BECAUSE WE WERE BORED: Episode #1

Are podcasts lame? Prolly. Are they the product of people with as much time as ego on their hands? likely. Which is why The Skyline Network is pleased to announce our occasional podcast series, Because We Were Bored. We have no idea how this stuff works, so just download it below and pretend like you got it from the iTunes store or something.

Click here to download

In this episode of BWWB, we're taking a look at that whole 'bands in outer-space' thing we talked about a little bit ago. Here's what you'll hear excerpts of and asinine commentary on:

Hemyah - A Silent Visit
Margot - T Minus 120
By The End of Tonight - Setting Sail in April
Blades - Thickass Cable
Tambersauro - One Picture Frame and One Half of a Picture
Storms Threaten to Destroy - Intelligent Ape
Sharks and Sailors - Topple the Pillar
The Nautical Mile - The Air Over
Antarctica Starts Here - Shannon
Co-Pilot - Low Earth Orbit

DOES YOUR IPOD KNOW: Co-Pilot – Low Earth Orbit

In the Riddicktian system of movie reviewing, there are only a possible three stars: one each for explosions, outer-space and Vin Diesel. So, lets say that Mr. Too Fast, Too Furious decided that, when it was time to soften up his image a bit, chose not to go the second-rate Kindergarten Cop route but instead took on a project were he was revealed to be vulnerable, and suffers a vivid, personal but not planet-destroying loss of a woman that he loved. And imagine if, the producers wanting to get a perfect three-star rating, had decided to set said climax of catharsis against the background of an explosion in outer space. Yeah, Co-Pilot’s ‘Low Earth Orbit’ is kinda tite that way (HEY! DON’T HATE ON VIN DIESEL!).

The demo, presumably for one of the quartet’s planned 2007 multiple EPs plus full length release schedule, is a stellar example of that stargaze nonsense we were talking about the other day, and we advise your adding it to your ‘absorb’ play list before their please please please do not get canceled show March 11th at Walters (we talked about this bill the other day too).

MP3: Co-Pilot - Low Earth Orbit

BETTER THAN THEIR MYSPACE: Antarctica Starts Here

So – what is with this new wave of Houston music lately? It’s not emo, though clearly there is an earnest amount of heart-sleeving. There are atmospherics, and perhaps the occasion Pelican Exploding in their Skies, but it doesn’t come across as raw appage of any post- anything genre. And it’s not really shoegaze either, if only because its prognosticators are clearly looking at the stars rather than their feet. So whatever – we’ll call it spacegaze - because genre labels are a lazy journalistic conveniences and we are all about conveniences (and also ‘spacegaze’is such a terrible name that there is little to no chance of it catching on).

Antarctica Starts Here is one of those bands. We checked them out for the first time Saturday night at the Proletariat (with Program and The Watermarks), and even though their new drummer and keyboardist have been with them for only a few weeks, they’re already a markedly different band from the tracks on their self-distributed Bella Mas EP. Their sound is large and fills your pores, but this is an aloe wash, not a sandstorm. The guitars are gigantic, the drums are running you even harder, and it all makes so much more sense with the vocals. We caught up with ASH vocalist Jenna after the show and she gave us all the dirt about what’s in store for the quintet next. Ok, so actually we just MySpaced her the next day.

For the Record:
“We are planning on going to record with Jon Crosby (VAST) at his new studio sometime in May. Initially when he took an interest in working with us, we had planned on going the second weekend of March and were going to try and record 3-4 songs. With the new members, and the way the writing style is growing, and progressing to an unstoppable monster, we decided to wait and write more before we go back in the studio."

And what of new members?
[New keyboardist] "Justin’s style, the way he writes/influences have always been a huge influence to me as well. I love the Rhodes, and [former keyboard player] Chase wrote amazing parts, but Justin is going to incorporate both into our music from now on. I am super excited about the potential and noise we will as a new collaborate create."

So - want to check out this stargaze baloney in person? Your best bet is March 11th at Walters, where ASH will share a bill with the like-rocking Co-Pilot, Margot and Corpus Christi's i am trees.