popwreckoning

By now you’ve heard that actor Gary Coleman has died at the age of 42.

His publicist confirmed that Family members and close friends were at his side when life support was terminated this Friday, May 28.

Now, while we’re predominately a music blog, we do love pop culture (hence the pop in PopWreckoning). So as a special tribute to Mr. Coleman, we share with you a YouTube gem featuring Coleman’s famous phrase, “Whatcha talkin’ bout, Willis?”

If awards for humor were given out to rock musicians, Chris Cain and Keith Murray of We Are Scientists would be the first recipients of such an honor. (What other band would dare include a guide called “Rules of Romance” in their album’s liner notes?) Rock stars are constantly being quoted as saying, “we don’t take ourselves too seriously,” but in the case of We Are Scientists, you definitely get the feeling from their communications with the world (blog entries about horse blankets, silly and self-deprecating Tweets, and faux-cocky Facebook posts) that this band takes those words to heart. In every interview they do, it’s obvious that Cain and Murray are close friends, which no doubt is one of the major keys to their success.

The Scientists split from their label, Virgin, in late 2009 and are now with Masterswan Recordings/Megaforce Distribution. Beyond that, they have also taken a more DIY approach with their forthcoming, highly anticipated third major album, Barbara, produced by long-time collaborator Ariel Rechtstaid. In addition, there was a personnel change: beardy ex-Razorlight drummer Andy Burrows played drums on this album and if the liner notes are to be believed, he is now an official member of the band, even though he hasn’t been seen playing live with Cain and Murray at every one of their gigs this year.

On this outing, the band have eschewed the fanciful synths from Brain Thrust Mastery in favor of the formula that made them indie cult favorites with their first major album With Love and Squalor: incisive lyrics, guitar, bass, and drums. From that description alone, I guessed that fans of the first album would immediately take to this album, whereas those who favored the second would not be as impressed (I fall into the latter). Both “Rules Don’t Stop” and “I Don’t Bite” sound a bit sinister but then turn the corner into classic WAS – melodic, hook-driven melodies with memorable singalong choruses.

These two plus “Nice Guys” and “Jack & Ginger,” the first four songs, are where Barbara shines: the crux of We Are Scientists‘ most successful tunes are immediate, pop melodies with Murray’s frank, funny, and witty lyrics. Check out the funny promo video for “Nice Guys” below; it’s the next single from the album to be released on June 8, just 1 week ahead of the album’s official debut. The low-tech video features humorous but nonsensical captions, Murray’s now-famous red and white Reeboks, and his shenanigans with a scooter around New York City. You can’t help but laugh with these guys.

Then the album turns decidedly darker. “Pittsburgh,” “Ambition,” and “Foreign Kicks” point back to the slower, more stolid “Textbook” of With Love and Squalor and “Ghouls” and “Tonight” of Brain Thrust Mastery; dirge-like, they’re not terribly melodic, and lyrically, they’re not very deep either. “Break It Up” is more upbeat, the sort of track I envision dance instructors who know nothing about the band pick for their class mixtapes for a bouncy, ’80s sound. On a WAS record however, it seems out of place. I’m not complaining though; I’d much rather hear faster tempo songs from this band.

See, the free-wheeling guitars (check out the guitar solo in the bridge) and fun chorus of “Central AC”, the last track on Barbara, lift things way back up and remind you of why you listen to We Are Scientists in the first place. You can imagine them singing this onstage, genuine smiles all around. It’s a good album but it’s noticeably lacking an obvious crowd-pleaser like “The Great Escape” or “Chick Lit,” the kind that fans go crazy over at their shows. That said, the WAS live experience is so unique that even if you aren’t immediately bowled over by this album, go to one of their gigs and prepare to be entertained. And to laugh your head off.

Barbara will be released on June 15 in America on Masterswan Recordings/Megaforce Distribution. Catch the band play these new tunes on their North American tour in July.

Track Listing:
01. Rules Don’t Stop
02. I Don’t Bite
03. Nice Guys
04. Jack & Ginger
05. Pittsburgh
06. Ambition
07. Break It Up
08. Foreign Kicks
09. You Should Learn
10. Central AC

Tour Dates:
Jul 13 – Middle East / Cambridge, MA
Jul 14 – Bowery Ballroom / New York City
Jul 15 – Johnny Brenda’s / Philadelphia
Jul 16 – Black Cat / Washington, DC
Jul 19 – Horseshoe Tavern / Toronto
Jul 20 – Blind Pig / Ann Arbor, MI
Jul 21 – Bottom Lounge / Chicago
Jul 23 – Larimer Lounge / Denver
Jul 26 – Doug Fir / Portland
Jul 28 – Neumo’s / Seattle

We Are Scientists: website | myspace | Brain Thrust Mastery review | @ Johnny Brenda’s | @ Austin Music Hall | @ Electric Factory | @ Black Cat | MP3 Minute: “Rules Don’t Stop” | We Are Scientists Debut “Nice Guys” Single | Interview with: Chris Cain of We Are Scientists

PodWreck‘s Melissa and Casey recently caught up with Kansas City’s Giant Radio. The surf pop group answered some questions and shared some jams.

The guys are playing a few Midwest dates if you’d like to check them out live. Listen to the full podcast out below.

Tour Dates:
May 28 -  Mojo’s w/ We Are Voices, Boreal Hills – Columbia, Missouri
May 29 – Record Bar w/ Life In Jersey – Kansas City, Missouri
June 11 – Club Mustache *Free Show* w/ Rodeo Ruby Love – Kansas City, Missouri
June 28 – Vaudeville Mews - Des Moines, Iowa
June 29 – TBA - Davenport, Iowa
June 30- Fubar w/ The Riverwinds (Locals Needed) - Saint Louis, Missouri
July 1 – Crosstown Station - Kansas City, Missouri
 

The self-titled 6-song EP from How To Destroy Angels a/k/a Mariqueen Maandig, Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross is now available for pre-order at howtodestroyangels.com. Those pre-ordering the EP will receive the track “The Believers” immediately and the remaining 5 songs on June 1.

The physical CD release of the EP will take place July 6 via the Null label. A vinyl version will also be released at a date to be determined.

The complete tracklisting for How To Destroy Angels is:

1. The Space In Between
2. Parasite
3. Fur-Lined
4. BBB
5. The Believers
6. A Drowning

The track “A Drowning” is already available for purchase via digital retailers.

How To Destroy Angels recently unveiled a video for “The Space In Between,” which can be viewed at the band’s site as well as many other locations.

Bear Ceuse, in our opinion, was the best thing about St. Louis. Now, it looks like we’re going to have to default to the Arch again as our favorite.

Bear Ceuse is moving to New York City, but before doing so, the band is bidding the Midwest adieu with a farewell tour.

Bear Ceuse began primarily as the Sonic Youth meets Pavement project of Cameron Matthews. Matthews earned a spot opening for The Shins after winning mtvU’s Best Music on Campus competition. Since, Matthews has expanded Bear Ceuse to include producer/bassist Patrick Crecelius and drummer Ben Majchrzak.

Tour Dates:
June 10, 2010 in Saint Louis, Missouri @ Lemp Arts Center
June 14, 2010 in Lexington, Kentucky @ Cosmic Charlies
June 18, 2010 in Saint Louis, Missouri @ Off Broadway
June 20,2010 in Chicago, Illinois @ Quencher’s

Tamar Kaprelian takes fans on a fantastical journey with her piano through beautiful fields and forests in her new video for “New Day.” “New Day” will be on Tamar’s debut album, Sinner or a Saint, out later this summer.

Arcade Fire have been playing coy lately, teasing fans with song clips and countdowns, but now the wait for information is over.

The Montreal seven piece has announced their third album, The Suburbs, due out August 3 in the States. The album has been in the works for nearly two years and drops just before the group headlines Chicago’s Lollapalooza festival.

Preceding the album will be a double A-side single containing “The Suburbs” and “Month of May.” It is available for pre-order here with an immediate digital download. A limited amount of discs are being sent to record shops. The 12″ will be released May 27.

Formed in Montreal, the Arcade Fire is Win Butler, Régine Chassagne, Richard Reed Parry, William Butler, Tim Kingsbury, Sarah Neufeld and Jeremy Gara.

Rage Against the Machine‘s Zach de la Rocha is not a fan of the new Arizona anti-immigration law. He says it is hurting his fans and fans of other artists. In protest, Rage (and their many side projects) are boycotting the state. He posted his full reasons in the press release below and is urging other artists to join the movement:

We are reaching out to get your ear for a minute about this critical situation in Arizona.

If you haven’t heard, the Arizona state legislature passed a bill (SB 1070) that was signed into law by Governor Jan Brewer that legalizes and sanctions racial profiling. Straight up.

It forces the cops to hunt down and target anyone they “reasonably suspect” that may be undocumented. And if the people they harass don’t have proof that they were born in the U.S., they can be detained and arrested. This must be stopped.

Fans of our music, our stories, our films and our words can be pulled over and harassed every day because they are brown or black, or for the way they speak, or for the music they listen to. People who are poor like some of us used to be could be forced to live in a constant state of fear while just doing what they can to find work and survive. This law opens the door for them to be shaked down, or even worse, detained and deported while just trying to travel home from school, from home to work, or when they just roll out with their friends.

Some of us grew up dealing with racial profiling, but this law (SB 1070) takes it to a whole new low. If other states follow the direction of the Arizona government, we could be headed towards a pre-civil rights era reality. This unjust law was set into motion by the same Arizona government that refused to acknowledge Martin Luther King Jr. day as a national holiday.

When Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat, they arrested her. As a result, people got together and said we are not going to ride the bus until they change the law. It was this courageous action that sparked the Montgomery bus boycott. What if we got together, signed a collective letter saying, “we’re not going to ride the bus”, saying we are not going to comply. We are not going to play in Arizona. We are going to boycott Arizona?!

Signed,

Zack de la Rocha

Here’s a list of the courageous artists who have taken a stand for civil and human rights in this collective decision to boycott Arizona:

Cypress Hill
Juanes
Conor Oberst
Los Tigres del Norte
Rage Against the Machine
Cafe Tacvba
Micheal Moore
Kanye West
Calle 13
Joe Satriani
Serj Tankian
Rise Against
Ozomatli
Sabertooth Tiger
Massive Attack
One Day as a Lion
Street Sweeper Social Club
Spank Rock
Juanes
Sonic Youth
Tenacious D

We are asking artists the world over to stand with us, and not allow our collective economic power to be used to aid and abet civil and human rights violations that will be caused by Arizona’s odious law.

If you’d like to sign up, visit here.

Syracuse NY’s most internationally beloved export Ra Ra Riot will issue its second full length album, The Orchard, August 24 on Barsuk in the U.S. International release dates will be confirmed and announced shortly.

Produced by Ra Ra Riot and Andrew Maury and mixed by Chris Walla (with one assist from Vampire Weekend‘s Rostam Batmanglij), The Orchard is 10 more stunning offerings of the bittersweet and endearing Ra Ra Riot blend that Entertainment Weekly likened to “Unforgettable Fire-era U2.”

The Orchard’s full track listing is:

1. The Orchard
2. Boy
3. Too Dramatic
4. Foolish
5. Massachusetts
6. You and I Know
7. Shadowcasting
8. Do You Remember
9. Kansai
10. Keep It Quiet

There’s something to be said for a good performer that can make any show feel intimate. Well, Rocky Votolato definitely has the intimacy idea under control with his upcoming Living Room Tour. That’s right, dust off your floor blankets and bring a pillow for your back because its time to cozy up to the music of songwriter Rocky Votolato.

Tickets for Rocky Votolato‘s Living Room Tour go on sale today, Wednesday, May 26, at 3 p.m. central time. Tickets are limited to as little as 25 per show so they could sell out fast. Buy tickets here.

Living Room Tour 2010
6/25 – Spokane, WA
6/28 – Bismarck, ND
6/29 – Fargo, ND
6/30 – Sioux Falls, SD
7/01 – Minneapolis, MN
7/02 – Milwaukee, WI
7/06 – Detroit (Harrison Township), MI
7/07 – Cleveland, OH
7/08 – Columbus, OH
7/09 – Cincinnati (Loveland) , OH
7/11 – Nashville, TN
7/14 – Columbia, MO
7/16 – Kansas City, MO
7/17 – Omaha, NE
7/27 – Castro Valley, CA
7/30 – Huntington Beach, CA
7/31 – Los Angeles, CA
8/03 – Fresno, CA
8/04 – Santa Rosa, CA
8/05 – Redding, CA
8/06 – Portland, OR