Greetings from one exceedingly busy DJ/writer/telephone surveyor. At this very moment, I'm running a radio show, listening to Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Finals(GO EDMONTON!! God's team), catching up on email AND eating Gummi Bears. Hooray for multitasking.
Some news in the email inbox for y'all.
Dallas-based Ocean's Firing have signed with the ever-growing Floodgate Records(who did, unfortunately, lose a terrific band called Forever Changed earlier this year, but nevertheless). Ocean's just got done touring Texas with up-and-coming Tooth & Nailers Jonezetta, and will go into the studio in August for an early-2007 debut album. The label press release compares them to Jimmy Eat World, Thrice and The Receiving End of Sirens, but rather than swallow that bit whole, you can make up your own mind over here.
Probably my favourite rapper, period, Pigeon John, is blowing out his new album worldwide September 5th through Quannum Projects/TVT Records. Guests on the album include Rjd2(like I'm not gonna buy it just for that), Pigeon's former crew member Sharlok Poems of LA Symphony, Brother Ali, J-Live and DJ Rhettmatic(Beat Junkies). I had a talk with Pigeon's manager a couple months ago and this record is going to make waves like the Titanic.
Underoath's new record, out next Tuesday and titled Define the Great Line, is getting a ton of press. This will either make them one of the biggest-name metal/screamo bands in the world - if they aren't already - or their entire fanbase will alienate them. Tossup.
Indie Vision pretty much is news in a box for me here at the D. Go there, and get on their email list, and Brandon and his boys will never leave you uninformed.
Good night now!!
Coupla notes from tonight's four-hour radio marathon(check it out here): The Classic Crime's Tooth & Nail Records debut is apparently the fastest-selling in the label's history, and I'm not surprised, given it's exact placing in the most perfect of today's niches: honest, melodic, quasi-emo rock and roll akin to Acceptance(who also received a spin tonight, coincidentally). As well, if you like Mae but wish they were more contemporary-ish and kept the piano parts, try The Swift.
I know we ain't been around much lately, but this will more than make up for it, I promise: the single greatest Myspace page you will ever see. Where is it?
Here's some news!
...that's what we do here, anyway.
Christian ska-punk fans from back in the day will be happy to hear that The Dingees are back in action; their myspace page is regularly updated, and while there's no word on a new record or touring(refer to their three Tooth & Nail releases from the late '90s-early '00s), this is progress, no? [IVM]
Also from IVM comes extremely exciting word that the long-dormant Dogwood, who've been relatively inert since their 2004 best-of Reverseandthenforwardagain, are writing a new album. Woohoo! And apparently they'll be in Canada in August, though I'm guessing that isn't Ottawa. Likely some college-campus thing in the midwest.
X-Men 3 did over a hundred million bucks over the weekend, twenty million more than The Da Vinci Code(good book, by the way; I devoured it). I've heard X-Men sucked, and yet the reviews all lavish praise upon it. What gives here? And apparently the head of FOX, Tom Rothman, has confirmed that there'll be a fourth installment, possibly with even more after that. So much for the 'final frontier' hype.
Underoath, prepping for the release of Define the Great Line in a few weeks, have slapped up the finished version of 'Writing On The Walls' on their purevolume page.
The two new Zao songs I've heard are brutally heavy, especially 'Physician, Heal Thyself'. Wow.