ROBOT AND ITS CREATOR WIN CRYPTACIZE CONTEST
June 24th, 2008 , by Asthmatic Kitty
We have held contests before, but humans have always won. With our latest contest, in which Cryptacize offered up one of the songs from Dig That Treasure karaoke, it seems that a robot has finally proven worthy of an Asthmatic Kitty contest.
For the contest, Cryptacize released "Cosmic Sing-a-long" in karaoke form (you see the video here, or download the mp3 here). Entries came in from far and wide, but we had to choose someone. But it’s easy to see why Trusty Nick – aka Nick Yulman – and his trusty Robot won. Click more to view the fabulous robo-aoke video, or you can also click here to go to YouTube, or here to visit Nick’s website.
While we send Trusty Nick his prize ($150, CD, and LP!), Cryptacize will wrap up a US tour and then prep for a UK tour by eating lots of curry. On Wednesday night they’re playing in LA at The Echo with Becky Stark of Lavender Diamond and Palms. You can view other tour dates here.
"Cosmic Sing-a-long," Robo-aoked by Nick Yulman
CASTANETS SESSION UP WITH DAYTROTTER
June 23rd, 2008 , by Asthmatic Kitty
Illustration by Johnnie Cluney
We could go on and on (and on) about how terrific Daytrotter is, but we’ll just say that they’ve worked their writing and illustrative magic on Castanets once again. This time, they reached into their hat and wrangled out a couple of tunes from a still unannounced Castanets album due in October, as well as a Tom Petty cover track. Capturing the essence of Castanets is a rare skill. Not to be missed; read and listen here.
THE BENTS ROUGH IT
June 23rd, 2008 , by Asthmatic Kitty
Our good friends, Zack Bent, his wife Gala and their two children, will be taking part in an installation at the Crawl Space Gallery in Seattle. You know their work already as the artists who wowed us with their stellar DVD menus and packaging for the Encyclopedia Asthmatica.
Their show is called, “Home on the Range” and asks questions about roughing it, wilderness, pioneering, and family in the most confined of circumstances. For four days Zack tirelessly constructed a starting point from which his wife and children joined him in "confinement" at the Crawl Space grounds. Together, they created an exhibition from scratch.
Click here for the gallery’s website for more information and visiting hours.
HHC AND LONDON PRINTMAKING EVENT
June 20th, 2008 , by Asthmatic Kitty
What happens when one progressively old-fashioned Asthmatic Kitty artist collaborates with a husband and wife independent book press? One very impressive performance! We are pleased to announce that on Thursday, June 26 our own Half-handed Cloud and London’s Henningham Family Press is transforming the Foundry basement into a spinning 12-foot vinyl record which will be used to perform never before seen or heard art! This is an event that will bring live performances and formats to a whole new level.
Half-handed Cloud (John Ringhofer) has always been a fan of releasing his songs in less-used (some might say more ‘antiquated’) formats. His releases in vinyl and cassingles have one over our hearts, and ears. It follows that with the screen-printing and book-binding talents of David and Ping* Henningham a collaborative event that brings together the pressing of a vinyl record with the pressing of a book would take place.
This FREE event will take place at the Foundry (86th Great Eastern St.) in London on June 26th at 7:30 pm.
SHAPES AND SIZES BACK ON TOUR
June 18th, 2008 , by Asthmatic Kitty
Some albums are just so great they deserve more than one tour. We think so. Shapes and Sizes think so. You should think so too. Therefore, we are pleased to announce that the band will take Split Lips, Winning Hips, a Shiner back on the road for one last run before the they lock themselves up to write another album. So prepare yourself to become reacquainted with Calia’s stunning vibrato, Rory and Nathan’s fleeting and intense work on guitar and bass, and John’s ever-so-solid drumming. They will hypnotize you! They will mesmerize you! You will do cartwheels in the street in celebration!
They’re kicking it off tonight in Brooklyn! Check out our tour page to see when they will be gracing a town near you, here.
MBD PARTIES LIKE THEY HAVE A NEW ALBUM, BECAUSE THEY DO
June 16th, 2008 , by Asthmatic Kitty
Tomorrow on Tuesday June 17th, My Brightest Diamond will be releasing A Thousand Shark’s Teeth, their second full length album. If you’ve ever been to one of MBD’s parties, you know that they take it very seriously. Agenda includes marimba, horns, toys, party hats, and strings.
Sxip Shirey, composer/sound designer/performer/story-teller/curator, will open. The enchanting puppetry of Lake Simons follows, who may or may not have convinced a magical elephant puppet to perform. My Brightest Diamond will close the evening, no doubt playing through the reportorie of tracks from the new album, along with a few surprises.
The doors of the Blender Theater at Gramercy in Manhattan open at 7pm. Admission is $18, and you can pick up tickets early right here. There are some of us at AK that are not in NYC, and we are sad. If you are within travelable distance to the Blender Theater, go as proxy. It will be unforgettable, we promise.
As far as the album is concerned, ordering is still in technically "pre" at least until 11:59pm tonight. That means if you preorder the album, you receive a free, downloadable digital EP. After 11:59pm tonight, you will not have a chance to get the EP. So get it while the getting is good. Preorder here ($11 for CD, $12 for LP, plus S&H).
RAFTER HANGS OUT, LOVES GRASS
June 12th, 2008 , by Asthmatic Kitty
Rafter eats healthy, dances regularly, and has been known to rescue a wayward animal or two. In other words, he is a super hero with a penchant for groovy dancing. Hollywood producers took notice and have asked him to provide some party music for the second episode of Adrian Grenier’s (of HBO’s Entourage fame) Alter Eco show. This episode will premiere TONIGHT! (then likely rerun,) on Planet Green. The episode features seminal graphic artist and designer Shepard Fairey. Their website has a channel tracker so people can find it in their area.
CRYPTACIZE CONFERENCE CALL
June 5th, 2008 , by Asthmatic Kitty
Ok. Welcome, everyone. Yes, I see that many of you already have the hand-out. Good good. Terrance? Please start the projector. We have a lot to cover today, and it’s all good, so stick with me. Excellent. Let’s get to the issue at hand: the wonder, the movement, the belief . . . that is . . . Cryptacize.
Tour. They’re touring. Right now the Official Cryptacize Van of Touring – you have the IP on that Danny? – is slowly making its way across the Midwest of the US. Eventually it will make it to Boston, New York, south from there to Austin and Los Angeles. Please save questions for the end and yes, they are visiting the UK not long after that. You’ll see it on page 84, or you can click here.
Ok. Next. Karaoke. "The act of singing along to a music video, esp. one from which the original vocals have been electronically eliminated." It’s hot, it’s what the kids are doing, and Cryptacize are definitely in with the kids. They’re karaoke-ified one of their songs for the karaoke-ing masses. It’s a contest, there’s dough involved. A fantastic video viewable here – good job to Kristen’s team on that, no clapping please. Who’s that scuba diver? Get him on the next project Tom.
Yep, you read right. Cash prize of $150. Details on page 133, or here. Please remind your staff that submissions are due June 15. EOW. STAT. PRONTO.
And finally, Sufjan turned in some nice copy on the band. You’re missing it Jesse? Terrance, share yours yes? A good read. "Magic crystals." Good one. We’ll use that for the toothpaste project. And the scuba diver. Nice. Read here.
Anything else? I think that covers it. Jeff, you heard right, no weekend overtime, and I was lying about taking questions.
RAFTER WITH NEW, SWEATY, MAGICAL EP
June 2nd, 2008 , by Asthmatic Kitty
If you’re at all a visitor to our fine webhome, you know that for a while Rafter was posting weekly mp3s. Well-received all, but it occurred to Rafter that the best of them made a fine booty moving mix. Rafter trenched up in his studio, took these self-made tracks and added that special, loving spin to each song that only Rafter can.
The result is the Sweaty Magic EP, a perfectly designed set of seven songs with the sole intent of expanding the borders of the dance floor further and further out. We’ve had the luxury to listen to the EP, and the result was exactly as promised: sweaty, and magical. These little musical gems will arrive just as the summer winds up, on September 9, just before you wipe that brow for the last time.
40 BANDS 80 MINUTES FOR 1 WEEK
May 30th, 2008 , by Asthmatic Kitty
In 2006 forty bands gathered to play music for two minutes each. They played their own forms of jazz, noise, rock, metal and folk music and the night was captured by director Sean Carnage. The film was released in late 2006 long before featured bands like HEALTH, No Age, Abe Vigoda and our own I Heart Lung were known to many music fans outside of Los Angeles. Produced by our own Chris Schlarb and released on his Sounds Are Active record label, 40 BANDS/80 MINUTES! now enjoys a "One Week Only" feature on Pitchfork.tv. Click here to stream for free, and here to purchase for $12.99.