Black Kids

The Black Kids are currently touring the globe with Cut Copy, but with the release of their first full-length debut just over the horizon, it's time everyone gets familiarized with this promising band. On their Ep, The Wizard of Ahhhs, The Black Kids put out some guitar driven pop/electronica that's reminiscent of The Cure. Don't get me wrong though, The Black Kids are very upbeat and never reach the same levels of morbid depression that The Cure make seem so routine. Hits like "I'm not gonna teach your boyfriend how to dance" and "Hurricane Jane" are accessible to anyone, making Reggie Youngblood and Co.'s upcoming release so exciting. Pick up their Ep on itunes, or check out myspace for some really good remixes of their top songs, as well as all the originals. I'll have more on these guys when their album is properly released. Keep an eye out for The Black Kids touring in your city, they're a really good band to catch live.  Above is their first official music video, it's really weird, but the song's good. 

Feature: Cut Copy Concert/ Interview

On May 16th, Pure Nightclub in Philadelphia hosted Cut Copy, The Black Kids, and Mobius. The bartenders were dishing out free PBR's and Sparks from nine to eleven, and the general atmosphere of the venue was pretty upbeat. Mobius played a short stint that was half-heartedly paid attention to, but at least the band seemed to be having fun. By the time the Black Kids made their way on stage the crowd really started to pack in. I have to say that their set was very impressive with highlights coming from "Hurricane Jane", "Hit the Heartbreaks, and "I'm Not Gonna Teach Your Boyfriend How to Dance With You". Other than those songs, they tried out some new tracks that sounded great and were received really well. Their performance was full of energy as Reggie Youngblood (actual name) did a top-notch job of executing lyrics and flawless guitar rifts. I was surprised at how well their studio work translated to a live venue. Based on the audience's reaction, everyone would've been satisfied if the show had ended after The Black Kids, but we were all in for a real treat with the headliners,  Cut Copy. The best way to describe these guys would be as professional showmen. Their timing, stage presence, and execution were all on point, which made everyone dance to their brand of slick electronica. By implementing guitars, a bass, and a live drum set, Cut Copy really exposed their ability to organically make floor-shaking dance music. The Nightclub basically got out of control during "Hearts on Fire" and "Lights and Music". People were crowd surfing, and I had to fight bodies off to maintain my footing. They blazed through their set quickly, leaving the crowd tired and sweaty. Cut Copy were definitely the highlight of the evening, and I'd 100% recommend picking up a ticket if they're playing in a city near you. While I was at the show, I actually had the opportunity to talk to Cut Copy's manager and we were able to setup an interview with Mitchell Scott ( Cut Copy's drummer). We did the interview via e-mail, so the phrasing of my questions may seem a little awkward because I didn't know who would be answering them. It's pretty exciting stuff, Interplanetary Funk's first interview is below.

Funksmanship: From looking at Cut Copy's myspace page, it's clear that the band loves to perform live. What's been the best aspect about this rigorous touring schedule? Does the volume of shows ever get overwhelming?

Mitchell Scott of CC: Its kinda cool getting into the zone of touring - when we tour Australia we pretty much play Thursday Friday and Saturdays - so stringing 7 nights in a row together can get us playing really tight together. OF course the flip side of the coin is that we're also totally wrecked and I supposed the volume takes its toll too - so you're constantly in a slightly weird spaced state of mind. 

Funksmanship: Previous to the release of In Ghost Colours, the band decided to release some of the album's best tracks on myspace. Was this a direction Cut Copy wanted to take, or did the length of time in between the two studio albums affect the early publishing of some songs? In regards to ticket and CD sales, was this marketing method effective? 

Mitchell Scott: This was something our label wanted to do - we just want people to hear our music - so we're into it as long as they are. In terms of selling tickets who knows what effect that had. Pretty much all our shows have been sold out so maybe. 

Funksmanship: What's Cut Copy's favorite songs to perform live, and what venue does the band enjoy the most?

Mitchell Scott: Hearts on Fire and Light & Music always get a great response so they're fun to play. We're about to play at the Forum in Melbourne which we've always looked forward to playing.

Funksmanship: What are Cut Copy's future plans now that In Ghost Colours has been dubbed a critical success? Can supporters expect any new remix content this year?

Mitchell Scott: We're going to be touring pretty much all year - we're going home to tour Australia and we'll be back in the States in September. We're working on some remixes at the moment that will hopefully see the light of day and also we've had a bunch of cool remixes done for use - including Midnight Juggernauts which had just show up online recently.

Funksmanship: Finally, How did Cut Copy enjoy Philadelphia, did they grab a world famous cheesesteak? 

Mitchell Scott: The club we played at was kinds shit though, the bouncers were dicks. There were really big guys trying to crowd surf and we saw a few girls get hurt really bad which kinda bummed us out, people should have more respect for each other. Despite from that though the show went really well and the crowd was awesome. We can't wait to come back and play in a venue properly set up for bands rather than a nightclub. Dan went on a drunken late night mission and got a cheesesteak after the show!

Bake Sale

The Cool Kids, Chuck Inglish and Mikey Rocks, are ready to release their long-awaited Ep, Bake Sale. These two MC's put down some great beats and rhymes reminiscent of 90's garage rap. I'd say that they're a splice between The Clipse, A Tribe Called Quest, and Eric B. and Rakim. Obviously not on that level of greatness yet, but the duo does show promise. None of their work feels over-produced or over the top. Instead, The Cool Kids find a nice niche in simplicity that used to be a staple of rap, which is now mostly ignored and devoid from the genre. Overall, it's pretty refreshing stuff that gives Hip-Hop a hope for the future. Below is a track listing of Bake Sale to accompany the good amount of content on their myspace page. Bake Sale is slated for May 20th , but in the meantime, That's Stupid (A new mix tape) will be released a week before the Ep on the band's new website. Hit up the links below and get hype for the rap game. 

The Bake Sale:

1. What Up Man

2. One Two

3. Mikey Rocks

4. 88

5. What It Is

6. Black Mags

7. A Little Bit Cooler

8. Gold and a Pager

9. Bassment Party

10. Jingling

MySpace.com - The Cool Kids - illville, Illinois - Rockabilly / Big Beat / Hip Hop - www.myspace.com/gocoolkids

The Cool Kids

Bands on Boats

Rio

Mansard roof

Today I'm  bringing two very different bands together for a very good reason-- unlike most musical groups, they appreciate the artistic potential of the open seas. When considering this, it's not hard to realize that I'm referring to Vampire Weekend and Duran Duran. These two great bands share a nautical mindset that make for some solid music videos. Overall, I have to say that Duran Duran's "Rio" video gets the edge mainly because of the babes and an incredible trumpet solo towards the song's end . However, Vampire Weekend's outing on "Mansard Roof" is dope in it's own  preppy sailor fun boy kinda way. If you don't have Vampire Weekend or Rio yet you should definitely consider picking them up this summer. Perfect songs for living the dream over these next three months.

New Wolf Parade!

Until recent myspace releases, no one has heard from Wolf Parade since their excellent debut, Apologies to Queen Mary. Their two latest works, "Language City" and "Call it a Ritual", pick up right where the band left off a couple years ago. "Language City" is reminiscent of "Shine a Light" due to it's anthemic build-up and climatic ending, while "Call it a Ritual" is a pretty new sound on it's own. Overall, Wolf Parade sounds a little bit more restrained in a way that's still very musical, but lacking in the ferocity they achieved on their first LP. I'm excited to see if Spencer Krug and company can meet lofty expectations after working on their own respective projects for quite some time. You can listen to the new tracks on myspace. At Mount Zoomer comes out on June 17th.

MySpace.com - Wolf Parade - Montreal, QUEBEC - Indie / Experimental / Other - www.myspace.com/wolfparade

Sexuality

Sebastien Tellier is a French dude with french kissing on his mind. In his latest outing, Tellier delivers some nice bedroom pop along the lines of Air and some of the more mild Daft Punk tracks (think "Make Love"). Sexuality was actually co-produced by Guy- Manuel de Homem- Christo (one-half of Daft Punk), and his influence on the album is apparent throughout. On each track the two frenchmen seem to be intent on layering sounds while implementing subtle chordal changes, which make Sexuality danceable, but not dance-floor ready. Tellier also does quite a bit of singing/crooning, switching from French to English in a way that allows him seem both ambiguous and cool. Some critics have dismissed Sexuality as simply a porno soundtrack, which could be true if your constantly posted up in the masturbertoreum. Yes, Tellier's music is somewhat erotic, but in a hip French-electro kinda way. Give Sebastian a listen on myspace or imeem.com and judge for yourself. Also, take a good look at Sexuality's  cover art, it's pretty much an indicator of what Tellier is all about.

MySpace.com - SEBASTIEN TELLIER - Paris - Pop - www.myspace.com/telliersebastien

Sébastien Tellier | Pop | guardian.co.uk Music

A-Track of The Day

Steadfast contributors to the DFA label, The Juan Maclean, have put out a really nice track in "Happy House." The song builds and becomes more complex throughout with highlights coming from great lyrics, a perfect piano loop, and some cool sounds from around the globe. For a house track it never really gets boring, or repetitive, which is a welcomed relief to most of the music produced in this genre. You can pick up the single and two decent remixes on itunes for cheap. Get the summer started with The Juan Maclean, you won't be disappointed. 

MySpace.com - The Juan MacLean - New York, New York - Indie / Disco House / Electronica - www.myspace.com/thejuanmaclean

Nouns

LA natives, No Age, have struck gold with their first full-length debut, Nouns. Their growth from Weirdo Rippers is the most defining aspect of this album, and it should encourage all lovers of rock music to give these guys a listen. On Nouns, No Age maintains their voluminous sound, but this time out they opt for more tightly written and clearly conceived songs. Static, fuzz, and bass are all still very much apart of the composition, but in a way that now adds to the overall cohesiveness of the LP. The entirety of Nouns is completely accessible, and you'll be surprised by it's level of depth. The tracks are short and sweet, leaving the listener satisfied, yet still eager to play the disc over and over again. Everything about Nouns is top-notch. It's pretty amazing that only two guys, Randy Randall and Dean Allen Spunt, can make such dynamic music. From the guitar riffs to the head-banging build-ups to the distorted yelling, No Age rocks the party that rocks the partay. I highly recommend picking up Nouns, and if you're ever in LA there's a good chance they'll be performing at Smell. People say great things about their live shows too. Standout tracks include:  "Eraser", "Sleeper Hold", "Cappo", "Brain Burner", and "Teen Creeps". They don't really feature much on their myspace page, so go buy the CD before all your cool friends do. 

MySpace.com - NO AGE - LOS ANGELES, California - Experimental / Powerpop / Punk - www.myspace.com/nonoage

Fancy Footwork

Here's a newly released music video by Chromeo from their second LP, Fancy Footwork. It's pretty minimalist in production, but overall the director captures the band and their steez really well. The keyboards with human legs are also a nice touch.  Chromeo's two full- length LP's, She's in Control and Fancy Footwork, are definitely worth checking out. This Canadian duo make some great 80s electro music, and they feature all of their top songs on myspace. "Bonafide Lovin" is a personal favorite.Two Step, Two Step. 

MySpace.com - CHROMEO - Montreal/New York - 2-step / 2-step / 2-step - www.myspace.com/chromeo

Unknown Pleasures

A new documentary about the myseterious band, Joy Division, has recently been released in theaters around the UK,. The film is mostly made up of live performances and various backstage footage collected during the band's short yet critically acclaimed career. The director's aim was to give insight into a group that was plagued by tragedy after the suicide of their lead singer, Ian Curtis. It describes the band's death and rebirth as New Order by providing the viewer with retrospective commentary from each member. Overall, Joy Division does a really great job of illustrating the post-punk landscape of the era, and the live scenes really solidify this film as a must see for any fans. Go check this fine documentary , and if you're not into Joy Division, or haven't heard of them, listen to some of their standout tracks; "Isolation", "Love Will Tear us Apart", "Disorder", and "She's Lost Control." These are just a couple of the great songs Joy Division produced over the span of only three LP's. You can buy Substance, Unknown Pleasures, and Closer at pretty much any Record shop, or through Itunes. Above is their first TV appearance, a really good live version of "Shadowplay". Enjoy.