The Octopus Project's first two albums reissued on vinyl
Close on the heels of a new EP and recent North American tour, The Octopus Project's first two albums have been reissued on vinyl and are available in stores now. The band's haunting debut, Identification Parade, was originally issued by Peek-A-Boo Records in 2002, and deftly combines the experimentation of progressive post-rock, the blips and bleeps of electronic music and the raw, human ROCK of rock. Recorded and assembled over several years while the band was still mostly a recording project, Identification Parade is far more etherial, hypnotic and atmospheric than subsequent albums, and has been best described as "ambidextrous equipment failure junk-tronica."
Several years and many tours later, the 2005 sophomore album, One Ten Hundred Thousand Million, captured the barely-controlled chaos of The Octopus Project's live performances in a rich, surround sound, 3-D, technicolor studio amalgamation injected with the wild energy they felt in noisy, tightly-packed clubs. It was this album that caught the attention of Rolling Stone Senior Editor David Fricke, who described the band's sound as "an outtake of the Beach Boys' 'Good Vibrations' with Mogwai as the studio band" and "tightly composed bundles of synthesized whoop and circus-calliope cheer... like Stereolab with happy feet."
Identification Parade has never appeared on vinyl until now. One Ten Hundred Thousand Million was originally released on vinyl in a very limited edition of 500 copies with alternate hand-screened cover artwork. Peek-A-Boo Records is very excited to finally make both of these stellar albums available for vinyl enthusiasts.
Knife in the Water, Big Drag featured in Spin Magazine "100 Greatest Bands" List
The August 2009 issue of Spin Magazine features a nine-page spread called "Unsung: The 100 Greatest Bands You've (Probably) Never Heard," dedicated to all of the obscure bands the publication has failed to give proper credit over the years.
"In Spin's nearly 25-year history, some truly crap bands have achieved glory while more deserving — or just less lucky — artists languished on the fringes," states the introduction to the list, which includes such word-of-mouth favorites as Opal, Unrest, Huggy Bear, The Gories and Gaunt. Also included on that list are former Peek-A-Boo Records artists Knife in the Water (Austin, TX) and personal favorites Big Drag (San Antonio, TX).
Other Texas bands included on the list are Cherubs, Sixteen Deluxe and Young Heart Attack.
The Octopus Project launches tour supporting new Golden Beds EP
The Octopus Project is hitting road once again to promote a brand new release due in stores next week. The band has kept busy over the past month by touring around the south, playing at the Austin Fashion Awards last week and rounding out an incredible 4th of July show at Stubb's with Explosions In the Sky and The Wooden Birds. The band sets out once again today on an extended North American tour behind the forthcoming Golden Beds enhanced CD EP, which features five songs and seven videos (over 40 minutes of sights and sounds!).
Musically, some tracks are new, some are fresh takes on ideas from the past and each explores a different facet of their omnivorous sonic creations — from big-riff rock to tiny electronics to blissful sing-alongs. You can stream the entire EP here, so roll up those shirt sleeves and get ready to dip your arms deep into this kaleidoscopic candy jar full of tasty Octopus-flavored treats of both the audio and visual variety.
Also slated for release are vinyl reissues of the first two albums, Identification Parade and One Ten Hundred Thousand Million, due in stores in early September and available for pre-order now from the Peek-A-Boo Records website.
Super XX Man Volume III EP digitally reissued and expanded
Scott Garred, aka Super XX (pronounced "double-X") Man, began self-releasing his home recordings in the mid-'90s, while still fronting the popular indie-pop trio Silver Scooter. At the time, Super XX Man's four-tracked cassettes were simply a side project, but when Scott moved to Portland in 2002, he continued his solo recordings, eventually recruiting a full band and moving Super XX Man onto the stage and into the studio. Super XX Man has since been featuredtwice on NPR's All Songs Considered and has just released a new studio album, Volume XII: There'll Be Diamonds, on Portland's Tender Loving Empire label.
When Peek-A-Boo Records originally released Super XX Man's Volume III EP in 1997, it was limited to six tracks due to the inherent limitations of the 7" format. However, Scott had recorded more than twice that number of tracks with the idea that, like the two preceding self-released cassettes, Volume III would hold 12 songs. With this digital re-issue, Volume III has finally been expanded and restored to include the missing tracks, among which you'll find a moving cover of East River Pipe's "Crawl Away."
The expanded reissue of Volume III is now available for download via iTunes and eMusic, and vinyl fans who purchase the original 7" version of the EP will receive a download code for the full digital release.
Here's a summary of appearances by Peek-A-Boo Records artists during SXSW 2009. More details can be found on the tour dates page.
The Octopus Project "An Evening With Rthrtha" music video screening Friday, March 13, 7:30 pm @ Alamo Lamar, Screen 3 Wednesday, March 18, 2:15 pm @ Alamo Ritz, Screen 2 Saturday, March 21st, 5:30 pm @ Alamo Ritz, Screen 2
MakeMusic TalkMusic SXSW Party Friday, March 13, 10 pm @ The Beauty Bar Peel, MVSCLZ, Nieliyo
All Tomorrow's Parties SXSW Party Tuesday, March 17 @ Emo's The Octopus Project, The Drones, Sleepy Sun, Micah P. Hinson
Autobus Records SXSW Party Saturday, March 21 @ Okay Mountain Gallery 1:00 pm - Peel 1:45 pm - The Wooden Birds 2:30 pm - The Shivers 3:15 pm - Canopy 4:00 pm - The Weird Weeds 4:45 pm - Callers 5:30 pm - Brazos 6:15 pm - Mellow Owl 7:00 pm - Mark D. Ashworth
Slip Productions SXSW Party Saturday, March 21 @ The Radio Room (main stage) 5:15 pm - Cursive 4:35 pm - Frodus 3:40 pm - The Van Pelt 2:45 pm - Silver Scooter 1:50 pm - Pinebender 1:15 pm - The Life and Times 12:35 pm - Young Widows 12:00 pm - The Poison Arrows 11:30 am - Head of Skulls!
Official SXSW Showcase Saturday, March 21 @ Smokin Music' 7:30 pm - Peel 8:30 pm - Scotland Yard Gospel Choir 9:30 pm - The Love Me Nots 10:30 pm - Ian Moore 11:30 pm - Greg Camp
The Agency Group Official SXSW Showcase Saturday, March 21 @ Emo's (main stage) 9:00 pm - The Octopus Project 10:00 pm - Yelle 11:00 pm - Trail of Dead 12:00 am - Grupo Fantasma 1:00 am - Daniel Johnston
New Diagonals video (featuring Black Lipstick's Steve Garcia)
In case you hadn't heard, Black Lipstick booming bass man and wicked guitar wizard Steve Garcia formed a new band called Diagonals. Diagonals have a new LP called Valley of the Cyclops, which just came out on Austin's Monofonus Press Records. Pick it up ASAP and prepare to have your mind melted.
In the meantime, check out the band's new video for "Clones," in which Garcia ponders some of the same theoretical issues explored by Michael Keaton in the groundbreaking 1996 sci-fi thriller Multiplicity.
"Clones" was directed by Nick Smith, who previously directed the video for The Octopus Project's "Music is Happiness."
Reunions can be so bittersweet. It's been a long time. What if doesn't work? What if the spark is gone? What if it's just... weird? Do you even want to dig up those feelings again? I mean, you're a different person now. You've grown. How could it be the same? And yet... won't you always wonder? Maybe you could just go — no strings attached — and just see how it goes. You know, just enjoy the moment. It could be nice. Maybe you've both changed for the better. It could be good... It could be amazing.
In the late-'90s, Silver Scooter provided us with the songs that made us feel better when we were feeling bitter — a soundtrack filled with melody and melancholy for those lonely nights when regret set in at 10 p.m. on a Saturday night. All things must pass, though, and Silver Scooter said "Goodbye" eight years ago, when singer/guitarist Scott Garred sang, "I want to live in another town, uh-huh," and moved to Portland.
Next month, however, you'll have an opportunity to reminisce about the old-time slugs in a dirty little bar in downtown Austin, because the fine folks at Slip Productions and Lovitt Records have managed to talk the boys of Silver Scooter into getting the band back together for a one-off show during SXSW. On Saturday, March 21st, Slip + Lovitt will be throwing a day party with 17 bands on both stages of Transmission Entertainment's new venue, The Radio Room. Silver Scooter goes on at 2:45 p.m. on the big stage, but the club is sure to fill up fast, so come early.
This is not an official SXSW event, so SXSW badges are not required for entry and will not get you any special privileges. There will be a suggested donation of $10 at the door. If you want to be on the paid reserve list, you can go ahead and send $10 to crcooper@usa.com via PayPal. Those who do will get a show poster and other goodies.
I think it's gonna feel good... like an old lover should.
Close on the heels of a new EP and recent North American tour, The Octopus Project's first two albums have been reissued on vinyl and are available in stores now. The band's haunting debut, Identification Parade, was originally issued by Peek-A-Boo Records in 2002, and deftly combines the experimentation of progressive post-rock, the blips and bleeps of electronic music and the raw, human ROCK of rock. Recorded and assembled over several years while the band was still mostly a recording project, Identification Parade is far more etherial, hypnotic and atmospheric than subsequent albums, and has been best described as "ambidextrous equipment failure junk-tronica."
Several years and many tours later, the 2005 sophomore album, One Ten Hundred Thousand Million, captured the barely-controlled chaos of The Octopus Project's live performances in a rich, surround sound, 3-D, technicolor studio amalgamation injected with the wild energy they felt in noisy, tightly-packed clubs. It was this album that caught the attention of Rolling Stone Senior Editor David Fricke, who described the band's sound as "an outtake of the Beach Boys' 'Good Vibrations' with Mogwai as the studio band" and "tightly composed bundles of synthesized whoop and circus-calliope cheer... like Stereolab with happy feet."
The August 2009 issue of Spin Magazine features a nine-page spread called "Unsung: The 100 Greatest Bands You've (Probably) Never Heard," dedicated to all of the obscure bands the publication has failed to give proper credit over the years. 
