Record Numbers
People still buy albums, and HEAVE breaks down the numbers.
If anything worthwhile came out of the summer of 2006 - other than the concept of “free love” - it would have to be the film Little Miss Sunshine, which started out as an indie darling before blossoming into a full-fledged, Oscar-winning commercial success. Closely following in Sunshine’s footsteps, Juno has developed into an unqualified artistic and commercial victory. Budgeted at just $7.5 million, the comedy has now taken in over $100 million at the box office, and nabbed four Academy Award nominations...
Posted by Ryan Peters on Feb 01, 2008 @ 12:00 am
Your Listening Pleasure
Atlas Sound, Cut Copy and Glass Candy show off some new music.
Atlas Sound – Recent Bedroom - If you’re familiar with Deerhunter, it’s not hard to imagine what Bradford Cox’s solo effort would sound like. Put Deerhunter’s waves of sound in a slowed down, mellower setting, which combined with Cox’s echoed vocals and ambient sound effects, lull the listener into a trance. The ultimate result comes off as a cross between older Broken Social Scene and Mum, with some Ride thrown in for good measure...
Posted by Jason Prechtel on Feb 01, 2008 @ 12:00 am
A Cause For Attention
Live near LA? Willing to spend some money on tickets to the Grammys?
This year, two VIP backstage passes to the Grammy Awards’ rehearsals in Los Angeles’ Staples Center are being auctioned off at CharityFolks.com. While it won’t supply tickets to the actual ceremony, the winning bidder and a guest will have the opportunity to meet with performing musicians and watch them rehearse live.
Proceeds from the auction are benefiting the California Southland chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association, specializing in Alzheimer’s research, care and education. The non-profit provides individual support services like care consultations, support groups and online communities, while also producing educational resources and continued backing for medical research.
The Foo Fighters are confirmed to play at this year’s Grammy’s, along with Beyonce, Carrie Underwood and Aretha Franklin. The rehearsal date is still to be determined, likely scheduled for February 7 or 8, 2008, while the award ceremony will occur and air on Sunday, February 10 on CBS.
The chance for an inside view of the Grammy Awards and the bragging rights of hanging out backstage are up for grabs until February 1, 2008.
To check out the bidding: Click Here
Posted by Leen Morrissey on Jan 31, 2008 @ 12:00 am
The Rise
Your new favorite artist can pop up overnight.
The city of Melbourne, Florida (population 76,371) considers Jason Choi an indie rock icon. Choi is a self-serving producer for his own work, and a co-producer of other notable indie rock outlets straight from the Sunshine State. Choi and his band, The Sea, often draw comparisons to The Promise Ring and the fantastic and timeless American Football. I was a little wary the first time I heard the comparison, too. But Choi delivers a pop sensibility that harkens to a sound that is certainly a relative to anything that the Kinsella brothers had their hand in.
Through first listen, Choi’s Leave The Night Behind may seem convoluted in style. The half singing half talking of Choi is accompanied by guitar melodies that don’t always make sense, yet always seem to work. It isn’t until the end of each track that you say to yourself, “Huh, I guess that worked out, didn’t it?” This has much to do with Choi’s uncanny ability to turn the last forty-five or so seconds of each song into a jam session – which is the most crucial component in Choi’s comparisons to American Football.
Choi and his band, The Sea, took the deck in 2003 and have made their living by touring the south, with the occasional trip up to New York. Leave The Night Behind was originally released in 2006, but is getting a re-release in February of 2008 by the label Team Grizzly. An artist to surely watch in 2008, Jason Choi and The Sea could be swimming into indie rock hearts across the country in the very near future.
STREAM: Jason Choi and The Sea - MorningPosted by Wes Soltis on Jan 31, 2008 @ 12:00 am
The British Are Coming
Kate Nash and Billy Bragg, Patrick Wolf, British Sea Power and some Duke Spirit.
Up and coming songstress Kate Nash was joined on stage last week in Australia by legendary folky Billy Bragg for a rendition of "A New England." "We were like hanging out and he was like, "Do you want to get together and do something at the Big Day Out?" and I was like yeah! It was amazing. It would be a privilege to do something on record. It would be amazing. I would be absolutely up for it."
Flamboyant singer and fashion plate Patrick Wolf will be releasing a DVD documenting his final show in 2007...
Posted by Joe Roth on Jan 30, 2008 @ 12:00 am