Saturday, September 13, 2008

Orange Alert's Music Minute


It was 2002 when Passage, Telephone Jim Jesus, and Bomarr monk (aka Restiform Bodies) exploded onto the scene with their self-titled debut album. Their genre slashing mix of hip hop, electronic, and everything else with refreshing and left the underground fans wanting more. Since that time all three have released solo album, and now they finally together again for colorful TV Loves You Back. In just ten tracks this trio cover all aspects for hip hop and sonically ventures into new and refreshing territory. Making their debut on Anticon, on Sept. 30th these three show the world that there's TV's really do love them, and that hip hop does not have to sound like the Game or 50 cent.

Listen to: Panic Shopper (Tobacco Remix) (mp3)

01 Black Friday 02 Foul 03 A Pimp-like God 04 Panic Shopper 05 Consumer Culture Wave 06 Bobby Trendy Addendum (mp3) 07 Pick it up, Drop it 08 Interactive Halloween Bear 09 Opulent Soul 10 Ameriscan



On Sept 16th, Louisiana's Brass Bed will release their debut album Midnight Matinee. A mix of pop ballads, surf pop, country twang, and experimental noise rock, this quintet has already started making noise with their self-released ep and their live performances. Brass Bed is Christiaan Mader (vocals, guitar), Jonny Campos (guitar, pedal steel, vocals, bull horn), Peter Dehart (drums, vocals), Jacques Doucet (bass, banjo), and Andrew Toups (synths, keys, percussion).

Listen to: BBC Midnight Broadcast (mp3)



With great cover art, and heavy does of electronics Mr. Meeble comes alive with Never Trust The Chinese. They swirl a bed of sound, deep and dark, around their lyrics of denial and despair of lost love, personal accountability, remembering, mourning and finally, just maybe, a glimmer of hope. Drawing comparisons to Air, Massive Attack, and Radiohead, they use minimal sounds to create a feeling a distrust and fear.

Listen to: I Feel Through (mp3)

Three years after their first album, Toob return in September with their new album Push Me, Pull You. The new album takes the audience on an exciting journey through melodic electronica, breaks, dub, afro-beats and punk funk. The album includes taster single "Clipto" (Released in March 2008), the follow-up single "Skinbox", gig-closer "The Toob Show", Bomb The Bass collaboration "Pirate Teeth" and DJ favourite "Open The Gates".Toob are Rich Thair (drummer of Red Snapper) and JakeOne (sometime collaborator with Red Snapper). Their acclaimed first album How To Spell Toob was released in 2005 on Lo Recordings. Push Me, Pull You will be released globally on Process Recordings in September 2008.

Listen to: Clipto (mp3)


This one is a little different then my usual recomendation, but I was intrigued when I saw it come into the inbox. Borrowing melodies from well-known opera masterpieces, East Village Opera Company imagines classical opera- with its over-the-top plots- as if staged today (Boston Globe). The results have been a hit across the board, with Time Out New York hailing their grandiose yet genuinely touching operatic pomp and AM New York praising their special brand of rocked-up arias a unique mash-up of old and new. The touring outfit features 2 vocalists, a 4-person rock band, and a 3-piece string section, all led by East Village Opera Company co-founders Tyley Ross (vocals) and Peter Kiesewalter (keyboards). Rock opera may sound strange, but I suppose it's fitting.

Listen to: Help Me (Jove, in Pity) (stream)



The Peel Back: The Murmurs The Murmurs (MCA Records, 1994)

"You paralysed my mind and for that you suck"

As a sixteen year old boy, this album was not really what I was listen to, but I came across too many girls who loved the bold attitudes, vibrant hair, and biting lyrics of The Murmurs. Oh the angry chick rock, that's right, but with a slight touch of humor thrown in. Leisha Hailey and Heather Grody began performing as The Murmurs in 1991 while the duo were both students of the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. They self-released their debut album, Who Are We, that same year. Yet, they didn't start blaring through the stereos of suburban teenagers until 1994 and their signing to MCA Records. At which time they gave the angry and hurt teen girl an anthem to scream and pound out on their guitars, desk tops, notebooks, and on the hood of car.

Listen to: You Suck (mp3) and Check out the video!

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