If you have read this blog long enough you would have realized that the people here at The Yellow Stereo love pretty much anything recent that is coming out of Asthmatic Kitty. Well, AK is promoting Shapes and Sizes‘ self titled debut (out July 11) with a remix contest:
Take their popular “Wilderness,” and do something amazing with the song. Remix it, reinterpret it, cover it. A specially selected panel of elite bloggers (“elite” means they blog more than once a week) will choose the best of the submissions. The winner will receive a front page posting on our site and eternal gratitude from the record label and Shapes and Sizes, the Canadian way! But hey, we can’t ignore that we are American and therefore egregiously capitalistic. We’re giving $300 American to the winner! That’s 336 loonies to spend on Old Dutch Potato Chips – remember, ketchup isn’t the only flavor! (CURRENT MARKET RATES AS OF June 27, 2006).
First place will also receive the entire (available) back catalog of Asthmatic Kitty releases, and a very orange and wonderful Laura Page AK t-shirt! Second and third place receive stuff too.
I’m not sure what they mean by the “eternal gratitude,” but hey the entire back catalog and $300 make me want to tinker with the song a bit. How about it…the Yellow Stereo submission? Haha anyway, check here for the contest rules and submission. Deadline for submission is August 15 and winners will be announced September 1st, so start remixing!
I would also recommend you purchase Shapes and Sizes self-titled debut album. It’s good…so good that Paul and I were both posting about it at the same time. (Keep in mind that we’re on separate coasts of the continent). Shapes and Sizes has the ability to capture feelings of child-like exploration like expert puppet masters who control the elements of jazz, pop, rock and folk in a well-developed play. It’s like they are kids playing games, but learning the ways of the real world.
For example, the track “Wilderness” starts by saying that they come from the Wilderness bearing gifts of kisses because they like the city and they like you, followed by a chorus of whistling. Then they switch to talking about how Suzanne can’t be the tribal leader because of her personality. “Wilderness” includes elements of complicated melancholy with child-like simplicity. As a whole, it is so melodically and lyrically rich, that it’s mind-blowing.
The track “Islands Gone Bad” starts with depressing beginning of 9 year olds scavenging for food on an island, then transforms into this fun little tale about how they like “eating fruits off of trees” because they “taste much sweeter” when they’re with you. Then the track jumps into a chorus of how the Island’s gone bad and the children’s gone mad. It’s not all fun and games on the island…but I’m loving it.
Shapes and Sizes | “Wilderness”
Shapes and Sizes | “Island’s Gone Bad”
Shapes and Sizes | “Northern Lights”
Shapes and Sizes | “Boy, You Shouldn’t Have”
4th July – Vancouver @ Pat’s Pub, CD release party! with Chet and Peter and the Wolf (Austin)
22nd July – Victoria @ Logan’s, CD release party!
3rd August – Vancouver @ Marine Club with Mt. Gigantic (Bloomington, IN)
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