lovely article about our favorite thing! (well written....and i never get tired of reading these types of stories!)
Vinyl Records Are Cool Again
By Aspyn Jones
The needle scratching on an album, freshly plucked from its sleeve used to be something only the older set enjoyed. But not anymore.
Vinyl record sales are on the rise, and Val Camilletti, owner of Val’s Halla Records, located in Oak Park, has an explanation as to why vinyl is suddenly all the rage again.
“The major media just caught up,” she said. “This has been happening now for over the last two or three years.”
Fellow record store owner Morry Barak of Favorite Records, in Wicker Park, attributes this spike to the death of digital.
“I think people just are rejecting music in general of today,” said Barak. “There’s not a really good way to sell it, downloads are a weird, intangible thing.”
Vinyl isn’t just limited to your mom and dad’s old Rolling Stones or Al Green LPs—or long-playing microgroove record, another name for vinyl. A wide variety of artists, both young and old, are on album covers. But exactly why would someone want to hear the new Feist album on a turntable when one can easily illegally download the album?
Read the rest at chicagotalks.org
=============
GORGUTS' 'Obscura' To Be Made Available On Vinyl For First Time
Canadian label War On Music has announced the long-overdue vinyl release of GORGUTS' 1998 album, "Obscura". The groundbreaking record is highly regarded as an unrivalled masterpiece of the death metal genre. When it first was unleashed in 1998, "Obscura" was a drastic but not unexpected departure from the earlier more traditional death metal GORGUTS offerings. Technical, extreme, often odd and discordant but deeply compelling, "Obscura" was an album which appeared difficult at first but commanded repeated listens and unquestioned respect. Over an hour of relentless, punishing, highly evolved compositions bearing no worthy comparison, but fitting in comfortably and confidently among the highest ranks of eastern Canadian metal such as VOIVOD, CRYPTOPSY and KATAKLYSM.
Never before on vinyl, the highly anticipated monstrous onslaught will be released as a double gatefold LP available early spring 2012.
Read more and get the tracklist at our friends at Blabbermouth
=============
love his music and collaborations with others, give his music a listen, you'll like it....
Matthew Sweet Celebrates the 20 Years of 'Girlfriend,' Honors Alex Chilton
by Chris Epting
Pure pop maven Matthew Sweet's most recent new album, 'Modern Art,' shimmers and shines with all of melodic majesty he's become famous for over the years. But he also has an album called 'Girlfriend' that he's thinking about these days. After all, that pop masterpiece is now 20 years old and he's celebrating the anniversary by presenting the entire thing on his current tour. He's also opened an online store for his growing line of handmade pottery. Spinner recently caught up with Sweet to discuss all this and more!
Read the rest of the interview at spinner.com
=============
the next few posts are about album cover art...pick your favorite:
The Prophecy 23 Announces New Album
German act The Prophecy 23 have recently revealed on their website an announcement about an upcoming album:
"After the overwhelming reviews of their first record '...To The Pit' and many crazy live-shows (i.a. Wacken Open Air 2011) The Prophecy 23 announces their second record 'Green Machine Laser Beam.'
"It will be produced by Kristian 'Kohle' Kohlmannslehner in the Kohlekeller Studio in January and February 2012. He already worked on chart-breaker like Crematory and Powerwolf.
"The second record of The Prophecy 23 will be released by Massacre Records in spring/summer 2012. The cover artwork was again drawn by Marvin Clifford (MAD Magazine, etc.)."
=============
Voices Of Destiny Unveil Album Artwork
German symphonic metal vets Voices of Destiny recently unveiled the album artwork and track listing their sophomore LP 'Power Dive.' The album is scheduled for release on January 27, 2011 via Massacre Records.
Tracklist:
1. Prologue
2. Power Dive
3. My Separation
4. Dreams Awake
5. Kami
6. The Untouchable
7. Being Worth
8. Dedication
9. Your Hands
10. Red Winter's Snow I (Prophets of Doom)
11. Power Dive (Reprise)
=============
Artificial Wish To Release Debut LP
Italian metal/rock band Artificial Wish are scheduled to release their debut LP 'Subconscious' on January 9, 2012 via Built2Kill Records. 'Subconscious' was produced by Eddy Cavezza and Dualized (Fear Factory/Logan Mader/Tue Madsen).
=============
Desert Sin To Release New Album
Austrian metal band Desert Sin is set to release their sophomore LP called 'Destination Paradise' on January 20, 2012 via Pure Steel Records.
Tracklist:
1. Awakening
2. Destination Paradise
3. Kill the King (Rainbow Cover)
4. Would You Release Me
5. Follow Me
6. In Silence
7. The Seed of Destruction
8. Creation
9. Hero
10. Circle of Twilight
=============
Re-Armed Unveils Album Artwork For Debut LP
Finnish melodic death metal band Re-Armed is set to release its debut album 'Worldwide Hypnotize' on January 27, 2012 through Massacre Records.
Tracklist:
1. Natural Backlash
2. Worldwide Hypnotize
3. Feardrops
4. Save Yourself
5. The Bridge That Leads Nowhere
6. Deathtrap
7. King Authority (Honor to Serve)
8. Hoax
9. Trance
=============
this from our friends at vinylcollective.com
2011 Vinyl Release Spotlight: Rise Records
As the year comes to an end, we will be doing a spotlight on a variety of labels who released hot vinyl titles during 2011! We are kicking off the series featuring Rise Records. In 2011 we saw a lot of cool records come out via Rise on a variety of limited vinyl.
Piebald – Vol I-III Triple Gatefold 3XLP (Record Store Day release, LTD 1,000 Copies)
Sharks – The Joys Of Living 2008-2010 ( 101 WHITE/BLACK MIX (GRAY HAZE), 305 BLUE/BLACK MIX, 600 RED/BLACK MIX, 1000 WHITE)
Devil Wears Prada – Plagues LP (Purple LTD 1,000)
Dance Gavin Dance – People We Knew 7? (100 Orange, 900 Baby Blue)
Man Overboard – Man Overboard LP (1000 COKE BOTTLE, 500 CAMOUFLAGE, 500 ORANGE SPLAT)
Transit – Listen and Forgive LP ( 300 YELLOW/CLEAR, 700 GRAY/PURPLE, 1000 GRAY/ORANGE SPLAT)
This Is Hell – Black Mass LP (500 BLACK, 300 WHITE/RED SPLAT, 200 BLACK/RED SOLID)
A Loss For Word – Sanctuary LP (500 BONE, 500 GOLD)
=============
INTO ETERNITY Continuing Work On New Music; Vinyl Reissues On The Way
Canadian label War On Music Records will issue several albums by Regina, Saskatchewan-based Canadian extreme progressive metallers INTO ETERNITY for the first time ever on vinyl. "Dead Or
Dreaming" (2001), "Buried In Oblivion" (2004) and "Scattering Of The Ashes" (2006) will be made available, each as a limited LP release, starting in early spring 2012.
INTO ETERNITY's signature sound has often been described as a hybrid of latter-day DEATH and CONTROL DENIED, combined with the technical stylings of DREAM THEATER. INTO ETERNITY vocalist Stu Block was recently recruited by power metal giants ICED EARTH, with whom he recorded the band's latest CD, "Dystopia".
Read more at our friends at Blabbermouth
=============
this from our colorful friends at polyvinylrecords.com
2011: The Year in Colored Vinyl
Asobi Seksu - Fluorescence (Clear Pink)
When describing the recording process for Asobi Seksu's fourth full-length, Fluorescence, guitarist James Hanna said, “This time, our agenda was to not have one at all; to be mellow about the entire process instead of obsessing over everything.”
Maybe mellow isn’t the right word, unless he’s comparing the band’s new album to a coiled-up cobra or unconscious crocodile—temperamental types that are one false move away from striking.
After all, “Coming Up” sets the scene by plowing into beehive-like synth lines and warp speed washes of dream-pop that leave you wondering just what the hell is going on.
Things don’t let up on “Trails,” either, as singer/keyboardist Yuki Chikudate sets her immaculate melodies against a barrage of battery-powered chords.
Catchy and chaotic to the core, the sky-scraping song pays homage to the pitch-perfect songwriting of the ‘60s by chartering a yellow submarine to the moon.
And when the Brooklyn-based quartet (rounded out by bassist Billy Pavone and drummer Larry Gorman) finally hits the ground, their color-saturated soundscapes don’t get dull or cold. They get even brighter, as Fluorescence’s many shades shift with each passing song.
That includes everything from the expansive/erratic—and yet, oh-so-poppy—prog movements of “Leave the Drummer Out There” to the weightless balladry of “Ocean,” a track that channels its title with swollen synths and beats that bob and weave through the murkiest waters around.
Deerhoof - Friend Opportunity (Orange
In 2007, having toured with Radiohead, the Roots, and Wilco, Deerhoof released Friend Opportunity. The album has been out of print on vinyl for years.
Now included is "Makko Shobu," which does not appear on the original.
of Montreal - thecontrollersphere (Bright Blue)
A mini-album of sorts, thecontrollersphere clocks in at 23 minutes and features the long-awaited studio version of live favorite "Black Lion Massacre" -- a pulsing sonic freakout that is the darkest and noisiest song Barnes has ever written and serves as thecontrollersphere's mission statement.
31Knots - Trump Harm (Yellow)
Moving into their 7th full-length, Trump Harm, 31Knots are a living testament to the advantages of staying true to yourself over fleeting flash-in-the-pan glamour in an age of instant gratification.
More than anything else, the sound of Trump Harm is yet another fresh take on the band's unique brand of jagged yet melodic, gritty yet graceful, grandiose punk rock.
With swift directional changes, abrupt stops, and inertia-defying starts, 31Knots executes each teetering musical jerk and halt and subsequent summersault with jaw-dropping agility.
And with every angular arrest in the music, the band seems to avoid self-annihilation through complete exposure and emotional meltdown -- thus exhibiting their absolute command over the direction of the song.
=============
found this gem online, a new site (to me anyway), lots of great info and insight....thought i'd pass it along: invisibleoranges.com
2011 in Review: The Year’s Worst Album Art
By Invisible Oranges Editor
Worst Album Art
=============
like the list and the music:
Best albums of 2011
Stewart Oksenhorn/The Aspen Times
Best Albums
=============
this man at billboard.com has got it right!:
The 10 Worst Album Covers of 2011
by Jason Lipshutz, N.Y.
The artwork on an album cover ideally offers an iconic image while complementing the music on the disc underneath it. In 2011, there were a handful of shining examples of successful album covers; who could forget the understated black-and-white elegance of Adele's "21," or the fantastic shot of Lil Wayne as a young graduate on "Tha Carter IV" cover?
Yet for all of the successful album covers, a handful of weird, boring and downright disgusting pieces of artwork were issued as well; some of them left us scratching our heads, while others will likely haunt our dreams for years to come. Check out our countdown of the 10 Worst Album Covers of 2011, and tell us which ones you think are the most downright vile -- or secretly brilliant -- in the comments section.
See more really bad album cover art at billboard.com
=============
and in music history for today, december 30th, 2012:
The great Bo Diddley was born on this date in 1928 (died in 2008).
Del Shannon was born today in 1934 (died in 1990).
In 1942, Frank Sinatra started an eight-week run of live performances at New York's Paramount Theatre. Nearly 400 policemen were needed to handle his screaming "bobbysoxer" fans.
In 1957, Elvis Presley released the single, "Don't" b/w "I Beg Of You."
In 1962, Brenda Lee was slightly injured when she ran back into her burning Nashville home to rescue her poodle, Cee Cee. However, it was too late as the pet succumbed to smoke inhalation and the home was destroyed by the flames. Brenda's hit, "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree", that featured Boots Randolph on saxophone, was still riding high on the charts.
In 1967, songwriter ("Hang On Sloopy," "Piece Of My Heart," "I Want Candy," "Twist And Shout" to name a few) /record producer/record label co-owner (Bang) Bert Berns died of heart failure at age 38.
In 1968, Vanilla Fudge performed at Gonzaga University in Spokane, Washington, with Led Zeppelin as their opening act.
CVR Blog 45rpm Singles Spotlight:
Paul Anka heard the original 1967 French pop song, Comme d'habitude (as usual) performed by Claude François, while on holiday in the south of France. He flew to Paris to negotiate the rights to the song. In a 2007 interview, he said: "I thought it was a bad record, but there was something in it." He acquired publishing rights at no cost except the melody's rights kept by the authors, and, two years later, had a dinner in Florida with Frank Sinatra and "a couple of Mob guys" at which Sinatra said: "I'm quitting the business. I'm sick of it, I'm getting the hell out."
Back in New York, Anka re-wrote the original French song for Sinatra, subtly altering the melodic structure and changing the lyrics:
"At one o'clock in the morning, I sat down at an old IBM electric typewriter and said, 'If Frank were writing this, what would he say?' And I started, metaphorically, 'And now the end is near.' I read a lot of periodicals, and I noticed everything was 'my this' and 'my that'. We were in the 'me generation' and Frank became the guy for me to use to say that. I used words I would never use: 'I ate it up and spit it out.' But that's the way he talked. I used to be around steam rooms with the Rat Pack guys - they liked to talk like Mob guys, even though they would have been scared of their own shadows."
Anka finished the song at 5 am. "I called Frank up in Nevada - he was at Caesar's Palace - and said, 'I've got something really special for you.'" Anka claimed: "When my record company caught wind of it, they were very pissed that I didn't keep it for myself. I said, 'Hey, I can write it, but I'm not the guy to sing it.' It was for Frank, no one else." Despite this, Anka would later record the song in 1969 (very shortly after Sinatra's recording was released), in 1996 (as a duet with Gabriel Byrne, performed in the movie Mad Dog Time), and in 2007 (as a duet with Jon Bon Jovi).
Frank Sinatra recorded his version of the song on December 30, 1968, and it was released in early 1969 on the album of the same name and as a single. It reached #27 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and #2 on the Easy Listening chart in the US. In the UK, the single achieved a still unmatched record, becoming the recording with the most weeks inside the Top 40, spending 75 weeks from April 1969 to September 1971. It spent a further 49 weeks in the Top 75 but never bettered the #5 slot achieved upon its first chart run.
In 1967, "Hello Goodbye" became the Beatles 15th Billboard number one hit. The flip side, "I Am The Walrus" reached #56, the lowest ranking for any charted "B" side of a Beatles number one single. John Lennon wrote nonsense words for "Walrus" after learning that a teacher at his old primary school was having his students analyze Beatles' lyrics. He would later say, "Let the fuckers work that one out."
In 1968, Peter Tork quit The Monkees, buying himself out of his contract for $160,000, which left him broke. He went on to form a group called Release and played banjo on George Harrison's soundtrack to the film Wonderwall. He later did some club performances and live television appearances before intermittently returning to The Monkees in 1986.
In 1970, Elvis Presley toured FBI headquarters in Washington DC. He requests and was given a permit to carry a gun in every state.
Also in 1970, Paul McCartney sued the other three Beatles to dissolve the partnership and gain control of his interest.
IN 1972, Bruce Springsteen opened for Brownsville Station and Sha-Na-Na at the Ohio Theatre in Columbus, Ohio.
In 1976, ABBA, the world's most successful singing group of the seventies, are awarded a US Gold record for their "Greatest Hits" album. Despite the title of the compilation, only half of the tracks had actually charted as hit singles.
In 1978, XTC played live for the first time in the US in Philadelphia.
In 1979, composer Richard Rogers died at the age of 77.
In 1979, after selling over 35 million albums since forming in 1970, Emerson, Lake and Palmer announced that they are splitting up.
In 1981, the J. Geils Band album 'Freeze-Frame' was awarded a Gold record. The LP would reach number one on the Billboard Hot 200 chart in February 1982 and remain at the top for four weeks on the strength of the hit singles "Centerfold" and "Freeze Frame."
In 1993, lyricist/composer Mack David, older brother of songwriter Hal David, died at age 81.
In 1995, 55 year-old Clarence Satchell, guitarist and saxophone player for the '70s R&B group the Ohio Players, died from a brain aneurysm. The group placed eight songs in the Billboard Top 40, including two chart toppers, "Fire" in 1974 and "Love Rollercoaster" in 1976.
In 1998, Johnny Moore, lead singer for the Drifters on their 1960s hit "Under The Boardwalk", died at the age of 64.
In 1999, George Harrison was attacked by an intruder in his Oxfordshire mansion. At about 3:00 a.m., Michael Abram, a 33 year old Liverpudlian, stabbed Harrison several times in the chest. With the help of wife Olivia and son Dhani, Abram was hit over the head with a lamp and then detained until police arrived. Harrison suffered a collapsed lung but eventually recovered from the wound. Abram would later be found not guilty by reason of insanity and less than two years after his trial, was given a conditional discharge.
In 2000, the first year of the new millennium was a good one for several classic rockers. Pollstar's Top 10 list of tours showed that the number 1 concert draw was Tina Turner with earnings of $80.2 million from her Twenty Four Seven farewell tour. Fourth place was earned by Kiss, at $62.7 million, and eighth spot was Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young with $42.1 million.
In 2002, according to a Nielsen SoundScan survey, total CD album sales were down 10.7% in 2002, marking the sharpest sales decrease from the previous year in the 11-year tracking history. It was the second straight year the market declined, following steady growth since Nielsen first began tracking the US market in 1991. Total album sales in 2002 were 681 million, compared with 762.8 million the previous year. Country album sales posted the largest increase, as sales rose 12.2% from 2001. This rise was largely fuelled by such crossover sensations as The Dixie Chicks, Shania Twain, Alan Jackson, and Faith Hill.
In 2004, bandleader/musician/composer Artie Shaw died of complications from diabetes at the age of 94.
In 2010, Bobby Farrel, vocalist for Boney M, who topped the charts with "By the Rivers of Babylon" in 1978, died of natural causes at the age of 61.
birthdays today include (among others): Paul Stookey (Peter, Paul & Mary) (74), Kenny Pentifallo (Southside Johnny & the Asbury Jukes) (71), Michael Nesmith (Monkees) (69), Davy Jones (Monkees) (66), Patti Smith (65), Clive Bunker (Jethro Tull) (65), Jeff Lynne (Electric Light Orchestra, Traveling Wilburys) (64)
Vinyl Records Are Cool Again
By Aspyn Jones
The needle scratching on an album, freshly plucked from its sleeve used to be something only the older set enjoyed. But not anymore.
Vinyl record sales are on the rise, and Val Camilletti, owner of Val’s Halla Records, located in Oak Park, has an explanation as to why vinyl is suddenly all the rage again.
“The major media just caught up,” she said. “This has been happening now for over the last two or three years.”
Fellow record store owner Morry Barak of Favorite Records, in Wicker Park, attributes this spike to the death of digital.
“I think people just are rejecting music in general of today,” said Barak. “There’s not a really good way to sell it, downloads are a weird, intangible thing.”
Vinyl isn’t just limited to your mom and dad’s old Rolling Stones or Al Green LPs—or long-playing microgroove record, another name for vinyl. A wide variety of artists, both young and old, are on album covers. But exactly why would someone want to hear the new Feist album on a turntable when one can easily illegally download the album?
Read the rest at chicagotalks.org
=============
GORGUTS' 'Obscura' To Be Made Available On Vinyl For First Time
Canadian label War On Music has announced the long-overdue vinyl release of GORGUTS' 1998 album, "Obscura". The groundbreaking record is highly regarded as an unrivalled masterpiece of the death metal genre. When it first was unleashed in 1998, "Obscura" was a drastic but not unexpected departure from the earlier more traditional death metal GORGUTS offerings. Technical, extreme, often odd and discordant but deeply compelling, "Obscura" was an album which appeared difficult at first but commanded repeated listens and unquestioned respect. Over an hour of relentless, punishing, highly evolved compositions bearing no worthy comparison, but fitting in comfortably and confidently among the highest ranks of eastern Canadian metal such as VOIVOD, CRYPTOPSY and KATAKLYSM.
Never before on vinyl, the highly anticipated monstrous onslaught will be released as a double gatefold LP available early spring 2012.
Read more and get the tracklist at our friends at Blabbermouth
=============
love his music and collaborations with others, give his music a listen, you'll like it....
Matthew Sweet Celebrates the 20 Years of 'Girlfriend,' Honors Alex Chilton
by Chris Epting
Pure pop maven Matthew Sweet's most recent new album, 'Modern Art,' shimmers and shines with all of melodic majesty he's become famous for over the years. But he also has an album called 'Girlfriend' that he's thinking about these days. After all, that pop masterpiece is now 20 years old and he's celebrating the anniversary by presenting the entire thing on his current tour. He's also opened an online store for his growing line of handmade pottery. Spinner recently caught up with Sweet to discuss all this and more!
Read the rest of the interview at spinner.com
=============
the next few posts are about album cover art...pick your favorite:
The Prophecy 23 Announces New Album
"After the overwhelming reviews of their first record '...To The Pit' and many crazy live-shows (i.a. Wacken Open Air 2011) The Prophecy 23 announces their second record 'Green Machine Laser Beam.'
"It will be produced by Kristian 'Kohle' Kohlmannslehner in the Kohlekeller Studio in January and February 2012. He already worked on chart-breaker like Crematory and Powerwolf.
"The second record of The Prophecy 23 will be released by Massacre Records in spring/summer 2012. The cover artwork was again drawn by Marvin Clifford (MAD Magazine, etc.)."
=============
Voices Of Destiny Unveil Album Artwork
Tracklist:
1. Prologue
2. Power Dive
3. My Separation
4. Dreams Awake
5. Kami
6. The Untouchable
7. Being Worth
8. Dedication
9. Your Hands
10. Red Winter's Snow I (Prophets of Doom)
11. Power Dive (Reprise)
=============
Artificial Wish To Release Debut LP
=============
Desert Sin To Release New Album
Tracklist:
1. Awakening
2. Destination Paradise
3. Kill the King (Rainbow Cover)
4. Would You Release Me
5. Follow Me
6. In Silence
7. The Seed of Destruction
8. Creation
9. Hero
10. Circle of Twilight
=============
Re-Armed Unveils Album Artwork For Debut LP
Tracklist:
1. Natural Backlash
2. Worldwide Hypnotize
3. Feardrops
4. Save Yourself
5. The Bridge That Leads Nowhere
6. Deathtrap
7. King Authority (Honor to Serve)
8. Hoax
9. Trance
=============
this from our friends at vinylcollective.com
2011 Vinyl Release Spotlight: Rise RecordsAs the year comes to an end, we will be doing a spotlight on a variety of labels who released hot vinyl titles during 2011! We are kicking off the series featuring Rise Records. In 2011 we saw a lot of cool records come out via Rise on a variety of limited vinyl.
Sharks – The Joys Of Living 2008-2010 ( 101 WHITE/BLACK MIX (GRAY HAZE), 305 BLUE/BLACK MIX, 600 RED/BLACK MIX, 1000 WHITE)
Devil Wears Prada – Plagues LP (Purple LTD 1,000)
Dance Gavin Dance – People We Knew 7? (100 Orange, 900 Baby Blue)
Man Overboard – Man Overboard LP (1000 COKE BOTTLE, 500 CAMOUFLAGE, 500 ORANGE SPLAT)
Transit – Listen and Forgive LP ( 300 YELLOW/CLEAR, 700 GRAY/PURPLE, 1000 GRAY/ORANGE SPLAT)
This Is Hell – Black Mass LP (500 BLACK, 300 WHITE/RED SPLAT, 200 BLACK/RED SOLID)
A Loss For Word – Sanctuary LP (500 BONE, 500 GOLD)
=============
INTO ETERNITY Continuing Work On New Music; Vinyl Reissues On The Way
Canadian label War On Music Records will issue several albums by Regina, Saskatchewan-based Canadian extreme progressive metallers INTO ETERNITY for the first time ever on vinyl. "Dead Or
Dreaming" (2001), "Buried In Oblivion" (2004) and "Scattering Of The Ashes" (2006) will be made available, each as a limited LP release, starting in early spring 2012.
INTO ETERNITY's signature sound has often been described as a hybrid of latter-day DEATH and CONTROL DENIED, combined with the technical stylings of DREAM THEATER. INTO ETERNITY vocalist Stu Block was recently recruited by power metal giants ICED EARTH, with whom he recorded the band's latest CD, "Dystopia".
Read more at our friends at Blabbermouth
=============
this from our colorful friends at polyvinylrecords.com
2011: The Year in Colored Vinyl
Asobi Seksu - Fluorescence (Clear Pink)
When describing the recording process for Asobi Seksu's fourth full-length, Fluorescence, guitarist James Hanna said, “This time, our agenda was to not have one at all; to be mellow about the entire process instead of obsessing over everything.”
Maybe mellow isn’t the right word, unless he’s comparing the band’s new album to a coiled-up cobra or unconscious crocodile—temperamental types that are one false move away from striking.
After all, “Coming Up” sets the scene by plowing into beehive-like synth lines and warp speed washes of dream-pop that leave you wondering just what the hell is going on.
Things don’t let up on “Trails,” either, as singer/keyboardist Yuki Chikudate sets her immaculate melodies against a barrage of battery-powered chords.
Catchy and chaotic to the core, the sky-scraping song pays homage to the pitch-perfect songwriting of the ‘60s by chartering a yellow submarine to the moon.
And when the Brooklyn-based quartet (rounded out by bassist Billy Pavone and drummer Larry Gorman) finally hits the ground, their color-saturated soundscapes don’t get dull or cold. They get even brighter, as Fluorescence’s many shades shift with each passing song.
That includes everything from the expansive/erratic—and yet, oh-so-poppy—prog movements of “Leave the Drummer Out There” to the weightless balladry of “Ocean,” a track that channels its title with swollen synths and beats that bob and weave through the murkiest waters around.
Deerhoof - Friend Opportunity (Orange
In 2007, having toured with Radiohead, the Roots, and Wilco, Deerhoof released Friend Opportunity. The album has been out of print on vinyl for years.
Now included is "Makko Shobu," which does not appear on the original.
of Montreal - thecontrollersphere (Bright Blue)
A mini-album of sorts, thecontrollersphere clocks in at 23 minutes and features the long-awaited studio version of live favorite "Black Lion Massacre" -- a pulsing sonic freakout that is the darkest and noisiest song Barnes has ever written and serves as thecontrollersphere's mission statement.
31Knots - Trump Harm (Yellow)
Moving into their 7th full-length, Trump Harm, 31Knots are a living testament to the advantages of staying true to yourself over fleeting flash-in-the-pan glamour in an age of instant gratification.
More than anything else, the sound of Trump Harm is yet another fresh take on the band's unique brand of jagged yet melodic, gritty yet graceful, grandiose punk rock.
With swift directional changes, abrupt stops, and inertia-defying starts, 31Knots executes each teetering musical jerk and halt and subsequent summersault with jaw-dropping agility.
And with every angular arrest in the music, the band seems to avoid self-annihilation through complete exposure and emotional meltdown -- thus exhibiting their absolute command over the direction of the song.
=============
found this gem online, a new site (to me anyway), lots of great info and insight....thought i'd pass it along: invisibleoranges.com
By Invisible Oranges Editor
Worst Album Art
=============
like the list and the music:
Best albums of 2011
Stewart Oksenhorn/The Aspen Times
Best Albums
=============
this man at billboard.com has got it right!:
The 10 Worst Album Covers of 2011
by Jason Lipshutz, N.Y.
Yet for all of the successful album covers, a handful of weird, boring and downright disgusting pieces of artwork were issued as well; some of them left us scratching our heads, while others will likely haunt our dreams for years to come. Check out our countdown of the 10 Worst Album Covers of 2011, and tell us which ones you think are the most downright vile -- or secretly brilliant -- in the comments section.
See more really bad album cover art at billboard.com
=============
and in music history for today, december 30th, 2012:
The great Bo Diddley was born on this date in 1928 (died in 2008).
Del Shannon was born today in 1934 (died in 1990).
In 1942, Frank Sinatra started an eight-week run of live performances at New York's Paramount Theatre. Nearly 400 policemen were needed to handle his screaming "bobbysoxer" fans.
In 1957, Elvis Presley released the single, "Don't" b/w "I Beg Of You."
In 1962, Brenda Lee was slightly injured when she ran back into her burning Nashville home to rescue her poodle, Cee Cee. However, it was too late as the pet succumbed to smoke inhalation and the home was destroyed by the flames. Brenda's hit, "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree", that featured Boots Randolph on saxophone, was still riding high on the charts.
In 1967, songwriter ("Hang On Sloopy," "Piece Of My Heart," "I Want Candy," "Twist And Shout" to name a few) /record producer/record label co-owner (Bang) Bert Berns died of heart failure at age 38.
In 1968, Vanilla Fudge performed at Gonzaga University in Spokane, Washington, with Led Zeppelin as their opening act.
In 1968, in Los Angeles, Frank Sinatra recorded "My Way."
Paul Anka heard the original 1967 French pop song, Comme d'habitude (as usual) performed by Claude François, while on holiday in the south of France. He flew to Paris to negotiate the rights to the song. In a 2007 interview, he said: "I thought it was a bad record, but there was something in it." He acquired publishing rights at no cost except the melody's rights kept by the authors, and, two years later, had a dinner in Florida with Frank Sinatra and "a couple of Mob guys" at which Sinatra said: "I'm quitting the business. I'm sick of it, I'm getting the hell out."
Back in New York, Anka re-wrote the original French song for Sinatra, subtly altering the melodic structure and changing the lyrics:
"At one o'clock in the morning, I sat down at an old IBM electric typewriter and said, 'If Frank were writing this, what would he say?' And I started, metaphorically, 'And now the end is near.' I read a lot of periodicals, and I noticed everything was 'my this' and 'my that'. We were in the 'me generation' and Frank became the guy for me to use to say that. I used words I would never use: 'I ate it up and spit it out.' But that's the way he talked. I used to be around steam rooms with the Rat Pack guys - they liked to talk like Mob guys, even though they would have been scared of their own shadows."
Anka finished the song at 5 am. "I called Frank up in Nevada - he was at Caesar's Palace - and said, 'I've got something really special for you.'" Anka claimed: "When my record company caught wind of it, they were very pissed that I didn't keep it for myself. I said, 'Hey, I can write it, but I'm not the guy to sing it.' It was for Frank, no one else." Despite this, Anka would later record the song in 1969 (very shortly after Sinatra's recording was released), in 1996 (as a duet with Gabriel Byrne, performed in the movie Mad Dog Time), and in 2007 (as a duet with Jon Bon Jovi).
Frank Sinatra recorded his version of the song on December 30, 1968, and it was released in early 1969 on the album of the same name and as a single. It reached #27 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and #2 on the Easy Listening chart in the US. In the UK, the single achieved a still unmatched record, becoming the recording with the most weeks inside the Top 40, spending 75 weeks from April 1969 to September 1971. It spent a further 49 weeks in the Top 75 but never bettered the #5 slot achieved upon its first chart run.
In 1967, "Hello Goodbye" became the Beatles 15th Billboard number one hit. The flip side, "I Am The Walrus" reached #56, the lowest ranking for any charted "B" side of a Beatles number one single. John Lennon wrote nonsense words for "Walrus" after learning that a teacher at his old primary school was having his students analyze Beatles' lyrics. He would later say, "Let the fuckers work that one out."
In 1968, Peter Tork quit The Monkees, buying himself out of his contract for $160,000, which left him broke. He went on to form a group called Release and played banjo on George Harrison's soundtrack to the film Wonderwall. He later did some club performances and live television appearances before intermittently returning to The Monkees in 1986.
In 1970, Elvis Presley toured FBI headquarters in Washington DC. He requests and was given a permit to carry a gun in every state.
Also in 1970, Paul McCartney sued the other three Beatles to dissolve the partnership and gain control of his interest.
IN 1972, Bruce Springsteen opened for Brownsville Station and Sha-Na-Na at the Ohio Theatre in Columbus, Ohio.
In 1976, ABBA, the world's most successful singing group of the seventies, are awarded a US Gold record for their "Greatest Hits" album. Despite the title of the compilation, only half of the tracks had actually charted as hit singles.
In 1978, XTC played live for the first time in the US in Philadelphia.
In 1979, composer Richard Rogers died at the age of 77.
In 1979, after selling over 35 million albums since forming in 1970, Emerson, Lake and Palmer announced that they are splitting up.
In 1981, the J. Geils Band album 'Freeze-Frame' was awarded a Gold record. The LP would reach number one on the Billboard Hot 200 chart in February 1982 and remain at the top for four weeks on the strength of the hit singles "Centerfold" and "Freeze Frame."In 1995, 55 year-old Clarence Satchell, guitarist and saxophone player for the '70s R&B group the Ohio Players, died from a brain aneurysm. The group placed eight songs in the Billboard Top 40, including two chart toppers, "Fire" in 1974 and "Love Rollercoaster" in 1976.
In 1998, Johnny Moore, lead singer for the Drifters on their 1960s hit "Under The Boardwalk", died at the age of 64.
In 1999, George Harrison was attacked by an intruder in his Oxfordshire mansion. At about 3:00 a.m., Michael Abram, a 33 year old Liverpudlian, stabbed Harrison several times in the chest. With the help of wife Olivia and son Dhani, Abram was hit over the head with a lamp and then detained until police arrived. Harrison suffered a collapsed lung but eventually recovered from the wound. Abram would later be found not guilty by reason of insanity and less than two years after his trial, was given a conditional discharge.
In 2000, the first year of the new millennium was a good one for several classic rockers. Pollstar's Top 10 list of tours showed that the number 1 concert draw was Tina Turner with earnings of $80.2 million from her Twenty Four Seven farewell tour. Fourth place was earned by Kiss, at $62.7 million, and eighth spot was Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young with $42.1 million.
In 2002, according to a Nielsen SoundScan survey, total CD album sales were down 10.7% in 2002, marking the sharpest sales decrease from the previous year in the 11-year tracking history. It was the second straight year the market declined, following steady growth since Nielsen first began tracking the US market in 1991. Total album sales in 2002 were 681 million, compared with 762.8 million the previous year. Country album sales posted the largest increase, as sales rose 12.2% from 2001. This rise was largely fuelled by such crossover sensations as The Dixie Chicks, Shania Twain, Alan Jackson, and Faith Hill.
In 2004, bandleader/musician/composer Artie Shaw died of complications from diabetes at the age of 94.
In 2010, Bobby Farrel, vocalist for Boney M, who topped the charts with "By the Rivers of Babylon" in 1978, died of natural causes at the age of 61.
birthdays today include (among others): Paul Stookey (Peter, Paul & Mary) (74), Kenny Pentifallo (Southside Johnny & the Asbury Jukes) (71), Michael Nesmith (Monkees) (69), Davy Jones (Monkees) (66), Patti Smith (65), Clive Bunker (Jethro Tull) (65), Jeff Lynne (Electric Light Orchestra, Traveling Wilburys) (64)
