Frequency
Vampire Weekend
Genre: Indie-Rock
Website: www.vampireweekend.com
“Who gives a f**k about an oxford comma?”
New York City natives, Vampire Weekend, are well acquainted with the function of a serial comma as graduates of Ivy League Columbia University. The band came together while its four members were finishing up their studies at school. They started out playing gigs at university parties and recording tracks in their spare time. But for an artist, substantial rewards are usually preceded by comparable risk, and these gentlemen are no exception. Post-graduation, three members left stable and promising professions to embark on an open ended journey that so far has resulted in a coast to coast tour, a record deal with XL Recordings and international recognition.
Arcade Fire was very generous with Pitchfork Media this holiday season, granting a rare and informational session with lead vocalist, Win Butler. The casual interview revealed the band's plans for 2009--exciting news considering the Canadian group opted for a low-key profile this year.
In addition to working on a new album, they're branching out into the film industry. It is now confirmed that alongside Owen Pallett, the married duo composed a score for The Box, the newest film from Donnie Darko director Richard Kelly. Arcade Fire also made a cinematic appearance of their own in Miroir Noir which documents the production of and tour for their breakthrough album, Neon Bible. Miroir Noir was released digitally last week and pre-orders are now being accepted for the March release of the DVD.
DJ AM has decided to join drummer Travis Barker and another victim’s family in filing legal action against the various aviation companies involved with the fatal plane crash in South Carolina this past September. Compensation is sought for emotional and financial losses suffered due to the negligence that caused the death of four people, including both pilots and two employees of the musicians.
In addition to the company suits, DJ AM is taking matters a bit too personal and is after a slice of each of the pilots’ estates. If nothing else, Barker and AM were granted a second shot at life--the two slid off the plane’s wing to escape the crash. The duo will ring in the New Year together, co-hosting a party in Los Angeles… most likely toasting to their born-again experience and hoping for equally generous blessings in the year to come.
Cat Power
Genre: Indie Rock
Website: www.catpowermusic.com
“If your parents gave you fire to play with when you were two, you’d be standing in the fire by the time you were an adult. I was drinking from the time I woke up in the morning until the time I went to bed.”
Originally known as Chan Marshall, Cat Power grew up in Atlanta, Georgia, where she gained her notoriety and built up fame. She dropped out of high school and started performing before moving to New York City in 1994 to perform with Liz Phair. Fellow musicians Steve Shelly of Sonic Youth and Tim Foljahn of Two Dollar Guitars encouraged her to record an album and also played on her first two albums. Although Cat was making her name on the music scene, she disappeared for a semi-retirement with her musician boyfriend Bill Callahan “Smog”. She held down jobs in Portland, Oregon and Proserity, South Carolina, as a baby sitter. But a horrible nightmare brought Cat back to music and she recorded a new album Moon Pix (1998). In 2007, Cat’s fame brought her to Paris to perform for the Spring/Summer Chanel Haute Couture collection. She also appeared in Wong Kar Wai’s film My Blueberry Nights. In 2007, she became the first female to win the Shortlist Music Prize with her album The Greatest. She was also nominated at the Brit Awards for Best International Female. Her newest album, Jukebox, is a collection of cover songs from artists like Hank Williams, James Brown, Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, Patsy Cline and Janis Joplin. Dark End of the Street, released earlier this month both digitally and on a limited edition double 10'' features covers not included in the Jukebox album.
Apparently, an instrument that once upon a time transported millions of listeners into musical ecstasy warrants a six-figure price tag regardless of its condition. In this case, it's a smashed Fender Mustang that belonged to Nirvana's late frontman, Kurt Cobain. Cobain destroyed the guitar onstage at a New Jersey gig during Nirvana's first US Tour and then swapped it for a functional one belonging to Sluggo, a guitarist and friend. Clearly, Sluggo received the better end of the deal because after holding onto the “damaged goods” for several years, he sold the guitar to a private collector for a whopping $100,000.
Hyper Crush
Genre: Electro/Electronic
Website: www.hypercrush.com
“We’ve been shooting some crazy footage. We’re gonna put together a tour video when we get back. We played a show in Philly and met the most wild out six-year-old on the planet. This fool was callin’ girls bitches and punkin’ grown men.” – Donny Fontaine
This trio of 80’s inspired, hip-hop, doo-wop artists are taking the L.A. club scene by storm with their eccentric attitude and heart-pumping energy. Parting the crowds and jumping on stage among hundreds of club goers, Hyper Crush is a mind-altering combination of fluorescent jumpsuits, Ray Bans and a bottle of liquor. With the soulful lyrics of Holly Valentine, the DJ beats of Preston “Cutty” Moronie and the hip-hop licks by Donny “Ponyboy” Fontaine, Hyper Crush brings their own style, sass and attitude to L.A. nightlife. Notorious for their don’t-give-a-shit attitude, Hyper Crush’s sarcasm and hard-cutting wit leaves their history a mystery. Claiming to come from the San Fernando Hills of California, these “mad geniuses” are making waves with hits like “Slow Motion” and “Disco Tech.” Hyper Crush recently released their second album, The Arcade, to enthusiastic fans.
Discography:
Mix Tape Volume 1 (2006)
The Arcade (2008)
Fleet Foxes
Genre: Indie Folk
Website: www.myspace.com/fleetfoxes
“With the new music, we decided to put an emphasis on harmony, simple three- and four-part block harmony. The songs would be simple as well, songs about our friends and family, history, nature, and the things around us in the Pacific Northwest.”
As if Seattle couldn’t pop out one more Indie folk/pop/rock band, they’ve given us Fleet Foxes. Robin Pecknold and Skye Skjelset are the original founding members of the five person group who were later joined by Joshua Tillman, Casey Wescott and Christian Wargo. The group has been together for over a year and a half now. With a quick rise to the top this year, the band had a breakthrough and is now being recognized as an anticipated musical attraction for this upcoming year.
Rolling Stone gave their debut album four stars and compared the group to the Beach Boys, Animal Collective and Crosby, Stills & Nash. Pitchfork gave Fleet Foxes a 9.0 out of 10.0 and even the Guardian awarded the album a full five stars and declared it “a landmark in American music, an instant classic.” There are guitars, bass, drums, an electric piano, sometimes a cello or string of chimes, but no true lead singer in the band. They are certain this gives them the edge they need in an industry as unpredictable as the music business.
Discography:
Fleet Foxes (2008)
Diddy will guest star on two episodes of CSI: Miami set to air February 9th and 16th of next year. According to an interview with MTV, The Bad Boy music mogul called up CBS, expressed his interest in appearing on the show and received a call “25 hours later” notifying him that he’d gotten the part.
Despite the obvious advantages of his high profile celebrity, Diddy was grateful for the opportunity to act on the show, saying that he felt “blessed to have this opportunity.” Although his acting creds are less well known, Diddy has starred in several films, including a TV version of the stage drama A Raisin in the Sun.
Sufjan Stevens is keeping up his annual Christmas album tradition with the completion of Volume 8, subtitled Astral Inter Planet Space Captain Christmas Infinity Voyage. The holiday album features traditional tunes, such as “Do You See What I See?” along with original compositions.
Stevens passes his Christmas albums out to family and friends and, as of yet, has no plans to release this volume. The first 5 volumes were released by Asthmatic Kitty as a box set in 2006.
The indie darling is a maestro of vocal harmonies and winsome banjo melodies and his first five Christmas compilations were apple pie sweet. Head over to the Asthmatic Kitty website to hear music from past Sufjan Stevens Christmas albums.