Spin magazine's Daily Noise

Members of the Format, Steel Train, Anathallo Unite as Fun

Matt Kiser — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 13:02:05 -0400

After seven months of silence following the demise of the Format, former frontman Nate Ruess returns with Fun, his pastoral and rollicking proclamation that alongside Steel Train's Jack Antonoff and Andrew Dost of Anathallo, he can once again have, ahem, fun as a musician -- proven here with demo tune "Benson Hedges" (DOWNLOAD MP3), an undeniable joyride of unsteady, soaring vocal warbles, and prancing honky tonk piano with a crooning, buoyant swagger.

More on SPIN.com:
>> The Format Armed with 'Dog Problems'
>> The Format Sing, Dance in Chicago
>> The Format
>> Video: From the Eastsport Cafe at Lollapalooza '08: Steel Train
>> Video: Backstage at Bonnaroo: Steel Train
>> Video: Bonnaroo Reviewed: Steel Train

"When the Format broke up, for at least a little bit of time I lost confidence," Ruess tells SPIN.com. "And, of course when something like that happens in your life, you're forced to switch gears and you wonder if you're going to be able to do it again -- you hope you do."

With Dost and Antonoff, Fun digs deep into their collective pedigree, punctuating their capacity with earnest motivation and shifting away from Ruess' formidable comfort zone as a master craftsman of saccharine indie pop delights and into a cerebral hemisphere of warm gospel-tinged alt-indie rock.

"I can sympathize with Brett Farve," Ruess jokes, likening his recent fish-out-of-water experience following the death of the Format and his desire to get back in the game and complete his maturation as a songwriter to the New York Jets' recently acquired star quarterback. Below, check out "Benson Hedges," the first demo to emerge from this new project, and stay tuned -- the fun is only just beginning: Ruess and co. will enter a Los Angeles studio September 1 with producer Steven McDonald (Red Kross) and Roger Joseph Manning, Jr. (Jellyfish) to commit a batch of 12 numbers to tape, the beginnings of a debut album that will hopefully arrive sometime in 2009. And fans can catch Fun's first live gig later this fall when they hit the road, opening for Jack's Mannequin.

Now Hear This: Fun, "Benson Hedges" (DOWNLOAD MP3)

Turn Up the Vote: The Postelles

Matt Kiser — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 11:35:26 -0400

Nearly every weekend, as SPIN.com traverses the U.S. to cover the many festivals this summer, we cross paths with a number of the most politically-minded names in music, giving each a chance to smile for the camera and sound off on the 2008 presidential election. The latest: Big Apple-based up-and-comers the Postelles, who, while lounging at Chicago's Lollapalooza festival, stepped forward to discuss the most pressing issues in this decisive election year.

More on SPIN.com:
>> Catch the Buzz: The Postelles
>> Bonnaroo '08: The Postelles, "123 Stop"
>> Bonnaroo Reviewed: The Postelles

Below, watch video of the fresh-faced, Strokes-approved foursome speaking to SPIN.com about paying taxes under a new president.

And to do your part, head to Headcount.org, a non-partisan, not-for-profit organization devoted to voter registration and participation in democracy.

Click the button here to visit their site, and register to vote!

Now Watch This: The Postelles

New White Denim MP3: "Sitting"

Matt Kiser — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 09:21:17 -0400

Thanks to the high marks issued to their debut EP, Let's Talk About It, which dropped in May 2007, Austin, TX, trio White Denim joined the likes of Tokyo Police Club and Black Kids as bands building buzz without a full-length release. Now, two months out from the Nov. 3 release of their debut album, Explosion, the record's first leak, "Sitting," proves that White Denim's tenure as conversational fodder for in-the-know audiophiles won't end anytime soon.

An Americana-style mix of electric keyboards, slashing guitars, and drums, "Sitting" is layered in distant, empty-booze-bottle vocals, and features a lengthy tune-capping reprise punctuated by reverberating chants of, "You sitting with me." Even an unexpected saxophone solo (saxophone!) only adds to the band's appealing mix of rustic Texan-bred country, garage-rock urgency, and psychedelic nuance.

Now Hear This: White Denim, "Sitting" (DOWNLOAD MP3)

Fiery Furnaces

Matt Kiser — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 09:19:26 -0400

What? Avant-pop duo Fiery Furnaces have forged a career of pushing their unique sonic sternly forward -- from the multi-suite opuses of Blueberry Boat to the spoken-word psych of Rehearsing My Choir and glam-tinged glow of Widow City. It might strike some as strange, then, that Matthew and Eleanor Friedburger are looking back to earlier work by releasing the aptly titled live retrospective, Remember. But for a band that has perfected the art of the left turn, the decision makes total sense. Compiled from both soundboard and audience recordings, Remember is a heady trip through the band's sound-shifting live sets as they re-imagine selections from their catalog as bluesy stompers, keyboard-heavy prog epics, and noisy freakouts.

More on SPIN.com:
>> The Fiery Furnaces' Sonic Epileptic Fit Heats Up
>> The Fiery Furnaces, 'Remember' (Thrill Jockey)

Who? Siblings Matthew and Eleanor Friedburger formed Fiery Furnaces in 2001 in Brooklyn, NY. The following year they signed with the seminal British indie label Rough Trade, which released their stripped-down bluesy debut, Gallowsbird's Bark, in 2003. After several releases, including 2004's high-water mark Blueberry Boat, the Furnaces signed to the experimental-leaning Thrill Jockey label in 2007. Remember is the band's second full-length release on the label.

Fun Fact: The lyrics of Franz Ferdinand's "Eleanor Put Your Boots On" have been rumored to concern Friedburger, who was romantically involved with Franz's Alex Kapranos in the past.

Now Hear This: Fiery Furnaces, "Wicker Whatnots" (DOWNLOAD MP3)

Wilco, Death Cab for Cutie Open Neil Young's Upcoming Tour

Matt Kiser — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 16:41:50 -0400

Who? Forward-thinking rocker Neil Young, Seattle indie mainstay Death Cab for Cutie, and psych-country titan Wilco.

More on SPIN.com:
>> Neil Young, 'Chrome Dreams II' (Reprise)
>> Wilco, Sky Blue Sky (Nonesuch)
>> Death Cab for Cutie Plan Short Fall Tour
>> Death Cab for Cutie, Narrow Stairs (Atlantic)

What? Young's two-tiered, bi-coastal tour featuring Death Cab for Cutie and Wilco opening the jaunt's first and second leg, respectively. Country-rock up-and-comers Everest will play all dates. Young and Death Cab kick off the tour's first leg Oct. 14 in St. Paul, MN, while Wilco join up for a Canadian and East Coast jaunt with Young Nov. 29 in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

Should I Go? Absolutely! Neil Young is one of the few legends of his era who has remained creative and relevant both on record and in a live setting -- and this batch of shows will undoubtedly be yet another showcase of his inimitable talent. Plus: Death Cab and Wilco's opening slots -- as well as the possibility of on stage collaborations between Young and the respective acts -- only adds more incentive to attend.

Neil Young tour dates (all shows with Everest):

10/14, St. Paul, MN (Xcel Energy Center) @
10/16, Winnipeg, Manitoba (MTS Centre) @
10/18, Regina, Saskatchewan (Brandt Centre) @
10/19, Calgary, Alberta (Pengrowth Saddledome) @
10/21, TBD @
10/22, Vancouver, British Columbia (GM Place) @
10/29, San Diego, CA (Cox Arena) @
10/30, Los Angeles, CA (The Forum) @
11/1, Reno, NV (Events Center) @
11/4, Kansas City, MO (Sprint Center) @
11/5, Omaha, NE (Qwest Center) @
11/29, Halifax, Nova Scotia (Metro Centre) #
12/1, Montreal, Quebec (Bell Centre) #
12/2, Ottawa, Ontario (Scotia Bank Place) #
12/4, Toronto, Ontario (Air Canada Centre) #
12/7, Detroit, MI (Palace of Auburn Hills) #
12/12, Philadelphia, PA (Wachovia Spectrum) #
12/15, New York, NY (Madison Square Garden) #
(@ w/ Death Cab for Cutie)
(# w/ Wilco)

The Faint Pique Fans' 'Fasciinatiion' in New York

Matt Kiser — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 15:22:23 -0400

"Good show so far. Let's see if we can't fuck it up," exclaimed the Faint's lead singer, Todd Fink, as the electro-rock quintet launched into their set at Manhattan's cavernous Terminal 5 venue last night. Indeed, electrifying opening sets from keytar-pop duo Shy Child and industrial hip-hop collective Antipop Consortium set the bar relatively high for the Faint -- and the packed crowd's feverish anticipation only raised the collective level of expectation.

More on SPIN.com:
>> The Faint Unveil New Album, Out Aug. 5
>> The Faint, 'Fasciinatiion' (Blank.Wav)

When Fink and friends took the stage twenty minutes late, the audience's enthusiastic murmur worked into a frenzy as the band dove head first into a set comprised of fan favorites and material from their latest full-length, Fasciinatiion. Fink may have been the only member clad in mad-scientist garb -- complete with black, bug-eyed goggles -- but the entire band swayed and thrashed like crazed Igors, running through set highlights "Machine in the Ghost" and "Get Seduced" with machine-like precision. Eerie animations projected behind the band might have created a goth-friendly atmosphere, but in the end, it was clear that the Faint were more concerned with moving the dance-happy crowd's feet than raising the dead.

Check out more pictures from last night on page 2.

Joel Petersen and Todd Fink fall in lockstep together. / Photo by Jackie Roman

Todd Fink as Doctor Zhivago / Photo by Jackie Roman

Dapose takes a turn on the keys. / Photo by Jackie Roman

Todd Fink / Photo by Jackie Roman

Joel Petersen takes a stab at guitar. / Photo by Jackie Roman

Nine Inch Nails Extend Tour

Matt Kiser — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 13:44:21 -0400

Who? Alt-rock and industrial mainstay Nine Inch Nails, the brainchild of studio wizard and live force Trent Reznor. A steady presence in headlines this year, Reznor offered the instrumental album Ghosts I-IV through NIN's website using a pay-what-you-want strategy, and also dropped the rock-oriented set The Slip for no charge.

More on SPIN.com:
>> Artist of the Day: Nine Inch Nails
>> Nine Inch Nails, Ghosts I-IV (NIN.com)
>> R.E.M., Nine Inch Nails to Headline Voodoo Music Experience '08
>> Nine Inch Nails, The Slip (The Null Corporation)

What? A 31-date jaunt appended to Nine Inch Nails' massive Lights in the Sky tour, set to continue Oct. 23 in San Antonio, TX, after a spattering of dates in South America. Following a stop at New Orleans' Voodoo Festival Oct. 25, Trent and co. will move along the East Coast, hit Canada, move through the Midwest, and conclude their run with a string of West Coast shows.

Should I Go? Yes. Nine Inch Nails' sets have always incorporated breathtaking set design and the Lights in the Sky show is their most elaborate visual spectacle yet. Furthermore, Reznor has assembled an ace backing band, featuring longtime collaborator Alessandro Cortini, respected session drummer Josh Freese, and onetime Guns N' Roses guitarist Robin Finck. Overall, Nine Inch Nails put on a show that's not to be missed.

Nine Inch Nails tour dates:

10/23 San Antonio, TX (AT&T Center)
10/25, New Orleans, LA (Voodoo Festival)
10/28, Orlando, FL (UCF Arena)
10/29, Jacksonville, FL (Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena)
10/31, Nashville, TN (Sommet Center)
11/1, Greenville, SC (Bi-Lo Center)
11/3, Greensboro, SC (Greensboro Coliseum Complex)
11/5, Charlottesville, VA (John Paul Jones Arena)
11/8, Manchester, NH (Verizon Wireless Arena)
11/9, Worchester, MA (DCU Cener)
11/11, Ottowa, ON (Scotiabank Place)
11/12, Montreal, QC (Bell Centre)
11/14, Hamilton, ON (Copps Coliseum)
11/15, Grand Rapids, MI (Van Andel Arena)
11/17, Columbus, OH (Schottenstein Center)
11/18, Fort Wayne, IN (Memorial Coliseum)
11/20, Cedar Rapids, IA (US Cellular Center)
11/21, Columbia, MO (Mizzou Arena)
11/22, Tulsa, OK (Bok Center)
11/25, Minneapolis, MN (Target Center)
11/26, Council Bluffs, IA (Mid-America Center)
11/28, Rapid City, SD (Rushmore Plaza Civic Center Arena)
11/29, Billings, MT (Metrapark Arena)
12/1, Saskatoon, SK (Credit Union Centre)
12/4, Kelowna, BC (Prospera Place)
12/5, Victoria, BC (Save on Foods Memorial Centre)
12/7, Portland, OR (Rose Garden Arena)
12/8, Nampa, ID (Idaho Center)
12/9, Missoula, MT (Adams Center)
12/12, Sacramento, CA (Arco Arena)
12/13, Las Vegas, NV (Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino)

Exclusive MP3: Mercury Rev, "Snowflake in a Hot World"

Matt Kiser — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 12:55:44 -0400

"We thought this record should sound like it was made by a different Mercury Rev," drummer/keyboardist Jeff Mercel said of the band's forthcoming album, Snowflake Midnight (out Sept. 30). "We began to look at the process. And then we dismantled it." And album track "Snowflake in a Hot World" only gives positive credence to their newfound methodology.

More MP3s on SPIN.com:
>> New Of Montreal MP3: "Id Engager"
>> Exclusive Stream: The Verve, "Noise Epic"
>> New Dear and the Headlights MP3: "Talk About"

Though retaining the time-honored act's dream-pop sound, the tune has an unstructured feel and an even spacier studio glisten; intertwined vocals, floating keys, and all sorts of knob-twisting wizardry fuse into a pulsing, soothing tune that climaxes in a synth-driven clamor. "Light inside the dark / Lonely little spark / Too frozen to feel / So fleeting and so real," vocalist Jonathan Donahue chirps atop gliding backing vocals, bolstering the track's eerie qualities with his abstract lyrics.

"We embraced technology to a greater extent on this album than ever before," Mercel added. "We completely opened ourselves to the possibilities out there." And with "Snowflake in a Hot World," Mercury Rev's exploratory approach pays off.

Now Hear This: Mercury Rev, "Snowflake in a Hot World" (DOWNLOAD MP3)

Check 'em Out: The River Raid

Matt Kiser — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 11:16:11 -0400

Who? Like fellow Brazilian acts CSS and Bonde Do Role, the River Raid offer danceable beats with punk snarl -- but let the comparisons stop there. With a cock-sure swagger, this fuzz-rock quintet's triple-guitar assault -- complimented by vocalists Toni and Praga's shouting snarls -- creates a sonic force that's like sandpaper to the face. Yet despite their sinister backbeats and barely-controlled six-string chaos, the River Raid's explosive dance fiesta sounds as if it's far from tired of being sexy.

Their Latest: The River Raid's self-titled debut is out now on Red Traxx Music.

Recommended if you like… The Hives, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, the Stooges

Now Hear This: The River Raid, "Time Out" (DOWNLOAD MP3)

Attention Bands! The River Raid was selected for our Buzzcatcher section via the band's electronic press kit, which was submitted to SPIN.com via Sonicbids, a website aiding up-and-coming bands. To be considered for a Buzzcatcher spotlight, sign up at sonicbids.com and submit your music today!

New Albums From Ra Ra Riot, Fiery Furnaces and More

Matt Kiser — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 10:05:45 -0400

Here's a rundown of the essential albums available online and in record stores today, with more after the jump. Click each album title to read Spin's review:

Ra Ra Riot, The Rhumb Line:
Rousingly scrappy anthems tinged with eerie musings.

The Fiery Furnaces, Remember:
Feel the avant-indie confusion in the privacy of your own home.

Human Highway, Moody Motorcycle:
Indie pals blithely examine the sand between their toes.

Jaguar Love, Take Me to the Sea:
Refining the bratty squeal without losing the punky squirm.

Juliana Hatfield, How to Walk Away:
Alt-rock homecoming queen (finally) grows old gracefully.

Read reviews of 12 other vital albums also out today on page 2.

Caesars, Strawberry Weed:
Noisy Scandinavians pretend they're swingin' London boys.

The Dandy Warhols, …Earth to the Dandy Warhols:
Major-label refugees stick it to the man (and their fans).

Lykke Li, Youth Novels:
Swedish elf eschews dancing queendom for minimalist throb.

Lindstrøm, Where You Go I Go Too:
If Michael Mann had called him, Miami Vice could've sucked less.

The Music Tapes, Music Tapes for Clouds and Tornadoes:
Meterology buff bids for Weather Channel/indie niche.

Lee "Scratch" Perry, Repentance:
Jamaican dub legend still plays the eccentric next door.

Kristoffer Ragnstam, Wrong Side of the Room:
Natty newbie decorates the second tier of Swedish pop.

sBach, sBACH:
NES obsessive can't seem to put down the musical joystick.

Shwayze, Shwayze:
High-spirited stoner can't really rap, but sure has fun doing it.

Sonny J, Disastro:
Dumpster-diving DJ praises Norman Cook like he should.

The Stills, Oceans Will Rise:
Note: More memorable choruses needed for admission to arena.

David Vandervelde, Waiting for the Sunrise:
Savvy glam-pop up-and-comer drifts into a soft-rock sinkhole.