Dear People,

First I want to say this is the last week to get out here and see the work of Jeremy Davis and Debbie Carlos. It comes down on the 30th and then goes back to Charlotte and you will have to live with that. The Summer of No Rulez is jamming and their are plenty of ways to express yourself. Whether it is at summerofnorulez.com or just when you are walking to the grocery store, sonr is for everybody. We also have www.sonr.org if you want a short website to tag with or remember. The huskyboypartyscene looks like it will stay dormant until we really know what we want to do with it. We have shows almost everynight in July at the record store so it is tough to say when we can throw a Summer Of No Rulez party anywhere but we will do what we can to just keep the fire buring and living it up. Remember we have a flickr account for you to email pictures to illustrating your no rulez style. As soon as you email the photo it goes right into the photostream and shows up on the site. See the link below for uploading pictures. Tonight at the Granby Theater we have the Refugee All-Stars which is going to be incredible - be sure to make it out. Tomorrow night we have Birdmonster at Relative - going to be insane especially with our new sound set up. Did you see Lovely Feathers and Piglet last night? Sounded incredible! Also you may have heard about the Farmer's Market at MacArthur Mall and that it was a simple tent and not much to offer but they are in the same position as Relative - If you support it, then it will grow into something bigger and better. Remember Relative when we first opened? Do us a favor. Don't complain about shit - get off your ass and show your love. Also to let you know we have not had time yet to update the Relative Love podcast yet. Hopefully we will get to it tomorrow.

relative links
www.jeremyokaidavis.com
www.hellogirlfriend.com Debbie Carlos
www.summerofnorulez.com
www.summerofnorulez.com/livin/pics go here to learn about submitting pics

RELATIVE LOVE

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An Albatross
Blessphemy (of the Peace Beast)

Release Date: 06/27/06
Label: Ace Fu
CD: $15.98 Sale $10.98
LP: $12.98

Philadelphia's An Albatross at long last unveil their first full-length album. The CD version is released through Ace Fu Records in New York, while GSL bestows upon the world the deluxe gatefold, colored-vinyl edition. An Albatross have been touring endlessly for the past 4 years and first appeared on GSL with 2004's split 7" with XBXRX. Since then, they've visited Europe twice, playing to massive festival crowds and inspiring praise and a growing legion of devotees. Recently down-sizing to a 5-piece lineup, An Albatross are poised to dominate the landscape of spastic, post-ironic hardcore associated with the likes of The Locust, Melt Banana, Aids Wolf, XBXRX, etc.

Reggae genius Capleton is back with a bang on the most anticipated dancehall album of the year, Free Up. Capleton promises to thrill core fans and win new fans alike with 15 brand new, unreleased tracks produced, recorded and mastered in Jamaica.

West Coast psychedelic folkie Nick Castro is currently making some of most dynamic and truly original sounds to emerge from the much-ballyhooed new folk movement. As 'freak-folk' and assorted hairy-fairy type labels grab the headlines in the underground, Castro strives for a solemn, serene sort of beauty, summoning utterly melodic incantations in song and sound. Gracefully immersing '60s/'70s British Isles acid balladry with Middle-Eastern traditional music and heady, pan-cultural communal jams, Castro succeeds in reaching otherworldly vistas and ocean-spanning folk transcendence. Following up 2005's lauded Further From Grace, Castro unfurls his sprawling third album Come Into Our House, easily his most far-reaching and deeply molecular outing yet. Previously backed by The Poison Tree, which included Josephine Foster and members of Espers, Nick Castro has assembled a new band of players under the moniker The Young Elders -- a truly stellar cast of musicians whose combined resumes include folk and avant rock ensembles Current 93, In Gowan Ring, Damo Suzuki's Network and Cul de Sac. Castro has found a lineup in The Young Elders that fully articulates his vast and grandiose visions, and subsequently Come Into Our House shimmers brightly in sound and scope. An East-meets-West melting pot of instrumentation -- from acoustic guitars, upright bass and piano to Celtic harp, Moroccan tabla and nyabinghi drum -- Come Into Our House is at once primitive and polished, elaborate yet elusive, effortlessly mating Bert Jansch-style folk song ('Winding Tree'), psychedelic folk rock ('One I Love'), Middle Eastern traditional music ('Attar') and Bay Area acid-raga ('Lay Down Your Arms') to a kind of organic studio musique concrete that Can forged on albums like Tago Mago. The results are astonishing, challenging and utterly psychedelic.

PLAYING RELATIVE JULY 11

With this album, Kool Keith is once again practicing as the twisted, sex-crazed Doctor. Teaming with international production team One Watt Sun, the former MC of Ultramagnetic MCs, he delivers a sequel many thought never would arrive.

The latest opus by the legendary Kool Keith! Collabs Tape is a 2 CD edition mixed and remixed by DJ Junkas Lou - 42 classic joints including exclusives and never-released songs by rap genius Kool Keith. Featuring O.D.B., Guru, Sadat X, MF Doom, Ice-T, Chino XL, Sir Menelik, Princess Superstar, Esham, The Prodigy, Roger Troutman, Big Shug, Ultramagnetic MCs and many more.

Late 60's and early 70's Marley and the Wailers tracks produced by Lee Scratch Perry. Tougher and more organic versions of songs that would later appear on their Island albums. Contains Soul Rebel, African Herbsman, and 14 more. Detailed liner notes.

Minazo is Merzbows tribute to a beloved male elephant seal that lived in captivity at a Tokyo aqarium. Masami Akita aften visited Minazo and was allowed access to him behind the scenes. Minazo was the only male elephant seal in Japan and became very popular through several TV appearances. He was forced to perform various stunts before audiences at each mealtime. This hard work made him exhausted and might have caused his early death. Minazo died in October 2005 at eleven years old still young for an elephant seal whose life expectancy is twenty years on average.

Recorded from April 19 - July 19, 1957. This fine two-disc set brings together all the recordings Thelonious Monk made for the small, influential Riverside label in 1957. The piano eccentric cut excellent versions of some of his best compositions during that year, including "Off Minor," "Epistrophy," "Well, You Needn't," and the lovely "Ruby My Dear." The exhilarating saxophone work of John Coltrane makes these dates instant classics. Like most "complete sessions," the set features plenty of false starts and alternate takes that might seem extraneous to the casual fan, but Monk fanatics will be overjoyed at being provided with a glimpse into the brilliant artist's studio process. All of the Monk studio recordings with Coltrane are collected here, on 2 CDs. This collection features the first stereo release of "Blues For Tomorrow" and unissued alternate takes of "Abide With Me" and "Crepuscule with Nellie".

15 rarities [8 previously unreleased] from the enigmatic reggae legend
includes "Reggae Duppy", "Kingston Breakdown", "Dread Perry", "Fire Juice" and more, all digitally remastered.

This album features 11 essential of Hank Jr. songs + 2 new recordings.

With influences ranging from A Tribe Called Quest to MC Eiht, Roc aims to transcend the usual hip-hop categories. Roc rhymes as therapy, venting the demons of a background shaped by gang rivalries, poverty, jail and mortality. The result is one of Stones Throws most street-oriented albums to date. Features production by Oxnard family: Oh No, DJ Romes and Kan Kick. The diverse list of guest MCs includes Oh No, Dudley Perkins, Pok Dogg, Glasses Malone, J Ro, Chino XL, Bizzy Bone and Aloe Blacc.

WE JAM ECONO - THE STORY OF THE MINUTEMEN is the acclaimed
feature-length documentary on the too-brief life of one of the most revered, intriguing, and inspired American bands ever. At the heart of their story is the immeasurable personal and musical bond between bassist Mike Watt and singer and guiatrist D. Boon. Childhood friends, their unbridled creativity and political views were the foundation of this groundbreaking band which refused to be categorized as Punk.

The film weaves together personal tales from Watt and drummer George Hurley with archival interview footage of the band and rare live performances. New interviews with over 50 musicians, artists, journalists, and friends help tell the Minutemen story, from their humble beginnings in the harbor town of San Pedro, California, to the tragic 1985 death of D. Boon in a highway accident in the Arizona desert.

Phillips pays tribute to the songwriters and artists who had a significant influence on his own work, both solo and with his band Grant Lee Buffalo.

The stellar new album from Glasgows spectacular pop sextet was influenced by a wide variety of heroes: Jimmy Webb, Lloyd Cole, Connie Francis, Skeeter Davis, The Supremes, and David Lynch. Decidedly upbeat and catchy while also beautifully romantic, quiet, and reflective, this record does not disappoint. And as always, if you buy it on vinyl it includes a coupon for a free MP3 download of the whole album.

Listening to Colour the Small One seems almost rude, as though you've just crept into someone's bedroom unannounced and read their diary, or even eavesdropped into a private conversation. A lot of this is down to Sia's voice; a soft, intimate, languorous affair that has the unsettling effect of being simultaneously sad and seductive. A couple of years on from her R&B-tinged debut and those classic pairings with Zero 7, the Australian vocalist has come a long way. The music here consists of basic frameworks of rhythm, enhanced by subtle percussion, folky harmonica and nothing more obtrusive than that secretive, melancholic voice. There's certainly room to breathe and Sia unfolds at her own leisurely pace. Opener "Rewrite" works the sad verse/sunny chorus formula to perfection, while "Sunday" turns "Strawberry Fields" harmonium into big orchestral trip-hop. "Sweet Potato" sours the flow, sounding contrived and too like Nelly Furtado for its own good, but "Bully", a collaboration with Beck Hansen, has a sweet melody that belies its subject matter. As cries for help go, this is up there with the best. --Paul Tierney

From the wiki - The 1950s brought a rising interest in blues music and
folk music in the United States, and McDowell was brought to wider public attention, beginning when he was recorded in 1959 by Alan Lomax. McDowell's recordings were popular, and he performed often at festivals and clubs. McDowell continued to perform delta blues much as he had for decades, but he sometimes performed on electric guitar rather than acoustic. While he famously declared "I do not play no rock and roll," McDowell was not averse to associating with many younger rock musicians: He coached Bonnie Raitt on slide guitar technique, and was reportedly flattered by The Rolling Stones' rather straightforward, authentic version of his"You Gotta Move" on their 1971 Sticky Fingers album. McDowell's 1969 album I Do Not Play No Rock 'N' Roll was his first featuring electric guitar. It features parts of an interview in which he discusses the origins of the blues and the nature of love.

RELATIVE HSD & GUAVA APPROVED! Plus it's Owen from Arcade Fire. OMG!!! On his second album, "He Poos Clouds," Owen Pallet presents a clearly enhanced concept of his solo project Final Fantasy. The core sound of his 2005 debut, "Final Fantasy Has A Good Home," was mainly based on Pallet's violin and his virtuoso handling of the loop pedal. He now proves his skills as an arranger, working with a large chamber music ensemble, featuring a string quartet, piano, harpsichord and percussion (among others). Still, Owen shows an impressive ingenuity for melodic lines and surprising turnarounds. Regardless of the more extended scope for this album, "He Poos Clouds" was produced to maintain a certain intimacy. The overall atmosphere carries the ease of an afternoon dress rehearsal, as if the ensemble members played for themselves one last time before the crowd rushs in. Owen's mostly introverted vocals also express this mood of privacy. The musical language of The Final Fantasy is eclectic without letting its influences act as bare quotations for themselves. Traces were smeared with care and everything is consolidated and processed in such a peculiar way that we cannot designate the culprits any longer. He even integrates an amazing variety of stylistic spheres within the individual songs.

Hallelujah Boy is all about great songs. Whether ripping through
anthemic rock reminiscent of Guided By Voices or Superchunk, or in quieter, more acoustic settings (a la Neil Young or Elliott Smith), the focus is first and foremost on great songs.

The second album from Hot Chip, The Warning sees these inspired pop
alchemists pull off some truly devious musical juxtapositions. Scholars of music from Timbaland to Stevie Wonder to the Aphex Twin, this South London quartet make quirky, ideas-packed vocal electronica perpetually veering between moments of bliss, humour, and sheer sonic mentalism - take the opening "Careful", vocalists Alexis Taylor and Joe Goddard sweetly harmonising "Every year, exactly this time of year/They float a balloon up into the air", as the tune leapfrogs along on the sort of demented breakbeat rave seldom seen outside a Squarepusher record. Luckily, Hot Chip know enough not to sabotage all their elegant pop moments. "Boy From School" cribs deliciously from Stardust?s robo-Balearic anthem "Music Sounds Better With You", while "Over And Over" ("Like a monkey with a miniature cymbal/The joy of repetition really is in you") is bouncy testament to the joy of dumb, fun dance music. Further in, too, there?s sweet moments like "Look After Me", an R&B-tinged plea to an ex-lover, that sees these clever-clever white boys succeed in getting
sentimental without resorting to irony. A dream synthesis of warmth and
intelligence. --Louis Pattison

Lovely Feathers
Hind Hind Legs

Release Date: 04/18/06
Label: Equator
CD: $12.98
LP: $16.98

The Lovely Feathers' refreshingly whimsical debut Hind Hind Legs is
quirky, sunny and engaging. The album's strange yet lovable indie pop songs, replete with sometimes silly, always captivating lyrics, shout-a-long choruses and clever "bet you didn't see that coming" rhythm changes makes it an instant favorite.

Now available at Relative, Glissade, a quintet hailing from Greensboro,
NC., are transcending the realms of Post Rock and Neo-Psychedelia. Glissade, make an earnest attempt in combining the acid waves of early Pink Floyd, the sonic noise of Slowdive, and the kraut sensibilities of Pharaoh Overlord. They form waves of hypnotic and minimalistic bliss and build them into powerful crescendos, filled with shimmering guitars and gloomy synth work.

The Bound Stems are an indie rock quartet from Chicago who seem to have realized that said genre can get as boring and predictable as the final season of Blossom. The Logic of Building the Body Plan is a collage of sounds collected from Pavement?s remnants and pasted onto Arcade Fire?s influence. There are enough changing soundscapes to keep the EP interesting from start to finish. Of course there are dissonant guitars and self-conscious vocals, but there are also divine moments of shoegaze bliss and chaotic, dramatic periods of fuzz and math-noise. The Bound Stems? off-kilter melodies and occasional war-like rhythms justify the hyperbole surrounding them after 2006?s SXSW frenzy. It?s radiant guitar rock for those of us who get bored with the latest Sonic Youth prodigies? repetitive sounds. If this EP was designed to create anticipation for the Bound Stem?s forthcoming full- length then mission accomplished. I?m salivating for more. Expect big things real soon.

With your support we can stay on the map.

TUES JUNE 27, 2006

gettin' ripe, boy .

You don't want to miss this. Documentary on their plight and live performance to follow. The film is incredibly compelling as it tells the story of their struggle in war torn Sierra Leone. Just off the heels of Bonnaroo The Reggae Refugee All-Stars will be throwing down at the Granby Theater. Just go to the website and watch the trailer and tell me you don't want to jump up and down. Are you a cold fish or a hot mosquito?

WED JUNE 28 , 2006

Birdmonster | site & sound
The Talk | site & sound
The Selmanaires | site & sound

Time: 8pm
Tickets: $5 adv | $7 door
Relative Card: 50 points

that's a huge bird .

I am going to tell you straight up, Birdmonster is the shit. We are so pumped on this show. Th' Monster makes blue collar rock n roll for fighting and fucking or dancing and drinking. Or a combination of all four scenarios. Definitely a band to watch! Sharing the bill with them is The Talk, these boys be from North Carolina and are professional ass wigglers. Power pop trio with infectious grooves and memorable lyrics that definitely give you good self-esteem about your rosey cheeks. Also performing tonight is The Salminaries and if you've never seen them perform, wear a pair of depends, because you're going to shit your pants. Their biggest influences are the Kinks and the Afrobeat 70! this shit is so smooth you will thank a baby religious icon. Cheers!

THURS JUNE 29, 2006

nowthen .

Ifwhen, you might remember these guys as a band called All Natural Lemon & Lime Flavors. Ifwhen is a take on My Bloody Valentine and Air meets King Crimson. Really, that's all I should have to say and then you come to the show, but if you like shoegaze or experimental chamber pop, this show is for you. Local post rockers Radio Flyer will be opening up with post punk madness makers, Under Twilight Sleep to share their shouty brand of jazzed up math rock.

FRI JUNE 30 , 2006

night night .

Jason Choi and the Sea and the Psychic Hearts are coming back to Relative Theory. I know everyone who just read that said hellz yeah! Jason Choi creates jazzy indie rock in the vain of later era Dismemberment Plan and Karate. His sound may come from his love of folk music but the sound itself doesn't come off as folk music. Very randy. Psychic Hearts from Athens, GA play dark and melodic post punk in the vain of Depeche Mode mixed with the rock of Black Sabbath. Get into it. Last time they played it was a gonzofest with their light show. Be sure not to miss. This is going to be a party. You're invited. Come get naked.

SAT JULY 01, 2006

circlepusher .

I have been staring at the Lymbyc System posters for about two months now. I hate them, but their music if fantastic. A smarter Postal Service. A smoother M83. LS, has a great combination of IDM and folktronic and noise. There are incredible elements of Tortoise everywhere. We could list bands all day because this style is Relative's forte. Click the mp3 link and fall in love. On the road with him is Back Ted N-Ted. BTnT remind me of Prefuse 73's Reads the Books. A mixture of noise, sound collages, and smooth beats. Coming down and rounding out the bill is Ilad, a more psychedelic Shrimp Boat is one thing that jumps to mind or Trans Am on heavy amounts of Riddlin. Come out and scratch your head.

SUN JULY 02, 2006

2 + 2 x 2 - 3 = 5 .

A New Dawn Fades CD release party. The new disc is out of control good. They managed to pull everything that they are known for from their life performance and have it shine. Out on the road and playing Relative the same night is Baby Calendar, who make sweet, sweet pop music that is catchy, clever and cute. Also, on the bill is A Roman Holiday, who are one of the best bands in the area and is a real pleasure to see them live. And to summarize their sound in four words - Weezer with some balls.

JUNE 3 - JUNE 30 | 2006

For this show, Davis has created works that relate directly to a road trip that he took early 2006. He trekked through Tennessee, Kentucky, Indiana, Illinois and Missouri in search of solace and piece of mind after his design firm relocated. He left with wonder and worry and returned with solidified friendships and a terrifying run in with a deer. The trip was filled with discoveries and these paintings are his attempt at sharing these said discoveries.

Debbie has contributed works of photography taken from inside a natural science museum. The images were shot in a way that takes from nature photography but shown in a very unnatural light. The dark, desaturated tones and the murky quality of the images, as if being preserved in formaldehyde, convey this unnatural deathly quality and the strange sensuality from having mastered that which was not made to be confined.

click here for more on these two.

Coming Next Month

JUL 7 thru JUL 30 | 2006

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