c/d: akron/family

always blown away by the drummer

^^^^ still think love is simple is their best tho

this is really good. maybe being free of michael gira is liberating. the first song sounds almost like yes

but they already sounded like Yes on the second song of the split with Angels of Light!

"moment"? it's an awesome jam, maybe an impressionistic version of yes. i hear more dead in it myself. on "everyone is guilty" there are stretches of straight up "yours is no disgrace" intricacy. but who cares. it's all good. can't wait to see these guys again

well, I was thinkin' specifically of the weird proggy riff thing they go into for a little while right before the song gets all twangy and quiet.

haven't heard the new one yet, but if it rocks harder then I am down with that.

there's an instrumental called "mbf" you might like then that's a little like when "raising the sparks" gets really going

Friendly dudes.

gira is going to be playing in LA when these dudes are going to be in town so hopefully they show up for that.

also they have a mind freak magician opening up for them on one day or something. I hope he comes out and jams w/ them

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51WN5rn3vZL._SS500_.jpg

Set 'Em Wild, Set 'Em Free is the fourth album by Akron/Family. It was released on May 5, 2009 by Dead Oceans Records (and in Europe by Crammed Discs).

"Everyone Is Guilty" - 5:58
"River" - 4:46
"Creatures" - 4:13
"The Alps & Their Orange Evergreen" - 3:51
"Set 'Em Free, Pt.1" - 2:37
"Gravelly Mountains of the Moon" - 7:41
"Many Ghosts" - 4:05
"MBF" - 3:14
"They Will Appear" - 6:28
"Sun Will Shine (Warmth of the Sunship version)" - 5:13
"Last Year" - 1:40

sorry i posted the wrong album:

(from Akron/Family newsletter)
"We’re super excited to announce the inception of Family Tree Records — our very own imprint designed to bring you rare & unreleased Ak/Fam material, our own side projects and eventually, a few brand new artists we think you’ll love.

So, to officially induct Family Tree, we’re beginning with what will be the first entry in our Improv Series — a set of releases devoted to the AkAk fringe, experiments pointed towards the outermost cosmos.

That said, we present you with Totem (Improv Series 1) — the results of us hopping onto WFMU’s Frow Show and laying a 70-minute freakout to tape

After bringing the Totem discs out on our Winter tour through the south, they were gone before we knew what to do. So we’ve decided to make it available in the digital realm."

Available at http://akronfamily.bandcamp.com/

1. Totem 1 02:05
2. Totem 2 03:54
3. Totem 3 02:26
4. Totem 4 02:00
5. Totem 5 02:18
6. Totem 6 04:26
7. Changing Positions of the Sun 16:42
8. Village Awareness 07:26
9. Totemic 00:59
10. Planing Sideways. Graphical 09:05
11. Fixation Star Grid 09:42
12. Numbers Growing 07:14
13. Always Been Ways To Here 10:45
14. And In The 00:21

Set 'Em Wild, Set 'Em Free

this is such a great album

http://pitchfork.com/news/41419-listen-to-the-new-akronfamily-album-now/

link 2 the stream: http://3voor12.vpro.nl/speler/luisterpaal/44427006

this album doesn't really have any surprises (except that one part where I think the dude goes on and on about walking out of a Safeway) and makes me kind of sad, but I don't really care because their live show is still going to be great

a while ago I downloaded this session they did where they basically recorded an album demo on a radio show, and it was all pretty alright. Nothing really stood out except this one track they did called Sophia (or something like it, it sounds like a country song and they all just keep shouting Sohpiaaaaaa over it). I don't have it anymore, so if anyone does please leonardo it.

I have the song "Sophia", I think you sent it to me actually

(assuming you are the person I am pretty sure you are!)

Yeah, i just can't bring myself to care about A/F's albums anymore for some reason. I would dearly love to see them live again but they've never toured Ireland to the best of my knowledge.

bernard I am, upload the track, give me a call, moms asking about you

probably another of their fake leaks

They're probably cool people, but the music is DUD to my ears.

yeah i'm not overly impressed with their stuff. i think i keep revisiting their work because i figure that if michael gira loves them, there must be something i'm not getting.

http://ifile.it/0twsfhm
zoom zoom zoom!

These guys are such hippies, but I love 'em. I mean, come on, lyrics about saving a $1.80 on ice cream at Safeway only to give same $1.80 to a woman outside the store? So hilariously great. Love the new album.

http://cache0.bigcartel.com/product_images/50313451/soitgoes.jpg http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_8N-4vHUiQ64/S6y4E7XEJ7I/AAAAAAAAC5I/TMJXGtSp6zo/s1600/cover.jpeg

http://a7.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/405880_10150552105488114_553603113_8745855_1361657181_n.jpg

like are these guys famously not very bright or something

It's Crystal Castles all over again

Not that this excuses the theft but is that skull that guy's own design? Cos it does look like something he just found anyway tbh.

the lettering is nicked from Crass

don't know the exact origins off the top of my head but MITB have been using it for like 20 years

Ah okay, so it's pretty much their logo by now.

the lettering is nicked from Crass

I thought Crass famously encouraged the use of their font?

yeah no-one'll go after you for that, except maybe for being played out

Well, yeah, thats another issue.

I don't know enough about MITB, but I feel like I've seen that skull around lots of places.

that guy hates me too!

i think i deleted the email he sent me though. it was pretty mean! and pissed off! but, you know, i guess it should be given the source.

why was he mad at you?

yeah, scott! do tell!

saw an akron/family lp w/the mitb skulls plastered all over it a couple weeks ago. thought it might be a collabo lp and was like, 'what the hell?'

and that skull is a big part of their design sensibility. a bunch of bands splintered out from mitb and there have probably been hundreds of releases with em used prominently.

I think the story is that one of them photocopied it from a medical textbook and they just went with it.

here's the record I spotted in a used bin:

http://29.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_ljpg9zQb981qg16vmo1_500.jpg

Yeah that was Akron/Family's Record Store Day vinyl from last year, <bmbz>.

"My name is miles, I'm the member of Akron/Family who decided to lift the MITB skull and I take responsibility for it. I saw MITB at 16 years old and it changed how I heard and played music and made me want to play bass (which I have ever since) it was an honest tribute. As you can see I/we clearly "stole" the crass circle as well: I didn't contact anyone to ask permission. We weren't trying to "steal" your logo. And we're never planning on long term use. When i used to make zines or flyers or shirts for my first band it everyone used everything ones. Influences were clear. Anyway I would be happy to talk about this In a non public format to come to an understanding and apologize publicly. To you and all others involved. Just in interest of actually repairing the situation. It was an innocent gesture and honestly meant as a tribute and I stand by it artistically. The economy of images is clearly not innocent in culture and Im not oblivious to that either. I am happy to address all of this with you, and come to an understanding of how to deal with it. Like i said - the use was tied to the inspiration I felt when making a particular aspect of our music. It's never been about Trying to use the skull forever. It's an honest artistic nod to music / imagery I grew up with ."

this is almost as dumb as no age claiming kings of leon stole their tshirt logo.

Ha, that man actually is a bastard.

A stupid one.

Well its horribly written, but I think A/F dude kinda has a point and it genuinely doesn't seem like he was trying to pull one over on MITB.

Should have asked them first basically.

Well, yeah, I don't know, I'm torn on this. As someone more familiar with MITB pointed out, its pretty widely regarded as their "logo", but considering they took it from a medical textbook in the first place I don't think its really their original design where they get to dictate its use. Dick move? Yeah, probably, but I don't think they "stole" a trademarked design or anything.

some other dude from mitb

"Well im certainly happy to hear that it was coming from that direction. Look I get it, I really do. I'm totally into reference and homage, I love the underground nods. I've been thinking about this all morning and I'm all for free use and everything, and I tend to be of the opinion that coyright is bullshit...but you got understand that this just hit all of us out of the blue. With no warning or communication you have something that is very personal to all of us plastered all over several items you have for sale. I even stood back for a few minutes and wondered to myself: "they couldn't really just co-opt something so recognizable and expect this to pass could they? This has to be a nod, right?"

so basically he's all for free use, unless it's something that he has used in the past but doesn't actually own.