Last night Black Dice played ‘The Schoolhouse’ in Bushwick. Lots of energy, both on and off stage. Their newer material seems to have a slightly harsher touch to it as compared to the free-psych-hypno-beats that marked the band’s artistic exploration in recent years. There’s more of an industrial vibe now, still very groovy but notably rougher around the edges. FB status: like!

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The commerce, the food, the fashion, the lights, the parasites? So New York is cutting edge, and now Paris is trying to keep up. According to Paris City Hall, the Parisians are starting to experience a paranoia New Yorkers know all too well: bedbugs. From Reuters:

An employee at the public health section of Paris’ City Hall who asked not to be named said more than 600 places in the city have needed treating for bedbug infection so far this year — a marked increase from 2009.”

Known in French as “punaises de lit” which means “bed drawing pins,” the bedbugs have been spotted in other areas of France as well. French officials, unfamiliar with such a problem, have no contingency plans for dealing with the situation. As Parisian news reports punaises de lit in some of the city’s most renowned hotels, many fear the effect they might have on tourism. New Yorkers know. “Been there, done that.”

Tame Impala played the first of two sold out shows in Manhattan last night, and Big Ass Lens was there to watch them catch wreck. Check out a video from this show of their single, “Solitude is Bliss”, a polite and tightly packaged monster of a track which we captured in glorious BAL goodness. All the hallmarks of the band are present – roaming, reverb drenched vocals, sun splashed guitar, and a slyly shifting rhythmic section. And just to take a moment, what a rhythm section! Nick Allbrook’s seriously killer bass playing keeps the foundation upfront but frequently improvises lines over top, while Jay Watson stabs in and out with a crack and clatter reminiscient of Nick Mason. All of this is packaged with a great sense of pop songcraft perfect for those who like their Beatles passed through a ray of psych.

Tame Impala play again tonight, and while tickets have long since sold out, Bowery should be releasing a few tickets later in the evening (as they did yesterday around 9:30). If not, there’s always craigslist. For more on Tame Impala, visit Big Ass Lens.

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“People are more violently opposed to fur than leather because it’s safer to harass rich women than motorcycle gangs.” –Unknown

Sunday night, at the House of Yes, here in Williamsburg, a new line of fur heavy fashion will debut in a show called Nutria Palooza.  It’s billed as a cruelty-free alternative to traditional fur fashions.  Why, you ask? Because this fur comes from animals already killed as part of a Louisiana state initiative to control the animal’s population.  That’s right, Lousiana, and the animal, the nutria, or coypu is more commonly known as a swamp rat.  With help from a  grant from the Barataria-Terrebonne Estuary Foundation, Cree McCree founded a line of products to utilize the leftover corpses of these state-deemed varmints, called Righteous Fur.  Louisiana started paying trappers by the pelt when the nutria, originally brought to the swamplands from South America for fur-farming, grew in numbers so great their population threatened the local eco-system.  In addition to the fleece, Righteous Fur uses the nutria’s distinctive bright yellow teeth in jewelry as well.  Their hide is being used to sole shoes. “If they’re being killed anyway..then why not make something beautiful out of them?” McCree told the Times.  As previously mentioned, nutria fur is nothing new, with fashionable Hollywood icons like Greata Garbo wearing it back in her day.  History seems to be repeating itself, with modern designers taking nutria notice. From the Times:

Designers like Billy Reid (who recently won a major fashion award…), Michael Kors and Oscar de la Renta have incorporated nutria lining or trim in recent collections, and the fur has shown up on Etsy, the online store that specializes in handmade and vintage crafts, in the form of merkins — triangular patches sewn onto flesh-colored panties.”

Righteous Fur first debuted at a release in New Orleans, but Sunday, the show comes to the big city “guilt-free.” If only we could invent guilt-free alternatives to everything that weighs morally on our consciences. It evidently doesn’t even have to be very different than the guilt-filled alternative.  If you wanna check it out, you can get tickets here.

There has not been a music video this emotionally affecting in a long time. And it’s easy to say that the art form has lost its flare with every video online simply trying to be a viral success. But this Spike Jonze-directed piece for Arcade Fire’s title track from The Suburbs proves that there is still a definite need for beautiful music videos. This is absolutely beautiful.

The Forms never really came off as a band who would release an record of remixes. Their two albums are guitar-heavy, oddly-timed and rocked out (in a good way). But with the transformation into a two-piece of Alex Tween and Matt Walsh, the subtraction of guitars, and the addition of synthesizers and electronic drums, we get much different results.

Supposedly a result of putting the needle down on the record at the wrong speed, Derealization is an upcoming EP of remixes and reimaginings from the band’s previous releases Icarus and The Forms, featuring many big name guest stars. Members of St. Vincent, Pattern is Movement, The National and Dirty Projectors all dropped by to contribute to this EP. The first single features Andrew Thiboldeaux from Pattern is Movement. It’s called “Steady Hand,” but the original was called “Bones.” The remix is sped up and has some twinkling electronic elements added to the background and ghostly ethereal vocals. What I mean is: It’s good. Listen to it over at Stereogum.

Here’s a video of the band playing a version of their song “Stravinsky” this summer at the Knitting Factory. Not sure if this version will appear on Derealization or not. But I am sure that it is great and a good indication of what’s to come. Plus, they’re each wearing a headset microphone, so it’s worth watching just for that.

www.morepartyanimals.com

According to unofficial returns, New York’s voter turnout was the lowest in the country this year. It was lower this past midterm than in the past 30 years. C’mon New Yorkers. Sure, the Republicans put up a joke of a ticket this year, even though two Senate seats and the governorship were up for grabs, but that is still no excuse. We had so many exciting, or at least, interesting candidates to choose from for Governor this year, and the Tea Partiers kept things entertaining. According to the Times:

“…about 40 percent of registered New Yorkers voted on Nov. 2. But an analysis by the United States Election Project at George Mason University found that only 32.1 percent of the 13.4 million who were eligible — citizens 18 and older who are not convicted felons — actually voted.”

Midterm turnout is always lower than in Presidential elections, but I hope more people are paying attention come 2012. Oh well, we are only in the middle of war and economic turmoil. Fuck it, meet me at BCC for a Super-Size.

If it looks like the people in this video are having a good time, well, it’s because most of us just consumed at least 80 ounces of malt liquor… and if you’ve ever tried to climb out onto a fire escape to smoke a cigarette with Colt 45s taped to your hands, then you know what I’m talking about.

Your Youth along with the wonderful Jay Buim, who shot this party gem documentary style, threw a house party that ended with not only some serious debauchery, but also with me falling down in the street from drunkeness– a feat that has never been accomplished before due to my Polish genes and high tolerance. So, mission accomplished.

Sadly, for all of you, that wasn’t caught on tape. Here’s what was:

At Music Hall of Williamsburg next Tuesday, 11/23, get ready for a night of electronic bliss when Ghostly alongside OAK and Fixed bring us a night with the endearing and enduring Matthew Dear, fresh off his new record Black City and featuring a Live Band, with the sensational woozy nostalgic dreamscapes of GAMES and newcomer Noveller.

FREEwilly has (2) TICKETS to give to the best answer to this question in the comments section by midnight tomorrow:

What would make your perfect night of electronic music in NYC?

18+ | Doors: 8pm | Show: 9pm
$15 Advance | $15 Day of Show

CHECK OUT THIS NEW TRACK FROM DEAR’s BLACK CITY!:
Matthew Dear- I Can’t Feel

& some video weirdness from GAMES

See you there!

PS. sorry to any who noticed my WordPress troubles