How many pieces can you replace on something before it loses its essence? Whether it’s EVE rebuilding a damaged WALL-E from scrap, or my own quest to restore my Jeep after some rascally car thieves stripped it for parts, the question persists: just how much addition and subtraction can something withstand before it becomes something else entirely?
That’s a concern that’s plagued The Pipettes in recent years. The UK trio made a big splash in Europe and Asia with 2006’s chart-topping We Are The Pipettes, a delightful collection of catchy, girl group-inspired pop with a winking, post-feminist twist. Thanks to unforgettable singles like “Pull Shapes” and “Your Kisses Are Wasted On Me,” the record established the steely Gwenno, the demure Rosay, and the prickly RiotBecki as worthy carriers of the Phil Spector torch. Continue reading…
With their new album Zonoscope, Cut Copy have created one of 2011’s first genuinely exciting albums.
While unabashedly continuing down the same path of epic dance rock for which they’ve been known since 2001’s I Thought of Numbers, Cut Copy have also taken a step forward in terms of production and overall sound — thanks in part to producer Ben Allen (Animal Collective, Deerhunter).
On April 2nd, Little Hurricane will blow back into San Diego for a show at the Casbah.
The San Diego duo made quite the splash around town last year, winning a San Diego Music Award for Best New Artist, rocking Rocktoberfest, and becoming the first band to perform for the Owl and Bear-programmed SoundDiego Sessions. But, just as we were getting to know and love them, Little Hurricane left San Diego to tour the country with no return date in sight.
Their wanderings may not be at an end yet, but that doesn’t mean they can’t come back and visit once in a while, and they’ll do just that on April 2nd for their CD release party at the Casbah. Also playing that night: Get Back Loretta, River City, and Low Volts. Continue reading…
San Francisco indie darlings The Dodos just released their fourth album, No Color, and they’ll make their way southward to the Casbah on April 9.
The San Diego stop is part of a whirlwind tour that will send them throughout the United States and Europe. Philadelphia’s Reading Rainbow will support the band’s appearance on the Casbah stage.
With the release of No Color, The Dodos seem to have hit their musical stride. The band’s return to their classic duo formula has produced their most melodic, cohesive effort yet, with a dreamy blend of noisy and energetic tracks. The Dodos are also hoping to hook up some lucky fans with a pair of free tickets by running ticket giveaways in each city via Facebook. All fans need to do is comment on the date of the show they would like to attend (excluding festival dates), and a winner will be selected at random — an easy way to win some tickets, especially for Facebook commenters of the world.
After a whirlwind week at SXSW and the recent release of their O&B-anticipated sophomore record Dye it Blonde, Smith Westerns are hitting the road again. This time, the band has planned a massive world tour, including a stop with Yeasayer at the Belly Up on May 21. In addition to its California dates, the group will swing by Europe and Canada, and play a slew of Southern shows with a little band named Wilco.
Smith Westerns also recently recorded a live in-studio session for Pitchfork TV (see above). In the video, the band sets up shop in a foggy studio to perform Dye it Blonde songs “Weekend,” “Imagine Pt. 3,” and “Dye the World.” Two more videos and the full list of Smith Westerns tour dates are below. Continue reading…
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