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Revolutions Per Minute

Charlotte Gainsbourg + Beck: "Heaven Can Wait" video

By Brandon Kim on 11/19/2009
Filed under: Revolutions Per Minute

It's a dreary week when I have no excuse to crop photos of Charlotte Gainsbourg, so I'm giddy as a fetishist in a fishnets over this new video for "Heaven Can Wait." The song is a duo with Beck and while I still feel uncomfortable having dear Charlotte so close to Scientology, I think he's a good collaborator for her. He also produced the record IRM from which this new single comes. I could have stood for some Warren Beatty and Charles Grodin cameos (see one of my favorite films from 1978) but director Keith Schofield (also did Supergrass' "Bad... MORE »

Tape Deck Mountain

By Brandon Kim on 11/18/2009
Filed under: Revolutions Per Minute

The well endowed eyebrowed,Travis Trevisan, of San Diego's Tape Deck Mountain had his band's first release, their debut EP Sparks, put out on cassette tape. I'm betting not too many outside of San Diego has heard it. A shame really. Their debut full length Ghost came out yesterday, this time on CD and LP (on Lefse). Tape Deck Mountain plays in the style of Mercury Rev (minus all the later ethereal choir stuff) or Spacemen 3 with maybe a little Danzig thrown in. The guitars and drummer handling keyboards with one hand reminds me of the old line up Chicago's,... MORE »

OK GO, the making of "WTF"

By Brandon Kim on 11/17/2009
Filed under: Revolutions Per Minute

You may be just as prone to laugh at OK Go and the video for their latest single "WTF" as with them - either way there's a few laughs coming your way. I'm sure you've seen their now infamous "treadmill" video (which has over 48 million views on youtube alone now). As for the new video in question, if you haven't seen it you can watch it here. The song is a decidedly Prince bitten jam, and on the off chance you have not seen their other videos, or don't know who the hell they are, I bet you'd never... MORE »

Ray Davies, The Kinks Choral Collection, Simon Cowell's taint

By Brandon Kim on 11/11/2009
Filed under: Revolutions Per Minute

You can't go about asking people Kinks or Beatles and expect an accurate sample. It's not a fair question - the entire world knows The Beatles. But The Kinks, well people might know "Lola," and they probably know the "Picture Book" song from the HP printer commercial but they don't even know it's The Kinks. Record heads and the more musically inclined of course know the hits like "You Really Got Me," and "Waterloo Sunset," but the Kinks' genius lies much deeper than their radio hits. Kinks fans know that and our favorite records have little to do with those... MORE »

Blakroc: The Black Keys and a really tough crew

By Brandon Kim on 11/10/2009
Filed under: Revolutions Per Minute

The Ohio-based dirty, filthy blues duo Dan Auerbach and Patrick Carney, known as The Black Keys, have set up shop in Brooklyn with one tough crew of hip hop legends to create the super group, Blakroc. Legends like Wu Tang's RZA and the late Ol' Dirty Bastard, Raekwon, Q-Tip, Ludacris, Pharoahe Monch, M.O.P.'s Billy Danze, and Mos Def. It's silly. They got a web series on the whole project, The Blakroc Sessions that I highly recommend. The music is good and the process of these players is worth the watch. Of course, shit is hilarious too, what with all the... MORE »

"You're So Vain," Carly Simon finally reveals who!

By Brandon Kim on 11/06/2009
Filed under: Revolutions Per Minute

Sort of. One of the greatest mystery's in American music has been the identity of the man in the hit song "You're So Vain" since it's debut in 1972. Who is Carly singing about? People have speculated on which celebrity ex-boyfriend it is for decades. Mick Jagger, Cat Stevens, Kris Kristofferson? Warren Beatty always got my vote. Well on November 4th Carly went into the WNYC Soundcheck studio and told host John Schaefer that the name was embedded in her new recording of the song... backwards. It's like the good old Beatles LP days! Of course, Schaefer and his crew... MORE »

Devendra Banhart

By Brandon Kim on 11/04/2009
Filed under: Revolutions Per Minute

I have mostly ignored Devendra Banhart, somewhat regrettably. I think it started with some phishhead wearing filthy Teva's talking about him in '02 and I just made a shallow association that stuck. The super strange name and Banhart's excessive beardy look didn't help dispel these notions and it was not until about 2 years ago I caught on to his genius. This guy Daniel Arnold, who's opinion I generally trust went crazy talking about him one night at Lil' Frankies in Manhattan while I was totally distracted by Elijah Wood. I didn't listen to a lick of the first half... MORE »

Interview: The Clientele's Alasdair Maclean

By Brandon Kim on 11/03/2009
Filed under: Revolutions Per Minute

I discovered the clientele in a record store in Toronto almost a decade ago. It was Fall and I was feeling very I droll, yet nostalgic. I bought the 12" they were playing, called "Lost Weekend," took it home with me and it didn't leave that record player until Spring. Admittedly, I had three turntables, but I've rarely found a seasonal match so perfect coupled with a sound so immediately pleasing since I picked up the 4 LP tome, The Kink Kronikles. The Clientele's new record, Bonfires on the Heath is out on Merge records and I highly recommend it.... MORE »

This is it, Michael Jackson

By Brandon Kim on 10/30/2009
Filed under: Revolutions Per Minute

My dream for this weekend is that I run into some player in a first rate Thriller costume and I, in "Beverly Hills Cop" guise, will give him my best Eddie Murphy chuckle, wherein everyone nearby experiences a brilliant shared cultural moment that kicks off the best time of their lives. Barring that, I may just freakishly go see "Michael Jackson's This is It," which has no shortage of good reviews (from the likes of mighty Manohla Dargis to the extremely tired Roger Ebert). I may stop myself if I think too much about director Kenny Ortega ("Highschool Musical" 1,... MORE »

Bob Dylan Christmas

By Brandon Kim on 10/28/2009
Filed under: Revolutions Per Minute

The sound of Bobby D's Christmas might be a bit off at times, like a town drunk nasally caroling down the street. It might be outlandishly kitsch. It certainly has it's precious warm moments. Most of all, "Christmas In The Heart" is a hilarious good time. I'm not a surefire Dylan fan as I made clear in a list of my favorite things about Dylan, and his voice continues at a deliberate speed into the great blown. That's hardly the same man who sang "Knockin' on Heaven's Door" for Peckinpah's "Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid." A long way from... MORE »

Ariana Delawari, David Lynch, "Be Gone Taliban"

By Brandon Kim on 10/22/2009
Filed under: Revolutions Per Minute

Ariana Delawari recorded most of her debut, "Lion of Panjshir," in her parent's home, but it's not as pedestrian as it may sound - her parents live in Afghanistan. She decided to take the opportunity to make the record in '07 when it looked like the deteriorating situation could radically destabilize again. "I had the feeling that things were shifting--that I may never have the chance to record there again." You can thank Bush for misadventuring in Iraq. A few months later she was jamming with bandmates Max Guirand and Paloma Udovic in Kabul along with three Afghani musicians on... MORE »

Video Premiere: Alexandra Hope - The Mirror

By Brandon Kim on 10/21/2009
Filed under: Revolutions Per Minute

Oh bugger, have I got a treat for you. Chanteuse/guitarist Alexandra Hope sounds like PJ Harvey and Sonic Youth in a dream about Charlotte Gainsbourg. She's an American and plays guitar like one, but the way she puts on airs is decidedly French -- hot dark simplicity. Hope started out, like many geniuses, in the Midwest, and opened for the likes of Elliot Smith before moving to Paris. There, she honed her sound and vision, landed on French radio and probably drank better wine. She has returned to us now Stateside and recorded an album called "Invisible Sunday." Did you... MORE »

Royal Flush Festival opening night + The Raincoats

By Brandon Kim on 10/15/2009
Filed under: Revolutions Per Minute

The Raincoats are one of those obscure late 70's British punk outfits that you'd find on mix tapes made by cool but tumultuous girlfriends back in the 90's when such things were necessities (the tapes and the girlfriends) but otherwise may never have heard of. If not for Kurt Cobain that is. Champion of the obscure UK band (remember The Vaselines), he helped unearth the all girl band when he lost his mind over meeting Raincoat, Ana da Silva, and wrote about it in Insecticide's liner notes among other places. If you're in NY you can check out The Raincoats,... MORE »

Sean and Yoko

By Brandon Kim on 10/08/2009
Filed under: Revolutions Per Minute

Yoko Ono has re-formed her Plastic Ono Band, the 40 year old project she first started with John Lennon. This time her main collaborator is their son, Sean Lennon, though it's far from the first time they've made music together. Other players include Yuka Honda of Cibo Matto and Japanese pop hero Cornelius. The album's called Between My Head and the Sky and it's received incredible reviews, somewhat to my surprise. [Sean and Yoko. Photo by Jeff Gentner/Getty Images] Unlike most, I've always dug her wild vocals-as-instruments because they're punk as hell - first wooed by her jam with the... MORE »

Janelle Monáe new track & behind the scenes vid, good gawd!

By Brandon Kim on 10/07/2009
Filed under: Revolutions Per Minute

The absurdly adorable Janelle Monáe is a Grammy nominated little nom nom, singer-songwriter and berserk performer. Look at her. She has her own creative alcove called The Wondaland Arts Society, part studio, part artist collective and Monáe's record label (along with Atlantic). Get a taste of their text: "We believe songs are spaceships. We believe music is the weapon of the future. We believe books are stars. We believe there are only three forms of music: good music, bad music and funk.... In this state, there is no food. We eat books and season them with wine and cotton candy.... MORE »

Hopewell "Island" Video: 1971 Japanese art film, Nazi's, Brooklyn

By Brandon Kim on 10/05/2009
Filed under: Revolutions Per Minute

Director Art Boonparn's video for New York band, Hopewell, has three things that get me real fired up. A tough psych jam, Nazi's and Brooklyn. He pieced together a visual interpretation of the song, "Island" using archival war footage, found sound, and his own had held super 8 footage around Brooklyn. A pleasing recipe, if excessively gritty. (Hopewell. Photo by Alexandra Marvar) The video was inspired by a truly blown out Japanese counter culture flick called "Throw Away Your Books, Rally in the Streets" (give or take, depending on your translation) by Shuji Terayama (another film of his is 1971's... MORE »

Next Big Nashville: October 7-11

By Brandon Kim on 10/01/2009
Filed under: Revolutions Per Minute

No plans for next weekend? Next Big Nashville dog. Set in Nashville, TN, over four days involving 12 venues and 140+ bands this festival in Music City has grown considerably since it's founding in 2006. And it's not all country and christian rock. It's a diversified jam with very seriousdaytime panelists and speakers. You'll notice some entrenched music industry interests there alongside entrepreneurs and independent artists. Did you know Nashville was rated one of the America's smartest cities based on concentration of college degrees? There are enough grits to go around too. A music festival, especially one in Nashville, wouldn't... MORE »

Video Premiere: The Shaky Hands - "Already Gone"

By Brandon Kim on 09/29/2009
Filed under: Revolutions Per Minute

Following a tour with The Meat Puppets last winter, Portland's The Shaky Hands, took a break when Nicholas Delffs (Vocals/Guitar) split for India. He "sang in the temples" and soaked in the country and it's music for a month and a half, but you won't hear any direct musical influence on the album it helped shape - they didn't go Bhangra. Delffs' Darjeeling Express affected him in subtler ways, perhaps it filters through in the lyrics, many of which were penned there. The India trip ended in a day-long flight back to the States and then a 37-hour drive to... MORE »

Fool's Gold "Surprise Hotel"

By Brandon Kim on 09/25/2009
Filed under: Revolutions Per Minute

Last week I had some photos from the set of Fool's Gold's video shoot for "Surprise Hotel," featuring a pool with a view. Today, I've got the finished video by director Matthew Lessner (who recently shot the video for "Stillness is the Move" by The Dirty Projectors). (Luke Top of Fool's Gold. Photo credit Emily Ulmer.) "Surprise Hotel" was filmed at some over-the-top villa in Beverly Hills on a hot sunny day. I think it has one of the most memorable scenes of saxophone one-upmanship ever put to video. Get wet: Fool's Gold - "Surprise Hotel" from Paul Tao on... MORE »

Early Day Miners, The Treatment

By Brandon Kim on 09/22/2009
Filed under: Revolutions Per Minute

Bloomington Indiana's Early Day Miners release their 5th full length record, The Treatment, today. It's more accessible than their previous efforts and that's not code for dumbed down. Perhaps their last album, Offshore, was too sprawling, too long winded for some. Even listless shoe gazers like some pep in their pop, it's a good thing. (Early Day Miners. Photo by Rebecca Drolen). Founding member and singer/guitarist Daniel Burton has overseen many changes to the bands line up since 2000 and a 'musical-cooperative' seems to have been the original idea. Once mentored by Daniel Lanois in LA, Burton is a collaborator,... MORE »

Living Colour

By Brandon Kim on 09/15/2009
Filed under: Revolutions Per Minute

There was a long span of time through the 70's and 80's where rock was the realm of white guys with long hair. Never mind the musical roots that rock evolved from or that Jimi Hendrix was the original guitar hero. He died in 1970 after all and by the mid 80's that was a distant haze. There were fleeting exceptions to the norm along the way, but by and large when you saw black groups performing music on TV, if it wasn't jazz it was reggae, or increasingly, rap - the new force in popular culture. Black kids rapped,... MORE »

First look: behind-the-scenes of Fool's Gold's "Surprise Hotel."

By Brandon Kim on 09/14/2009
Filed under: Revolutions Per Minute

Fool's Gold is a collective band from LA but you might think they're from Buenos Aires, or Tel Aviv. Maybe even Marrakech. In fact, the spirit of their music and the confluence of influences conjures a Moroccan vibe for me, a hypnotic African jive rooted in driving rhythms but with plenty of melodic depth. Perhaps if Sufi's from "The Jewel of the Nile" were there in "Romancing the Stone's" South American jungle when Jack T. Colton and Joan Wilder got deep in the marijuana plane.... (Fool's Gold, chilling at the shoot. Photo credit Emily Ulmer.) Vocalist/bassist Luke Top sings in... MORE »

All Tomorrow's Parties: Barry Hogan

By Brandon Kim on 09/09/2009
Filed under: Revolutions Per Minute

The acclaimed festival, All Tomorrow's Parties will take over Kutsher's Country Club in Monticello, New York for the second time since it's founding in Britain ten years ago. I talked to it's founder, Barry Hogan about it and his revulsion for corporate branding. (The Dinosaur Jr. crowd at 2008's ATP in NY. Photo by Abbey Braden © ATPNY 2008) Though an admitted "potty mouth," especially in the forthcoming film about the festival, "All Tomorrow's Parties," he kept it cool when I pressed him on British Imperialism and why he's got his nose in everything from the ATP film to an... MORE »

Phosphorescent, tour dates, video.

By Brandon Kim on 09/01/2009
Filed under: Revolutions Per Minute

There was once a place in Brooklyn called Suite Lorraine. It was a sanctuary for great music, kind people, and free delicious baked goods. Like all venues of its kind it was fleeting, and only happened when two genius hosts known as Jeff and Daniel came together. The intimate home made-shows were of course, the best. One such show featured Matthew Houck, aka Phosphorescent. The pleasant fellow, alone with an acoustic guitar introduced himself, gently quieting the room after a little known group called The Dirty Projectors had played (during which time I think I fell in love three times).... MORE »

Orba Squara: The Trouble With Flying.

By Brandon Kim on 08/25/2009
Filed under: Revolutions Per Minute

I'm betting you don't know who Mitch Davis is nor have you heard of his band Orba Squara. But unless you're totally disconnected from TV and various high profile ad campaigns, I bet you'd recognize a jingle here, a jangle there, from his first record, sunshyness which did quite well in the licensing arena. (Mitch Davis/Orba Squara and a few of his guitars). Earlier this year Davis took a road trip from his home in NY, west to Portland to perform songs from his sophomore effort, "The Trouble with Flying." It seems in part a reaction manifested from the album's... MORE »

More Radiohead "Collectors Edition" releases

By Brandon Kim on 08/24/2009
Filed under: Revolutions Per Minute

Capitol/EMI is releasing double disc expanded reissues of "Kid A," "Amnesiac," and "Hail To The Thief'" tomorrow in a follow up to the reissues of the first three albums in March. Let's be frank, it's a cash-in on the catalog by the huge band's former label. Hardcore Radiohead fans are as likely to boycott the release as they are to pirate it later off the series of tubes. ("Thom and Jonny and Drew in Ondes." From Radiohead.) But it ain't all bad is it? Whatever you think about record labels and this one in particular, the idea that people may... MORE »

The Duke & The King

By Brandon Kim on 08/18/2009
Filed under: Revolutions Per Minute

The devil has a Ferris wheel, to take you up and show you all the pretty ones dancing in the fires below. So say the Duke & The King, troubadours from the Catskill Mountains, and a group on my must hear list. The album is called "Nothing Gold Can Stay," and the men behind the name (a nod to the two conniving grifters in "The Adventures Of Huckleberry Finn") are Simone Felice (of The Felice Brothers) and Robert 'Chicken' Burke (George Clinton). (Simone Felice and Robert Burke. photo credit: Dave Herron) Felice wrote some of the songs after he and... MORE »

Arman Bohn - "Combat" vid taps childhood musings.

By Brandon Kim on 08/17/2009
Filed under: Revolutions Per Minute

Arman Bohn got his start playing music well over a decade ago in a couple college bands in Bellingham, Washington. Back then he played with Nick Harmer on bass, Ben Gibbard on drums, and later Jason McGerr - now known as Death Cab for Cutie. Bohn recently released his first solo album, Bits, and has been systematically shooting videos for all the tracks himself, most impressive. He clearly got enough proper play time in his childhood, and like many of us, decided it was worth remembering and revisiting. There's a lot of inspiration there if you can tap into it,... MORE »

Speech Debelle

By Brandon Kim on 08/14/2009
Filed under: Revolutions Per Minute

I'm diggin' this record by UK artist Speech Debelle, called Speech Therapy which released in the US last month. Have you heard? I must confess to being somewhat turned away from hip-hop in the last few years, but Speech rhymes about a personal journey I can get my head around, about the human condition, not the things and blings the mindless covet. (Speech Debelle, Photographer Samuel Hicks) I put in extra effort change up the gear on em/I got the sails up and I'm steering em/I'm staying clear of em you know who I'm talking bout/It's unnecessary for their names... MORE »

Video Premiere: Windmill's "Big Boom"

By Brandon Kim on 08/12/2009
Filed under: Revolutions Per Minute

Windmill's Matthew Thomas Dillon was so struck by a visit to the EPCOT center as a child that he's gone and mined the memories of it from his cosmic noggin for the basis of his second album "Epcot Starfields," due out September 15th. I too love and relate to the heavy impact the place has on your world view as a child (just minus the talent to make music about it). We've got a first look at the video for the lead single off the album, "Big Boom" right here. And I interrogated director Rupert Noble (who's shot videos for... MORE »

Lightning Dust (members of Black Mountain)

By Brandon Kim on 08/04/2009
Filed under: Revolutions Per Minute

Amber Webber and Joshua Wells are Lightning Dust. They're both best known as core members of the increasingly famous psych band, Black Mountain - I'd recognize Webber's undulating cries anywhere. After getting down with this 2nd Lightning Dust release, Infinite Light, I imagine that instead of being known as members of this or that, that these two will simply become household names to people under 40. (Infinite Light is out on CD and LP on Jagjaguwar) They're islands in the stream and this album is a ticket to sail away with them to another world. Hey kid, here's two golden... MORE »

The Thermals: Interview and behind-the-scenes video premiere

By Brandon Kim on 07/21/2009
Filed under: Revolutions Per Minute

Check out this vidy (first seen here) of The Thermals at their new label, Kill Rock Stars, in Portland putting people and dogs on the spot. Then, I put lead singer Hutch Harris on the spot about their transition from Sub Pop, fascists, the usual stuff.... Their latest record, Now We Can See, is available from KRS and if you're in Seattle on July 25th they play the Capitol Hill Block Party with Sonic Youth. (The Thermals: Hutch Harris, Westin Glass, and Kathy Foster. photo credit: Alicia J. Rose) Video by Lance Bangs BK: Tell me about the seemingly amicable... MORE »

Video Premiere: Black Moth Super Rainbow

By Brandon Kim on 07/14/2009
Filed under: Revolutions Per Minute

Pittsburgh's Black Moth Super Rainbow latest record, Eating Us, is a pop dream, creeped out with freakish spasms of electronic noise, and some old fashioned heavy tripping, enhanced by Mercury Rev/Flaming Lips player/producer Dave Fridmann. This new video for "Born On A Day The Sun Didn't Rise," brings the psyche but plays with grindhouse horror instead of the requisite spinning star fields and sparkly trampoline spaceman - that's this one (fun!). When you have band members with names like father hummingbird and tobacco you never know what you'll get and this one comes straight from them. From the director's/band's statement,... MORE »

Julie Doiron

By Brandon Kim on 07/13/2009
Filed under: Revolutions Per Minute

Ah Canada, land of funny hats where people buy their milk in bags not jugs or even cartons for that matter. Country of Simply Saucer and Leonard Cohen, of donuts and Julie Doiron who recently had a day named after her in Saskatchewan. Julie Doiron Day. I read that the Mayor who named the day has an accordionist husband who opened for Doiron at a sold out show - typical Canadian skullduggery! Still, Canadian political scandals are much more adorable than ours, I'll give them that. She has a new music video for "Consolation Prize," which rocks out like old... MORE »

Rebecca Schiffman

By Brandon Kim on 07/09/2009
Filed under: Revolutions Per Minute

I recently attended a show for a band that was being sponsored by a well known studio/distribution company. They were well practiced, had a decent but formulaic pop radio sound, and that grey-toned American Apparel blousey cardigan look. They were so groomed and trend conscious that, far from standing out they were actually completely forgettable. The crowd was an odd mix of kids, old guys in suits, and those thick-necked striped shirt wearing club guys that certain Manhattanites describe as Bridge and Tunnel but everyone knows you only see those guys in the city so Manhattan owns them as far... MORE »

Best things about Iggy Pop

By Brandon Kim on 06/29/2009
Filed under: Revolutions Per Minute

Iggy Pop has always been a real cool time, and he shows no sign of stopping. The Stooges are nothing short of awesome and everyone should have the experience of standing in front of a stack and having them blast your face off (live or recorded as long as the DJ isn't one of those knob meddlers - oh you think you know something Iggy doesn't about how this song should sound?). I just heard some of Iggy's latest work, a record inspired by a French novel that you'd file between Jazz and French Pop called Préliminaires. The album came... MORE »

Tori Amos

By Brandon Kim on 06/18/2009
Filed under: Revolutions Per Minute

If I was a girl I'd wear lots of simple black leather and tight boyish clothes. Maybe the occasional beret and definitely a dagger in my boot. I'd be unapproachable and dispassionate. But, alone in my room away from all the jim jims with nothing but my secrets and private inklings, I'd for sure put on a flowing medieval dress and play Tori Amos records, living out great fantasies in my bed chamber. Here's Tori talking about her new record "Abnormally Attracted to Sin," it's preoccupation with spiritual erotica and her journey to become a great female composer.... MORE »

Major Lazer

By Brandon Kim on 06/17/2009
Filed under: Revolutions Per Minute

I left the country for the millennial New Years Eve with my 2 roommates at the time, and headed for the cliff side Caribbean town of Negril, Jamaica. (We didn't believe in the Y2K end of the world scenario, only the psychos who we thought would be murdering people in the streets because they believed it). We awoke each morning to the caress of sea breeze through open windows and hiked down a mountain road to buy healthy breakfasts of little tropical bananas and fried ackee fruit, true wonder foods. We met locals and explored jungle paths with them, spelunked... MORE »

Luaka Bop

By Brandon Kim on 06/12/2009
Filed under: Revolutions Per Minute

Luaka Bop is an indie label and labor of love begun by Davd Byrne two decades and one year ago. Amped about the Brazilian records in his collection, he began to make mix tapes for his friends and eventually hired Yale Evelev from Icon to run the label with him. The two went forth and signed obscure artists from places like Brazil and Cuba, pressing pop no one had ever heard before. Byrne comments on Luaka Bop's website, "I became the mogul of the label you can't pronounce. I was pictured in a cartoon at the time in a pith... MORE »

Sunset Rubdown and Guy Fantastico

By Brandon Kim on 06/11/2009
Filed under: Revolutions Per Minute

Sunset Rubdown began as Spencer Krug's solo project but is a full fledged band now with a third record out June 23rd entitled, Dragonslayer. If that name escapes you, Krug is in Swan Lake and more notoriously, Wolf Parade. (Left: Sunset Rubdown living the good life in Canada) It could use a touch more Princess Elspeth and maybe a virgin offering in white, but I find it to be rewarding upon deeper listening. I know many, especially loving minions of Wolf Parade will find Dragonslayer immediately enchanting. I'm not sure when Guy Fantastico stole my post 2am street name, but... MORE »

Hecuba: Suffering

By Brandon Kim on 06/03/2009
Filed under: Revolutions Per Minute

Jon Beasley and Isabelle Albuquerque met while filming a sci-fi picture of Beasley's and started making music together. The result is the band Hecuba, and it turns out the LA duo have a talent for popping out moody electronic doo-wop dittys. (Left: album art from Hecuba's debt full length album, Paradise, on Manimal) The album is called Paradise and the track "Suffering" has the staring role. Beasley co-directs the video with Isaiah Seret (who's videos include Devendra Banhart's "At The Hop") which plays out like a dream Donna Hayward might have of Kenneth Anger, grease and polyamorous heartache. Sweaty garage... MORE »

Radio, what kind are you?

By Brandon Kim on 05/29/2009
Filed under: Revolutions Per Minute

Never been a huge music radio fan. Fond memories exist from childhood car trips and the pale amber glow that emanated from my brother's stereo receiver at night. But where there was once diversity there has long been conformity, and too many product jingles. Played with satellite radio a bit, but unless I buy a car again I don't have much use for it. My intentional radio listening has increased to daily levels again but it's all on the web. Actually, I'm kind of a public radio junky. Specifically WNYC. It's their pledge drive by the way, I wish you'd... MORE »

Timo Ellis!

By Brandon Kim on 05/21/2009
Filed under: Revolutions Per Minute

A man with a twinkle in his eye and the hair of a comic book hero walked into the cafe as I sipped a double espresso with the thickest crema you ever saw. Is that Timo Ellis? I met the NY multi-instrumentalist (Cibo Matto, Sean Lennon collaborator, front man of NY band The Netherlands, and a bunch of other wild stuff) one magic night in Manhattan a couple years ago. One of those party crashing, quasi private bar hopping, celebrity hang out nights where you get into places you'll never see the inside of again. It was like an 80's... MORE »

Multiple threats: Leah Hayes

By Brandon Kim on 05/18/2009
Filed under: Revolutions Per Minute

I discovered the many talents of Leah Hayes one after the other, by accident or happenstance, or because I live in Brooklyn. Maybe it was witchery. But last Fall/late summer it began and hasn't stopped. First, and I don't recall how, I came across her band Scary Mansion. Contrary to my initial impression of the name, which immediately conjured the best time of my life at Disney's Haunted Mansion, the band's sound is a matured haunting. Beautiful but grave, Leah Hayes delivers stark vocals on the verge of breaking over organs, guitars, drums, in the room with the locked door... MORE »

Do not attempt to adjust your monitor.

By Brandon Kim on 05/14/2009
Filed under: Revolutions Per Minute

Every now and then a music video breaks loose from the pack and proves to be a work of art. I may be a couple weeks behind on this new one for the band Chairlift, but that won't stop me from making it the first music viddy I go nuts about. Chairlift - New Music - More Music Videos Director Ray Tintori blew minds last year with his video for MGMT's "Time to Pretend." It was an intense visual trip through a kind of happy nightmare, a neon Lord of the Flies loaded with giant kittens, intentionally bad cut/paste jobs,... MORE »

Wild Yaks, unsigned, but bonafide

By Brandon Kim on 05/11/2009
Filed under: Revolutions Per Minute

I wanted to kick off the week with a feral bang, with singing but unsung heroes, so I present to you: the Wild Yaks. The Brooklyn band, as blues as they are punk, have been affectionately, tumultuously, together in some form or other since the Fall of '07. Not that long, but long enough to have proved their meddle. Like a leather pouch of uncut gems found on an old battlefield, I have coveted them, slightly paranoid, fully enthralled. How much suffering and mayhem passed before this moment of discovery? Why aren't there bulldozers tearing up this field for more?... MORE »

Foreign Born, and a tune by Swan Lake

By Brandon Kim on 05/07/2009
Filed under: Revolutions Per Minute

This video of LA band, Foreign Born, turned up on Swedish TV recently, and it's pretty cute. The cut is a song called "Blood Oranges" off of their upcoming June 23rd release on Secretly Canadian. It sounds drastically different from the album version, which plays more like a Michael Mann directed street firefight between The Walkmen and the cast of Miami Vice. My guy Kevin D sends me all kinds of music, and although it's his job, I think they always have a little extra love packaged with 'em. Here's another by Foreign Born I can share. "Vacationing People" by... MORE »

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