Video: Califone – “All My Friends Are Funeral Singers”

In the early 2000s, art/folk/experimentalists Califone played a few shows in which they improvised accompaniment to silent films. The sessions were documented in the Deceleration series, and though the discs are quite good, they seemed like a different side of Califone, rather than a natural path.

Enter 2009 and All My Friends Are Funeral Singers. Tim Rutili set out to make a movie using only cell phone cameras. Things changed, ideas grew, and a feature film was born. This time, it had a Califone soundtrack and Califone stars, and the film itself had the Rutili touch. Funeral Singers is a remarkable, wildly imaginative film that — along with the band’s 2009 album of the same name — sees Rutili at a creative high point. All My Friends Are Funeral Singers premiered at Sundance, SxSW, and Sarasota film festivals. Paste magazine called it one of the highlights of Sundance, a “whimsical movie…full of fascinating characters…directed with a light, deft touch.”

To win a copy of All My Friends Are Funeral Singers, just comment below and include your email address in the form (your email won’t be visible to the public). The winner will be chosen at random on July 12, 2010. Califone tour dates are below…

Lady Gaga – ‘Alejandro’ (Video)

There’s a fine line between postmodern pastiche and corporatized pop rehash, but Lady Gaga — who just released the epic-length music video for her latest single, “Alejandro” — has heretofore stylishly and successfully danced on that tightrope wearing a myriad of medical fetish gear, latex bodysuits, and Alexander McQueen heels. Yet “Alejandro,” with its didactic investments in Madonna-esque blasphemy and fascist military imagery, fails to provide Lady Gaga’s brilliant, trademark pop derivations or her meta-corporate critiques. Continue reading…

Lou Barlow Kicks off Tour 6/10 at the Casbah

Indie rock institution Lou Barlow will kick off his tour with the Missingmen on June 10 at the Casbah. Mr. Barlow is touring to support his latest effort, 2009’s Goodnight Unknown, as well as a new 8-song EP called =Sentridoh III. This tour marks the first time he’s headlined shows with the Missingmen in almost a year, so Thursday is not to be missed (get it??!!11). Continue reading…

Time to Move & Shake at the Rumble

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Come Saturday, you’ll feel that familiar shake ‘neath your feet and think it’s happening again. But this time, it won’t be another e-quake (as far as I know); it’ll be the sound of people stampeding to Bar Pink for The Rumble.

If admission weren’t 100% free, I’d call The Rumble the “always sold-out” indie rock showcase that rolls into America’s Finest City every month. Since there’s no cover charge, I’ll just say it’s the indie rock event that has it all: free bands, the jockeying of discs, cheap booze, me…

This month’s featured artists include San Diego’s Maren Parusel and Drug Wars and L.A.’s Chasing Kings. Throw in local celebutante Seth Combs (spinning under the stage name DJ Meth Combz), and you’ve got yourself one hell of a happening. Get there reasonably early, steal a space at the bar, order some astoundingly inexpensive drinks, and have a blast. That’s what we do, anyway. Continue reading…

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