News, Releases, Yada Yada Yada

Looks like I left a lot out last week – meh. Better late than never – a lot of interesting stuff hitting the airwaves, as well as previews of some of the seasons more anticipated albums – here\’s news, releases, and general nonsense from CAssette, The Tribe, Guiguisuisui, and Djang San.

Alright – meant to plug this back in early June, but it got lost in the shuffle somewhere, somehow. Alas, I\’ve been eagerly awaiting prog rockers Cassette\’s latest album for some time and each piece of goodness keeps ramping up the anticipation – they dropped their latest song \”Tapir House\” early last month and it’s great piece of tension building. This was the song that got me following the band in the first place, and I think the production perfectly captures lot of what made it great live – Daisy Zhao’s voice, the guitar riffs, and a second half that goes racks up the tension. Now then, how about a friggin album already!?

DIY garage bluesmen Dann Gaymer, aka Guiguisuisui, known around these parts as the guy who makes music out of Changcun (capital of Jilin Province, aka freeze your ass off central) and who fancies playing his makeshift diddly board, aka a skateboard guitar, is in town this week, along with his latest release, entitled Nineteen Below Zero, which you can guess, takes its name from Changcun. The three-song EP, full of bat-crazy, blues heavy, punk-rockabilly mayhem, is available for grabs over here – beware. And be sure to check out Guiguisuisui kicking around town this week – first with his diddly board at School this Wednesday, July 10th for pangbianr’s improv night, and then with his ‘band’ this Friday, July 12th at School with a slew of young local bands, and Saturday, July 13th at Temple, with rockabilly bosses Rolling Bowling, and trash blues duo Low Bow. Righteous.

Inner Mongolian alt country group The Tribe made quite the impression on audiences at the Hanggai Music Festival a few weeks back. And it looks like they plan on keeping it that way, as the five-piece outfit has released their debut (?) entitled Wind in the Sky. It’s a strange beast, an album full of ethnic flourishes yet one that from time to time fully embraces the country sound, at its best evoking the great Billy Bragg, at its worst, sounding like the many washed up country stars of yesteryear. I’m leaning toward this one favorably though – these guys might be hitting middle-age but there’s energy in their notes. Give it a listen here and purchase it over here.

Djang San, who is better known as Jean Sébastien from The Amazing Insurance Salesmen, has expanded his solo moniker to a full out band, and if this live album, recorded at the Hanggai Music Festival, is any indication, the folk music scene is got a lot more interesting. Using the chinese instrument, the zhongruan, as a focal point, Djang San has crafted a collection of songs which mix Djang San’s progressive tendencies with traditional Chinese affinities – and frankly, it’s pretty awesome. Kudos to Steno (of Wu & the Side Effects) on bass and Carlo on drums. Catch Djang San at Yugong Yishan this Saturday, July 13^th, along with Mathieu Ha and dance company T.r.a.n.s.i.t.s.c.a.p.e. – coolio.

Alright, that\’s all for now – be sure to check out the updated calendar to catch any of these fine acts next time they\’re in town. Did I mention we have an interactive map there as well?