UGLY PARTS is an old school 80′s style hardcore band with modern influences from New Brunswick New Jersey. I was able to check the band out a few weekends ago in Bushwick at a bar/gallery space. The band is super tight and the front man knows how to thrash the fuck about! Check out some videos below.
The Dirty Dishes are a Boston based band formed around the song writing of front woman Jenny Tuite. The band have been kicking ass in Boston for a while now, gracing the cover of The Weekly Dig, participating in a SXSW showcase for Converse (2011), features in Nylon Magazine and various other publications as well as participating in SXSW 2012 taking place this week in Austin Tx (show info below). The band has just released a five song E.P. entitled “The Most Tarnished Birds”. You can listen or purchase the E.P. on their Band Camp page HERE. Be on the look out for The Dirty Dishes to break in 2012.
More info on their Tumblr here or like them on Facebook here
DIRTY DISHES – BLUR
SXSW 2012 INFO
Thursday 3/15
Emerald City Limits
Spider House
2908 Fruth Street
Set Time: 1:30-2:00pm (Outside Stage)
http://on.fb.me/xkkgC8
Friday 3/16
Shifting Sounds + Exploding in Sound Present: GRACKLE ROCK
The Grackle
1700 E. 6th Street
Set Time: 1:00-1:20pm (Inside Stage)
http://on.fb.me/wtkF59
Saturday 3/17
Wadzilla Mansion’s “Boston in Austin” Showcase
The Treehouse Pub (Above Coyote Ugly)
501 E. 6th Street
Set Time: 4:15-4:45pm
http://on.fb.me/wooz1u
Lifetime is the grandfather band to acts like Saves The Day (listen to Can’t Slow Down, then a Lifetime record back to back), New Found Glory and countless other melodic/pop punk bands. Way before the TV network and hailing from the garden state, these guys are legends.
Thanks to my good friends Kenji Nakayama and KW, I got turned on to this band just in time to see them live. I’ve gotten a lot lazier about finding good music lately, so it was a nice treat to find this group. Read More
On the Road with Carter Tanton
By KW
In the eight or so years I lived in Boston, disparagement of the rock scene was as common as lamenting the Red Sox and Celtics each season (pre-2004 and 2008 respectively, of course). It was easy to take that stance, but if you dragged your ass to enough shows in Cambridge, JP, and Allston, there were always interesting and worthwhile sounds to discover. One such band was Tulsa, which was fronted by guitarist and singer Carter Tanton. While that band has long-since dissolved, he has been busy—as a member of Jana Hunter’s Lower Dens, occasionally playing with Melissa Nadler, and by cutting his teeth as a recording engineer for Twin Shadow, Drug Rug, and many others.
This hard-working and often peripatetic musician has been zigzagging across the country over the last few weeks with Fumika Yamazaki-Burdett (also of Viva Viva, keys) and Greg Besun (a.k.a. MANNERS, drums), opening up for guitar-heroes War on Drugs and Purling Hiss. I was able to catch up with Carter through some late-night correspondence as he and the crew makes their way back East for a few more dates in the US before heading to Europe. Be sure to watch kaleidoscopic video for “Horrorscope” after the jump, which was directed by JHNY STVNS (of Fedavees, whose new single was also recorded by Carter). If you don’t manage to catch him on tour this fall, his much-anticipated solo effort Freeclouds will be available in your local record store on November 15th.
KW – I hope the tour has been going well everyone. It is definitely a killer bill alongside Purling Hiss and War on Drugs. I read in another interview that you collaborated with Adam Granduciel [of War on Drugs] years ago—is that how this bill came about?
CT – In a way, maybe. Yeah, it’s funny—Adam and I were just talking about those days in Boston where we hung out in our friend’s studio. He’s definitely a dude who I can talk about recording with and learn something new each time. I relate to his methods a lot.
KW – What have you guys been listening to in the van on those long drives out West?
CT – J Dilla. Spectrum. Karl Blau.
KW – I’d like to hear about your process for recording and producing Freeclouds at your home. What is your set-up, and how long did you work on it?
CT – I have one mic and one mic preamp. That’s about it. And then I do a lot of work sampling myself and drum programming. This record really was made in my bedroom. You can do just about anything these days with only a little technology. I’m psyched on that.
Freeclouds took 2-3 months, mixing included. I tracked it beginning in February last winter.
KW – I see that “Horrorscope” was recorded with Brian Deck [formerly of Califone, Ugly Casanova, Red Red Meat, and producer for Iron & Wine, Modest Mouse, and countless others]. How did you end up collaborating with him?
CT – My old band was encouraged to work with him. “Horrorscope” was definitely the song Brian and I clicked on the most. I got him up out of his chair.
KW – Did you acquire any new implements recently or over the last few years that were employed on this album? A new 12-string, a Roland 707, or anything that helped your sound evolve?
CT – Hah. A computer. My first ever. That’s it. And a Roland Juno 6.
KW – After a leg through Europe later this year, what are your plans for 2012?
CT – More tours in January and February, and then I’ll be busy with Lower Dens.
KW – As a museum nerd, I have to ask—have you guys seen any art or visited any museums during your travels? If so, any highlights?
CT – Yes!! The De Kooning exhibit at the MoMA [New York] is awesome. Go. The first room is my favorite of the whole show.
Freeclouds can be pre-ordered through Western Vinyl and is also available on iTunes now.
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The author of this article loves to keep tabs on her favorite Boston bands down in NYC.
Antoine Wagner has made Phoenix the subject of his latest documentary. The documentary outlines the recording and touring involved in the Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix record. Watch it in its entirety below.
UPDATE: The video has been removed
Phoenix – From A Mess To The Masses from Freak! mag on Vimeo.
Trouble On The Way
MONA | Myspace Music Videos
Expect big things from MONA this year.
The first video is what happens after a Justin Bieber concert. People drink one too many cosmos and their inner-bitch rears her ugly head! Read More
Big Jus, J.P., Leslie and I met up at the Middle East to see our friend Owen’s band: A Wish For Fire. It was their cd release party and they packed the place out. I wish I could have taken a photo of the split though, because A Wish For Fire definitely brought in the most people that night. Ellen was there checking on Justin’s new Proletariat tattoo! Read More
