Aug 21 2008

News of the Mozzer

Category: Music In My Ears — dryvetyme @ 10:57

Proof that Morrissey is probably the coolest person on the planet:

Courtesy of Pitchfork, citing the original story from True To You, I present this ballsy message from Moz:

“MESSAGE FROM MORRISSEY.

The slapdash release of Morrissey live at the Hollywood Bowl is done by Warner without any consultation to me whatsoever, and is in breach of their terms as laid out by themselves in an agreement made for the film between Warner and my ex-manager. Being Warner, predictably the sleeve art is appalling. It is the work of cash-hounds, and I urge people NOT to buy it. I am not signed to Warner, and no royalties from this dvd will come to me. Please spend your money elsewhere.
thank you, MORRISSEY.”

That’s right: as reported by NME.com, there is a live DVD of Morrissey’s recent set of performances at Hollywood Bowl, yet because the content of DVD was not cleared through Morrissey and in no way meets with his exacting artistic standards, he is asking people to not purchase this product. There are few fanbases as obsessive and obsessively loyal as Moz’s, so I would be surprised if this DVD release moved any substantial copies at all. Such is this man’s power — he can stop the wheels of capitalism at his personal whim.

Also, as sources have reported and confirmed, the release of Years of Refusal, the long-awaited new album from Morrissey, has been pushed back until early 2009. While I’m sad that I have to wait a few more months, I’m sure it will be worth that wait.

Aug 20 2008

Obscured By Clouds - Psycheclectic

Category: Music In My Ears — dryvetyme @ 09:50

Obscured By Clouds
Psycheclectic
Psycheclectic; 2008

Hipsters and music critics find great joy in picking on, teasing, and generally making fun of progressive rock for both its supposed lyrical and instrumental bombast. To wit, Rush has yet to make into the Rock And Roll Hall of Fame because they have met with disfavor from high-and-mighty rock critics through the years, despite their status as one of the more predominant, loved, and stylistically copied bands of the genre. And while Pink Floyd retains a bit more critical appeal and acceptance, they still remain the psychedelic band of choice for over-the-top light shows and paranoid conspiracy-loving burnouts everywhere. Nothing says dream pretty thoughts while having intense nightmares like the combination of oscillating keyboard swells, guitar feedback, reverb-laden vocals, and fantastical lyrics.

Enter Obscured By Clouds and their new record, Psycheclectic, 21st-century interpretation of the music of the ‘60s and ‘70s. Led by William Weikart, this five-piece has put together an eight-track concept album that seeks to recreate the glory days of Pink Floyd and Rush and to do so without any hint of irony. In one sense, it would be easy to mock the group as a cover band attempting to inject the characteristics of their heroes into their own music, but that wouldn’t be very fair. Obscured By Clouds certainly has a better grasp of their instruments and how to play them than most pop-rock groups on the market, and they most likely aren’t hoping to make a dent on the Billboard charts with their rock epic. Nevertheless, dedication to the purity of their chosen art form aside, Psycheclectic is an album that will only be appreciated by those who already love the music of Geddy, Neil, Alex, David, and Roger and the deep catalogs of both those transcendent groups.

Aug 19 2008

Makeout Party - Lengths And Limits

Category: Music In My Ears — dryvetyme @ 09:32

Makeout Party
Lengths And Limits
Make Music Collective; 2008

As any fan of quality pop music knows, songs about love – whether real, imagined, unrequited, or fulfilled – have dominated the charts for decades. So, while the source material certainly isn’t new (there’s that whole matter of millennia of love themes in classic literature), the approach to crafting a love song (or an album full of them) must strike a balance between sounding both fresh and timeless. The lyrics must be genuine, the singer sincere, and the melodies creative; if any one of those three components is lacking, regardless of how substantive and worthwhile the other two are, the entire effort suffers.

Suffice to say that it’s the lack of imaginative music that plagues Lengths And Limits, the debut LP from Makeout Party. Even though Carmen Cirignano employs a wistfully believable voice to intone each track’s above-average love poetry, the clichéd emo-flavored musical ingredients utilized by this New Jersey group that make the album less than stellar. There’s simply a distinct lack of punch throughout the record, whether it’s the all-too-familiar guitar riffs and harmonizing vocals or the fact that the tempo varies very little from song to song. It’s very easy to relate to the emotional substance of the lyrics, but when the entire project seems to copy directly from early Dashboard Confessional, it’s hard to take the group or its music very seriously.

Aug 18 2008

Xnihilo Showcase Showdown

Category: Life As I See It — dryvetyme @ 00:15

Let’s get ready to rumble!

Xnihilo Gallery is proud to present their initial Showcase Showdown. The gallery’s first juried show is set to feature a wide-ranging collection of works from artists in the greater Houston, TX community.

Opening Reception: Friday, September 12th, 2008, 7-10 pm.
Show Dates: September 12th through October 13th, 2008.

Entries for the Showdown can be dropped off September 1st-3rd, 2008 at the Gallery, located 2115 Taft Street in the heart of the Montrose. Entry forms are available at Xnihilo Gallery and Taft Street Coffee, or you can e-mail the Gallery (curator@xnil.org) and they will send one to you.

Aug 15 2008

New Song from Electric Touch

Category: Music In My Ears — dryvetyme @ 10:59

Hey there folks. I’m not sure if you’re into big, cocksure bands with the stage energy of The Who & Blur, but just in case you are, feel free to download “Love In Our Hearts”, the new song from Austin, TX-based band Electric Touch. They’ll be out with The Fratellis for most of September 2008, including playing a set at ACL Festival. Enjoy!

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