What first stands out is the diverse ‘featuring’ collaborations with the likes of Mos Def, Lou Reed, Mark E. Smith, De La Soul and The Lebanese National Orchestra for Oriental Arabic Music. Their knack seems to be that there’s something here for everyone. Bobby Womack standouts on ‘Stylo’ and ‘Cloud of Unknowing’, how great would it have been to have Snoop Dogg on these tracks, but this would have been too easy for Gorillaz. The synthy chill-wavesque ‘On Melancholy Hill’ might as well be the breezy hit of the summer. Our only complaint is that Lou Reed falls flat and seems like an out of touch grandfather on ‘Some Kind of Nature’, which would have been better served with the likes of Lee Renaldo. We’re curious as to how they bring it all together live as this year’s headliner at Coachella. One thing is for sure, Snoop Dogg will be there as a collaborator on ‘Welcome to the World of the Plastic Beach’.

On first listen this is the sort of album you would play at your own party after all the pesky party crashers have left and only the cool kids are left. Time to get the party started by busting out the top shelf stuff you’ve been hiding and wait for the sun to rise.

Stream the whole album now with no strings attached on the UK’s Guardian

>>> Advance tix here, doors @ 7:30pm

 

 
In part with:

I remember seeing Apes & Androids a single time before they played FRICTION at Sin-e in the summer of 2006. There wasn’t anything particularly over the top about my first A&A live experience, except that the band put on a solid and impressive set. I think the most out-of-the-ordinary thing about that Asterisk Art Space show was glowing keyboards. After booking them for FRICTION, the band had mentioned that they had a few “surprises” up their sleeves, which I forgot about until the day of the show. We were squaring away the guestlist for the night over email with the agents at Sin-e and they mentioned that the guys from Apes & Androids had been there pretty much all day working on their show. I thought it was odd, but didn’t think much of it until I walked into the venue that August night and saw a huge robot head with tentacle-like arms and glowing eyes gracing the back of the stage. The band was still hard at work putting the finishing touches on the “glow balls” and situating their own lighting for the stage. I think my first words to a complete stranger in the venue were “this is fucking incredible” and that was hours before the show even happened.

After the aforementioned shows and subsequent jaw dropping live performances – I realized how much time and effort A&A puts into every single performance (not to mention, their attention to detail). Each time seeing the group was a unique (some might say surreal) and intense experience. Given their live show track record, I didn’t expect anything less from their abilities as songwriters and recording artists on Blood Moon. The Brooklyn quintet’s debut is true to form as Apes & Androids lives up to their reputation delivering an 18-track hour long epic album.

While it’s great to hear reworked and remastered versions of Apes & Androids’ Queen/glam/rock opera-inspired demos (and faves) like “Hot Kathy,” “Sweetest Secret,” “Nights Of The Week,” and “Radio” on Blood Moon, the real strength and success of the album was branching out to include a whole other set of genres into their already unique sound. The more dancey and glammy beginning of the record is offset by a block of downtempo songs that recall “more recent era” Radiohead. “Doyle Is Dead” could be a kissing cousin to a combination of Radiohead’s “All I Need” and “Down Is The New Up,” while “Imaginary Friends” and “Locked In A Car” sound like a hybrid between Radiohead’s somber “Life In A Glasshouse” and the Edward Scissorshands soundtrack with swooping vocal harmonies and gently plucked guitar strings.

The album’s standout track and the one song in particular defines the group’s ingenuity as recording artists is the last true song on the record, “Riverside.” Not only does it keep in line with the band’s futurist rock opera sound, but it also incorporates elements from other genres. The track begins with a Gallows Pole-like strummed guitar before merging into crashing Tommy-ish guitars that are blended with swirling oscillations, operatic vocals, and oddball samples that bridge to a section of blowing free jazz horns until everything explodes into a slicing guitar riff that shoots chills up and down my body. It’s absolutely mind blowing and has been on some serious repeat every time I get to the end of the record.

Blood Moon hits the streets officially on February 5th, but the band has already made the album available to download (and order) at this nifty little site. A&A play Hiro Ballroom on February 28th, don’t miss it, this band does not disappoint.

[MP3]: Apes & Androids  ”Riverside”
Blood Moon, Self-Released; 2008

I saw something similar to this using CD artwork to create collages, but not nearly as much fun! The Prince one might be my fav for its ridiculousness, but it’s borderline NSFW. Besides, you can’t go wrong with Tiffany.

This is way too much fun. Sorry guys!

I came across this at Retro Thing. It’s hard to believe Dr. Pepper actually promoted this. The ad is from the 60s and I’m guessing it never caught on cause who wants a hot cup of sugared soda?! Anyone ever tried it?

I was finally able to make it up to the Highbridge Park Mountain Bike Trails this past weekend. In May of this year, the Parks Department teamed up with the NYC MTB Association and built the first-ever mountain bike trails in NYC, including a full dirt jump park.

The 6-miles of trails are mostly single-track cross-country and provide pretty challenging terrain. If you’ve been up near Fort Tryon Park, you know how hilly Manhattan can be.

The park has two sets of jumps, one small and one big, as well as several speed bumps and a couple of berms. The jumps are well-built and the kickers are shaped for big air (steep). My only gripe is that the sets are too close together. But keeping these jumps in good condition in an urban environment must be a challenge. Kudos to the crew who build and maintain them.

The vibe is laid back from little kids on BMX just fooling around to guys on 26-inch dirt jump bikes doing table-tops and 360s. So grab your mountain bike or borrow your friend’s old BMX and check it out.

A nice, short video from opening day here.

These ironic t-shirt designs made me laugh. Almost so much so that I would actually wear one.

Also, I’m not a big fan of Busted Tees and I’m sure this is already on its way for mass Urban Outfitters’ production, but you can’t deny how good it is. I can see strangers coming up behind you to rock the Guitar Hero. Gives a whole new meaning to the term “reach around”.

American Gladiators is back! NBC announced the return of the late-80s, early 90s show. In fact, you can try out to be a gladiator this month. I loved watching this as a kid, but fear that the modern version won’t have the same cheese that made it so good. I mean, where are you going to find a guy like Malibu?!

Visually gorgeous yet completely fucked-up, we’re all about this new video from Baltimore-based Animal Collective, ever since we learned that CU-friend and actor/singer/songwriter — Sarah Nischwitz — is featured throughout.

Nice grille, girl. Gotta give it up for the redheads before they all go extinct.

Animal Collective’s new album — Strawberry Jam — drops September 10th, with NYC tour dates:

[TIX] :: Sep 30 :: Webster Hall
[TIX] :: Oct 01 :: Webster Hall
[MP3]: Animal Collective  ”Peacebone”

Click through for a CU-exclusive production still from the video shoot.