For the past 2-years Medeski, Martin and Wood has been working on their three part Radiolarian Series, named after some interesting looking single celled organisms and drawings by Ernst Haeckel. The basic idea was to turn the recording industry method backwards and inside out: brainstorm some ideas, tour and see what happens, record what happens and pray that it’s good. Now after 2 years of intense work and performance Medeski, Martin and Wood is releasing Radiolarians: The Evolutionary Set which contains: Radiolarians I, II and III (with bonus material), a 10 track disc of remix music, a previously unreleased live album (~ 70 minutes), a double vinyl LP set consisting of highlights and if all of this wasn’t good enough for you Medeski, Martin and Wood decided to make a DVD feature film entitled Fly In A Bottle (dir. Billy Martin).

The Box Set will be released under Indirecto Records on November 24^th. This sounds like the perfect end to two years of intense work.

A unifying concept is required for this album, though. Each song, while acting as part of a while, contains its own unique atmosphere. This is a byproduct of Danger Mouse and Sparklehorse utilizing various musicians and singers for each song. The songs range from slower indie-esque songs like “Revenge” and “Jaykub” to rock, punk and blues songs like “Angel’s Harp”, “Pain” and “Dark Night of the Soul”. However, all of the songs are generally glum and on the slow side with dark and introspective lyrics which, from time to time, reference religion – as in “Angel’s Harp” (‘Jesus and his hair’).

While each song is sonically distinctive, they are all tied together by Danger Mouse’s mastering techniques. The techniques are found in almost all of his work, from The Black Keys to Gnarls Barkley, and features highly distorted and edited vocal tracks as well as some hip-hop-esque sounds in the background, which come as no surprise given Danger Mouse’s background. While Dark Night of the Soul is a new step in Danger Mouse’s career, it very closely echoes the overall feel and sound of The Black Keys’ Attack and Release, and both Gnarls Barkley releases.

The album has a series of great songs like the ghostly reggae track “Everytime I’m With You.” However, even given the unifying concept and mood at times it feels less than cohesive. The effects laden voices can also become annoying from time to time.

Despite the album’s few hiccups, Dark Night of the Soul provides enough variety to appeal to enthusiasts of all genres. This idiosyncratic collaboration could not have been contrived by anyone other than Danger Mouse, who has dabbled in nearly every corner of the musical world. Furthermore, despite its dark themes, Dark Night of the Soul is a living, operative entity that has shown more spirit than nearly every other release this year, thanks to Danger Mouse’s intricate production and Linkous’ inconspicuous touches and songwriting.

The new plan has ISPs sending a pre-written letter to any one who violates certain restrictions. The letter is for, apparently, any one who seems to be uploading or downloading music illegally. If the user continues to file-share they will slowly be cut off from the Internet.

Only a few ISPs so far have agreed to some degree with the RIAA, but this far details are pretty much concealed from the general public. Luckily the RIAA will not directly demand your identity so while the ISPs will remained concealed you will too, from the RIAA at least.

The issue that is generated is the method by which they will find the people whoa re seemingly sharing music illegally. Will this new idea harm the individualized artist, which has relied to readily on the increased communication and sharing that the Internet has given him or her?

The answers are unknown as of yet, but there may be some fear for those producing there own music and who are willing to share it. The music community, as it has become more so than an industry, currently relies on file sharing and without it a lot of things would change and it would be hard for the community as a whole to survive.

We will see. Hey at least little old ladies wont be sued any more because their grand kids stole some Kanye West on their computers.

via

This is a classic song for the holiday season composed by Leroy Anderson, who composed a lot of semi-classical semi-popular music for trumpet and other instruments. This piece is played by the Boston Pops and for me its not December until I have played this song as some form of trumpet in an orchestra.

Enjoy!

We are also thinking about some t-shirts and other swag for the new year… MAYBE.

Please leave comments in this post about what you think of the redesign.

Remember 120 bpm is just too darn slow.

- Chris W. (Co-Founder)

Stupid is a noun defined by the American Heritage Dictionary as being (def. 2) marked by a lack of intelligence or care; foolish or careless.

Not that I would like to target any one with this news article, but I have heard of a lot of foolish things, but this seems a little excessive. I am not saying that CD wobbling is not a major issue in audiophile level systems, but rather that $900 for this machine is rather expensive for anything none the less making perfectly round CDs during the middle/possible end of a depression (the point being that the world economy is not what I would consider stable at the moment). However, the stupidity of this machine is just the fact that it seems more like a scam than something that could be helpful. Only if they could invent a way to make my chocolate chip cookies perfectly round!

Via Gizmodo

- Chris W.

At the Popkomm Music Industry Convention in Berlin Peter Jenner, the Former Pink Floyd Manager, denounced the practices of the current music industry as being archaic and not fit for the modern world.

Jenner said that, “Right holders could not insist on exploiting exclusive rights any more in the age of Myspace and mash-ups”. Which is true as it makes it hard to NOT get anything for free even if its only streamed. Jenner also talked about “blanket licenses” which would allow for profit in the way that music is being accessed in the modern world.

Also, a new idea from an industry leader… The idea of sharing mp3′s as “sharing a friends CD”. This is a ground breaking idea, that I am glad some one realized.

I have to say that I have just gained great respect for this man and I do hope that he has luck reinventing the music industry and hopefully for the better.

via p2p Blog

- Chris W.

MGMT just released a new music video directed by Erik Wareheim and I don’t think I can really describe it as anything other than one of the creepiest music video’s I have seen in awhile, and that is saying a lot…

Download High-Res Video: MGMT – “The Youth”

via Steady Burn

- Chris W.

Today, John Darnielle, of The Mountain Goats, released his new EP, The Satanic Messiah EP, which was recorded with Scott Solter in Monroe, North Carolina. The anticipated EP was released digitally in both lossless and mp3 formats and is available for free download (with the option to donate) here. The EP will also be released as “a limited edition double-7″ in a gatefold hi-gloss sleeve, etc.,”. Apparently there will only be 666 copies made (one of them being Darnielle’s own), so if you want this EP in vinyl you better get on it.

John Darnielle also talks about how he won’t tell you to donate, though the option is on his site, but it would be nice if you did. I personally believe this man deserves it for his effort. I mean he does refer to himself as “your servant”.

Review to come.

via The Mountain Goats official site

-Chris W.

Panda Bear is one of those guys who can take almost anything and make it into a weird modern Beach Boys on acid song. However, I wouldn’t take those as fighting words, because most of us here at onethirtybpm including your current writer (Chris W.), find Panda Bear’s sound to be pure enjoyment.

This remix will be released as the B-side to The Notwist’s new (vinyl) Single which can be ordered here (at dominorecordco.us)

- Chris W.

via Pitchfork Media

Music is one of those things that has existed throughout time, today we will be investigating the music of the Ars Nova Period and Renaissance. We are looking at a time period from about the 14th century to the 17th century when the baroque music of Bach and friends began to take over.

Music from this period and the baroque and even classical periods are normally very staid dynamics wise, meaning that they don’t have lots of change in dynamics (louder or softer). However, it is also interesting to note the usage of instrumentation, such as bell choirs, lutes, and other instruments, to accentuate certain points in the text to create tension. This gaining and release of tension will be referred to as cadence, which can, liberally, be defined as a pause in the music, often in tonal music defined by a V-I movement (movement for the Five chord to the One chord. EG. G to C). Most of this music is also often written for the church and it is mostly modal if not completely modal, and you can notice the avoidance of certain dissonances, but also the sometimes capricious use of dissonance.

Now to the fun part! What to listen to!
Well finding recordings of this period of music can be a daunting task. However, I am going to recommend a couple of artists and cds and you can work from there. I highly suggest using the library for classical music and for music of this period, especially Palestrina you should be able to find free recordings all over the place.

Ars Nova:
Machaut – This guy is the main composer from this period and is often considered the defacto ars nova composer.
Recordings:
The Hilliard Ensemble – Guillaume de Machaut The (complete) Motets
The Hilliard Ensemble – Guillaume de Machaut Messe De Notre dame

Renaissance:

DuFay – One of the earlier Renaissance composers.
Various Artists – Dufay: Missa L’homme armé; Supremum est mortalibus bonum

Gesualdo – One of the weirdest early composers. His life contains a murder and his music contains a lot of ideas that where not seen again until the romantics and onward.
Various Artists – Gesualdo: Quinto libro dei madrigali

Palestrina – The most famous of the Renaissance composers. You can find many of his compositions on YouTube, just listen.
Early Music – Palestrina: Choral Works / Oxford Camerata

- Chris W.

After recently hearing the news that Apple could possibly close down
the iTunes music store due to royalty hikes many people began to weep.
On Thursday, The Copyright Royalty Board decided to not raise the
online royalty rates for song publishers. This royalty hike would have
definately taken a nice chunk out of Apples profit and even then Apple
is only just making it for the iTunes Music Store.

This comes at a time when the economy is going down and this must me a
saving grace for Apple, because if Apple had to raise there rates at
this time it could have meant the death of iTunes.

“It’s gamesmanship,” says Aram Sinnreich, a music-industry analyst.
“Apple doesn’t make its money from selling iTunes songs, and it’s a
break-even business anyway. Let’s say Apple agreed to keep half of it
and publishers agreed to keep half of it — it would make a dent, but
it wouldn’t cause them to go out of business.” According to The NPD
Group, iTunes overtook Wal-Mart this year as the top U.S. music
retailer.

Source

-Chris W.

In eager anticipation of the vice presidential debates tonight
(October 2, 2008) we have decided to dedicate an article to Sarah
Palin.

Yes, the accomplished flutist that every one loves here at 130 BPM.
Ok, well lets not be sarcastic, it was an OK with a capital O and K.
Meaning it lacked soul, but hey shes a politician, what can you do.
The performance goes back and forth between being mediocre and
downright horrible, but I really think that the arrangement is
atrociously bland, but hey thats not for me to say.

For musical politicians I think I will stick to Frank Zappa and Bill
Clinton, thank you very much.

Well, ok usually we have a bigger story behind our tour dates, but well today not so much.

However, a nice tidbit of information is that Warren Ellis and Nick Cave are teaming up to write the score for The Road a film adaptation of Cormac McCarthy’s book by the same name.

Video and tour dates after the ominous jump.

Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds:

09.16 – San Diego, CA – 4th & B
09.17 – Los Angeles, CA – Hollywood Bowl *
09.19 – San Francisco, CA – Warfield Theatre
09.20 – San Francisco, CA – Warfield Theatre
09.22 – Portland, OR – Crystal Ballroom
09.23 – Seattle, WA – Showbox SoDo
09.24 – Seattle, WA – Showbox SoDo
09.26 – Denver, CO – Ogden Theatre @
09.28 – Chicago, IL – Riviera Theatre !
09.29 – Chicago, IL – Riviera Theatre !
10.01 – Toronto, Ontario – Kool Haus
10.02 – Montreal, Quebec – Metropolis
10.04 – New York, NY – WaMu Theater at MSG
10.05 – Washington, DC – 9:30 Club
10.06 – Washington, DC – 9:30 Club
10.07 – Philadelphia, PA – Electric Factory
11.23 – Brighton, England – Centre
11.25 – Manchester, England – Apollo
11.26 – Edinburgh, Scotland – Corn Exchange
11.27 – Sheffield, England – Academy
11.29 – London, England – Troxy
11.30 – London, England – Troxy

* with Cat Power, Spiritualized
@ with Bambi Lee Savage
! with Black Diamond Heavies

When a musician dies the loss isn’t only felt by the people who loved him, but the people who listened to him and where influenced by her. Not only that, but an echo shakes across the whole planet as the community and sound looses one more member. It is not a uncommon thing, every one dies, but when someone who controls sound dies there is an extra queasiness in my stomach.
Today, an truly extraordinary man died, Pink Floyd Keyboardist, Richard Wright. He was only 65 years old, fairly young, and died of cancer. He was one of the founding members of Pink Floyd and stayed with the band from its earlier Syd Barret driven incarnation to its later incarnations (eg. Wish You Where Here). This man will not be forgotten and his music will live on forever.

I could now post some videos or sound tracks, but in honor I will resist the urge. In honor there will not be a jump.

Colin Greenwood, Radiohead bassist, spoke with BBC about Radiohead’s anticipated LP8. But unfortunately, a quote of Colin’s has been taken out of context.

“We’ve finished the main bulk of it and we’re off to Japan in a couple of weeks to finish it off.”. By ‘it’ he means the tour, not the album. This small mistake caused a lot of confusion and a bit of false hope. We might not even see this album until 2010.

Guitarist, Ed O’Brien also added, “We’re still talking about doing some stuff and we’re really excited about it. First we came off tour to do some writing and we wanted to just carry on doing it because it was so brilliant.”

So basically they’re working on, but most likely not completing it anytime soon. Good thing is that we know for sure that they’re hitting the studio right after touring.

We have new live songs and tour dates after the jump.

For now enjoy Jonny Greenwoods Popcorn Superhet Receiver.

Radiohead:

10.01 – Osaka, Japan – Municipal Central Gymnasium
10.02 – Osaka, Japan – Municipal Central Gymnasium
10.04 – Tokyo, Japan – Saitama Super Arena
10.05 – Tokyo, Japan – Saitama Super Arena
10.07 – Tokyo, Japan – Forum
10.08 – Tokyo, Japan – Forum

Popcorn Superhet Receiver:

10.10 – London, England – St. Luke’s (performed by the London Contemporary Orchestra)
11.12 – Chicago, IL – Harris Theater (performed by Fulcrum Point)

BBC

Download the MP3

New Mountain Goats song? Great! But there’s more to it. This year John Darnielle, of the Mountain Goats (or should I say THE Mountain Goat), has been hard at work. From releasing a new Mountain Goat’s album Heretic Pride, which contains some of the strongest lyrics this year, to touring like a madman it seems like at times he doesn’t have to time sleep. What’s he up to now? He’s touring with Kaki King AND releasing new EPs.

No, the ‘s’ is not a mistake, there are really two Mountain Goat EPs coming out this year. And one of them is with Kaki King. Two anticipated releases from my favorite contemporary singer/songwriters and one of my favorite female vocalists.

Details after the proverbial jump

First let’s start with the standard Mountain Goats EP, titled Satanic Messiah. You’ll be able to download it from The Mountain Goats website ‘name-your-own-price’ aka Radiohead-style, or buy it on vinyl. No release date yet (it appears they’re still setting up the site mumbo-jumbo), but we can expect it soon.

Satanic Messiah tracklisting:

A1 Satanic Messiah
A2 Wizard Buys a Hat
B1 Sarcofago Live
B2 Gojam Province 1968

The second EP with Kaki King is titled Black Pear Tree EP and is being pressed on vinyl in time for it to be sold on tour. “Thank You Mario but our Princess Is in Another Castle” at the top of the post comes from this EP, and we simply cannot stop listening to it. The tour with Kaki King begins in October so expect it then.

Black Pear Tree EP tracklisting:

A1 Black Pear Tree
A2 Mosquito Repellent
A3 Bring our Curses Home
A1 Supergenesis
B2 Roger Patterson Van
B3 Thank You Mario but our Princess Is in Another Castle

For those of you used to Darnielle’s madness, the EP business should be nothing new. They have released or have accidentally leaked more singles and EPs than you can shake a stick at. Listening to any of his LPs isn’t to shabby either. If you can, try to catch John Darnielle in some form or another live.

The Mountain Goats:

08-02 Durham, NC – Bull City Headquarters (John Darnielle solo) ^
09-14 Dorset, England – End of the Road Festival
09-15 London, England – ULU
10-13 Chicago, IL – Park West *
10-14 Milwaukee, WI – Pabst Theatre *
10-15 Omaha, NE – The Slowdown *
10-17 Denver, CO – Bluebird Theater *
10-18 Salt Lake City, UT – In the Venue *
10-20 Seattle, WA – Showbox *
10-21 Portland, OR – Wonder Ballroom *
10-25 Los Angeles CA – Troubadour *
10-26 Los Angeles CA – Troubadour *
10-28 San Diego, CA – Belly Up Tavern *
10-29 Tucson, AZ – Club Congress *
10-31 Lubbock, TX – Tequila Jungle *
11-01 Austin, TX – Antone’s *
11-02 Dallas, TX – Granada Theatre *
11-03 New Orleans, LA – Republic *
11-05 Chapel Hill, NC – Cat’s Cradle *
11-06 Washington, DC – 9:30 Club *
11-07 Philadelphia, PA – Theatre of the Living Arts *
11-08 Brooklyn, NY – Music Hall of Williamsburg *
11-09 New York, NY – Webster Hall *

^ with Megafaun, Des Ark, Heather McEntire
* with Kaki King

The review can be seen at http://www.mogwai.co.uk/

The Hawk Is Howling is out September 22nd on Wall of Sound (UK), Play It Again Sam (Europe), and Matador (US).

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