Thursday, March 29, 2018

Tix Give-A-Way: My Life With The Thrill Kill Kult


  

Industrial Psycho Dance Legends My Life With The Thrill Kill Kult is currently on a 30th Anniversary tour of the US and will be playing at Trixie's in Louisville on Tuesday April 10th and we have 2 Tickets to give away!

Share this post on Facebook or send us an email and we'll pick a winner on Monday April 2nd.

Wednesday, March 28, 2018

Interview: Daniel Retone of the Crossover Series


Daniel Retone is a stagehand for Production Simple and works with many of Louisville's venues including Headliners Music Hall and is the organizer for the Crossover Series.
Daniel Retone

37: What was your motivation for starting the Crossover Series?

DR: I want to accomplish a couple things with The Crossover Series. One, to get a couple different types of fanbases together and just have a good fucking time; To make local shows fun and a little rowdy so that we want to go to them again. I want the quality of what you're gonna experience worth the admission price for once. 

37: What is on the agenda for the first Crossover event?

DR: I'm gonna do drink specials. How awesome would an $8-$9 shot and a beer be in a music venue? I also added a popular farm to table chef in Railroad Joe. I want there to be a good food option to soak up some booze. The other goal of mine is to eventually find a unique sound. One that Louisville can claim for its own. That's ultimately what I want to see happen. That's why I went with the combination of up and coming "folkgrass" group Mama Said String Band, bluegrass band Hot Brown Smackdown and local favorite metal band Ohlm. 

Ohlm is going a more bluegrassy route and should melt people's face off. Some members are going to Crossover and play with each other. Hopefully resulting in something of a "prograss" or "farm metal" sound. I'm stoked about it and am already coming up with ideas for the next one.

37: Could you give us a couple ideas you are thinking of for the next Crossover event?

DR: I'm thinking about having the next one at Headliners again or possibly Z bar... hell maybe even the castle in Versailles. 

37: What other bands and/or chefs would you like to work with?

DR: I'm not sure about the bands yet. I'm thinking maybe thrash punk crossed over with an intense outlaw country sorta vibe. Kinda like a Hank III thing. 

37:  Which genres would you think would work well together as a crossover?

DR: I would also like to work with a hip hop act and cross that with something like the Louisville Leopard Percussionists or a marching band. I just don't want obvious mash ups. 

I'd like for some weird ones as well. As far as the chef, that's up in the air as well. I was gonna see how Railroad Joe (chef for Fuzzy Zoeller) does and maybe keep going with him but you brought up an interesting idea and that's to switch up the chefs as well. I guess it all really depends on what people will get hyped about. 

37: What does Railroad have in mind for the menu?

DR: His 'que is pretty dope. He's planning on having smoked Mexican street corn on the cob, smoked turkey legs, pulled pork sandwich and brisket tacos with a fresh jalapeno slaw. Easy to eat and good amount of options. 

37: What music genres do you see as having a particular relation to Louisville?

DR: I really think a sorta thrash and outlaw country mix could potentially pave the way for that distinct sound I'd like for our city to have. I really think "Farm Metal" can be a thing.

Good bands, good food and good prices on booze. It's not that hard but yet doesn't happen anymore. It's time to change that. But again, I just wanna get people together and make local shows insane and fun again. That's really it. Whatever awesome shit happens as a byproduct is just icing in the cake.



The first Crossover Series is April 28th at Headliners Music Hall with Ohlm, Hot Brown Smackdown, and Mama Said String Band, and will feature chef Railroad Joe.

Tuesday, March 27, 2018

Review: Frankie Cosmos "Vessel" LP


On friday, March 30th, 23 year old Greta Kline will release Vessel, her 52nd album to date. No small feat for anyone, much less someone who has an average of one album per every 4 months for being on the planet.

Having so many albums in such a short time one could expect that a lack of curating could produce a turkey of an album every now and then, but 'Vessel' is no turkey.

Kline began uploading songs she had written and recorded in her bedroom at the age of 15, under several monikers including Ingrid Superstar (her dogˈs name) and Frankie Cosmos; a nickname given to her by a boyfriend.

 In 2014 Kline moved away from the singer/songwriter role into a full band for Frankie Cosmos' first physical release Zentropy. Unlike her mountain of albums before that would jump between folk/acoustic guitar, to experimental electronica to punk; Zentropy was more focused and had a more cohesive sugary pop sound throughout.

The next full band release, called Next Thing,  was a rerecording of songs from some of her previous releases but as a full band, and again with the same pop sound from Zentropy. While Next Thing was her most critically acclaimed release to date (and on our 2016 top 10 list), it did signify a move into a more restrained sound, not jumping from genre to genre as whim and emotion saw fit.




At first glance, Vessel falls into this trap as well, with the opening track Caramelize holding the same bubblegum pop sound of Next Thing and Zentropy; Which isn't to say the super slick sound of Kline and Co. isn't worth ingesting, tracks like Jesse and Duet hold all the earnestness of a confused teen in love, but there was a unique thumbprint in the early releases in the form of background noise, off mic chatting, and noisy gutterpunk samples.  But, by the 4th track, This Stuff, it is clear that Kline had found a way to bring out the early intimate style as well as the teenage ramble tamble with her new band.


Quite possibly the strongest track on Vessel is a throwback to the theory of the album This Thing, as it is a reworking of an older, pre-band, Frankie Cosmos song from 2014's Affirms Glinting.

And, as it happens, There is a very strong Louisville connection to this new version of Being Alive, as the very first time this new arrangement was played was on stage at the Zanzabar in 2017, as an impromptu experiment for the band. Right before they played the song Kline announced to the band and to her friends in the opening act, Nice Try, that she always meant to ask them to sing the chorus but always forgot and asked if they could try it despite never practicing it this way, and to the crowd's and Greta's delight bandmates Lauren Martin and Luke Pyensonn obliged, as well as Madeline Robinson, of Nice Try (who also appears on Vessel).

There is no doubt that Frankie Cosmos' Vessel will be making an appearance on our 2018 Best Of List as well.

Monday, March 26, 2018

4/15 WCHQ Grand Opening with Cut Family Foundation, Yons, & Joann + The Dakota

From 3pm to 8pm on April 15th Louisville's all local radio station, WCHQ, will be hosting a “Meet The New WCHQ 100.9 FM” Grand Opening Celebration of WCHQ’s New Broadcast Studio, located at 1641 Mellwood Ave, Louisville, KY. with Live music across the street at Apocalypse Brew Works (1612 Mellwood Ave) with music by Cut Family Foundation, Joann + The Dakota, Yons, and others.
Yons
Joann Jene and her band Joann + The Dakota will be the special guest DJs at Vinyl Nite at Galaxie bar on Tuesday 4/3 from 8pm-12am. Details Here.

Yons and Dr. Dundiff will be the Special Guest DJs at Vinyl Nite at Galaxie bar on Tuesday 4/10 from 8pm-12am.

Thursday, March 22, 2018

3/27: 90s Industrial Vinyl Nite at Galaxie


This Tuesday, March 27th, is 90s Industrial night at Vinyl Nite at Galaxie (732 E Market St). DJs will be spinning Industrial favs such as My Life With The Thrill Kill Kult, Nine Inch Nails, Ministry, and more. Vinyl Nite is always FREE.

Dress up like the Crow or Lydia Lunch and bring your favorite LPs to play! Attendees can sign up for a chance to win 2 tickets to see My Life With The Thrill Kill Kult on 4/10 at Trixie's for their 30th anniversary tour. Vinyl Nite Event Page here. Thrill Kill Kult Tickets Available here.

Vinyl Nite is always free.

Review: Jack White 'Boarding House Reach' LP


This friday, March 23rd, Jack White's 3rd solo album, Boarding House Reach, will be released following several singles including Connected By Love, Corporation, Over and Over and Over, and Respect Commander, constituting 1/3 of the album already being released.
Mr. White is no novice to theatrics and the PR circus, delivering to the world such album stunts as the liquid record, the 3rpm record, and the tri-color 7", which was used for the one sided 7" single "Over And Over And Over" (side B having a screened Third Man image).

One could argue that White for a time lost sight of the ultimate goal of records (delivering sound) and aided in the swift rise in album prices and unavailability for smaller labels and bands to press albums at affordable prices in a timely fashion. But White, in a not-so-like-himself low key fashion, turned away from the monopoly of United Record Pressing, and the absolute destructive nature of Record Store Day, and quietly opened his Detroit store on Record Store Day 2015, without ever using the RSD wording in press releases, and announced the opening of his record pressing plant as a way to offset the monopoly created by larger pressing plants effectively edging out Independent labels and bands.

Personally this action got me back into the White camp; after all but writing him off after his wacky stunt records turned an effective medium into a commodity that drove record prices sky high seemingly overnight. But it's been nearly 2 decades since Jack and Meg injected fresh blood into the music world and possibly saving rock n' roll with their take on Detroit House-Rockin' blues, and over a decade since he moved to Nashville and effectively saved country music with his own take on the genre while also relaunching the careers of Country greats Loretta Lynn, and Wanda Jackson.



When White decided to kick off the motor oil sludged work boots for the rhinestone encrusted cowboy boots of Nashville we obliged and now we all have Wanda Jackson and Sturgill Simpson LPs mixed in with our Dirtbombs and Detroit Cobras 7"s.

In his latest rebirth White is trying his hand at Memphis Soul, on the heals of a soul resurgence including Curtis Harding, Charles Bradley, the late Sharon Jones and others. The difference this time is that instead of spearheading a revival like a traveling preacher (selling such snake oil treats as Detroit Blues or Nashville Country) he is joining the congregation of converts, and it shows.

For the writing process of Boarding House Reach, White hunkered down in a small apartment in Nashville; but with all the soul infusion, and lyrics about living rough, he would have done much better to have held up in a Memphis Boarding House and soaked in the world he was emulating  instead of  trying to connivence us that the rhinestone prince of Nashville could really understand the table etiquette of a Memphis boarding house.


The newest single, Over and Over and Over, starts like a classic White Stripes track fuzzed out guitar accompanied by only drums but quickly is injected (and not organically) by a southern gospel style chorus chanting 'Over and Over and Over' with sprinklings of "ooohs" and "woahs" as almost a quick reproducing of an early Stripes tune to fit the Memphis Soul goldrush.
Most of the album in fact is built along the bones of the great white Elephant but instead of meaningful lyrics and thought out choruses, is instead spackled together with theremin howls and pocket calculator bleeps, along with Curtis Mayfield style Hammond and congas creating a disjointed album poising as Childish Gambino but still wearing the fringed western wear.

Which isn't to say the album doesn't put in it's house rockin' time as well, and will find it's way easily to the dance floor for late night shoeless bridesmaids get-downs at wedding receptions,  but for classic White earnestness in whatever genre he has lassoed, this isn't the one. But we adored him in his Red and White phase, and loyally followed him south to his Black and Blue phase, hopefully we can hang in enough to see what he has in store next; For a man who seems enamored with the number 3, there surely is the next great phase right around the corner.

Tuesday, March 13, 2018

3/20: Vinyl Nite at Galaxie with Sam Sneed




Every Tuesday at Galaxie Bar (732 E. Market) is Vinyl Nite with Vectortone & Louisville Is For Lovers with Special Guest DJs and a chance for patrons to share their own music as well.

This Tuesday (3/20), will feature DJ Sam Sneed.



Event Info on Vinyl Nite here.
Event Info on the March 16th Fundraiser with Howell Dawdy, Small Time Napoleon, 1200, and Sam Sneed here.

3/17 Pogues Tribute at Mile Wide


Aside from a promise of absolutely no green beer, there are plenty of worthy St. Patrick's Day Events in Louisville, including Mag Bar's annual Saint Paddy's Day fest with Planetary Overdrive, Bruised Fruit, and New Moons; $5), and a Pogues tribute at Mile Wide Brewery (636 Barret) headed by Jaxon Swain; FREE. 








Thursday, March 8, 2018

3/17 St. patrick's Day at Mag Bar with Bruised Fruit & New Moons

In support of their new EP "Blood in the Waves", Northern Kentucky Post-Hardcore band New Moons are heading to Louisville on St. Patrick's Day and joining Bruised Fruit for The Mag Bar's St. paddy's party, on March 17th.  also playing is The Great Affairs (Nashville).
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Thursday, March 1, 2018

Review: The Breeders 'All Nerve' LP


There is a short list of musicians that can consistently dish out relevant music over a 30 year career, and Kim Deal is definitely at the tippy top of the short list.

Joining The Pixies in 1986, the 56 year old Deal has been in several groups since including The Amps and The Breeders, which produced a no. 2 hit on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart with "Cannonball'' from 1993's Last Splash.




Last Splash arrived on the heels of the critically acclaimed 1990 album Pod, but a slight departure of Pod's melancholy sound for the more pop-punchy feel of The Pixies.
Since Last Splash, The Breeders returned to a more Pod-eque sound on 2002's excellent Title TK, and 2008's Mountain Battles.



The Breeders newest, All Nerve, being released tomorrow March 2nd, consists of the 1992 Last Splash line-up including Deal's twin sister Kelley, and unsurprisingly echoes the feel of Last Splash with mostly upbeat fuzed out tracks such as the single 'Wait In The Car' or the title track which mirrors "Drivin' on 9" (from Last Splash), but also dips into Deal's dream pop world such as "Walking With A Killer" reminiscent of Title TK's "Off You".



Wether you fall within the melancholy pop side or fuzz pop side of the Breeders, All Nerve will surely not disappoint fans of Kim Deal and her twin Kelley.



  All Nerve is released March 2nd. A small edition on 180gm Orange Vinyl edition is available for a limited time.