KOAR News
Posted December 11, 2007 — in Music News
First Led Zeppelin Review: KOAR loves this title for Led Zeppelins first ‘live’ review ‘Most modern number one hits could fit into one of their guitar solos’. Support act Paolo Nutini, 20, told The Sun: “I wasn’t alive the first time around but I’ve seen the footage on DVD.“Now watching them live, I’ve been taught a true musical lesson. Check out the set list here..
Spicy or Mild? Capitol Music partnered with lingerie retailer Victoria’s Secret for the exclusive release of the Spice Girls greatest hits album. According to HITS, ‘Victoria’s Secret ordered 600k CD’s one-way from the Capitol Music Group, meaning no returns’ while the chain refused to offer a count of how many albums they sold. Obviously, it can’t be compelling. Even with prime-time appearances on TV and a music video that doubles as a commercial spot there is still a small demand for the former teen queens. Almost half of the seats in the Mandalay Arena auditorium were empty as the Spice Girls took to the stage for their second show in Las Vegas.
Pete Wentz blogs on the Grammys: Trent ranted about the Grammys - now Fallout Boy’s Pete Wentz gives his take on the grammy’s and it’s slightly less angry.
Wentz writes on his blog:
we wont lie to you, accolades from our peers feel great. however, a fifty year old white man shouldnt decide whether we are relevant or not- and he doesn’t. we wanted to thank you for making us feel relevant- for sitting up all night to get into our shows and for buying our music.
The Future of Geffen Records Is In Question: Sources are speculating about the future of Geffen Records who has housed artists including Guns N’ Roses, Nirvana, Sonic Youth, and Counting Crows. Although layoffs are imminent, one source within the organization pointed to a shutdown. Another source claims the Geffen imprint would continue to be associated with certain artists and releases, but the real action would be happening elsewhere.
New Music: Check out this Toronto based band Crystal Castles that is described by Loud & Quiet as “the most exciting and original band in the world right now”. They will be releasing their first full-length album, on Last Gang Records in February 2008. No doubt this sounds like NOISE, but sometimes NOISE is good. Listen to the track Alice Practice.
Its about time you mentioned Crystal Castles. I have been a fan of them for a while. Good pick!
Comment by davey — December 11, 2007 @ 10:58 am
I wish I could witness this one time Zeppelin performance. Who know’s, maybe they will tour.
Comment by liz — December 11, 2007 @ 11:52 am
Crystal castles??? HAHAHAHAHAHAH!!! You want to see why cd’s stopped selling… click on the Crystal castles link and it will speak for itself! This is soooo insulting to the music buyers of the world. Enough said… I am ashamed that you allowed this one up Dean!! Good lord!!
Comment by Cris — December 11, 2007 @ 1:27 pm
Huh? Seriously? This is the “most exciting and original” band in the world? What world exactly would that be? I think I heard this on an Atari 2600 video game like 20 years ago…
This will no doubt save the music industry…
Comment by Jason — December 11, 2007 @ 1:29 pm
Finally an artist you have posted that I already/actually enjoy. Crystal Castles is good dance, good vibes. If you need a riff and a hook don’t bother. Great live show as well with live drums.
Comment by A2daC — December 11, 2007 @ 2:05 pm
Hey, Tuesday is Hipster Day! Lets give them a Day in the sun. Pop some ecstasy and chill… - Dean
Comment by koar — December 11, 2007 @ 2:09 pm
Crystal Castles, 9500 plays today…..
could see this sound being big in clubs.
it’s funny, but in the original film “Heavy Metal” the band in the last story sounded the same.
just would like to have Crystal Castles take the “Thrash” off their myspace, someone from another planet might get the wrong idea….
Comment by larry anderson — December 11, 2007 @ 5:22 pm
Crystal Castles. This is actually the most refreshing sound I’ve heard in years. It’s like they’re from another planet. Magic Spells is completelly beautiful, not noise at all.
Comment by Andy — December 11, 2007 @ 5:55 pm
“the most exciting and original band in the world right now” I’m sure they will have exactly the same career arc as every other band dubbed ‘exciting and original’ by pretentious hipster critics — meaning they won’t even make a blip on the radar and will disappear as quickly as they arrived.
Everyone’s entitled to their opinion — music is mainly personal taste, after all — but I found it boring at best and annoying at worst.
Comment by jalan — December 12, 2007 @ 6:35 am
I am in love with Crystal Castles.
To Jalan (the comment above me), they’ve already made a blip. They’ve sold out 3 big shows in London this month. I tried getting a ticket for one of the shows on ebay but they price got ridiculous. Also, Pitchfork has reports on Crystal Castles all the time, which is amazing for a band that’s only released 2 vinyl singles.
Comment by Japanther — December 12, 2007 @ 7:04 am
Fair enough. I should have clarified my ‘blip on the radar’ comment by meaning making any kind of impression on the general public — outside of the hipster circles.
Check back on them in another year, or better yet, five years. If they’re truly “the most exciting and original band in the world right now” they should have a HUGE following, mainstream or cult (ala Radiohead). Otherwise, they’re just another over-hyped band from a scene that seems to praise the stylish and eccentric over the truly talented. Just my .02.
Comment by jalan — December 12, 2007 @ 1:13 pm
Jalan, don’t be ridiculous. A band doesn’t need to be bigger than the Beatles to be a rising star. They don’t have to sell a million records independently before they can be considered an exciting band.
Don’t get me wrong, I have also adopted the policy of being suspicious of anything Pitchfork endorses, but we’re all grown up here; we can form our own opinions. Holding new artists to a standard of meaningless indicators most known bands couldn’t meet does nothing more than make you miss out on opportunities.
‘Great’ is not a genre. Artists are out to create different things should only be judged by how well they execute that vision. Have a trip hop jug band? I don’t care…but be the best trip hop jug band that has ever been and ever will be. Master the jug and all its capabilities. Maybe they will offend your personal sense of structure and melody, but that doesn’t automatically make it bad.
Comment by AJ-KOAR — December 12, 2007 @ 9:57 pm
Dude. Read my posts. I’m not being ridiculous and I’m not trying to make up anyone’s mind for them. I said in my initial post:
“Everyone’s entitled to their opinion — music is mainly personal taste, after all — but I found it boring at best and annoying at worst.”
My opinion. Nothing more.
And we’re not talking about “most known bands” here, as you suggested. According to the ‘experts’ at Loud & Quiet, we’re talking about “the most exciting and original band in the world right now”. A band of that genius and stature SHOULD be bigger than The Beatles and should SURPASS all those ‘meaningless indicators’ (and if sales numbers are meaningless, why does KOAR post them frequently?).
All I’m saying is that it’s a ridiculous, overblown quote and anyone who wants to defend it should be required to check back on the band in a few years and see how they’re doing. Surely, “the most exciting and original band in the world right now” you would have to have a massive following (mainstream or cult) after five years on the scene, no?
There’s a VAST different between ‘personal favorite’ and ‘greatest in the world’. Those who don’t undertand that shouldn’t be broadcasting their opinions to the masses.
Comment by jalan — December 13, 2007 @ 6:54 am
WOW!! I didn’t know there was market for this crap…lol
Comment by Full Devil Jacket — December 13, 2007 @ 7:24 am
I thought “blip pop” (making electronic music with 8-bit video game samples) was a trend that got played out almost 2 years ago. This isn’t a niche I’d put money on, but these guys have their shit together. Moreso than David Sugar & the like, at least. I could see it being a really intense live show. And I could see them moving away from 8-bit sounds when the novelty wears off.
I don’t think this band is overhyped because to people who like this style of music, I wouldn’t be surprised if this really was the most exciting & original band they’re aware of. In this new niche-based market, statements like that no longer apply across the board. Like AJ said, do what you do, be the best at it, & hope you can build a niche there. Trying to be mainstream is passe.
Comment by Jon Cole — December 13, 2007 @ 8:04 am
Not to belabor my point, but they may very well be “the most exciting and original band in the *BLIP POP* scene right now”, but again, that’s very different than “the world” — the Led Zeppelin or Rolling Stones of ‘blip pop’ are still unknown by about 98% of the globe. So in that sense, they are extraordinarily overhyped, at least by Loud & Quiet and their followers.
My issue here isn’t with the music (it’s not my cup of tea, but good for you if you dig it), nor is it with AJ’s philosophy to be the best ‘you’ you can be (which seems obvious, but is still overlooked by many bands) — it’s with the assumption of some sites/critics/etc. that their personal tastes either do or should speak for the rest of the planet. It’s incredibly egocentric. Just my own personal beef with people who think they’re god’s gift, I guess.
If they’re truly a ‘world class’ band, time will prove them as such. If not, time will prove Loud & Quiet and similar ’style makers’ to be ignorant, arrogant or both. In the meantime, enjoy listening to what you like and in the words of Chuck D “don’t believe the hype”.
Comment by jalan — December 13, 2007 @ 8:42 am
“World class” is a thing of the past. Everyone’s got their own little world now. I can say The Films are making the best music in the entire world right now. And to me they are. I’m not saying more people will enjoy the Films’ music than they will Gwen Stefani’s. Because that’s my world, that’s my niche… the Films, Mando Diao, Kings of Leon, the 22-20s, Black Rebel, the White Stripes… that’s the kind of stuff that gets me off. (In terms of modern music, at least.) To me that’s not hype, that’s a testimonial, & these testimonials will drive the new niche-based world of music. Yes, personal enjoyment & musical quality are two very different things, but sometimes those collide, & I think that justifies such a bold statement.
Hype is generated for the sake of profits. That’s what Chuck D is chastising. Hype would be someone taking this writer’s words (not Dean, necessarily), & proliferating them out of context, repeating them as if they felt the words were true, when in fact they have some self-serving motivation behind it. (I don’t think this is what Dean was trying to do.) Or hype would be making statements about a band that you don’t believe to be true.
Chuck D wasn’t saying “Don’t believe someone’s opinion unless it lines up with most of the world. Or at least one million other people.”
Comment by Jon Cole — December 13, 2007 @ 9:31 am
“it’s with the assumption of some sites/critics/etc. that their personal tastes either do or should speak for the rest of the planet. It’s incredibly egocentric.”
I agree with this. Attribute it to a lethal combination of every kid thinking they deserve to be a celebrity and the internet allowing them the opportunity. ANYONE can start a music website and have a blog, no matter how far up their own asses they may be. It has seriously hurt legitimate music journalism, which really wasn’t all that great to begin with.
Take music sites with a grain of salt. You don’t know who is writing that stuff. It’s most likely some 16 year old indie snob who thinks ‘alternate tunings’ means you don’t have to know how to tune a guitar.
Comment by AJ-KOAR — December 14, 2007 @ 12:44 am