Winter Solstice Lunar Eclipse from William Castleman on Vimeo.
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
Monday, December 20, 2010
Thursday, December 16, 2010
Saturday, December 11, 2010
Favourite Records of 2010
Virgin asked us to come up with a list of our favourite records and we responded by going entirely overboard and writing 1600 words. Required reading, right guys?
http://www.virgin.com/music/red-room/advent-artists-modern-superstitions/
Albums
5. Ty Segall - ‘Melted’ (LP/Goner)
Top-notch pop songs, grimey fuzz guitar, caveman (sorry, caveperson) drumming and echoey falsettos. Analysis is futile, it’s just awesome. You ought to own it, listen to it until it fuses with your DNA, then have your friends over for the best party ever. You do have friends, right? – Matt
4. Grass Widow - Past Time
Grass Widow are a three-piece, all-female post-punk group from San Francisco. Past Time is their second full-length release. It is as exciting, original, and listenable as anything I've heard all year. Bass and guitar parts bounce all over the place providing a surfy, melodic background for the most interesting part of this record, the vocals. All three members sing lead, and they mostly sing at the same time. They go from singing pretty harmonies to not-quite-harmonious, distinct parts which somehow fit together. This record is catchy as all get-out, yet because of vocal quirks, also nearly un-hummable. Past Time is a great record, and hopefully a sign of things to come from this SF trio. - Harry
3. Tame Impala - ‘Innerspeaker’ (LP/Modular)
If you’ve taken the time to click through and read this review (bless you) then you will in all likelihood enjoy this record, as everyone I’ve forced it upon has liked it. Everybody. Just give it a listen, you’ll thank me later. This sounds like the best parts of your favourite rock records from the past 40 years, reconstituted for your listening pleasure. This album is the unstoppable musical equivalent of a Frankenstein/Robocop hybrid. Enjoy! - Matt
2. ‘Lisbon’ by The Walkmen
I remember back when The Walkmen were on The OC (a formative prime-time obsession of mine). I was too young and foolish at the time to grasp what they would come to mean to me. I know now that an understanding of their sound takes a whole other variety of youth and folly and a recognition of the two as such. It was the end of this past summer when ‘Lisbon’ came out, and it collided eerily with what was, to speak with rather gratuitous grandiloquence, the dawning of a new era for me. The Walkmen’s latest album, in both sound and lyrical content, represented that change for me. It was a change that seemed difficult at first because, despite my youth (I’m only 20), I’ve a tendency toward melancholy and nostalgia; feelings this band seems to inject into each singular melody with an aching sincerity. I didn’t understand The Walkmen before this album. But, with a major shift in head-space and direction, I fully succumbed to the heart-wrenching reverb and demented rat-pack-like croon, and began to accept it as an extension of myself and who I was at the end of the summer. They’re the kind of band that makes you perceive your current situation with a new, burning clarity. And it hurts, but in a good way. - Nyssa
1. Best Coast - Crazy for You (Mexican Summer)
I first heard this record in early fall. I can’t wait to listen to it when summer comes because it sounds like a summer nights record. And really, when it comes down to it, I love it for all the reasons I love a summer night -- it’s simple, comfortable, nostalgic, inspiring yet bittersweet. In addition to the wonderfully arranged songs, the production and sonic quality of the record really grabs me. It sounds like the band is doing a soundcheck in an empty stadium, which complements the wistful transparency of the lyrics and the charming vocal melodies. I love this record because it pulls at my heartstrings, taps into feelings that everybody has, dreams that everybody wishes about, and makes me feel like a teenager again. - Ben
Singles
5. ‘Chinatown’ by Wild Nothing
I could make a whole lot of ill-informed, half-assed references to 80’s dream pop and try to talk about chill-wave or summer wistfulness in describing this song. I’m not going to. I like this song because I like twinkly sounding things with pretty melodies and good sing-along choruses. ‘Chinatown’ has all of these. I am also drawn like a moth to the light to songs about running away. Maybe it’s a desire to travel or an unhealthy adoration of Bruce Springsteen (who sings pretty much exclusively about escape). I don’t know. I just can’t help it. If you talk about running away in a song I’m all ears; so much so that I find it hard not to simply write escapist anthems as lyrics. Anyway, this song sounds like woodland fairies that smoke cigarettes, wear leather, and avoid their parents at every turn. I like that. - Nyssa
4. METZ - Negative Space/Automat 7” (We Are Busy Bodies)
As soon as the bass and drums come in on “Negative Space” my jaw drops to Texas. I haven’t heard bass tone used in this context in years and it sounds like the band is playing in your basement. The vocals sound like they’re just barely cutting through the music, giving it a sense of urgency unmatched by a lot of heavy bands these days. Having grown up listening to early late 80’s and early 90’s underground rock, the first time hearing this band was thrilling for me, and seeing them live was tantamount to a slap in the face. “Automat” sounds like what employees in Satan’s assembly line would listen to -- industrial, dissonant, and totally groovy. I appreciate that METZ can do the three minute punk song, and the six minute arty noise landscape (such as “Ripped on the Fence”) equally as well. I’m very much looking forward to what comes next from these guys. - Ben
3. Crazy Spirit - S/T 7"
Crazy Spirit are a great new punk band from NYC. This record is a collection some of the catchiest scum punk riffs I have ever heard. They have definitely been influenced by Discharge, Germs and similar, but they have created something that is more than just a sum of the bands they love. The singer sounds like a half demented cat trying to fight a racoon through a window, the drummer plays the same weird, bouncy, off-kilter beat on almost every song and the guitar and bass snarl mostly in unison. Also, my brother told me that one of them was arrested for obscene behaviour or something for eating a sandwich too sloppily/grossly in public, which is amazing, like this record. - Harry
2. ‘The Beat and The Pulse’ by Austra
I was asked quite out of the blue whether or not I wanted to be in a music video for this song. It didn’t occur to me to say no, even though I’d never heard it and I wasn’t familiar with (the singer of Austra) Katie Stelmanis’s work at all. I’m thrilled I decided to do it, if for no other reason than it serving as an introduction to the excellent gothic electro pop of ‘The Beat and The Pulse’. The shoot boasted a cast of pretty girls in old fashioned lingerie, a black-magic feel, lots of sexy dancing, weird webbed hands, and a wealth of glitter: the latter refusing to come off for days, much in the same way the song has refused to leave my head. And, every time they played the song throughout the course of the lengthy shoot, I couldn’t help but be completely drawn in. It was partly the atmosphere, the witchy vibes and scantily clad ladies, but mainly it was just the song’s hypnotic pull; it proved inescapable. After hearing the song dozens of times, I only liked it more. Instead of growing tired of it, it began to feel a part of me and all the other girls, almost like the strange mutant prosthetics worn by some of the dancers. Its occult-like means of seduction left us all completely silent during its six minute run-time, relentlessly pulling us in over and over. - Nyssa
1. Holy Cobras - ‘Feed Your Head’ (7”/Telephone Explosion)
Imagine: Joy Division and the Gories have a baby and name Gary Glitter the godfather. He kidnaps the child and tries to warp its mind with illicit chemicals which have the unintended effect of making said child inconceivably strong. It kills Monsieur Glitter, drinks his blood and grows up to be that cool kid in high school that moved away after first year, never to be seen again. Uptempo, guitar noise, bass carries the melody as the drums thunder away. FYI, the singer wears fingerless leather gloves on stage. Buy this record! - Matt
http://www.virgin.com/music/red-room/advent-artists-modern-superstitions/
Albums
5. Ty Segall - ‘Melted’ (LP/Goner)
Top-notch pop songs, grimey fuzz guitar, caveman (sorry, caveperson) drumming and echoey falsettos. Analysis is futile, it’s just awesome. You ought to own it, listen to it until it fuses with your DNA, then have your friends over for the best party ever. You do have friends, right? – Matt
4. Grass Widow - Past Time
Grass Widow are a three-piece, all-female post-punk group from San Francisco. Past Time is their second full-length release. It is as exciting, original, and listenable as anything I've heard all year. Bass and guitar parts bounce all over the place providing a surfy, melodic background for the most interesting part of this record, the vocals. All three members sing lead, and they mostly sing at the same time. They go from singing pretty harmonies to not-quite-harmonious, distinct parts which somehow fit together. This record is catchy as all get-out, yet because of vocal quirks, also nearly un-hummable. Past Time is a great record, and hopefully a sign of things to come from this SF trio. - Harry
3. Tame Impala - ‘Innerspeaker’ (LP/Modular)
If you’ve taken the time to click through and read this review (bless you) then you will in all likelihood enjoy this record, as everyone I’ve forced it upon has liked it. Everybody. Just give it a listen, you’ll thank me later. This sounds like the best parts of your favourite rock records from the past 40 years, reconstituted for your listening pleasure. This album is the unstoppable musical equivalent of a Frankenstein/Robocop hybrid. Enjoy! - Matt
2. ‘Lisbon’ by The Walkmen
I remember back when The Walkmen were on The OC (a formative prime-time obsession of mine). I was too young and foolish at the time to grasp what they would come to mean to me. I know now that an understanding of their sound takes a whole other variety of youth and folly and a recognition of the two as such. It was the end of this past summer when ‘Lisbon’ came out, and it collided eerily with what was, to speak with rather gratuitous grandiloquence, the dawning of a new era for me. The Walkmen’s latest album, in both sound and lyrical content, represented that change for me. It was a change that seemed difficult at first because, despite my youth (I’m only 20), I’ve a tendency toward melancholy and nostalgia; feelings this band seems to inject into each singular melody with an aching sincerity. I didn’t understand The Walkmen before this album. But, with a major shift in head-space and direction, I fully succumbed to the heart-wrenching reverb and demented rat-pack-like croon, and began to accept it as an extension of myself and who I was at the end of the summer. They’re the kind of band that makes you perceive your current situation with a new, burning clarity. And it hurts, but in a good way. - Nyssa
1. Best Coast - Crazy for You (Mexican Summer)
I first heard this record in early fall. I can’t wait to listen to it when summer comes because it sounds like a summer nights record. And really, when it comes down to it, I love it for all the reasons I love a summer night -- it’s simple, comfortable, nostalgic, inspiring yet bittersweet. In addition to the wonderfully arranged songs, the production and sonic quality of the record really grabs me. It sounds like the band is doing a soundcheck in an empty stadium, which complements the wistful transparency of the lyrics and the charming vocal melodies. I love this record because it pulls at my heartstrings, taps into feelings that everybody has, dreams that everybody wishes about, and makes me feel like a teenager again. - Ben
Singles
5. ‘Chinatown’ by Wild Nothing
I could make a whole lot of ill-informed, half-assed references to 80’s dream pop and try to talk about chill-wave or summer wistfulness in describing this song. I’m not going to. I like this song because I like twinkly sounding things with pretty melodies and good sing-along choruses. ‘Chinatown’ has all of these. I am also drawn like a moth to the light to songs about running away. Maybe it’s a desire to travel or an unhealthy adoration of Bruce Springsteen (who sings pretty much exclusively about escape). I don’t know. I just can’t help it. If you talk about running away in a song I’m all ears; so much so that I find it hard not to simply write escapist anthems as lyrics. Anyway, this song sounds like woodland fairies that smoke cigarettes, wear leather, and avoid their parents at every turn. I like that. - Nyssa
4. METZ - Negative Space/Automat 7” (We Are Busy Bodies)
As soon as the bass and drums come in on “Negative Space” my jaw drops to Texas. I haven’t heard bass tone used in this context in years and it sounds like the band is playing in your basement. The vocals sound like they’re just barely cutting through the music, giving it a sense of urgency unmatched by a lot of heavy bands these days. Having grown up listening to early late 80’s and early 90’s underground rock, the first time hearing this band was thrilling for me, and seeing them live was tantamount to a slap in the face. “Automat” sounds like what employees in Satan’s assembly line would listen to -- industrial, dissonant, and totally groovy. I appreciate that METZ can do the three minute punk song, and the six minute arty noise landscape (such as “Ripped on the Fence”) equally as well. I’m very much looking forward to what comes next from these guys. - Ben
3. Crazy Spirit - S/T 7"
Crazy Spirit are a great new punk band from NYC. This record is a collection some of the catchiest scum punk riffs I have ever heard. They have definitely been influenced by Discharge, Germs and similar, but they have created something that is more than just a sum of the bands they love. The singer sounds like a half demented cat trying to fight a racoon through a window, the drummer plays the same weird, bouncy, off-kilter beat on almost every song and the guitar and bass snarl mostly in unison. Also, my brother told me that one of them was arrested for obscene behaviour or something for eating a sandwich too sloppily/grossly in public, which is amazing, like this record. - Harry
2. ‘The Beat and The Pulse’ by Austra
I was asked quite out of the blue whether or not I wanted to be in a music video for this song. It didn’t occur to me to say no, even though I’d never heard it and I wasn’t familiar with (the singer of Austra) Katie Stelmanis’s work at all. I’m thrilled I decided to do it, if for no other reason than it serving as an introduction to the excellent gothic electro pop of ‘The Beat and The Pulse’. The shoot boasted a cast of pretty girls in old fashioned lingerie, a black-magic feel, lots of sexy dancing, weird webbed hands, and a wealth of glitter: the latter refusing to come off for days, much in the same way the song has refused to leave my head. And, every time they played the song throughout the course of the lengthy shoot, I couldn’t help but be completely drawn in. It was partly the atmosphere, the witchy vibes and scantily clad ladies, but mainly it was just the song’s hypnotic pull; it proved inescapable. After hearing the song dozens of times, I only liked it more. Instead of growing tired of it, it began to feel a part of me and all the other girls, almost like the strange mutant prosthetics worn by some of the dancers. Its occult-like means of seduction left us all completely silent during its six minute run-time, relentlessly pulling us in over and over. - Nyssa
1. Holy Cobras - ‘Feed Your Head’ (7”/Telephone Explosion)
Imagine: Joy Division and the Gories have a baby and name Gary Glitter the godfather. He kidnaps the child and tries to warp its mind with illicit chemicals which have the unintended effect of making said child inconceivably strong. It kills Monsieur Glitter, drinks his blood and grows up to be that cool kid in high school that moved away after first year, never to be seen again. Uptempo, guitar noise, bass carries the melody as the drums thunder away. FYI, the singer wears fingerless leather gloves on stage. Buy this record! - Matt
Friday, December 10, 2010
Thursday, December 2, 2010
Thursday, November 11, 2010
Monday, October 4, 2010
Kingston-Ottawa-Montreal
A lovely trip, recorded poorly by yours truly. The shows were amazing and the trip was great apart from having our pedals stolen and those guys that tried to tear my limbs off because they thought I took their picture in Montreal. I don't think it was for religious/soul stealing reasons, rather, "I'm wanted in a few different countries and can't afford to have a record of my presence in this country" reasons. Other than that, fun abounds in the city of Montreal!
Take that, Phil Collins
Drew aka 'Cool Guy'
Surf's Up?!
We stayed at Frasier and Owen's place in Montreal. They have a nice table and stuff!
Kingston - the City of Breakfast
These pancakes were incompatible with last night's Frangelico
Ottawa - the City of Weird Cheap Stuff and Candy
We stayed with Ben's aunt and uncle. They're the best. Ben's aunt and uncle for co-mayor! They have the coolest kitchen:
The Predator exploded himself during the headliner's set. The nuclear fallout was pretty brutal the next day.
And thus spake Montreal unto the Anglos, "Fuck you guys". We have zero talent and therefor rely entirely on effects units. Bake Sale for pedals ASAP, right guys?
Then we drove off into the Sun. LITERALLY.
THE END
Take that, Phil Collins
Drew aka 'Cool Guy'
Surf's Up?!
We stayed at Frasier and Owen's place in Montreal. They have a nice table and stuff!
Kingston - the City of Breakfast
These pancakes were incompatible with last night's Frangelico
Ottawa - the City of Weird Cheap Stuff and Candy
We stayed with Ben's aunt and uncle. They're the best. Ben's aunt and uncle for co-mayor! They have the coolest kitchen:
The Predator exploded himself during the headliner's set. The nuclear fallout was pretty brutal the next day.
And thus spake Montreal unto the Anglos, "Fuck you guys". We have zero talent and therefor rely entirely on effects units. Bake Sale for pedals ASAP, right guys?
Then we drove off into the Sun. LITERALLY.
THE END
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Friday, September 24, 2010
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
School Days
We traipsed into the CIUT studios yesterday to record some songs for public consumption. Here's the best of the bunch, a new one called 'School Days'.
School Days by Modern Superstitions
PS - 'All the Things We've Been Told' is out today, tell your husbands, tell your wives. Do it! Get married and then tell them!
School Days by Modern Superstitions
PS - 'All the Things We've Been Told' is out today, tell your husbands, tell your wives. Do it! Get married and then tell them!
Saturday, August 21, 2010
Brantfjord
These middling photos are offered as evidence of our journey to Brantford's Ford Plant. Walter Gretzky told us to keep our head up, feet moving and strings taught before gnawing on some boneless chicken bites.
I wish this had been around when I was 15 instead of Holy Joe's or Reilly's. Brantford bands are fortunate that they can play shows for their friends without being scammed into paying to play
This was the most entertaining band I've seen in a long time. Meta to the max! Was it a joke or is the joke on US? I can't tell anymore. They opened with 'Sex and Candy', wore full body suits and were incapable of playing their instruments. In spite of this (because of this?) they were really fun.
World Lounge! We were refused entry due to out lack of Worldliness.
After the show we went across the street to Rodeo, which features $1 half pints before 9. Two minutes after we got there 5 police cruisers showed up, milled about and did nothing at all.
Ben ordered a horrible drink with an illogical name, it may have been called a Sandtrap. Bootstrap? Boondoggle? Shame Juice?
Harry Burgess is tender white meat.
I wish this had been around when I was 15 instead of Holy Joe's or Reilly's. Brantford bands are fortunate that they can play shows for their friends without being scammed into paying to play
This was the most entertaining band I've seen in a long time. Meta to the max! Was it a joke or is the joke on US? I can't tell anymore. They opened with 'Sex and Candy', wore full body suits and were incapable of playing their instruments. In spite of this (because of this?) they were really fun.
World Lounge! We were refused entry due to out lack of Worldliness.
After the show we went across the street to Rodeo, which features $1 half pints before 9. Two minutes after we got there 5 police cruisers showed up, milled about and did nothing at all.
Ben ordered a horrible drink with an illogical name, it may have been called a Sandtrap. Bootstrap? Boondoggle? Shame Juice?
Harry Burgess is tender white meat.
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Sunday, June 27, 2010
This space is once again derelict, neglected and uncared for. How sad indeed. We do have some news to fill our cups with, something that may elicit some kind of response. Our good/best/ultimate friend, Zack Burgess, no longer drums for the Group. He's decided to devote his energies to taekwando and knitting, both worthy and absorbing hobbies for a young mind. Lurking in the darkness near at hand are several candidates that have presented themselves in the hopes of playing the role of Drummist in the Group. The answer is nigh.
In the mean time there are concerts to play. They will be filled with dancing, merriment and the usual order of crossed arms and looks of consternation that I have come to know as the Toronto Musical Appreciation Society. No emotional responses, please. It's best to stand still as a statue at all times, the night's only beer held for safekeeping, not be consumed but admired.
There will be much new material in the coming weeks and months to come.
In the mean time there are concerts to play. They will be filled with dancing, merriment and the usual order of crossed arms and looks of consternation that I have come to know as the Toronto Musical Appreciation Society. No emotional responses, please. It's best to stand still as a statue at all times, the night's only beer held for safekeeping, not be consumed but admired.
There will be much new material in the coming weeks and months to come.
Sunday, May 2, 2010
Colby the Christian Robot
This video is impossible to explain, you'll just have to watch it.
via Classical Gas Emissions
via Classical Gas Emissions
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
First tour w. Sloan
Hello all
Last night was the first of our five dates with power pop savants, Sloan. The Hits are being brandished without regard for the safety of those crammed into the venues, much to their delight.
I hesitate to call this a tour as we'll be within a few hours of home at all times. We can hardly call it he '2010 Expedition w. Sloan' though. It isn't far removed from going to overnight camp in 4th grade.
These shows have forced us to get our act together and (finally) release a physical version of our latest EP, 'All the Things We've Been Told'. It looks (and sounds) sharp, one and all should do their best to secure a copy for themselves.
Best,
Modern Superstitions
Last night was the first of our five dates with power pop savants, Sloan. The Hits are being brandished without regard for the safety of those crammed into the venues, much to their delight.
I hesitate to call this a tour as we'll be within a few hours of home at all times. We can hardly call it he '2010 Expedition w. Sloan' though. It isn't far removed from going to overnight camp in 4th grade.
These shows have forced us to get our act together and (finally) release a physical version of our latest EP, 'All the Things We've Been Told'. It looks (and sounds) sharp, one and all should do their best to secure a copy for themselves.
Best,
Modern Superstitions
Saturday, April 3, 2010
Fluid Piano
This instrument is fluid in the sense that the notes aren't anchored to standard western tuning (eg, A440), or the belief that there are 12 notes in a scale. It's a hybrid of the sitar and piano, a neat piece of design without much practical use.
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Sloan Tour
Hey all,
Really excited to announce (declare?) that we'll be opening for Sloan in late April for a quick tour through Ontario. It'll be our first time playing outside of Toronto, hopefully we wont get homesick.
Hamilton
Monday, April 26, 2010
Waterloo, ON
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
London, ON
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Peterborough, ON
Friday, April 30, 2010
Really excited to announce (declare?) that we'll be opening for Sloan in late April for a quick tour through Ontario. It'll be our first time playing outside of Toronto, hopefully we wont get homesick.
Hamilton
Monday, April 26, 2010
Waterloo, ON
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
London, ON
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Peterborough, ON
Friday, April 30, 2010
Saturday, March 20, 2010
Monday, March 8, 2010
Spring Cleaning
These are a few photos taken during our time recording with Patrick Pentland and Ryan Haslett in the glamorous Junior Panthers HQ.
Matthew & Zack search for 'tone'.
When asked how he gets his signature sound, Harry responded with 'It's all in the beard'
Unimpressed, with good reason.
Zakk Wylde Jr.
Vice President of Super Wizards Inc. and COO of Jack of All Trades LLC, Ryan Haslett.
Creamsicle.
Compressor pedal = technical ability substitute
Matthew & Zack search for 'tone'.
When asked how he gets his signature sound, Harry responded with 'It's all in the beard'
Unimpressed, with good reason.
Zakk Wylde Jr.
Vice President of Super Wizards Inc. and COO of Jack of All Trades LLC, Ryan Haslett.
Creamsicle.
Compressor pedal = technical ability substitute
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Sneaking Suspicion
It should come as a surprise to absolutely nobody that there are no nice pictures of Matthew from the show, despite the best efforts of Joe Fuda. Jeff the Brotherhood were awesome, but what I've heard on their myspace does no justice to their live show. Go see them right this second, even if you don't particularly like what you've heard, you'll be happy you did.
Nyssa
Harry
Zack
The following review appears courtesy of Now magazine, Toronto's music and hair connoisseurs since 1876.
Nyssa
Harry
Zack
The following review appears courtesy of Now magazine, Toronto's music and hair connoisseurs since 1876.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
