The War On Drugs Expands Internet Operations
- story THE FADER
Scared you didn’t we, pothead? Don’t worry, the DEA is probably only slightly more internet savvy than John McCain (he’s “getting on” soon), but we are speaking of Philadelphia’s The War On Drugs, the band, anyway. We have spoken about them before which you may not remember (you are a pothead), and put them in the Gen F section of the magazine. And now they have a new video, directed by Mark Shonenveld, for “Needle In Your Eye” off their excellent debut Wagonwheel Blues that makes us oddly wistful for childhood road trips through the expansive American West, though it is presumably a statement in visuals about the white man’s desecration of sacred lands. Either way, read the Gen F from FADER 54 after the jump.
FADER 54: El Guincho Feature
- story THE FADER
Read Jace Clayton’s feature story from Issue 54 on Barcelona’s resident mindbending tropicalist, El Guincho, whose album Alegranza! gets its official international release this October 7th on Young Turks/XL Recordings .
FADER 54: Lykke Li Feature
- story THE FADER
Lykke Li’s new video for “Breaking It Up” wisely focuses on her ill accessorizing and marionette-ish dance moves — two attributes which first drew us to her, along with, of course, her excellent music. We were so sure about her allure that we gave her a feature story in our Aaliyah Icon issue, and now you can read it in its entirety after the jump. And make sure to check out Lykke live as she tours Europe and North America this summer and fall.
Video: Fleet Foxes, “White Winter Hymnal”
- story THE FADER
There’s something vaguely religious and impenetrable about Fleet Foxes, but there is also something romantic and safe about them. So in this video for “White Winter Hymnal,” when bearded clay people control the stars with the wheel of a ship that every so often starts going too fast, it makes total sense. What doesn’t make sense is when claymation beards move with minds of their own, each individual strand wiggling in the wind. Creepy. After the jump check out Sam Hockley-Smith’s Gen F on Fleet Foxes from F54.
FADER TV: Dri Live At The FADER 54 Party
- story THE FADER
Late yesterday we put up Free Blood’s performance at our FADER 54 Party, and this morning we’ve got the lovely and talented Dri fresh out of Lawrence, Kansas. Dri was one of the artists we spoke to in our Aaliyah Icon feature in the issue, so it made sense to bring her in for the festivities. If you haven’t heard her album Smoke Rings, released last year on Range Life Records, we recommend it for vegan BBQ’s and any place that encourages public weed smoking.
FADER TV: Free Blood Live At The FADER 54 Party
- story THE FADER
For our latest issue, we decided to throw a party with some free Bass Ale in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, but somehow we ended up in a place called Shangri-La in a part of this land that we are still not sure was New York or even America. Our cab driver was not pleased! Regardless, Free Blood found the place and proceeded to make the people in it sweaty and happy. We videotaped it for all of those who were not in the vicinity. You may watch it above. And you may read about Free Blood in the Gen F section of FADER 54, freely downloadable here.
Live: Dri, Free Blood And Blaqstarr At The FADER 54 Release Party
- story THE FADER
We piled in a grip of Bass Ale and head up to the tippy top of Greenpoint, Brooklyn this past Wednesday to celebrate the release of our Aaliyah icon issue. Dri, Blaqstarr and Free Blood, all featured in the issue, performed in the palacious Shangri La. Dri covered Aaliyah while wearing a dress of dollar signs, Blaqstarr jammed out Baltimore club, Free Blood (backed by the Brothers played a no wave ebb-and-flower, guitar shred and yelpy yap. People chilled, we chilled, couches, cat and unfinished construction. Loft party photos of the beautiful people after the jump.
Live: Sahra Motalebi In A Weird Theater With Seats And Not Much Light
- story THE FADER
Sahra Motalebi wears a lot of black and wiggles her toes before songs. Last night at the Clemente Soto Velez Theater in New York’s Lower East Side she performed shrouded in sheen and fretless bass. She sings like a calm banshee, little whirls and twirls, finger details and summoning. She has a sense of slow drama uninjected into much modern music, stern and unshakeably so, unfancy and deep. It’s warming to see that. Her songs are bizarre, hand drum and violin voodoo chants. Someone told us recently that he was happy art was moving in a direct that favored a little bit of unfinished fringe. That’s chill, but a little polished serious is nice, too. Check Sahra Motalebi’s Gen F after the jump, along with some of Gabriele Stabile’s photo outtakes.
Always Remember
- story THE FADER
On August 25, 2001, just after Aaliyah shot her video for “Rock the Boat” in the Bahamas, she and eight others boarded a plane to Florida. It went down shortly after takeoff. FADER 54 celebrates the life and music of Aaliyah; here, and throughout the month, we remember those who were with her:
(Read after the jump.)
Audio: The FADER Issue 54 Podcast
- story THE FADER
FADER contributing editor and DJ Eddie Stats hooked up an excellent mix of the other artists featured in our Aaliyah icon issue. From Bassline’s rumbling thump to Lykke Li’s Swedish pop stomp and back around to El Guincho’s electronic drum circle throwdowns, it’s all here, along with musical selections from the Gen F backbone of the issue, including Chip tha Ripper, War on Drugs, Jeremy Jay and a bunch of others.
Download the FADER 54 mix as an mp3 (right click, save as)
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Check the tracklist after jump.
