Posted by Leilani Polk on Apr. 7, 2009, at 12:53 pm
A selection of CDs, EPs, LPs, Digital Releases, DVDs and Box Sets that dropped today.
Arcade Fire, Miroir Noir DVD (Merge) The Assemble Head in Sunburst Sound, When Sweet Sleep Returned (Tee Pee) Bat for Lashes,Two Suns (Astralwerks) Black Dice, Repo (Paw Tracks) Casiotone for the Painfully Alone, Vs. Children (Tomlab) Crystal Antlers,Tentacles (Touch & Go) Del the Funky Homosapien, Funk Man: The Stimulus Package (digital self-release) Doves, Kingdom of Rust (Astralwerks) Ramblin’ Jack Elliott, A Stranger Here (Anti-) Erasure, Total Pop! (Rhino) [box set] The Felice Brothers, Yonder Is the Clock (Team Love) Read the rest of this entry »
On February 18th, both the Chicago Tribune and Pitchfork ran stories that put a knife through the heart of the punk/indie world. Venerable Chicago label, Touch and Go Records would be closing it’s distribution wing and massively scaling back it’s own output. This decision, that I’m sure was made after all other options were exhausted, effects more than just T&G’s roster. They provided distribution for 23 other labels Read the rest of this entry »
I flew into La Guardia on Saturday January 31st at about 2pm. The temperature was in the mid to upper 20s and slowly dropping. The Thermals were playing a late show at The Bell House in Brooklyn. How cold was it going to be when the show started at 11pm? I didn’t care. I was in New York and was going to catch The Thermals play a one-off show before jumping the pond to the U.K. for a small tour. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted by Leilani Polk on Jan. 27, 2009, at 12:34 am
A new weekly blogroll of what the Creative Loafing music team is listening to right now.
The Thermals The Body, The Blood, The Machine (2006)
Straight up, uncompromising rock n’ roll. It’s filled to the brim with loud guitars, catchy tunes, and smart lyrics. The icing on the cake is the storyline that ties it all together: a Christian-based government runs the United States, oppressing its proletariat and a young couple on the run for their lives. Recommended tracks: “Here’s Your Future” and “A Pillar of Salt” –Gabe
Dr. Dog We All Belong (2007)
Sure, their name sounds like some bad ’80s rapper, but don’t let that fool you. Dr. Dog borrows from the best elements of The Beatles, The Band and The Beach Boys — layered vocal harmonies, ear-catching melodies and quality songwriting — to create something of their own. They’ll be playing Crowbar Thursday, February 19. Recommended track: “The Way the Lazy Do” –B.TreotchRead the rest of this entry »
Rock and roll has been looking for a savior for some time. Fads, new waves and trends have been coming and going for years. Sure, a lot of good (even great) music has been put out, but it’s been countered by bastardizations of the form. Has rock and roll ever had a savior? Is it better off without one? Is the journey to salvation more rewarding than actually obtaining it? Is the one who claims they are the savior really just the devil in disguise?
I can not offer you salvation, nor can I show you someone who can. I can, however, present to you The Thermals, one stepping stone on the path to rock salvation. Since 2003, they have been releasing pure and uncompromising rock and roll. They answer to no one. They are not idols; and as far as I can tell, they do not aspire to be. They claim they recorded their first album (from which the video below was the first single) for $10. I could try to explain The Thermals in more depth to you, but I won’t. I’ll let someone else do it. In 2007, shortly before he turned three years old, my son said (after hearing The Thermals) “This is rock music”. That is all you need to know.
Enjoy The Thermals. They’re putting out their fourth record soon.
Arcade Fire, Miroir Noir DVD (Merge)
