New videos this month from Menomena,
Lonely, Dear, Gang Gang Dance, and Artanker Convoy…Menomena’s new release, Friend and Foe, is on Barsuk Records, and it features the bands unique ability to destroy and put together pop songs right before your very ears. Applying experimental technique to unabashed and open songs, the Portland trio smashes together all kinds of genres to beautiful results. The video for the song “Wet and Rusting”, directed by Lance Bangs, features a little visit from death himself, and finds the band thinking fast on their feet in those final hours. Wanna know more…well the boys and folks at Barsuk have been kind enough to let you hear the album right here!
This month Sub Pop is back with another unique and superlative release from Sweden’s Lonely, Dear. The songs on Lonely, Noir are crafted by “audio home cooking expert” Emil Svanangen, and reflect an unwavering work ethic and dedication to an intricate and heartfelt music. Composed and performed, layer by layer at home studios in his parents basement and studio apartment in Stockholm, Emil makes folk driven songs that shimmer with the productions’ cozy intimacy. The animated video for the song “I Am John” was directed by Andreas Nilsson and Per Isak Snalls, and tells John’s sordid and misguided tale. Dig it.
NY label The Social Registry is back this year with a few releases that should catch the eye of late night art hounds hungry to feed psychotropic appetites. You know who you are, and you should put these on your menu…Gang Gang Dances’ Retina Riddim and Artanker Convoys’ CD and DVD release, Cozy Endings. Retina Riddim subverts the parameters of the usual band film, opting instead for an inspired use of the cut-up method. Band member and visual artist Brian Degraw has rigorously deconstructed and reassembled many sources of audio and video to create something akin to William Burroughs and Lee “Scratch” Perry sharing a spliff as The Black Arc burns. The technique creates a trance inducing effect and culled from the many sources, works a kinda magic on their musical and visual production.
Artanker Convoy’s new release Cozy Endings includes a DVD of videos. Quite tasty indeed. For those not in the know, this NY outfit of veteran musicians have got them some polished and sophisticated chops, bringing all kinds of sexy styles to a hot, NY night kinda simmer. Avant jazz, kraut-rock and Brazillian-style psych shine through making groovey and retro sound very intelligent and now, and it might even get a hipster or two to shuffle his feet in a motion approximating something like dance. And damn if that ain’t near impossible. Anyways, Cozy Endings will make a lot of late night party friends this summer. We guarantee it…The DVD allows fans to check out some of the bands’ multimedia work and collaborations with the art collective MUX, and modern dancers Nicole Wolcot and Noemie Lafrance. These two Social Registry releases are due out May 22 and June 19th, respectively, and I say you get them right here!
Oh, yeah, and a little something from Elvis Perkins. Dude goes all the night without love. Sucks to be him…Damn, who did wardrobe on this video, though!
