Joy Division: The Miriam Collection

Brett forwarded us this video, a 2007 documentary of the world famous post-punk band Joy Division. As a long time fan and geek for all things post-punk, this video intrigued me so much. It takes you on the journey of a band once called Warsaw in fact and highlights the essence of the bands meager beginnings to it's height and peril of their young leader Ian Curtis. The bands reformation without Curtis soon became new wave sensation New Order which took electronic music to new heights. Out of the darkness of Curtis' suicide came light, and this documentary provides us with a glimpse into the personal stories of the band.



Joy Division

So glad....

these guys are back at it. I watch this when I get a case of the Mondays.

Gear we like: Digitech TimeBender

I've seen every type of musician use some sort of delay pedal/looper, and I've seen it used creatively in live situations as well. Just watch Andrew Bird do his thing.



The TimeBender has some serious nuts and bolts going on. Here is a demo that someone put together:

Listening to...

A lot of 80's today. The whole day will be spent with the collection of music from 1980-1989. Here we will be highlighting a few essentials:

1. Echo & The Bunnymen - Heaven Up Here (1981)

EATB's second full length album coming off of their debut "Crocodiles" which landed them instant recognition as band to be reckoned with out of the UK. "Heaven Up Here" hit the U.S. charts at a meager 184 but was a top 10 charter in the UK. Will Sergeant's work on this album is tops in my opinion.



2. Rush - Moving Pictures (1981)

This is my favorite Rush album. Tom Sawyer, Limelight....YYZ...it's almost like a best of. I'm not sure if anyone who goes to a current Rush concert will leave happy without hearing at least half of "Moving Pictures".



3. Descendents - Milo Goes To College (1982)

Punk bands from the 80's are so killer. The genre shift to post-punk music definitely brought more angst to the punk scene. Go listen to this album and break something.



4. Nitzer Ebb - That Total Age (1987)

Want to know what Trent Reznor was listening to in the 80s? Nitzer Ebb.



5. Metallica - Ride The Lightening (1984)

Probably Metallica's greatest achievement. I like that they didn't move too far away from the thrash qualities of Kill 'Em All. They did reinvent themselves a bit on this album. There's a certain polish to their playing that wasn't necessarily missing from their debut, but it opened up their run of successful albums.



6. Bauhaus - In The Flat Field (1980)

Goth Rock at it's very beginnings. Bauhaus invented this genre with the help from Peter Murphy's haunted voice and the shear disaster of Daniel Ash's guitar parts. The combination fronted some serious noise. Good noise.



7. Wild Swans - Bringing Home The Ashes (1988)

Ex-Teardrop Explodes keyboardist leaves the group to form the Wild Swans. Just listen to the song Northern England and you can't help but fall for this band. Pure 80s.

Gear we like: Ultrasone PRO 2900

Just got hip to these. Everyone needs a good pair of cans. From audiophiles to musicians, you all need go to listening devices. I've been through my share of ear cans and I've gone from cheap to outrageously expensive. These cans are definitely going to be warming my ears at some point.

The Ultrasone PRO2900 will use titanium-plated drivers to make an accurate sound reproduction. This time Ultrasone will use an open-back design not like the previous PRO series which we all know that will make the sound more airy and wider staging than the close-back design.

PS22 Rules the World!

With the emergence of the TV show Glee and all this hype about acapella, I was sent this video by the kids of PS22. This group of kids do some wonders on these songs and have millions of hits on songs they've covered from Beyonce to Alphaville. This is a true representation of what America should look like. People of all colors singing in harmony. Break it out y'all....WE ARE THE WORLD...

Creston Guitars

I've been eyeing one of these for a long long time. I love the way something traditional like a telecaster can be updated in a non-modern way. There is definitely something boutique looking about these instruments. All the instruments are handmade by Creston Lea. The engraving you see is the work of Sarah Ryan who goes through what looks like an elaborate painting method. I am unsure of her methods and what medium she is using but the results are absolutely stunning. I've never seen this without it being some sort of decal. The pair of them make up some of the more unique tradional instruments that makes me want one. Maybe in the future I'll be holding one.

Artist Spotlight: The Morning Benders

The Morning Benders.

I've been a fan of these guys for a long time. They write some extremely awesome indie pop tunes and have been opening for some great acts. We recently met up with them on their Spring 2010 tour with Broken Bells. I was glad to see them on the bill and was more excited to see them live for the first time. They have a very Beach Boys like quality to their tunes. There is a playful naive quality that is never under bearing or "soft" if that's the right word. Sometimes they get downright into the songs.

Our good friends over at Yours Truly were able to capture all the great qualities from this band. Intimate

Yourstru.ly Presents: The Morning Benders "Stitches" from Yours Truly on Vimeo.

http://www.themorningbenders.com/

http://yourstru.ly/

http://differentfurstudios.com/

BATTLES - The Line

Fresh off the Eclipse soundtrack! I haven't watched any of the Twilight films, but this soundtrack looks unbelievably dope. Check this tracklist out:



1. Metric – Eclipse (All Yours)
2. MUSE - Neutron Star Collision (Love Is Forever)
3. The Bravery – Ours
4. Florence + The Machine – Heavy In Your Arms
5. Sia – My Love
6. Fanfarlo – Atlas
7. The Black Keys – Chop And Change
8. The Dead Weather – Rolling In On A Burning Tire
9. Beck and Bat For Lashes – Let’s Get Lost
10. Vampire Weekend – Jonathan Low
11. UNKLE - With You In My Head (Feat. The Black Angels)
12. Eastern Conference Champions – A Million Miles An Hour
13. Band of Horses – Life On Earth
14. Cee Lo Green – What Part of Forever
15. Howard Shore – Jacob's Theme

BONUS TRACKS
16. Battles – The Line
17. Bombay Bicycle Club – How Can You Swallow So Much Sleep
18. Fanfarlo – "Atlas" (Remix) (Digital Bonus Only)
19. Cee Lo Green – "What Part Of Forever" (Remix) (Digital Bonus Only)

Another UK Review: 5 Stars!!!

Once again some love coming from the UK editorial elite.
The mag: Guitar Buyer (June 2010 issue).
The gear: MONO Dual Electric Case.
The verdict: 5 Stars.

Top 3 Soundbytes:
"...just about the best hybrid soft/rigid instrument cases going."
"...near flawless construction"
"We're really impressed... highly recommended."

Thank you for the killer review. UK players, you can procure your Dual case and other MONO gear here.

For the full review, read below.

Guitar Buyer UK, June 2010

MONO M80 DUAL ELECTRIC CASE
Contact: Madison & Fifth, www.madisonandfifth.co.uk, www.monocase.com

For gigging guitarists, having a backup guitar on hand is a standard practice - no one likes standing around in silence watching the guitar player change a broken string! However, lugging around an extra gigbag or had case can be a pain. MONO Cases is a company that prides itself on designing and making just about the best hybrid soft/rigid instrument cases going, and this design basically combines two of its M80 Electric Guitar cases in a single package.

It's no slapdash job, either. Both compartments feature extensive padding and support. In particular, the patented neck brace design is a very well-thought-out feature. This basically consists of a solid, cushioned block supporting the neck and suspending the headstock of each guitar so that it isn't taking any strain whatsoever and doesn't move around unnecessarily during transit. The large additional compartments are big enough to throw a few stompboxes into, an the whole outer skin is waterproof, just in case you get caught out by the weather. Padded shoulder straps are there to help you carry the load. This gigbag features near flawless construction. We're really impressed by the protection is offers, and the fact that it can carry two instruments at once easily and without compromise is fantastic. The M80 Dual Electric Case comes highly recommended, and if this sample is anything to go by, we'd bet the rest o the range doesn't do too badly either.

Rating: 5 stars.

Bluroc Music Festival - Live Mixtape...DOWNLOAD THIS!

Live @ Brooklyn Bowl! This show was recorded for our pleasure. Ski Beatz with the Sensei's, our very own Daru Jones, Brady Watt, and John Cave. Download this exclusive from DD172. The set includes Creative Control artists Curren$y, Stalley, Tabi Bonney, and Big Krit.

BLUROC FESTIVAL 2010 WRAP from Creative Control on Vimeo.

NIN - 1,000,000

Trent Reznor has always been pushing the envelope. We think it's all too awesome that someone can take a Canon 5D Mark II and an onboard audio mix too create some really distinct videos like this. In the future for MONO??? We'll get on stage somehow.

Artist Spotlight - Kaki King

Every once in a while an artist comes around and intrigues us. These peaks of interest really drive the playlist here at MONO HQ. We first got hooked up with Kaki through our friends at Broken Bells, and also our good friend Jimmy Fallon who happened to have her on a few months back. She sat in with the Roots and I knew I had heard her playing before...it definitely had to be the August Rush soundtrack.



Her resume runs very deep including fifth full length LP "Junior" which is seriously getting our attention. This one seriously rocks. Her appeal extends past her ability to play. She brings the hammer down on all 11 tracks. It also doesn't hurt to have Malcolm Burn producing your freaking record. I have always had an overall appreciation for whoever works with the under appreciated Aussie band Midnight Oil.

Featured Tracks by kakiking