DON'T DO IT

Durrr w/Esser // Pure Groove // JDH + Dave P

2008-06-17T03:25:00.000-07:00

Don't Do It attended the Esser show at Durrr last night with Pure Groove Records DJs and a special set from JDH and Dave P. Esser were enjoyable, though a little less animated than usual. Their brand of bouncy electro pop is giddy and inoffensive; enjoyable though unremarkable. Erol Alkan, who has just finished wrapping up the new Late of the Pier album for release, was in attendance to see the band, and seemed genuinely enthusiastic about them. He was also enthusiastic about New York/Philly DJ duo JDH and Dave P., who host Fixed at NY ravespot Studio B, and deservedly so; the pair tore through a solid electro/house set that kept the crowds dancing, mixing remixes of/by the likes of Cut Copy, Midnight Juggernauts, Armand Van Helden and Hot Chip. We definately recommend you try and check them out if you can.

Next week Durrr will play host to underground DJ legend Whitey, Baltimore-based band Video Hippos and Erol Alkan, which is guaranteed to be a superb night.

Esser - I Love You

JDH myspace
Dave P myspace

Durrr

DON'T DO IT @ Trash Palace TOMORROW!

2008-06-10T14:04:00.000-07:00

This month Don't Do It's special guest is a Bugged Out regular and has residencies at All You Can Eat and Girlcore. NAOMI// has played at some of London's finest clubnight's and shared billing with some of the best DJ's and live acts around including Boys Noize, D.I.M., Midnight Juggernauts, Skull Juice, Crookers, Herve, Pilouski and Metronomy to name but a few. Broken Hookers put it rather well when describing Naomi//; "Expect a little bit of this, and a little bit of that, and a little bit of the other thrown in for good measure."

We can't wait.

Propping things up with a bit of tech, a dose of electro, a spot of disco and a dash of what's in between will be Don't Do It residents AUTOMAT JUKEBOX, and techno whiz kid and rising star CABIN BETA.

LIVE: The Dodos at The Amersham Arms

2008-06-04T09:23:00.000-07:00

Don't Do It attended the Dodos gig, hosted by Eat Your Own Ears, at the Amersham Arms last night. The San Francisco duo's second album Visiter, released last month on Wichita Records, is an exciting and spasmodic deconstruction of psychedelic folk, blues and rock music that could be rather crudely described as something akin to Animal Collective channelling the White Stripes. The band are joined on-stage by a third instrumentalist, opting to retain the few overdubs evident on the album instead of stripping them away, which is a pleasant surprise. Lead singer Meric Long sings sweetly over spiky guitar riffs, occasionally using a loop pedal to lay down vocal or guitar drones, while drummer Logan Kroeber's rapid rimshots sound like rattling bones, and are mixed with almost exclusive use of the toms, to create pounding, tribal rhythms. Their set is mostly made up of material from Visiter, (The misspelt name of the record came from a drawing a child did for them when they played at a special education class at Dorsey High in South Central on a road trip down to LA.) with highlights including Joe's Waltz and Paint The Rust. The Dodos are sensational on record, and perhaps even better live, and we highly recommend you get familiar with them if you haven't done so already.

The Dodos - Fools (Courtesy of Hate Something Beautiful)
The Dodos Myspace

Eat Your Own Ears

Moshi Moshi // Fleet Foxes // White Williams // F. Lunaire

2008-05-30T03:38:00.000-07:00

Don't Do It attended the Moshi Moshi Records gig last night at Hoxton Square Bar to witness the increasingly hyped (and acclaimed) Fleet Foxes play live, following their DJ set and signing at Rough Trade East just a few days ago. Here's how it went down:

The first act of the evening was London based F. Lunaire who opened his set with a keyboard and vocal led track that showcased his highly emotive voice, switching back and forth between caressing croons and Waits-esque growls, and his sensuous piano playing. His gritty urban tales are infused with a melancholy romance that, when it works, is haunting and effective. Though he (and his backing band) only played a short set, it was impressive and we're in no doubt that he has great potential as a serious pop act. The Mondestrunken EP is currently out on Stiff Records. You can also catch Lunaire playing keyboards for Kid Harpoon's band The Powers That Be.

F. Lunaire - La Lune (Live) (courtesy of Eyes For Indie)
F. Lunaire on Myspace

The next band on the bill were White Williams from Cleveland, USA. Lead singer Joseph Williams apologised for any "technical problems"; apparently some of their gear had gone missing during their travels and indeed this did effect their performance. The band got off to a rather shambolic start, Williams clearly exhausted and frustrated, but after a few songs they hit their stride, at which point they wielded their chaotic sound with intent. Mixing influences as varied as surf, stadium rock, electronica, calypso and pure pop they certainly made an interesting impression. Forced to cut their set short due to time restrictions, despite cheers from the crowd for more, they finished with a rather soulful rendition of 'Going Down', sounding like the experimental evil twin of Vampire Weekend. Their well-received debut album Smoke, mostly recorded by Williams on his laptop, is available now courtesy of Tigerbeat6 and we highly recommend it.

White Williams - Going Down (courtesy of Cubik Musik)
White Williams on Myspace

As soon as Fleet Foxes launch into their opening song after setting up it is clear by the audience's reaction who most people have come to see tonight. The band themselves are surprised by the extent of the rapturous reception, nervously smiling at one another and thanking the audience. For us it may not be so surprising; their self-titled debut album, set for release on June 3rd, has already been extensively hyped in the UK, receiving the album-of-the-month award in numerous publications, including Mojo. When we spoke to the band before their set they admitted to being rather oblivious to the media, frightened by the potentially destructive force of the hype machine. For the moment at least, they can enjoy the praise; their brand of harmonic American folk is certainly pleasing to the ears and is destined for wide appeal, falling somewhere between Iron & Wine and Yeasayer. Lead singer Robin Pecknold has an incredible voice; even singing a cappella with no accompaniment he remains pitch-perfect and expressive. The Seattle based five-piece showcase much of their new material, which the audience are already familiar with; "that's the internet for you" laughs Pecknold at one point, seated centre-stage on a rickety wooden chair, with nothing but affection, and rightfully it is nothing but affection that the audience returns to them tonight. Their self-titled LP is available through Bella Union and Sub Pop, and their equally brilliant EP, Sun Giant, is also out now.

Fleet Foxes - White Winter Hymnal
Fleet Foxes on Myspace

Moshi Moshi Music

LIVE REVIEW: Sunset Rubdown at the Luminaire 22/05/08

2008-05-24T04:29:00.000-07:00

Don't Do It were lucky enough to attend thursday's Sunset Rubdown show at the Luminaire, the first London performance for the Canadian five-piece. The band's sophomore album Random Spirit Lover, released last year on Jagjaguwar, was extremely well recieved by critics and fans, appearing in many end of year lists of best albums. Spencer Krug, the brains behind the operation, has been highly prolific of late; continuing to record as part of Frog Eyes (Tears of the Valedictorian another one of 2007's best), Wolf Parade (sophmore album prepped for imminent release) and the Frog Eyes/Destroyer/Krug collaboration that is Swan Lake, whose sophomore album is currently in the mixing stage. With Sunset Rubdown Krug is best able to show off his talent for merging beautiful melodies with a ghostly atmosphere and intelligent, emotive lyrics. Perched precariously on the edge of his stool, leaning forward, fingers dancing across the keyboard, he sings as if posessed by the spirits of the ghosts that inhabit his songs. Michael Doerksen's frantic guitar work compliments Krug with arresting precision. Wicked/Winged Things is even more chilling than on record, Trumpet Trumpet Toot! Toot! swathes the 200-odd capacity venue in a thick mist of noise and fan-favourite Stadiums And Shrines II, from the band's debut Shut Up I Am Dreaming, is met with rapturous cheers and applause. Shut Up I Am Dreaming Of Places Where Lovers Have Wings morphs into The Taming Of The Hands That Came Back To Life half way through. Pleas for For The Pier erupt throughout the night, the band repeatedly apologising for not being able to play it as they "don't know how" but they promise to learn it for the future. Three brand new songs are showcased; all of which are brilliant, perhaps even more anthemic than anything on the latest album. Highlights of the night include a highly energetic performance of The Mending Of The Gown and a rousing updated version of the haunting Little Lord, saved for the encore, after which the band disappear humbly backstage. As the cheers finally die down the chatter confirms what everyone was already thinking; "that was amazing".

Sunset Rubdown - The Mending Of The Gown

Dont do it in London mixtape1: The Broken Hookers

2008-05-23T02:50:00.000-07:00

The first of what i hope will be a running series of guest mixes, we proudly present the Broken Hookers for our first installment of the Dont Do It mixtapes.

The Broken Hookers hail from Middlesborough, have held residencies for Club NME, Polaroid and are responsible for the ArePeopleReal podcast series which runs bi-weekly on thursdays. Previous guests include, Kissy Sellout, Yuksek, Duke Dumont, Hannah Holland, Matt Walsh, Curses!, Midfield General and this week's guest is none other than Joe and Will Ask. To subscribe to the ArePeopleReal podcast simply go to: www.myspace.com/arepeoplereal

They have also been working hard in the studio producing a couple of funky tunes. Dig This is a piano based groover whilst Get People is more of a laid back slower affair. These are the first two in a line of tracks that they have been working on. I suggest you head over to their myspace and check it out... BIG TUNES.

www.myspace.com/brokenhookers

It is hard to pin the mix down to any genre of music but the result is brilliant to say the least, funky and eclectic. The selection of songs is that of a duo who know what they like as opposed to what is dictated to them on blogs. Forget heavy basslines and ridiculous remixes, they have opted for style and substance.

Tracklisting + URL:

Lindstrom - Music In My Mind
LCD Soundsystem - Freak Out
Aretha Franklin - Rock Steady
Aeroplane - Aeroplane
LCD Soundsystem - Starry Eyes
Arcade Lovers - Fantasy Lines (In Dub)
Hot Chip - Keep Falling
Lindstrom - Let's Practice (Dub Version)
Crackhaus - Accidentally Brilliant (Machine Gun Edit)
Portishead - Machine Gun
Hercules & Love Affair - Hercules Theme
Low Motion Disco - Love Love Love (Aeroplane Remix)
Matthew Dear - Don't Go This Way
Ali Renault - Zombie Raffle
Daft Punk - Short Circuit
Broken Hookers - Get People
Afrika Bambaataa & The Soul Sonic - Planet Rock (Westbam Remix)
Modeselektor - Dancing Box (Feat. TTC)
Black Devil Disco Club - Constantly No Respect
Brett Johnson - Flashback
Westbam - Monkey Say, Monkey Do
Tittsworth - Peanut Butter Jelly Time (Acapella)
The Brand New Heavies - I Don't Know Why I Love You (Kenny Dope Beats)
Cowboy Bebop - Tank (Luke Vibert Remix)
Menu - Moss Eisley (Tomski Fredboy Tarteledit)
In Flagranti - Silver White Boy
Matthew Dear - Dog Days (Acapella)

http://www.yousendit.com/transfer.php?action=download&ufid=0D10931412DA5BE3

Next week we hope to have a Bugged Out floating resident guest mix. Watch this space.

Golden Massey.

REVIEW: Islands - Arm's Way + Interview

2008-05-20T15:35:00.000-07:00

Arm’s Way is everything a sophomore album should be. Islands return with a record that is bolder, more confident, and more ambitious than one might have expected. Debut album Return To The Sea was quirky, fun and showcased some serious talent, but stunning tracks such as Swans, Volcanoes and Rough Gem made the more low-key moments seem less accomplished and interesting. Despite clocking in at a rather intimidating 70 minutes, Arm’s Way is stellar throughout. Opening track The Arm immediately sets the tone for what is to come, a crescendo of violins builds only to be attacked by lead singer Nick Thornburg’s menacing growl, launching a wave of Eastern-European sounding riffs, twisting together against a backdrop of pounding drums; a heavier sounding Islands. As the vocals come in we are reunited with the old familiar Islands sound, Nick singing with more confidence than ever before over muted guitars and lush strings. The two personalities battle against each other with equal flair until they are vaporized amongst a flurry of violin runs, with the leftover pieces falling and unravelling like confetti, signalling to the listener that this is the beginning of something new. The first half of the album delivers a slew of shorter gems, the Unicorns-era ‘Abominable Snow’ finally given the definitive treatment, while the second half of the album opens up to a more epic style, ‘To A Bond’ and ‘Vertigo’ containing some of the most beautiful and affecting moments the band have accomplished thus far. The production is clean, and provides enough space for the various instruments and noises to breathe, while maintaining an atmosphere of unity. The Chow Brothers compliment Thornburg’s vocals with some nice strings and synth work, while the rhythm section, including Patrice Agbokou’s legendary bass skills (he played for Prince at age 12), keeps everything together with energetic aplomb. Thornburg’s lyrics are often ambiguous and even surreal, keeping a strong balance between absurd fun and genuine emotion, and even when his voice begins to break, reaching beyond its grasp, he keeps going as if he believes these songs are the greatest thing ever. Give this album some time and you might just believe the same.

Don't Do It caught up with Islands drummer Aaron Harris for a brief chat:

DDI You joined Islands in 2006, how did you originally meet Nick and get involved?

AH Nick and I met eachother through mutual friends, before "Return to the Sea" had been released...everyone seems to know everyone in Montreal...its like one giant fucking ski lodge.

DDI You grew up in Pittsburgh, what was it that attracted you to McGill University in Montreal?

AH I thought that I wanted to go to McGill for a great music education; it turned out Montreal is an excellent city for, among other things, drinking. Whoops, there goes my education!

DDI You recorded some backing vocals for the new album, do you do any of your own songwriting?

AH I used to be in a band where I was the lead singer and co-songwriter but I always sounded like I was auditioning for a role on Broadway. I was more than happy to sing backup on Arm's Way.

DDI What's your favourite thing about being in Islands?

AH What's my favorite thing about being in Islands? Being in a band is awesome. Everyone knows that.

DDI What have you been listening to most, recently?

AH I really love the Dodo's new album, which is what I've been listening to recently....I'd love to tour and/or collaborate with them.

Upset The Rhythm: Xiu Xiu, Chris Garneau, Telepathe, Soiled Mattress & The Springs live!

2008-05-20T13:45:00.000-07:00

Don't Do It attended the Xiu Xiu gig at the University of London Union last night, hosted by Upset the Rhythm, with support from Soiled Mattress & The Springs, Telepathe and Chris Garneau. Here's how it went down:

A little before 8pm NY brio Soiled Mattress & The Springs, consisting of one sax player, a keyboard player and a drummer, took to the stage with their kinetic intrumental jazz pop, sax player Matthew Thurber diving into the audience during songs, and making jokes between them. Their set was enjoyable, but ultimately their music lacked any distinctive qualities to make it worth recommending.

The next band, another trio from NY, called Telepathe, made a much bigger impression. Lead singer Melissa Lidaudais strides across the stage with confidence, warning the audience of the coming bass assault. She triggers a thundering sequence through her sampler, percussionist Busy Gagnes providing extra beats and guitarist Ryan Lucero layering in atmospheric drones with his reverb-soaked guitar, over which Lidaudais begins to half speak/half sing over, teetering on the edge of the stage in a trance. The band's set mixed elements of hip hop with the occassional pop melody to great success, and left us eager to hear their upcoming Dave Sitek-produced debut album Dance Mother.

With minimal change-over times we finally arrived at the last support act, Chris Garneau, performing solo. Unfortunately the excitement built up thus far was deflated by Garneau's dreary love songs, almost all of which were addressed to an un-named "you", either saying goodbye or professing a regret for leaving. Though the man is blessed with a stunning and emotive voice, his songwriting is highly repetitive and banal. One suspects he may have been selected to boost the impact of Xiu Xiu's set...

...which was simply incredible. The current incarnation of the band includes, aside from primary songwriter and composer Jamie Stewart, Stewart's multi-instrumentalist cousin Caralee McElroy, drummer Ches Smith and bassist Devin Hoff, all of whom performed on every song of the night. A number of tracks from latest album Women As Lovers were played, including I Do What I Want, No Friend OH!, F.T.W. and Master of the Bump, and they all came to life spectacularly, and more often than not revealed elements that one might have not noticed on record. The songs were generally more aggresive, employing more striking elements of metal and noise, even on previously intimate and subdued songs such as Master of the Bump, which have been re-worked and mutated. Old favourites such as Clowne Towne and A Clover mixed well into the set under this new aesthetic, which lent every track a new unpredictability and energy. Despite the confrontational aspect of the music, moments of intimacy and tenderness, as well as quiet foreboding, were given plenty of space to breathe, and were as affecting as ever. The audience remained eerily silent throughout the whole set, apart from cheering and applauding between songs, and Stewart hardly spoke. The tension was palpable. Despite a good ten minutes of cheers for an encore the band did not reappear, not surprising; Stewart is hardly one to give in to convention or expectations.

Soiled Mattress & The Springs - Tidal Wave
Telepathe - Chrome It
Chris Garneau - Black and Blue
Xiu Xiu - I Do What I Want When I Want

ON THE SLOPES

2008-05-20T11:49:00.000-07:00

Hello you. Here's a copy of my new track. It appropriates a lot of the ideologies which underpin everything else I've ever done (introspection, deconstruction of the Western pop aesthetic (repetition/nonrepetition, melody/nonmelody blah blah bleurgh) although I've played with linearity here too. Unlike the others, it's designed exclusively for the dancefloor. It's a mix of Marcell Dettmann and Ben Klock's Scenario single. Specifically it's a mix of the b-side Blank Scenario which is somewhat more skeletal although retains the fundamental elements of subversive pop (in this case the construction of melody from rhythmic instrumentation).

Marcell Dettmann And Ben Klock - Blank Scenario (Cabin Beta's Alpine Rework)

REVIEW: Scarlett Johansson - Anywhere I Lay My Head

2008-05-14T03:10:00.000-07:00

After listening to this album I felt a strong urge to post about it, especially after reading some remarkably unfair reviews that completely miss the point and simply attack Johansson for producing what some view as a 'vanity project'. I'm sure you're all familiar with the situation; A-list starlet Johansson has assembled a stellar ensemble of talent (Dave Sitek of TV on the Radio, Nick Zinner of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, David Bowie and more) to cover a selection of Tom Waits songs, mostly from the latter half of his career, and provide one original track, written by Johansson and Sitek. The result is a gorgeous slice of shoegaze that will no doubt leave a lot of people scratching their heads, or merely shrugging their shoulders indifferently. While Johansson definately gives a new spin to these songs, this is hardly aimed at Tom Waits fans. It seems less like a decision to pay homage to one of her favourite songwriters, and more like a result of not having enough confidence to write her own material. Johansson has been heavily criticised for her subdued, subtle vocal performance; is she holding back? Or is it intentional? If this issue is likely to infuriate you, then you will not enjoy this album. There are moments that come across as uncomfortable, when she sings "I will drink you under the table" there is a strong sense of 'phonyness'; it does indeed sound forced. Yet there is something intriguing about listening to the young Hollywood actress take on this role, attempting to inhabit Wait's world of seedy characters and lonely old towns; she clearly does not belong there, you can tell by the way she sings, even if you didn't know who she was. It is a fantasy, another role for her to play, but one that remains beyond her reach. Creating the backdrop for this fantasy is skilled producer Dave Sitek, who lends the album its lush soundscapes. Sitek layers ambient elements over subtle drums and droning guitars to create a sprawling sea of noise that flows around Johansson's often deadpan vocal, submerging the listener, though he maintains a sense of space that keeps us from drowning; the vast, open America is not forgotten. With the only original track on the album, Song for Jo, Johansson provides the one completely honest moment here, as she sings "do you rememember how we'd fallen asleep on the bathroom floor... cold as the sound of your daddy's house... you are alive today". The melody and lyrics provide a strong feminine counterpoint to the Waits tracks (even if it is unclear as to whether she sings from a male or female point of view), and the result is possibly one of the most enjoyable songs on the album. With this in mind I would like to make a plea to Ms. Johansson and Mr. Sitek to make an entire album of original tracks as soon as possible.

Scarlett Johansson - Song for Jo

REVIEW: Wolf Parade - At Mount Zoomer

2008-04-30T12:34:00.000-07:00

Wolf Parade's 2005 debut album Apologies to the Queen Mary was an interesting mix of quirky synth pop and intelligent indie that was difficult not to enjoy. Songs like Shine A Light and I'll Believe In Anything were infectious, energetic and so full of enthusiasm that you couldn't help but appreciate the sheer fun of it. At Mount Zoomer is immediately a more serious and darker affair. There are nine songs; four Boecnker-led tracks, four Krug-led tracks and one, the epic album closer 'Kissing the Beehive', where the pair duet to great effect. The most surprising thing about the album upon first listen is the fact that Krug's material is nowhere near as good as his contributions to Apologies, delivering what mostly sound like Random Spirit Lover B-Sides. This isn't to say that his material is poor, but rather it falls extremely short of the high standards that he has reached so consistently in the past. Boeckner, on the other hand, is on top form, providing the album's most instantly enjoyable tracks, including album highlight 'Language City'. Perhaps it is unfair to seperate the two in this way, but there is an even more distinct difference between the pair's approach this time around, and it is difficult to ignore. While Boeckner remains quite firmly rooted in the indie pop side, Krug continues to sound even more strange and uncomfortable. While 'An Animal In Your Care' could have had a sinister but intimate quality to it, Krug buries his voice under a mountain of reverb, which makes him sound distant and disinterested. Overall the production seems to detract from the band's sound, lacking the warmth and sharpness of Apologies. The band admitted to experimenting with improvisation during the writing and recording process, but much of the seemingly improvised instrumental breaks lack either any interesting immersive sounds to draw the listener in, or a lead instrumentalist to rise above the noise and carry a melody. Disappointments aside, the album certainly has its merits; 'Soldier's Grin' bounces along with fair aplomb, and the previously mentioned 'Language City' builds to a rousing climax. The ten-minute album closer, 'Kissing The Beehive', is perhaps the most ambitious thing they have ever done, and works brilliantly. Overall, At Mount Zoomer is an enjoyable listen, but is not nearly as fun as the album that made us all fall in love with this band in the first place.

Wolf Parade - Call It A Ritual

What do Colour Revolt, Animal Collective, Fat Possum and William Faulkner have in common?

2008-04-28T02:43:00.000-07:00

Oxford, Mississippi. Home of the famous blues record label Fat Possum, whose current roster boasts Andrew Bird, The Black Keys, R.L. Burnside, Dinosaur Jr., T. Model Ford and The Fiery Furnaces amongst others, and the Sweet Tea recording studio, previously frequented by artists such as Modest Mouse, Elvis Costello and The Walkmen, and most recently Animal Collective.

Enter new Oxford darlings Colour Revolt.

Colour Revolt, the town's latest export, first started playing together while studying at the University of Missippi, or Ole Miss as it's called. Their 2005 EP, recorded at Esperenza Plantation in Jackson, was well recieved and garnered a lot of attention on the blog circuit. They soon built a steady following with energetic performances and a whole lot of shows, eventually signing to Fat Possum.

Debut album Plunder Beg and Curse is honest, raw and uncompromising. Naked and Red opens the album with a bang, Jesse Coppenbarger’s vocals spilling out onto a canvas of razor-sharp guitars and pounding drums, but the band are just as affecting when they take a more subtle approach, the ambient effects of songs such as Moses of the South and What Will Come of Us providing the perfect backdrop for Coppenbarger’s vivid images of love, loss and religion in the South. On Innocent and All they strike a particularly natural and striking balance between the two styles, with reverb-soaked guitar licks evocative of early Modest Mouse, married to simple yet ambiguous lyrics, sung with the weariness of someone who has become accustomed to the cyclical seasons of love and loss. Plunder Beg and Curse is easy to recommend, and should appeal to anyone who can appreciate honesty over innovation.

Don't Do It caught up with Colour Revolt's new bassist, Patrick Addison, to get the lowdown on the recording and release, as well as to see what else is going on in the great town of Oxford, MS:

DDI You joined the band quite recently, replacing the previous bassist. What was it like having to fill somebody else's spot?

PA I was a little worried at first, because this is a band that has been touring for a while on their own. They all knew each other's styles and had learned to play accordingly. When I jumped in, surprisingly enough, I was able to perform no problem. We actually began rewriting songs and writing new ones. It all happened so fast, but it kind of fit like a glove. We all complemented each other in our playing and it was kind of as if I had been in the band for years and as if I wasn't new at all.

DDI You came in just before the recording of the album, which was recorded at Sweet Tea Studios with Clay Jones, what was that like? How did it feel to get creative in an environment shared by so many other great artists?

PA It was pretty natural working with Clay as well. He is one of our best friends and a guy that we hang out with on a daily basis. We kind of all understand each other and know each other's limits. So when we got into Sweet Tea to begin recording, it was like all of us hanging out, playing music, having fun. There was no real stress involved with that process at all. Clay let us do our thing and pushed for us to do it like that. In the studio, we all kind of fed off of each other and I think that really comes out onto the record. We had a whole lot of fun doing this thing.

DDI Have you had any previous experience with Sweet Tea before doing the album?

PA I actually started out as an Intern at Sweet Tea before landing an actual engineering job there. I probably worked there for 5 months before deciding to continue to pursue school and get a degree before jumping into the music thing.

DDI What was it like working there? Did you get to work on any particularly interesting projects (albums)?

PA It was a very intense, but professional environment. The projects I worked on were a lot of fun and hanging out with the bands were great. I was there for an album by this Australian band, End of Fashion. I also worked on this UK band, The Blueskins, and was present for the mixing of a Fischerspooner single.

DDI What do you think it is about Oxford that makes it such a hotspot for great talent? What do you think makes it different from music scenes elsewhere, and do you think it will ever be succeptible to the 'hype machine' that has picked up on places like Montreal? Do you think it tends to slip under the rader?

PA Oxford is a unique place. It's a small town of about 15,000 people, and it is all centered around the town square. This is where the nightlife takes place. With a town so small, you get to know, or at least recognize, just about everyone. It's this southern hospitality town and that's really where it all begins. Everyone is supportive of everyone else, no matter what your taste. It's like we are all in it together. So as soon as someone starts doing well, everyone teams up and supports that. It is definitely different than other cities and it probably will never get like the scenes of Athens, Austin, or Montreal. But there definitely is something special and unique about the music that comes out of here and there is no real explanation for why other than it's how we were raised. Music is a large part of this community and we are very proud of that.

DDI Who have you seen around town recently?

PA Well with Sweet Tea being such a sought-after studio we get to see a lot of great people around town. Since I've lived in Oxford we have seen Elvis Costello, Modest Mouse, The Walkmen, The Hives, and most recently Animal Collective and Ben Folds.

DDI The band garnered a respectable amount of label interest following your performance at SXSW last year, what was it exactly that swayed the group's decision to go with Fat Possum in the end?

PA It was kind of interesting because we were sitting there talking to our lawyer about possible labels and stuff, and someone, I think it was Clay Jones, said, "what about Fat Possum?" It just kind of clicked all of a sudden. They are located 15 minutes down the road and we all kind of knew a lot of the guys who work there anyway, from classes or from around town. We brought them a CD with our demos and they were immediately excited about it. Even though we dragged out the process for a pretty long time with our confirmation, we really had kind of decided that day that we would be going with Fat Possum.

DDI Between college deadlines, classes and other commitments, the band has managed to play quite a lot of cities across the states recently, was this your first experience going on tour, personally? What did you learn from this experience?

PA My first tour with Colour Revolt was going to SXSW in 2007. It was interesting because we had all our stuff, van and trailer included, stolen in Dallas, TX. That brought us all together pretty quickly. But yeah, since joining the band over a year ago now, I've probably played somewhere around 200 shows or more with them. I had not toured a whole lot before Colour Revolt. I did a lot of studio work in Mississippi and Nashville and played some out of town shows with some other bands, but never extensive like this. I wasn't sure exactly how I was going to take the new transition, but I really love it. I love driving and seeing places. It is definitely exhausting at times, but you are doing what you love to do, and thats play music in front of people every night. It's been a really great experience and I hope that it gets to last for a long time.

DDI You're about to go out on a two week support slot with The Breeders, that must be exciting, are you looking forward to it?

PA Very much so. I mean, it's the fucking Breeders. How the hell did that work out? We don't know, but we are stoked about it. Should be a whole lot of fun. We can't wait to get out there.

DDI Any plans to come over to Europe?

PA We definitely plan to, just have nothing set in stone quite yet. The record is released in UK on April 7, so that is the first step. Hope that goes well and we'll see what we can do to get there as fast as we can.

Colour Revolt - Matresses Underwater

Interview with Tim Kingsbury from Arcade Fire

2008-04-24T11:51:00.000-07:00

Here's a very special treat for you all; Don't Do It team up with Butterscotch Magazine to bring you this rare insight into one of the greatest Indie Bands of our generation, the Arcade Fire, from the perspective of the group's stoic and typically reserved bass player and guitarist, Tim Kingsbury. We caught up with Tim as the tour for the band's successful sophemore album Neon Bible came to a close.

DDI Just a few years ago you were working as a telephone surveyor, what was life like for you back then? Were you actively looking to get involved in music? How did you get into the Arcade Fire?

TK It was a really exciting time for me. I've been playing in bands since I was 16. I moved to Montreal about 7 years ago in order to start a band. I was also really broke at the time, paying off one credit card with another. I worked in a grocery store called Warshaw for a while and then I worked for a couple of years for a pharmaceutical market research company, cold-calling doctors to do over the phone surveys. Pretty much everyone that worked there played in a band or was a dancer or an artist by trade. I made lots of friends there. The money was bad, but the atmosphere was pretty laid-back, and we could make free photocopies for show posters. I started a band when I got here with my friend Annesley and she suggested that her friend Richard Parry would be a good bass player. I asked Jeremy [Gara] to come and play with us when our drummer couldn't do some shows. I'd known Jeremy when I lived in Ottawa from playing in bands together. We played a bunch of shows in Montreal and a few out of town shows. At some point a couple of people asked me if I'd ever seen a band called Arcade Fire. I hadn't. Richie saw them play once in his class at Concordia and he wasn't too impressed. This was before Regine was in the band. But I kept hearing good things about them and I ended up meeting Win when he came to one of our shows. Shortly after that I saw AF at somebody's loft and was really excited about it. At that point things were pretty sloppy but they had a really exciting energy about them. We ended up doing some shows together and a few months later both of our bands were breaking up. Richie had been asked to help out with some recording that they were doing in Maine that summer. I was invited to go too, but I opted to go on a cross-Canada trek with Jeremy and a couple of other guys. The recording AF did became the "Self Titled EP". I started playing in the band later that fall and we started recording Funeral the next summer.

DDI When did you first start playing the guitar? Who were your idols growing up; which musicians or performers did you really look up to?

TK I grew up in a musical family. My older brother is Brett Kingsbury and he's an amazing performer. We went to a church where my mother was one of the pianists and music organizers. My siblings and I would sing in front of the church and we also all took piano lessons. I really didn't listen to much top 40 until I was in middle school. As a kid I was exposed to a lot of Christian rock. One guy that I liked as a kid and still do is Larry Norman. Sadly, I just saw that he passed away a couple of days ago. I stopped playing music for a couple of years, but when I was 14 my mom's friend gave me a nylon string guitar and I immediately took to it. I learned some chords and started writing songs. I also learned a lot of classic rock, metal and some punk music. A couple of years later I started to get into Pavement and Palace and Dinosaur Jr.

DDI Getting such a large number of musicians together for rehearsal sessions must be difficult; do you have any ground rules for these periods? Do you treat it as work, or is it more relaxed?

TK Funnily, we've never been a band that was much for rehearsing. Before the Neon Bible tour, we had about a week and a half of rehearsing. The best rehearsals have always been shows. That was partly why we started off the tour with 5 night residencies at smaller venues- so we could find our feet. We've never been a band to play a song over and over until we get it right. If it sounds bad and stops being fun, we don't usually last long with it.

DDI The touring for Neon Bible was pretty extensive, what were the most interesting or memorable moments during this period for you personally?

TK The beginning of the tour was intense, particularly when we were in New York. Everything was coming at us and we had a whole bunch of new people working with us. We were also still finding our feet as a live band again too. It was as stressed as I've ever felt with the band. Touring with LCD was a blast. I love those guys. They're such a good band and to play with them night after night was about as good as touring can get. They're also great to hang out with. They love seeking out good food and coffee, which are basically the most important things on tour.

DDI You're known to be quite reserved on stage compared to some of the more theatrical performances of certain other members of the band.
Is this is a conscious decision? Would you say you have adopted a particular stage persona, or do you feel the same both on and off stage?

TK I think this is partly genetic and partly psychological. My dad is the most seemingly laid-back dude on earth and the apple didn't fall far from the tree. I feel like my role in the band is partly as glue. I think I help hold everything together to a certain extent. Win and Will come from a show business family. Richie grew up in the arts. Regine is completely naturally flamboyant. I grew up in a fairly evangelical Christian family in southern Ontario. My ancestors are farmers [laughs].

DDI What have you been listening to most, recently? Are there any new or upcoming bands you're particularly excited about?

TK My wife is really in to older country music and she's really got me into some stuff I never knew about. Some of it's kind of campy (Sandy Posey) and some of its awesome (Gram Parsons). It's been kind of exciting to listen to a whole load of stuff that I didn't really know anything about. I'm also excited about my friends band "The Harbour Coats" It's Brian Webb from the Constantines and Mike Feuerstack from Snailhouse and a couple of other friends. They've been doing some recording out at the [Arcade Fire] church and it sounds great.

DDI What do you enjoy doing when you're not busy with the band?

TK Well... I just bought some ice skates which have been fun. I hadn't skated in years, but now I'm skating every day at a park by my house. My triple axle is coming along nicely. Another big project is that my wife and I bought some land out in the country and we're going to start building on it sometime in the not-too-distant future. I intend to learn a lot more about carpentry and become a handyman.
I've been reading a lot about design and 'eco-friendly' building. On a related note, if you haven't heard of him, I highly recommend reading about a guy named Buckminster Fuller; amazing guy.

READ THE FULL UNEDITED INTERVIEW IN THE NEXT ISSUE OF BUTTERSCOTCH MAGAZINE COMING SOON!

The Arcade Fire - Broken Window

swish indie tunes of 1st quart 2008

2008-04-22T17:48:00.000-07:00

Animal Collective - Street Flash
Colour Revolt - Moses of the South
Cut Copy - Hearts On Fire
Destroyer - Shooting Rockets
Dodos - Fools
Islands - Kids Don't Know Shit
The Mae Shi - Run To Your Grave
Midnight Juggernaurts - Nine Lives Ok, this one's not 2008, but it still rules to this day.
MGMT - Kids
Vampire Weekend - Walcott
The Whigs - Right Hand on my Heart
Xiu Xiu - F.T.W.

2008-04-21T15:16:00.000-07:00

You wanna war you got one. We give them guns. We roll the cameras and dig their graves. We show you what they see. We tell you how they feel and how you should feel back. There are heroes, martyrs, enemies, victims. We end it and we make you wait for the new season.

Government Alpha - Vasty Nostalgic Glen

Don't Panic /// Don't Do It /// Don't ?

2008-04-16T15:15:00.000-07:00

Click here to follow the link to the Don't Panic website where you can enter to win guest list spots for DON'T DO IT this Saturday!!

Click here to see what other goodies Don't Panic are offering!

Please note that Nein DJs (Snap Crackle and Pop) are stepping in for Cannonballs, who are unable to attend due to unforseen circumstances. Residents at NEINDISKOBALLS, NEIN DJ'S have taken their minimal tech/house sets to some of the finest clubs and nights in London and further afield.

AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST don't forget that DON'T PANIC are launching their stellar new night this Friday at Proud Galleries, with a killer line-up of live acts and guest DJs.

Don't miss out!!!

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Don't Do It @ Redstar This Saturday...

2008-04-14T13:31:00.000-07:00