Video: The Woolen Men “Hold It Up”
We are big fans of New York imprint Woodsist around these parts. For my money, the label has consistently churned out some of the best pop rock in the country over the last couple of years. The latest offering comes in the form of a self-titled LP from Pacific Northwest trio The Woolen Men. It’s an accessible batch of guitar-driven toe tappers that play on the snare-heavy sounds of late ’60s surf rock, occasionally delving into restrained punk.
Last week, The Woolen Men released a psychedelic new video for lead single “Hold It Up.” The seizure-enducing, black and white affair was produced by Portland artist Jeffrey Kriksciun. The band recently embarked upon a nationwide tour, with dates scheduled through early June. Check out a full list of dates below, and don’t miss these cats when they roll through the Midwest in late May.
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Tour Dates:
March 22: Portland, OR :: Mississippi Studios w/ Sad Horse, Stay Calm
March 23: Stockton, CA :: Garage w/ Kismet Aura, Monster Treasure
March 24: Los Angeles, CA :: Permanent Records
March 25: San Diego, CA :: Soda Bar w/ Oh and the Whats, Dream Buddies
March 26: Santa Ana, CA :: Unit B w/ NASA Space Universe
March 27: San Jose, CA :: The Usuals w/ Plantain
March 28: San Francisco, CA :: The Knockout w/ Swiftumz
March 29: Davis CA :: Simi’s w/ Kevin Greenspoon
March 30: Oakland CA :: Long Haul Books w/ Permanent Collection
May 19: Brooklyn, NY :: Shea Stadium w/ Lame Drivers, Hippy and Shark
May 20: New Brunswick :: NJ Cooler Ranch w/ Lame Drivers, Trash Ride
May 21: Boston, MA :: O’brian’s w/ Lame Drivers, Bent Shapes
May 22: Philadelphia, PA :: Johnny Brenda’s w/ Lame Drivers, Pet Milk, Literature
May 23: Cleveland, OH :: Now That’s Class w/ Lame Drivers
May 24: Chicago, IL :: The Burlington w/ Lame Drivers
May 25: Bloomington, IN :: The Realm w/ Lame Drivers
May 28: Little Rock, AK :: House show w/ Lame Drivers
May 29: Austin, TX :: Beerland w/ Lame Drivers, Simple Circuits
June 01: Athens, GA :: Farm 255 w/ Lame Drivers
June 02: Charlotte, NC :: Yauhaus w/ Lame Drivers
June 05: Baltimore, MD :: Golden West w/ Lame Drivers
June 06: New York, NY :: Cake Shop w/ Lame Drivers, Darlings
June 07: Brooklyn, NY :: Silent Barn
Written by Rob Peoni
Video: Cult Favorite “For All of these Birds”
Fresh off the release of their thought provoking debut album For Madmen Only, Elucid and AM Breakups unveiled a video for the album’s lead single “For All Of These Birds.” The ominous feel of AM’s beat matches the industrial feel of the video perfectly. Per usual any of this duo’s output, first impressions don’t always tell the full story. As Elucid rhymes, “Might crack a smile, but ain’t a damn thing funny”. Jarring, progressive, philosophical, layered hip hop. Pick up a copy of the limited edition vinyl while it’s still available.
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Written by John Bugbee
Live Track: Cat Power ft. Loren Connors “The Leopard and the Lamb”
Chan Marshall (a.k.a. Cat Power) is a notorious enigma, prone to bouts of debilitating depression, fits of temporary psychosis, and public outbursts. This emotional earnestness has come to define the career of one of rock’s most captivating heroines of the last 15 years. We drink it in, part and parcel with Marshall’s often introspective, biographic songwriting, assuming the glimpses of instability provide a clearer picture of the artist’s work.
Below, stream a live recording of “The Leopard and the Lamb” – a track that has never made it to any of Marshall’s studio releases. The song features the stark, minimalist play of avant-garde guitarist Loren Connors. Connors is a virtuoso, whose prolific catalog includes more than 60 releases. He is a master at creating deceptively expansive soundscapes out of understated, melodic improvisation.
This duet allegedly took place in October of 1999 at Tonic on Manhattan’s Lower East Side. If this is true, it places Marshall in the throes of a creative limbo following the release of her critically acclaimed fourth LP, Moon Pix. I was unable to confirm the source of the recording, aside from an old post on a defunct French music blog that featured a broken link to seven live tracks from Connors and Marshall around the same time.
Confirmed or not, the sonic sensibility of “The Leopard and the Lamb” falls in line with the bald, ghostly material that would comprise Marshall’s 2000 release of The Covers Record. Though it had never previously occurred to me, Connors’ influence drips all over that release. Anyone with more information on Marshall’s work with Connors or this particular version of “The Leopard and the Lamb,” feel free to hit us up in the comment box. For more on Connors, check out his most recent release A Fire on Family Vineyard Records.
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Written by Rob Peoni
Thought on Tracks 