AxelJordan releases two singles off debut album "Shine"

AxelJordan has just released two singles in support of his debut album "Shine" available on iTunes. AxelJordan is a dancer, model, singer and fashion designer who incorporates street style artwork in various forms, most recently an exhibit/performance at Le Poisson Rouge (New York) showcasing a collection of his latest work. Both singles 'Shine' & 'Fantasy' are immaculate Pop compositions and two of the funkiest tracks on the radio. He has a keen ear for singable melodies that linger, more so than most in the modern Pop world. His music is like his fashion, inspired and energetic and a voice for his generation to relate to.

Body/Head (Kim Gordon & Bill Nace) at Union Pool, November 6th

Dama / Libra at Saint Vitus, August 21st

Brian Eno comes out as Racist, ignorant "philosopher" once again...

Who started the war Brian? How short is your attention span and have you had your memory checked for dementia lately? I think you should learn more about the facts behind this war, the history of it, before you chime in as an ignorant racist pundit for hipster rockstar fans. It's hard when musicians you respect turn out to be unintelligent simple minded thinkers. Separate the art from the artist? Perhaps. You don't have to pontificate like Friedrich Nietzsche to co-create Achtung Baby, I guess.

In the letter, Eno questions America's response to the violence:

Why does America continue its blind support of this one-sided exercise in ethnic cleansing? WHY? I just don't get it. I really hate to think its just the power of AIPAC… for if that's the case, then your government really is fundamentally corrupt. No, I don't think that's the reason… but I have no idea what it could be. 

He continues:

The America I know and like is compassionate, broadminded, creative, eclectic, tolerant and generous. All of you symbolise those things for me. But which America is backing this horrible one-sided colonialist war? I can't work it out: I know you're not the only people like you, so how come all those voices aren't heard or registered? How come it isn't your spirit that most of the world now thinks of when it hears the word 'America'? How bad does it look when the one country which more than any other grounds its identity in notions of Liberty and Democracy then goes and puts its money exactly where its mouthisn't and supports a ragingly racist theocracy? 

Really Brian? How far back does the history of this war go in your mind? a month or two? Do your research before you presume.

Damon Albarn: Everyday Robots

8.8

Damon Albarn is at a point in his career where he is musically losing his mind. He's recorded all genres between his band work and solo recordings, and assembled every combination of instrumentation one could dream of. This newest release sounds like an exhausted musician pulling away from any preconceived aspirations, yet the music is as innovative as ever. It's full of 'sounds' flying in and out, a very Salvador Dali-esque picture is painted, sounds of flying accordions and squeaking violins, obscure samples and sound effects, centered around Albarn and his acoustic guitar. It's a more mellow record than his previous releases. The mix of acoustic guitar ballads and psychedelic production trickery is impressive. It's hard to guess if he's been working on this album for many years, or does he write this much music, as prolific as anyone. It seems every year, Albarn is releasing a different project. Nevertheless, Everyday Robots stands out from the rest. The idea of Damon Albarn isolated in a studio churning out these tracks, playing everything himself, is brilliant! Perhaps he needed to get this out of his system, to move forward with that new Blur record we've all been waiting for. We'll see...

John Frusciante: Enclosure

8.4

In a world of listeners with no attention span, John Frusciante offers a very sporadic, unpredictable, cutting edge new record. None of the tracks sustain a groove without changing sonically for long and  the song structures move in odd directions. It's very chaotic music when you try and dissect it part by part. Throughout the album, Frusciante keeps to funk and ambience. This is like an anti-live album. He explores everything you can do in a studio while editing it all together very critical and mathematically. It's interesting music to say the least. John Frusciante is becoming a prolific solo artist with a discography that may parallel Frank Zappa over the years.

Charlie Dane: This One

8.9

There are few young stars with a sublime natural born talent as Charlie Dane. This is one impressive single from an ambitious and precocious singer/songwriter. Dane lives in New York, and has performed as much as singers twice her age. She is paying her dues as an entertainer and dazzling all that come to see. Her newest single is a pop hit if I ever heard one. It’s addictive, heart felt, and a toe tapper with a jaw dropping vocal performance. Most songs you hear on the radio today are forgetful by the half way point, but “This One” must be listened to on repeat. It’s near impossible to listen only once without pushing that play button again. I love the rhythmic acoustic strum that flows throughout the track, a country rock feel with singalong lyrics as perfect as any top 40 single of the past several decades. Lord knows this is just the starting point in Dane’s career, and a musician with these advanced skills at her age will surely dominate the mainstream once the music spreads. It’s only a matter of time before Charlie Dane is a household name and she is a true artist, one that Miley Cyrus should take notes from.

Beck: Morning Phase

8.3

This is an interesting album from rock and roll's leading Scientology pundit- Beck. It is advertised as the sequel to Sea Change, but I must say, Sea Change was better. Both albums are derivative, of performers like Nick Drake and such, but Morning Phase is a bit more psychedelic, and less folky. Beck is in a weird place in his career, where an artist this prolific doesn't really know what to do, and is perhaps doing just what he wants to, or thinks this is what his fans want to hear. We don't know. Has he lost the rhythm and rhyme to rap or is he just aging gracefully into an acoustic singer/songwriter? Will we ever see the "Loser" Beck we all loved in the 1990's again? Heaven knows. But this album isn't all bad. It has its moments of ambience and atmosphere as well as some catchy hooks and offbeat lyrics. What you'd expect from a Sea Change sequel, is just what you get. I think he could have been more ambitious rather than a throw back to an earlier album and conjured up a new sound like he's done in the past, but as I said, maybe he's just out of that juice. Nevertheless, this is a great background music album to play at work, or fall asleep to at home.

Michael Nesmith: Movies of the Mind

7.5

This was going to be a better package, but the vinyl that came with the super deluxe box set was cut in half. Side Two is live, and terrific. Side One is new material from Mike Nesmith, and falls short of a successful comeback from such an iconic songwriter. The new songs are lackluster, with his voice straining high notes over what sounds like elevator Muzak. I think the fans expected some country rock from Papa Nez, but got something closer to Barry Manilow. As stated, the live portion is great, and the set comes with a double live disc compilation of recordings from various shows of his recent tour. I would say, the CD should have been pressed to vinyl, and the new songs to CD. It's really a let down for Nez fans. And for the price, well... Mike Nesmith was always a sneaky cash cow. It's one of his true gifts, along side his unique talent for songwriting, of which he has seemed to fall from, or rather he's just not in a country rock zone anymore.

Collect I-Bowl Record Show TODAY

Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks at Bowery Ballroom, Music Hall - February 26th & 27th

(click image for tickets)

My Best Fiend is performing a free show at Passenger Bar TONIGHT

Primal Scream cancels U.S. tour dates. No reason given.

This is the saddest news for Primal Scream fans of the States. They do not tour often. Perhaps there was a Visa issue?

Kraftwerk Announce NYC Show!!!

Kraftwerk will return to NYC on April 1 for their first live performance here since those MoMA shows in 2012. The show, dubbed An Evening with Kraftwerk: 3-D Concert, is happening at the United Palace Theatre and is part of the groundbreaking electronic group’s North American 3-D Tour—a trip that includes Moogfest in North Carolina and gigs in DC, Montreal, Toronto, Chicago and Los Angeles, among others. Tickets for the NYC show go on sale this Friday, January 24, at 10am ET via Ticketmaster.

John Frusciante and Omar Rodríguez-López’s new band Kimono Kult unveil track

Kimono Kult - the intriguing new band set up by former Red Hot Chili Pepper John Frusciante and The Mars Volta‘s Omar Rodríguez-López – have unveiled the new track ‘Todos Menos El Dolor‘ via Soundcloud (below).

‘Todos Menos El Dolor’ leads the EP ‘Hiding In The Light‘, which is scheduled for release on March 3rd. Drummer Nicole Turley has overseen production duties. Speaking to Rolling Stone Teri Gender Bender - the final member of the troupe – explains all:

“Kimono Kult approaches the music in a completely original way, allowing for the imagination to flow. The lyric to ‘Todo Menos el Dolor’ is for the listener’s imagination. Spanish speaking or not, it goes way beyond language and is more about atmosphere. To me it could be a story about an alien that wanted to eat cats but it caused the critter so much pain that he became a vegetarian. Every interpretation is valid.”

Fucked Up, DIIV, White Lung, Guardian Alien, LODRO at 285 Kent TONIGHT

Tonight is the very last show at Brooklyn DIY venue 285 Kent before it closes, and they've got one helluva lineup for it. Things kick off with local dark rockers LODRO and local experimentalists Guardian Alien (whose lineup includes ex-Liturgy drummer Greg Fox). Then it's the ambitious yet ferocious punk of Vancouver's White Lung, Brooklyn's DIIV who always put on enjoyable shows, and the super-fun hardcore band Fucked Up whose Damien Abraham is sure to end up in as many corners of 285 Kent that his mic cable will reach.

Warpaint: Warpaint

9.

The new Warpaint album is a step forward experimentally for the band. The songs are more complex, yet more composed. Their sound got trippier, more spacey. There are similarities to the previous album, the way the guitars integrate, but further exploring new territory over intricate beats and skeletal drum patterns. The drumming is most notably funkier and more ambitious. There are new instruments, synths and sound effects added to the mix. Warpaint seem to be flourishing as a band and this new direction is wonderful.

Lee Ranaldo & The Dust at The Bell House TONIGHT

(click image for tickets)

Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks: Wig Out at Jagbags

7.5

Well, it sounds like Pavement. Stephen Malkmus and his gang are back with zany lyrics and trippy guitar effects, but are the songs as good as those old Pavement records? This solo venture has taken a few different directions but still has all the Malkmus-isms of the 1990's. His solo work hasn't strayed far from what he's made a niche for himself as a songwriter. Still, I must say, there is something missing. Perhaps it's just the changing of the times and this style of indie rock isn't fresh anymore. It's not bad by any means but I don't see myself listening to this record on repeat with that excitement he once gave me. Albums like this make you wonder how much influence the other members of Pavement had on Malkmus' songwriting. This record has its moments, a bunch of cool guitar riffs, funny and clever lyrics that you'd expect from this group, but how effective it will be in the long run is anyone's guess. All I know is the audience's attention span keeps getting shorter and this genre or brand of indie rock may be on its way out. Might be time for Malkmus to reinvent himself musically, or stir up another Pavement reunion. We all loved that, didn't we?

Bruce Springsteen: High Hopes

7.4

The Boss is back with a new album full of covers, outtakes and lost tape recordings. He decided to re-record his own classics with a modern edge. Some of it works, but some of it lacks the energy and magic the original versions had. For example, “The Ghost of Tom Joad” features Rage Against the Machine’s Tom Morello spewing guitar noises all over it. But would there ever be a better rendition than the stripped down acoustic version? Was it even necessary to make an attempt at bettering a song like that? Perhaps Springsteen is not trying to modernize himself, but offer another flavor to his songs. Some will say this is a cash grabber, others will question it, and his loyal-to-the-bone fans will devour the record as usual. Springsteen’s in that weird place in an artist’s career, where everything he puts out is a success much like his predecessor Bob Dylan. But that can get in the way of a songwriter’s mojo. Call it a controversial album, a mockery, or merely another quickly produced half-baked compilation made by a prolific musician that can’t slow down, nevertheless it will be known as a curveball from The Boss in the list of his discography. And maybe that’s just what he wanted to throw at us. I must say, the title is intriguing for such an unambitious record for Springsteen. "High Hopes"?