Sounding Off On The Sounds You Need : THE HAGUE

The Hague Black Rabbit Self-released ESM Rating: 7/10

Listen if you like: Cursive, Peter Stampfel, Bears, Said The Whale, Drew Stiles, Little Silver, Joshua Radin.

First impressions: Black Rabbit opened on deaf ears with an immediate dislike coming from the group in my living room. A few minutes later, though, all minds were open and mouths were shut, as it was a classic case of a bad opener followed by a majority rules solid album.

The nitty-gritty: The Hague seems to be living on the border of three time periods. The first of these would be the time when punk saw a fierce shift toward melody and elongated vocals in unison. Most notable in my eyes would be a similarity to the sometimes-contradictory sound of Cursive mixing quick runs on the symbols with Tim Kasher’s vocals moving at a snail’s pace. The second foot of The Hague’s Black Rabbit is firmly rooted in a resurgence of classical instruments fused with contemporary composition. The best parts of this album grow from the multitasking singer/guitarist Shawn Stevens' ability to synch his noise with that of violins. It’s a sound easy to associate with the flair of Arcade Fire and the movement that took place around them just a few years ago. The third time period is one when a band knew just how to feed the emotional monsters living within their fans, even if those monsters do not have the best judgment. I believe this period began with the first sounds man made. Despite the ability to step through time periods, The Hague will not please all. Yet this Portland, OR-based group seems content working up a strong stand with a young audience hoping to retrofit their musical stock.

Other recommended tracks: “An Open Book Conversationalist” is the one that will hook you in or throw you out. After this, the tracks hit stride, with standouts “California” and “Passing Cars” possessing the most substance.

East coast tour dates: Philadelphia tonight, Arlington, VA, on August 24th, Kent, OH, on August 25th, and Rockford, IL, on August 26th. Find out more at www.Facebook.com/TheHaguePDX.

By Will Tunstall

http://www.easternsurf.com/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=398:nude-beach-lorelei-juiceboxxx-the-hague-and-thieves&Itemid=138

Deerhunter's Bradford Cox and Black Lips' Cole Alexander Revive Ghetto Cross Project

Listen to the new track "Still"

By

Jenn Pelly and Amy Phillips

Ghetto Cross: "Still"

Deerhunter/Atlas Sound's Bradford Cox and Black Lips' Cole Alexander have revived their collaborative Ghetto Cross project, which they began in January 2008 with a new track called "Still". The band now also includes bassist Asha Lakra and drummer Frankie Broyles, formerly of Balkans. (See photo below.)

According to Cox, "Still" "is about the relationship that develops between two young boys, one of whom is autistic and cannot talk, and the other who is an outcast and beaten by his emotionally manipulative father."
Ghetto Cross released one track, "Dog Years", in 2008. Alexander also appeared on the Deerhunter song "Saved by Old Times" from Microcastle. (Cole contributed the spoken bridge via iChat video, as documented by Pitchfork.tv, below). Also, Cox guest Tweets via Black Lips' account.
According to Cox, "We recorded an album of songs around the time of Rainwater Cassette Exchange. We are revisiting them now as a fall project for fun."
The band will make their live debut on Tuesday, August 21, with a free show at Atlanta's Club 529. Both Cox and Alexander will also perform solo sets, as Atlas Sound and Old King Cole Younger, respectively.

2012 New York Film Festival Line-Up Announced, Includes 'Passion,' 'Amour,' 'Frances Ha'

The 2012 New York Film Festival announced its main slate of movies Thursday. The 32 movies draw from a healthy mix of big named directors and indie favorites.

Films From Noah Baumbach ("Frances Ha"), Roger Michell ("Hyde Park on Hudson"), Michael Haneke ("Amour," which won the Palme d'Or at Cannes this year) and Abbas Kiarostami ("Like Someone in Love") were selected.

As previously announced, Ang Lee's "Life of Pi" will open the festival, David Chase's "Not Fade Away" is the Centerpiece Gala Selection and Robert Zemeckis' "Flight," starring Denzel Washington, will close the fortnight.

"Passion," Brian De Palma's widely anticipated film, will also screen at the Venice Film Festival, which runs from Aug. 29 to Sept. 8. A number of NYFF's selections actual make their bow at the Toronto International Film Festival, which begins Sept. 6.

NYFF runs Sept. 28 to Oct. 14. The full main-slate list of films is available below, direct from the press release:

The 50th New York Film Festival main-slate:

Opening Night Gala Selection
LIFE OF PI
Director: Ang Lee


Centerpiece Gala Selection
NOT FADE AWAY
Director: David Chase


Closing Night Gala Selection
FLIGHT
Director: Robert Zemeckis


AMOUR
Director: Michael Haneke


ARAF – SOMEWHERE IN BETWEEN
Director: Yeşim Ustaoğlu


BARBARA
Director: Christian Petzold


BEYOND THE HILLS (După dealuri)
Director: Cristian Mungiu


BWAKAW
Director: Jun Robles Lana


CAESAR MUST DIE (Cesare deve morire)
Directors: Paolo and Vittorio Taviani


CAMILLE REWINDS (Camille redouble)
Director: Noémie Lvovsky


THE DEAD MAN AND BEING HAPPY (El muerto y ser feliz)
Director: Javier Rebello


FILL THE VOID (Lemale et ha'halal)
Director: Rama Burshtein


FIRST COUSIN ONCE REMOVED
Director: Alan Berliner


FRANCES HA
Director: Noah Baumbach


THE GATEKEEPERS (Shomerei Ha’saf)
Director: Dror Moreh


GINGER AND ROSA
Director: Sally Potter


HERE AND THERE (Aquí y Allá)
Director: Antonio Mendez Esparza


HOLY MOTORS
Director: Leos Carax


HYDE PARK ON HUDSON
Director: Roger Michell


KINSHASA KIDS
Director: Marc-Henri Wajnberg


THE LAST TIME I SAW MACAO (A Última Vez Que Vi Macau)
Director: João Pedro Rodrigues


LEVIATHAN
Directors: Lucien Castaing-Taylor and Véréna Paravel


LIKE SOMEONE IN LOVE
Director: Abbas Kiarostami


LINES OF WELLINGTON (Linhas de Wellington)
Director: Valeria Sarmiento


MEMORIES LOOK AT ME (Ji Yi Wang Zhe Wo)
Director: Song Fang


NIGHT ACROSS THE STREET (La Noche de enfrente)
Director: Raul Ruiz


NO
Director: Pablo Larrain


OUR CHILDREN (À perdre la raison)
Director: Joachim Lafosse


PASSION
Director: Brian De Palma


SOMETHING IN THE AIR (Après Mai)
Director: Olivier Assayas


TABU
Director: Miguel Gomes


YOU AIN’T SEEN NOTHIN’ YET (Vous n'avez encore rien vu)
Director: Alain Resnais

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/16/new-york-film-festival-lineup-passion-amour-frances-ha_n_1792151.html

A piano-rock, indie record with Queen and Muse influence at a glance, but something dark lurks below...

Have you ever known that type of person who is always telling you that you absolutely have to check out this band they found? Well, I feel that to some degree, I’m one of those. I don’t think I’m so bad that all my friends are constantly tired of it. But I’m sure they’ve all heard their fair share of ramblings that probably oversold band after band. So I can tell you, as one of those people, that the thought process behind that behavior is driven from the constant desire to stumble upon the band that lives up to the hype--the one that can’t be oversold. So is this that band? Probably not. But Rags & Ribbons are currently the band I won’t shut up about!

Rags & Ribbons’ first full length album, The Glass Masses, is mature, dynamic, and complex. The first chord on opening track, Even Matter, immediately called to mind The Ornament by dredg, and I feel it’s a fair comparison. Yet unlike many bands sharing their maturity, Rags & Ribbons offer their music in nice, easy to swallow tunes, which average around four minutes long. On the surface, they deliver indie pop-rock, heavy on the piano. But somehow, they are worlds away from bands like Coldplay or Death Cab for Cutie, either of which could be described the same way. The Glass Masses is woven together with rich, classical-influenced piano and complex, flowing vocal harmonies. However, the percussion and guitar parts carry a darker, heavier overtone, partially attributed to producers, Stephan Hawkes and Kris Crummett of Interlace Audio (Closure In Moscow, Tides of Man, Dance Gavin Dance). The production is outstanding; crystal clear and punchy.

The strongest and most unique attribute Rags & Ribbons have to offer, in my opinion, are their vocals, provided equally by Ben Weyerhaeuser (guitar) and Jon Hicks (piano). The vocals are consistent and distinct. The poppy instrumentals on Abacus Kids sound exactly as if they could come from another band I recently reviewed, Abandon Kansas, but the vocals set it apart. Jon provides higher parts, with evident classical training, whereas Ben delivers lower more contemporary parts and they blend very well. Their different styles allow plenty of flexibility in tone and they take advantage of that. Jon does seem to take the lead a bit more and on The Minds he’s at the top of his game. Ben’s strength is in the aggression he provides for Liar and Lady in the Midnight Sun.

Usually, I would describe the instrumentals by breaking down the different parts by what they add. But in this case, that method wouldn’t do them justice. The individual parts are great. Especially the piano parts. But what really makes their music great is the big picture those parts create. Similar to a good movie score, their music effectively creates an atmosphere that sweeps you up in the overall mood and tells a story. They’re not just playing their instruments well, they’re playing good music. And even after listening to the album for a while now, I’m still finding highlights that are really well done, such as the buildups/breakdowns in the bridge to How The West Was Lost and the heavy, driving chorus to Prelude.

Overall, I find it hard to accurately describe The Glass Masses in a nutshell. At first I would’ve described it as indie piano-rock with obvious Queen and Muse influence. But I continue to discover a deeper level which is bigger, heavier, and harder to pin down.

Rags & Ribbons The Glass Masses

dig it

full review

user ratings (1)

-Quincy Scott

Tracklist: 1. Even Matter 2. Liar 3. The Marks You Make 4. Kings 5. Moving On 6. Abacus Kids 7. Lady In The Midnight Sun 8. We Have Been Here Before 9. Push Back 10. The Minds 11. Prelude 12. How the West Was Lost Release Date: 01/17/2012 user rating rate it Awful - 1 Very Poor - 1.5 Poor - 2 Average - 2.5 Good - 3 Great - 3.5 Excellent - 4 Superb - 4.5 Classic - 5 4.5 superb recommended by reviewer Kaddisfly Set Sail The Prairie Abandon Kansas We're All Going Somewhere dredg Catch Without Arms Birds Of Tokyo Birds Of Tokyo

  

4.5 superb

Quincy Scott USER (7 Reviews) August 9th, 2012 | 1 replies | 147 views

Summary: A piano-rock, indie record with Queen and Muse influence at a glance, but something dark lurks below...

Have you ever known that type of person who is always telling you that you absolutely have to check out this band they found? Well, I feel that to some degree, I’m one of those. I don’t think I’m so bad that all my friends are constantly tired of it. But I’m sure they’ve all heard their fair share of ramblings that probably oversold band after band. So I can tell you, as one of those people, that the thought process behind that behavior is driven from the constant desire to stumble upon the band that lives up to the hype--the one that can’t be oversold. So is this that band? Probably not. But Rags & Ribbons are currently the band I won’t shut up about!

Rags & Ribbons’ first full length album, The Glass Masses, is mature, dynamic, and complex. The first chord on opening track, Even Matter, immediately called to mind The Ornament by dredg, and I feel it’s a fair comparison. Yet unlike many bands sharing their maturity, Rags & Ribbons offer their music in nice, easy to swallow tunes, which average around four minutes long. On the surface, they deliver indie pop-rock, heavy on the piano. But somehow, they are worlds away from bands like Coldplay or Death Cab for Cutie, either of which could be described the same way. The Glass Masses is woven together with rich, classical-influenced piano and complex, flowing vocal harmonies. However, the percussion and guitar parts carry a darker, heavier overtone, partially attributed to producers, Stephan Hawkes and Kris Crummett of Interlace Audio (Closure In Moscow, Tides of Man, Dance Gavin Dance). The production is outstanding; crystal clear and punchy.

The strongest and most unique attribute Rags & Ribbons have to offer, in my opinion, are their vocals, provided equally by Ben Weyerhaeuser (guitar) and Jon Hicks (piano). The vocals are consistent and distinct. The poppy instrumentals on Abacus Kids sound exactly as if they could come from another band I recently reviewed, Abandon Kansas, but the vocals set it apart. Jon provides higher parts, with evident classical training, whereas Ben delivers lower more contemporary parts and they blend very well. Their different styles allow plenty of flexibility in tone and they take advantage of that. Jon does seem to take the lead a bit more and on The Minds he’s at the top of his game. Ben’s strength is in the aggression he provides for Liar and Lady in the Midnight Sun.

Usually, I would describe the instrumentals by breaking down the different parts by what they add. But in this case, that method wouldn’t do them justice. The individual parts are great. Especially the piano parts. But what really makes their music great is the big picture those parts create. Similar to a good movie score, their music effectively creates an atmosphere that sweeps you up in the overall mood and tells a story. They’re not just playing their instruments well, they’re playing good music. And even after listening to the album for a while now, I’m still finding highlights that are really well done, such as the buildups/breakdowns in the bridge to How The West Was Lost and the heavy, driving chorus to Prelude.

Overall, I find it hard to accurately describe The Glass Masses in a nutshell. At first I would’ve described it as indie piano-rock with obvious Queen and Muse influence. But I continue to discover a deeper level which is bigger, heavier, and harder to pin down.

Tracklist: 1. Even Matter 2. Liar 3. The Marks You Make 4. Kings 5. Moving On 6. Abacus Kids 7. Lady In The Midnight Sun 8. We Have Been Here Before 9. Push Back 10. The Minds 11. Prelude 12. How the West Was Lost Release Date: 01/17/2012 user rating rate it Awful - 1 Very Poor - 1.5 Poor - 2 Average - 2.5 Good - 3 Great - 3.5 Excellent - 4 Superb - 4.5 Classic - 5 4.5 superb recommended by reviewer Kaddisfly Set Sail The Prairie Abandon Kansas We're All Going Somewhere dredg Catch Without Arms Birds Of Tokyo Birds Of Tokyo

  

4.5 superb

Quincy Scott USER (7 Reviews) August 9th, 2012 | 1 replies | 147 views

Summary: A piano-rock, indie record with Queen and Muse influence at a glance, but something dark lurks below...

Have you ever known that type of person who is always telling you that you absolutely have to check out this band they found? Well, I feel that to some degree, I’m one of those. I don’t think I’m so bad that all my friends are constantly tired of it. But I’m sure they’ve all heard their fair share of ramblings that probably oversold band after band. So I can tell you, as one of those people, that the thought process behind that behavior is driven from the constant desire to stumble upon the band that lives up to the hype--the one that can’t be oversold. So is this that band? Probably not. But Rags & Ribbons are currently the band I won’t shut up about!

Rags & Ribbons’ first full length album, The Glass Masses, is mature, dynamic, and complex. The first chord on opening track, Even Matter, immediately called to mind The Ornament by dredg, and I feel it’s a fair comparison. Yet unlike many bands sharing their maturity, Rags & Ribbons offer their music in nice, easy to swallow tunes, which average around four minutes long. On the surface, they deliver indie pop-rock, heavy on the piano. But somehow, they are worlds away from bands like Coldplay or Death Cab for Cutie, either of which could be described the same way. The Glass Masses is woven together with rich, classical-influenced piano and complex, flowing vocal harmonies. However, the percussion and guitar parts carry a darker, heavier overtone, partially attributed to producers, Stephan Hawkes and Kris Crummett of Interlace Audio (Closure In Moscow, Tides of Man, Dance Gavin Dance). The production is outstanding; crystal clear and punchy.

The strongest and most unique attribute Rags & Ribbons have to offer, in my opinion, are their vocals, provided equally by Ben Weyerhaeuser (guitar) and Jon Hicks (piano). The vocals are consistent and distinct. The poppy instrumentals on Abacus Kids sound exactly as if they could come from another band I recently reviewed, Abandon Kansas, but the vocals set it apart. Jon provides higher parts, with evident classical training, whereas Ben delivers lower more contemporary parts and they blend very well. Their different styles allow plenty of flexibility in tone and they take advantage of that. Jon does seem to take the lead a bit more and on The Minds he’s at the top of his game. Ben’s strength is in the aggression he provides for Liar and Lady in the Midnight Sun.

Usually, I would describe the instrumentals by breaking down the different parts by what they add. But in this case, that method wouldn’t do them justice. The individual parts are great. Especially the piano parts. But what really makes their music great is the big picture those parts create. Similar to a good movie score, their music effectively creates an atmosphere that sweeps you up in the overall mood and tells a story. They’re not just playing their instruments well, they’re playing good music. And even after listening to the album for a while now, I’m still finding highlights that are really well done, such as the buildups/breakdowns in the bridge to How The West Was Lost and the heavy, driving chorus to Prelude.

Overall, I find it hard to accurately describe The Glass Masses in a nutshell. At first I would’ve described it as indie piano-rock with obvious Queen and Muse influence. But I continue to discover a deeper level which is bigger, heavier, and harder to pin down.

Tracklist: 1. Even Matter 2. Liar 3. The Marks You Make 4. Kings 5. Moving On 6. Abacus Kids 7. Lady In The Midnight Sun 8. We Have Been Here Before 9. Push Back 10. The Minds 11. Prelude 12. How the West Was Lost Release Date: 01/17/2012 user rating rate it Awful - 1 Very Poor - 1.5 Poor - 2 Average - 2.5 Good - 3 Great - 3.5 Excellent - 4 Superb - 4.5 Classic - 5 4.5 superb recommended by reviewer Kaddisfly Set Sail The Prairie Abandon Kansas We're All Going Somewhere dredg Catch Without Arms Birds Of Tokyo Birds Of Tokyo

  

4.5 superb

Quincy Scott USER (7 Reviews) August 9th, 2012 | 1 replies | 147 views

Summary: A piano-rock, indie record with Queen and Muse influence at a glance, but something dark lurks below...

Have you ever known that type of person who is always telling you that you absolutely have to check out this band they found? Well, I feel that to some degree, I’m one of those. I don’t think I’m so bad that all my friends are constantly tired of it. But I’m sure they’ve all heard their fair share of ramblings that probably oversold band after band. So I can tell you, as one of those people, that the thought process behind that behavior is driven from the constant desire to stumble upon the band that lives up to the hype--the one that can’t be oversold. So is this that band? Probably not. But Rags & Ribbons are currently the band I won’t shut up about!

Rags & Ribbons’ first full length album, The Glass Masses, is mature, dynamic, and complex. The first chord on opening track, Even Matter, immediately called to mind The Ornament by dredg, and I feel it’s a fair comparison. Yet unlike many bands sharing their maturity, Rags & Ribbons offer their music in nice, easy to swallow tunes, which average around four minutes long. On the surface, they deliver indie pop-rock, heavy on the piano. But somehow, they are worlds away from bands like Coldplay or Death Cab for Cutie, either of which could be described the same way. The Glass Masses is woven together with rich, classical-influenced piano and complex, flowing vocal harmonies. However, the percussion and guitar parts carry a darker, heavier overtone, partially attributed to producers, Stephan Hawkes and Kris Crummett of Interlace Audio (Closure In Moscow, Tides of Man, Dance Gavin Dance). The production is outstanding; crystal clear and punchy.

The strongest and most unique attribute Rags & Ribbons have to offer, in my opinion, are their vocals, provided equally by Ben Weyerhaeuser (guitar) and Jon Hicks (piano). The vocals are consistent and distinct. The poppy instrumentals on Abacus Kids sound exactly as if they could come from another band I recently reviewed, Abandon Kansas, but the vocals set it apart. Jon provides higher parts, with evident classical training, whereas Ben delivers lower more contemporary parts and they blend very well. Their different styles allow plenty of flexibility in tone and they take advantage of that. Jon does seem to take the lead a bit more and on The Minds he’s at the top of his game. Ben’s strength is in the aggression he provides for Liar and Lady in the Midnight Sun.

Usually, I would describe the instrumentals by breaking down the different parts by what they add. But in this case, that method wouldn’t do them justice. The individual parts are great. Especially the piano parts. But what really makes their music great is the big picture those parts create. Similar to a good movie score, their music effectively creates an atmosphere that sweeps you up in the overall mood and tells a story. They’re not just playing their instruments well, they’re playing good music. And even after listening to the album for a while now, I’m still finding highlights that are really well done, such as the buildups/breakdowns in the bridge to How The West Was Lost and the heavy, driving chorus to Prelude.

Overall, I find it hard to accurately describe The Glass Masses in a nutshell. At first I would’ve described it as indie piano-rock with obvious Queen and Muse influence. But I continue to discover a deeper level which is bigger, heavier, and harder to pin down.

Rags & Ribbons The Glass Masses

dig it

full review

user ratings (1)

Tracklist: 1. Even Matter 2. Liar 3. The Marks You Make 4. Kings 5. Moving On 6. Abacus Kids 7. Lady In The Midnight Sun 8. We Have Been Here Before 9. Push Back 10. The Minds 11. Prelude 12. How the West Was Lost Release Date: 01/17/2012 user rating rate it Awful - 1 Very Poor - 1.5 Poor - 2 Average - 2.5 Good - 3 Great - 3.5 Excellent - 4 Superb - 4.5 Classic - 5 4.5 superb recommended by reviewer Kaddisfly Set Sail The Prairie Abandon Kansas We're All Going Somewhere dredg Catch Without Arms Birds Of Tokyo Birds Of Tokyo

  

4.5 superb

Quincy Scott USER (7 Reviews) August 9th, 2012 | 1 replies | 147 views

Summary: A piano-rock, indie record with Queen and Muse influence at a glance, but something dark lurks below...

Have you ever known that type of person who is always telling you that you absolutely have to check out this band they found? Well, I feel that to some degree, I’m one of those. I don’t think I’m so bad that all my friends are constantly tired of it. But I’m sure they’ve all heard their fair share of ramblings that probably oversold band after band. So I can tell you, as one of those people, that the thought process behind that behavior is driven from the constant desire to stumble upon the band that lives up to the hype--the one that can’t be oversold. So is this that band? Probably not. But Rags & Ribbons are currently the band I won’t shut up about!

Rags & Ribbons’ first full length album, The Glass Masses, is mature, dynamic, and complex. The first chord on opening track, Even Matter, immediately called to mind The Ornament by dredg, and I feel it’s a fair comparison. Yet unlike many bands sharing their maturity, Rags & Ribbons offer their music in nice, easy to swallow tunes, which average around four minutes long. On the surface, they deliver indie pop-rock, heavy on the piano. But somehow, they are worlds away from bands like Coldplay or Death Cab for Cutie, either of which could be described the same way. The Glass Masses is woven together with rich, classical-influenced piano and complex, flowing vocal harmonies. However, the percussion and guitar parts carry a darker, heavier overtone, partially attributed to producers, Stephan Hawkes and Kris Crummett of Interlace Audio (Closure In Moscow, Tides of Man, Dance Gavin Dance). The production is outstanding; crystal clear and punchy.

The strongest and most unique attribute Rags & Ribbons have to offer, in my opinion, are their vocals, provided equally by Ben Weyerhaeuser (guitar) and Jon Hicks (piano). The vocals are consistent and distinct. The poppy instrumentals on Abacus Kids sound exactly as if they could come from another band I recently reviewed, Abandon Kansas, but the vocals set it apart. Jon provides higher parts, with evident classical training, whereas Ben delivers lower more contemporary parts and they blend very well. Their different styles allow plenty of flexibility in tone and they take advantage of that. Jon does seem to take the lead a bit more and on The Minds he’s at the top of his game. Ben’s strength is in the aggression he provides for Liar and Lady in the Midnight Sun.

Usually, I would describe the instrumentals by breaking down the different parts by what they add. But in this case, that method wouldn’t do them justice. The individual parts are great. Especially the piano parts. But what really makes their music great is the big picture those parts create. Similar to a good movie score, their music effectively creates an atmosphere that sweeps you up in the overall mood and tells a story. They’re not just playing their instruments well, they’re playing good music. And even after listening to the album for a while now, I’m still finding highlights that are really well done, such as the buildups/breakdowns in the bridge to How The West Was Lost and the heavy, driving chorus to Prelude.

Overall, I find it hard to accurately describe The Glass Masses in a nutshell. At first I would’ve described it as indie piano-rock with obvious Queen and Muse influence. But I continue to discover a deeper level which is bigger, heavier, and harder to pin down.

http://sputnikmusic.com/review/51235/Rags-%26amp%3B-Ribbons-The-Glass-Masses/