The slight prickle of A Thousand Shark’s Teeth
February 29, 2008
We’re still four months away from the release of My Brightest Diamond’s second long player — the forebodingly named A Thousand Shark’s Teeth — and I, for one, have grown impatient. The first beast-inspired title from the Shara Worden-helmed band, 2006’s Bring Me the Workhorse, was an album as haunting sonically as it was addictive. Sweeping strings; seductive and somber tales about things like keeping small, lifeless birds in jars; a gothic sort of blues, in a striking blend of chamber pop, sad jazz and cabaret; all made the band’s initial effort a record worthy of several listens.
I witnessed Worden and friends as the openers for Sufjan Stevens a couple of years ago after grasping only a passing knowledge of their work, and found myself snared from the get by Shara’s rich, rapturous belt, deftness on keys and strings, prim stage manner and remarkable poise. On top of all of that, lady could juke like it was nobody’s business. The true arrow through the heart, though, was the band’s closing number on that Autumn evening — a rendition of Workhorse’s title piece that swung with a most deliberate swagger. Led by a grim piano and heavy-hitting backbeat, “Workhorse”’s morbid bump would’ve perhaps felt more at home on some west coast gangster rap death march than it did preluding a flock of butterfly-winged Eagle Scouts that night. Sounds a bit odd for what was otherwise a decidedly wholesome indie rock show, yes. Still, it was gripping no less, and probably the show’s most pleasant surprise.
Luckily, the gentle folks at work behind Sharks’ Teeth are well into the process of spreading chum. To any other fish that might stir, a page full of album details is now up on the band’s website, toting with it a (petite) glimpse at the cover work as well as an eleven-song track list. Peep.
“Originally meant to be a more classical, string quartet affair, A Thousand Shark’s Teeth slowly evolved and refined itself over a period of six years. The record, which was mixed by Husky Höskulds (Tom Waits, Elvis Costello), was recorded in Berlin, Los Angeles and New York City, and features twenty different players all contributing little bits of musical magic. Influenced by artists such as Tricky, French composer Maurice Ravel and Tom Waits, in addition to the star exploration themes of Anslem Kiefer’s paintings, the imaginary landscapes of photographer Robert ParkeHarrison, films by Jean-Pierre Jeunet, and Alice in Wonderland, A Thousand Shark’s Teeth is a musical snowglobe that sparkles each time you touch it. The songs, whose themes broach intimacy, kisses by moonlight, laundry, lost friendship and more, marry vast instrumentation – marimbas, harps, clarinets, French horns, rabid guitars, vibraphones to name a few – to create an unequaled amalgamation of style and color. In simple terms: it’s beautiful, and there’s nothing else quite like it.”
Track list
1. Inside A Boy
2. Ice and the Storm
3. If I Were Queen
4. Apples
5. From the Top of the World
6. Black and Costaud
7. To Pluto’s Moon
8. Bass Player
9. Goodbye Forever
10. Like a Sieve
Additionally, the brightest of diamonds has posted a number of videos on her YouTube channel over the past few months documenting the inner workings behind the coming album. Here are a few of those videos. The first features a tour of “Workhorse Studios” graciously guided by the deadpan comedy stylings of MBD clarinetist Sebastian Krueger (of Inlets); the second, marimba assemblage; and the last, not immediately related to the growth of Shark’s Teeth, but rather an argument about chord progressions between Shara Worden’s parents recorded during a family car ride.
And a few finished products from those filmed.
My Brightest Diamond: Riding Horses / MP3 / $$$
My Brightest Diamond: Dragonfly / MP3 / $$$
Inlets: Roots on Sidewalks / MP3
+ Download Inlets’ 2006 EP, Vestibule, right here. For no monies whatsoever!
Busdriver vs. Mikah 9 | Grizzly Bear on Morning Becomes Eclectic
February 26, 2008
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I’ve made a number of mentions of Low End Theory in the past and I’m again compelled, as this week — in the spirit of the club’s now-infamous beat invitationals and on the cusp of their spreading-of-roots with a monthly New York gathering — Daddy Kev’s Los Angeles-based weekly hip-hop extravaganza is set to host its freshman emcee battle/style-off. The competitors? Hardly freshman (but certainly fresh, man, if I can say that without sounding god-awfully cheesy — which I can’t).
Two sons of Leimert Park’s groundbreaking (and only recently [properly] documented) Good Life Cafe open mic and a couple of long-standing torchbearers for Los Angeles’ avant garde music scene, Mikah 9 and Busdriver will be whipping their ever-flexing tongues tomorrow evening in what sounds to be a unique showcase — in not so much a battle per se, but from what I understand, rather a rattling-off of styles and an exhibition of form and technicality, set within an one-up game between two ten-mile-a-minute wits. If that in itself doesn’t just sound like a battle. At any rate, here’s the dealy as provided by LET:
“Verbal Acrobatics: Vocal Styling Exhibition #1 will feature locution kings Busdriver and Mikah 9 going verse-for-verse in an all-out style-a-thon, with instrumentals provided by Low End Theory resident DJs Daddy Kev, Nobody and D-Styles. Nocando will also be on deck as referee.”
To further tease what should truly be a spectacle, I’ve plucked a couple of tracks highlighting each of the gents’ dizzying styles.
Mikah 9: Viles, featuring P.E.A.C.E. / MP3 / $$$
Busdriver: Nagging Nimbus / MP3 / $$$
Plus, a standard — Freestyle Fellowship: 5 O’Clock Follies / MP3 / $$$
. . . . .
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Also readying themselves for a busy Wednesday in LA are Grizzly Bear. The ursidaen Brooklynites are scheduled to tape a performance for CBS’ The Craig Ferguson Show in the afternoon, following an appearance on KCRW’s Morning Becomes Eclectic around mid-day (11:15, to be precise). The Ferguson performance is set to air on March 6th.
One would imagine their stay in Los Angeles to be an extended one, as the guys will also be performing next weekend at the splendrous, Gehry-shaped Walt Disney Concert Hall with the LA Philharmonic.
Happy birthday
February 24, 2008
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I think this is my favorite picture of Mitch Hedberg. He just looks so snug, tucked behind a microphone in his blue vest and long sleeves, with a familiar warmth radiating through his smile. Plus, his eyes are closed, as they tended to be when he was on stage, and I generally think the value of photographs in which the subject’s eyes are closed are underrated. Actually, I’m not sure that I really believe that.
It would’ve been his fortieth birthday today.
In remembrance of him, trot on over to hedburgh.com — if you have yet to pay a visit, it’s a wonderful tribute site that hosts a multitude of articles and interviews, a random quote generator, and a media gallery featuring a wealth of full-length live performances and radio appearances. We think of you tonight and smile, Mitch. Eyes closed.
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Mitch Hedberg: Live at Amherst College (Dec. 3rd, 2002) / ZIP (via hedburgh.com)
PHOTOS: St. Vincentine’s Day Weekend
February 22, 2008
Our favorite Saint and Los Angeles-based quartet Foreign Born have embarked upon a three-week tour of the country, starting off, conveniently enough, last Friday in our neck of the woods. Though I’d forgotten my camera at home for the LA show, here are a small handful of photos that were taken over the remainder of the weekend in Santa Barbara and San Francisco. (Credits to Belle for all but the first and the last shots.)
That last one is of the Full House house. We were as excited as you can imagine.
Photos abound on MySpace, if you’d like to see them.
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DJ STV SLV: It’s Raining Now (St. Vincent + Mac Dre) / MP3 (via The Hood Internet)
Putting spit into it
February 13, 2008
