Guru’s Nephew Posts a Brutally Honest Video About the ‘True Story’ Behind the Recent Hospitalization of Gang Starr’s Legendary MC
Posted on March 3, 2010
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We’re not sure what to say about the following YouTube confessional—presented by Justin Nicholas Elam Ruff, the nephew of Gang Starr’s Keith “Guru” Elam—other than the fact that it turns a tragic situation into a legal matter, and raises some serious questions about the hoops family members have to jump through in our health care system. Since we don’t know the facts of the case, we decided to share Ruff’s side of the story and let the chips fall where they may in the coming weeks.
Whatever happens, please send some positive vibes to one of hip-hop’s most influential MCs, and if you know of some way to help this poor kid, feel free to contact him here. Read more
COFFEE TALK: The Latest Posts, Profiles & Think Pieces On Axl Rose, John Cale, Gorillaz, Autechre, The Knife, David Byrne and More
Posted on March 2, 2010
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Gorillaz
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Robert A.A. Lowe Celebrates Recent Brooklyn Move, Rose Lazar Collabs With a Snow-Dusted Art Opening At By and By Gallery
Posted on February 26, 2010
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Robert A.A. Lowe
Okay, so it’s a little snowy in New York today. That said, if you live in Brooklyn and dig abstract art and Cluster-like drones, we’ve got a spot you need to hit on the way home from work or your local hardware store. (Gotta stock up on salt and shovels, right?) And that’s the By and By art opening of Robert A.A. Lowe & Rose Lazar. The duo first collaborated on Gyromancy, a limited art book/mini-CD that barely hinted at the full-on analog excursions of their freshly-pressed Eclipses LP. Featuring a frame-ready, double-sided poster of the pair’s astral planes, it shows a Kraut-y side of Lowe’s work—one that’s slightly more spacey and accessible than his deeply-spiritual ambient albums as Lichens.
Check out a handful of Lowe & Lazar’s illustrations, and a free MP3, after the jump. Their opening reception is tonight from 6-9 p.m. and features looping, sound installation edits of Eclipses. And if you can’t make it due to that whole frozen tundra thing, you can check their art out through March 30. Read more
COFFEE TALK: The Latest Posts, Profiles & Think Pieces On Blank Dogs, jj, Canyons, Bat For Lashes, Suckers, Thom Yorke and More
Posted on February 25, 2010
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Blank Dogs live at (Le) Poisson Rouge
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Philipp From M.A.N.D.Y. and Matthew Dear Premiere M.A.N.D.E.A.R. Project, Ready New ‘Buddies’ Monthly For a Rare (Le) Poisson Rouge Appearance
Posted on February 24, 2010
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M.A.N.D.Y.: We're pretty sure Philipp is on the left
We got some great news the other day, and it went a little something like this: ‘Matthew Dear and the mustachioed half of M.A.N.D.Y. (Philipp Jung) are looking for a low-key monthly spot in New York. Got any leads?’
Why, yes; yes, we do. And so we suddenly have Buddies, a much-needed middle finger to the super-club scene (see such depressing, $12 drink-driven spots as Cielo and Pacha) that continues to make Manhattan look as culturally bankrupt as the Bridge and Tunnel crowd that invades it every weekend. (Notice we said Manhattan; Justin Carter and Eamon Harkin’s ongoing Mister Saturday Night parties and the Brooklyn-borne Trouble & Bass collective are two bright spots that leave us with some hope for dance music in the city.)
Anyway, if M.A.N.D.E.A.R.’s—their newly-appointed name, not ours—Buddies theme song is any indication, Wednesday’s ridiculously intimate Gallery Bar gig will be like Cheers for club kids, a place where everybody knows your name and the drinks are affordable enough to create a messy situation indeed.
In the words of the night’s host Sigu, “Please learn the words and sing along. Ultimately, we are all Buddies.” Read more
CocoRosie Signs to Sub Pop, Readies ‘Grey Oceans’ For a May 11 Release
Posted on February 23, 2010
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Now that Touch & Go’s essentially long gone, CocoRosie have finally signed to a label with some stability: Sub Pop. The duo will deliver their fourth album, Grey Oceans, on May 11, and from the looks of the tracklisting (see: such cheery titles as “R.I.P. Burn Face” and “Gallows”) and delightfully tacky album art, it sounds like another fairy tale full-length for the straight jacket set… Read more
COFFEE TALK: The Latest Posts, Profiles & Think Pieces On Gang Gang Dance, Interpol, Primal Scream, 808 State, Courtney Love and More
Posted on February 23, 2010
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808 State, back in 1985
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Small Black Sign to Jagjaguwar, Ready Spit and Polish Reissue of Debut EP and a Completely New Collection of Soft Focus Pop Songs
Posted on February 10, 2010
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Well, it’s about time. After months of stirring the collective loins of the blogosphere, Small Black have wrapped their debut LP in Delaware and found a permanent home in Jagjaguwar. The ‘cooler’ side of Secretly Canadian will ride the chillwave fantastic on April 27, when they reissue the quartet’s self-released EP (still available in its original vinyl pressing here) with two bonus tracks and a mild remix/remaster makeover. Check out the tracklisting after the jump, along with a music video, five MP3s, and a month of North American tour dates with Washed Out and Pictureplane. Read more
COFFEE TALK: The Latest Posts, Profiles & Think Pieces On Jamie Lidell, Prins Thomas, Peter Hook, Crate Digging, Massive Attack and More
Posted on February 8, 2010
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Jamie Lidell, as well-adjusted as usual
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Xiu Xiu, Deerhoof Pair Up For ‘Unknown Pleasures’ Performance, We Respond By Posting the Entire Joy Division LP in YouTube Form
Posted on February 3, 2010
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Xiu Xiu kiss and make up
Xiu Xiu and Deerhoof have agreed to cover Unknown Pleasures at Austria’s Donaufestival. The longtime friends/collaborators will cannibalize “She’s Lost Control,” “New Dawn Fades” and eight other Joy Division classics on Thursday, April 29. Here’s an explanation, via a press release:
It’s funny Xiu Xiu should ask Deerhoof to perform Joy Division’s Unknown Pleasures with them. Just a short time before this, Deerhoof received a MySpace comment containing a Joy Division video and the words “COVER THIS”; and then a Facebook message asking when there would be a full-on collaboration between Deerhoof and Xiu Xiu. Add to this the sheer coincidence that Ian Curtis committed suicide on May 18, Greg Saunier’s birthday, and the conclusion seemed inevitable.
Indeed. Xiu Xiu’s latest album, Dear God, I Hate Myself, is due out on February 23 through Kill Rock Stars. The duo’s North American tour starts on March 5 in Greensboro, NC, and wraps up on April 17 in Detroit. After that, we just might hear the Graveface debut of Blue Water, White Death, a Jaws-referencing side project that features frontman Jamie Stewart and Shearwater’s Jonathan Meiburg. The pair’s Gail LP was recently cut by John Congelton of The Paper Chase and such killer records as All of a Sudden I Miss Everyone (Explosions in the Sky) and In the Future (Black Mountain).
Check out all of Xiu Xiu’s dates—including stops with Zola Jesus and tUnE-YarDs—after the jump, along with a collection of classic clips and YouTube transfers from Joy Division’s Unknown Pleasures era. Read more
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