Friday

The Imaginary Cities of Manitoba

No, this post's title is not a stab at the size of Brandon or Winnipeg, the two largest (but perhaps too small to be accurately called) cities in Canada's lake-ridden prairie province, Manitoba. But what the "Heart of the Continent" lacks in population it more than makes up for in flora, fauna, tall-grass and a "suspiciously good" musical act, Imaginary Cities. 

The group formed after a fortuitous encounter between founding members Rusty Matyas and Marti Sarbit. The relationship quickly blossomed into local gigging, a critically praised debut album and an international tour opening for The Pixies, all within a fantastically short period of time. In under two years, Imaginary Cities has risen to Canada's national stage and put out an album that caused a CBC host to declare "I F#%*ing love this band." This is a band that I fully expect to see great things and big moves from in the next year or two. But enough prophecy and praise from me, you simply need to hear their album Temporary Resident and see for yourself. 



For more on Imaginary Cities check out http://www.myspace.com/imaginarycitiesmusic 

Sunday

Check out this movie, Before The Music Dies.


How can we reconcile that we live in a time when high quality recordings can be produced from home and the largest distributors in history (iTunes and Amazon) are open to all artists, yet popular music is increasingly formulaic and radio playlists are shrinking? How is it that major labels no longer control the modes of production or the channels of distribution of music, while remaining in control of nearly all the music that moves through those channels with force and ends up on the charts? Before The Music Dies is a fascinating documentary that addresses many of the questions that leave today's artists and music lovers perplexed and disheartened.
From the consolidation of power in the music industry, to the takeover of executive posts at major record labels by MBAs with no appreciation for music, to the rise of MTV and a visual orientation to music, to technology that makes it easy to cover up and correct lousy performances, to our culture's growing emphasis on physical beauty and youth, to our youth's tranquil acceptance of musical formulas and craving of more of the same... Before The Music Dies rounds up majors, indies, fans and executives, and pieces together an in depth understanding of how the music industry evolved into something that pumps out what Bob Dylan has labeled "pollution". It is a fascinating and well-told story, filled with interviews, archival footage, live performances and humor.
So next time you have a movie night, fire up indieAndie, turn on Before The Music Dies, hit the full screen button, and then let us know what you thought, and what you think the future holds! Desperate times call for imaginative solutions.



Having trouble viewing the video above? Check it out directly @ http://www.hulu.com/watch/62945/before-the-music-dies. For our readers in countries that block hulu, we hope you can find this movie somewhere else online. In the meantime check out the trailer on Youtube.

Friday

The Bad Lamps and the Music of Summer!

While it may seem a bit cliché, as the days heat up I always find myself searching for the perfect summertime tunes to listen to while driving with the windows down, sunglasses on, and the wind in my hair. And this summer I’m definitely adding The Bad Lamps to my playlist. 

The Bad Lamps are a Los Angeles based duo consisting of Patrick Martinez on guitars and vocals and George Russell on the drum machine and synth. They have self-tagged their music as dance, electronic, folk, hippie pop, and Los Angeles — all very appropriate descriptions of their style. 
The Bad Lamps throw a healthy mix of organic instrumentation, electronic beats, and catchy lyrics into their music to create a sound as warm and sunny as the city they take their inspiration from. The Bad Lamps latest release, Soultronic EP, is now available on Bandcamp, and has a maturity and consistency to it usually reserved for albums. Their patent sound of dry electric guitar signal (coming in hot enough for a little digital distortion) juxtaposed with ambient synths and a crisp beat, are the perfect foundation for their raw, present and unaffected vocals. 
Listening to The Bad Lamps my body can’t help but move to the beat, while my mind is stirred by the lyrics, which capture the tenor of a generation struggling to find its way in a time and place of obscured definition. This combination inspires a carefree attitude in myself that makes me want to blow off work and enjoy the summer heat to the fullest. And on that note, I’m getting out of here, and I encourage you to download Soultronic EP and do the same!