Algiers -- The Underside of Power

Yeah I was blown away and now I've given it a bit of a break and ready to go back to it soon. Still think the title track is an absolute worldbeater. Animals is the one that sounds like Ministry (in a good way) and overall it's really great. There are just one or two tension-diffusing moments towards the second side that aren't interesting enough to keep my mind from wandering.

I'm trying to think of what specific 80s band Mme Rieux sounds like. Not sure how much I like it. There's something just slightly cheesy or obviously melodramatic about that one.

Full video for "Cleveland"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_FhcJTqJm98

This is quite an improvment on their debut, huh?

Hymn For an Average Man is a highlight.

Great show last night!

https://scontent-lga3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t31.0-8/20121550_10155331411186136_2391515124569243158_o.jpg?oh=32b6d200ef32ffd0412fd137ded5627f&oe=59F60803

So see 'em live, I sez.

I would kill for them to hit TO but it doesn't seem to be in the cards

Hell, Chicago isn't even currently on their tour schedule.

It's possible they're avoiding places they hit with Depeche? idk

DM is touring with Warpaint in Chicagoland

Nope, Warpaint opening here. So no idea!

xpost!

Direct quote from their publicist when I asked about Chicago: "I know wtf!?"

Bunch of new tour dates. They're playing a tiny square box in TO (the Baby G) and I could not be more excited.

Go forth and rock.

And here's the full thing -- including Chicago, so there ya go Josh

http://algierstheband.com/live/

Yeah, Empty Bottle, nice n little!

I'm both depressed and excited by how small these venues are, the one in TO is like 150 capacity tops

Meantime here's a new tape/download

https://algierstheband.bandcamp.com/

I adore this record, one of my favourites from this year, but I wish it was less compressed. The squished dynamics aesthetic works in some places, but a DR of 5 or 6 doesn't lend itself nicely to listening on headphones.

between these guys, Zeal & Ardor and Here Lies Man, there seems to be a kind of micro-trend in this kind of metal-industrial/traditional black music fusion thing. I'm not sure how good those other two bands are, but why now?

why not now?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=waiwJ5rW4xw

new single which is a sort of spoken word response to criticism of the band over a free jazz freakout? it's cool

more info from Matador:

ALGIERS have released a collaborative audiovisual piece, “Can the Sub_Bass Speak?”, a new work from the band and production duo Randall Dunn and Ben Greenberg. The new piece pits charged language and free jazz collage by ALGIERS multi-instrumentalist Franklin James Fisher, saxophonics pioneer Skerik and drummer D’Vonne Lewis against a maelstrom of visuals by award-winning filmmaker Sam Campbell and typographer Farbod Kokabi.

Inspired by a chance encounter with artists Moor Mother and Harrga at Wysing Polyphonic in 2018, “Can the Sub_Bass Speak?” contorts ALGIERS’ post-punk deconstruction of racial and class sonic politics into new collaborative directions. “Can the Sub_Bass Speak?” is the centerpiece of a larger web installation thereisnoyear

There are some new UK/euro dates as well

Looking forward even more to the new album now.

Has there been any indication that's forthcoming?

new single which is a sort of spoken word response to criticism of the band

And that goes for all of you punks in the press
That want to start shit by printin' lies instead of the things we said
That means you andy secher at hit parader, circus magazine
Mick wall at kerrang, bob guccione jr. at spin
What you pissed off 'cause your dad gets more pussy than you?
Fuck you! suck my fuckin' dick!
You be rippin' off the fuckin' kids
While they be payin' their hard earned money to read about the bands they want to know about
Printin' lies, startin' controversy
You want to antagonize me? antagonize me motherfucker!
Get in the ring motherfucker! and I'll kick your bitchy little ass! punk!!
I don't like you, I just hate you
I'm gonna kick your ass, oh yeah! oh yeah!
You may not like our integrity yeah
We built a world out of anarchy oh yeah!

xpost -- Per J's post, it'll be a note-for-note cover of both Use Your Illusions.

(Actual answer: I'm not positive it's totally done but I'm pretty sure it is, and there have been quiet rumblings that it's en route -- no idea whether it'll be before the end of the year or not, though.)

enjoyed this, wonder if the whole album will be a bit like it

not heard this yet but i do find 'Whaaa we've been misquoted by the meeja' songs tedious on the whole

i tend to agree but this sounds cool enough and is delivered compellingly enough for me to forgive that

I am listening to this song now and a) it rules, and b) I do not think this is addressing criticism of the band as such

like, I don't think anyone is telling the two white members of the band that they aren't real niggas, like that Chris Rock sketch

the reference of the title btw for those who dont know https://cup.columbia.edu/book/can-the-subaltern-speak/9780231143851

I'm listening to "Can The Sub-Bass Speak?" again and I am impressed with the level of restraint I showed here in responding to the description of the song

one of my tracks of the year, easily, but first time I've read that description and fucking hell

The new album is quite lovely, BTW; my review of it runs next week I believe.

there's really a lot going on in "can the sub-bass speak?" so my apologies for not capturing all its intricacies in a very brief description upon first listen

but ill maintain that critical attempts to pigeonhole the bands music etc. is one of the many things it does address

new long-ass remixes of "Cleveland" just in time for the election

https://open.spotify.com/album/2ttGvriuz92KNvllIjp30A?si=MdXPB0PySj6hTTmaF4blyQ

Oh great, thanks!