Youth Group: "Skeleton Jar" Video
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One of Australia's most quietly adored bands, Youth Group, stand ready to roar with 'Skeleton Jar'. Youth Group are at the forefront of an exciting new era in Australian alternative music. Singer/guitarist/songwriter Toby Martin formed the group with drummer Danny Allen in Sydney, Australia and despite several line-up changes since, these two remain at the band's core. After quickly gaining a strong live following the band signed to local independent label Ivy League Records (the same people who manage The Vines and Jet) and released their debut album in May 2001. 'Skeleton Jar' is the band's second album and the first to be released in the US. The talents of singer/songwriter/guitarist Toby Martin shine through on this album like a beacon. Eccentric, yet highly emotive lyrics navigate their way across varied landscapes of pop, folk, and indie rock terrain with his uniquely pure voice. From the haunting singles 'Skeleton Jar' and 'Shadowland' to live favorites "See-Saw" and 'Piece Of Wood", Youth Group present an eclectic feast, with a darker and less poppy approach.
Jennifer Gentle: "I Do Dream You"
Hailing from Padova, Italy, Jennifer Gentle is not a girl. Jennifer Gentle is, in fact, a band made up of singer/guitarist Marco Fasolo and drummer Alessio Gastaldello (joined by various accomplices when they play live). Valende is their third full-length, and first for Sub Pop (their first two albums, I Am You Are and Funny Creatures Lane were released individually on Italy's Sillyboy Entertainment, and together as a double CD under the name Ectoplasmic Garden Party by Australia's Lexicon Devil label). The record was, like its predecessors, home-recorded by Marco and Alessio and it's a psych pop charmer, drawing on the band's own brand of musical dementia: an almost impossible-to-describe melting pot of whacked experimentation, deep fried eccentricity and acoustic beauty, drawing judiciously on the band's long-term fascination with Syd Barrett, 13th Floor Elevators, and Joe Meek production techniques. Jennifer Gentle is also the first Italian band Sub Pop has ever signed (such is our deep affection for the band). But, again, Jennifer Gentle is not a girl.
Of Montreal: "So Begins Our Alabee"
The brainchild of singer/guitarist Kevin Barnes, Of Montreal was among the second wave of bands to emerge from the sprawling Elephant 6 collective. A native of Athens, Georgia, Barnes formed the group following a failed romance with a woman from Montreal. After several moves to various cities and states, Barnes again found himself living in Athens. Once back home, he began collaborating with bassist/vocalist Bryan Poole (Elf Power) and drummer/vocalist Derek Almstead (Circulatory System). Together they recorded the band's debut album, Cherry Peel, released by Bar/None in 1997 (and later re-issued in late 1999, remixed and with additions by the later five-piece version of the band). Whereas the majority of the Elephant 6 collective drew their influences from 60's pop icons, Barnes was taking Of Montreal in an altogether different direction. While paying homage to these groups, he also began incorporating vaudevillian elements not only into the band's music but also into their live performances. With Poole having to leave the band because of his involvement with Elf Power, Almstead switched to bass and new members Jamey Huggins and Dottie Alexander were brought on board for drum and keyboard duties, respectively. Andy Gonzales(Marshmallow Coast) guitar/piano/vocals joined shortly thereafter. The band's second album, The Bedside Drama: A Petite Tragedy found Barnes experimenting with his lyrical content. Chord changes impressed upon nearly every word as a host of characters were orchestrated throughout album's sixteen songs. Although Kevin is credited as playing most of the instruments himself, Bryan Poole and Julian Koster (Neutral Milk Hotel, The Music Tapes) made unaccredited appearances. All members were represented on the band's third full-length, The Gay Parade. Hailed by critics and fans alike (including All Music Guide, who went so far as to refer to the album as indie-pop's equivalent to Sgt. Pepper), The Gay Parade was a musical extravaganza bringing over 40 musicians (many of them vocalists in the album's choir) to the table. A concept album in every sense of the word, The Gay Parade created a carnival of absurdist characters living in a Kafkaesque world. Coquelicot Asleep In The Poppies: A Variety Of Whimsical Verse, the band's fourth album was released April 2001. The 22-track CD included a 16-page full-color booklet of artwork by David Barnes as well as a fold-out poster with lyrics. The album signified an even more ambitious undertaking than The Gay Parade right on down to the concept, arrangements, lyrics, and artwork that went into making the album. The band's fifth album Aldhils Arboretum was released the following year. 2003 proved to be an eventful year for the band. Andy left to spend more time on Marshmallow Coast and to go back to school. Kevin got married. In the fall of 2003, they recorded their next album. Kevin's wife, Nina, joined the group. Derek left the band to spend more time with Circulatory System, and, following the demise of their previous label, Of Montreal signed with Polyvinyl January 2004 Four months later, the band's sixth full-length, Satanic Panic In The Attic, was released. With Satanic, the band again reinvented their sound, this time with the inclusion of electronic and Afro beat influences. The album was an instant critical success, tearing through the radio charts, landing a video on MTV, and gathering favorable reviews left and right. Of Montreal returns this Spring with their new album The Sunlandic Twins April 12, 2005. Peppered with beats from the eighties on top of the traditional Of Montreal sound, The Sunlandic Twins will assuredly become an instant Of Montreal classic. In addition to the new album, Of Montreal is preparing to embark on one of their most ambitious national tours ever. As of February 2005, the proposed routing will keep the band on the road for seven months, spanning over a hundred shows and covering countless cities.
Of Montreal: "Disconnect the Dots"
The brainchild of singer/guitarist Kevin Barnes, Of Montreal was among the second wave of bands to emerge from the sprawling Elephant 6 collective. A native of Athens, Georgia, Barnes formed the group following a failed romance with a woman from Montreal. After several moves to various cities and states, Barnes again found himself living in Athens. Once back home, he began collaborating with bassist/vocalist Bryan Poole (Elf Power) and drummer/vocalist Derek Almstead (Circulatory System). Together they recorded the band's debut album, Cherry Peel, released by Bar/None in 1997 (and later re-issued in late 1999, remixed and with additions by the later five-piece version of the band). Whereas the majority of the Elephant 6 collective drew their influences from 60's pop icons, Barnes was taking Of Montreal in an altogether different direction. While paying homage to these groups, he also began incorporating vaudevillian elements not only into the band's music but also into their live performances. With Poole having to leave the band because of his involvement with Elf Power, Almstead switched to bass and new members Jamey Huggins and Dottie Alexander were brought on board for drum and keyboard duties, respectively. Andy Gonzales(Marshmallow Coast) guitar/piano/vocals joined shortly thereafter. The band's second album, The Bedside Drama: A Petite Tragedy found Barnes experimenting with his lyrical content. Chord changes impressed upon nearly every word as a host of characters were orchestrated throughout album's sixteen songs. Although Kevin is credited as playing most of the instruments himself, Bryan Poole and Julian Koster (Neutral Milk Hotel, The Music Tapes) made unaccredited appearances. All members were represented on the band's third full-length, The Gay Parade. Hailed by critics and fans alike (including All Music Guide, who went so far as to refer to the album as indie-pop's equivalent to Sgt. Pepper), The Gay Parade was a musical extravaganza bringing over 40 musicians (many of them vocalists in the album's choir) to the table. A concept album in every sense of the word, The Gay Parade created a carnival of absurdist characters living in a Kafkaesque world. Coquelicot Asleep In The Poppies: A Variety Of Whimsical Verse, the band's fourth album was released April 2001. The 22-track CD included a 16-page full-color booklet of artwork by David Barnes as well as a fold-out poster with lyrics. The album signified an even more ambitious undertaking than The Gay Parade right on down to the concept, arrangements, lyrics, and artwork that went into making the album. The band's fifth album Aldhils Arboretum was released the following year. 2003 proved to be an eventful year for the band. Andy left to spend more time on Marshmallow Coast and to go back to school. Kevin got married. In the fall of 2003, they recorded their next album. Kevin's wife, Nina, joined the group. Derek left the band to spend more time with Circulatory System, and, following the demise of their previous label, Of Montreal signed with Polyvinyl January 2004 Four months later, the band's sixth full-length, Satanic Panic In The Attic, was released. With Satanic, the band again reinvented their sound, this time with the inclusion of electronic and Afro beat influences. The album was an instant critical success, tearing through the radio charts, landing a video on MTV, and gathering favorable reviews left and right. Of Montreal returns this Spring with their new album The Sunlandic Twins April 12, 2005. Peppered with beats from the eighties on top of the traditional Of Montreal sound, The Sunlandic Twins will assuredly become an instant Of Montreal classic. In addition to the new album, Of Montreal is preparing to embark on one of their most ambitious national tours ever. As of February 2005, the proposed routing will keep the band on the road for seven months, spanning over a hundred shows and covering countless cities.
Of Montreal: "Wraith Pinned to the Mist and Other Games"
The brainchild of singer/guitarist Kevin Barnes, Of Montreal was among the second wave of bands to emerge from the sprawling Elephant 6 collective. A native of Athens, Georgia, Barnes formed the group following a failed romance with a woman from Montreal. After several moves to various cities and states, Barnes again found himself living in Athens. Once back home, he began collaborating with bassist/vocalist Bryan Poole (Elf Power) and drummer/vocalist Derek Almstead (Circulatory System). Together they recorded the band's debut album, Cherry Peel, released by Bar/None in 1997 (and later re-issued in late 1999, remixed and with additions by the later five-piece version of the band). Whereas the majority of the Elephant 6 collective drew their influences from 60's pop icons, Barnes was taking Of Montreal in an altogether different direction. While paying homage to these groups, he also began incorporating vaudevillian elements not only into the band's music but also into their live performances. With Poole having to leave the band because of his involvement with Elf Power, Almstead switched to bass and new members Jamey Huggins and Dottie Alexander were brought on board for drum and keyboard duties, respectively. Andy Gonzales(Marshmallow Coast) guitar/piano/vocals joined shortly thereafter. The band's second album, The Bedside Drama: A Petite Tragedy found Barnes experimenting with his lyrical content. Chord changes impressed upon nearly every word as a host of characters were orchestrated throughout album's sixteen songs. Although Kevin is credited as playing most of the instruments himself, Bryan Poole and Julian Koster (Neutral Milk Hotel, The Music Tapes) made unaccredited appearances. All members were represented on the band's third full-length, The Gay Parade. Hailed by critics and fans alike (including All Music Guide, who went so far as to refer to the album as indie-pop's equivalent to Sgt. Pepper), The Gay Parade was a musical extravaganza bringing over 40 musicians (many of them vocalists in the album's choir) to the table. A concept album in every sense of the word, The Gay Parade created a carnival of absurdist characters living in a Kafkaesque world. Coquelicot Asleep In The Poppies: A Variety Of Whimsical Verse, the band's fourth album was released April 2001. The 22-track CD included a 16-page full-color booklet of artwork by David Barnes as well as a fold-out poster with lyrics. The album signified an even more ambitious undertaking than The Gay Parade right on down to the concept, arrangements, lyrics, and artwork that went into making the album. The band's fifth album Aldhils Arboretum was released the following year. 2003 proved to be an eventful year for the band. Andy left to spend more time on Marshmallow Coast and to go back to school. Kevin got married. In the fall of 2003, they recorded their next album. Kevin's wife, Nina, joined the group. Derek left the band to spend more time with Circulatory System, and, following the demise of their previous label, Of Montreal signed with Polyvinyl January 2004 Four months later, the band's sixth full-length, Satanic Panic In The Attic, was released. With Satanic, the band again reinvented their sound, this time with the inclusion of electronic and Afro beat influences. The album was an instant critical success, tearing through the radio charts, landing a video on MTV, and gathering favorable reviews left and right. Of Montreal returns this Spring with their new album The Sunlandic Twins April 12, 2005. Peppered with beats from the eighties on top of the traditional Of Montreal sound, The Sunlandic Twins will assuredly become an instant Of Montreal classic. In addition to the new album, Of Montreal is preparing to embark on one of their most ambitious national tours ever. As of February 2005, the proposed routing will keep the band on the road for seven months, spanning over a hundred shows and covering countless cities.
Ambulance LTD: "Stay Where You Are"
On Ambulance LTD.'s debut album, one can find a number of stylistic influences from the Beatles and the Stones to Spiritualized, Elliot Smith, and the Smiths. And that's the point. "Our niche is not sticking to any particular niche," says Benji Lysaght, guitarist. The four members of the New York group refuse to be stuck in any sub-genre of rock. "We don't want to confine ourselves," says Marcus Congleton, lead singer, guitarist, and songwriter.
Corrosion of Conformity: "Stone Breaker"
We really try hard to be true to what our hearts tell us to do," says New Orleans-bred Pepper Keenan, guitarist and songwriter for the band. "We do what we feel and we don't want to get caught up in any '90s-style production bullshit, 'cause when we look back at what we've done we want it to sound timeless. So many bands are gonna laugh at themselves in ten years. We don't want that." COC has been hurtling towards a "timeless" rock sound since their humble-but-turbulent beginning as a hardcore band way back in 1982. Back then, the band -- guitarist Woody Weatherman, bassist Mike Dean and drummer Reed Mullin (Keenan didn't join until 1990) -- searched desperately for a voice, an identifiable way to vent the spleen that has continued to haunt them through a full six records: 1983's vociferous Eye For An Eye, '85's phlegmatic rant Animosity, '87's drop D-tuned barrage Technocracy, '91's awesome, menacing Blind, and the album that serves as WISEBLOOD's most direct sonic ancestor: '94's breakthrough platter, Deliverance. "We began carving our niche with Deliverance," says Keenan with a hint of the South in his voice. "Now that we have that niche we should stay in it. I often wonder what makes good bands take sudden left turns. Why would you work hard to develop a sound and then just abandon it? It makes no sense." "We've always tried to make albums that have highs and lows and midpoints," says Keenan, "records that you can listen to from beginning to end. We've got no interest in ramming ten songs in the same key down your throat.
Milwaukee, Wisconsin's Decibully is a band's band. Featuring numerous multi-instrumentalists and having earned a strong reputation for their live performances, Decibully brandishes a wide variety of influences, mixing a rich blend of finely interspersed layers tinged with country-esque flourishes, subtle electronic twinges, and rockist undertones. Formed as a trio in Fall 2001 by William J. Seidel (vocals, guitar, percussion, Rhodes), guitarist W. Kenneth Siebert and keyboardist Nick Westfahl, the group soon added Ryan Weber (lap steel, synths, guitar, percussion), bassist Justin Klug, and drummer Jason Gnewikow to further round out their sound. Decibully spent the rest of 2001-02 practicing when time could be found, touring and self-releasing their debut album You Might Be A Winner, You May Be A Loser, But You'll Always Be A Gambler. When Gnewikow moved to New York, he was replaced on drums by Aaron Vold. At the same time, banjo player Eric Holliday joined the band. Following a successful January 2003 tour, Decibully returned to the studio to begin working on their second full-length, the tentatively-titled When We Learned How To Dance. In late May 2003 Westfahl was replaced by Nicholas Sanborn on keyboards and the band began looking for a label. Prior to Decibully, Seidel and Weber were founding members of Camden. In 1999, Camden recorded demos with Chris Rosenau, guitarist for Pele and Collections of Colonies of Bees. Based on their prior relationship and having seen Decibully live numerous times, Rosenau contacted Polyvinyl Records via a two o'clock in the morning phone message lauding the band. A few days later, an unmastered, incomplete version of the album arrived by mail. Band and label began talking and, following a return to the studio, the album was released as City of Festivals on October 14, 2003 followed by a self-booked national tour and an appearance at Polyvinyl's 2003 CMJ Showcase. With nearly a hundred shows played in support of City of Festivals, Decibully again returned to the studio to begin recording their follow-up album to the Polyvinyl debut. City of Festivals had been a mix of different songs written while the band was undergoing personnel changes. A little over half the songs had been written before the band became the solidified line-up that toured in support of City of Festivals. From the initial roughs sent to Polyvinyl, it was obvious the dividends from touring were paying off in the studio. Sing Out America! (scheduled for release March 8, 2005), Decibully's third album, is the first one to be written entirely by the band as a cohesive septet from start to finish. Although more stylistically varied than previous albums, the continuity of Sing Out America! reflects the consistency that can only be found by a band spending so much time on the road together. Sing Out America! is the most representative work the band has turned in to date, bringing their recorded output in step with their live show.
Ask most serious bands about the recording process, and if they dont compare it to giving birth, they'll likely tell you that making an album is akin to psychotherapy. But lets be real here: How many of those bands actually take the album-as-therapy idea literally? For Atlanta quintet Norma Jean, who for all intents and purposes should be some of the most content dudes in underground music right now, the recording sessions for their third album, Redeemer, packed group therapy, boot camp and endurance test into one gnarly package. Produced by Ross Robinson (At The Drive-in, From First To Last, Sepultura), Redeemer is at once the heaviest and most personal album in this bands arsenaland thats saying something: With their 2002 Solid State Records debut, Bless The Martyr And Kiss The Child, Norma Jean established themselves as one of the noisiest and most adventurous young bands in metal today. With the 2005 follow-up, O God, The Aftermath, drummer Daniel Davison, bassist Jake Schultz, and guitarists Chris Day and Scottie Henry welcomed new vocalist and Arkansas native Cory Brandan to their lineup and took their artful, technical noise to the proverbial next level, earning critical acclaim and a 2006 Grammy nomination (for Asterik Studios awe-inspiring artwork) in the process, and embarking on a grueling tour schedule that most recently found them on Ozzfest 2006s second stage. And now, with a new, expanded edition of Aftermath in stores, the obvious question follows: When you still have past glories to coast on, why make a new album at all? Basically, we had too much material brewing inside us, and we wanted to get it out, says Davison, laughing. We probably couldve waited to record until after we cut back on what we had, but when the opportunity to work with Ross came up, it just felt like, Man, being in the studio with this guy is something Ive wanted to do since I was 12 years old; Im gonna do anything I can to make this happen now. After practicing, in Davisons recollection, pretty much ever day, for about 50 days solid, and going through rigorous pre-production at home in Atlanta, the band decamped with Robinson to Radio Star Studios in the tiny mountain town of Weed, California, to start work on Redeemer. Though some of the songs were still works-in-progress (as Brandans recalls it, Songs were changing up until 20 minutes before we tracked them) the lyrics, again written collaboratively by Brandan, Henry and Davison, really took shape once the band got into the studio. Wed rehearse a song till we felt we had it worked out, and then wed bring in Ross and sit down for another hour or two just to discuss it, Brandan says. He had us all in there as a group, talking about each songwhat the lyrics were about, where they came from, what the song meant to us personally and spiritually. It was really intense; so much stuff came out during those sessions, and in the end, it was really unifying for us as a band. While rehearsals took place in a beautiful, open-stage environment inside the studio, tracking itself was another storyall part of the intense process that would eventually shape the songs. I tracked my drums under the stage, Davison remembers, laughing. Wed get done talking about the song, and then wed head down below the stage into, like, this little dungeon. It was really small, and the drums were set up with mikes all over them; there were hot water pipes, ventilation, everywhereit was really intense. We could barely stand up because the ceiling was so low, but Ross was there the whole time, coaching us and keeping us in that mindset. Just one listen to Redeemer confirms the ferocity of the bands performances. From the discordant breakdowns and jarring time changes of The End Of All Things Will Be Televised to the newfound melodic intensity of Blueprints For Future Homes, the album packs some of Norma Jeans most unhinged, soul-baring playing into the span of 11 songs. And though the weird angles and difficult guitar figures that comprised Aftermath are still prevalent, that albums refined, very-much-studio feel has given way to raw atmospheres in which you can practically see the sweat running onto the instruments. Brandan, whos already proved himself a formidable vocalist, fully comes into his own on Redeemer with a style that veers between unhinged screaming and down-on-his-knees melodic belting. As has been the case with Norma Jeans previous albums, fans will interpret Redeemers title in a number of ways: Theres the obvious (its their shortest album title ever); the semi-obvious (the band members are Christian; the albums called Redeemeryou follow?); and the not-so-obvious (look up Redeemer in Websters Dictionary for even more possibilities). All of these, says Davison, are valid readings, but as before, its better just to listen to the whole album before settling on an opinion about what it all means. We just wanted a title that was short and simple, but also really powerful, Davison explains. Redeemer was the most powerful word we could think of, and obviously, for us, being a spiritual band, it takes on special meaning. Brandan agrees. We didnt call it Redeemer and then try to make the lyrics work around that [idea], he says. Theres some really personal stuff on this record, and even though Im seeing in hindsight that the title ties into some of that, Ive always thought its best just to let people come up with their own ideas about the songs, rather than say, This is our concept; this is what the records about. No matter how you interpret it, one things for sure: Slide it into your player, and you will feel Redeemer more than any other Norma Jean album. Emotional, spiritual, visceral, physicalthis isnt just the third album Norma Jean wanted to make; its the career-defining statement they had to.
Whoremoan: "Holes in the Ground"
This is "Holes in the Ground", a music video from UK Stoner Rock band "Whoremoan". Taken from the album "Youth Must Dare", shot in Canvey Island, Essex, England. Included on the CD Album "Youth Must Dare" avialable via Ebay and CDBaby.
