Joe LaPorta Produces Beat For New Hasbro Commercial

Joe LaPorta is one of The Lodge's Senior Mastering Engineers and in case you didn't know, he moonlights as a music composer & producer. LaPorta recently placed one of his own productions (through our sister company The Lodge Music Production) on a Beyblades commercial, a new battle toy from Hasbro. Check out the video below to see the commercial and hear the fresh beat that Joe cooked up for the kids.

The Lodge on Rolling Stone's 2010 "Best Of" Lists

Continuing our year-end wrap up of the internet's "Best Of" lists, we're happy to report some Lodge-mastered bands made their way onto some more big countdowns: the Rolling Stone Top 50 Songs of 2010, and Top 30 Albums of 2010.

Gaining even more accolades, Vampire Weekend's "Contra" earned the #6 ranking on the Top 30 Albums of 2010. Mastered by Emily Lazar and assisted by Joe LaPorta at The Lodge, the album has found itself onto many of this year's "Best Of" lists.

The always lively Sleigh Bells clocked in at #21 on the Top 50 Songs of 2010 with "Infinity Guitars," while Vampire Weekend earned another impressive appearance at #7 with "White Sky."

Congrats, guys!

Producer/Engineer Scott Jacoby & artist Maiysha visit East Fordham Academy of Arts

The Lodge's dearest friend and long time client Scott Jacoby recently visited East Fordham Academy of Arts along with RnB artist Maiysha to teach the students the magic behind songwriting & production.
Scott is a Grammy award-winning producer/multi-instrumentalist who has worked with so many artists such as John Legend, Naturally 7 & Vanessa Hudgens. He also produced and engineered Dutch rock band Kane's platinum selling album "Everythingyouwant" & EMI France's Chimene Badi: both albums were mastered by Emily Lazar & Joe LaPorta at The Lodge.

Check out this video of Scott & Maiysha with EFA students recording their track "The Next Generation"...oh and if you look a little closer you might notice Scott rockin' a Lodge t-shirt. We love you Scott!

Happy Holidays from The Lodge!

Joe LaPorta Wraps Up Smith Westerns Sophomore Full Length "Dye It Blonde"!

Chicago's infectiously catchy rock band, Smith Westerns are releasing their second studio album, "Dye it Blonde," on January 18, 2010 via Fat Possum Records. The album was mastered at The Lodge by Mastering Engineer Joe LaPorta.

Smith Westerns have caught a whirlwind of attention since they debuted with their self titled record last year, gaining them high profile praise, press attention, festival spots, and every other perk that comes with being a hot young band; and they are young. With most of their members still teenagers, many wonder how Smith Westerns play with the precision and maturity they do. Don't get confused however, "Dye it Blonde" is an onslaught of young angst with memorable riffs. Mastered at The Lodge this fall and produced / recorded by Chris Coady (Yeah Yeah Yeahs, TV On The Radio), the album is a collection of catchy rock songs with a scratchy edge that would make any 70's rock fan nod with approval.

Smith Westerns are currently on a Europe winter tour with MGMT and have a slew of US shows to follow in the new year so don't miss out!

Lodge-Mastered Bands Among Pitchfork's Best of 2010

Pitchfork Media staff have been busy compiling their annual favorites for 2010 and, as usual, it looks like they have good taste! Check out all the Lodge-mastered bands who made it on their radar below and click here to view the complete Pitchfork staff lists!

"Top 50 Albums of 2010"

06. Vampire Weekend - "Giving Up the Gun" [XL]

16. Sleigh Bells - "Rill Rill" [N.E.E.T. / Mom & Pop]

26. Twin Shadow - "Forget" [4AD / Terrible]

(Honorable Mention) Dum Dum Girls - "I Will Be" [Sub Pop]

"Top 100 Tracks of 2010"

14. Sleigh Bells - "Rill Rill" [N.E.E.T. / Mom & Pop]

23. Vampire Weekend - "Giving Up the Gun" [XL]

24. Teengirl Fantasy - "Cheaters" [Merok / True Panther]

51. Smith Westerns - "Weekend" [Fat Possum]

54. Vampire Weekend - "White Sky" [XL]

65. Dum Dum Girls - "Jail La La" [Sub Pop]

"Top Music Videos of 2010"

The Morning Benders - "Promises" [+1] (view here)

Vampire Weekend - "Giving Up The Gun" [XL] (view here)

"Best of Pitchfork News 2010"

Dum Dum Girls Interview (view here)

5-10-15-20 Ezra Koenig of Vampire Weekend (view here)

Director's Cut: Vampire Weekend: "Holiday" and "Giving Up The Gun" (view here)

Neon Indian Releases New Video With Psychedelic Visual FX

Glo-fi all stars Neon Indian recently released a new music video for their hit single "Mind Drips," featured on the Lodge-mastered debut "Psychic Chasms." As if the music wasn't wild enough, frontman Alan Palomo collaborated with Lars Larsen and Edward Leckie, owners of the visual effects company LZX Industries, to make use of their psychedelic, analog video "synthesizers."

The video, filmed by Black Magic Rollercoaster Productions pictures a girl and her stuffed teddy bear diving through a hole in her bed, floating through an abstract realm of colors and patterns, re-emerging from her bedroom ceiling, then falling through her bed again... Very trippy.

Watch the "Mind Drips" video below and visit LZX Industries' website here to learn all about the manipulative methods in which LZX machines achieve their unique, artistic visual effects.

Lodge-Mastered Bands Featured On Stereogum's Best of 2010!

December is the time of year for lists: lists to Santa, gift lists for relatives/friends and, if you're on the internet with any regularity, a lot of 2010 favorites lists. As the new year fast approaches, we've noticed a few Lodge projects have made their way onto some pretty awesome "best of" lists!

Popular music publication Stereogum recently compiled a "Top 50 Albums of 2010" as well as a "40 Best New Bands of 2010" list, both featuring Lodge alumn! Check out our hightlights below!

Stereogum Top 50 Albums of 2010 view here!

Lower Dens - Twin Hand Movement - #42

The Morning Benders - Big Echo - #36

Twin Shadow - Forget - #33

Tamaryn - The Waves - #24

Vampire Weekend - Contra - #07

Sleigh Bells - Treats - #06

Stereogum's 40 Best New Bands of 2010 view here!

Givers

Lower Dens

Tamaryn

Tanlines

Teengirl Fantasy

Grammy Nominated Artists Mastered at The Lodge

The 2010 Grammy nominations have been announced and we're proud to send our congratulations to two artists we're quite familiar with: Vampire Weekend and BT. Vampire Weekend's "Contra" is up for Best Alternative Album, while BT's "THESE HOPEFUL MACHINES," earned a nod for Best Electronic/Dance Album.

The hugely successful indie release, "Contra," was mastered by Emily Lazar and assisted by Joe LaPorta. Building on the success of their 2008 self titled release (also mastered at The Lodge), "Contra" is only the 12th independently released album to ever earn a number 1 spot on the Billboard Top 100 chart.

Trailblazing electronic artist, BT, improved on his already impressive resume in 2010 with"THESE HOPEFUL MACHINES." Mastered by Lazar and LaPorta earlier this year at The Lodge, BT continued his tradition of pushing sonic boundaries, particularly in mastering, by merging analog tape machines and digital domain together in the same song. The result of this epic effort was one of the most exceptionally well crafted electronic releases this year. Sonic Scoop interviewed Lazar, LaPorta, and BT about this process in February, click here to read all about it.

The Grammy Awards ceremony will take place on February 13, 2010 in Los Angeles, CA at the Staples Center. Tune in and help us show support for our friends!

Emily Lazar Featured in 7th Edition Modern Recording Techniques

If you've been reading the latest edition of Modern Recording Techniques (by David Miles Huber, Robert E. Runstein), you may recognize a familiar face on page 564: The Lodge's Owner and Chief Mastering Engineer, Emily Lazar. Featured in "Chapter 18: Mastering," Lazar's picture presides over a comprehensive primer of mastering process. Among the most insightful and well-respected books in the realm of audio engineering, Modern Recording Techniques, now in its seventh edition, can be found in nearly every audio school around the world. Look for the book in stores or online here for a good read.

Chief Releases New Video for "Modern Rituals" Single!

Los Angeles / New York indie band, Chief, have just released a new video for their single "The Minute I Saw It," off the Lodge-mastered debut full length, "Modern Rituals" (Domino Records). Produced by Emery Dobyns, "Modern Rituals" is a warm pop rock album with an easy-going aesthetic reminiscent of their home state, California. Gracefully paralleled by director Austin Peter's nostalgic visual work, the video is a piece of art you just have to see for yourself! Watch it below, or on Spinner.com here.

The band is currently on an east coast tour, including a show at the Bowery Ballroom in NYC next Tuesday, December 7th . If you're out east, keep an eye out for them in a city near you!

The Smith Westerns Stream Single From Upcoming Lodge-Mastered Album!

The Smith Westerns, Chicago's latest buzzworthy band, don't have an album due out until mid January, but are already catching some major attention. Stereogum recently posted the band's first single from their upcoming album, "Dye it Blonde" (Fat Possum), mastered by Joe LaPorta at The Lodge. The sweeping slide guitar and endearing melodies of the featured track, "Weekend," will surely warm you up as we approach the winter season. Check out the tune here: http://stereogum.com/565101/smith-westerns-weekend/mp3s/

The Killers' iTunes Christmas Song Mastered At The Lodge!

It's beginning to sound a lot like Christmas! Las Vegas pop-rock band The Killers have just released their 5th annual original holiday song, "Boots," along with a charming music video directed by Jared Hess (Napoleon Dynamite). The year's seasonal tune was mastered by Chief Mastering Engineer Emily Lazar and Mastering Engineer Joe LaPorta at The Lodge and was released in partnership with Starbucks' Share and (Red) HIV/AIDS awareness program. Every time the"Boots" music video is viewed, Starbucks will donate 5 cents to the Global Fund to fight HIV/AIDS in Africa, so help make the world a better place and enjoy a new song by The Killers all at once! Watch the video on Starbucks' website here.