Crib Notes

Tonight Athens’ orchestral rock ensemble Venice is Sinking celebrates the release of their brand new full-length AZAR on One Percent Press at Kavarna in Decatur.

Admission to the show is $5 and you get a copy of AZAR at the door.

The first song revealed “Ryan’s Song,” draws from an expanding palette of pretty and pastoral tones that thrive on a feeling of gray day melancholy. It’s a marked and somewhat wistful departure from the baroque aspects of their first album, Sorry About the Flowers.

The album comes together as a cohesive whole offering that is less of a glacial movement than their debut, but no less engaging. Maybe the name and corresponding cover art say it all, but the album captures an excellent sense of urban decay and nostalgia for things that are lost … and yes, all of the elements for a full-on concept album are there if you’re looking for them.

Kavarna. 707 E. Lake Dr. in Decatur. 404-371-1113.

“Ryan’s Song”

“Okay” (via Magnet)

(more…)

Bookmark to:

On Fri., March 20 the folks at Mondo Homo are throwing their first fundraiser show at WonderRoot to raise money to support this year’s Mondo Homo fest., taking place from May 21-25 at Eyedrum. Dangerous Ponies, the Long Shadows, the Thieves, and Treephort are all down for the cause. Admission is $5. Music starts at 8 p.m.

Bookmark to:

This Thursday night (March 5) Pine Magazine returns to the Star Bar for another first Thursday of the month free show.

The line-up includes Batata Doce, Sorry No Ferrari, This Piano Plays Itself, Blair Crimmins and the Hookers, Tous les Jours and DJ Press Play.

The show is free and the music starts at 9 p.m. The Star Bar, 437 Moreland Ave. 404-681-9018.

Click below to read Pine Magazine’s rundown of who’s on the bill.

(more…)

Bookmark to:

On Friday of last week, Athens band Venice is Sinking premiered the debut video for “Ryan’s Song” from their second full-length, Azar at Stereogum.

Azar is due out March 31st from One Percent Press.

Bookmark to:

Balkans played a 7-inch release party on Sunday night (Feb. 22) at Vacation Gallery & Boutique in the Virginia Highlands, and there was one small problem: there weren’t any 7-inches to be found. The label didn’t get them from the pressing plant in time for the show, which has been an increasingly common problem as of late. Rumor has it that all of the pressing plants around the country are experiencing a huge demand for vinyl right now. As a result it’s taking longer and longer to get records.

The group played anyway, and they wore an awful lot of denim when they did (see above). There were about 25 people in attendance for the 20+ minute set. Balkans craft a jittery and fast-paced punk/surf/fuzzed-out pop grind that teems with energy while they perform.

Guitarist/bass player Brett Miller played with a broken hand, and when he dropped his pick toward the end of the show he just played the string with his fingers. A fine, red spackling, a few smears and a couple of bloody finger prints marred the otherwise colorless face of his guitar by the time he was done.

It’s a sure sign of dedication when a band literally sheds their own blood to keep a show moving along, and all of the pain and frenetic energy the group displayed paid off.

Double Phantom Records hope to have the 7-inches for sale sometime this week, and most definitely by the time they open for King Khan and the Shrines at the Masquerade on Tues., March 10.

(Photo by Chad Radford)

Bookmark to:

Sad news hit the indie rock world today when one of it’s longest running major players Touch and Go Records announced that the company was drastically reducing in size, axing its distribution arm and laying off several employees. These harsh cuts are the result of the current state of the economy making it too difficult for the label to continue operating as is.

That said, the label still exists, but to what extent, and how it will affect recent signees such as Mi Ami and Atlanta’s All the Saints remains to be seen. After owner Corey Rusk released his official statement today, he later told Pitchforkmedia.com that the label may begin releasing new music at some point in the future, but as of right now nothing is certain. In the meantime it also remains to be seen how T&G distributed labels such as Merge, Drag City and Suicide Squeeze — who recently signed the Coathangers — will be affected as well.

Here is the complete text of Corey Rusk’s statement:

“It is with great sadness that we are reporting some major changes here at Touch and Go Records. Many of you may not be aware, but for nearly 2 decades, Touch and Go has provided manufacturing and distribution services for a select yet diverse group of other important independent record labels. Titles from these other labels populate the shelves of our warehouse alongside the titles on our own two labels, Touch and Go Records, and Quarterstick Records.

“Unfortunately, as much as we love all of these labels, the current state of the economy has reached the point where we can no longer afford to continue this lesser known, yet important part of Touch and Go’s operations. Over the years, these labels have become part of our family, and it pains us to see them go. We wish them all the very best and we will be doing everything we can to help make the transition as easy as possible.

“Touch and Go will be returning to its roots and focusing solely on being an independent record label. We’ll be busy for a few months working closely with the departing labels and scaling our company to an appropriate smaller size after their departure. It is the end of a grand chapter in Touch and Go’s history, but we also know that good things can come from new beginnings.”

Bookmark to:

Earlier today producer/director Matthew Robison sent Crib Notes a new cut of the trailer for the forthcoming Atlanta rock scene documentary, We Fun.

WARNING: The trailer features a few swear words, so if you are at work put on a pair of headphones.

Bookmark to:

Atlanta lady punk quartet the Coathangers have set April 7th, 2009 as the release date for their sophomore full-length, titled Scramble (Suicide Squeeze Records). The album is being released on both CD and a limited edition yellow vinyl LP.

Scramble track list:

“Intro”
“Toomer Head”
“Stop Stomp Stompin’”
“Time Passing”
“Bury Me”
“Dream Boat”
“Pussy Willow”
“Gettin’ Mad & Pumpin’ Iron”
“Killdozer”
“143″
“Arthriitus Sux”
“Sonic You”
“Bobby Knows Best”
“Cheap Cheap”
“Outro”

(Photo by Bob Levett)

Bookmark to:

1) Sonic Youth – Daydream Nation
2) Dinosaur Jr – You’re Living All Over Me
3) Husker Du – Zen Arcade
4) The Jesus & Mary Chain – Psychocandy
5) Joy Division – Closer
6) Minutemen – Double Nickels on the Dime
7) Pixies – Surfer Rosa
8) R.E.M. – Murmur
9) Replacements – Let It Be
10) The Smiths – Meat Is Murder

Fellow alt-weekly the Phoenix just released its top 10 list of the albums that started indie rock. It’s not a bad list (you can’t really argue with Daydream Nation and Psychocandy), but I think there are a few missteps. First of all, Meat Is Murder? Everybody knows that The Queen Is Dead is the most influential Smiths’ album. Hell, NME even called it the second-greatest British album of all time (ahead of The Beatles and The Clash). I also question Murmur’s place on the list, although it’s nice to have Georgia represented.

The most glaring issue with the top 10 list and the honorable mentions is the omission of pivotal albums. The problem is rooted in a question: When exactly does pre-indie rock stop and indie rock begin? According to the Phoenix, the answer is 1988. That’s the year that the two most recent albums on the list (Daydream Nation and Surfer Rosa) were released. A 1980’s cutoff would explain the exclusion of key acts like Pavement and Guided by Voices.

Even if it is an ’80s list, there are still some questions that beg to be answered. Where the hell is Beat Happening? It’s impossible to imagine the Pitchfork-dominated, indie-saturated world we live in today without Beat Happening. Calvin Johnson, et al, embodied (hell, defined) the indie ethos throughout the 1980s. What about New Order, huh? New Order created the sound that indie dance acts like LCD Soundsystem and the Klaxons have been aping ever since. Where’s Black Flag? Where are the Violent Femmes? Where’s the Birthday Party? These bands weren’t even given an honorable mention (yet Soul Asylum was).

I guess that’s the problem with Spin-style, faux-monumental lists: They form a narrative, and then include whatever bands or albums fit into that preconceived narrative. “This is the story of indie rock, kids… .” All right, I’ll step down from the soapbox now.

Bookmark to: