Saturday, March 28, 2009

Wednesday, March 25, 2009

Why I Love The New Trail of Dead Record

Hot damn. When I caught ...And You Will Know Us By The Trail of Dead at The Syndicate's CMJ Showcase back in October '08 and they blew me away, as per usual, with their live show - I held out reluctant hope that they just might be able to deliver a record as ass-whomping as their live endeavors. I haven't been wowed by a Trail of Dead record since, well, Source Tags & Codes - although some of Worlds Apart buttered my bread.


But after a split with Interscope and a return to IndieLand with Justice Records, Trail of Dead have delivered a mid-career masterpiece. Century of Self is chock full of epic shout-alongs, sweeping movements of musical axe wielding, and enough build-ups and let downs to keep the ear entertained, no, on guard for all 13 tracks. Highlights include Isis Unveiled, Halcyon Days, Pictures Of An Only Child, Ascending, and on and on. I can't get enough of this record.

If you loved Trail of Dead once, pick up Century of Self and turn that sh*t up real loud. These Texans have delivered once again.

Here's Trail of Dead live with Bells of Creation from the new record.



Buy it.

Tuesday, March 24, 2009

John Carter Cash's New Children's Book

Grammy Award winning producer and son of Johnny and June, John Carter Cash is releasing his first children's book today. It's called Momma Loves Her Little Son. John and his wife Laura (who was a backup singer for June) even recorded a new song to accompany the book. I oversaw creative development for this animated video for the book, you can check it out below! John is also in the studio now producing two new records from Loretta Lynn, those will be her first releases since the Jack White infused Van Lear Rose in '04.



Art by Marc Burckhardt. Animation by Augenblick Studios.

Monday, March 23, 2009

New PJ Harvey and John Parrish

PJ is back. This time alongside John Parrish for A Woman A Man Walked By. Coming 3/30. The first tune is killer with an acutely creepy video to boot. Stereogum had it first: check out Black Hearted Love. By some miracle I've scored tickets to see PJ with John at Irving Plaza this week. I cannot wait.

Enjoy.