965-1995. JCM is part of Julius' Honorary Host Committee for the show. $40 gen. admission. $25 student/senior/artist. June 14-17th.

Broadway: The Next Generation – documentary. No release date yet.

Time Warp: The Greatest Cult Films of All Time – documentary. No release date yet.

TV Series 1: John has talked about this in interviews. Something that he would be writting/showrunning as well as creating. (impending)

TV Series 2: Something that John would be creating, but not as involved in the day-to-day workings of. Has talked about in interviews. (impending)

Other Appearances

Mattachine, June 20th – a monthly queer dance party at Julius’ Bar in New York. Usually the 3rd Thursday of the month, but does vary. John usually shows up, but does not go to all Mattachines. @mattachineparty UPDATED!

Filmmaker on the Edge, June 15th – John is going to be honoured with the award, have a conversation with resident artist John Waters, and screen Hedwig. (press release)

ARCHIVED

After a certain amount of time, older information will drop here so that fans looking for recent, current, and upcoming projects will have an easier time. Things that have already been done will drop down here. And going into 2020, there will be a new list.

The Origin of Love Tour

February 8th -- Washington DC, National Theatre February 22nd -- Chicago, IL, Atheneum Theatre March 2nd -- Boston, MA, Schubert Theatre May 22nd -- Mexico City, MX, Auditorio BlackBerry June 8th -- Miami, FL, The Arsht Center/Knight Hall

Other Concerts

Drop down after performance unless there’s a stream or a downloadable thing for them.

TV Shows

Shows drop down here after three months for guest appearances and six months after the last episode airs for series regular status.

Movies

Movies drop down six months after last release.

Podcasts

Podcasts that John is in the regular cast for will drop here six months after the last episode. guest starring, three months. Interview, one month.

Regular Cast

Guest Starring

Interview

Adulting: an interview format podcast where JCM and another guest star were interviewed. Broadcast live April 12th as part of a celebration for the venue. Watch video on FB | | Periscope | | Youtube

Death, Sex Money: John is guest hosting and interviewing his friend Marilyn Maye while the regular host is on maternity leave. April 17th. WYNC Studios.

Katya and Craig/Whimsically Volatile: April 25th. Podcast hosted by drag star Katya Zamolodchikova and director Craig MacNeil. This week, Craig hosted the show and interviewed John without Katya. Soundcloud | | Libsyn | | iTunes | YouTube

Chapo Trap House: April 29th. Podcast where John talks about Anthem, Hedwig, Shortbus, “the end of sex.” Soundcloud

Laura Heywood Interviews: May 8. player.fm | | Libsyn

The Frame: May 9. John has a segment talking about Anthem. iTunes | | player.fm | | NPR

Studio 360: May 14th. John and Bryan talking about Anthem and performing a live version of ‘The End of Love.’ Slate | | iTunes

Albums

If John is guest appearing on the album, it will move after four months. If it’s his project, it will move after six.

Interviews

Drops down after one month for text interviews. Three for video.

Rolling Stone Mexico and GQ Mexico: John is interviewed in both for his performance in Mexico City

Mural: May 18th. Text interview in Spanish. [ M ]

Escandala: May 15th. Text interview with John. In Spanish [ E ] Open Revista: May 14th Text interview with John in Spanish. [ OR ]

TheatreMania: May 12. Text interview with John and Bryan Weller about Anthem. [ TM ]

Metro Source: May 10th. Text interview with John about Anthem. [ MS ]

Time Out: May 9th. Press release/info for Orbital DJing Event [ TO ]

Daily Beast: May 6th. Text interview. [ DB ]

Rolling Stone: Text interview with John and Glenn Close about Anthem. May 5th [ RS ]

Backstage.com: write up of the FB/IG live video that John did the previous week. May 1st [ Backstage ]

Forbes: Text interview about Anthem and transforming it from the Hedwig sequel. John also talks about his writing process, The Orbiting Human Circus, and which Broadway shows he’s excited by this season. April 26th [ Forbes ]

NewNowNext: Text interview. April 23rd. [ NNN ]

Observer: Text interview. April 23rd. [ Observer ]

Queerty: Text interview. April 20th. [ Queerty ]

New York Times: Text interview. April 19th. [ NYT ]

Other Projects

Unless John is featured heavily, these will drop down after a month or two. These projects might also be less available than some of the other programs.

Other Appearances

Too Hot For Radio – January 26th, as part of San Francisco SketchFest, John went out and read a story for NPR’s Selected Shorts radio program. Eventually it will air via streaming like iTunes, NPR’s website, SoundCloud....

JCM interviews Claywoman – March 17th, John participated in a performance art interview of a drag character reported to be the oldest being in the universe who has travelled to our planet from her own.

JCM screens Entertaining Mr. Sloane – March 19th, John screened one of his favourite movies, a British sex comedy called Entertaining Mr. Sloane as part of a Quad Cinema series.

Various Promotion – various times in January thru March, John was on location being interviewed to promote Shrill. These appearances include the Hulu winter TCAs, the New York Shrill premiere, and San Francisco SketchFest.

Jay Brannon, Joe’s Pub – April 9th, John announced attending concert. Presumably did not perform.

Club Cumming – April 15th, John made his first appearance at Club Cumming as part of a star studded benefit for New Alternatives, an LGBT Youth charity. Sold out!

SirusFM//Signal Boost Show – April 25th, interview about Anthem, Hedwig, Uber rides, and sex.

Tribeca Celebrates Pride – May 4th, John was interviewed his Shrill costar Patti Hardison about how his queer identity has affected his work.

Chocolate Babies screening – May 7th. John announced on ig that he was going to be attending a screening of Stephen Winter’s film.

Orbital – May 24th. John and Amber DJed at the Ortibal dance party in Mexico.

Tony Awards - June 9th. Guest.

Nahkane, The Illustrious Blacks - June 20th. John announced on ig he would be attended Nahkane’s performance before June’s Mattachine Party.

#john cameron mitchell #hedwig and the angry inch #hedwig #shrill #the good fight #anthem #hatai #mattachine #anthem homunculus #dreamboy #the origin of love #club cumming #orbiting human circus #the orbiting human circus #orbiting human circus (of the air)#wnyc #jcm

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