Holy Ghost remakes New Order...sort of.

Holy Ghost have just released their single, "I Will Come Back" for free download at Green Label Sound, and have created a video for the track that more or less recreates the iconic video for New Order's "Confusion". In fact, they've even included legendary producer Arthur Baker to reprise his role as "head-bobbing DJ", just as he appeared in the original. It's great.

Check it:

Discovery "LP" - Get It Early And Help Oxfam America

Last night we had a ball at a party to celebrate the release of the new Discovery album, "LP" at Le Poisson Rouge. After the album was played, the guys from Discovery, Wes from Ra Ra Riot & Rostam from Vampire Weekend took over the turntables to DJ a set heavy on poppy summertime jams. Too much fun.

By the way, the album is fantastic, fun, and perfect for playing in the backyard with friends over for beers. Even cooler is the fact that if you but the album at Amie Street this week (which is actually the only way to get it before it's "official" release date next week), Oxfam America will get $2 of the purchase price. Get it here: http://amiestreet.com/music/discovery/lp/

Enjoy a couple tracks here:

Weird Al's Homage To The Doors - "Craigslist"

Seriously...If there is a Comedy Hall Of Fame, Weird Al Yankovic deserves a spot there.  And if there's a Musical Comedy Hall Of Fame, Al deserves a statue at the entrance.

Here's his newest, "Craigslist", featuring Ray Manzarek of The Doors:

 

Concert review: Grizzly Bear at Berklee, Boston 6/3

Concert review: Grizzly Bear at Berklee Performance Center, Boston, MA June 3, 2009

The first time I saw Grizzly Bear live—at a crowded, stiflingly hot club in Northampton, Massachusetts—was the moment I went from being a casual fan to a mildly obsessed one. These four sweaty, slightly goofy guys put on a dazzling, energetic, virtuosic show, one that transformed the cramped space into a collective religious experience.

Nearly two years later at the Berklee Performance Center, I realized Grizzly Bear are on their way up in the world. Last night’s venue was five times bigger, the audience was sitting down, and the band members were cool and collected under a light show in shifting tones of red, blue, and green.

Other than that, though, you’d never know that Veckatimest, one of the most (deservedly) hyped albums of the year, just made #8 on the US Billboard charts. Grizzly Bear’s unclassifiable live sound—a blend of four-part harmonies and folky strumming, fifties-style pop hooks and dramatic climaxes—remains as astonishing as ever.

At last night’s show, the band turned much of their older material inside out, giving “Colorado” and the rhythmic “Fix It” an added depth and expansiveness. They’ve probably played “Knife” a billion times by now (as shown by the loud applause that flared up on the first notes) but somehow they made it new.

The band played actual newer stuff, too, including the pretty, piano-driven “Two Weeks,” and my favorites “Ready, Able” and “While You Wait for the Others.”  The new material was a bit more faithful to the album versions, but I’m sure that eventually these songs, too, will sound completely different in a live setting. The only letdown was the relative lack of lead vocals by guitarist Dan Rossen, whose rough-edged voice provides the perfect counterpart to singer Ed Droste’s sweeter, more soaring tones.

That’s a minor disappointment, though, from what was a truly stellar live show. If you’re a fan, try to catch Grizzly Bear in concert as soon as you can; at the rate they’re going, two years from now they’ll be headlining their first world stadium tour.  -Anna Kramer

photo of Ed & Dan by Kate Vacanti

Hear Grizzly Bear's recent full set performed in-studio for NPR at WNYC here.

Spank Rock, Japandroids, Bear Hands, Future Of The Left Added To Siren Festival

More good news coming from the Siren Festival camp...

Spank Rock, Japandroids, Bear Hands, and Future Of The Left have been added to Siren's bill. Already announced are Built To Spill, The Raveonettes, Frightened Rabbit, Grand Duchy, Monotonix, Micachu, and The Shapes.

Sounds like there's still a few more acts to be announced...we'll let you know when we find out, natch.

In case you missed the original announcement, Siren will be held again on Coney Island on Saturday, July 18. More info on the Village Voice Siren Festival at: http://www.villagevoice.com/siren.

Photo above of Ra Ra Riot at last year's Siren by Stefano Giovannini

Concert review: Animal Collective at House of Blues, Boston, May 14, 2009

Maybe it was the giant white ball hovering moonlike above the stage, its surface swarming with abstract film projections. Maybe it was the colored lights mounted under the white-draped tables where the three band members bent over their instruments. Or maybe it was the music itself: layered, percussive, hypnotic, and building moment by moment to a joyous climax.

Whatever the reason, Animal Collective definitely brought a ‘90s rave vibe to Boston’s House of Blues last night—even though most of the kids in the audience were probably way too young to recall the era of baggy pants and glowsticks. From the moment the first beats of new song “What Would I Want Sky,” exploded out of a delicate, looping guitar sample, the sold-out crowd started jumping and dancing frenetically—much like we did back in the day during an especially awesome DJ set.

Of course, though trance-influenced, Animal Collective’s music is anything but nostalgic; their set list drew heavily from the innovative sounds of the 2009 stunner Merriweather Post Pavilion, including a raucous version of “Summertime Clothes” and climaxing with the dizzy, ecstatic “Brother Sport.” Other highlights were an extended version of “Fireworks,” one of my favorite tracks from Strawberry Jam, featuring Panda Bear flailing out an energetic drum rhythm; and a mass sing-along to “Comfy in Nautica” from Panda ’s 2007 solo effort, Person Pitch. (“That’s not even an Animal Collective song!” the guy next to us grumbled, though I’m pretty sure he was the only one complaining.)

In an encore to the nearly two-hour-long show, the slow-building melodies of “Chocolate Girl”—featuring gorgeous Avey Tare vocals—merged triumphantly into the recent crowd-pleaser “My Girls.” And as the audience shrieked and flailed in approval, I glimpsed yet another sign of the new combining with the old: A young girl dancing a few feet away, twirling with a lit-up iPhone in one hand and a green glowstick in the other. --Anna Kramer


Animal Collective also played Letterman last week...

Matthew Barber Playing NYC 2X Next Week...Download & Tix Contest Here

I'm a sucker for a good pop song.

Seriously, as long as the hooks are huge and the lyrics dance off the singer's tongue, I'm in.

And show me an album loaded with good pop songs? There's a good chance it'll stay in my player for weeks. Case in point is the new album from Toronto's Matthew Barber, "Ghost Notes".

Barber's a pretty great lyricist, but the music really shines as well on this album, which is split between rock stompers, folky pop, and piano-driven slower songs, all of which are catchy as hell.

Must musicians can't pull off the rock/folk split-personality thing well. Many have tried and failed, but the few who do it well are legendary...Neil Young, Bruce Springsteen, Dave Matthews, Bob Dylan come quickly to mind. Not to say that Matthew Barber belongs to that lofty group just yet, but "Ghost Notes" would certainly not be out of place in a stack of that gang's CD's, next to the backyard boombox, waiting to be spun on a lazy weekend afternoon.

Having said that, I'm very interested in hearing Barber play these songs live. Thankfully, he's out on the road for a few dates, and is giving New Yorkers a couple chances to check him out:

Matthew Barber Live:
May 12 Living Room - NYC
May 13 Union Hall - NYC (with Jill Sobule)
May 14 Milltown - Carrboro, NC
May 15 Farm 255 - Athens, GA
May 16 Criminal Records - Atlanta, GA

extrawack! wants to give one lucky reader a pair of tickets to Barber's show at Union Hall in Brooklyn on Wednesday night. The third email to extrawack@gmail.com with "Matthew Barber" in the subject line gets them.

Matthew Barber - "Easily Bruised" mp3

Matthew Barber MySpace

Matthew Barber - "And You Give" video: