monitorTHIS! - March 2009 - (Page 23) Grandmaster Flash The Bridge: Concept of a Culture AdrenAline City The Decemberists The Hazards of Love CApitol M ayb e t h e A u s t i n post-rock colossus did get a little too bombastic after the twin terrors of Madonna and Source Tags & Codes. But even if their live sets are heavy on (unfairly) lambasted material from Worlds Apart and So Divided, the two drumkits will cave your brain into drooling, approving acceptance. Not to mention, just-released The Century of Self is a relatively understated, slightly less eclectic comeback. So, really, everybody wins. And just the threat of destroyed instruments will always be a draw. date city venue …AND YOU WILL KNOW US BY THE TRAIL OF DEAD tour de force The man behind “The Message” has been busy with digital DJ work and putting the finishing touches on his longdelayed autobiography. Little surprise then that he hasn’t released a proper album in 20 years. Flash aims to rectify that with this concept album about “the global language of hip-hop.” Among the many paying their respects: KRS One, Big Daddy Kane, Busta Rhymes, Q-Tip and Snoop Dogg. In Stores March 3 Colin Meloy isn’t just the bespectacled leader of these Portland indie darlings—he’s also a damn good writer, responsible for Let It Be, the 33 1/3 book about the 1984 Replacements classic. Damn good writers love their parentheses (when appropriate), which explains six of these 17 songs getting the honor. We’re looking forward to seeing if the actual tunes have densely layered, eclectic arrangements to rival the Arcade Fire. In Stores March 24 3/1 3/4 3/5 3/6 3/7 3/9 3/10 3/12 3/13 3/14 3/16 3/17 Cambridge, MA Toronto, ON Pontiac, MI Chicago, IL Minneapolis, MN Denver, CO Salt Lake City, UT Seattle, WA Vancouver, BC Portland, OR San Francisco, CA Los Angeles, CA Middle East Downstairs Lee’s Palace Pike Room Logan Square Auditorium Triple Rock Social Club Bluebird Theater Urban Lounge Neumo’s Richard’s on Richards Cabaret Berbati’s Pan Slim’s EchoPlex MC Lars This Gigantic Robot Kills S tA r t i m e i n t e r n At i o n A l Röyksopp Junior AStrAlwerkS Indie laptop rapper Lars is a polarizing presence, an gleefully anarchic Warped Tour MC who bites the hands that feed him with tunes like “Hot Topic Is Not Punk Rock,” “Signing Emo” and “Download This Song.” Here, he swaps ideas with artists as diverse as Brett Anderson of the Donnas and the inimitable “Weird Al” Yankovic. Hilarity and insightfulness will ensue, and god willing, some fresh beats. In Stores Now Turns out you can have it both ways. While this Norwegian dance duo frequently pops up on commercials here and abroad, they have social conscience to spare, imbuing their video for 2005’s “Only This Moment” with imagery conjuring 1968’s Parisian student strikes and ensuing riots. There are doses of both approaches on this third effort, bolstered by the likes of guest stars Robyn and Lykke Li. In Stores March 24 [ march 2009 + monitorthis! + 23 ]
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