The Walrus is a Philadelphia-based music blog written by Michael. You may send me stuff through the send a tip page or email me. All mp3s should be sent as links. NO ATTACHMENTS, PLEASE. If I like your music, chances are I will write about it.
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Still a little room left in your stomach after that Thankzgiving feast? If so, head over to Johnny Brenda’s on Saturday and get a mouthful of new shoegaze, courtesy of rising local band Soars (awesome video above). Also on the bill are Headless Horseman and headliners Aunt Dracula. Plus, our friends Hello From the Children of Planet Earth will be spinning Krautrock, Library Music, IDM, Synth-Punk, Instrumental Hip-Hop and Dub all night. Get tickets here.
“Fever Ray, the synth-gloom project from the Knife’s Karin Dreijer Andersson, does creepiness better than just about anyone else, and she does it with a certain cinematic flair; check her hair-raising videos for proof. And soon, Dreijer will bring that creepiness to the big screen.
In the trailer for Twilight director Catherine Hardwicke’s fairy tale re-imagining Red Riding Hood, you’ll hear a little piece of a new Fever Ray track. And according to Hardwicke herself, Dreijer Andersson will also appear in the movie.”
Philly band Sun Airway will be coming in for a landing at Johnny Brenda’s tomorrow night and you don’t want to miss it. The last time I caught these rising stars, the sound and the visuals were spot on – and it was only their second show! They will be taking the stage at 9PM, opening for Twin Shadow and Bear and Heaven.
Grab tickets here and check out the two remaining dates below:
I have been listening to this track on repeat for weeks now and it still sounds amazing. like a neo-gothic Stevie Nicks singing some sort of reincarnated version of “Goodbye Horses”. Marry me, Zola Jesus.
I caught this new BBC documentary last night on YouTube (in 7 parts) and it is essential viewing for those who are into The Byrds, Neil Young and are curious as to how LA became a mecca for music. There are some really interesting moments with Van Dyke Parks (he named Buffalo Springfield!?), David Geffen and David Crosby (not a fan of the Eagles!) as they talk about the Laurel Canyon scene. Check it out while you can!
Last Friday night Austin band The Black Angels brought their brand of ’60s style psych to the TLA in Philly, part of their co-headlined tour with Black Mountain, engaging the crowd with an hour-long, fuzz guitar-laden psychedelic journey.
They opened their set with an attack of raw Rock and Roll, blasting out older songs such as “Better Off Alone”, “Passover”, “Mission District” and “Directions To See A Ghost”, as well as songs from the new album Phosphene Dream. Lead vocals from Alex Mass, defined the band’s dark imagery, while the sonically charged guitar from Christian Bland left the audience, and myself, completely entranced. Stephanie Bailey’s drumming played a crucial part in the performance, keeping The Black Angel rhythm train running steady on the tracks. Simply put, this band is one that you don’t want to miss live. Check out more photos and the rest of their tour dates after the jump…
Recently, the legendary British singer/songwriter Robyn Hitchcock opened up about his first band, the psychedelic and lyrically perverse, Soft Boys – easily one of the most underrated of all time.
Here’s an excerpt:
“The Soft Boys came into my head in Cambridge, in the hot, dry summer of 1976 while punk was being conjured up by a small group of artists and villains in London. My idea was to concoct a tribe of translucent, bloodless man-things that had awesome powers but were largely invisible: stalkers of the hypothalamus, erotic guerrillas that would transform people’s thoughts in a different way from the bludgeoning M.O. of UK punk.”
Read the full article entitled “No Chips Alone: The Soft Boys Saga By Robyn Hitchcock” here. Also pick up newly remastered and special edition vinyl versions of The Soft Boys albums A Can of Bees and Underwater Moonlight, essentials for any good psych-rock record collection.
