Inflight At Night

A little world news and a remembrance of lives and music lost…

Today, Kang Kek Ieu, one of the leaders of the Khmer Rouge regime in Cambodia during the late 1970’s, is the first of the surviving Khmer Rouge leaders to be charged for crimes against humanity. Read whole story from BBC News, here…

Since becoming familiar with it, I have been quite taken by the music of the Cambodian artists from the late 60’s and early 70’s who performed songs in the style of the British and American garage/blues rock bands. Similar to the way soul and R&B from the U.S. heavily influenced the beginnings of reggae music in Jamaica, rock music of the 1960’s began to infiltrate Cambodia via radio that G.I’s listened to during the war, and in turn influenced Cambodian artists to create music in a similar fashion, though also mixing in some traditional instrumentation and a completely unique Cambodian vocal style. At times Cambodian artists would even cover U.S. or British songs from the era adding original lyrics and as always singing them in their native language.

A few of the artists I’ve been able to track down music for are, Ros Sereysothea, Sinn Sisamouth and Pan Ron, all of whom were innovative in this style and very popular in Cambodia at the time, though little known internationally. Needless to say there must have been dozens of other artists from the time whose music will be completely lost forever. The tragic end that most of these artists succumbed to at the hand of the Khmer Rouge leadership, and the resulting loss of their contribution to twentieth century music as most know it, adds a dark and mysterious element to these beautiful songs.

You may have seen the post here a couple weeks ago about the film “Sleepwalking Through the Mekong,” which follows the L.A. based band Dengue Fever as they perform in Cambodia. It is through Dengue Fever and this film that I began to seek out this “lost” Cambodian music, so to them I am grateful.

Enjoy Arom Pai Pat (mp3) by Ros Sereysothea


Chan Penh Boromey (mp3) by Pan Ron

On Saturday night on our way to Alex’s Bar for the Harley Davidson Nightster party, AATW and I stopped at The Pike for a quick bite. The Pike is the quintessential down home Long Beach bar and restaurant, it exudes “local bar around the corner” qualities in friendly service, good music, nice beer selection and best of all, the wonderful food that surpasses anything you would expect of typical pub fair.

Initially attracted to the restaurant for their excellent fish and chips (rated #1 in the Press Telegram), the best I have ever had and always order, I decided to deviate from that course in search of a lighter meal that night, leading me to the lobster tacos. The dish is 2 tacos with Maine lobster, topped with a cilantro and cabbage combination, lime creama, cheese, and garnished with a nice chipotle paste that complemented the lime creama very nicely when applied to the tacos. On the side was a generous helping of vegetable rice that was really good.

Listen, next time you find yourself in Long Beach, especially if you are heading down our way for a show, get here early and eat at The Pike. Everything I, AATW, and anyone else I have ever brought there have had, has been delicious.

Music Connection: The Pike is owned by Chris Reese, former drummer for Social Distortion.

The Pike Bar & Grill: 1836 East 4th St., Long Beach, CA 90802 | Ph: (562) 437-4453

Sunday, July 29th: Dead Meadow @ EchoPlex
Celebrate the release of the 25th issue of the L.A. Record w/Dead Meadow, Entrance, Darker My Love, and Phantom Family Halo. This is really two shows combined, check out the upstairs at The Echo with Moonrats, Die!Die!Die!, and Health for Part Time Punks.

Dead Meadow - At Her Open Door (mp3)

Monday, July 30th: M.I.A. @ EchoPlex
I can’t believe I am getting AATW out on Monday, well I guess it’s only cause she has Tuesday off this week. Sold Out. Also on Tuesday at the EchoPlex

M.I.A. - Boyz (mp3)

Tuesday, July 31st: Bat For Lashes @ Spaceland
Natasha Khan is Bat For Lashes and she has everyone singing her praises for her new album, Fur and Gold which I will agree is great listen, somewhere in between Bjork and Cat Power.

Bat For Lashes - Horse and I (mp3)

Wednesday, August 1st: Bodies of Water @ Mr. T’s Bowl
It’s really nice to see Bodies of Water picking up some love for their new album recently, and why shouldn’t they, they’re write great sprawling slightly freak folkish psychedelic rock songs that is getting some Arcade Fire comparisons. They just played Pershing Square for their record release last week, now catch them in a venue that is the complete opposite, Mr. T’s Bowl.

Bodies Of Water - Doves Circled the Sky (mp3)

Thursday, August 2nd: Grand Ole Party @ The Roxy
I am recommending Grand Ole Party again, and probably will continue to do so until more people pick up on them outside of San Diego. This show part of Filter Magazine’s Revenge of the Sunset Strip series, not exactly sure what that means, but this week’s up line also includes The Shys and Pop Levi.

Grand Ole Party - I N S A N E (mp3)

Friday, August 3rd: Earthless @ Safari Sams
Also I am recommending Earthless again this week for Tee Pee Records’ Manifest Destiny show w/RTX, Entrance, Assemble Head and the Sunburst Sound, Titan, Astra, Magic Lantern.

Earthless - Godspeed-edit (mp3)

Saturday, August 4th: The Bronx @ EchoPlex
This is a benefit show to cover Ferdie (drummer) of 400 Blows’ medical bills from when he got sick on tour recently and spent six days in the hospital. w/The Locust, Qui and 2 special guest headliners (Circle Jerks and Har Mar Superstar???? UPDATE: The Melvins)

The Bronx - History’s Stranglers (mp3)

So I am feeling a little bummed out right now that I am here in Long Beach right now and not in Denver, CO to see one of my all time favorite bands, VAUX, play their final show tonight at The Bluebird Theatre.

Calling it quits after ten long years on constant touring, label ups and downs, and 5 releases (though if you ask them they’ll probably tell you there have only been 3 proper VAUX releases and 2 Eiffel releases, they’re former name), the time has come to close the final chapter in band’s story as members are now spread from coast to coast, married or planning to marry, and have no solid label behind them to release further material. It is time quit, maybe not while they are ahead, but definitely not in reaction to being knocked down, as VAUX was a band that thrived on people counting them out, telling them it coundn’t be done, and figuring out how do it themselves when there was no one there to help.

I remember the first time met the guys in the VAUX back in 2002 as they walked through the parking lot of the offices where I work, joking to myself that Stillwater had just shown up, they were a band of long haired rocker dudes in corduroy pants and cowboy style button up shirts (which come to think of it, they still are). It was from that day on that my relationship with the band began, one of that as a fan first, a friend, a business associate, and a former business associate. These are people that I have let stay at my house, people I have gotten high with (well just one of them), people I have gotten drunk with (well just two of them), people I searched out vegetarian resturants with, and most of all people I shared some of the best times of my life with out on the road with.

It saddens me to think that I will never get to experience another VAUX show again, a spectacle of lighted fury and soaring volume, though there is some comfort knowing that I will be treated to one final release from the band, an epilogue of sorts, in the form of a final 5 song 30 minute ep this Fall.

Download “On Love and Cars” (mp3) from VAUX’s 2003 release There Must Be Some Way To Stop Them, a real ass kicker.

And “Van Fong” (mp3) from their 2005 release Beyond Virtue, Beyond Vice, which really showcases the band’s evolution between releases.

Also if you head over to VAUX’s MySpace page you can listen to “Ammunition”, the first track available from their forthcoming ep release.

Buy VAUX releases from: Insound | Amazon | iTunes

Usually I try to stay away from reposting press releases, there are so many sites that already do that. What’s the point? Plus if there is something that I feel is noteworthy I will just link to it in Random Bytes to one of the many sites posting the news/press release.

But on this occasion, I’m gonna have to break that soft rule and feed the machine a bit as Office have announced the details of their next album, A Night At The Ritz and posted a new track online for all to enjoy. Now I have been a fan of this band since being tipped about them through The Tripwire (their manager is the former editor of the online publication), totally digging their 2006 release, Q&A, falling completely for their quirky catchy pop that someone in my office thought sounded like the B-52’s…umm not so much and I think it was put down, but whatever, to each his own.

It wasn’t until SXSW this year that I was able to actually see the band live since they have yet to tour out West. They didn’t disappoint, the room at Emo’s was dancing along to every track, those from Q&A and the new ones that I can only surmise will be on A Night At The Ritz.

And what about A Night At The Ritz, well here’s what the press release says:

A NIGHT AT THE RITZ contains brand new material, as well as select gems culled from five years worth of demo recordings that have been re-worked and re-recorded. All persons involved with OFFICE and THE RITZ felt that these older songs were simply too good to not be released on a wider level. About the album, Masson muses, “This album has easily been the most grueling recording project I’ve ever been a part of, but also the most rewarding. It’s not like this was setting up a band in the studio, and pressing the record button. There are tympanis, keyboards, concert percussion, electronic flourishes, machines, studio tricks, tape machines, choral vocals, and acoustic moments. It was years of revision, reworking, rethinking, subtracting, adding, and re-recording until it got to where it is now.” He adds, “I feel like we live in completely surreal times, and this album is a reaction to that sensation.”

A Night At The Ritz will be released on September 25th via Scratchie/New Line Records (Scratchie Records is James Iha and Adam Schlesinger’s label).

Download what I guess you could call the title track, “The Ritz” (mp3) from A Night At The Ritz.

I have never been a fan of Portugal the Man’s particular brand of shiny-beat-indie-pop, so when I read that Church Mouth was a “huge departure” and that it was to be “… an organic rock record that transcends genres by managing to reference seemingly disparate acts such as the Beatles, Led Zeppelin, the White Stripes, the Mars Volta and Santana” (PTM’s official bio), I was intrigued. While I may disagree with the use of the word “disparate” to describe those influences, my curiosity was hightened by their mention.

The albums first song, and title track, is fiery and has a bit of rawness not found on previous recordings. The vocals, in a high pitch wail, compliment the driving rhythm and guitar crunch, and the breakdown in a half-time shout and stomp ala a southern spiritual is a pleasant surprise. …continue reading »