New Release Tuesday
Mark and I have both shared our thoughts on the new Echo & The Bunnymen material. We both liked what we heard, though I think Mark had a clearer picture having both heard the new album and having seen the band perform some of the material live. At any rate, this is a release to look out for. McCullough describes it as the band’s best since Ocean Rain, and though I know he’s given to hyperbole, I’m secretly crossing my fingers and hoping he’s right.
I don’t know much about Neon Indian other than he looks like Conor Oberst’s long-lost brother/cousin. I do know that Keath seemed to be pretty taken with him. I have yet to form a strong opinion one way or the other, though I’m sure the release of his debut today will help push that along. At first listen, it’s a bit like Empire of the Sun collaborating with The Flaming Lips – breezy, catchy and funky. I’m tempted to say that a full album of this style might be too much, but I’ll reserve judgment until I’ve heard it through.
Neon Indian – Terminally Chill
TOUR DATES:
10-16 Tallahassee, FL – Club Down Under
10-17 Jacksonville, FL – TSI
10-18 Atlanta, GA – The Earl
10-17 Washington, DC – Rock N Roll Hotel
10-20 Philadelphia, PA – The Barbery
10-24 New York, NY – Music Hall of Williamsburg
10-25 Hartford, CT – La Paloma Sabanera
10-27 Chicago, IL – Lincoln Hall
10-28 Detroit, MI – Magic Stick
10-29 Bloomington, IN – The Bishop
10-30 Madison, WI – University of Wisconsin (Der Rathskeller)
10-31 Dallas, TX – Granada Theater
11-07 Austin, TX – Fun Fun Fun Festival
11-08 Lubbock, TX – Bash Riprock’s
11-11 Salt Lake City, UT – Kilby Court
11-12 Boise, ID – Neurolux
11-13 Guadalajara, Mexico – Lemon Beat
11-14 Mexico City, Mexico – Pasaje América
11-15 Seattle, WA – Nectar Lounge
11-16 Vancouver, British Columbia – Shine Nightclub
11-19 San Francisco, CA – Rickshaw Stop
11-20 Los Angeles, CA – Echoplex
11-21 Tuscon, AZ – Club Congress
Speaking of The Flaming Lips, they too have a new release today. Embryonic is a double LP, which seems a perfect format for The Lips special brand of prog-rock madness. I haven’t heard the album in its entirety and I wasn’t especially taken with their Colbert Report performance, but I do dig the single ‘I Can Be A Frog’. It’s the sort of weird diversion TFL excel at, and while it seems unfocused at first, it really begins to take shape as it progresses. If it’s indicative of the album as a whole, I certainly need to prioritize picking it up!
Keep an eye out for the band on KCRW’s Morning Becomes Eclectic on October 16th. They will also be playing a Myspace Secret Show in Hollywood this Thursday. Details below.
MySpace Secret Shows Presents The Flaming Lips:
Venue: The Flaming Lips Pop-Up Store (The Nike Theater)
Location: 1615 Vine St. – Hollywood, CA
Date: Thursday, October 15, 2009
Time: Doors open at 6:30 p.m.
Additional info: http://www.myspace.com/secretshows
The Flaming Lips “I Can Be A Frog”
The Flaming Lips|MySpace Music Videos
