Transmission Entertainment » Transmit Socially.

Restaurant Music

Restaurant is a band who are in Los Angeles by way of Victoria, Tx that describing their music only gets more complicated when trying to explain the instruments these boys play.

Take Bobby "State" Penn for instance. At first glance, he's the drummer in the band. On closer examination, his kick drum is a cardboard box filled with women's bras, his high-hat is a stack of Texas license plates, his snare is a sheet of metal and his floor tom the wheel of a car. Craig, the band's frontman, can be seen pulling strings on what looks like a cigar box with a guitar neck strapped to it. Restaurant led the party outside at last years Summer Camp festivities, prompting our only visit ever from the LAPD. Look for a repeat appearance again at Summer Camp this June.

Recently, Bobby "State" Penn, (aka Jonathan) has begun an interesting side project called World Fame Project. Click HERE and give the song 1981 a listen.

Fri Apr 13 2007 · Posted in Daily on littleradio.com

Tycho: Past is Prologue

Tycho
Past is Prologue
2006 | Merck

Past is Prologue is basically an upgraded re-release of 2005's Sunrise Projector. It includes four new tracks as well as remixed/remastered versions of songs from the original record. What makes this release extra special is Scott Hansen’s incredible art and CD packaging that actually looks like it was designed to accompany the music

Tycho floats right alongside the brilliant ambience and careful synth work of Boards of Canada, there's no hiding that. The album consists of chilled beats and filtered drones created to induce an uncomfortable yet calming effect. “Dictaphone’s Lament” recalls Seefeel’s More Like Space EP, which turns me on in every possible way, while “The Disconnect” is an experience close to staying up all night and witnessing your first sunrise. Scott Hansen’s understanding of rhythm also helps the record soar on “PBS” with a smooth transition into a mid-tempo groove. Every song is like living in someone's daydream.

There are millions of colors and shades in the music, I know that sounds totally cheesy, but the record has this indescribable feel. Past is Prologue conveys the importance of imagery, and possibly, slowing down your routines and relationships to a complete stop.

Fri Apr 13 2007 · Posted in Reviews on littleradio.com

The Little Ones: Sing Song

The Little Ones
Sing Song
2006 | Astralwerks

The latest Sing Song EP from L.A. kings of pop The Little Ones, formerly known as “Little One” if you must know, is a piece of music you need to own. Sing Song is abundant with shiny, bouncy, pop melodies and a tropical feel that is freeing, like you're on a vacation.

Let's begin with the Y-Y-Y-Y-Y-Yeah of "Lovers who Uncover." Imagine you're trying to walk across the dance floor at Cinespace, trying desperately to get to the bathroom. Once you make it to the center someone smacks you on the booty and you suddenly recognize hundreds of people who are actually enjoying the music and having a great time. "Cha Cha Cha" reveals some sharp guitar work and a keyboard melody that reminds me of stepping off an airplane onto my own private island in the South Pacific. Then there's the catchy riffing on "High on a Hill," reminiscent of many Elephant 6 bands with its anthemic, marching rhythm.

The "new" banger, and standout, is "Face the Facts." It's slightly more streamlined and less "happy," not that being happy is a terrible way to feel. The opening warped melody and stomping drum rhythm pulls you closer and closer. But what makes it so special is how loose and driving it feels compared to the rest of songs. You can sense a new direction in their arrangements.

The Little Ones are reminiscent of Built to Spill and The Shins but sound bigger and full-of-life, like they have something to celebrate. What sets these bands apart is the positivity and triumphant feel that shines through in every song. I would bet that you could play Sing Song for an entire Elementary School and they would like it for many of the same reasons that would initially come to mind. That's a quality rarely experienced in music these days.

Thu Apr 12 2007 · Posted in Reviews on littleradio.com

CD Baby joins hands with Snocap/Myspace

As some of you have noticed in the past months many of your favorite artists have recently added a SNOCAP digital storefront to their Myspace page. CD Baby, who also feature about 130,000 indie artists, has announced a partnership with MySpace that will allow all registered users easy access to create a SNOCAP digital storefront, according to cmj.com.

The SNOCAP MyStore is a backed by their very own online content registry. MyStore launched in December as a way for unsigned/indie artists to sell their music on MySpace without a distribution deal, label, or PR team, and can be posted on any site that recognizes HTML code. Now CD Baby artists will be able to sell content directly to fans from any site that allows HTML (websites, blogs, etc.).

I think it's about time you start digging through those old home recordings of you and your buddies electric shaver-meets-drums machine techno project.

Wed Apr 11 2007 · Posted in Daily on littleradio.com

Ken Andrews: Secrets of the Lost Satellite

Ken Andrews
Secrets of the Lost Satellite
2007 | Dinosaur Fight

I completely missed the heyday of Failure in the mid-nineties. My knowledge of Ken Andrews stems from the viewpoint of someone discovering a band after they were somewhat successful. So even though I’ve become very familiar with their music I still feel like I missed something that should have been so obvious to me. That always bothered me.

Thanks to Failure’s awesome Fantastic Planet, and being a longtime fan of Autolux, I made it a point to review Ken's album. He's also intriguing because of all the impressive studio work he's handled over the years, mixing and producing top-notch musicians/bands. On Secrets of the Lost Satellite he takes those skills and runs with them. Justin Meldal-Johnsen and Jordan Zadorozny, who also have their own laundry list of accomplishments, help out in the process.

The first song “Allergic” is deceptive with its brooding intro and verse. When the chorus comes in it’s a little over-the-top and breathy, but it works because the sound remains heavy. The almost “ambient” bridge towards the end crosses paths with 80’s pop, almost sounds like Muse. “Up or Down” is another heavy rock anthem with marching piano notes, this sounds like something he could write easily on any day. Things change and progress on “Secret Things” with an attitude in the chord progression that's reminiscent of Tool. So far I’m really getting into this record.

“What It’s Like” and “Does Anybody Know” hit the same nerve as the opener, I think this is where Andrews is at his best. When it comes to stringing together odd choices of chords he's on, also carefully avoiding an obvious prog-rock montage by laying low on the waves of keyboards. “The 23rd Boy” starts off with a siren as the metronome then scores when the singular strums of guitar come in, my favorite moment on the entire album.

It’s hard to tell where Andrews is going on this record other than showcasing his experience and talent as a dynamite musician. But it sounds so crystal clear and thought-out that I couldn’t stop listening. He obviously spent a great deal of time with the arrangements, they’re very crisp. Ken Andrews follows Failure and Year of the Rabbit closely in mood, only it feels matured and ripened, like all the production work he’s done over the years has given him so much influence and inspiration.

Tue Apr 10 2007 · Posted in Reviews on littleradio.com