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We've got three delicious CDs available and that may be all for awhile. Get your fill of Leviathan Brothers noise while you can.

Dr. Werrenwrath's Prized Pupil

Here it is. Another notch in the Leviathan Brothers video catalog. Over three editing sessions my good friend Tom Child and I created this video for our upcoming White Noise 7". "Dr. Werrenwrath's Prized Pupil" is the LBs first foray into studio magic with vocal samples, bass overdubs, and all manner of insanity. Check out the video. Listen to the song. Look for Ronald Reagan.



For more info: White Noise Records

Vain in Train

Last December marked the four year anniversary of my becoming a regular train commuter in Los Angeles. Before gas was $4 and way before gas became $2 I would take three trains to get to work and three trains to get back home. I still do. And did this morning.

When I got on the train this morning I went for an open window seat next to some sullen-faced girl. I asked "Can I grab that seat?" and she wordlessly pointed to the four available seats in front of her. Those seats are for seniors & disabled and I don't like taking those. I feel guilty if I don't give them up to some round-bellied teenager or wobbly old man. I'd rather stand than sit there. So I gleefully reminded her "I'm sorry but you don't own this train. Now I'm most definitely taking that seat," and climbed over her to sit down. She got up with a huff and sat in one of the open seats she suggested I take. And sure enough at the next stop about 60 third graders piled into the car and surrounded her, stumbling with each lurch of the train and falling on top of her stuff while demonstrating various gymnastic techniques.

Taking the train means interacting with members of society. Directly. There is no car horn and you can't roll up your windows if you make enemies. And she's lucky I didn't get within a few inches of her face and really let her have it. I have taken many train systems around the world (Seattle, San Francisco, Chicago, Boston, New York, Dublin, Rome, Paris, London, Amsterdam) and none are as miserable as Los Angeles. In all those other cities trains are the great equalizer. In Los Angeles, only the brokest of the broke ride the train as it careens through one impoverished community after another, together but not united, longing for the next day where we won't have to ride the train.

LBs Celebrate the Super Bowl!

We played Orange County's oldest drinking establishment last Sunday. Where were you? Oh, nevermind. You can be there on February 1st to see us play two sets for free. Long after the pigskin has been tucked into it's blanket we'll hit the stage of the swanky Continental Room. This place is so classy they turned away a dude cause he looked like he fell off a train. How did they let us in?

The Continental Room
February 1st
10pm & 11'30pm
115 Santa Fe Avenue
Fullerton, California

#1 on KCRW again!

We'll take as much good news as we can here at Camp Leviathan. And despite our non-appearance on a recent KCRW top ten list we find ourselves (as of 12/o8/o8) the creators of the #1 jazz record on KCRW. Again. It's very gratifiying that certain people of power think complete strangers may enjoy hearing a song off of Short Stories. Thank you tastemakers.

JAZZ
1 LEVIATHAN BROTHERS == Short Stories >> [Red Rockets Glare]
2 HERBIE HANCOCK == Then & Now - The Definitive >> [Verve]
3 NASCIMENTO & JOBIM TRIO == Novas Bossas >> [Blue Note]
4 PEREZ & OGERMAN == Across The Crystal Sea >> [Decca]
5 LORRAINE FEATHER == Language >> [Jazzed Media]
6 aVISHAI COHEN TRIO == Gently Disturbed >> [Raz Daz]
7 MILES DAVIS - TRIBUTE == Miles From India >> [Times Square]
8 CHARLES LLOYD QUARTET == Rabo De Nube >> [Ecm]
9 KALINA & SELF == Odd Couple >> [Based Hound]
10 BOB MOVER == It Amazes Me >> [Zoho]

Under the Radar reviews 'Short Stories'

Dig the Short Stories review in the Best of 2008 issue of Under the Radar. Mr. Cory Frye gave us this review. We accept your challenge Cory. Our next release will be a triple disc CD-R - more tones, less drones!

Sean O'Connell plugs in for Stories, leaning hard on a roiling chug in opener "Desperate Futures," snarling over the talking head that fuels his organ with the gas it needs. Partner Miles Senzaki is his ever-present foundation, tagging the brotherly landscape with crisp brushes and fills. As always, the covers are insprired gems among the originals. Cold War Kids' "Passing the Hat" is translated on stark piano atop a harsh wind tearing at a loose metal flap. Much respect to the The Beatles pick, "The Inner Light" - a Harrison composition, no less. But it's a trip through Nirvana's "Dumb" that really sends the jaw clanging with sessioneer J.P. Maramba's bass handling the main riff and O'Connell's clean ivories speaking in Kurt Cobains' grimy moan. Vibraphone-dreamy closer "Epilogue Cabin" seals the EP with a snowy kiss. The only drawback - as always on a Leviathan joint - is the premature goodbye.

LBs on KUCI

The LBs will dropping in on KUCI studios this Monday night (Decemeber 1st) somewhere between 6pm and 8pm to join Gorgeous Jeff and his dynamic Soup of the Day extrava-jazza. Listen in during your drive-time hour to hear us deadpan answers we may or may not really believe and listen to good tunage.

There are also rumblings about a 7" for the LBs. Maybe we'll play you the B-side. Kick off your shoes and put on your swim-fins!

www.kuci.org
88.9FM Irvine, California

#1

The new Leviathan Brothers EP "Short Stories" finds itself the #1 jazz record on KCRW 88.9FM. Damn, this has been a good week.

1 LEVIATHAN BROTHERS
title: Short Stories
label: [Red Rockets Glare]

2 AARON PARKS
title: Invisible Cinema
label: [Blue Note]

3 HERBIE HANCOCK
title: Then & Now - The Definitive
label: [Verve]

4 RACHAEL PRICE
title: Good Hours
label: [Claire Vision]

5 KALINA & SELF
title: Odd Couple
label: [Based Hound]

6 MARCIN WASILEWSKI TRIO
title: January
label: [Ecm]

7 LATCHES
title: Latches
label: [Sunnyside]

8 AVISHAI COHEN TRIO
title: Gently Disturbed
label: [Raz Daz]

9 MILES DAVIS - TRIBUTE
title: Miles From India
label: [Times Square]

10 JOSE JAMES
title: Dreamer
label: [Brownswood]

Top Ten

Well here's a nice little birthday present. In the first week of release the Leviathan Brothers' new EP Short Stories is number three on the KCRW Top Ten Jazz Playlist.

JAZZ
1 EST == Leucocyte - Sampler >> [Emarcy]
2 JAMES, JOSE == Dreamer >> [Brownswood]
3 LEVIATHAN BROTHERS == Short Stories >> [Red Rockets Glare]
4 HUNTER, CHARLIE == Baboon Strength >> [Spire Artist Media]
5 SFJAZZ COLLECTIVE == Live 2008 - 5th Annual Concert Tour >> [Sf Jazz]
6 PRICE, RACHAEL == Good Hours >> [Claire Vision]
7 LATCHES == Latches >> [Sunnyside]
8 COHEN, AVISHAI TRIO == Gently Disturbed >> [Raz Daz]
9 DAVIS, MILES - TRIBUTE == Miles From India >> [Times Square]
10 BLUE NOTE COMPILATION == Droppin Science - Greatest Samples >> [Blue Note]

Woody N' You

I've been slowly working my way through the Woody Allen directorial canon by way of Netflix. If we're only counting movies he has directed I'm a little better than halfway through. Last Sunday, the missus and I watched "Stardust Memories" which starred Woody and Charlotte Rampling. Although not a great starting point for anyone unfamiliar with his work, it is definitely one of his best and the closest we'll ever get to a dvd commentary. (Plus it has a baby-faced Daniel Stern!)

In the last week I've been pondering, like anyone who invests more than ten dollars and twenty minutes in their passion, the looming threat of failure. Artistic failure. Commercial failure. Heart failure. In all it's moody absurdity "Stardust" addresses ideas about expectation and failure that make me feel a whole lot better. Or maybe just more resigned. Either way, he hit the nail on the head and twenty-eight years after it's release he's still adhering to the same artistic standards he outlined in the movie.

Lesson learned? Sure. I learned that it doesn't get any easier. It only gets worse. And that as the profile expands, so to does the target. Fire away.