Friday, March 05, 2010

"Heavy Metal Britannia" on BBC Four 03/05 21:00-00:00

BBC Four gets loud tonight, kicking off with 90 minutes documentary entitled Heavy Metal Britannia, followed by half an hour archival footage of Iron Maiden, Black Sabbath and Judas Priest and wrapping thing up with the one hour "Iron Maiden: Live in Concert".

Nigel Planer narrates a documentary which traces the origins and development of British heavy metal from its humble beginnings in the industrialised Midlands to its proud international triumph. In the late 60s a number of British bands were forging a new kind of sound. Known as hard rock, it was loud, tough, energetic and sometimes dark in outlook. They didn't know it, but Deep Purple, Uriah Heep and, most significantly, Black Sabbath were defining what first became heavy rock and then eventually heavy metal.

Inspired by blues rock, progressive rock, classical music and high energy American rock, they synthesised the sound that would inspire bands like Judas Priest to take metal even further during the 70s.

By the 80s its originators had fallen foul of punk rock, creative stasis or drug and alcohol abuse. But a new wave of British heavy metal was ready to take up the crusade. With the success of bands like Iron Maiden, it went global.

Contributors include Lemmy, Sabbath's Tony Iommi, Ian Gillan from Deep Purple, Judas Priest singer Rob Halford, Bruce Dickinson from Iron Maiden and Saxon's Biff Byford.

  • 21:00–22:30 Heavy Metal Britannia
    Documentary which traces the origins and development of British heavy metal.
  • 22:30–23:00 Heavy Metal Britannia at the BBC
    Performances from the BBC archive, including Iron Maiden, Black Sabbath and Judas Priest.
  • 23:00–00:00 Iron Maiden: Live in Concert
    A 60-minute concert filmed in different cities around the world in early 2008.

» bbc.co.uk

posted @ 2:48 PM | Feedback (2)

The Dig: Electric Toys

The Dig

NYC rock band The Dig are the melodic step brothers of bands like The Strokes. With a zooming bass and twin guitars sounding like The New York Dolls' Steve Conte playing with a clone brother they sing about a girl cutting shorts the lifespan of young men (She's Going To Kill That Boy) and the noble art of small talk (I Just Wanna Talk To You).

So it's basic Big Apple garage rock about boy-meets-girl and vice versa? Yes, it is, although most of the bands in that niche won't include a ballad like Feel Like Somebody Else.

The Dig:
David Baldwin: guitar, vocals
Emile Mosseri: bass, vocals
Erick Eiser: keyboards, guitar
Jamie Alegre: drums

The Dig: Electric Toys

Electric Toys is released on April 27th.

Tracks:
  1. Carry Me Home
  2. Two Sisters In Love
  3. You're Already Gone
  4. She's Going To Kill That Boy
  5. Penitentiary
  6. Sick Sad Morning
  7. He's A Woman
  8. Look Inside
  9. For All Your Sins
  10. Shadow
  11. I Just Wanna Talk To You
  12. Feel Like Somebody Else

MP3: The Dig - You're Already Gone

Live dates (supporting Portugal The Man):
  • 3/05 Austin, TX @ The Parish
  • 3/06 Austin, TX @ The Parish
  • 3/09 Gainesville, FL @ Common Grounds
  • 3/10 Ybor City, FL @ Crowbar
  • 3/11 Orlando, FL @ The Social
  • 3/12 St Augustine, FL @ Harvest of Hope Fest
  • 3/13 Atlanta, GA @ The Earl
  • 3/18 Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club
  • 3/19 New York, NY @ Highline Ballroom
  • 3/20 Pittsburgh, PA @ Mr Small's Theater
  • 3/21 Cincinnati, OH @ 20th Century Theater
  • 3/24 Columbia, MO @ Mojo's
  • 3/26 Denver, CO @ Bluebird Theater
  • 3/27 Vail, CO @ The Sandbar
  • 3/28 Aspen, CO @ Belly Up Aspen

» myspace.com/thedigisup

posted @ 1:02 PM | Feedback (1)

Thrushes: Night Falls

Thrushes
photo: Jamie Onderdonk

Baltimore shoegaze band Thrushes caused quite a stir when the released their debut album Sun Come Undone in 2007. They were a music bloggers overnight sensation.

They took their time coming up with a follow-up. Night Falls has more layers, in fact here are so many of them that the songs have trouble breathing at times. When they hold back a little, as in Tattoo and Night Falls, singer Anna Conner doesn't have too strain her self to make her self heard. They have moved from Jesus and Mary Chain inklings to Sonic Youth density. It would be a good thing if they placed a call to Kim Gordon for a few pointers to balance things properly.

Thrushes:
Anna Conner: vocals, guitar
Casey Harvey: guitar, effects, vocals
Matt Davis: drums, chimes, bells
Rachel Tracy: bass

Thrushes: Night Falls

Night Falls is released on Birdnote Records. Release date: March 10th.

Tracks:
  1. Trees
  2. Crystals
  3. Used To You
  4. As Much To Lose
  5. Night Falls
  6. Juggernaut
  7. Skywave
  8. Love Song
  9. Tattoo
  10. Weather Vane

MP3: Thrushes - Crystals

Live date:
  • 03/05 Metro Gallery ("Night Falls" release party), Baltimore, MD

» thrushesrule.com
» myspace.com/thrushes

HCTF review of Sun Come Undone.

posted @ 10:19 AM | Feedback (0)