Riot on the Plaza
music video
Soft Lighting debut new EP, music video
My interest in local composer Bryan Cox has been steadily growing since the beginning of the year. It’s not enough that his ’80s-centric sleazefest Soft Lighting has released Slow Motion Silhouettes, one of the most catchy albums of its type in recent memory, but on the side he also fronts New Savages (click here for a download). New Savages as a band stand on their own to create more concentrated and energetic grooves in opposition to the gently flowing, mood-oriented tunes he himself creates, the end result of which is the perfect soundtrack to a summer night drive — I’ve proven this theory on multiple occasions.
Cox has spent the time since SMS dropped recording new material, but in the meantime only releasing scant remixes of others’ work (Suicide, Brothertiger). Now just a few days into a sweltering July, Soft Lighting gives us a new five-song EP under the title Glamour Shots, with a video in tow. The new songs don’t depart much from the full-length, but much of the EP has a washed out sound, making the beats at times more aloof than the vibrancy with which Silhouettes packs its punch. Below, watch the video for “So Good,” from the new EP. The video isn’t quite NSFW, but it contains things like caressing, dudes kissing, neon lights, and other things that will freak out the squares.
Cloud Dog debut “Temple Step” music video
Lawrence native Jim “Dandy” Martin is the driving force behind the psychedelic electronic music released as Cloud Dog. Though hardly ever absent of any amount of contributors, the aesthetic of the sound and the aboriginal image presented is all the idea of Dandy himself. Just this past weekend, the group played a release show for the new album Realms, and plan on releasing a remix 7″ and cassette later this year.
You can expect to find a review of the album here sometime soon, but in the meantime you can get a sampling through the Bollywood influenced “Temple Step” in its proper music video streaming below.
Enjoy.
Spirit Is The Spirit debut “Pillows” music video
In the two short years that have passed since Lawrence six-piece Spirit Is The Spirit came about, the band has already self-released their own well received EP and played with a variety of bands, including performing two years in a row at the Middle Of The Map festival. The band’s expansive, intricately crafted sound features a wide range of instruments that converge together in a sometimes booming musical ebb and flow, creating a lavishly textured and at times ethereal experience. The band is expected to release their debut full length later this year through The Record Machine, but in the meantime a sampling can be heard via their submission to Secret Handshakes, the Record Store Day collaborative split 12-inch between TRM and Golden Sound Records. Spirit’s entry to the compilation, “Pillows,” also comes with an accompanying music video, which can be seen below.
If you like what you’ve seen and heard above, you may want to hop over to the band’s currently active Kickstarter campaign, wherein they are attempting to acquire $4,000 in pledges by June 2nd for an investment into a new touring vehicle. And lastly, if you aren’t doing anything tonight, make the drive over to The Brick to see the band play with La Guerre, Fullbloods, and Soft Reeds in celebration of the aforementioned compilation’s release. You can’t go wrong with a lineup like that.
Minden debut “Shine the Trophy Up” music video
Kansas City group Minden go from genre-bending to gender-bending in their newest video for “Shine the Trophy Up,” the b-side from 2001’s Swift Way On 7″. Watch below to be sufficiently creeped out by close-ups of dudes who are terrible at applying lipstick, lots of unkempt facial hair, and drummer Ryan Johnson giving the camera his sexiest facial expressions. Directed by Daniel Richard Myers.
Didn’t get your Johnson fill above? Then watch the Myers-directed video for “Gold Standard.”
Anakin debut “Send/Receive” music video
Local space-rockers Anakin have unveiled their new Fernando Cordero-directed music video for “Send/Receive,” the first single from their debut album Random Accessed Memories. Watch the video below, and read a review of their recently played first show here. Rated R for robot content.
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