Special Features - Episode 001 - Flying Lotus

Welcome to Special Features a new Podcast brought to you by myself and Antony Pecotic.

The aim of the program is to enlighten, challenge and entertain the audience and spread the word about, new vital music and films and to educate and shed light on different musicians/filmmakers through the special features retrospective series. The show’s achievement would be to create passion, obsession and enthusiasm for our listeners in relation to music and film culture. We would like to create a community of likeminded souls/ listeners that we can interact with on a regular basis, either on the phone or through live events that might be an offshoot from the show.

Episode 001 is on the Warp Artist Flying Lotus and his new album Cosmogramma. Just click on the above link which will then take you to a program called File Dropper. Just click Download and the file should be on your Hard drive, if you have a problem downloading please contact me and we can work out a solution. We hope you enjoy. Episode 002 will be coming very soon.

Pelican - What We All Come to Need

I am currently listening to the latest album from Chicago based post rock outfit Pelican. I do think however that by putting them into that post rock outfit is perhaps a bit unfair. These guys write soaring progressive instrumental monoliths.

I first got into this band about a year ago when i picked up there 3rd album City Of Echoes and really liked what i heard. I recognised that these guys were fairly dense and maybe not for the everyday listener but as always that is what i found myself drawn to it thanks to my love for the band Tool ( Aenima is absolutely one of my all time favourite records and still astounds me as it always sounds fresh and inspiring. It doesn't feel like i have listened to it a 1000 times - Anyway back to the review. ) These guys obviously take there cues from bands like Tool and perhaps more importantly ISIS, even to the point where Aaron Turner ( lead singer ISIS ) guests on track 3 "Ephemeral" Pelican have actually been around for quite a while forming the band in 2001 and releasing there first record Australasia in 2003. It should also be said that one of the main reasons why i was excited about this record is that the great Southern Lord were distributing. For those not in the know Southern Lord is home to the great Sunn O))) ( yes i am aware that it cant be pronounced - I just call them Sunn ) Sunn O are one of the most heavy, ambient, powerful, difficult, Loud and noisy bands i have ever spent time with. There latest records Monoliths and Dimension is tough even for people that like the band but extremely rewarding if you have the patience. Greg Anderson also guests on this Pelican album. I don't normally do this but i have to post this link to a Blog where this guy reviews seeing Sunn live in concert. His blog is called The Needle Drops and is well worth checking out.

http://theneedledrop.blogspot.com/2009/09/staring-into-sunn-o.html

Anyway i seem to be veering away from the topic quite a bit which i should get back to. I only have 2 tracks for this latest effort from Pelican and i must say that i am greatly impressed. Everything about this record is a step up from what has kind of irritated me in the past. I always feel that no matter how much i like a band and get a little obsessive over it there always tends to be something that stops a band being greater than what they actually are. In Pelicans case its they are living in the Shadow of there bigger counterparts, namely the aforementioned bands Isis and Tool as well as countless others. Do not take this as a reason to not at least check out this record as its is streaming in its entirety on there Myspace page which i will leave a link for as usual. I don't know how long it will be there so you should be quick.

Whats going on i just the last track "Final Breath" and vocals have appeared. This is interesting as it is letting the band ebb and flow in a completely different way. Did not expect that. Maybe this is a sign that they are moving in a new direction

Thanks for reading.

http://www.myspace.com/pelican

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pelican_%28band%29

For those interested i am also going to pleave links for the other bands that i have spoken about in my review.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunn_O)))

http://www.myspace.com/southernlordrecordings

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tool_%28band%29



Still haven't decided what my next review should be. Any suggestions ?

Fuck Buttons - Tarot Sport

I know it has been a while since my last post but i really must tell you about this new record i got tonight. I am currently listening to it for the first time and i quite literally amazed so far of how good it is. The record is by a English duo who go by the name of Fuck Buttons. These 2 guys released a album in 2004 called Street Horrrsing. I picked up that record not thinking that it would change my world and i was mainly right. There was something about it though that made me take notice of what these guys could possibly do. The best way to describe there music is noisy electronica with a melodic edge.

Just wait a second.... Just hit Track 4 ( Olympians) and its still awesome.

I keep waiting for it to get to something that isnt that interesting. The album starts off with Surf Solar which starts off with a clash of noise then a driving beat kicks in and the 4 on the floor starts. It then keeps driving with a noisy loop predimantely being front and centre for a good portion of the track. This music is all about layering and the composition of placing these sounds together. Whats most impressive is that Fuck Buttons have managed to be interesting and experimental yet Listenable. All the tracks merge into one another but even though thus may feel like a big long mix each tracks soon finds its own identity...

Track 5 ( Phantom Limb )... This ones a bit noiser than the rest. There is almost a Electro Clash vibe to this one. I dont really know how to describe this one. Its a bit full on. Definately the weakest track i have heard so far. Thats Ok it only goes for 4.50.

One thing i will say is that i always appreciate Electronic artists that know there equipment and these guys have great sounds with great beats. I would definately recomend this to anyone who has a interest in Electronica with noisy but a highly Rhytmic edge. Definately a step up from there previous record and one that i am certain will be getting pulled out of the collection for a long while yet.

Track 6 ( Space Mountain )... back to awesome. Tribal drums with Fuzzed out guitars and keyboard loops in the background. I can forgive the previous tracks indescretion.

Track 7 ( Flight of the Feathered Serpant )... Last track on the album. More of the same but that is not a bad thing. Driving drums are defiantely the focus on the second half of this record.

I highly recomend this album. I havent had a first listen that has made me this excited about a new record for a while. Check it out

Nathan

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fuck_Buttons

http://www.myspace.com/fuckbuttons

Upcoming Release - Rain Machine

Rain Machine is the new solo project from TV on the Radio's enormously bearded singer/guitarist. The self-titled Rain Machine album is due September 22 from Anti-.

The Rain Machine tracklist is below.

Rain Machine:
01 Intro
02 Give Blood
03 New Last Name
04 Smiling Black Faces
05 Driftwood Heart
06 Hold You Holy
07 Desperate Bitch
08 Love Won’t Save You
09 Free Ride
10 Leave the Lights On
11 Winter Song

This looks really great.

http://www.myspace.com/rainmachinemusic

Terra Incognita by Juliette Lewis

This is probably the most surprising record i have bought in the last couple of weeks. It wasn't so much i was expecting a bad record it was just that i only really bought it because i am what is commonly referred to as a completest who must have every possible major release from artists i really dig. I am referring to the very talented mildy weird Omar Rodriguez Lopez.



This guy in my opinion is one of my favourite artists. He is the leader and the driving force behind The Mars Volta as well as releasing and producing no less that 30 records since1996. This man is prolific and does not fuck around. So why would he choose to hook up with a artist like Juliette Lewis... For this reviewer i have no idea, i know nothing about Juliette Lewis music career other than the fact the she was in a band called Juliette and the licks and she was a famous movie star who once fucked Brad Pitt. Its all very well if that is what you want to hang your hat on but surely there is more to this girl than that. To be fair though i shouldn't give her shit though because has starred in a Martin Scorcese picture and i haven't...

All in all i really enjoyed this record. Its not about to change the was i listen to music but i gotta say it is fun. Juliette in my opinion in channelling Patti Smith with PJ Harvey and maybe even a touch of Janis Jopliin in there. Her lyrics seem fairly honest but she has a dirty fucked up voice that could be gratin and annoying for some but after a while i liked it. The music on the other hand is a entirely different beast. Omar is such a fine craftsman who makes great music. The backing band is 2 guys out of the Mars Volta and they kick major ass. They always do. The drummer Thomas Pridgeon sounds like he has 8 arms, he is fucking crazy and the other guy on the album is Marcel Rodriguez Lopez ( omars brother) who is always there just doing the business holding it all together. I would not necessarily call this album weird but parts of it definitely are. In saying that though there are moments that are really straight and pop like with a rock edge. Its a curious listen that is not going to change your life but will keep you occupied and maybe even slightly surprised by the former Mallory Knox....

Thanks,
Nathan

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juliette_Lewis

http://www.myspace.com/juliettelewis

Aweome new release

Artist: OOIOO
Album: Armonico Hewa
Release Date: Late October
Label: Thrill Jockey

All girl Japanese Rock... Including the drummer from the Boredoms Yoshimi P. I love this band, truly one of my favourites.