If you love the Talking Heads, enjoy cover versions of favorite tunes and don't think "jam" is a four letter word, you're going to dig this. Local jazz/afrobeat/electronic artist has long been known for their dress-up sets where they dedicate an evening to a favorite band's music. They tackled Sly and the Family Stone for Halloween this year, and this December 2008 show was a revisit of last year's Halloween selection of Talking Heads. It's got a bunch of recognizable Heads' hits ("Once in a Lifetime," "Burning Down the House," "Psycho Killer") and some gems from deeper in the catalog for Heads heads, too. You can download the whole thing in a variety of formats, from high-quality MP3s to lossless FLAC, at Archive.org, or just hit the jump and listen to it via the embedded player.
Update 11/02: Last week's Fu Manchu show, which was canceled due to the band's difficulty navigating the roads into Denver, has been rescheduled for Monday, November 9 at the Larimer Lounge. We'll have tickets up for grabs next Monday, so be sure to check back.
Can't speak for the entire city, obviously, but the metro area roadways seem to be pretty decent right now. Although the winter conditions have prevented Combichrist from making its way to Denver, Fu Manchu is in route and ready to bring its sunbleached gargantuan groove to the Larimer Lounge tonight. Since that show is still very much on and we're guessing you could use a serious late afternoon pick me up, we've got a couple of tickets up for grabs for the show tonight. For your chance to win, drop us a line with your full name and we'll pick a few winners later this afternoon. Be sure to check your e-mail this afternoon to see if you won, as that's how you'll be notified.
Update 10/28: Uh, evidently, we spoke to soon or simply angered the
snow titans. Just received word that tonight's Fu Manchu show has now
been canceled. D'oh! Guessing the roads into Denver are a lot worse
than they seem down here. No word yet on when/if this will be
rescheduled, but we'll keep you posted.
If you like your metal complex, melodic and focused on weighty matters such as mysterious murder and supernatural occurrences, have we found something you're going to love. Local prog-metal outfit Envinity has released their new, epic concept album Moira's Lake free for your consideration. Comprised of Niko Van Steenhoven (vocals/keyboards), John Taylor (guitars), Bryan Romero (bass) and Eric Everhart (drums), Envinity dwells in the musical (and conceptual) neighborhood inhabited by outfits like Tool, Queensryche and the more operatic black metal groups.
The eleven songs are bolstered by a 23 page PDF of artwork, back story and credits, plus a handful of other promo materials (wallpaper, contact info, ways to give them money) thrown in for good measure, all zipped into one convenient file. It's an appealing and complete package that other acts could definitely learn from when releasing their own digital albums. Download it for free (no registration required, either!) at www.envinity.org
Later today, in an effort to thank fans and to tide them over until the upcoming full-length is released in January, the Chain Gang of 1974 will be posting a new album for free download on its MySpace page. Guerilla, as it's been titled, is comprised of b-sides, remixes and also features "F'n Head," a track from the new as-yet-titled record. The outfit, led by Kamtin Mohager, is playing tonight at the Marquis Theater, opening for the Epilogues and the Photo Atlas. See the full track listing after the jump.
Yesterday, we told you about this Friday's split CD release party featuring the Photo Atlas and the Epilogues. Today we present you with a track from each of the bands for free download. The full split, titled the Friendship EP, will obviously be available at the show, and features the Photo Atlas taking on "King Arthur" by the Epilogues and that band taking on "Handshake Heart Attack" by the Photo Atlas. Since the guys -- who just returned from a joint tour in route to New York for CMJ -- are already pulling the old switcheroo, we're kind of wondering if they'e going to be dressing up as each other this Friday at their sexy costume dance party. It is Halloween after all. If not, maybe some of the other bands on the bill (The Battleship Agenda, Regret Night and the Chain Gang of 1974) will entertain us with their kooky costumes.
Denver rapper/producer and former radio personality Lenny Lenn and his Kintenders imprint are offering their entire catalog for free download.The catalog features three compilation albums, solo projects from Lenny Lenn, James Ray, Joe D, and Mr. H, as well as collaborative projects with DJ Psycho and Q-Burse. When asked why they're giving away all these projects, Lenny Lenn said because people aren't really buying CD's anymore, so why not give them away?
"Sure you may sell a couple here and there but nothing to quit your day job over," he says. "I'd rather folks hear our music and be impressed with the full body of work. We did this all ourselves: recording, mixing, mastering, artwork, videos, all the beats, everything. That way when folks hear the material and it sparks an interest and they start calling -- which they are beginning to -- then you can charge."
Get the catalog list and links to all the projects after the jump.
More Freeloader tickets. Today: The Dodos at the Bluebird. Heard of 'em? They're great. If you haven't, here's what Jason Heller had to say about them in this week's issue:
Unlike their sonic brethren the Animal Collective
on the East Coast, San Francisco's the Dodos keep it simple -- but
hardly stupid. Steeped in psychedelic folk and classic pop, leader
Meric Long and crew focus on tattered guitars, huge yet warm drums and
the kinds of melodies and harmonies that bands once sold their souls to
the Devil (or at least the Byrds) to achieve. That said, there's
nothing blatantly retro about The Dodos' sound; rather, the band's most recent full-length, the sharp yet dreamlike Time to Die,
fits the current indie-rock landscape perfectly, carving out a sweet,
humble little niche without blindly following trends, throwing up
attitude or resorting to arty pretension. Plus, there's vibraphone. And
who couldn't use a little more of that particular happy noisemaker in
their lives?
Want to go to the show? Hit us up. That's it. No trivia today. Keeping it simple. Just drop us a line with your full name, and we'll pick a pair of winners later this afternoon.
Update: Congrats to Gemma Bayly and David Blehm, who each won a pair of tickets to tonight's show.
Happy Wednesday. Yes, we've looked outside and know there's not much happy about this dreary day. Winter, it seems, is eager to rear it's ugly head. Nonetheless, we've got a bunch of tickets for some shows tonight that will hopefully help ease some of the pre-winter blues. First up, is Meshell Ndegeocello at the Boulder Theater. If you're unfamiliar with her, let's just said that aside from being an exceptional, multi-faceted musician -- particularly as a bassist, she's truly worthy of being in the pantheon of greats -- she's a captivating singer and songwriter. A few years back, she appeared in Standing In the Shadows of Motown, a compelling documentary focusing on the Funk Brothers, the unsung studio aces behind that imprints earliest hits. For your chance to win tickets to her show tonight, drop us a line and tell us what Motown classic she covered. With the weather, if you'd rather stay closer to the city, we've also got tickets to see the Nadas, a band whose seemingly made Denver its second home, at the Bluebird, and Great Lake Swimmers at the Larimer Lounge. And we'll make it simple to get your hands on those tix. For your chance to win, tell us where each act hails from. From the correct answers we receive, we'll pick some winners later this afternoon and shoot you an e-mail to let you know you won. So be sure to check your e-mail between 3 and 4 p.m. Happy humpday!
What a compelling night of music in the Mile High City tonight, amigos. At the Bluebird, The Future of the Left, a promising U.K. trio on the 4AD imprint, shares a bill with Mumiy Troll, one of Russia's most esteemed exports, and Austin's finest, ...And You Will Know Us By the Trail of Dead. Over at the Larimer Lounge, meanwhile, rustic troubadour William Elliot Whimore stops by in support of Animals In the Dark, his Anti Records debut. We've got a couple of pairs of tickets for both shows with your name on 'em. For a chance to win, drop us a line with your full name and either tell us how Trail of Dead supposedly got its name for tickets to that show or tell us the place that Whitmore calls home. We'll pick a few winners this afternoon from those with the correct answer. Oh and if you haven't already, check out the interview we did earlier this year with Whitmore and the two we just posted with Ilya Laqutenko of Mumiy Troll and Trail of Dead's Conrad Keely.
Update: Charles Hughes and Cherie C will be our guests at the show tonight. Thanks to them and to everyone else who responded with the correct answer ("Don't Dream It's Over" and The Stand). We'll have more tix up for grabs later this week.
Yes, we know it's a Monday. And yes, we know the Broncos are playing tonight. And yes, we know that suggesting that you do anything else on a night where those two things converge is appalling, like asking you to lend us $20 after you've just been laid off. Nonetheless, if you happen to be one of the few folks in this town not completely consumed by all things pigskin (we'd like to meet you, BTW, as we don't really believe that you exist), we've got great news: There's some compelling non-sporto related activities to compete for your attention this evening, namely the inaugural edition of Mike Marchant's songwriters workshop at the Meadowlark. And then when that wraps, Liam Finn (Neil from Crowded House's boy) is playing a show over at the Larimer Lounge. Dude's a pretty decent songwriter in his own right. Should be a good time. Want to go? We've got a couple pairs of tickets. For your chance to win, drop us a line with the answer to this question: There was a Crowded House song played in a Stephen King movie. Which song was it and what was the movie?
This must just be the week for seemingly inactive bands to unceremoniously jump back into the fold. Earlier this week, we posted an item about the Titan Courageous, who's been off the grid for a while, making new music. Now we've received confirmation that Three Miles West, an outfit led by Russ Christiansen (pictured above) that has undergone its share of lineup shifts over the past few years and mostly been a face on a milk carton until recently, is back together and in the studio. After resurfacing for a few gigs this past summer, Christiansen and company have written and recorded several new songs, a pair of which we've posted for free download below, in anticipation of as yet titled release due this coming December.
Update: Congratulations to David Fender! He and a guest will be our guests at the show tomorrow night.
Gregory Alan Isakov has made quite a name for himself since first making his way down from the People's Republic some years back. Although he's been headlining rooms like the Boulder Theater and the Fox Theatre in his hometown for sometime now, he's steadily built up a loyal following in Denver playing intimate, well-received shows at places like the Meadowlark and the Walnut Room, which has allowed him to move on to performing at the Bluebird, where he's due tomorrow night with Eleanor, Danielle Ate the Sandwich and our own Andy Thomas. If you haven't heard it yet, his latest effort, This Empty Northern Hemisphere, which features Brandi Carlile, is just an absolute gem (give it a listen after the jump). The Indigo Girls and Ani DiFranco are fans of the guy. And so are we. Isakov is still one of our favorite singer-songwriters. Want to see the show? We'd love for you and a guest to be our guests. We've got a pair of tickets up for grabs. Drop us a line for your chance to win, and we'll pick a winner later this afternoon.
Although Mama has still (frustratingly) yet to play live with the lineup that recorded the excellent Bayoutopia, the ferocious hard rock act fronted by the inimitable Jeff Leonetti (aka Leonomadic), is reportedly hard at work on a new album. The record, Toxikinesis, takes its name from the superhero strengths of Swamp Thing. According to bassist Jonny Barber (aka Chris Barber, frontman of Spiv and expert channeler of The King as the Velvet Elvis), the record pivots on a heady theme of taking in so many toxins into the blood stream that a touch becomes deadly and results in an immunity to all poisons, viruses, bacteria and fungi. No word yet on when the album will be available -- or if the unit will indeed ever perform live -- but Barber, who's recording the record as we speak at the Church of Rock with his brother Jeremy Barber on guitar, Chris "Squaredogg" Woodward on drums and Leonetti on vocals and harmonica, has set us up with a few tracks from the sessions. Download them below, and if you haven't already, check out more few tracks from Mama's Bayoutopia.
Great news: The Titan Courageous is back and sounding just as good as ever. After being spotlighted as one of the act's to watch in our Class of 2008, the act curiously embarked on an indefinite sabbatical. After a while, we just assumed the outfit was pushing daisies like so many other local acts that expired before realizing their potential. And so we were pleasantly surprised to to see the band's name listed on a few bills at the Marquis over the summer, and are even more heartened now to discover that the Titan Courageous appears to be making new music. This morning, we downloaded a new track from the band called "The War Portrait." Kicks major ass. We'd post it here for you to download, but honestly, you're better off picking it up directly at Titan's Bandcamp page, where you can choose from array of download files, from low quality MP3s to Flac or Apple Lossless files.
Update: Congratulations to Bridget Dyer. Her and a guest will be our guests at the show tonight featuring Stone Temple Pilots, who, as correctly noted by everyone that responded, was originally known as the Mighty Joe Young before briefly changing their moniker to Shirley Temple's Pussy and then eventually settling on their current handle.
It's been a minute since Scott Weiland and his Stone Temple Pilots band mates have embarked on a headlining tour, and it's been even longer since they recorded any new music. In fact, the outfit has spent the better part of the current decade on the sidelines as Weiland focused on Velvet Revolver and his various solo endeavors. By all accounts, such inactivity would prove terminal for most bands in terms of momentum. Yet as a testament to the profound impact the act had during the '90s, if not the staying power of the music, STP's still able to play rooms the size of the Fillmore. The same cannot be said of a good majority of STP's contemporaries. Needless to say, it will be interesting to see if the band is still firing on all cylinders after all these years or if it has lost a step. Find out for yourself: We've got a pair of tickets up for grabs. For your chance to win, drop us a line and tell us the original name of the band, and we'll pick a winner from the correct answers later this afternoon. Good luck!
So, you've been driving around, nodding your head and/or snapping your fingers to "Sexy Bitch," the cheesy, sleazy collaboration between French superstar DJ David Guetta and hip-hop dude Akon. And you're digging it, but you keep asking yourself, "Why didn't they release a crazy electro version of this shit?!?" Well, we may never know the answer to that question, but luckily, it doesn't really matter anymore, because local producer Audius has gone and banged up a remix of the track that piles the electro on heavy and he's slapped it up for you to download, free like. Have at it, electro fiends, and if you like it, catch Audius tomorrow at Brainwash, where he'll be playing it and numerous other records alongside Keoki, Barry Weaver and DJ Swamp and many other fine dance music acts.
If you're in need of some new music to freshen up the ol' iPod, yet find yourself as bereft of disposable income as ever, here's some good news: more than three dozen free albums from Rope Swing Cities, all in one place for easy perusal. The local IDM/ambient electronic netlabel is just about ready to restart releasing music again after a moderate hiatus, and to celebrate, they made one, easy to access location for their entire back catalog. The artists represented include nearly a dozen local acts, plus musicians from Canada, France and Japan. So what are you waiting for? Visit the Rope Swing Cities catalog page, grab a few releases and enjoy.
The other significant local hip-hop release this evening comes from the Fresh Breath Committee, who also took time to mix it up with us this week. It's pretty safe bet that all the local heads that aren't at the hi-dive will be at the Fox Theatre in Boulder for the release of CPR, the outfit's full-length debut. An all-star lineup, the show features Masta Ace, who appears on the new album, the ReMINDers, 3 the Hardway, the Pirate Signal and DJ Skip Ripkin. Before you make your way up to Boulder, download a cut from the new album and read what the outfit has to say about working with Masta Ace and its take on local hip-hop.
Tonight's a pretty big night for local hip-hop. Two significant releases are both being released tonight. The first of today's Freeloader tracks is taken from Naked Dinner, Time's brand new album, which he'll be dropping tonight at the hi-dive in the company of Whygee, Agent Strange and Damon JeVon & Doctype. In advance of the show, Tom Murphy sat down for an extensive chat with (aka Chris Steele). Read what he had to say about the new album and download the title track from the new record before you head out to the show.
Those wanting to get to know the Colorado hip-hop scene a bit more intimately should check out the latest offering from DJ Ktone. His latest mixtape, We the West Vol. 6, features a collection of Colorado MCs such as Young Doe, Kajmir Royale, Innerstate Ike and Hawkman, mixed with classic and current joints from Warren G, Tupac, Messy Marv and Nipsey Hussle. Check out the mixtape cover and the download link after the jump.
All right, anybody feel like turning this Monday into Funday? How's about it? Thought so. With that in mind, we've got a pair of tickets up for grabs to catch Daedelus tonight at the Bluebird with Musa and CacheFlowe. Daedelus? Who's that, you say? Ah, glad you asked. Last time Daedelus (aka Alfred Darlington) was in town, he was keeping company with Pretty Lights and Sound Tribe Sector 9 at Red Rocks, and he's credited with bringing the use of the Monome to the forefront. To see the man himself in action and read what Cory Casciato, our resident dance music aficiando, had to say about him this past week, follow the jump and then hit us up for your chance to win. We'll pick a winner later this afternoon. Good luck!
Churchill is a yet another newer Denver act that has arrived on the scene seemingly fully formed. The outfit came together from the collaboration of a pair of college chums, Tim Bruns and Michael Morter, when the former moved back to Denver after a stint in Nashville trying his hand as a solo artist and the latter completed his studies at Baptist Bible College. Shortly after the two began working together, they added some additional players -- cellist Amy Moyer, pianist/vocalist Bethany Kelly, drummer Joe Richmond and bassist Tyler Rima. With the lineup complete, the sextet set about playing shows locally and has since been steadily gaining notice. Tomorrow night marks the release of Churchill's debut EP, a platter filled with acoustic-based tunes that are breezy, charming and uplifting at one turn and introspective, pensive and bittersweet at another. Download "I Still Remember" below and then catch Churchill tomorrow evening at the hi-dive with Eagle Seagull and Old Radio, which contains members of Roger, Roll, Houses and Action Packed Thrill Ride, among others.
All right, who's getting hyped for the Pretty Lights show tomorrow night at the Ogden, which has now evidently sold out? Yeah, us, too. Should be completely stupid. Three back-to-back sell outs in Boulder, Fort Collins and Denver? Not to shabby. If the name Pretty Lights still has you drawing a blank and you're wondering what all the fuss is about, go ahead grab a late pass -- and then, check out the clip above filmed at Red Rocks this past summer when Derek Vincent Smith, who performs under the Pretty Lights moniker, warmed up for Sound Tribe Sector 9. Bonus: the video features a brand new track, "Let Em Know Its Time To Go," from the act's forthcoming disc, Passing By Behind Your Eyes, which you can, of course, download for free when it drops this Tuesday. Oh and if you haven't already, feel free to download the two previous records, Filling Up the City Skies, disc one and two, and Taking Up Your Precious Time. In the meantime, here's another new track from Pretty Lights that Smith has graciously offered up.
As the Rouge's star continues to rise, the fellas are steadily writing new material, including this track, "Prodigal," taken from one of its recent sessions. With the ink barely dry on the act's latest effort, Heat and Light, which was just released this past May, the outfit is wisely building on the momentum generated this past summer, a season that included a series of shows on the West Coast that culminated with breakthrough gig at Film on the Rocks. After a a recent well received show at the Gothic supporting the Heyday, the Rouge is gearing up for an upcoming headlining gig of its own at the Marquis in November with the Still City, Snake Rattle Rattle Snake and Churchill. Keep your eye on these guys. We sense some big things on the horizon.
Update: Congrats to Laura McGaughey! She and a guest will be our guest at tonight's show.
Tonight at the Bluebird, Hope Sandoval & the Warm Inventions are headlining what should be an absolutely dreamy bill featuring Dirt Blue Gene and Brightblack Morning Light. Key words in that sentence: should be. There's been some chatter recently about Sandoval's proclivity for being a temperamental performer.
From the sounds of it, though, Sandoval is no diva. Rather a painfully shy performer whose nerves get rattled by being in the spotlight, a songstress who's "notoriously terrified about performing in public." Whatever happens tonight, you can bet that we'll be there. With bells on. We've loved Sandoval ever since we first heard her sensuous pipes on "Fade Into You." She has the kind of voice that stops traffic and makes you fall hopelessly in love with inanimate objects. Wanna join us? We've got an extra pair of tickets with your name on them. Hit us up, and we'll pick a winner later this afternoon.
Update: Congrats to Chris Gary. He and a guest will be our guests at the show this evening.
Tonight, in support of his just released album, Us, Brother Ali hits the Ogden Theatre in the company of Evidence, Toki Wright and BK One. We've got tickets to the show. Wanna go? Drop us a line with the answers to the following questions, for your chance to win: What is Brother Ali's given name? What's the name of the famed albino MC's first demo, the cassette tape that reportedly attracted the attention of Rhymesayers Entertainment? Finally, what was Us, the new album, originally going to be titled? Got the drop? Hit us up. We'll pick a winner at random later this afternoon. In the meantime, check out Brother Ali's new album after the jump.
As mentioned earlier today, this weekend marks the third annual Vendetta Festival, slated to take place over the course of three days in three different venues. There's still time to enter for your chance to win a weekend pass if you haven't already. In the meantime, as promised, to get you primed for the festivities, we've posted some MP3s from a number of the acts slated to appear. After the jump, you'll find tracks from the People's Republic of Europe, Blackcentr, Mono-Amine, To Mega Therion, Statik Sky, W.A.S.T.E. and Revolution State. Enjoy!
Update: Congratulations Jessica Martinez.You and a guest will be our guests at this weekend's Vendetta Festival. Check your e-mail for details.
Ah, dark days are here again. This weekend, Denver is playing host to the Vendetta Festival, the biggest festival of its kind in the United States and the third largest in the world. A three-day, three-club extravaganza, the fest, which features some of the best industrial and dark dance acts in the world, kicks off tonight at the hi-dive then moves over to Bar Standard tomorrow night before culminating with a final night at the Exdo Events Center, headlined by Hocico. The lineup for this thing is absolutely insane. Dave Vendetta, co-organizer of the fest and owner of Vendetta Records, has graciously hooked us with a weekend pass that we're, of course, hooking you up with it. If you and a guest would like to be our guest, drop us a line with "Vendetta" in the subject for your chance to win.
Hill Country Revue, which features Cody Dickinson and Chris Chew of the North Mississippi All Stars, hits the Bluebird Theater tomorrow night with local openers Rosalie, and we've got a pair of tickets. If you dig the All Stars, your sure to dig Hill Country, who offers up a similar brand of southern fried juke joint goodness by the truckload. Added bonus: A good portion of the act's Razor & Tie debut, Make a Move, was written by guitarist Garry Burnside, whose father, iconic bluesman R.L. Burnside, Hill Country also respectfully covers on the album. Check it some cuts after the jump, and then drop us a line with "Hill Country Revue" in the subject for your chance to win tix to the show.
Update: Congratulations Nicole Bushhouse. A pair of tickets awaits you for this show tomorrow night at the Larimer Lounge.
Although our preview in this week's paper focuses on the Entrance Band, Amazing Baby, which stopped by Denver earlier this year warming up for Phoenix at the Bluebird and who headlines this bill at the Larimer Lounge that also includes locals Snake Rattle Rattle Snake, affably does justice to its outsized moniker. Rewild, the act's latest, is among our favorite releases of the year. Give both bands a spin after the jump, and then drop us a line with "Amazing Baby" in the subject line for your chance to win a pair of tickets to tomorrow night's show.
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