Multi-instrumentalist and production wiz Michael Johnson, a.k.a. Ape School , recently shared a couple of new songs from his upcoming album currently scheduled for release in 2014 that you can download and "name your price." The new record seems to be titled Quitting Time , and below is the track "Idiot's Grin, President's Chin." Idiot's Grin, President's Chin by Ape School
Philly's DRGN King just wrapped up a spring tour, and it left frontman Dominic Angelella sonically inspired. This morning we bring you the premiere of a tour mixtape he compiled, which ranges from folks they shared stages with to hearty van jams. From Dominic: "Last month, my band Drgn King went on our first tour ... Continue reading ’
Ape School is back with two new songs that you can download for a "name your price" below. Ape School's Michael Johnson is hard at work on his next recording endeavor and announced this on his Facebook yesterday. You can also hear Johnson playing drums on a couple new songs from the blissfully awesome new ... Continue reading ’
Local folks including Ape School, Tadoma and King Britt - as well as outside-Philly names BenoiĚ‚t Pioulard and Lymbyc System - tried their hand at remixing Arc In Round's layered and heavy debut LP in the new ::::remixed:::: collection, available today as a free download. The set contains eight reconstructions of songs like "Spirit" (morphed ... Continue reading ’
Since its launch in 2007, KidRockers has spanned through 4 cities, providing a platform where families could be exposed to original indie music in an all-ages setting. And since then it has managed to bring in big name acts like Silversun Pickups, Datarock, Nada Surf, and locals like Bleeding Rainbow and The Spinto Band . And now Ape School is set to join that list of storied artists as multi-instrumentalist Michael Johnson carries on the series tradition of providing old music heads and new music heads some much-needed bonding time. World Cafe Live, 3025 [...]
Titus Andronicus off-shoot Hilly Eye play the First Unitarian Church Side Chapel tonight with Attia Taylor. Hilly Eye, the new Brooklyn-based duo project of drummer / vocalist Catherine Tung and guitarist / vocalist Amy Klein, have made fast moves in their short time as a band. They released their first EP in 2010, followed by ... Continue reading ’
Standing front and center for Nightlands’ performance Saturday night at Kung Fu Necktie felt like standing in the entranceway of a grand cathedral, a choir’s golden melodies wafting through the air. It was a transportive, although not unexpected experience—when I spoke to front man/creator Dave Hartley about Nightlands’ live show a few weeks back, he ... Continue reading ’
The Key kicks off its month of curating Tuesday Tune-Out at PhilaMOCA with a special solo performance by local multi-instrumentalist Eric Slick. Best known as the drummer for Dr. Dog and Norwegian Arms, Slick will be improvising a set to his new short film Primal Essence, filmed specifically for this event. Opening up the night will ... Continue reading ’
The latest edition of our Key Studio Sessions compilations is out today – now streamable and downloadable from Soundcloud! Check out highlights from fall of 2012 with The Key Studio Sessions Vol. 6, including some hard-hitting hip-hop from Ethel Cee and Reef the Lost Cauze, expressive Americana from The Districts, bright pop-rock from Kingsfoil, dense ... Continue reading ’
XPN welcomes Strand of Oaks to Johnny Brenda's tonight for his first headlining Philadelphia show. The stage name of local bearded guy Tim Showalter, Strand of Oaks is a vehicle for storytelling and yarn-spinning that has taken Showalter through the darker days of his life and into the better-lit year of 2012; this year saw ... Continue reading ’
This is the kind of decidedly not-careful record pop music could use these days, even if it is that lack of care that keeps it from its own greatness. Michael Johnson is the man behind Ape School, and his new record, Junior Violence lays all his musical obsessions bare. These songs are big, built on brittle guitars and wide-open keyboards and synthesizers. Johnson's vocals come wafting through the mix, powerful and edged with zeal but cut by gauzy effects. It's a sound that also reflects the myriad musical connections he's made over the years, playing with fuzzy Americana band [...]
Michael Johnson's adventurous psych-rock ensemble Ape School released its fantastic full-length Junior Violence on Home Tapes Records last month, and the subsequent record release show at Johnny Brenda's meant a rare convening of all half-dozen working musicians in the band. (That includes Dr. Dog's Eric Slick on drums and The Extraordinaires' Zach Poyatt on guitar.) ... Continue reading ’
Ape School 's Junior Violence can't decide what album it's going to be. It takes on several different genres during its eleven tracks. At first, it's a bit Apple-ad hipster - the deeply ironic sense of jubilance on opener "A New Low! It Sucks Itself!" would fit well next to The Envy Corps and Clap Your Hands Say Yeah on a Fuck Yeah, Denim! playlist - but then grows into this gorgeous sort of acid-beach record - what Surfer Blood might have made with a bit more adventurousness and lot more pot. Also, it's [...]
Ape School celebrated the release of it's new album, Junior Violence, last Friday night, August 17th at Johnny Brenda's. Below, watch a video of "A New Low! It Sucks Itself" from the show, and listen to a stream of the album. Continue reading ’
Michael Johnson's Ape School will be celebrating the release of his latest glimmering psych-pop LP Junior Violence (Hometapes) tonight at Johnny Brenda's. It's going to be a packed house of local music community favorites. Johnson will have his most excellent backing band, which is made up of members from Philly acts like Dr. Dog and The Extraordinaires . Joining him on the bill will be fellow maestro at the boards Jeff Zeigler building soundscapes with harpist Mary Lattimore , the dynamic duo of Norwegian Arms (our featured [...]
Junior Violence , Ape School’s second album, features my current delight – pounding drums, loudly mixed, with understated, fuzzy chorus guitars. I’m a sucker for this dreamy sound. Every song on Junior Violence is the perfect pop length. Opener A New Low! It Sucks Itself is fun and bouncy, akin to MGMT and the swathes of DIY scene lo-fi guitar/synth bands. Ape School manage to punk it up with more swear words though. Carry On is clearly influenced by classic 80’s stars like Duran Duran, or, more contemporarily, Chromeo. [...]
Philadelphia staple Michael Johnson emerges as Ape School to mine an often cited but too rarely utilized era of electronic pop. HOMETAPES, 2012 7.6 / 10.0 A tastemaker around Philadelphia for the better part of the last decade, Michael Johnson has released his heavily vetted Ape [...]
Top releases of the week on our list include the newest from Redd Kross, the debut from Niki and the Dove, plus The Orwells, Bear Mountain, Erik Blood, Ape School and others. Short on details this week - getting ready for Outside Lands Festival this weekend - pre-coverage will be posted tomorrow. "Researching the Blues" [...] Read more, get songs or stream the entire mix on Indie Rock Cafe
La band psych-pop di Philadelphia rilascia il suo nuovo disco "Junior Violence" su Hometapes etichetta di AU , Bear In Heaven , Megafaun . Ascolta l'intero disco: ALBUM STREAM: Ape School - Marijuana's on the Phone pubblicato su Indie For BUNNIES
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