The Bowery Presents

Music Hall of Williamsburg upcoming shows

Jamie Lidell

Alex B

Venue:
Music Hall of Williamsburg
Date:
Thu 6/10
Notes:
18+
Doors: 8:00 PM / Show: 9:00 PM
$20 advance / $20 day of show
Tickets
Jamie Lidell
official website
myspace
Jamie Lidell hasn’t stopped moving. He’s like a shark. Albeit a stone cold funked-up, sonically obsessed, romantically soulful killer shark. And he isn’t going to stop. No, he won’t stop. Please don’t ask him to. Just get out of the way, enjoy the spectacle and the soundtrack. Read More...

Jamie Lidell hasn’t stopped moving.

He’s like a shark. Albeit a stone cold funked-up, sonically obsessed, romantically soulful killer shark. And he isn’t going to stop. No, he won’t stop. Please don’t ask him to. Just get out of the way, enjoy the spectacle and the soundtrack.

Jamie’s a genuinely restless soul. He broke out of small-town England and has been a nomad ever since. His constant desire to progress—leaping and stumbling towards new discoveries—has defined his musical journey so far; and there’s no sign of it fading away.

Dig into the discography and you’ll find underground techno, two albums of Super_Collider’s fondly recalled science-funk (with Cristian Vogel), and his magnificently wigged-out solo debut Muddlin Gear. Then, in 2005, came Multiply, a surprisingly hook-stuffed, meticulously produced platter of deliciously uplifting soul and funk that won international adulation. Meanwhile, Jamie’s one-man shows were, quite literally, something else. Live, he pushed himself and his technology against the limits of chaos and control.

By 2008, Jamie had become Jim—building on the foundations of Multiply to construct a warm, invitingly plush bordello of funk, disco, grooves and gospel; with secret chambers of poignant soul. The accompanying tour saw him evolve from peerless sonic manipulator into a dandy showman leading a blazingly talented four-piece across the world’s clubs, stadia and TV studios. Yet, that sense of exploration that he craves was never far away.

Now it’s 2010, and Jim has left the building. So Jamie returns with a new map for these territories. Undoubtedly, Compass is his most eclectic album yet. Songs shift, chop, change and mutate genres and forms before our very ears. It’s got funk in spades; the jaw-dropping power of the vocals is stronger than ever; it rocks, it pops, it’s sweet, angry, hard, soulful and soft, often within the span of a single track. It’s the restless album that finally matches the soul of its creator.

“I wrote every song in a month,” Jamie says, “It’s been an emotional couple of years, so I tapped into what I wanted to say and started writing. There was a lot to draw on.” Recorded in Los Angeles, New York and Canada, Jamie’s fellow travelers on Compass include Beck, Feist, Gonzales, Chris Taylor of Grizzly Bear and Pat Sansone of Wilco. Musically and lyrically this is very much A Jamie Lidell Production—reflecting not only his exhilarating, diverse tastes, but also a year of change, love, longing and arrival at a new place. When he takes to the road in 2010, he’ll be bringing a band again, but stripping it back; keeping it lean. For both newcomers and initiates, this will be an experience. And no, he won’t stop.
Alex B
myspace
Anticipation has been running high for the release of Alex B’s debut full-length album Moments. Years of focused time in the studio and relentless touring all over the world have earned Alex his due recognition, with hype surrounding the rising producer growing daily. In the Last year alone, Alex received airplay on BBC’s Mary Anne Hobbs Show (the authority on up-and-coming bass music) and URB Magazine, who flagged him as one to watch in their highly regarded annual “Next 100” issue, saying,

“Whether he is remixing Dilla or creating patchwork masterpieces, his resourcefulness is as prominent as his passion. Be on the lookout for his full-length album.”
The wait is almost over. Moments is set to hit the streets April 6th on Alex B’s own Elm&Oak imprint.

To call Elm&Oak a record label would be as over simplistic as calling Alex B’s productions “beats”. Elm&Oak is a creative hub for web design, graphic design, clothing, graffiti, photography and event promotion, all of which Alex is actively involved in.

Those familiar with Alex B already know that he tends to take a layered approach to everything, especially his music. The tracks on Moments are intricately crafted with painstaking care and attention to detail — a careful mix of analog and digital sounds elevated by imaginative samples and the insight of a classically trained musician. The result is a blend of timeless warmth and future beats that is as easily adaptable to introspective time with one’s headphones as it is to group mania on a mobbed dance floor.

This is evident through Alex B’s recently produced mix that has been getting huge downloads. “Brain Food” for Flying Lotus’s Brainfeeder label, contains 90% unreleased tracks, and has been a nice tide over for those itching to hear Moments in its entirety. The mix includes a taste of the novel sounds in store and clues about guest appearances on the album.

With his work in the studio complete, and interest in his music at an all time high, Alex B plans to tour extensively following the release of Moments on April 6th. The run will begin at the coveted Low End Theory Night in Los Angeles and will cover cities from coast to coast. Check back in with www.alexbeats.com or www.ElmAndOak.com for tour dates and to get your hands on the album as soon as it’s released.
American Express — Are you a card member?

© 2010