| Hip Hop Kemp 2008 (Line-Up) |
The Roots, Atmosphere + Brother Ali, Pharoahe Monch, Army of the Pharaohs, Turntable Live Jazz (DJ Rafik, DJ Adlib, Ben*, Frank Nitty, Guilty Simpson & Illa Jay), U.N.I.T.Y. B-GIRL STAGE (Bahamadia, Roxanne Shante, Apani B, Eternia, Stacy Epps, Invincible, Mauikai, La Mala...), Kenny Muhammad The Human Orchestra, eMC, Kano, Kool Savas, MR. Lif & Akrobatik, Zion I, Looptroop Rockers, Pete Philly & Perquisite, Nato, Snowgoons Soundsystem feat. Sicknature, Stig of the Dump, Leroy, Wax Taylor, O.S.T.R., TPWC, 2cztery7 + Flexxip & Emil Blef, Olli Banjo, Huss & Hodn, Kontrafakt, Navigators...
August 22, 23 & 24
Festivalpark Hradec Králové
Czech Republic
website
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| Coldplay / Viva La Vida or Death And All His Friends [2008] |
 Coldplay
Viva La Vida or Death And All His Friends
Parlophone, Capitol
June 12, 2008
Coldplay are one of the most popular pop-rock bands nowadays. After three albums of emotive songs, Chris Martin and his troupe have played everywhere. Viva La Vida or Death And All His Friends has been partly recorded in Barcelona, even though the influence of this city (musically-wise) on the album is based on Latin percussions and a few other tiny details. It looks like they were trying to do some experimentation this time, abandoning their classic pop formula of making hits. I think it’s been a bad move. When Coldplay try to experiment they end up sounding boring. Those mainstream pop singles were far better than this new thing, even if all the hipsters will say they appreciate this change in their career. Being alternative is not good for itself, the main point here is being good and this record is one of the dullest I have heard in the last months. - Grey
Highlights / Violet Hill (video)
 Labels: 2008
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| Primavera Sound 2008, day 3 |
 Times New VikingI remember we didn’t review their last album because we didn’t know how to analyze it properly. I wasn’t very excited about it either but I heard they have a great show so I decided to give them a chance. No regrets. They were astonishing, even if they had those technical problems with the guitar that slowed down the concert a little bit. Port O’BrienNot bad, not bad. It wasn’t a really exciting concert (especially if you were coming from Times New Viking) but it was decent enough. They played their sentimental songs well and the last one was just an anthem. Silver JewsDavid Berman and his troupe finally came to Barcelona. His last album (which is going to be review by The Kiln in a few days) still retains part of the original flavor from albums like American Water. The concert was good. They played old and new stuff and the only thing I didn’t like was Berman’s attitude in some occasions. He’s always going from one side of the stage to the other and singing while doing other things like looking for the t-shirts he’s going to give to his fans. I think he should act more like a real front man.
Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks
I saw the first half an hour of this concert and it was pretty good. Some people said the sound was awful near the stage but I saw it from 20-30 meters away and it was good. Lightspeed Champion was in the crowd wearing one of those crazy hats like we were in Siberia Sound Festival.
Rufus Wainwright
I really like some of his songs but this guy is such a pain! Is it really necessary to introduce every single song with some talking and to tell me how gay you are and how proud you are of it? I saw the first 20 minutes and the last three songs and that was enough.
Menomena
I saw them in the meantime between the first part of Rufus’ concert and the end of it. I was lucky because I could hear to all their main hits. They are really energetic on the stage. I expected it to be quieter but I had a lot of fun anyway.
Clipse
“I’m at your door, your eyes are like ‘why are you here?’". The sound was awful again but it didn’t matter. I was so excited about it that I couldn’t stop shaking my arms up and down and singing along all the songs. Hip hop is still alive thanks to people like Clipse. No doubt.
Les Savy Fav
One of the best concerts of the festival. Their music is like a kick in the ass and all the Tim Harrington’s stripping show is hilarious. Les Savy Fav is one of those bands you enjoy not only because of the music they make but also because their attitude. There’s nothing else I can say except that I touched Tim’s sweated back.
Animal Collective
Not as danceable as I expected but still pretty enjoyable. They are so creative that they can make almost any kind of show because it is going to be good anyway. I don’t know what the people think about it but this kind of music is much better live than at home. - Grey
Labels: Live
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| Tilly And The Wall / O [2008] |
Tilly And The Wall
O
Team Love
June 17, 2008
I love both records Tilly And The Wall have made so far - Wild Like Children with its 60’s melodies produced by Conor Oberst and sophomore record Bottoms of Barrels with its youthful pop songs and Mexican mariachi twee-ness. O, produced by Mike Mogis (of Bright Eyes), is just as uplifting. The fact that Tilly And The Wall are signed to Oberst’s independent record label Team Love makes O an album you have to hear if you’re into anything that’s come out of Saddle Creek records or the Omaha music scene. I love when you can hear a band’s progression through their albums, so was totally happy to hear a whole bunch of new sounds with the new album on top of the usual (and amazing) acoustic guitar, trademark tap dancing, and youthful, shouty and exuberant vocals that caught the attention of their fans in the first place. This time the record comes with an added punk spirit (well I say ‘boo hoo’/and I say ‘fuck you!’), more handclaps, foot stomps, and a whole bunch of youthful rebellion. Their lyrics have also taken on a punkier theme – maybe they've been listening to some old punk records from the 70’s, ‘cause they seem a little more loud and confident. At one time Tilly And The Wall would have been happy just shouting over an old microphone and acoustic guitar while stomping around, but now they’ve added some confrontational lyrics, even louder foot stomps and harder guitar sounds that make for an amazing third album that I’m sure won’t disappoint the other fans out there. - TotalTrash
Highlights / Pot Kettle BlackLabels: 2008
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| Wolf Parade / At Mount Zoomer [2008] |
Wolf Parade
At Mount Zoomer
Sup Pop
June 17, 2008
This is a good example of a good alternative indie rock album, with great sounding guitar and some good hooks. Recorded in a church in Montreal owned by the Arcade Fire, it’s pretty impossible for Wolf Parade to make their sophomore album anything below interesting at least, and they’ve totally succeeded, creating some great textures and Arcade Fire-esque melodies on the piano and vocals. It's a nice sounding record – something I predicted, seeing as the band are on Sub Pop, who always seem to give us some interesting music – ($) and the fact that Wolf Parade have taken a while to make something new and cool really shows through. Key tracks like "Bang Your Drum" and "Soldier’s Grin" have great melody and rhythm, and are seriously nice to listen to with the window open, the sun coming in, making plans for summer and looking at old Polaroids. - TotalTrash
Highlights / Soldier's GrinLabels: 2008
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| Moscow Olympics / Cut The World [2008] |
Moscow Olympics
Cut The World
Lavender
June 11, 2008
It seemed almost impossible to find something else to play on the stereo as you drove along the shore in the Philippines watching the ocean about to swallow and put you through eternity. Perfect synchronization between every rhythmic cell in your body, your car and the music would make for a perfect resonance that was sure to put the world on hold, the shore always closer and the road expanding ahead of you, true to your mind. Twee pop sounds, extra reverberation, unintelligible lyrics and the right amount of strawberry ice cream, your road trip was more than perfect, no need to think of her on the way back. Finally, as the snapshots of those gray buildings from 1980's Moscow projected themselves between the windshield and your tired mind, you decided to cut the world, let go of the rest of your ideology, follow the ocean sign and plunge into the sea. - postbop
Highlights / Cut The WorldLabels: 2008
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| Sigur Rós / Med Sud I Eyrum Vid Spilum Endalaust [2008] |
Sigur Rós
Med Sud I Eyrum Vid Spilum Endalaust
Beggars XL Recordings
June 8, 2008 (Free Album Stream)
Be careful; everything you do to stand out from the rest, to individuate yourself and construct your own sound, will be the key to your further dematerialization. Keep the outside, common business world outside and artfully craft an interior universe; everything you choose will be included, from gigantic tubas to violin sections riding the straight beat of a drumset placed in the middle of nowhere, reverberations coloring the sky with a thousand hues. It is the most important task of your life, and you sure will live up to it, but you will slowly notice that as you build your wasteland houses, unchanging skies of hope, eternal landscapes of pure sound that moves the world as if it were ripples on water, you will be also building your own prison. The real, vital task, is to keep that universe in expansion. The more you keep outside, the less you have to live with on the inside, and no matter how much you can get in there, it's no match for eternity; no matter how broad your land may be, it will always be too small, it will sometimes begin to loop on itself until you are kicked out. Building an identity is nothing more than building the cage in which you will be slowly left alone, your memories sticking to you like an old man's tics. You may choose, as some elder men do, to have nothing of your own, but you will be stranded alone in the desert. And it's not just about running naked through the trees because once again, every word you utter is your final battle against identity. - postbop
Highlights / GobbledigookLabels: 2008
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| Primavera Sound 2008, Day 2 |
 Holly GolightlyThey couldn’t do any sound check before the concert due to technical problems, so everything was kind of improvised. The show was nothing special but I really like three or four of the songs they played and they are the funniest guys ever. I still think that was an outdoor show. They are not quiet enough to play in an auditorium. Russian RedI saw the last three songs and it was pretty disappointing, not because of her, but because of CD Drome stage's awful sound. She needs an intimate place and that noisy stage was not the right place (the auditorium would have been great in her case). MV & EE with The Golden RoadI didn’t expect anything from this band because last time they came to Barcelona everybody said the show was pretty boring. I grabbed a beer and had a sit. The view from the stands was amazing. You could see the sea and boats coming and going. The show was not bad either; enjoyable electric hippie rock and roll, good as an afternoon concert at a festival. The Felice BrothersI was looking forward to seeing these guys live! I love Bob Dylan and The Band and I really got into their albums. Unfortunately, they appeared to play on the CD Drome stage too. The sound was annoying but they were playing so energetically, almost nobody cared. They are one of those bands worth seeing live, far better than any recorded stuff. I put my whiskey into my whiskey…
The Sonics
I’m so glad to have had the chance to see The Sonics live! Some people were saying the show was not as rough as they used to be but… what did you expect? They are almost 70. I couldn’t stop dancing from the first song to the end. These guys are just amazing.
Why?
This was probably the concert that suffered the least from bad sound on the CD Drome stage. Why? The music is kind of distorted and I didn’t mind a bit more of it. I don’t remember much, but I enjoyed it.
Cat Power
Disappointing. After twenty minutes we went to the stands and rolled up a blunt. It was not a very bad concert, but it seems she’s losing that great voice she used to have. Every song sounded the same and she sang way too many covers from her last album. All the original flavor of her old songs from You Are Free or Moon Pix was gone.
The Go! Team
Better than expected. Their album is not that bad, but I have never really paid any attention to this band. Their shows are a different story. That mix between indie rock, hip hop and electronic sounds really works and it’s a good band for dancing. The singer is so energetic.
El Guincho
I guess a lot of tourists were looking forward to this since El Guincho got a lot of hype on the Internet and played a few gigs in the States. It was not bad, but far from the great show he delivered a few months ago at the Apolo. The bass was too loud and you couldn’t hear all those tropical sounds his music is made of.
Holy Fuck
Holy surprise! Perfect ending for a music festival. Tough but danceable electronic music for indie kids. I can’t tell you much more about this but I can say I spent all my last energy dancing like I was out of my mind.
- Grey
Labels: Live
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| The Futureheads / This Is Not The World [2008] |
The Futureheads
This Is Not The World
Megaforce
June 3, 2008
When I was 14 years old, I totally loved this band. Their songs "Hounds of Love" and "Decent Days and Nights" were constantly playing on my stereo – but over time, things change, and since it’s been over two years since I’ve listened to their music, I wasn’t expecting to exactly fall in love with their new record. "The Beginning of the Twist" isn’t bad; I mean, I’ve heard worse, but it’s really not amazing... in fact, it’s almost boring, kind of danceable though, if you like that sorta thing. "Radio Heart" is a little better, though under-stimulating; however, it is one of the standout tracks on the record, with "Everything’s Changing Today". "Walking Backwards" isn’t too bad, along with "Think Tonight," "Sleet," "Work is Never Done" and "Broke Up the Time". But for some reason all the other tracks seem to blend together and sound the same, which is not what a music lover wants to hear, trust me. If you’re a fan of The Futureheads, however, you’ll probably like the album a whole lot. They still sound the same, so no fans will be alienated – but if you’re a newcomer to this band maybe that’s a reason why you shouldn’t buy this album. - TotalTrash
Highlights / The Beginning of the TwistLabels: 2008
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| My Morning Jacket / Evil Urges [2008] |
My Morning Jacket
Evil Urges
ATO
June 10, 2008
"Honey it‘s rotten and they got us so scared/Thinking there’s some evil waiting under vain." That's the first line Kentucky rockers My Morning Jacket decided to put on their new album. After three years and a big change after Z, an album filled with synthesizers and those weird dub moods, Evil Urges is a breath of fresh air. Although I'm pretty sure longtime MMJ fans won't be happy with it, there's nothing to afraid of, you can't totally hate this album; you have to recognize that the band has done an incredible job reinventing themselves, stepping away from the folkish sound on It Still Moves and their characteristic reverb effect, being used indiscriminately nowadays by a large amount of new bands. Different is the key word; if you want proof, just listen to "Highly Suspicious" and see how hard these guys wanted to do something else (if the song isn't enough, look at the album cover). - Khyne
Highlights / Evil UrgesLabels: 2008
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| Bonnie "Prince" Billy / Lie Down In The Light [2008] |
Bonnie "Prince" Billy
Lie Down In The Light
Drag City
May 20, 2008
Warm autumn sunshine shining on your lover's cheek as you "Lie Down In The Light". This is most definitely an autumn record; lay on a blanket as you watch the coulours of ambers, yellows, and different shades of brown of the rustling oak leaves that are yet to fall from the trees, then further up to the wispy clouds floating by in the chilly breeze... Then sing! Sing along to brilliant pieces of magic. Louder and then even louder as if nothing else and nobody else other than yourselves, beautiful surroundings and music exits! Have moments of pure magic and stories of nostalgia that will transport you to another time and place, even if just for a moment, but you'll go there. This record will take you there, you'll be dissolved and then absorbed there to that unexplainable place that only a beautiful country record can create. You'll feel as if you'll never need to return to reality. But only stay. Stay and sing. - Morning Lemon
Highlights / You Remind Me of Something (The Glory Goes)Labels: 2008
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| The Delta Fiasco live @ FGAA (Bogotá) [05.6.2008] |
 While everybody else is enjoying their summer festivals, thousands of bands together in parks full people, you can always expect to spend a sunny day in Bogotá and find yourself jumping and dancing to an amazing band by night. Because summer also happens here, even if it's just for three days in a row. Walk the streets of the old city and plan ahead. You'll have some free time on your hands and some profound considering to do; eat a cheap slice of pizza and read a book, it's a long way from here to total disintegration. Even if you're always trying to escape cinematographic interpretations of your life, some things do feel like endings and you have to act properly, hold your head high, shove your hands in your pocket, the night is not that cold. The Fundación Gilberto Alzate Avendaño, working as an art gallery, restaurant, museum and now rock venue is there, around that corner.
The Delta Fiasco played a show like you'd never expect. Sitting on a dark theatre–not the old kind of stripped-down theatre-turned-disco bar now in fashion in Bogotá, but a real, working one–you feel like back in the old days, waiting for the police to come in and take out the sexual offenders on stage. Full venue for the Nite n' Rock concert series organized by the District office, the organizer said it was one of these things you'd never expect to happen. Yet we had a full, Liverpool straight ahead Y2K rock trio to shake the night and make it feel like a thousand nights had ended. Blasting sound, you were already determined to give up your hearing abilities just to enjoy the night as it should be. They would go back and forth between simple sequenced beats on a Macbook onstage, hard driving guitar sound walls and analog synthesizer explorations, along powered melodies on voice, making you remember Interpol and VHS or Beta at times.
After a long, synth-powered intro to "Uh Oh Oh" [think of Ladytron], it was not long before the full venue was on their feet, dancing and jumping along, the room filled with machine-made smoke and your usual colored moving lights almost turning the theatre into a full concert house. As always, you were almost expecting that moment in which the music would make you forget about the rest of your life and experience the instant bliss of jumping in time with a drum kick, watching the world stand still on a beat. Unfortunately the show was not too long; they played about 5 or 6 songs and an encore which they announced they had not played for a long time. Then, walk the streets back, watch the harsh city go by the bus window. End the night and your life [or at least that kind of movie-like narration you've made for yourself] with a few beers, the One Hit Wonders and a bar. Summer is here to stay. - postbop
Labels: Live
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| New Ted Leo/RX Song |
On last night's episode of The Best Show, Ted Leo and host Tom Scharpling took lyric suggestions from listeners and in under two hours, wrote a song out of them! "The World is in The Turlet" can be streamed here.
Or click here to listen to the entire show and their songwriting process.Labels: News
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