Tampa Calling » Vinyl

The Future of Music event to be held at Tampa’s Audio Vision’s South

Eric Snider — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 14:53:17 +0000

Audio Visions South, the Tampa Bay area’s premiere, locally owned, high-end stereo and video store, will throw the second edition of its two-part event called “The Future of Music All Age Access Audio” on Sat., July 25, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. The store’s acoustically exquisite listening rooms will buzz with activities.

The gathering will give music lovers a bunch of useful tips on gear, vinyl, accessories and more, and focus on how to maximize your music experience: AVS invites you to bring your digital media, CDs, LPs, iPod and laptop with you. Here are some of the event’s features:

• A Nitty Gritty LP cleaning station will be set up so your albums will be at peak performance levels when you learn to rip them to your computer.

• You will also learn the best way to rip CDs. Once ripped, you can load all your favorite tunes to your iPod and then we’ll help you figure out how to integrate your iTunes library with your in-home Hi-Fi system.

• We’ll go over streaming video and the best download method for your set up.

• You will learn about headphones and headphone amplifiers, tube docks and bookshelf speakers.

• A list of recommended components will be available to help narrow down your options from the vast sea of new technology that’s become available over the last couple of years.

For more information and to RSVP reply to this email or call 813.876.5236.

Or just show up: AVS is at 3655 Henderson Blvd. Tampa,

CL Sound Bites: Flaming Lips, Ramones, Radiohead, and more.

Joel Weiss — Wed, 13 May 2009 08:20:16 +0000

Oklahoma is cooler than Florida! At least as far as official state rock songs are concerned. Residents declared The Flaming Lips‘ “Do You Realize?” the rock anthem of Oklahoma via an online vote. However, the Oklahoma state House rejected the resolution. Some representatives, inclined against all things cool, protested the vote, citing the band’s profanity and provocative wardrobe. A bandmember once wore a hammer & sickle t-shirt? Say it ain’t so! When all was thought lost, Gov. Brad Henry, part-time rock savior, overruled the legislature via executive order and threw his support behind the people’s choice. Oklahoma is now cool despite the best efforts of certain politicians. As for the Lips (pictured right), they are currently prepping a double album.

Joey Ramone passed away back in 2001, but his family still throws the annual Joey Ramone Birthday Bash to raise money for the Joey Ramone Foundation for Lymphoma Research. In addition to sets by Fishbone and Supersuckers, this year’s show will feature a listening party of previously unheard Joey Ramone demos and rough mixes.

(Nick Cave’s Gladiator sequel, reissues from R.E.M. and Stone Roses, and more after the jump!)

True story: The Guardian reveals Russell Crowe asked Nick Cave to write a sequel to Gladiator. But Hollywood would never make a film this ridiculous awesome.

One of Radiohead’s managers admits to advising the band to split prior to In Rainbows, because “two years after leaving EMI Radiohead were still no closer to recording an album.” Thank fuck bands don’t always listen to management.

R.E.M. fans should scoop up the Reckoning deluxe reissue on June 23. The set features re-mastered audio and a full-length concert from 1984 aired on a Chicago radio station; 180g vinyl of both Reckoning and the already available Murmur hit stores the same day.

More reissue goodness: The Stone Roses‘ debut gets 20th anniversary treatment on August 11. Much like the recent Pearl Jam Ten set, there are a variety of choices ranging from just the remastered album to a 3-LP “Collectors Edition” that also features a lemon-shaped USB drive.

Alice In Chains signed a record deal with Virgin/EMI. No, this is not a repeat from 1988. Unless zombie Layne Staley stops them, expect a new album with their new singer (pictured left) this fall.

So Apple will sell explicit Nine Inch Nails albums on iTunes, but they won’t update the NIN Access iPhone app due to objectional material? Trent Reznor called out Apple, and they relented.

Jane’s Addiction frontman Perry Farrell tore a calf muscle in Atlanta on Sunday. Thankfully, he was at 100 percent for last Saturday’s show at the Ford Amphitheatre. Doctors want him to rest, but he’ll keep the tour going as scheduled.

The Mighty Mighty Bosstones reunion started with sporadic concerts and picked up steam from there. Shows led to tours, writing songs led to a new 7″, and now the band will hit the studio this summer for their first new full-length since 2002.

If you bought any of the Sonic Youth gear stolen back in ‘99 and return it, maybe you’ll get lifetime guestlist privileges for their concerts … just like this guy.

Scary consequences of the current music business climate: when pressing plants like 33 1/3 go bankrupt, venerable indie labels like Matador come thisclose to losing tons of masters! Thankfully, everything turned out okay.

New Vinyl, CD, DVD Releases Tuesday, May 5

Vinyl Fever — Tue, 05 May 2009 16:13:47 +0000

NEW RELEASES in VINYL:
Akron/Family – Set ‘Em Wild, Set ‘Em Free
Their musical vocabulary runs deep – it’s not just Jimi Hendrix, Neil Young, and The Grateful Dead that inform this record; the band feels at home and self-assured. With limited outside assistance, the trio has made a focused, powerful and unified work. This is the new psychedelic rock.

Beastie Boys – Check Your Head 4LP BOX
An ultra-deluxe 4 LP 180HQ vinyl version packaged in a fabric-wrapped hardcover coffee table book case and limited to 2000 copies.

Chimaira – The Infection Picture Disc

Elvis Costello – Complicated Shadows b/w Dirty Rotten Shame 7″
Looks really cool and retro. “Complicated Shadows” is on the album but the flip side, “Dirty Rotten Shame” is an exclusive song for this piece. This was supposed to be out for Record Store Day, but production was delayed.

Fleet Foxes 7” – Mykonos b/w False Knight On the Road
“Mykonos” is the centerpiece of the Sun Giant EP released last spring and included with the popular vinyl version of the band’s debut, Fleet Foxes. Beautifully packaged in a gatefold sleeve, the single is backed with a previously unreleased cover of the traditional folk ballad “False Knight On The Road,” made popular by Steeleye Span and Richard Thompson.

The Horrors – Primary Colours
Their debut, Strange House, was as controversial as it was celebrated, landing them on the cover of NME in their native England. Produced by Geoff Barrow (Portishead) and noted video director Chris Cunningham (Aphex Twin, Bjork). ‘‘Genuinely, gloriously deranged.” –The Onion

Killing Joke:
• Brighter Than A Thousand Suns
• Fire Dances
• Killing Joke
• Night Time
• Outside The Gate
• Revelations
• What’s This For?
Limited edition 2-LP sets.

Mastodon – Crack The Skye
Finally on vinyl! Regular and limited, double 45-RPM deluxe edition.

Bob Mould – Life and Times

Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band – Outer South
While touring in support of last year’s debut, Conor Oberst, Conor and the Mystic Valley Band began writing new songs. The result is the first album credited to this group. Oberst’s songwriting and delivery remain an engaging presence, but the addition of songs by Taylor Hollingsworth, Nik Freitas, and Jason Boesel make for a multi-textured and colorful collaboration. The Mystic Valley Band also includes Macey Taylor and Nathaniel Walcott.

Peaches – I Feel Cream
With her pioneering electro-punk sound that has taken hold amongst a new breed of female stars, Peaches now seems as relevant to the musical landscape as ever before. On I Feel Cream, she does it again, this time producing, along with the likes of Simian Mobile Disco, Soulwax, Digitalism, and Drums Of Death, her most pop-sounding album to date.

Riverboat Gamblers – Underneath The Owl

Rick Ross – Deeper Than Rap

Vaselines – Enter The Vaselines
The Vaselines have long been celebrated by musicians and indie rock enthusiasts across the globe, including superfan Kurt Cobain, while remaining underappreciated by the mainstream. Enter The Vaselines includes new mixes and remastered versions of material previously available on The Way Of The Vaselines, plus never-before-heard demos, and live recordings from 1986 in Bristol and 1988 in London. Triple LP or double CD.

NEW RELEASE CDs:

Akron/Family – Set ‘Em Wild, Set ‘Em Free

Arctic Monkeys – At The Apollo

Candlemass – Death Magic Doom
Brand new studio album from the kings of epic doom metal. Includes bonus track.

Paul Carrack – I Know That Name

Ciara – Fantasy Ride

Combichrist – Heat EP: All Pain Is Beat
Featuries remixes by the likes of VNV Nation and Assemblage 23. The CD contains six tracks and two bonus videos.

Company Flow – Funcrusher Plus: 12 Year Ann

Cracker – Sunrise In The Land Of Milk and Honey
David Lowery, from Cracker/Camper Van Beethoven, is back with guests Adam Duritz, John Doe, and Patterson Hood. (An aside: Camper Van B crashed at my place in Tallahassee after playing a gig to 50 people in 1985. We listened to George Jones records and read Harvey Pekar’s American Splendor comic books. They unconsciously returned the karma by playing an in-store at Vinyl Fever Tampa 20 years later.)

Rivers Cuomo – Live At Fingerprints
From a post on his website, Rivers invited super fans from across the country to dress sharp and join him in a makeshift band where they would get to pick the set list. That set list ended up being a mix of Weezer classics as well as obscure fan favorites. The 150 lucky “friends” had never met or practiced together, but without fear came to rock out their favorite songs with their favorite guy.

DJ Shadow – Diminishing Returns
Official djshadow.com last chance limited-edition re-release. The groundbreaking mix in its entirety — includes bonus track “War Is Hell” by DJ Shadow.

Fischerspooner – Entertainment

Ben Harper & the Relentless 7 – White Lies For Dark Times (regular and deluxe editions)
Ben has a new band with him this time around. The deluxe edition includes a DVD featuring a video for the song ”Shimmer and Shine,” exclusive footage, band photos and more.

Hatebreed – For The Lions (covers album)

Isis – Wavering Radiant

King Crimson – Collectable, Vol.4
Live In Warsaw 2000 showcases the four piece line up of Robert Fripp, Adrian Belew, Pat Mastelotto and Trey Gunn and includes an encore rendition of David Bowie’s `Heroes’, the original of which Robert’s distinctive guitar playing helped make famous.

Madina Lake – Attics To Eden

Ziggy Marley – Family Time

Chrisette Michelle – Epiphany (regular and deluxe editions)

David *Fathead* Newman – Blessing

New York Dolls – ‘Cause I Sez So
Produced by Todd Rundgren.”It was amazing working with Todd again, and I think we were able to evoke the special sound of our first album and drag it by the hair in the the present.” –David Johansen. Get ready for their upcoming Tampa show!

Conor Oberst and the Mystic V – Outer South

Peaches – I Feel Cream

Pink Mountaintops – Outside Love

Rapper Big Pooh (Little Brother) – Delightful Bars: North America

Rodriguez – Coming From Reality (1971)
First official re-release of the follow up to Cold Fact - the 2008 reissue of the year. Recorded in 1970 with legendary producer Steve Rowland (Pretty Things, The Cure). Not as psych as Cold Fact, but some think more cohesive.

Omar Rodriguez-Lopez – Cryptomnesia
El Groupo Nuevo De Omar Rodriguez-Lopez is differentiated from the guitarist’s other namesake projects by his selection of players, specifically Zach Hill (Hella) on drums, Jonathan Hischke (Hella) on synth bass, and Juan Alderete de la Peña (The Mars Volta) on bass guitar. Additionally, Cryptomnesia features the vocals of guest frontman Cedric Bixler Zavala (The Mars Volta).

Rolling Stones
• Black & Blue
• Goats Head Soup
• It’s Only Rock ‘n Roll
• Sticky Fingers
The first of three batches of Stones re-mastered re-issues.

Sadat X – Brand New Bien

Smithereens – Tommy Film Album
The Smithereens unleash a new way ot hearing these beloved songs that isn’t the slavish imitation of a cover band.

Super Furry Animals – Dark Days/Light Years

Vaselines – Enter The Vaselines

Muddy Waters – Best Of The Johnny Winters Sessions ’76-‘81

Yusuf (Cat Stevens) – Roadsinger (To Warm You Through)
Includes guest Holly Williams (Hank Jr.’s daughter; Hank the FIRST’S granddaughter!)

Buckwheat Zydeco – Lay Your Burden Down
With special guests: JJ Grey, Warren Haynes, Sonny Landreth and Trombone Shorty.

NEW MUSIC DVDs:
Metal Retardation: Are You Metally Retarded?
Bill Zebub, horror and metal entrepreneur and indie filmmaker, interviews some of the biggest names in the metal scene and asks some of the funniest, most outrageous questions imaginable.

The Monks – Transatlantic Feedback documentary

Rivers Cuomo – Live At Fingerprints

BOOK
Ryan Adams - Infinity Blues
A lot of famous people seem to like this guy:
“Ryan Adams writes with equal parts precision and recklessness; the blood he draws from the text is easily as unnerving as its unapologetic tenderness. He is proof that poetry will find its writer.” — Mary-Louise Parker, actress.

“Infinity Blues is Ryan Adams at his personal, unforgettable best. Strong and beautiful and funny and pure. Like all his work, it’s soul poetry of the highest order.” — Cameron Crowe, filmmaker

New music releases Tuesday, April 21

Vinyl Fever — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 18:33:51 +0000

Welcome aboard new Tampa Calling Contributor, Vinyl Fever’s Lee Wolfson, who will taking over on each week’s new music releases and other such interesting music tidbits, from what it’s like running an indie music store, to offering info on the latest in new music, to giving the inside scoop on any special promos or giveaways his store may be offering. Here’s his inaugural post, a list of new releases you may or may not be aware of.

Terry Adams (of NRBQ), Holy Tweet

Maria Bamford, Unwanted Thoughts Syndrome

Buju Banton, Rasta Got Soul

Behemoth, The Art of Rebelling Live (CD/DVD)

Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, How Big Can You Get?: The Music of Cab Calloway (ahahahahahaha! yeah, really!)

Brian Blade, Mama Rosa

Booker T., Potato Hole (with Drive By Truckers and Neil Young, too — it’s REAL SWEET!)

The Boxmasters and Billy Bob Thornton, The Boxmasters

Braid, Frankie Welfare Boy Age Five (a re-release of the 1995 debut album comprised 26 tracks, each one named using a different letter of the alphabet.)

King Britt & Ashley Beetle, Southport Weekender Vol. 8

Art Brut, Art Brut vs. Satan

Camera Obscura, My Maudlin Career

Chimaira, The Infection (also available as a special version with a bonus track and DVD)

Cloud Cult, No One Said It Would Be Easy DVD

Depeche Mode, Sounds of the Universe (Three versions are due out — CD, CD/DVD, and a four-disc boxed set that includes the original CD, bonus tracks, demo tracks, and a DVD as well as TWO books with lyrics and exclusive photos, two badges, poster, and artcards. All of it is sealed with a certificate of authenticity just in case someone tries to pass off the one they made at home as “real.”)

Empire of the Sun, Walking on a Dream

Alejandro Escovedo, An Introduction (a compilation of his music)

Great White, Rising (yes, it’s new)

Wayne Hancock, Viper of Melody (on Bloodshot)

Jane’s Addiction, A Cabinet of Curiosities (a limited-edition four-disc set spotlighting 43 tracks from three CDs — 30 previously unreleased — and a bonus DVD with videos, rarities and live footage.)

King Khan & The Shrines, What Is?!

Krayzie Bone, Leathaface Legends Underground Pt. 1

Sonny Landreth, Levee Town

Lenny Kravitz, Let Love Rule (deluxe edition)

Lacuna Coil, Shallow Life

Manchester Orchestra, Mean Everything to Nothing

Mission of Burma re-issues with bonus tracks

Mr. Lif, I Heard It Today

My Dying Bride, For Lies I Sire

Sinead O’Connor, I Do Not Want What I Haven’t Got (Re-release with a bonus disc of unreleased tracks)

Pendragon, Concert Maximo DVD

Pet Shop Boys, Yes (single disc and two-disc editions)

Porcupine Tree (re-issues, with bonus material)

Rick Ross, Deeper Than Rap

Asher Roth, Asleep in the Bread Aisle (Special 4/20 release date — wooooooo!)

Sizzla, Ghetto Youth-ology

Pete Seeger, Rainbow Race / Now / Young Vs. Old (a five-CD box set)

Sun Ra, Live in Cleveland

Tinted Windows, Tinted Windows (Hanson Bros. lead singer Jordan with JAMES IHA of Smashing Pumpkins fame, Adam Schlesinger from Fountains of Wayne and Bun E. Carlos of CHEAP TRICK!)

Allen Toussaint, The Bright Mississippi

Various Artists, Eccentric Soul: Smart’s Place compilation

Various Artists, Om Lounge 15th Anniversary Edition

17 Again Original Motion Picture Soundtrack

ON VINYL:

Death

Depeche Mode

Killers 12”

King Khan

Manchester Orchestra

Method Man & Redman 12”

Radiohead EPs reissued (tisk, tisk on Capitol for the cheap, generic packaging)

ON DVD:

Notorious

The Wrestler