District Kills Records
Boston, Massachusetts - Est. 2008
Jazz Funeral Blog
Mar 25, 2012
Mar 15, 2012
Brendan Kelly Releases Short Film
Brandon Kelly has released a short film leading up to the release for his new solo album. Check out the short film below by clicking “Read More.”
This is awesome. Much love, Larry Arms.
Feb 20, 2012
PropertyOfZack Review : : Silverstein
I wrote this. New Silverstein actually fucking kills, as weird as that may sound.
It would seem some 15 or so years after its conception and with the advent of bands like Design the Skyline, the last angsty, mascara-black tear has been wrung out of screamo; clearly, alt-scene veterans Silverstein got that memo. At just over 19 minutes and with eleven out of 22 songs old-school punk and hardcore covers (imaginatively culled, in this reviewer’s opinion, from Steve Albini’s wet-dream-fantasy-all-star-basement-show roster of the scene’s most groundbreaking and influential bands), it almost seems like Short Songs was written and recorded with music critics in mind—almost. Silverstein’s latest effort is hard-hitting and fresh, yet tinged with unapologetic nostalgia and notions of, dare we say, the kind of proto-musical education and understanding in which many fans today are ostensibly lacking.
Short Songs is not for the weak of heart or constitution. Starting out with “Sick As Your Secrets” and blazing through ten more originals, none of which cross the two-minute mark, the entire first half of the record is one ADD-addled, frenetic, furious gut-blow after another. For the most part, Silverstein’s eleven originals aren’t too emphatic on sounding especially original in terms of tone or musical notions. Instead and perhaps more importantly, the band looks backwards in terms of drawing influence. For example, one can easily pick up on the old-school pop-punk notions of “Brookfield” or the obvious pit calls in “SOS.” Most are of these cuts are intense and fast-paced, meant to shine in a live setting where the demand for a circle pit or a bout of two-stepping is undeniable.
Jan 30, 2012
PropertyOfZack Single Review : : Now, Now
Single reviews are fun to write. I think I’ll write another, today.
Minnesota’s Now, Now (formerly Now, Now Every Children) have existed for some time but have really begun to generate a significant amount of buzz in the indie world since signing to Chris Walla’s (Death Cab For Cutie) Trans Records. The first single off their upcoming album Threads, “Dead Oaks,” is a short, sweet indie-pop gem that is infectiously catchy while keeping things incredibly simple, both musically and lyrically.
Clocking in at a modest one minute, forty-one seconds, “Dead Oaks” is unassuming in its lack of sophistication. The cut starts with some soft, palm-muted acoustic guitar riffing and a cutesy vocal line with coy, romantically-inclined lyrical work. After the first verse, some lo-fi percussion and lead guitar accompany the vocals, which benefit from some pop backing harmonies, as well. The song continues hinge around pop nuance with a healthy dose of “oh-oh’s” and tambourine shaking, then halts abruptly, everything ceasing, save for the same lone acoustic riff that started the song.
Jan 26, 2012
I’m trying to raise money for my pup’s surgery. It’s $1400. If you could donate any amount to my PayPal, it would help. Message me for the email. Please reblog! Thanks!
Jan 11, 2012
One For Good Measure
People love being told what to think. They demand it. Most search for a level of clarity in an otherwise unintelligible din of white noise. So it makes sense that many sources wish to influence and capitalize on humanity’s need to “filter the noise” and resurface with a tangible message, a…
Jan 3, 2012
Unpaid Internships Aid Schools' Bottom Lines, But Do They Flout the Law? [Village Voice]
Yo, VV, I’m really happy that you’ve decided to run this article about the controversy of unpaid internships, but you should probably also ‘fess up and disclose that most of your interns are unpaid, and that you often require college credit for said internships. Which is a practice that this article calls into question. Just saying.
On a personal note, my patience for unpaid internships unraveled after I worked as an unpaid video intern at an organization where I was the only person on staff who actually knew anything about video editing. I was teaching my boss how to do things in Final Cut. And that’s when I realized that unpaid internships are, for the most part, bullshit.
I’m astounded that companies still think it’s OK to ask young people to do real work for no pay. But I also realize the problem won’t go away until everyone stops accepting unpaid jobs (because that’s what they are, they’re JOBS). But we’re talking about a generation desperate for work and career validation, so that’s not going to happen any time soon.
Don’t take unpaid internships. Don’t work for free. You fuck things up for people trying to make a living at this stuff.
Dec 23, 2011
Dec 19, 2011
Dec 17, 2011
The Exclamation Comma. “Just because you’re excited about something doesn’t mean you have to end the sentence.”
That’s true.
Dec 14, 2011
We Are The Kids: How to Get on Warped Tour: Feature #3 Paul Adler of Jazz Funeral
I was on the first six weeks of Warped Tour 2010. I came to be on the tour because, at the time, I was a solo artist with a newly-released EP, signed to a small, Boston-based independent record label. The label reached out to Warped’s production team to secure a merch spot on the tour, with a…
Dec 7, 2011
A Brief History: John Coltrane, Thelonious Monk, And Their 1957 Collaboration @ The Five Spot
In the 1950s and 1960s, John Coltrane and Thelonious Monk pushed jazz past its traditional constraints to become two of the most respected innovators in the history of American music. Although they were personally and musically quite different, they had many similarities: both got…
Dec 6, 2011
Nov 30, 2011
Nov 21, 2011
Here are two eye-opening articles on why law school might be a bad idea:
Obviously, I’m really just posting these as a reminder to myself of my wealth of hesitation regarding pursuing a career in law or even attending a law school for the intrinsic, extra-legal benefits of a JD.
-and-
From Slate Magazine:
Law Schools Should Pay Students to Quit
By Akhil Reed Amar and Ian Ayres
Published: November 18th, 2011
“An unorthodox solution to the problem of too many graduates unable to repay their loans.”
Nov 17, 2011
Nov 15, 2011
Mirror Lady - Shapes (Spiderwoman)
The fun part about bed room music projects is the sincerity of them. They don’t have to worry about proving to some studio engineer they’re supposed to be there. But it allows them to be free and show a depth and sincerity of feeling in all of the ingredients involved. This now Boston, MA native by way of Silver Lake, CA has captured the sound of a dark thick forest in the middle of a July evening in the Pacific Northwest. Everything is swaying with the summer breeze shifting the aural surroundings the visitor while leaking in swells of moon light.
You can download this track for free.
Nov 14, 2011
