EXCLUSIVE! HOWLER INTV!

As SXSW looms just around the corner, many rising bands from all over the world will ascend to Austin, Texas to get attention, notoriety, and acclaim. One of those bands has achieved all of that already - but like most American rock and roll bands, the attention has happened overseas before it has gone on here. For Minneapolis, Minnesota's Howler, the garage-rock outfit have achieved all the attention and acclaim in the UK and still making a name for themselves in their home country. Earlier in the year the band released their debut album, America, Give Up and it is classic garage / indie sound. Combining the ascetics of other Minneapolis bands - The Replacements and Lifter / Puller plus adding their own spin on it. Howler has been no stranger to this site, they were featured as one of our "15 Artists to Watch in 2012." Just before the band hits SXSW, we spoke with singer Jordan Gatesmith. Take a look at out interview below.

2011 was an interesting year for you with the amount of praise and buzz you have been receiving. How do you respond to the high praise?

I’ve responded to it very carefully. While it’s exciting to see that people enjoy the music, I can’t be distracted. We are finishing our full length right now and it honestly blows away the EP. I suppose I’m humored, but not looking too deeply into it.

You signed with the legendary Rough Trade; do you feel any pressure to live up to the legacy of the bands that have been on that label?

Rough Trade is an amazing label with a tremendous history. I really don’t feel too pressured though; everyone at the label likes what we are doing. We are in a great position to really develop our music over the next few years.

Who is your favorite Rough Trade artist?

That’s very hard. I suppose The Libertines!

There are constant comparisons to you and The Drums, Vaccines, Strokes. At what point does it become annoying and tiresome? Or is it just flattering?

I find it flattering. I don’t really hear it myself, but whatever’s clever.


People are saying you are going to put the music of Minneapolis back on the map. Do you feel any pressure to live up to that?

I don’t think that’s up to me. That’s up to the bands around Minneapolis. I don’t know what I would have to do with that.

Has the city influenced your music at all?

Yeah.

Has the music of the bands that came from Minneapolis – Replacements, Husker Du, Prince, Lifter / Puller and countless others had an impact on Howler?

The Replacements have always been my favorite band. And I am completely obsessed with Prince.

The sound of the band is very vibrant and fun, what is the songwriting process like?

I wish I knew… the songs just seem to happen. They kind of write themselves.

There are so many indie rock bands emerging these days and hitting up the hype, how do Howler stand out from the crowd?

Howler is made up of five outstanding musicians. We are all very good songwriters. Every song we write is a departure from the last song we wrote. We keep it interesting.

You all seem to be having so much fun and very nonchalant in your approach to being musicians, do you take yourself seriously?

I guess? Maybe?

Where do you want Howler to take you?

Straight to hell!

Live Review - Bjork @ Roseland

To put what Bjork has been doing with her 10-date New York residency for her "Biophilia" project is a rather difficult task. Sometimes the greatest things in life cannot be described, they must be experienced and with what Bjork has crafted and created, is not only far ahead of its time it is something that will be talked about in the music and art community for decades to come.

Biophilia is the record that Icelandic musical princess Bjork released last year, yet, Biophilia is much more than an album - it is an idea, a concept and package. Bjork is never one who is afraid to push boundaries created not only a brilliant record last year but also created the world's first "app album." The "app album" made nearly every song on the record available as an iPad or iPhone app that enhanced the buyers experience with videos, images, stories, lyrics and much more. For the album process, Bjork also crafted and customized brand new instruments and enlisted the assistance of a Tesla Coil to create certain sounds for the album. Now as Biophilia was much more than a record, "Biophilia" the concert residency is much more than a show or gig it is a full on sonic assault of all senses.

Six of the performances took place at New York Hall of Science in Queens last month and the final four dates were held at Roseland Ballroom. Walking into the legendary midtown venue, the entire place was reconfigured and everyone had to do a double take to realize they were in a room they have all been in before. With the stage placed right in the center of the venue and a crown of screens hanging over the stage, you could see the custom instruments bordering the perimeter of the stage and the only thing that could go through your head would be the wonderment of what she is going to do with all of this.

As the house lights dimmed and a narrator explained the "Biophilia" project over the speakers, it was a further understanding that the idea and motif of "Biophilia" is to combine the beauty and elements of nature, music and technology and create magnificent art. Opening with "Thunderbolt," Bjork arrived on stage with a massive red wig and a blue dress that looked like a giant balloon, backed by a chorus of all female singers from her native Iceland, a programmer, percussionist and harpist, "Biophilia" had begun. As her Tesla Coil lowered from the ceiling and began to light up and make the sounds it created on the album, it was immediate that nothing like this had been done before and it is going to be a brilliant night for the spectators to witness.

As the show went on, it told the story of creation of our planet and other planets and how we must protect our natural home. Bjork, who has always been an advocate for science and nature, showed her passion and love without being preachy. Performing her new album from top to bottom with all the effects and imagination involved and adding deep cuts from her albums, Vespertine, Medulla and Post, the pint sized singer stood tall and proud by the end of the night. With the magnificent first set closer, "Solstice," featuring just Bjork using an iPad as an instrument and a pendulum of blocks swinging with strings attached and being plucked by the base that held the crafted instrument up, it put the singers imagination and forward thinking right at the forefront.

As the first set ended and the audience begging for the more, the singer and her accompanying party arrived back on stage for three final songs. While Bjork did not say much to the crowd all night but "thank you," at the end of every song, she finally took time to introduce her fellow musicians and performers on stage. It was then into the Post-era song, "Possibly Maybe," followed by "Nattura," and the Volta anthem, "Declare Independence,"as the epic nights closer. After an hour and forty minutes on stage, Bjork had New York in the palm of her hand and proved why after this residency, "Biophilia" will go down in the history books.

Bjork Night 9 of 10 New York Residency
Roseland Ballroom 3/2/12 Setlist
01. Thunderbolt
02. Moon
03. Crystalline
04. Hollow
05. Dark matter
06. Hidden place
07. Mouth's cradle
08. Virus
09. Generous palmstroke
10. Sacrifice
11. Sonnets / Unrealities
12. Where is the line
13. Mutual core
14. Cosmogony
15. Solstice

Encore
Possibly maybe
Náttúra
Declare independence

*Photos of Bjork courtesy of bjork.com

BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN on FALLON

While Jimmy Fallon spent all week dedicating his show to The Boss, he spent all of Friday's episode to Bruce & E-Street. Take a look at the legends in action and with some collaboration from Tom Morello and The Roots.

The Melvins Cover & Tracklisting

On June 5, Grunge icons The Melvins will release their new album, Freak Puke. Take a look at the cover above and the tracklisting below:

01 Mr. Rip Off
02 Inner Ear Rupture
03 Baby, Won't You Weird Me Out
04 Worm Farm Walt
05 A Growing Disgust
06 Leon vs. the Revolution
07 Holy Barbarians
08 Freak Puke
09 Let Me Roll It
10 Tommy Goes Berserk

John Legend & The Roots Cover The Boss on Fallon

John Legend and The Roots covered Bruce Springsteen's "Dancing in the Dark" this week on Fallon. Take a look!

Elvis Costello & The Roots on Fallon!

Elvis Costello jammed with The Roots on Fallon last night. Take a look!

MONA on CONAN!

Mona hit up Conan last night to perform their single, "Lean into the Fall." Take a look at the Nashville rockers in action!

Marina & the Diamonds Cover & Tracklisting

Feisty Welsh singer Marina and the Diamonds has released info on her second LP. The album, Electra Heart will be released at the end of April and features contributes from Diplo, Stargate, Dr. Luke and others. Take a look at the cover above and the tracklisting below.

'Bubblegum Bitch'
'Primadonna'
'Lies'
'Homewrecker'
'Starring Role'
'The State Of Dreaming'
'Power And Control'
'Living Dead'
'Teen Idle'
'Valley Of The Dolls'
'Hypocrates'
'Fear & Loathing'

In 2010 we interviewed Marina, take a look at that HERE.

QUICK NEWS

After eight years apart, Hot Water Music will release their first album together in nearly a decade. The album, Exister will be out on May 15. Take a look at the tracklisting below:

'Mainline'

'Boy, You're Gonna Hurt Someone'
'State of Grace'
'Drown In It'
'Drag My Body'
'Safety'
'Exister'

'Wrong Way'
'Take No Prisoners'
'Pledge Wore Thin'
'No End Left In Sight'
'The Traps'
'Paid In Full'

English singer Paloma Faith will release her sophomore record, Fall to Grace on May 28. The album was produced by Nallee Hooper who has worked with No Doubt and Madonna in the past.

Hardcore punk supergroup OFF! will release their new record, a self-titled record on May 8. The record contains 16 songs and the album is rumored to be a total of 16 minutes in length. Take a look at the tracklisting below:

01 Wiped Out
02 I Got News For You
03 Elimination
04 Cracked
05 Wrong
06 Borrow and Bomb
07 Toxic Box08 Man From Nowhere
09 Jet Black Girls
10 King Kong Brigade
11 Harbor Freeway Blues
12 Feelings Are Meant to Be Hurt
13 Vaporized
14 503
15 Zero for Conduct
16 I Need One (I Want One)

A musical based on the life of late rapper Tupac Shakur will begin casting on March 4. The musical, Holler If Ya Hear Me will be directed by Kenny Leon and is set to open on Broadway sometime this year.

UK electronic favorites, Hot Chip will release their new album In Our Heads on June 11 in UK and Europe and the following day in the US. Take a look at the tracklisting for the album below:

01 Motion Sickness

02 How Do You Do
03 Don't Deny Your Heart
04 Look at Where We Are05 These Chains
06 Night and Day
07 Flutes
08 Now There Is Nothing
09 Ends of the Earth
10 Let Me Be Him
11 Always Been Your Love

As previously mentioned last month, Tenacious D will release their new album, Rize of the Fenix in May. Take a look at the tracklisting for the record below:

'Rize Of The Fenix'
'Low Hangin’ Fruit'
'Classical Teacher'
'Señorita'
'Deth Starr''Roadie'
'Flutes and Trombones'
'Ballad of Hollywood Jack and the Rage Kage'
'Throwdown'
'Rock Is Dead'
'They Fucked Our Asses'
'To Be The Best'
'39'

Also mentioned earlier this year, The Cribs will release their new record, In the Belly of the Brazen Bull in May. Take a look at the cover to the record below:

Live Pix - Craig Finn @ Mercury Lounge

Craig Finn of The Hold Steady performed two shows back-to-back at Mercury Lounge in NYC on Wednesday night. Here are a few live pictures from gig #1, also take a look at our review HERE.

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