Just discovered Nudge and surprised they're not more popular because they're just so inventive. I haven't had a chance to listen to their new album As Good As Gone (out on Kranky ), which was just reviewed over at Pitchfork, but I'm streaming their old one via Rhapsody and it's sensational. They vary the pace a lot, but I'd categorize their music as shoegaze/trip-hop with a lot of quirky things going on at the same time, making it rather avant-garde. You can grab a few mp3s at their Kranky artist [...]
Brian Foote steps out from behind the boards and returns to the forefront yet again in his role as Nudge. Though he's kept busy playing in Valet and Atlas Sound and producing Lotus Plaza and Deerhunter; its been a while since he's taken proper credit for a recording. It seems all the nob tweaking in the producer's chair has really solidified his own sound. Still skirting the lines of ambient and dub As Good As Gone is a beautiful, cohesive album that floats and gently bobs through gummy fog and disconnected soul. When Valet's Honey Owens' steps up [...]
It's not a very exciting album, but if you're patient it's definitely engaging.
Editor's Note: Ah Sunday, it's time to relax and you know what that means a glass of wine, your favorite easy chair and of course a few nudges in the right direction. The All Points West Music & Arts Festival is taking place this weekend at New Jersey's Liberty State Park. Jay-Z took up the Friday night headliner slot vacated by the Beastie Boys and paid tribute by opening with the classic "No Sleep Till Brooklyn". ( link ) ChordStrike has what could [...]
Editor's Note: Feels like it's been a dogs age since the last time I posted some nudges. Here's what's got... nyctaper has a stellar soundboard recording of Built to Spill 's July 19, 2009 show at Maxwell's ( link ) Stereogum shares SPIN's 20 Greatest Albums Of 2009 ... So Far, discuss among yourselves ( link ) Yewknee 's Summer Mix Series is in full swing and briming with excellent mixes from every end of the spectrum. Something for everyone [...]
The latest offering from Los Angeles based Nudge (not to be confused with The Nuge), As Good As Gone , is a slow-burning, beautiful record. As a quick introduction, Nudge is Paul Dickow of Strategy , Honey Owens, best known for her contributions to Jackie O Motherfucker (whom you know and love if you're reading this blog), and Brian Foote, best known as the rad dude at Kranky who hooks me (and, consequently, you the reader) up with interviews and promo albums. While the subterranean groove and minor key construction on As Good [...]
Alejandro Cohen wants to put you to sleep. Today, Ale and friends from L.A.-based collective dublab will take over the Henry Miller Library in Big Sur to create an night of ambient music event aptly titled "Tonalism"—a term Ale appropriated from late-19th-century painters who tried to capture the mood of nature by representing it with misty atmospheres. This interview by Drew Denny.
Editor's Note: It's been a busy 'music news' day, here is what has my attention... U2 is following this weeks "No Horizon on the Line" with what Bono describes as a "sister release" titled "Songs of Ascent" later this year. Here's hoping it's the pretty sister. [ stereogum ] Phish kicks off their reunion tour on Friday and is giving away free high quality downloads of the first three shows. [ livephish.com ] [...]
Happy New Year, folks. I'll get into the groove of posting some tasty tunes soon, but for now, here's a few nudges and news nuggets to keep you occupied. Oh, Twitter . I decided to join up and blast out random music-related musings at any moment's notice. If you're on Twitter, and feel like "following" me and my music-obsessed brain, check out my profile here , and let's connect. I'm keeping it music-centric, so you won't be hearing from me when I'm "tired" or "working" or "taking a dump". On to the nudges... [...]
It's been awhile since we shared what's popping up on our readers... The 25 Days of Mellowmas kicked off over at Popdose this week complete with an original theme song composed and performed by Alan O'Day . ( Somewhere Alan Thicke is calling his management to contact Jeff and Jason for next year. ) Radio Exile provides an official timeline to the whole Satriani vs. Coldplay debacle. ( Because C, D, G, Em is clearly the most obscure chord progression ever. [...]
Nudge 's dazzlingly intricate combination of electronic and organic elements gets back to nature on "War Song", from their Infinity Padlock EP. "Peace Song" would've been too obvious: Tranquil vocals by Jackie-O Motherfucker 's Honey Owens, aka Valet , float out across hand percussion, mouth percussion, hypnotic guitars, and unsettling electronic tones. In addition to Owens, Nudge brings together Brian Foote and Paul Dickow, aka Strategy . It's been three years since the trio made their fine Kranky debut with [...]
Nudge made a teaser video for the 2008 Brainwaves Festival . The song is called "Cymatic" and will be found exclusively on the Brainwaves Festival 3 CD compilation. The video is amazing and totally trance-inducing. I have absolutely no idea what is going on, though. No matter, it does it's job and makes me that much more excited about the festival (as if I needed to be).
It's been a while since a nudge toward some sites and posts that have piqued my interest. Here's a good batch... Captains Dead is a fine blog. You should really check out a full Faces concert from 1970, part one and part two . Sir Jeff and his merry gang of bloggers are keeping Popdose at full steam ahead. Check out the collaborative Tweener Mix Tape post ; Matthew breaks down Prince's Batman album ; and the latest installment of "The Popdose Guide to" [...]
T his morning the family headed downtown early to watch my sister and her boyfriend run the 2007 LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon . It was already hot and humid before 8AM, and it only got worse. Despite (or perhaps because of) the record heat (high of 88 in Chicago with humidity about 80%) both the men's and women's "pro" races came down to exciting finishes. In the men's race Patrick Ivuti overtook Jaouad Gharib at the finish line to win by 5 hundredths of a second in a tim of 2:11:11.00, while, in [...]
So, Stuart took off to Chicago last week for what I think might have been the best weekend of shows Toronto has seen this year. From Land Of Talk last Thursday, to Oneida on Friday, Wolf Parade (with Frog Eyes , and Holy Fuck ) on Saturday evening, and The Blow on Saturday night, it was a wonderful time. Land Of Talk have been consistently great every time I've seen them, and this - an off night by their standards - was no exception. [...]
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TheNext2Shine.com present #Discovery Part 2: R&B Sampler Mixtape
