This Week in the Mercury
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Contest The Winner of the Arcade Fire Artwork Contest
Posted by Ezra Ace Caraeff on Tue, Aug 31, 2010 at 3:08 PM
We finally have our winner for the Arcade Fire artwork/Photoshop contest.
End Hits reader Mike made this awesome 15"x22" five color screenprint piece entitled "Suburbs." If that wasn't enough, it was created with blacklight-reactive ink. Yay, let's get stoned and stare at it for hours on end.
Congrats to Mike, and thanks for all the submissions.
Name This Band Name This Band: Hipsters with Weapons Edition
Posted by Ezra Ace Caraeff on Tue, Aug 31, 2010 at 1:19 PM
Go on over to Blogtown and name this band. You could win a prize.
Tonight! Tonight in Music: Vampire Weekend
Posted by Ethan Jayne on Tue, Aug 31, 2010 at 10:00 AM
VAMPIRE WEEKEND, BEACH HOUSE,
DUM DUM GIRLS(Edgefield, 2126 SW Halsey, Troutdale) Longing for summers spent sailing off the shore of Cape Cod before heading back to your Ivy League university? Vampire Weekend will help you reminisce—or imagine—those simpler, preppier times as summer winds down to a close. Don't forget to bring the horchata. SARAH HARDY
As always, you can find our complete live music listings here.
News KEXP Free Daytime Shows at MusicFest NW
Posted by Ezra Ace Caraeff on Tue, Aug 31, 2010 at 8:26 AM
There is no better hidden gem to MusicFest NW than the afternoon KEXP shows at the Doug Fir. Let's face it, sometimes a MFNW wristband is just too much for your thin pockets to afford, or perhaps you are like me and just love the experience of sneaking out of the office midday for a concert. Either way, here is a list of the KEXP-sponsored shows at Doug Fir, all of which are totally free, totally all ages, and totally open to the public. Totally!
Thursday September 9
10:30am - Dan Mangan Laura Veirs
12:30pm - Phantogram
2:30pm - Ted Leo & the Pharmacists
4:30pm - The Cave Singers
Friday September 10
10:30am - Blue Giant
12:30pm - Bobby Bare Jr
2:30pm - The Tallest Man on Earth
4:30pm - Thee Oh Sees
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Let's Talk About... Album Tacos? Yes Please!
Posted by Ezra Ace Caraeff on Tue, Aug 31, 2010 at 7:44 AM
Yeah, yeah, everyone and their taco-loving mom has seen this site already, but still... tacos on record covers. More please.
h/t: Daily Swarm
Monday, August 30, 2010
MP3 Steam the New Thermals Record
Posted by Andrew R Tonry on Mon, Aug 30, 2010 at 6:31 PM
Over at NPR The Thermals are streaming their new record, Personal Life, in its entirety (the official release date is next Thursday, September 7th). More importantly, does this mean if you make a donation NPR will send you a Thermals record rather than some crap tote-bag or some Lawrence Welk shit?
Mercury Music Hour Episode Eight of the Mercury Music Hour
Posted by Ezra Ace Caraeff on Mon, Aug 30, 2010 at 11:58 AM
Episode number eight of the Mercury Music Hour is on air, RIGHT NOW! Want new music? We got that with songs from Soft Metals, Brothers Young, and Sean Flinn & The Royal We. Want old music? We got that with songs from Boy Crazy, Stephen Malkmus & The Million Dollar Bashers, and more. Want really old music? Our older brother let us borrow records from Nu Shooz and Larry Norman.
Stream the show online at 947.fm or listen live on 910 AM. If you missed it, the same episode will be on this Wednesday and Friday at noon.
Our playlist for episode number eight is after the jump.
Video Fun With the Arcade Fire "We Used to Wait" Video
Posted by Ezra Ace Caraeff on Mon, Aug 30, 2010 at 11:14 AM
- That's my grandmother's house down there
If you have not seen the incredible interactive video for Arcade Fire's "We Used to Wait" drop everything, download the Chrome browser, and do it now.
The video requires you to type in the address of the home you grew up in, which is probably very sentimental had you not moved every three months like I did while growing up. But we decided to have some fun with it and use some alternate addresses; these included the White House, that location in Pittsburgh with the LARP'ing kids, and Disneyland.
We tried to use the addresses for the Deepwater Horizon or that leper colony in Hawaii, but the site wouldn't let us. Damn.
Vinyl / Contest Win the LP Reissue of Jane Birkin/Serge Gainsbourg!
Posted by Ned Lannamann on Mon, Aug 30, 2010 at 10:34 AM
Hey, record nerd! Yes, you. We've got something for you which you're going to like.
This is a picture of the new Light in the Attic reissue of the classic Jane Birkin/Serge Gainsboug LP. The 1969 album was released following the success of Birkin and Gainsbourg's scandalous single "Je T'aime... Moi Non Plus," which concludes with Birkin making the sounds of... well, if you've heard it, you already know. And if you haven't heard it, well then:
Light in the Attic's sumptuous reissue includes the following:
32-page full color booklet, original art, English/French lyrics, audio re-mastering by Dave Cooley (the genius engineer behind LITA’s reissue of Histoire de Melody Nelson), and extensive liner notes, featuring an exclusive interview with the lovely and graceful Birkin who helps to provide new insight on this landmark album. The vinyl release is pressed on 180 gram vinyl, and includes a thick gatefold, liner notes, lyrics, plus bonus picture sleeve 7” single featuring the non-album cut “La Chanson de Slogan” b/w “Orang Outan.”Holy merde! But here's the best part. End Hits has a copy to give away to one lucky reader—and that could be you. Here's how to enter: Just leave a comment telling us your favorite record to put on when things get all seductive and sexy-like. Is it Barry White? Is it Ravel's "Bolero"? Is it "Yakety Sax"? Let us know! Over-sharing is encouraged. We'll pick our favorite comment, or just pick a lucky winner at random.
This is a good one—believe us, we thought long and hard about how to rig this so we'd end up with the copy. Alas, it must go to you, the readers. We'll keep comments open until noon on Wednesday. Winners must live in the US (the record label will mail you the vinyl directly). Go to it!
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Tonight! Tonight in Music: Dum Dum Girls, Neutral Uke Hotel
Posted by Ethan Jayne on Mon, Aug 30, 2010 at 10:00 AM
BEACH BUNNIES GET BENT: DUM DUM GIRLS (DJ SET), GUANTANAMO BAYWATCH, ORCA TEAM, THE RESERVATIONS(Holocene, 1001 SE Morrison) Tired of landlocked living? Slip on your best Jams and flipflops and cruise over to Holocene for the first annual Beach Bunnies Get Bent: A Surf Night. Vintage surf films, a rare DJ set from those beach honeys in Dum Dum Girls, plus enough live music to make you shred the gnarl. (I have no idea what that means, but I think it's a good thing.) EZRA ACE CARAEFF
NEUTRAL UKE HOTEL, ME AND UKE AND EVERYONE WE KNOW(Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi) Jeff Mangum, wherever you are hiding (a cave on Avery Island?), I hope you're paying attention. This is what happens when our obsession with Neutral Milk Hotel goes unattended for a dozen years: all-ukulele cover bands. Since there isn't much to say about Neutral Uke Hotel that you can't guess from their name, here are our lazy suggestions for other instrument-specific cover bands: Flootie & the Blowfish (an all-flute tribute to Hootie & the Blowfish), Karpsichord (an all-harpsichord tribute to Karp), Oboe Ono (an all-oboe tribute to the woman who broke up the Beatles), and Céline AccorDion (ugh, never mind). EZRA ACE CARAEFF
As always, you can find our complete live music listings here.
News Boy Eats Drum Machine Really Likes the Number 20
Posted by Ezra Ace Caraeff on Mon, Aug 30, 2010 at 9:16 AM
On September 20 Boy Eats Drum Machine is releasing 20 Beats, an all instrumental recording with 20 songs and 20 different album covers. The digital release—so not sure how the different covers will work—will be available through iTunes and other digital outlets. But only suckers will want to wait a few weeks to hear the first song from 20 Beats. You can listen to it right here...
LISTEN:
Boy Eats Drum Machine - "Silverskate Gateway"
Video Getting Bloody with Moth Dust
Posted by Ezra Ace Caraeff on Mon, Aug 30, 2010 at 7:00 AM
One thing us disturbed End Hits word slaves enjoy is when a band gets killed in their own music video (just like "November Rain"). While Moth Dust might be a new band—with old members from the likes of local acts Deer or the Doe and Life at These Speeds—that doesn't mean all four members can't meet horrific fates in this video for "Glen Mentic."
Not only does Moth Dust have sliceable throats and a great '90s post-punk sound, the band is also parting with their music in an interesting manner: Their six-song debut EP Jacuzzi will be available on cassette in late September, but if you loathe revisionist trends you can just download four songs from the EP right here.
Moth Dust played their release show this past weekend (you all deserve to die for giving us less than 24 hours notice on that one, guys) at the Langano Lounge. Bummer. Also, please don't confuse them with the Australian band with the same name. Those guys look like this. Scary.
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Tonight! Tonight in Music: John Mellencamp, Lower Dens, Soft Metals and More
Posted by Ethan Jayne on Sun, Aug 29, 2010 at 10:00 AM
BOB DYLAN, JOHN MELLENCAMP,
THE DOUGH ROLLERS(Edgefield, 2126 SW Halsey, Troutdale)See our article on John Mellencamp and Frank Cassano's Imbecile Parade.
LOWER DENS, RAYMOND BYRON AND THE WHITE FREIGHTER, DRAGGING AN OX THROUGH WATER, BA FRACTAL(Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi) Read our article on Lower Dens.
SOFT METALS, AROHAN, JOEY CASIO, MIRACLES CLUB(Holocene, 1001 SE Morrison) In the opening minutes of Soft Metals' The Cold World Melts EP, frontwoman Patricia Hall earnestly inquires, "Is this love or just music?" Turns out it's both. In forming synth pop duo Soft Metals, Hall and Ian Hicks expanded their musical partnership to a romantic one—just as we've all secretly hoped Hall & Oates would do someday. Over the course of five songs, The Cold World Melts shuffles to the same pulsating electronic beat as Chromatics and (the duo's upcoming tourmates) Jewels of the Nile. While those who actually survived the '80s might be suspicious of this calculated pop revisionism, the cold keyboard lines and soft coo of Hall make for a pretty irresistible combination. EZRA ACE CARAEFF
Brain Drill after the jump!
As always, you can find our complete live music listings here.
Saturday, August 28, 2010
Tonight! Tonight in Music: Deelay Ceelay, Bob Dylan, Sean Flinn and the Royal We and More
Posted by Ethan Jayne on Sat, Aug 28, 2010 at 6:20 PM
OLD TOWN BLOCK PARTY: DEELAY CEELAY, THE JOGGERS, THE MEAN JEANS, LOVERS & MORE
(NW 4th & Couch)The second annual Old Town Block Party is upon us, with another rippin' lineup of bands (Deelay Ceelay, the Joggers, the Mean Jeans, Lovers) and DJs, plus local vendors shilling food and other goodies. Like beer. MARJORIE SKINNER
BOB DYLAN, JOHN MELLENCAMP, THE DOUGH ROLLERS
(Edgefield, 2126 SW Halsey, Troutdale) Okay, his best years are behind him. Sure, his voice is a wreck. But look: it's Bob fucking Dylan, as monumental a figure as exists in American music. Would you turn down the chance to see Shakespeare write a play in person? Or watch Picasso paint a picture? Dylan's in the same category; don't miss the chance to witness a legend in the flesh. NED LANNAMANN Also see our article on John Mellencamp and Frank Cassano's Imbecile Parade.
SEAN FLINN AND THE ROYAL WE, MUSEE MECANIQUE, EZZA ROSE
(Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside) Read our article on Sean Flinn and the Royal We.
Pure Country Gold, Blue Cranes, Facts Machine, Baths and Sapient after the jump!
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Let's Talk About... Burning Man Rock Opera, How to Survive the Apocalypse
Posted by Raquel Nasser on Sat, Aug 28, 2010 at 12:33 PM
On Monday, tens of thousands of people and millions of dollars worth of hallucinatory drugs will be working to construct Black Rock City, a temporary "urban center" in Nevada's barren Black Rock Desert. Why, you ask? Well, they have to Burn the Man.
That's right—it's Burning Man time again. You're terrified? Me too.
You don't really understand what happens out there? Me neither.
You're sort of "Burner-curious?" No, I'm not. But you just admitted to being Burner-curious!
So now you have to read about the worst thing to happen quite possibly ever, the Burning Man rock opera; also known as How to Survive the Apocalypse. A brief synopsis, from NPR's recent article:
The story follows three newbies on their first adventure to Burning Man: an older woman whose husband left her; and a younger couple, Brooke and Bud. As if horrible dust storms and a bad acid trip weren't enough, Bud's girlfriend has an affair with another woman. But Bud doesn't run home complaining: Something about Burning Man makes him want to engage with the challenge. Librettist Erik Davis says the opera is trying to highlight this theme of Burning Man.
Apparently, the performance piece is marketed towards people like YOU, Mr. Burner-curious; those who are thinking about seeking out self-actualization by way of body paint in the desert, but aren't quite sure what they're getting themselves into. (Though, from what I can surmise about Burning Man via websites, photo galleries, and bleary-eyed survivors, I'm not sure anyone in attendance actually knows what the fuck is going on).
Here is a sample track from How to Survive the Apocalypse. Which, at a staggering 13-minutes of crescendoing nonsense, really does leave you utterly prepared for the end of the world. Or praying for it.
"How to Survive the Apocalypse" Demo, featuring performers, as well as Burning Man field recordings.
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