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These Arms Are Snakes release new track; announce split 7'' w/ Minus the Bear
These Arms Are Snakes seemed to be quite the busy bee as of late. With a new record just around the corner, the band has released its first cut off the album called Red Line Season. The track adds in a little new sound without sacrificing what we have grown to love.
Within the last month, the band has also started a blog and have announced plans to release a split 7 inch with label mates Minus the Bear consisted of each band taking on a cover song. TAAS have decided to tackle the song Energy Drink and the Long Walk Home by the band Lost Sounds.
These Arms Are Snakes also plan to release their long overdue collabration with Pelican very soon on Hydrahead Records.
Catch the band on their west coast tour at the following dates:
Aug 31 2008 Bumbershoot Seattle, Washington
Sep 5 2008 Dante's Portland, Oregon
Sep 12 2008 Big Dipper w/ sBach Spokane, Washington
Sep 13 2008 Hell's Kitchen w/ sBach - early show Tacoma, Washington
Sep 15 2008 Cafe Coda w/ sBach Chico, California
Sep 16 2008 Center for the Arts w/ sBach Grass Valley, California
Sep 17 2008 Bottom of the Hill w / sBach San Francisco, California
Sep 18 2008 Spaceland w/ sBach Los Angeles, California
Sep 19 2008 The Elks Lodge - w/ sBach Pomona, California
Sep 20 2008 Che Cafe w/ sBach La Jolla, California
Sep 21 2008 Muddy Waters w/ sBach Santa Barbara, California
Sep 23 2008 Tonic Lounge w/ sBach Reno, Nevada
Posted on 23 Aug 2008 by Aaron
Exclusive interview with Oxford Collapse's Michael Pace
Oxford Collapse is a killer band from Brooklyn, New York. Formed in 2002, the band has since welcomed the world with not only 4 full length records but a handful of EPs and 7 inches. Their latest record BITS just hit shelves earlier this month. Vocalist and guitarist, Michael Pace, was kind enough to take some time out of his busy schedule to answer a few questions for A Week at the Most.
Many mention the 80's college rock scene as an inspiration for Oxford Collapse, however, as your record count continues to grow the 90's indie rock sound springs to mind. Is it a fair assumption to say that the likes of Pavement and Superchunk have had an influence on the band over the years?
Well, we came of age in the early to mid 90s, and both of those bands were definitely on our radar. For me personally, Superchunk was tops since they were more immediately catchy and relatable. When I first heard about Pavement in middle school there was something that wasn't as inviting, but then again I was a 13 year old idiot.
While listening to the new record BITS, I can feel a much tighter sound than previous records. Since signing to Sub Pop has the recording process changed in anyway?
Signing with Sub Pop wasn't necessarily as much of a factor as the fact that we've put out three full-lengths prior to this one, and we wanted to try something different in the studio. Rather than coming in with everything prepared and hammering it out in 10 days, we wanted to take our time, work with friends, bounce ideas off other people. While the record might sound tighter, in reality, a much looser approach to recording was taken.
You recorded close to 30 tracks for BITS and originally planned on a double album. What happened? I know some of the tracks made it on the Hann-Byrd EP and the Flameshovel Records 7 inch. Will the remaining 10+ tracks ever find a home?
We came up with the idea for a double album as a way to challenge ourselves creatively. After coming up with around 30 songs, we came to our senses and realized that the world may not be ready for an Oxford Collapse 2xLP just yet. Instead, we came up with the idea of flooding the marketplace with a few special releases, leading up to BITS. Collect 'em all and solve the puzzle!
You have toured with such bands as Chin Up, Chin Up, Thunderbirds are Now, and most recently We Are Scientists. You are about to embark on a month long tour with Love as Laughter, is there an artist/artists that you are just dying to tour with in the future?
REM in '85, Bob Dylan in '76, or the Minutement/Black Flag/Meat Puppets tours of the early 80s. That's only if we could go back in time though....wait a second, what am I talking about, I've got a time machine!
Another recent tourmate of yours was the Scottish band Frightened Rabbit. Do you have any desire to play their stomping ground of Scotland or any other overseas dates at some point?
We most definitely want to return to the land of haggis and kilts and play for our lovely Scottish friends. In fact, we are currently in the planning stages of a European tour set for the beginning of '09 that will bring us back to Scotland, among other countries.
Brooklyn has been the home of some great indie bands in the last decade or so. Do you think the New York music scene has changed since your formation in 2002?
It's become even more of a destination for the haves, have-nots, princes and poseurs, vagabonds and virgins. No one is actually from New York anymore. A monkey can't fling his feces 5 feet without hitting some dipshit who's "in a band." Give me back the good ol' days of '02, when the subway cost 2 bucks and East New York was still dangerous.
Has music always been an aspiration for you guys or has playing music been more of an accidental occurrence like some bands claim?
I don't think any of us are delusional enough to think that we can do this for a living, but we're having a lot of fun right now, and we owe it to BITS to give the big time a shot. What was the question again?
Your distinct sound, which was considered noise rock in the early 90s, seems to have gone into hiding in the last decade or so. In its place are the unoriginal sounds of familiarity. What is your opinion of the state of the current independent music scene and how do you feel it has changed over the years?
Well, first off, I don't necessarily think that familiarity is a bad thing. We can't all be re-inventing the wheel. I think what I mentioned earlier about everyone being in a band rings true today in general. It's that much easier to put out music, tour the country, and make a name for yourself than it was 10 years ago, for better or worse. It's great that any kid can record his magnum opus and put it online for the world to hear, but it also sucks for exactly the same reason. There's no filter.
Do you believe there is still hope for well-established indie labels like Sub Pop and Matador Records to stay afloat in a world currently overrun by major label domination? More and more "Mom and Pop" record stores seemed to be taken over by corporations with most independent music listeners forced to buy the latest and greatest records online. Do you feel the online market is enough?
The music industry is definitely changing, that's for sure. While technically anyone can "release" a record online, it takes people with certain talents to get that record into the right outlets. That's what a label like Sub Pop excels at. It's much less likely that your album will fall into a black void if you have people behind you working to promote it.
Nowadays some bands reach as many as 6 band members or even higher? Do believe having a band of three is more of a handicap at times or actually a blessing in disguise?
A blessing, most definitely. Can the Arcade Fire tour in a minivan? I don't think so. We jam econo!
So the hip thing with kids today seems to be creating a side project while still maintaining your day job band. Have any of you guys ventured out to any other musical experiments since getting together 6 years ago or is one band enough for you?
Adam our bass player has a fake side project called the Wealthy Catholics that have yet to write any actual songs, and Dan our drummer and I have an imaginary band called Hot Heroes that sounds like a cross between the Tall Dwarfs and the Mice.
What can we expect in the future from Oxford Collapse?
Tour the hell out of BITS and then ceremoniously break up onstage at the Vatican in 2010.
Thanks for doing this and I hope to see you in 2010 at The Vatican.
Please give yourself a pat on the back for reading this article and now form a single file line over to Sub Pop Records for such things as tour dates, videos, and all that good stuff.
Posted on 21 Aug 2008 by Aaron
Multi-tasker Dennis Lyxzen adds yet another band to his repertoire
Dennis Lyxzen, who was vocalist for the legendary Refused, currently has his hands full. While the world waits patiently for the new International Noise Conspiracy record, fans of his work can juggle between Invasionen (which I discussed in an earlier post) and his new hardcore band AC4.
A few live videos of AC4 are currently floating among the interweb so make sure to check up on them to form your own opinion.
Unfortunately neither band it seems is signed to a label so more than likely look for a release or two on Lyxzen's own NYVAG or maybe, cross our fingers, a Burning Heart release in the distant future.
Posted on 21 Aug 2008 by Aaron
Hello, My Name is...Traktor
In an effort to not be labeled as a liar I have decided to post my first edition of the new feature entitled "Hello, My Name is" which, as I stated a while back, will consist of myself offering up to you, the reader, a new artist you may or may not be familiar with. So without further ado I bring you...Traktor.
When the words Sweden and hardcore are uttered one band comes to mind and one band only - Refused. The unparalleled band was not only a breakthrough for the Swedish hardcore and punk scene but also for that style of music worldwide. Other bands around the globe made a great effort to reach their level including US bands Killsadie and Song of Zarathustra, Norway's JR Ewing, and more recently Italy's Death of Anna Karina.
Now things have come full circle with a little band that goes by the name of Traktor. Formed in 2002 in Eskilstuna, Sweden the band has in the last 6 years spawned two EP (one of which is a 4 track 7 inch) and two full length records with the most recent hitting Swedish stores in April of this year. Cleverly titled Sequence in Sequence, their latest effort is not only their most mature record to date but also their tightest sounding album yet. Over the years the band has toured with such heavyweights as Death from Above, The Locust, and These Arms Are Snakes.
For more info on the band make your way over to the official Traktor website or even feast your ears on some of their latest tracks here.
When the words Sweden and hardcore are uttered one band comes to mind and one band only - Refused. The unparalleled band was not only a breakthrough for the Swedish hardcore and punk scene but also for that style of music worldwide. Other bands around the globe made a great effort to reach their level including US bands Killsadie and Song of Zarathustra, Norway's JR Ewing, and more recently Italy's Death of Anna Karina.
Now things have come full circle with a little band that goes by the name of Traktor. Formed in 2002 in Eskilstuna, Sweden the band has in the last 6 years spawned two EP (one of which is a 4 track 7 inch) and two full length records with the most recent hitting Swedish stores in April of this year. Cleverly titled Sequence in Sequence, their latest effort is not only their most mature record to date but also their tightest sounding album yet. Over the years the band has toured with such heavyweights as Death from Above, The Locust, and These Arms Are Snakes.
For more info on the band make your way over to the official Traktor website or even feast your ears on some of their latest tracks here.
Posted on 21 Aug 2008 by Aaron
Download the brand new Bloc Party record now!
Yeah you read that right. Yep, there is a new Bloc Party record called Intimacy and yes you can download the album in its entirety today. Kele and those crazy kats from the United Kingdom have offered up a Radiohead-esque advance download of their new record months before it hits the music store shelves.
The album can be purchased in two ways: as a 10 dollar digital download or a 20 dollar combo which consists of the digital version along with dibbs on the cd which will be delivered to you by its October 28th release date.
The tracklist for Intimacy is as follows:
01 Ares
02 Mercury
03 Halo
04 Biko
05 Trojan Horse
06 Signs
07 One Month Off
08 Zephyrus
09 Better Than Heaven
10 Ion Square
Order the soon-to-be classic record now right here. Come on, what are you waiting for!
Posted on 21 Aug 2008 by Aaron
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