Bookworm, Eye Opener, Music

Danger Mouse And Sparklehorse Team Up With David Lynch

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Are you scratching your head about this?

David Lynch, Sparkle Horse, and Danger Mouse
David Lynch, Sparkle Horse, and Danger Mouse

Danger Mouse has teamed up with Sparklehorse and David Lynch creating an album that may never be officially released.

Still scratching that noggin’?

Just listen to the album then already streaming in its entirety on NPR.org.  The head scratching will stop some.  This is a really interesting concept album of sorts.

Read on about this interesting idea of an album:

From NPR.org:

May 15, 2009 – When the first cryptic bits of news about Dark Night of the Soul began trickling in earlier this year, it all sounded too good to be true. Though the whole project was shrouded in mystery, it appeared that Danger Mouse and Sparklehorse’s Mark Linkous, two of the most inspired artists making music today, were collaborating on a new album. That alone was enough to get our geek gears spinning with excitement. But there was an unusual twist that few of us at NPR Music could make sense of: Director David Lynch was somehow involved.

It all started back in March, at the South by Southwest music festival and conference. A number of us on the NPR Music team had noticed strange posters around downtown Austin, Texas, that read “Dark Night of the Soul.” They looked like movie posters and had David Lynch’s name on them, alongside names of some of our favorite artists, like Danger Mouse, Sparklehorse, Vic Chesnutt, Jason Lytle and more. We wondered if it was some sort of musical film.

Soon after our Austin trip, NPR Music received copies of the mysterious posters in the mail. No return address. Someone was messing with us. I tried to find out more, but had zero success. Then, weeks later, I finally got a note from a publicist with all the details we’d been waiting for.

It turns out Dark Night Of The Soul is an album and the songs were written by Danger Mouse and Sparklehorse, though the myriad singers featured on each track also had a big hand in composing and producing the work. The album was initially going to be packaged with a book of photos taken by David Lynch. But now there’s word that the music may never be officially released at all.

An unnamed spokesperson for Danger Mouse says that “due to an ongoing dispute with EMI” the book of photographs will “now come with a blank, recordable CD-R. All copies will be clearly labeled: ‘For legal reasons, enclosed CD-R contains no music. Use it as you will.'” When contacted, EMI declined to comment and wouldn’t confirm whether the label is even involved in the project.

You can order the book, sans music, from the official Dark Night Of The Soul Web site. In the meantime, you can hear the entire album here on NPR Music as an Exclusive First Listen.

I’ve listened to the record all the way through at least a dozen times, and can confirm that Dark Night of the Soul delivers in every way you’d hope for. It’s beautiful but haunting, surreal and dark, but sometimes comical and affecting, with ear-popping, multilayered production work. It just gets more mesmerizing with every listen.

In addition to Danger Mouse and Sparklehorse, other artists appearing on Dark Night of the Soul include James Mercer of The Shins, The Flaming Lips, Gruff Rhys of Super Furry Animals, Jason Lytle of Grandaddy, Julian Casablancas of The Strokes, Frank Black of the Pixies, Iggy Pop, Nina Persson of The Cardigans, Suzanne Vega, Vic Chesnutt, David Lynch, and Scott Spillane of Neutral Milk Hotel and The Gerbils.

Check out the Dark Night Of The Soul official website where you can pre-order the book associated with the release full photography and a blank CD-R.  The blank CD-R is there for you the reader/listener to add whatever music you see necessary.  Freedom of choice.  I like that.

I would rather see this entire album be released but that shall be determined.

For now head over to NPR.org where they are streaming Dark Night Of The Soul and see what the fuss is all about.

Track Listing:
1. “Revenge” (featuring The Flaming Lips) – 4:52
2. “Just War” (featuring Gruff Rhys) – 3:44
3. “Jaykub” (featuring Jason Lytle) – 3:52
4. “Little Girl” (featuring Julian Casablancas) – 4:33
5. “Angel’s Harp” (featuring Black Francis) – 2:57
6. “Pain” (featuring Iggy Pop) – 2:49
7. “Star Eyes (I Can’t Catch It)” (featuring David Lynch) – 3:10
8. “Everytime I’m With You” (featuring Jason Lytle) – 3:09
9. “Insane Lullaby” (featuring James Mercer) – 3:12
10. “Daddy’s Gone” (featuring Mark Linkous and Nina Persson) – 3:09
11. “The Man Who Played God” (featuring Suzanne Vega) – 3:09
12. “Grim Augury” (featuring Vic Chesnutt) – 2:32
13. “Dark Night of the Soul” (featuring David Lynch) – 4:38

UPDATE:  Looks like EMI bitched out and canceled the two videos below that I posted.  I swear if this album is not released then fingers should be pointed at EMI for reasons why the music industry is struggling.  I listened to the stream 3 times now and think the album is brilliant and may be one of my top 10 for 2009.

Do yourself a favor and check it out before EMI sucks harder and pulls the stream from NPR.org.

NOT an official video, but still pretty entertaining:

I also found this interesting site that I will not mention what it is about but it may interest you.  I am not sure how long it will even stay up…

Good Buy, Music, Punk, Vinyl

Good Buy: Detournement – Screaming Response EP

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While at the Bouncing Souls show last week I was checking out the merch booth grabbing some goodies for myself.  As I was waiting for the merch guy to return to the booth, I saw this interesting looking 7″ vinyl on the counter.  It grabbed my attention mostly because of the jacket.  The jacket was actually wrapped in sand paper making for a unique look.

Not knowing who the band was I added it to my pile of goodies and went on with my night.

Today I finally had a chance to check out my impulse buy.  The band is called Detournement and their debut EP titled Screaming Response was released on the Bouncing Souls’ record label Chunksaah Records.  The band enjoyed the EP so much they were selling it at their shows and boy am I glad they did.

The eight song EP is full of political powerful punk rock goodness with very thought out lyrics combined with punk music that almost reminds me of Rancid especially with the Matt Freemon-like bass riffs throughout the EP.  Heavy on the hardcore punk side at times and overall a good listen, I really enjoyed this blind purchase a lot.

If you want to pick up a copy for yourself head over to Chunksaah Records and grab one for the low low price of $6!

Detournement features members of Lifetime, Bigwig, Ensign, Plan A Project, and Worthless United.

Pressing Info:
Yellow Version: 195 pcs available from Pirates Press Records
Grey Version: 190 pcs available from Chunksaah Records
Black Version: 85 pcs available at Detournement shows (or Bouncing Souls as that is where I got mine)

Music, The Dumb

Pearl Jam’s Jeff Ament Injured in Robbery Outside Atlanta Studio

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I am thinking Pearl Jam‘s Jeff Ament wish he had a “Glorified G” on April 27th when he became the victim of a violent robbery.

From RollingStone.com:

Pearl Jam bassist Jeff Ament was the victim of a violent robbery outside Southern Tracks Recording studios in Atlanta, where the band is recording their ninth studio album with producer Brendan O’Brien. According to a police report, Ament and a band employee pulled up to the rear of the studio on the afternoon of April 27th when three assailants brandishing knives emerged from the woods wearing black masks, gloves and pants. The robbers smashed the windows of a rented Jeep and grabbed a BlackBerry before demanding more money. In total, Ament was robbed of $3,000 in cash and $4,320 worth of goods.

The bassist was chased and knocked to the ground, sustaining a head laceration which was treated by EMS. The attackers – who also stole Ament’s passport – escaped into a waiting black Nissan Maxima. The incident was captured on a surveillance camera, but no arrests have been made. Pearl Jam declined to comment on the incident.

In February, Rolling Stone confirmed Pearl Jam were hitting the studio to work on an album they plan to self-release in the States. “The new record feels good so far — really strong and uptempo, stuff we can sink our teeth into,” Eddie Vedder told us. It’s the band’s first album with O’Brien behind the boards since 1998’s Yield.

Pearl Jam are booked to headline both the Outside Lands and Austin City Limits festivals alongside the Beastie Boys and Dave Matthews Band. The band has also confirmed two late-August gigs, one in Toronto and one in Chicago.

I almost wish it were a different band involved with a different outcome.  How random would it to hear that Mastodon beat the hell out of three assailants who attempted to rob them?

Seriously, why do people need to rob people…  Proves to show you that rockstars are people too.

Still I feel bad for Jeff Ament and his wallet ($3000 cash?).  I hope he makes a full recovery and can put this past him.  Sadly there are just pathetic people out there in the world who think it is best to rob others to make a living. 

I hope they are caught and Mastodon agrees to kick the crap out of them.