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Incoming: The Whigs/Band of Skulls, April 15

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Considering I’m not a huge fan of Yeasayer – I think I need to take up drugs for that – I’m thrilled to have an excuse not to see them on April 15 at Rhythm Room. That’s because The Whigs are coming to town on the same day on a co-headlining date with Band of Skulls, who will be en route to Coachella.

A band from the UK called 22-20s is opening the all-ages show at Martini Ranch, and tickets cost $15.

Though some people can’t get behind Martini Ranch – it is in the heart of Scottsdale, which can be nauseating – the sound has always been excellent. And because I missed The Whigs when they last came through Phoenix for a show at Modified, I’m happy for the chance at redemption, especially since they’ll be coming off the release of a new album, In the Dark (March 16).

Related:
The Whigs: In the Dark
The Whigs on Jimmy Kimmel
The Whigs: Like a Vibration (video)

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Japandroids: Art Czars (new 7-inch)

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Love ’em or hate ’em – and the backlash has a fast trigger on this one – Japandroids are set to release a series of five 7-inch singles, starting on April 13. Each single, limited to 2,000 copies each (but also available digitally), will feature an A-side of previously unreleased material from the Post-Nothing sessions and a cover song for a B-side.

We’re told this is the duo’s attempt at giving back to fans as a hectic touring schedule in early 2010 – including a much-discussed April 19 date at The Trunk Space in Phoenix – will prevent them from recording a follow-up to Post-Nothing for a bit.

The first single features the song Art Czars backed by a cover of Big Black’s Racer X on clear vinyl.

RELATED:
Incoming: Japandroids, April 19, The Trunk Space

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Z-Trip remixes The Dead Weather:
Treat Me Like Your Mother

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If you follow DJ Z-Trip on Twitter, then you know he’s been teasing to a remix he’s been working on for the Jack White/Alison Mosshart side project The Dead Weather since at least November for the track Treat Me Like Your Mother.

Well, I got an e-mail with a link to download what I presume is the finished product, featuring a verse from Slug of Atmosphere. I’m told Z-Trip will make this available for download on Friday, which seems likely considering the former Phoenix son – and current Las Vegas Rain man on Friday nights – is keen on sharing.

But until then, here’s a stream:

UPDATE: Z-Trip has made the track available for download.

While I’m the topic of Z-Trip, I’m long overdue in mentioning Watching the Wheels, a blog by Nicole Nelch, who is unearthing loads of old footage she shot during the heyday of the Bombshelter DJs (Z-Trip, Radar and Emile).

It’s a major nostalgia trip for me because I was probably at 90 percent of the performances she filmed; I know because I saved many of the same fliers. And if you look hard enough, you’ll see a scanned clip of an article with a shared byline featuring a formerly eager newspaper clerk pretending to be a reporter.

Check one of Nicole’s videos for a little taste of what the Bombshelter guys were doing some 10-plus years ago:

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The Soft Province: One Was a Lie
(Besnard Lakes side project)

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I’m excited enough about a new album from the Besnard Lakes coming out on March 9, and now comes news of a side project of frontman Jace Lasek and Michael Gardiner, co-founder and former member of the Montreal-based band.

The project is called The Soft Province – the first time the pair have collaborated since the first incarnation of the Besnard Lakes in 2001.

Their self-titled debut is due for release in early summer on Three Ring Records, and the early previews at MySpace sound very promising. The pysch-rock influence of Besnard is evident (and probably unavoidable), but there’s also a driving sense of pop that colors the sound. Check out I See Two Eyes, a song that rides a perfectly gorgeous guitar tone, at MySpace and download One Was a Lie below.

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Frightened Rabbit: Nothing Like You (video)

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As my friend Casey pointed out, there’s quite a dilemma brewing on the Valley concert schedule.

On April 19, Frightened Rabbit, Japandroids (previous post) and Beach House are all slated to play at separate venues. It’s rare this happens in Phoenix, save for in March and April, when bands criss-cross through our state on their way to and from SXSW and Coachella.

Granted, it’s a nice problem to have, but, like Casey, I’m pretty torn on this one – for different reasons. I’m not a huge Beach House fan, so I’ve tossed that one out immediately. Frightened Rabbit – an absolute favorite of this site and household – seems like a no-brainer, but I did see them three times in the past year or so, and I’ve yet to see Japandroids, whose debut Post-Nothing crept into heavy rotation last year (and, despite Casey’s argument, contains more than one good song). Not to mention, up-and-coming Sub Pop signee Avi Buffalo is opening for Japandroids. What’s a man to do??

At this point, I’m leaning toward Frightened Rabbit for a few reasons: For starters, it’s two days after my wife’s birthday and she’ll be front and center, for sure, and who would ditch his wife on her birthday weekend? Second, the band will be armed with new material from their March 9 release of The Winter of Mixed Drinks. Lastly, they’re playing The Clubhouse, a bigger venue than ones I’ve seen them play previously, and I’m interested to see how the songs carry.

Sigh. Decisions.

In the meantime, here’s a new FR video for the song Nothing Like You, the second video the band has released in advance of the new record.

general, video

Lymbyc Systym: Bedroom Anthem (video)

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After the December release of a video for the single Ghost Clock off their new album Shutter Release, the New York-by-way-of-Arizona brothers of Lymbyc Systym have a new video for the song Bedroom Anthem, probably my favorite song off their sophomore full-length.

The track – whose video takes a nostalgic trip through a box of photos – is brief (2:35) but quickly builds steam before riding out with a beautiful flourish of horns that leaves you wanting more.

Shutter Release is available through Mush Records.

RELATED:
Q&A with Lymbyc Systym
Lymbyc Systym: Ghost Clock (video)

hip-hop, video

Meanest Man Contest: Partially Smart (video)

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I knew it would be a daunting task to catch up on e-mails/music/etc. after our two-week trip to Thailand (which was amazing, of course). But I certainly didn’t expect the process to be delayed by surgery for gallbladder removal (had a stone stuck in there) over the weekend, which started with curiously excruciating abdominal pain on Friday evening and ended with me leaving the hospital on Sunday afternoon with one less organ.

I’m on the mend now and have a shaved stomach with four incisions, a sore right shoulder (“referred” pain) and a prescription for Oxycodone for my troubles. That’s not to mention our poor little cat Otis, who had to have a piece of foam he chewed/swallowed removed from his intestine on Monday. Good times!

Anyway, it’s all left me napping multiple times throughout the day and laying around with the laptop as I try to catch up (finished Season 1 of Mad Men and got a good start on James Swanson’s Manhunt). One of the first orders of business in posting is to get this new Meanest Man Contest video in front of your eyes.

This track, Partially Smart, has been around for a couple years as part of an EP by the same name on RCRD LBL, but the video is a tie-in to a web comedy series called Txt M3 B1tch, created by the director of the video (John Irwin).

Like most endeavors MMC undertakes – whether it’s curating a book soundtrack or, just recently, creating a mix of country classics in other languages – Eric Steuer (aka Eriksolo) and Noah Blumberg (aka Quarterbar) again prove themselves to be culturally relevant and refined in this humorous send-up/dis of the scenester lifestyle we all love to hate.

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Turn Back O’ Man-Devil Like Me

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Photo courtesy of our tight bros at Electricmustache.com

It’s hard to say anything clever about Turn Back O Man, Phoenix’s premier gothic-Americana combo, when the guys have  said it all themselves. Their bio boasts comparisons to Leonard Cohen, Tom Waits and Nick Cave, labels the band “a group of sexy, dangerous, incredibly intriguing men,” and name-drops a laundry list of acts the members have shared the stage with, including M. Ward, Giant Sand, the New Pornographers, Calexico, Magnolia Electric Company, American Music Club, Neko Case, Califone, Devotchka, Jason Lytle (Grandaddy), Smog, Pernice Brothers, My Morning Jacket, and “other artists too impressive to even mention.”

But none of that would mean squat if the band, lead by singer/songwriter Daryl Scariot, didn’t have the songs to back such bravado up. “Devil Like Me,” taken from their debut EP, should make clear that the rogues and scoundrels facade works wonders for the band on record, a sinister, hilarious murder ballad, showcasing not only Scariot’s ensnaring wordplay, but the skill of his crack band-drummer Shane Kennedy, Matt Wiser on pedal steel and, on this recording, playing a particularly mean bass, Dario Miranda.

As our friends over at Electric Mustache said, Turn Back O Man are one of the best bands in Phoenix, as “Devil Like Me” will attest to.

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The Smith Westerns-Be My Girl

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Joining their pals and current tourmates Girls at the forefront of bratty, lo-fi pop bliss, are The Smith Westerns, another band that as far as I can tell justifies their buzz.  “Be My Girl,” is their standout track, a ramshackle bust up at the sock hop, with sloppy jangle-guitars, don’t care vocals and a perfect melody.  I’ll freely admit I’m a sucker for this stuff, and were I not DJing at the Yucca, I’d love to make the trip down to Tucson’s Club Congress for their date with Girls and the equally righteous Hunx & The Punkettes on the 26th.

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Charlotte Gainsbourg-IRM

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Next week finally sees the US release of Charlotte Gainsbourg’s IRM on Because Music.  The album has already gained some major attention: The video for “Heaven Can Wait,” directed by Kevin Schofield, was featured as one of Spin Magazine’s Best Videos of 2009.  Produced by Beck, I half expected to the album to recall the moody soundscapes of his album, Sea Change, but the title cut seems to contradict that idea; “IRM” is a glitchy, dance-floor ready number, with Gainsbourg’s multi-tracked vocals coming across particularly icy.

I’m actually waiting for the record to drop legitimately to hear the whole thing.  If you’re anything like me, this single will have to tide you over for a bit.