brocco Posted September 1, 2011 Share Posted September 1, 2011 Drowned in Sound presents: THE WAR ON DRUGS (Secretly Canadian) - http://www.thewarondrugs.net/ Philedelphia's The War on Drugs reside at the blurred edges of American music: overexposing studio limitations, piling tape upon tape to maximum density, and then -- with each song -- they pull off the scaffolding to reveal what sticks, keeping only what's absolutely necessary and dig into what sounds like the best kind of ****ed up. As on their 2008 debut, Wagonwheel Blues, central member Adam Granduciel takes small moments occurring over multiple tapes and multiple song versions, and puts every last drop of trust in his own keen instinct of momentum. That's not to overshadow the sharp, personal songwriting at play here. There are certainly cues taken from our very best American bards (Dylan, Petty, Springsteen). Yet, The War on Drugs are wise enough to also implode those cues or send themselves into outer space when the moment calls for it. The driving organ riff that pushes "Baby Missiles," from the band's 2010 epic EP Future Weather, may well be inspired by a fever dream of Springsteen rather than any particular song in his catalogue. And the endless layers of guitar melody and atmospherics of "Comin' Through," also from Future Weather, rather than add weither to the vessell, only work to fill its sails with warmer and warmer winds. + ALEXANDER TUCKER (ATP/Thrill Jockey) - http://www.atpfestival.com/recordings/artist/alexandertucker/view.php Alexander Tucker is an English musician from Kent who writes, records and performs alone and in collaboration with a varied array of artists. One critic writes that "Tucker sounds like he’s following a tradition that has long been neglected, focusing not on ageless songs and ideas but on ageless feelings captured through his droning miasma of acoustic guitar and mandolin." His first musical position was singing in hardcore band Suction in the early 1990s, who according to Tucker "played noisy adolescent punk with leanings towards Swans and Fugazi." His next job was as vocalist of post-rock hardcore 5-piece Unhome who released one album Short History of Houses (Unlabel) and a split single with Papa M. Unhome split in late 1999 and Tucker went on to tour the UK with Detroit space-rockers Fuxa, playing guitar synthesizers. Tucker had meanwhile been developing his interest in improvisation using detuned guitars, tape loops, mini disc player and fx pedals. In early 2000 he recorded a solo self-titled album of acoustic finger-picking, experimental electronics, field recordings and spooked vocals, which was picked up by Tom Greenwood of Jackie-O-Mother****erand released on his U-Sound Archives label. This style was refined in his live performances. One reviewer wrote of a 2008 performance that they had "seen a lot of live looping musicians in recent years and Alexander Tucker is by far one of the best. With cello, mandolin, acoustic guitar, his fantastic voice and a bank of pedals, he creates soundscapes which twist and bend through folk, drone metal and electronica." Further years of writing and recording led to an increase in interest and a new record deal with the All Tomorrow's Parties affiliated ATP Recordings label, for whom he released Old Fog in 2005. One reviewer wrote of the LP that "his beautifully spooked wanderings feature both delicately picked banjo and acoustic guitar, violin, piano, detuned electric guitar, found sounds, looped noise and ghostly vocals, all layered to eerily resonant effect. A wintry and wonderful new discovery", whilst another wrote that it was "The kind of fog you won't mind getting lost in....a beautiful listen." Brandon Stosuy of the influential Pitchfork Media and Village Voice wrote that "Over its course, Tucker piles inland shanties atop field recordings, piano, jittery bows, noise squalls, and bone creaks. Throughout, his fingerpicking feels almost possessed." Both of his first two albums were recorded on a digital 8-track when Tucker lived in a flat above Warren St. tube station, and the vibrations from passing tube trains can be heard in the background of some tracks. In April 2011 he released the new album Dorwytch on Thrill Jockey. + DJs: Drowned in Sound Thursday 15 September 2011 @ The Harley, 334 Glossop Road, Sheffield, S10 2HW Doors: 7.30pm Age restrictions: 18+ Price: £6 members / £7.50 advance / £9 door Telephone: 0114 275 2288 http://www.wegottickets.com/event/122742 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brocco Posted September 5, 2011 Author Share Posted September 5, 2011 Stream the new War On Drugs record here, now: http://soundcloud.com/rolling-stone-magazin/sets/war-on-drugs-slave-ambient/ It's been getting rave reviews everywhere, and this show is looking a classic! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brocco Posted September 5, 2011 Author Share Posted September 5, 2011 A selection of said press quotes: "Classic rock reborn with added sizzle and drone." - Uncut, 5/5 "A work of real wonder." - Mojo, 4/5 "Mainstream scale and ambition are matched with alt-rock sonics: a lovely combination." - The Sunday Times, 4/5 "The heady, reverberating trip of come to the city [is] a proper heartland rock anthem whose fist is twitching skywards." - The Observer "Wide-screened psychedelic flourishes are fused with granduciel's well-worn dylan- and petty-isms" - Pitchfork 8.3, Best New Music Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brocco Posted September 7, 2011 Author Share Posted September 7, 2011 A lot of the reviews (rightly) reference Bob Dylan, Neil Young and Tom Petty - so if that's your bag, do take a listen - but The War On Drugs have a lot more going on than mere homage. You don't want to miss this show, trust us... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HarleyLive Posted September 9, 2011 Share Posted September 9, 2011 Tickets are still available for the show in the following places * The Harley * The Wick *HMV (Fargate & Meadowhall) * Record Collector and online See Tickets: http://www.seetickets.com/Event/THE-WAR-ON-DRUGS/The-Harley/566735 Gigantic:http://www.gigantic.com/gigantic/event_gce_27476a.html We got tickets:http://www.wegottickets.com/viewcart/fest#rtn_122742 x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brocco Posted September 12, 2011 Author Share Posted September 12, 2011 This is this Thursday, folks. Tickets are still available from the above places. Go go go! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brocco Posted September 13, 2011 Author Share Posted September 13, 2011 Also: if you're in Nether Edge, drop by The Old Sweet Shop as they have tickets too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brocco Posted September 14, 2011 Author Share Posted September 14, 2011 This show was Pick of the Week in both The Guardian and Sunday Times this week... and it's taking place TOMORROW. You should be there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brocco Posted September 15, 2011 Author Share Posted September 15, 2011 TONIGHT. Tickets still available on the door. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.