Panurge: "Black Box"

Waaaaaaay back in ancient 2004, the Vancouver band Panurge released an album called Throw Down the Reins, which I listened to relentlessly for about the entire year. Needless to say, it was one of my very favorite albums of that year. But then 2005 went by with no mention of them at all, and 2006 was looking that way too, until today when I found out they're releasing a new album in August! The new album Walking In The Fog will be released by Last Gang Records on August 22nd. Check this track from the upcoming album, it's sexy.

[MP3]: Panurge :: Black Box (Pretty Recommended!)
Correct me if I'm wrong, but does the opening of this song not sound like Donkey Kong Country background music? Anyway, that's just the opening, after that they roll in some pulsing synths and a catchy-as-hell guitar riff that comes in and out like clockwork. My shining moment of this song comes at approximately 2:25 when a rising barrage of blips, beeps and guitardrops out, giving way to a mellow breakdown that keeps the momentum of the song going, but takes it to a completely different place.

Panurge on MySpace

Elsewheres:

It's seems to be an El Paso, texas kinda week with new release announcements from Sparta, as well as the consistantly-getting-worse Mars Volta. I've probably made my LOVE for At the Drive-In clear before, but if I haven't, now you know. That's why I find myself unable to not like either of the aformentioned bands. I do however, enjoy Sparta a lot more than The Mars Volta though.

The new Sparta album Threes will be released by Hollywood Records on October 10th, but you can currently listen to the first single "Taking Back Control" on their MySpace page. Speaking of the new album, guitarist Jim Ward says, “Bands often talk about each new record as being an evolution, but in our case this album isn’t a step to where we’re going—we’re already there. This album marks our graduation.” Yeah, that sounds nice, but we'll see when I here it all. In the meantime, "Taking Back Control" is slowly growing on me.

Now, The Mars Volta, a tricky band for me these days. I loved their first album, and I love the roots from which they came, but I couldn't be more against the direction they've been heading in since Frances The Mute. The new album Amputecture, however seems to find the band trying to get back to the sound heard on their debut, the sound I liked. There are songs on here that I absolutely hate, a few I like, but unfortunately, there are none that I love. One that I do happen to like, is the first single "Viscera Eyes", which you can go stream on their MySpace page as well. Who in God's name thought bringing RHCP members into the band was a good idea?

Further Elsewheres:

I had succesfully kept a safe distance between myself and the music of Brazilian SubPoppers Cansei De Ser Sexy and it was working out beautifully, until today, when I saw this video, and was pulled into their web of awesome.

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