Tuesday 24 June 2014

Crust Strings


Recently discovered this very interesting blog CRUST/PUNK/HARDCORE WITH STRING INSTRUMENTS featuring lots of links and streaming audio etc. of crusty bands with strings...basically as the title suggests...not sure of the quality of a lot of the music as I haven't had the time to listen, but an interesting thing regardless with a very nice logo in the banner...the way the world's going we might all be practicing and playing dressed like that in the not-too-distant future! Perhaps I should refrain from talking like that. Pessimism of the Intellect, Optimism of the Will!

Thursday 19 June 2014

More Self Promotion


Good evening readers, Once again I'm afraid this post is about my own work. As previously stated here at Underground Violin I will soon be bringing out a new album of a new duo, that of myself and non-linear drummer Tony Irving. The album is coming out on the incredible Duskdarter Records as an online only, free, creative commons release. That's free free improvisation for the people. As any of you who drop in here regularly would know I play most regularly in The Scrapes and have released plenty of stuff through my own bandcamp and through labels such as Wood & Wire. Tony has jammed, performed and recorded with the likes of Stefan Jaworzyn, Thurston Moore and Lee Ranaldo, Lol Coxhill, Alan Wilkinson and more. With Jaworzyn he worked as Ascension and later Descension, and has also recorded with other ensembles including Unity Gain and his locally-based ensembles The Impossible and Cyclone Trio. So anyway enough talking us up. I think this list of words above here should give you a solid idea of what it all should sound like, but even better for you Duskdarter have put up a sample that you can listen to here! The project is named...well....after us....Tony Irving & Adam Cadell, and the album is titled "Some Shards For The Void". The album was recorded in a very unique and industrial space for a suitably cavernous resonance by The Scrapes/The Maryettas guitarist and singer-songwriter Ryan Potter. Ryan is also responsible for mixing and mastering this beast just as he has been for a lot of incredible underground sounds in Brisbane including our The Scrapes collaboration. Then there's the fantastic and utterly unique art, a film photograph by Melbourne-based artist (and one of my dear comrades from my time in Ghana) and activist Tom Reddington of one of his installations, with layout and design by another Melbourne-based artist, and Tom's housemate, Meagan Wyke. Here it is in all its glory:
So while that beast is unleashed on 3rd July 2014 the launch performance will be that weekend, the 5th July, at the Waiting Room in Brisbane's West End, a dual launch it shall be with Kahl Monticone who is also releasing a new album through Duskdarter on the 3rd July. His work is also well well worth checking out. The opener will be Built From Sticks, the project of Jamie Curran known for his fine keyboard playing in local group Ghost Notes, and also for his fine playing in Secret Black, an ensemble featuring myself as well. Complex and incestuous isn't it. Here's the poster for the launch:
OK that's all the info you need for this one. Get along to the launch if you can and don't hesitate to come and say hi. If not then head over to Duskdarter on 3 July and download aaaaalllll. Finish, Adam

Thursday 12 June 2014

New Album Out 5 July


Dear readers, So here I am self-promoting again. Firstly for anyone who's interested in my work in The Scrapes please head HERE and have a look at the Gig page for info on our many upcoming performances, including one as yet unlisted gig for the Brisbane Fringe Festival in August. But as the subject heading here suggests this is not about The Scrapes, rather this is about a new album coming out through DUSKDARTER. A duo free improvisatory meeting in a warehouse dungeon between myself and Tony Irving (Ascension/Descension) on drums. Tentatively titled "Some Shards For the Void", this album consists of around 7 blistering improvisations for violin and drums that bare some resemblance at times to the wild meanderings of the Revolutionary Ensemble or the messy exploring of the Rashied Ali & Leroy Jenkins duos. But really, comparisons aside, this is a meeting between two blokes blasting out sounds from the heart and guts, and captured by The Scrapes' eagle eared and Soviet microphone-toting Ryan Potter. Excitingly this album will be released as a creative commons online only release at this stage...ie. FREE! On 5 July 2014 with a launch performance, along with Kahl Monticone (who is also releasing an excellent new recording on the same label) at The Waiting Room, West End, Brisbane. This is not to be missed for anyone who can get there. Not least of all because the Waiting Room is a very special venue, a converted Old Queenslander - for those reading not from these parts they're old 19th century wooden houses on stilts - which, like many such buildings, has beautiful acoustics and nice soft floor boards to sit on...and as always it's BYO so you avoid atrocious booze costs at other live venues...I could go on for a long time about what makes this event appealing, but more than anything it's the music. So be there or be irrefutably square. Best, Dr Adams.