One of my favorite Minneapolis-based bands, Handsome Deville, is headed out for a west coast tour until mid-July, so I spoke with Travis Christensen (frontman and rockstar) and we set up some serious promo materials for the band. Seventh.Ink Shirts is sponsoring them with shirts and promo materials for their tour as well as a brand new 6′ x 9′ backdrop sportin’ some seriously rockin’ graphics.
I’ll be posting photos of the band jamming with the new backdrop on their tour, can’t wait to see the shenanigans they get into. Until then, you can view the promotional postcard design below. Nifty, huh?
I’ve gotta hand it to Billy Corgan for reviving a legendary cult rock band all by himself… literally. One can’t help but notice the inside cover of the new album claiming “Jimmy Chamberlain: Drums / Billy Corgan: All the Rest”. But then again, what else is new?
Upon first listen (I hadn’t previously heard any new material) I am enthusiastic to find that Billy Corgan has FINALLY decided to trash the God forsaken drum loops that caused not only “Adore” but every album after that to crash and burn. There should be a parade in honor of this epiphany that Corgan has somehow come to realize. However, as soon as Corgan’s trademark voice begins to resonate across my speakers I am suddenly worried that the album may not come to grips with the hopes I had for it.
The first track on the album, “Doomsday Clock” must have been mastered in Apple’s GuitarBand because nothing can stop me from noticing every little layer of sound. I’ve listened to it three times now and I am certain it was not an initial reaction, but a fatal flaw. Apprehension grips me, yet I press on.
The second track sounds less like the first (in a positive way), and then I get to track 3, “Bleeding the Orchid” and eventually track 5, “Tarantula” to find that this album is definitely going in the direction I had hoped it would. The thick, grungy guitars are back, along with overly-distorted high pitch solos with plenty of string scraping (another helping, please?). This is where I realize I can probably give the first track another try, yet I still find myself in the same frame of mind. Perhaps I can come to like it eventually.
Overall, the new Pumpkins album is above and beyond what I had hoped for. No crappy drum loops, plenty of tearing guitars and drumwork (thanks Jimmy) and more emotion than a sixteen year old girl on her 2 week anniversary. Props to Corgan and Co. (Jimmy), I’ll be in line for my ticket when you come through Minneapolis.
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