by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Nits and notes…

If you missed Destruction Unit when they blew through O’Leaver’s a few months ago, you’ll get another chance. The band is slated to play at Middle House (across the street from The Brothers) Sept. 4. The Arizona band made the “Live List” of the best live acts in the new issue of Rolling Stone, along with other garage acts like Bruce Springsteen and Paul McCartney. Check out their latest stream below:

[soundcloud url=”http://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/103155428″ params=”” width=” 100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /]

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Chapel Hill Post punkers Polvo have a new album coming out Oct. 1 on Merge called Siberia. I’d forgotten all about these guys.

[soundcloud url=”http://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/104273830″ params=”” width=” 100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /]

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Of Montreal is headed back to The Waiting Room Nov. 2. The band has a new album coming out on Polyvinyl Oct. 8 called lousy with sylvianbriar. Check out the first leaked track below:

[soundcloud url=”http://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/89649772″ params=”” width=” 100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /]

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What else…

BELLS≥, Solutions, Silence or Affirmations (self release, 2013)

Do you remember Jawbox? If you were a fan, you may want to check out BELLS≥ Solutions, Silence or Affirmations (self-released). Info: “Former Jawbox drummer Zach Barocas, guitarists Stephen Shodin (Blood City, Coup Fourre) and Chris Ernst, cellist Gordon Withers (Office of Future Plans, et al.) and producer/bassist J. Robbins (Jawbox, Burning Airlines, Channels, Office of Future Plans) have created an album marked by its heft and grace. D.C. bass duo Argos contributed basses on “Promenade.” Tom Broucksou (Chumps, Gung) will handle bass duties live and moving forward.” The whole album is being streamed on their bandcamp page, here. It’s worth checking out.

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Finally, in this week’s column, answers to what’s happening with the bees. I’m not talking about a band called “the bees,” I’m talking about the insect. Have you noticed that there aren’t any bees anymore? One of the area’s per-eminent exports on bees explains what’s happening and what we can do about it. It’s in this week’s issue of The Reader or read it online right here.

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Read Tim McMahan’s blog daily at Lazy-i.com — an online music magazine that includes feature interviews, reviews and news. The focus is on the national indie music scene with a special emphasis on the best original bands in the Omaha area. Copyright © 2013 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

Judgement Day at O’Leaver’s, Oct. 18, 2012.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Maybe it was the shitty weather, but there weren’t very many people at O’Leaver’s last night for Judgement Day, which was a shame because the trio was amazing. Driving, pounding, throbbing rock as intense as metal but without the pain. The Pantzer brothers played souring mini-orchestrations blending violin and cello atop a bed of drums.

As you may be aware by the better quality photo I’ve posted recently, I acquired an iPhone 5, and figured I’d test its video capabilities last night. This is a far cry from a Love Drunk or Ingrained video, but you can at least get a general gist of what Judgement Day was about by watching/listening to this amateur video. Hey Judgement Day guys, if you want me to yank it from YouTube, just let me know.

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I suspect O’Leaver’s will be more crowded for tonight’s show: Destruction Unit with Digital Leather and Solid Goldberg. Who is Destruction Unit? This from the Chicago Reader:

Ryan “Elvis Wong” Rousseau’s impressive band resumé (the Wongs, the Reatards, Digital Leather, Earthmen & Strangers) has earned him the right to do whatever he wants, including release a 2012 cassette of fried lo-fi solo material called Hello! Mr. Cactus Man, which sounds like a handful of barbiturates laced with David Lynch. His work with Destruction Unit — a band whose former members include Jay Reatard and Alicja Trout—has morphed since its founding in 2000 from more-or-less straightforward garage into sweeping desert rock inflected with Krautrock and psychedelia. The six enveloping songs of jamming fuzz and synth swashes on the upcoming Void LP (Jolly Dream) are mostly loud and abrasive and dirty, but it’s their subtleties—distant bubbling murmurs of noise, faint guitar noodling—that make for the best hooks.

In other words: Don’t miss it. Digital Leather you already know about, but Hear Nebraska has a brand spankin’ new interview with DL mastermind Shawn Foree to give you even more technicolor. Shawn talks about Omaha, drugs, music and his records and how they’re all connected. Read it here. Solid Goldberg is Omaha legend Dave Goldberg’s solo electronic project that must be seen to be believed. This show could go down as the stuff dreams are made of. $5, 9:30 p.m.

Also tonight is a benefit for the Antiquarium Record Store, which recently announced that it was closing due to debt issues. The show, being held a The Sandbox, features Witness Tree, The Decatures, The Sub-Vectors and Pyrate. $5, 9 p.m., all proceeds go to The Antiquarium. More here.

Finally, over at The Barley Street Tavern, The Whipkey Three opens for CB band The Eightyseven. $5, 9 p.m.

I don’t see much happening Saturday or Sunday. If you’ve some ideas for shows, post ’em in the comments section.

Later.

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