Joss Whedon

Long-time geeks would know that this is a guy who can direct action and drama, being able to strike a fine balance between the two. Just check out his work on Firefly and Buffy.

Despite his geek credentials, you might just worry if he might alienate the general moviegoer.

According to Den Of Geek, he’s rewriting the Zak Penn screenplay as well.

Taken from the last rehearsal on Thursday 8 April. The boys are hard at work prepping for their album launch this coming Sunday 11 April.

Produced and recorded by Roland Lim, the EP gives the audience a sonic perspective of the development of the band and its music over the past 2 years. The five piece unit has been

In support of this new release, the boys are throwing a party on the release date at The Playden, The Arts House. Showtime is at 7pm. Tacit Aria, Fire Away Samson and KC Meals of Caracal will support the event. Tickets are S$13 (pre-sale) and S$15 (at the door), inclusive of the EP.

We’ve got some footage off the music video shoot for Inch Chua’s ‘Rule The World’. The video should be done in early May. Keep an eye out for that!

Truth Be Known

Mourning Sounds Records owner Bret Ong shares with us on his plans for the year 2010. First up in his stable, Singapore metal supergroup Truth Be Known has started recording in March for an EP with an eye for a June release.

He shares, “Thrash metalheads Bhelliom is looking at a new single in July. We are currently preparing for a 10th anniversary tour. In July, we are heading up to Taiwan for a tour with Solem. We are firming up some plans for some shows in Singapore.”

Gothic metal act Meltgsnow has a new album out in the pipelines in May 2010 which details are still rather scant at press time.

Interpol – Turn On The Bright Lights [Matador, 2002]

While the music of Interpol may always be inextricably tied to comparisons to Joy Division – most of which doing them little favor, it must be added too – there is no doubting that Turn On The Bright Lights managed to tap straight into a synecdoche for their hometown New York in such a prescient manner that few other bands are capable of replicating.

The ruinous slo-mo grandeur of ‘NYC’, with Paul Banks singing about being “sick of spending these lonely nights, training myself not to care”, captures the very essence of the city that has often inspired such ambivalent feelings and disconnect, while the band prop up the album’s s shadowy ambience with a suite of the howling guitars, pitched as a tightwire act and seemingly lifted right out of the post-punk playbook – indeed, the edgy verve and relentless musicianship on display throughout Turn On The Bright Lights is the surest argument that Interpol are more than the sum of their familiar influences.

Elsewhere, a sense of altered moods permeates ‘Obstacle 2′ and ‘Leif Erickson’ – again, the guitars shaking off the somnolence of Banks’ haunted vocals – while ‘Say Hello to the Angels’ comes across as a violent repudiation of their music undeserved rep of being, well, mere Joy Division regurgitations.

Formed in 2001, Morphy released their debut album Pink Ashes in 2004 which became a cult favourite. Over the years, the band has evolved to include different musicians, expanding the number of performers to a sextet in August 2007.

However, due to geographical constraints of having members based in both Singapore and Brighton, United Kingdom, just like breathing has been recorded as a trio.

The core duo, made up of frontwoman Lilia Yip and bassist and keyboardist Eugene Wong, is aided by British musician Timothy Lloyd as guitarist and music collaborator. The result is an album of strikingly haunting ambient folk with tinges of electronica.

To listen to and purchase the album, please visit www.morphymusic.com. To contact the band, email them here.

The video has been taken from Inch Chua’s set at SXSW.

Singapore singer-songwriter Inch Chua has been invited to perform at the South by Southwest festival held in March 2010, along with rock’n'roll band The Pinholes. Check out her journey there on her Tumblr page.

The comic book series was decent, at best, owing major tribute to gag mangas and well, video games.

However, since this has the touch of the man who brought us Shaun Of The Dead and Hot Fuzz, I’m sure Edgar Wright would be able to elevate the material to something much more exciting.

The newly anointed Captain America aka Chris Evans plays one of Ramona Flowers’ evil ex-boyfriends. And Anna Kendrick, recently nominated for her turn in Up In The Air, turns up as Scott Pilgrim’s lil sis.

Check out the trailer over at Apple.

Upp/Circular

The production rat pack which is made of beer buddies and experimental electronic musicians EpikMotion, Rora Realis, Max Lane, Christen Danse and Eye of Horus. With close to a decade of experience individually as DJs, producers and musicians, this new line-up is going back to basics with beats, bass, synths and samples.

Their motto? “We-Create-You-Tolerate”. Hmm… Well, for fans of edgy beats and fuzzed out tones, I hardly think there’s any tolerating here.

The track listing is as follows:

1. EpikMotion – Whistling Jinn
2. Rora Realis – Bored In Motion
3. Max Lane – Lilis
4. Christen Danse – Feb Full
5. EpikMotion – Instuff
6. Max Lane – A Taste of Orange
7. Eye of Horus – Rise of Horus
8. Rora Realis – The A-Lost

The album is a culmination of rhythmic patterns, buzzing basslines, modulating synths and processed samples. And the best thing? Listeners will be able to name their price for the 8-track compilation. All tracks are streamed fully and can be purchased at their Bandcamp page.