With a lineup as good as this year’s there was bound to be some conflicts, and I suppose it could be worse. Yesterday Free Press Summerfest announced the official schedule for their two-day outing in downtown Houston, and my tickets have been bought! You should grab yours soon before they’re gone. But after that, you have decisions to make.
There’s some good overlap and the park is small enough to walk easily, similar to Fun Fun Fun Fest, which I appreciate. However, if you wanna catch full sets, you’re gonna have to make sacrifices. Will you watch Snoop Dogg or the Flaming Lips? Major Lazer or Erykah Badu? Diplo, Morris Day, or Phantogram? Best Coast or Clap Your Hands Say Yeah? Maybe you wanna skip all the big Saturday evening stuff and catch Jeff the Brotherhood? And then there’s Sunday, which includes time overlaps with Willie Nelson, The Descendants, Primus, The Avett Brothers, Big Freedia, Danny Brown, Shabazz Palaces, and Austin’s own Ume. Another great festival proves to the masses: it’s hard work having so much fun. Whatever you decide come the first weekend in June, make sure you stay hydrated. Houston is a hot, muggy mess.
One of my favorite albums of 2010 was the self-titled debut from Fang Island, a grandiose epic-sounding math-rock trio from Rhode Island. They return on July 24th with their sophomore effort Major (that’s the album art above). Take a listen to the first leaked track “Asunder” over at Consequence of Sound and take a peak at the tracklist below.
01. Kindergarten
02. Sisterly
03. Seek it Out
04. Make Me
05. Never Understand
06. Asunder
07. Dooney Rock
08. Regalia
09. Chompers
10. Chime Out
11. Victorinian
Like the rest of the Internet, I’ve become somewhat obsessed all over again with the Beastie Boys after the sudden passing of Adam “MCA” Yauch. As a tribute, director James Winters enlisted the help from a few young relatives to recreate the revolutionary Spike Jones video for “Sabotage,” offering a heartfelt, hilarious, and incredibly adorable spin on the 70’s cop show sendup. It’s without a doubt the coolest thing you will see all week.
Compare it to the original, still awesome after all these years.
Take a listen to the first single from the upcoming full-length from Texas rock veterans The Toadies. The album, PLAY.ROCK.MUSIC will be released on July 31st. Frenchie Smith, best known for his work with the Meat Puppets and Built to Spill, produced it, and it’s sure to be a fine soundtrack to the sweltering Texas heat we experience around here, like most Toadies albums are.
On Monday, Ben Folds and his reunited Five (who are actually a trio in total) dropped an un-mixed sneak peek into their first album in 13 years. “Do It Anyway” is a quirky sendup to taking risks and reaching new highs, delivered in Folds’ trademark casual piano pop style. Some things never change, and for this fan, that’s a wonderful, wonderful thing.
As I’ve mentioned previously, Passion Pit are set to release their sophomore album Gossamer on July 24th, and today the group has gifted the first leaked track, “Take a Walk.” Similar to the infectious debut Manners, the track is catchy, falsetto-laden electro pop. So basically, if you like Passion Pit, you’ll probably like this new one. If not, then move along, nothing to see here.
Today we’ve lost one of the greats. I’m incredibly devastated at the death of MCA today. I’ve been a Beastie Boys fan since I was ten years old. My love for hip-hop spawned from listening to Ill Communication and Hello Nasty. Paul’s Boutique is one of my favorites of all time. And Adam Yauch was without a doubt my favorite Beastie Boy. His raspy, laid-back delivery shined alongside the more frenetic, high-pitched sidekicks Ad-Rock and Mike D. He was a profoundly gifted lyricist, a dedicated Buddhist, a devoted human rights activist, and a legendary artist and musician.
Naturally, watching YouTube videos of Beastie Boys performances only strengthens my sadness. Knowing that with the loss of Yauch means the loss of the world’s greatest rap group, and knowing I’ll never get the chance to finally see my favorite hip-hop trio perform live puts a significant mark on today’s news. With the untimely death of MCA, the Beastie Boys are no more. All we have now is the music and the legacy they leave behind, which will undoubtedly influence millions for years to come.
