Planets of Awesome

Cave In is back. You should know this. A new single hit the 'net shelves at iTunes today, called "Retina Sees Rewind", which is taken from the forthcoming 12" 4-song EP Planets of Old, coming July 28th on the ever-awesome Hydra Head Records. It will rule. You should also know this.

A lot of people have their fandom split between the metalcore originators era (1995-1998) and the Failure-loving days (1999-2004), but I seem to really dig where they've been going off and on since 2005's Perfect Pitch Black...They go wherever the fuck they want. It's like Led Zeppelin meets Old Man Gloom at Ken Andrew's house. The new track is killer and keeps with this freedom, leaving the listener with under 3 minutes of aural bliss.

The band reunites on July 19th in Mass for "reunion"/record release show of sorts. Tickets sold out in 2 minutes or some crazy shit like that.

In case you can't tell, I cannot wait for this.

A tasty nugget to get you excited: "The World Is In Your Way" Live, 2005

Fancy Friday

I discovered Oceansize a few years back and instantly knew I needed to own everything this band ever laid to tape. A lot of their stuff is very hard to find or only available digitally (old out of print EP's, singles), so I caved on a few things but gradually got their three full-lengths and, well basically everything. Even stumbled upon the rare "Music For Nurses" EP at Rhino Records in New Paltz, NY a few years back and the weirdo owner just gave it to me. Weird, but nice.

Oceansize had a deal in the US thru Beggars Banquet for their previous two albums but UK label Superball put out their 2007 opus, "Frames", never giving it a North American release. Listen here...Find this record and buy it. Deal with the reality of what you spent on it later. It's so ridiculously good. So good...

Rather than blab about this, import yourself this fancy record and thank me later. If you bow down to Faith No More (and really, who doesn't?), Smashing Pumpkins circa 1991-96 and bands like Failure, Life and Times and Explosions in the Sky, pick this up and have fun finding all their records. Don't be a douche and illegally download it...You know the prize is worth the hunt.

"Unfamilliar" from Frames:

Fancy Friday

We'll be quick and most definitely fancy this week. Ken Andrews, you have officially become fancy. His 2007 solo debut (other than his previous 2 amazing ON releases) was incredible...A true joy to listen to. This record hits sweet spots from every phase of his storied career, hinting at Failure-like riffing, Year of the Rabbit songcraft, ON-like atmospherics and new soundscapes and grooves. For my money (all 12 cents of it), "Up or Down" is not only one of Ken's best songs to date, but one of my favorite songs of the last few years. It was so pop, it makes Rivers Cuomo curse him in his sleep.

So enjoy this. Start the weekend off right. Go buy every thing Ken Andrews has ever put his name on. C'mon, help the economy and buy some shit (Ha!).

Ken's favorite song off Secrets From The Lost Satellite, "Without" (live in Atlanta)
Failure "Stuck On You"
Year of the Rabbit "Rabbit Hole"