Incredible. Simply incredible. Really, I can not think of any other word to describe my weekend at Ultra Music Festival. For those of you who don’t enjoy a good bass thrashing, Ultra Music Festival is a three-day music event held annually in downtown Miami. Ultra always closes Miami Music Week (also known as Winter Music Conference.) During the week leading up to Ultra, famous DJs from around the world take their talents to South Beach, playing sets at various pools, hotels, and clubs. Miami Music Week is more than just a party. Various conferences are held in dedication to electronic music throughout the week.
The moment I bought my ticket, was the moment I began eagerly awaiting my first Ultra/Miami Music Week experience. Spoiler: it lived up to my expectations and more.
For those of you who don’t keep up with the up-and-coming music scene–don’t fret. That’s why we’re here. Genres including house, electronic and dubstep have all slowly made their way from the discotecas in Europe to the clubs and bars in the US. More specifically to the Georgia Theatre, our very own Classic City. Read more >
Perhaps I can blame the English beer I was nursing at the time, but at first listen The Beets sounded like… Liverpool. And the lead singer continues to remind me of Liam Gallagher, leader of Manchester-based Oasis. Odd, since the band hails from Queens, NY. That’s right – I said Queens, not Brooklyn! Whoa. Further distancing the group from all things Anglo, did I mention that frontman Juan Waters is from Uruguay? Or that sometimes The Beets sing in Spanish? And sometimes they sound like punk Beach Boys? If my semi-schizophrenic analysis of The Beets has confused you, my apologies. Take this mp3 of their single “Friends Of Friends” for your troubles.
Dear Readers: This article is about a controversial music group. Therefore, it is packed with content that may distract/offend/delight anyone who happens to look over your shoulder. It just might distract/offend/delight you as well. You’ve been warned.
Last week I told a friend that I was reviewing the new Spank Rock album. His response: “Spank rock? Is that a new genre?” No, my friend…but it should be. Baltimore-based MC Spank Rock, aka Naeem Juwan, falls under the hip-hop umbrella, but he incorporates heavy elements of rock, rap, dance and electro to create his own brand of . Spank Rock’s new album Everything Is Boring & Everyone Is a F***ing Liar is 41 minutes of PARTY. The best thing about it: the party isn’t restricted to one genre, making it a crowd-pleaser on the level of puppies or an open bar. German DJ Boys Noize produced the majority of the record, which features the likes of Big Freedia, Santigold and Mark Ronson. Stream it here and read on…
In the past several years, the band Grizzly Bear has become one of the coolest kids in indie school. The 2009 album Veckatimest pushed them to the top of many a “Best Albums of the Year” list, and their collaboration with Victoria Legrand of Beach House on the track “Slow Life” made the Twilight: New Moon soundtrack far more enjoyable than expected. It seems that the talent in the group overfloweth the band’s cup; members of Grizzly Bear have individual side projects, including Daniel Rossen’s Department of Eagles (with Fred Nicolaus) and Chris Taylor’s CANT. The beauty of the side acts is that while you can hear that Grizzly Bear je ne sais quoi, the three are all distinct from one another. Department of Eagles got my fanhood in 2008 with In Ear Park. Now, CANT’s excellent debut Dreams Come True has me wondering when someone from Grizzly Bear will release a critically acclaimed hip-hop album.
Dreams Come True is a testament to the great things one can do with a drum machine and a synthesizer and the refreshing delights of genre-bending. To fully appreciate this sonic layer cake, don’t restrict yourself to computer speakers or earbuds. If there was ever an occasion to bring out the serious surround sound, this is it…
Stumbling upon Shabazz Palaces was the kind of happy accident that makes me grateful for the Internet. Sure, it has subjected us to things like Rebecca Black, but I find myself awfully forgiving when I’m basking in the glow of new music.
“An echo from the hosts that profess infinitum” is the first single from Shabazz Palace’s debut album Black Up, and it does a hell of a job. A hell of a job being awesome. A hell of a job piquing your interest. A hell of a job sounding good. If I ever find myself in a situation where I need to come off as an intimidating badass, this would be my soundtrack. The beat on “An echo”, coupled with a sample that sounds like a preschool full of wailing robots, is infectious. The track has a dark tone that borders on threatening when soundwave-tearing dubstep breaks in. As evidenced by the random xylophone interlude halfway through the song, “An echo” doesn’t get boring. Another hefty piece of evidence is the fact that I’ve had it on repeat for a long time, and I haven’t gotten tired of it yet.
1889 was an eventful year. Coca-Cola was incorporated in Atlanta. North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana and Washington became U.S. states. The Eiffel Tower was completed. The Wall Street Journal was established. Vincent van Gogh painted Starry Night. Famous (and infamous) people born that year include actor Charlie Chaplin and professional ass Adolf Hitler; deaths include President of the Confederacy Jefferson Davis and English poet Robert Browning. In Georgia, the YMCA bought a lot in downtown Athens and erected a 3-story building. After decades of serving as a YMCA, movie theatre, Masonic temple, and Methodist worship hall, the Georgia Theatre became a music venue. It drew prominent musical acts from around the world until 2009, when it was ravaged by fire.
It’s been two years, but the Georgia Theatre is back and better than ever! It sports a three-tiered balcony, a lounge, and a rooftop restaurant/bar. Audience capacity has gone up, and if the Grand Opening is any indicator, the Theatre won’t have trouble filling the space. Starting today and running through August 14th, the venue will celebrate its return by hosting acts on an almost nightly basis.
It’s safe to say that there are a lot of great records being released this summer. Today’s album is one that I spent the past year hoping for. I would have written about it sooner, but since my wish was granted in June, I’ve been too busy listening to sit down and write about it. Finally, I’ve decided to stop being so selfish and share…
Unknown Mortal Orchestra, Unknown Mortal Orchestra [Fat Possum, 6/21] Unknown Mortal Orchestra came to my attention a year ago when I heard the track “Ffunny Ffrends”. After less than a minute, I was hooked. The second song that emerged from the ether was “Thought Ballune”, and it only reinforced my opinion that UMO quite possibly epitomizes the term “hook”. Abandoning more clinical musical terminology, Unknown Mortal Orchestra sounds like an afternoon at the park with your best friends in the late ‘60s, replete with Popsicles and/or mind-altering substances. Flavors and combinations are up to you.
Keeping up with the music scene in Athens is hard. If you took a survey of local musicians, you’d likely find that a large percentage of them are involved in more than one band or project. Maybe we have an unusually large population of folks with ADD. Maybe they’re hedging their bets, hoping that one of their three bands will hit it big. Or it could just be that Athens is incredibly lucky to be buzzing with more creative energy than it knows what to do with.
Enter Our New Silence, one of the most original and visionary projects Athens has seen for some time. Described as “creative cultural diplomacy”, Our New Silence is a collective undertaking that links Athens and Java, Indonesia through music.
