883.01 [cover] 9/15/04 9:21 PM Page 1 REVIEWS VHS OR BETA • DEVENDRA BANHART • HOT WATER MUSIC • ROB SONIC • CHANNELS • CHRIS WHITELY • AND MORE ISSUE NO. 883 • SEPTEMBER 27, 2004 • WWW.CMJ.COM NEW MUSIC REPORT® CMJSPOTLIGHT REVIEW MEDESKIMEDESKI MARTINMARTIN ANDAND WOODWOOD TOM WAITS Real Gone FINAL SAY The Many Hats Of Hydra Head’s Aaron Turner HIP HOP BRAND NUBIAN NO. 1 PUNKS JUMP UP, BEAT DOWN NEWS TO US Pay To Skeet: Lil Jon Teams With Bad Brains This Is The Way BJÖRK The World Ends WORD OF MOUTH BOOSTS (With A No. 1 Debut) MEDULLA TO N0. 1 COUNTER CULTURE: THE ROCK BOX: THEIR DJ’S BETTER THAN ALL THESE BANDS... HUH! 883.02 [preregisterad] 9/15/04 9:24 PM Page 27 883.03 [news].qxd 9/15/04 9:32 PM Page 3 CMJ New Music Report® EDITORIAL Editor Steve Ciabattoni Retail Editor NEWS TO US Gerry Hart Associate Editors Nicole Keiper Cube and punk legends Bad Brains driving more than a million Tom Mallon (who Lil Jon used to bump back in Sudanese from their homes and Christopher R. Weingarten his early days as a skatepunk). Some leaving over 50,000 dead. The Retail Assistant Editor sense has finally crawled under Rick artists—mostly submitting exclu- Kory Grow Rubin’s beard—he’s producing sives and rarities—also include Assistant Editor another hip-hop track in the X-ecutioners, Kinky, Yoko Ono, the Owen Strock upcoming Lil Jon screamfest “Why Pretenders, DJ Spooky featuring Lee Editorial Assistant Matthew Field U Fucking With Me”—bets are that “Scratch” Perry, Antibalas Afrobeat Loud Rock Editor it lands somewhere between Orchestra, Thievery Corporation, Amy Sciarretto “unstoppable” and “unfuckwith- Jill Scott, Mark Farina, Toots And RPM Editor able.” (Anything to keep Rubin from The Maytals featuring Bunny Justin Kleinfeld producing another To My Surprise Wailer, Rise Against and more. Contributing Writer record is crunk to us. Yeeeeah!) Momentarily ubiquitous producer Brad Filicky Argument for those who worry a Danger Mouse and increasingly Interns love of Lil Jon damages their indie incredible rhymer Murs—fresh off Jennifer Daniel cred: While he is a double-platinum their touching attention-grabber for Reed Fischer mainstream radio sensation who can jailed youth Marcus Dixon—will be ART get Bruce Willis to dance on nation- donating their second collabo “Paint Art Director al TV, his skeletal beats, formulaic By Numbers.” Rage Against The Steve Cassidy songs and nihilistic chants are more Machine/Audioslave guitar mutila- aggressive, potent and visceral than tor Tom Morello will be donating CUSTOMER SERVICE the majority of what they call “punk” “Let Freedom Ring” under his folky Fulfillment/Business Services this week. Discuss. new political guise the Manager ISSUE 883 Conor Oberst (above, pensive) wants to be the Nightwatchman and ex-NIN skins- Jason Glastetter e Make room on that milk-crate pounder Chris Vrenna (a.k.a. Customer Service Coordinator OutKast of Omaha? The Bright Eyes Greg Burgett coffee table, hipster: The Wilco Book, Tweaker) will be doing “Ruby,” pair- frontman plans to release two an essay-filled photo-licious look at ing him again with folky croaker PUBLISHING records simultaneously next year, the iconic CMJ chart-toppers will Will Oldham. The CD is due in late CEO & Publisher rather than whittle his output down come bundled with a 12-track CD of November on Waxploitation. Robert K. Haber to one super-concentrated avant- unreleased material, including alter- Chief Operating Officer emo experience. Two new Bright nate versions of songs on their recent e Brett Wickard, owner of nine- Jay B. Ziskrout Eyes singles (one from each of the A Ghost Is Born plus some other store New England indie retail staple Account Executive jams. Fans ordering by September Bull Moose Music, is walking with Jerry Rubino 2005-slated albums) will be available in late October and will feature some 30th from wilcoweb.com will be half a million other Americans for CIRCULATION B-sides as well. (B-sides? Damn, why entered for a chance to receive a the Juvenile Diabetes Research signed copy. Note to Wilco: Hook us Foundation’s Walk To Cure Distribution & Fulfillment not just go for three?) [email protected] up, doggs. Diabetes. Since our government 917.606.1908 e would rather spend our money Get ready to beat those once- e System Of A Down, Tortoise, building space toilets, we have to CMJ NETWORK, INC. funny Chappelle’s Show routines fur- Jurassic 5, Bad Religion, Gorillaz fight this one ourselves, kids. Robert K. Haber ther and further into the ground: Lil Joanne Abbot Green and scores of others are joining Wickard—whose son suffers from Jon And The East Side Boyz follow- forces for Genocide In Sudan,a bene- Type 1 diabetes—and his family up endless mega-hit Kings Of Crunk CMJ New Music Report (ISSN 0890 0795) fit CD drawing attention and funds hope to be the top fundraisers in is published weekly, except for one week in with, naturally, Crunk Juice! Named towards fighting genocide in the the state of Maine. Help make it January, by The CMJ Network, Inc. with for the nectar that fills Lil Jon’s plat- offices at 151 W. 25th St., 12th Fl.; African nation. Human rights happen by donating here: New York, NY 10001. inum chalice (Hennessey and Red groups say that government-sup- walk.jdrf.org/walker.cfm?id=858548 Subscription rates are $345.00 for 48 issues; Bull), Crunk Juice is set to feature ported militias have been carrying 55 (don’t let that tricky URL stop $575.00 for 96 issues. Sorry, no refunds. guest appearances from Nas, Ice Subscription offices: 151 W. 25th St., 12th Fl.; out an ethnic cleansing campaign— you form doing the right thing). New York, NY 10001. Tel 917.606.1908. Periodicals postage paid at New York, NY and additional mailing offices. 6 REVIEWS CMJ New Music Report is copyright ©2004 by The CMJ Network, Inc. all rights reserved; Here they’re seated Martin 9 POINTS OF IMPACT nothing may be reproduced without written Wood And Medeski... at 10 RADIO 200 / CORE / ADDS consent of publisher. Unless indicated otherwise, all letters sent to CMJ are eligible for publication least their new album is in 14 RETAIL and copyright purposes, and are subject to fine order, making a huge 20 LOUD ROCK CMJ’s right to edit and comment editorially. Unsolicited manuscripts, photos and artwork debut on the Radio 200. 22 RPM are welcome; please enclose a self-addressed, 23 TRIPLE A / HIP HOP stamped envelope to facilitate return. PAGE 8 Postmaster: send address changes to 24 NEW WORLD / JAZZ CMJ New Music Report, 151 W. 25th St., 12th Floor; New York, NY 10001. 25 GOING FOR ADDS CONTENTSCONTENTS 26 FINAL SAY: HYDRA HEAD 3 CMJ SEPTEMBER 27, 2004 883.04-05 [MM04] 9/15/04 9:35 PM Page 2 REGISTER EARLY FOR THE BEST SAVINGS Special Discounts for college students and groups www.cmj.com/marathon DONT MISS: WIN A GIBSON SG! • Dozens of seminars, workshops and tradeshow exhibits Register for the CMJ • Thousands of broadcast, music and film industry VIPs Music Marathon 2004 • CMJ FilmFest - explore the convergence of music and film • CVC@CMJ: CVC Report's annual Music Video Conference and you’ll be entered to win a Gibson SG Receive a one-year subscription to SPIN, free with your CMJ Music Marathon registration. Special Faded Be where all the action is! Book your room now at CMJ Headquarters by contacting the Westin NY. Reserve by calling 888.627.7149 or go to cmj.com/marathon Sponsored by Powered by Photo of My Morning Jacket at Music Marathon ’03 by Rahav Segev 883.04-05 [MM04] 9/15/04 9:39 PM Page 3 SCHEDULED TO APPEAR* ...AND YOU WILL KNOW US DECEMBERISTS Q AND NOT U BY THE TRAIL OF DEAD DILLINGER FOUR RJD2 AESOP ROCK THE FAINT SONDRE LERCHE AVAIL GLASS CANDY SONIC YOUTH BOUNCING SOULS HIDDEN CAMERAS SPARTA BUMBLEBEEZ81 HOPE OF THE STATES STRAYLIGHT RUN CLINIC NICOLAI DUNGER SUFJAN STEVENS COACHWHIPS PEDRO THE LION TED LEO/PHARMACISTS CONCRETES PERCEPTIONISTS TV ON THE RADIO CUT COPY PINBACK WRENS THE FAINT SUFJAN STEVENS TV ON THE RADIO ALICE DONUT • AMBULANCE LTD • AN ALBATROSS • APES • ARCADE FIRE • BAD WIZARD • BATTLES • BEEP BEEP • BLOOD ON THE WALL BLUE VAN • BOBBY BARE JR. • BROKEN SPINDLES • BROTHER JT • BURNT BY THE SUN • CAMPER VAN BEETHOVEN • DEATH COMET CREW DIOS MALOS • DJ OLIVE • DJ SIGNIFY • DOGS DIE IN HOT CARS • ENGINE DOWN • EUGENE MIRMAN • EVOLUTION CONTROL COMMITTEE EX-MODELS • HANGAR 18 • HOLD STEADY • HOLLY GOLIGHTLY • JUANA MOLINA • KINGSBURY MANX • LES GEORGE LENINGRAD LOU BARLOW • MIKE WATT AND THE SECONDMEN • NICOLAI DUNGER • ONEIDA • ROBBERS ON HIGH STREET • ROGERS SISTERS SINGAPORE SLING • SLUMBER PARTY • SONS AND DAUGHTERS • SOVIETTES • THERMALS • THESE ARMS ARE SNAKES TURING MACHINE • VHS OR BETA • AND MORE! *All artists subject to change Just Announced: Al Franken to deliver Keynote Address! Go to www.cmj.com/marathon for more info and on bands and panels 883.06 [now].qxd 9/15/04 9:43 PM Page 4 THIS WEEK’S NOW ESSENTIAL NEW RELEASES DEVENDRA BANHART VHS OR BETA TOM WAITS Niño Rojo (Young God) Night On Fire (Astralwerks) Real Gone (Anti-) The shiniest of the new breed of post-Barrett crazy dia- Kentucky-fried five-piece VHS Or BETA’s latest full- After taking the simultaneous double-disc detour of monds shines on Niño Rojo—the second release this length, Night On Fire, sounds straight from the era when Alice and Blood Money two years ago, Real Gone finds year from endlessly engaging floaty folk weirdo their namesakes were the only game in town, and Waits furthering the sinister production of Mule Devendra Banhart.