Review: Florence and The Machine's Ceremonials 1 comment | NOV 8

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Virginia Woolf, the infamous author and poet who drowned herself in a river by her home, is the inspiration of Florence The Machine’s second album, Ceremonials. The album tells the story of a “sinful” woman plagued by ghosts and ghouls of her past, finding solace in the tragic stories of historical heroines.

The record is littered with Gothic themes of water, sacrifice, and the passage of time, poetically embodying a shadowy tone that layers into lead singer Florence Welch’s ethereal vocals and explorations of feminism.

Review: Justice's Audio, Video, Disco No comments | NOV 1

Justice
Audio, Video, Disco
Ed Banger Records/Because/Elektra, 2011

Justice has put out another album with inscrutable intentions. It seems they were not content leaving the world baffled as to how its oddly palatable combination of Iron Maiden and Larry Levan made “Waters of Nazareth” a breakout single. No, the musicverse of 2011 must now ask itself: how and why on earth would anyone create Audio, Video, Disco?

From vocal stylings more reminiscent of Gregorian chants than Top 40, to 21st century synth tones processed to sound like distorted guitars of the 20th, the record bears an overwhelming strangeness, stranding it in musical territory left uninhabited since Rock and Disco diverged in the late ‘70s.

It should come as little surprise that unsuspecting listeners and cognoscenti critics alike are confused as hell. There’s really only one thing that’s certain about Audio, Video, Disco: somehow, you can dance to it.

Moogfest 2011, Day Two No comments | OCT 30

Joseph Chapman: So, for the second time in just over a month, I saw The Flaming Lips in North Carolina. What really made this show special was the band’s cover of Emerson, Lake & Palmer’s “Lucky Man,” an acoustic ballad that closes with a ripping Moog solo. Frontman Wayne Coyne gave a brief speech on the legacy of Bob Moog and explained that “Lucky Man” was one of the first examples of Moog synths in rock ‘n’ roll. But the homage wouldn’t be complete without some of the Lips’ own reimagination — so instead of a custom Modular Moog setup like Keith Emerson’s, multi-instrumentalist Steven Drozd did the solo on the new Moog iPad app.

Make sure you follow us @DTHDiversions. Check out #Moogfest for the latest updates.

Moogfest 2011, Day One No comments | OCT 29

Lucian Crockett: Moby took the stage for the third show of the night at the Asheville Civic Center Arena. Despite his subdued lifestyle and vegan diet, the guy is a rock star, and he commanded the attention of the crowd throughout the show. It was also refreshing to see an electronic artist that doesn’t sit behind his computer for their entire show. Moby is an amazing musician, which he showcased by jumping between the bongos, the electric guitar and the keys as he ran through a set of his biggest hits. He closed the show with a song he hadn’t played in the U.S. in 20 years, which he celebrated by taking his shirt off and standing on a box.

Check out photos from last night and see what we have to say about Moby, TV On The Radio, Holy Fuck, Flying Lotus, Chromeo and Zomby at Moogfest 2011.

Make sure you follow us @DTHDiversions. Check out #Moogfest for the latest updates.

Deer Tick at the Cradle tonight No comments | OCT 17

Don’t forget to catch alt-country rockers Deer Tick at Cat’s Cradle tonight. The show starts at 9 P.M. with Virgin Forest and Dead People opening up the show before the headlining act. Tickets will be available at the door for $16. The native Rhode Islanders are making the sixth stop of their tour at the Cradle in support of their new album, Divine Providence, which will be released next Tuesday, October 24. Check out a preview from the band’s upcoming album, Divine Providence:

Review: Sully's Carrier No comments | SEP 25

Sully
Carrier
Keysound Records, 2011

As soon as the first hollow rim-shots drop in “It’s Your Love,” it’s clear that Sully has found much creative inspiration in the recent past of British two-step garage. The jittery, uneven, yet ultimately danceable drum patterns distinctly mark the first half of the record, but at no point does Carrier come across as a work of pastiche. Careful touches of rugged bass and magnificent harmonies combine to push the record firmly into this decade. Perhaps the best example of Sully’s take on future garage is “2 Hearts.” After opening with a diva scream that hearkens back to Larry Levan’s heyday at the Paradise Garage, the track surges forward with triumphant chords likely composed of rapid fire from a laser gun and snares that bare more resemblance to the thin, aluminum lids of garbage cans than to the wooden drums of the past.

Listen to Sully’s “2 Hearts” on YouTube.

Movie Review: Warrior No comments | SEP 17

Watching the trailer for Warrior, the film appears to be a mixed martial arts twist on Rocky accompanied with just about every fighting cliché you could possibly think of.

As I entered the theatre, there was some small
hope on my part the movie would somehow upturn these clichés and deliver something spectacularly unexpected. Does Warrior challenge the foundational structure of its genre? Absolutely not, but what
the film sets out to do, it does extremely well.

Q&A: Walt Martin, The Walkmen No comments | SEP 15

The Walkmen has been cranking out organ and piano-tinged pop-rock records for the past eleven years. In that time, the group has garnered critical acclaim from the likes of Pitchfork and PopMatters, and in 2004 played on the TV show “The O.C.” Organ player and bassist Walt Martin first befriended drummer Matt Barrick in middle school, and the two have been working together ever since.

The pair worked in Jonathan Fire*Eater with guitarist Paul Maroon and later came together with former Recoys members Hamilton Leithauser and Peter Bauer to form The Walkmen. Last September, the band released its sixth full-length album, Lisbon, and is currently finishing up its final tour for the album. The Walkmen hit the Triangle this Wednesday, opening for Fleet Foxes at the Raleigh Amphitheater. Martin talked to Assistant Diversions Editor Allison Hussey about the group and its recent overseas adventure.

Diversions: What have you found is usually your greatest challenge when it comes to writing?

Hopscotch 2011: Day two No comments | SEP 10

We’re back from today’s day parties for a few photos and assistant Diversions editor Allison Hussey’s update on Friday night. Check out what’s going on at #Hopscotch11.

Hopscotch 2011: Day one No comments | SEP 9

Allison Hussey: As soon as Hopscotch ended last year, I I had high expectations for this year’s festival. Night one definitely delivered. Trying to sleep on Wednesday night made me feel like a small child waiting for Christmas to come, and I couldn’t get to Raleigh fast enough after class on Thursday.

Make sure to follow us at @DTHDiversions for Hopscotch updates. Check out what’s going on at #Hopscotch11.

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Dive Recommends

Album from the Vaults:

Tom Waits, Closing Time: You’ll be hard pressed to find a 20-something who hasn’t heard of this gravelly voiced piano-playing madman, and it all started here. Waits hadn’t quite perfected his “gargled with rocks” tone yet, but this 1973 record is still a classic. Centered around Waits’ piano, these tunes manage to evoke images of being in a ‘50s era diner right around — you guessed it — closing time. The songs are gentle and poignant without being sappy or overly sentimental.

Movie from the Vaults:

“Revenge of the Nerds”: The fraternities and sororities are gearing up for spring, making it the perfect time to hunker down with this goofy 1984 comedy. It tells the tale of a group of nerds trying to find their own footing on their college campus while dealing with brutish super-bros. The nerds ultimately triumph (hence the title), but not without some bawdy, gutsy and hilarious back-and-forth antics.

Events:

Thursday

Estrangers, Tin Can Sailor
Tir na nOg | Tir na nOg’s weekly Local Beer Local Band lineups never disappoint, and this show is no exception. Fans of fellow locals The Love Language will fall in love with Estrangers’ bright, energetic indie-pop. Estrangers splits the bill with Tin Can Sailor, whose flavor of rock ‘n’ roll is guaranteed to keep your head bobbing.10 p.m., free.

“From the Back of the Room” Screening
The Pinhook | At its peak in the 1990s, the Riot Grrrl movement was a force to be reckoned with. From it, we got bands like Bratmobile, Sleater-Kinney and Bikini Kill — some even argue that Riot Grrrls started third-wave feminism and were responsible for the “girl power” movement of the mid-’90s. This movie captures the history of the movement and the women who made it happen. 9 p.m., $5

Friday

Justin Robinson and the Mary Annettes, Dark Water Rising, The Tender Fruit
Local 506 | Former Carolina Chocolate Drops frontman Justin Robinson has gathered his Mary Annettes and put out a record, so naturally a celebration must follow. Expect spooky folk tunes featuring the autoharp, some viola, violin, and cello, all tinged with the slightest hints of bluegrass and hip-hop. Dark Water Rising and The Tender Fruit open with their own styles of sometimes folksy, sometimes rocking, always excellent tunes. $8/10, 8/8:30 p.m.

Tuesday

Samantha Crain, American Aquarium
Local 506 | Samantha Crain rolls into Chapel Hill with Raleigh natives American Aquarium in tow. The Oklahoma native’s gentle acoustic tunes have folk roots, but she’s not your standard swishy-skirted singer-songwriter. Her songs are honest, easy and original. American Aquarium’s slightly boozy tunes blend a little bit of country with a solid chunk of rock ‘n’ roll, creating a distinctly Southern but easily enjoyable sound. $8/10, 8:30/9 p.m.