08.22.07
Thrice’s Alchemy Index Vid 2 of 10 Posted
(from alchemyindex.com) As promised, Thrice has followed up with their second installment in what is set to be a 10-part teaser series for the group’s upcoming Alchemy Index album, the first part of which is due out October 16. Unlike the first video, which featured a minute-long clip of Air Sonnet, the second clip features brief glimpses of the songs woven in between interviews about the freedom the band adopted in creating this album.
Interestingly, one of the commenters posted what is alleged to be the tracklisting for Fire and Water! Here’s the track list:
Fire Track Listing
01) Firebreather
02) The Messenger
03) Backdraft
04) The Arsonist
05) Burn the Fleet
06) The Flame Deluge
Water Track Listing
07) Digital Sea
08) Open Water
09) Lost Continent
10) Night Diving
11) The Whaler
12) Kings Upon the Main
Will keep you posted. I recommend checking out the other comments – one review goes through EACH SONG and gives a brief rundown.
08.11.07
Thrice Unveil Release Dates, New Label, More About New Album
(from alchemyindex.com) As promised, the guys at the Thrice camp revealed their exciting news to the world yesterday. The Alchemy Index will be divided into two albums: Vols I & II, Fire and Water, due out October 16, and Vols III & IV, due out sometime in Spring 2008. Additionally, the band has made the leap from Island Records (home to their previous two full-length releases) to Vagrant. This means that Thrice is that much more likely to tour once again with Dashboard (fingers crossed against that one) or even Saves the Day and The Hold Steady (better). What this ALSO means is that Thrice will definitely be playing new material when they run through Dallas in November, something you probably could have already figured by the fact that they scheduled a 42-date tour out of thin air. That’s called supporting the album. 
) Anybody else excited about hearing some new Thrice live alongside some new Brand New? The Devil and God are Raging Inside of Me is one of the darkest, most beautifully depressing albums that i’ve heard in a while. And, sort of like “Deadbolt”, I can’t seem to tire of “Seventy Times Seven” no matter how many times I hear it. Anyway, check out Thrice’s studio blog on a weekly basis for more video clips from the new material! “Air Sonnet” is currently posted for you to hear, and I must say it is innovative. Good day lads.
08.09.07
Thrice Posts Video…Sort of
(from alchemyindex.com) I checked out Thrice’s official studio blog for word on the new album today and found a post dated August 7 (yesterday) by the title “The Alchemy Index Video 1/10″ containing a large box with a red X indicating that, perhaps, a video should be in its place. I’m no techno-tard, so I understand that this could just be my own technical limitation (I am, after all, reporting from the gelid depths of Willis Library’s own general computer lab-full report on this to come). So for those of you on computers that actually, like, work, stay tuned to Thrice’s blog. 1/10 likely means there will be 9 more to come. I just hope they don’t all look like red Xs. And be excited, for no more than 3 months stand between us and Thrice’s monumental effort (and I emphasize effort – the magnitude of the achievement has yet to be seen and, as with Vheissu, I’ll be fair in judging it in a very biased manner).
EDIT (8/9/07): The video is now up and running with a bullet list of enticing announcements from Riley. There will in fact be 10 or 11 video previews of The Alchemy Index (working title for the album, I suppose), one a week up until the album’s release. The clip on the website is an edited version of “Air Sonnet”, which is not the working name of the song, but the harmonies at the end are nothing short of di-fucking-vine (way to sacrilege the word, right?). I recommend checking it out. Also, Dave Eggers is NOT producing the artwork; Dustin instead will take up the task due to time constraints. Eggers, as previously mentioned, was the artist behind Vheissu’s brilliant vintage engraving-style decor. I’m interested to see what Dustin can come up with visually. Last, there should be some more news announced today (according to one commenter, it’s the pregnancy/birth of Teppei’s wife/child, but we shall see).
Pitchfork Media Interviews Buck 65
(from Pitchfork) Though I like to give Pitchfork hell for being so goddamn pretentious, I do understand that they have quite the lively following (and I know that such pompousness is not a fresh or recent development in the realm of art, so I’ll let it slide). That they initiated an interview with Nova Scotian rapper Buck 65 (who I first learned about at SXSW this year) earns them some serious cool points. He’s got some of the weirdest, most experimental rap songs (unconventional beats, chatty Beck-like mind vomit meets backpack rap lyrics) I’ve heard in a long time with quite an extensive discography (I’ve got at least a gig worth of tracks by the man). Now, for his sixth full-length titled Situation (due out October 30 – my birthday!) he’s focusing on the year 1957. I almost resisted the temptation to be brief and lazy on this one, almost broke out into a full-scale report/article, but it’s too goddamn cold in this computer lab – see above link for full story. Expect better reporting once I get my own computer. I keep the thermostat on 78 at home, no lie. The 20 degree (negative) difference is slowing down the flow of blood through my veins and making me want to die (and my nipples could gore somebody right now).
By the way, to all of you who read (and don’t comment), thanks. It feels good to know that I pour time into the empty void of the internet for the readership of some. If you’ve been reading for a while, why not send me an email and introduce yourself? Let me know you exist, because I see the page hits.
08.07.07
Black Crowes Finish New Album
(from Blabbermouth.net) The Black Crowes have finished recording a brand new full-length studio album and are set to mix it in September with an ultimate release date slated around spring 2008. I’ll admit that I’ve only listened to Shake Your Money Maker, but I loved it, and I saw a music video off of the album they released after that. I’ll get around to listening to all their stuff one day, just like I’ll eventually do with all music. I am the musical sponge; I do not prevent conception.
07.31.07
Two New Atmosphere Albums in the Works
(from Atmosphere’s MySpace) Fans of good rap music can finally breathe a sigh of relief – Atmosphere’s announced a new EP, out this summer, will precede a brand new full-length that’s due out early next year. This comes as good news to Atmosphere fans who have been wondering whether Slug’s been thinking about retiring (he’s older than you think). The EP, titled Sad Clown Bad Summer # 9 (continuing the Sad Clown Bad Dub series of EPs, some of which have become collector’s items worth hundreds of dollars), is available now for purchase on Rhymesayers’ FifthElement.com. The full-length album, which will come a little over two years after late-2005’s You Can’t Imagine How Much Fun We’re Having, is curiously titled When Life Gives You Lemons… I’m interested to see how Slug finishes off that phrase in his own bitingly witty, cynical way. Perhaps it’ll be a title track? We’ll see. I’ll keep you informed.
07.26.07
New Details on Upcoming Thrice Record Emerge
(from Thrice’s blog, Alchemy Index)
Still no release date from the guys at the Thrice camp, but bassist Riley Breckenridge’s July 19 blog post sheds light on some exciting news. The album is wrapped up, the band has the masters, and Dave Eggers is manning the artwork once again after doing a phenomenal job on Vheissu. I’d look for a late September-early October release date on this one. Not much more I can say on this one, except that it should be interesting to see whether Thrice sneaks in some material when they hit the road this fall with Brand New. I’ve got my ticket.
07.02.07
Weezer Back In Studio
Rivers has officially confirmed that Weezer will be delivering some new (and hopefully improved) music product to the masses some time in early ‘08, according to this message that he posted on the band’s official website:
“Hey Party-People,
Weezer is just polishing up a batch of songs for a recording session that is going to start at the beginning of July. This will be the final recording session for our 6th album which we aim to put out in the first half of 2008. We hope you are all having good times.
Love,
R-dawg”
After Maladroit, I wondered if the end was near. Make Believe was a fat, glaring strike two that stunk with irrelevance. I hope this is not the final nail in Weezer’s coffin, as I’ve still not seen the band live and I wouldn’t want to see them touring behind a flaming piece of shit of a new record.
03.31.07
Thrice East Coast Tour Dates Announced
Man, I’m on a freaking roll with these tour dates…then again, spring and summer are on the way, and that means it’s open touring season! Just a small update for anybody who might be checking in from the east coast…found these on Thrice’s official website. Expect a more complete list of dates to follow, as Teppei announced in Thrice’s studio blog that the four-EP elements project (Earth, Air, Fire, Water; one album devoted to the sonic stylings of each) is nearing completion – and completely self-produced. Thrice has gone DIY. Very cool. Teppei’s a creative genius, so I’m sure it’ll sound pretty rad! But I digress (note the typo in Moneen’s name!):
| May 1 | Orlando, FL @ Firestone | w/ Norma Jean, Receiving End of Sirens, Moneed | |
| May 2 | Atlanta, GA @ The Masquerade | w/ Norma Jean, Receiving End of Sirens, Moneed | |
| May 3 | Charlotte, NC @ Tremont Music Hall | w/ Norma Jean, Receiving End of Sirens, Moneed | |
| May 4 | Towson, MD @ Recher Theater | w/ Norma Jean, Receiving End of Sirens, Moneed | |
| May 6 | East Rutherford, NJ @ Meadowlands Sports Complex | Bamboozle |
