The 5 Most Anticipated Local Albums of 2009

The following is from a piece I wrote for Rough Draft:

THE 5 MOST ANTICIPATED LOCAL ALBUMS OF 2009
-By M

1. Modern Skirts – All Of Us In Our Night
I suppose it’s cheating to include this album considering it’s been floating around locally since late in 2008, but the national release is slated for January 20, 2009. I love their distinct palate of chords and semi-Brit pop chord progressions. Add infectious melodies and you have a damn fine pop album. Having already listened to it extensively, I say Modern Skirts are on the way up and I expect this album to kill in 09.
Why I’m excited: Their previous material proves the band’s songwriting worth, and with production help from David Lowery (Cracker, Camper Van Beethoven) and Mike Mills (uh, R.E.M. dumbass) you know it’s good.
Next Athens show: January 31 at the 40 Watt with Constellations and Oblio.
http://www.myspace.com/modernskirts

2. Cinemechanica – As of yet untitled full-length
I don’t know much yet, but Cinemechanica has a new one in the works. If you are a virgin to the bliss that is Cinemechanica, please do yourself a favor and go see them at their next Athens show. The formula of some unbelievable guitar work and the sickest drum fills you’ve ever heard promises to create epic albums.
Why I’m excited: It’s been 4 years since the last Cinemechanica full-length,
and I’ve listened to the three songs on 2008’s Rivals EP on continuous repeat
for months. Stiff Slack is onboard to release the album in Japan, but look for
its U.S. release in the fall on HelloSir Records.
http://www.myspace.com/cinemechanica

3. A.Armada – As of yet untitled full-length
Speaking of epic albums, the debut full-length from A.Armada is one to look forward to. If you’re one of those people who think that it’s difficult to get into instrumental bands, check out A.Armada. From bombastic and soaring to beautiful and ethereal, this band will make believers out of skeptics.
Why I’m excited: Even with only six songs it’s still very easy to get lost in the swirling delay and reverb of A.Armada’s exceptional last release, Anam Cara. I can’t wait to see what their debut full-length is capable of. Golden Antenna will release the album in Europe, but once again look for its fall local release on HelloSir.
http://www.myspace.com/aarmada

4. Pegasuses-XL – As of yet untitled full-length
I love the glitchy, abrasive, distorted keyboard madness that is Pegasuses-XL. This new record is being produced by Andy Baker and promises to be somewhat of a departure from previous sounds, but I’m confident it will still retain the controlled chaotic element that makes Pegasuses-XL such a great live band.
Why I’m excited: Even though some critics tore Pegasuses-XL’s 2008 release The Antiphon the proverbial new asshole, I thought it was excellent. It’s thematic from track to track, and a few moments really excel and leave you wanting more. What the fuck do the critics know, anyway? Look for this new one on the Ernest Jenning Record Co. in late spring/early fall.
Next Athens show: January 30 at Little Kings with the outstanding local hip-hop kids Deaf Judges.
http://www.myspace.com/pegasuses

5. Gift Horse – Debut full-length very tentatively titled Die Leaves, Fall
Birds
So…this is my band, and I’ll be damned if I’m not including our own stuff. As you read this, we’re in the studio with Hank Sullivant (Kuroma) and Nate Nelson (Nate Nelson & Cortright) making our debut full-length, which should be out as soon as possible. Shameless self promotion, you say? Damn right.
Why I’m excited: I love myself.
Next Athens show: January 23 at Caledonia with Baak
Gwai, Kebert Xela, & Sound and Shape http://www.myspace.com/gifthorsetheband

Since 2009 is well underway, I figured it was time to throw this up there. Obviously you may disregard the dates and stuff, as most of them have already passed.

Random Miscellaneous Tater Tots of Infinite Wisdom

First off, sorry again for the long hiatus from the blog. Weird times in my life right now. See the relevant posts about trees destroying me and having to move (limited Internet access!) 

Let me catch you up:

Gift Horse is almost done tracking our album and we will be mixing that sucker soon. Good God it sounds like sweet funhouse/old horror film bliss. Nate and Hank have really kicked some asses. See the relevant post a couple of clicks down the page.

The John Cougar TrainingCamp practices have been sounding thunderous. It is as if Death himself commissioned a cover band. The opening bands are now loosely confirmed and it looks like The Cubists from Augusta, GA will play first followed by The New Flesh from Baltimore, MD. We all really like these groups a whole lot and look forward to it with much pleasures in mind. (What?) So don't forget: 

whom? - John Cougar Training Camp, The New Flesh, The Cubists.

locale? - The Fabulous 40 Watt Club in Athens, GA.

whence? - Thursday, February 12, 2009.

what time? - Doors are probably at 9 p.m. I don't know...

how much $? - I don't know that either. Not much. Just come you cheap bastard.

well, what are you assholes playing? - 

1. The Most Unlucky Sound by Federation X

2. The Bloodening by Altamont

3. Indian Bones by Dead Meadow

4. Beezwax by Nirvana

5. Smoking in A Minor by Officer May

6. Greensky Greenlake by Dead Meadow

7. Holy Mountain by Sleep

8. A History of Bad Men by The Melvins

9. Rat Faced Granny by The Melvins

10. I'm Waiting For The Day by The Beach Boys

Sounds interesting to you's? See the relevant previous post and gorgeous flyer made by J.J.

Lastly speaking of JCTC, there will be an interview with Jason Scarboro (of Dead Confederate/John Cougar TrainingCamp fame) in Rough Draft sometime soon. They want to speak with him about the sickness in his mind that made him think up the TrainingCamp idea, so keep an eye out. Also pick up the current issue on news stands around Athens right now. I've got a little thingie in there that I wrote about the 5 Most Anticipated Upcoming Local Releases of 2009. I'll probably reprint it here later.

Bye!

Gift Horse Enters The Studio

That's right, Gift Horse has gone into the studio to make our debut full-length album with Hank Sullivant (Kuroma) and Nate Nelson (Nate Nelson & Cortright) on production duties. We're making the record at Nate's space on the fifth floor of the Michael Brothers building in downtown Athens (it's the one with Doc Chey's and The Mellow Mushroom on the first floor). So far we've got most of the drums tracked and reworked a few songs, and everything sounds very, very promising up to this point. In fact, the drums sound outstanding.

We've only been working for three sessions now, but we have been keeping some pretty harsh hours due to the fact that we are not the building's sole occupants. A typical night starts at 7 p.m. and ends in the wee hours when we turn to absolute mush.

One non-musical highlight that I feel like I must

mention occurred on night two, when the fire alarm mysteriously went off on the empty fourth floor below us. Luckily there was no fire, but the alarm made the building's elevator do some weird stuff. Just before the elevator froze some of the guys "mistakenly" rode it down to the 1st floor. When the door opened they found themselves in the changing room of Toppers, the local gentlemen's club. A stripper and a bouncer ever-so-politely directed them to "get the hell out of here" and they shuffled back onto the Wonka-vator which took them back to the lobby. There it froze with the door open and made a mysterious buzzing sound for hours. Luckily the late-night crew at the Mushroom let us sneak down the fire escape. Thanks fellas.

Of course we will keep you posted with all things Gift Horse, but I just want to say thank you very, very much to the following people: Hank, Nate, J.J. Bower, Matt DeCamp, Jason Scarboro and Patrick Ferguson. From what we have heard so far and based upon the way we all feel we believe that we are not creating just yet another typical album, but something very special indeed. We recognize that we would not be on our way to completion without the help of these people. Stay tuned, we'll have more pics and info on a title and release date later.

So, if you're out at 2 a.m. in downtown Athens and you hear some mysterious sounds coming from the corner of Jackson and Clayton, chances are it's a girl drunkenly smashing a beer mug into another girl's face at Flanagan's. But it may be us across the street.

Be sure to check out all of Matt's photos.