Just before the music started, Dave Grohl screamed “Are you ready?” from behind the giant Foo Fighters curtain. Continue reading…Â
Tag Archives: The Kinks
Rafter Releases Surprise New Album
San Diego’s musical mad scientist Rafter is releasing his newest LP, Quiet Storm, as a pay-what-you-want download. The album comes hot on the heels of last year’s critically acclaimed, booty-shaking Animal Feelings. Whereas that album’s aesthetic was firmly rooted in pop — filtered, as always, through Rafter’s trademark gonzo sensibilities — Quiet Storm‘s genesis can be traced to an altogether different genre: metal.
“When [drummer Nathan Hubbard] and I were touring around the US after Animal Feelings came out, we listened to a lot of black metal demo tapes in the car,” Rafter explains on his website. “It was really inspiring, extreme, blown out, ridiculous but heartfelt… I made [Quiet Storm], fed by those inspirations and a wave of existential freakout, human mind explosion. In my fantasy, it’s like Darkthrone meets The Kinks meets Lee Perry…”
For a taste of Quiet Storm, check out the hard-hitting “Oh No” (MP3), then head over to his Bandcamp page to download the whole album. Be sure to show your appreciation by paying generously.
Or if you prefer music of the live variety, head on down to the Tin Can tonight for Rafter’s impromptu record release show. He’ll be joined by the equally dancey Jamuel Saxon, who just released the 3-song Time Is Money EP for streaming and download on his own Bandcamp page.
Poetic Memory: Langhorne Slim (List)
A few weeks ago, Langhorne Slim and his ridiculously good band played the Casbah. We loved it, and as with many who’ve seen him on this tour, an obsession was born.
We recently asked Langhorne and his band — Jeff Ratner, David Moore, and Malachi DeLorenzo — to reveal their Poetic Memories, and they came back with a wide-ranging and reliable list that sheds light on what they’re reading, watching, and playing. Check it out below. Continue reading
Poetic Memory: The Moviegoers (List)
In the 1960s the average band enjoyed fame for a couple of months, if that, before people’s attention shifted to the next rising (and soon to be falling) stars. Being a one-hit wonder wasn’t a failure, it was the norm, and accomplishments by bands like The Beatles and The Kinks were rendered all the more impressive by the fact that any kind of longevity was exceptional, and enjoyed by only a small percentage of groups.
Not much has changed since then: nowadays most bands—particularly in the realm of indie rock—still amount to little more than passing fads, soaking up their proverbial fifteen minutes before succumbing to irrelevance. But one thing that has been accelerated by the internet is that entire genres seem to rise and fall in the space of a few months, leaving up-and-coming groups scrambling to tap into the next sound du jour and ride the Wavves waves of recognition before they fizzle out.
Then there are bands who are content to just create great music. Unfazed by meaningless trends, they place emphasis on great songwriting, captivating melodies, and a distinctive but inviting sound. They may not get drooled over by Pitchfork (and if they do, it’s only so long until P4K’s drool runs dry and the inevitable backlash begins), but they do create a body of work that speaks for itself, and will outlast the one-MP3 wonders that permeate the blogosphere. San Diego’s The Moviegoers are one of those bands, and though they may not auto-tune their vocals or mangle their guitars with lo-fi crunch, they do create moving, memorable songs accented by rich harmonies and understated confidence. And that never goes out of style. Continue reading