CASTANETS CROSS OCEAN IN BOAT
May 1st, 2008 , by Asthmatic Kitty
Castanets, specifically Raymond Raposa and Meg Noe, are now in Europe, despite having had to cross the ocean. They’ll be there until the end of May traveling from Germany and the Netherlands through the UK, France, Switzerland, Italy, Croatia, Slovenia, the Czech Republic, and then back to Germany and the Netherlands. You can see details here. If you’re in one of the cities where Castanets will be, and need help convincing your friends, email us at wordofmouth at asthmatickitty dot com and we’ll see what we can do to help.
ASTHMATIC KITTY RECORDS EXPANDS ROSTER BY SEVEN
April 30th, 2008 , by Asthmatic Kitty
Illustration by Laura Park We have not added any new artists in a while, but we are making up for lost time by announcing not just one addition, but seven new artists, including six diverse musical acts and a visual artist. Ermasse Zopoula, DM Stith, Welcome Wagon, I Heart Lung, Shannon Stephens, Osso, and illustrator […]
Read the Rest...CRYPTACIZE TOUR THE NORTHWEST
April 28th, 2008 , by Asthmatic Kitty
There are four evenings between Thursday and Monday, and for all four Cryptacize will be playing somewhere near you if you live on the upper West Coast. Thursday: Portland, Friday: Seattle, Saturday: Vancouver, and Sunday: Eugene. They’re playing with a new band or set of bands each night, so if you were inclined to follow them from show to show you’d get a good quickfire representation of the state of west coast pop-rock. See details of the tour here.
We can use your help spreading the word about these shows as well as getting the word out about their June tour in which they will be covering most of the United States. Here are two very practical ways in which you can help us. Click here for a PDF of a handy 8.5×11 black and white you can print out and take to all your local community bulletin board hotspots.
You can also email us at wordofmouth at asthmatickitty dot com and let us know you would like to help and how you can help and we will arm you with some promotional goodies. Thanks!
AN UNUSUAL THIRD VOLUME
April 27th, 2008 , by Asthmatic Kitty
HURRY, WATCH HALF-HANDED BROADCAST LIVE (HURRAY!)
April 23rd, 2008 , by Asthmatic Kitty
Half-handed Cloud is playing, live and right now at Huckleberry’s Pizza Parlor in Rock Island, Illinois, and through the wonders of modern Internet Technology, Daytrotter is kind enough to post the live video! Click here to watch (and if you’re reading this later, you can browse Daytrotter’s extensive vault and read a terrific piece on Castanets here).
FROM VINES TO TENDRILS
April 19th, 2008 , by Asthmatic Kitty
In the lifespan of almost every album, there comes a time when artist and label must plan out a music video. But when that time came for Castanets’ most recent release, In The Vines, the conversation went very differently. Raposa’s belief that the recorded version of the song should never be the definitive take meant that to create a standard fare music video was counter-intuitive to spirit of the album. Instead, Tendrils was born.
Directed by longtime friend of the band Mia Ferm, Tendrils is an exploration of the the complicated community and culture that sinew and contextualize Castanets. Sans pretension but with an expert eye, Ferm captures artists from bands like Osso, Dirty Projectors, Phosphorescent, Marla Hansen, and Vanishing Voice covering songs from In The Vines. It is one quarter documentary, one quarter home video, and half of something else altogether.
Click more to see the trailer, edited by Zack Bent, or here to preorder it for $14 (+SH).
Castanets: Tendrils [Trailer] from Asthmatic Kitty on Vimeo.
ONE DONATION, 45 SONGS
April 18th, 2008 , by Asthmatic Kitty
Last year, Daniel Hansson, one of the founders of music machine company Elektron, died in a tragic car accident. Soon after, someone on the message board Elektron-users proposed a tribute album. Now, almost a year later, that idea has become a reality, thanks to dozens of dedicated musicians and music lovers, included Ryan Faubion (aka Actuel).
45 Tribute is a 30 song album dedicated to the memory of Daniel Hannson, and includes tracks from a vast array of terrific musicians including Sea and Cake, Dntel, Autechre, Boom Bip, and John Starlight. All it takes to obtain this significant contribution is a $5 donation to the World Wildlife Fund, one of Daniel’s favorite causes. You can do that here, as well as download 15 other songs to compliment the 30. 30+15=45!
Actuel, "Sleeping Nagoya" (Download)
RECORD STORE DAY, APRIL 19
April 15th, 2008 , by Asthmatic Kitty
Though Montreal’s new record shop Phonopolis might appear to be just a hole in the wall, it is in fact a cleverly disguised quantum portal to the farthest reaches of sound and space. And who better to serve as your guide in these audio adventures than fearless captain and store owner Nathan Gage, who we know and love as one-fourth of Shapes and Sizes.
In honor of Record Store Day (April 19th), we want to pay tribute to all the mom and pops out there and encourage our readers to continue your support of independent businesses, record stores or otherwise. We will save you the speech about the crucial nature of localized independent economies and cultures and the threat of the big box business mentalities. So for now, here is a shout-out to our favorite independent record shop.
Phonopolis has been open for only five months and has already been nominated by CBC radio 3 as one of the best records stores in Canada. Nathan has stocked the store with a galaxy of indie rock, international music, classic jazz and blues, and experimental music of all genres and sub-genres. The store also hosts instore performances in the basement; so far Julie Doiron, Bryan and Steve from the Constantines, Elfin Saddle, Graham van Pelt from Miracle Fortress, Cryptacize and Shapes and Sizes have all played at the store. So if you ever find yourself in Montreal, be sure to stop in on Nathan and Phonopolis. And if you are there this Saturday you catch The Born Ruffians, The Luyas and Adam Waito & the Amethysts from 3 to 5:30pm.
RAFTER: BIG SOUND, MINI-TOUR
April 11th, 2008 , by Asthmatic Kitty
Rafter’s latest work, Sex Death Cassette, made its own tour around the magazines, nearly all of whom absolutely loved the jaunt of this jingle-producer-cum rockstar. His shows are parties in stage size, and boy can Rafter funk it good. Short and sweet is his moniker, so he’ll be touring like a bee in spring with sweet, sweet honey to get from here to there, from San Fran to Portland and a few places along the way, then back again. He’s touring with the fantastic Dirty Projectors and No Kids for a few of the shows.
If all of us here at AK lived on the West Coast here at Asthmatic Kitty, we’d be at every show of Rafter’s. Not to be missed!
Surprise Bonus Time Surprise!! Rafter has compiled a list of his favorite riffs, and Rhapsody is kind enough to host them. Click here to listen.
LOUISVILLE HOSTS A HERD OF UNUSUAL ANIMALS SATURDAY
April 4th, 2008 , by Asthmatic Kitty
In or near Kentucky’s cultural capital this weekend? Then, after a few swigs of Ale-8 for pep, perhaps you ought wander to the 930 Art Center, where you will find yourself surrounded by creatures of disparate origin but sharing the same space and time. Culled from a call for submissions that emphasized local Louisville artists but reached nationally and globally, the show is a perfect encapsulation of a zoo; a temporary holding area for creatures that normally have nothing to do with each other.
Shedding, The Town Criers, Squeeze-bot, and Ultra Pulverize plan to properly inaugurate the show with music. Doors open at 6:30pm, admission is free and all-ages. You can read a succinct essay on the spirit of this series of shows by Unusual Animals zookeeper Michael Kaufmann here, and more about the bands and art here.