Kristoffer Ragnstam @ Pianos, NYC

Is it just us? ... Or is the number of talented artists coming from Sweden getting too numerous to count. Already this past year we've seen big impacts from the likes of Lykke Li, Melpo Mene, and Robyn. Now we can add Kristoffer Ragnstam's name to the list. Ragnstam just recently came out with a new disc titled, Wrong Side of The Room, and we were able to take in his live performance the other night at Pianos in NYC where he played to a full house(for photo's click here).
Ragnstam who started out as a drummer, played an energy infused guitar driven set, featuring heavily on the new material off of Wrong Side Of The Room. Where the arrangements and nuances on the LP are intricate and complex, during the live show Ragnstam and his 4 piece band delivered on the raw power of his static & frayed pop/rock melodies. With a non-stop breackneck pace Ragnstam and the boys blistered through songs like "2008", who's new arrangement benefited from the live experience, along with "I Heard About My Own Death..." which had a soaring chorus thanks to his keyboard player who was mixing in the samples and effects all night in brilliant fashion. On the older track and crowd favorite "Breakfast By The Mattress", we saw Ragnstam and his guitarist playing off each other, while the single "Swing That Tambourine" saw Kristoffer put down his Framus guitar in favor of the aforementioned tambourine, which then launched into a frenzied version of the track that had the crowd shaking.
Leaving one final lasting impression before the night was through, Ragnstam jumped into the crowd while his guitar player launched into a solo on the closing track "Delicious", which fell onto a rousing ovation on a memorable night in the States for Ragnstam.

Check out & listen to Kristoffer Ragnstam on myspace.

photo & story contributed by Robert Proffe

Stars- releasing new EP

Canadian band Stars, have announced plans to release a new EP Sad Robots on Sept. 1st. The EP will be available for digital purchase only via a special website the band has set up, sadrobots.ca. The EP features 6 tracks in total, five new songs and a live version of "Going, Going, Gone".
If digital isn't your thing and you need a physical copy of Sad Robots, you'll have to catch the bands live show, as limited physical copies will be available at the venues. You can find a list of the tour dates below.

Sad Robots track listing:

01 Maintenance Hall, 4am
02 A Thread Cut With a Carving Knife
03 Undertow
04 Going, Going, Gone -live
05 14 Forever
06 Sad Robot

upcoming tour schedule:

09-17 Northampton, MA - Pearl Street
09-18 Providence, RI - Lupo's Heartbreak Hotel
09-19 Philadelphia, PA - Trocadero
09-20 New York, NY - Terminal 5
09-22 Columbus, OH - Milo Arts
09-23 Newport, KY - Southgate House
09-24 Chicago, IL - The Vic
09-25 St. Louis, MO - The Pageant
09-26 Lawrence, KS - The Granada
09-28 Austin, TX - Zilker Park, Austin City Limits Festival
10-01 Los Angeles, CA - Avalon
10-02 Anaheim, CA - House of Blues
10-03 Santa Barbara, CA - UC Santa Barbara
10-04 Santa Cruz, CA - Rio Theatre
10-06 San Francisco, CA - The Fillmore
10-07 Eugene, OR - WOW Hall
10-08 Portland, OR - Wonder Ballroom
10-09 Seattle, WA - Showbox Theatre
10-10 Bellingham, WA - Western Washington Univ.
10-29 Fredericton, New Brunswick - SUB Ballroom
10-30 Moncton, New Brunswick - The Manhattan Club
10-31 Charlottestown, Prince Edward Island - The Wave
11-01 Halifax, Nova Scotia - The Marquee Club
11-03 St. John's, Newfoundland - Club One

Hotel Lights- Firecracker People

You may be familiar with singer/songwriter Darren Jessee even if you haven't heard of his latest project, Hotel Lights. Jessee is the former Ben Folds Five drummer and co-songwriter. Under the Hotel Lights moniker Jessee is out with his second LP, Firecracker People, produced by Alan Weatherhead (Sparklehorse, Camper van Beethoven). The album is largely a mid-tempo affair built around Jessee's warm comforting voice and easy delivery. With his strong acoustic guitar playing and introspective lyrics Jessee lends an intimate vibe to the LP, especially on the title track "Firecracker People" and the opener "Blue Always Finds Me", while "Down" & "Dream State Flying" build from subtle acoustic numbers into budding electric rockers. Diversifying things are piano filled tracks “Amelia Bright”, which is from back in Jessee’s days with Ben Folds Five, which has a lighthearted upbeat melody, and the infectious “Norina” which is a hook filled number with down-tempo lyrics.

Listen to Hotel Lights on myspace.


HOTEL LIGHTS "Blue Always Finds Me" from Firecracker People on Vimeo.

Kings of Leon new video: "Sex On Fire"

Southern rockers Kings Of Leon are ready to release their new full length, Only By The Night which will be coming out on Sept. 23rd. The album will be the bands fourth, and it supposedly sees the group going for a more anthemic rock sound. Judge for yourself, as the group have released a new video for the first single off the new LP, for the track "Sex On Fire".

Kings Of Leon- "Sex On Fire":

Sex On Fire

Gutter Twins- new Ep

Greg Dulli and Mark Lanegan's collabrative effort, known as the Gutter Twins , have unveiled plans for an itunes exclusive Ep which is coming out on September 2nd. The new Ep titled Adorata will feature 8 new tracks including the previously unreleased originals "Spanish Doors" & "We Have Met Before", along with covers of "Deep Hit of Morning Sun" by Primal Scream, "Down the Line" by José González, "Belles" by Vetiver and other artists such as Scott Walker and Eleven.

Speaking of Eleven, a portion of the proceeds of Adorata will go to the Natasha Shneider Memorial Fund. Shneider (Eleven, Queens of the Stone Age), who recently passed away was a close friend of the duo.

Frightened Rabbit returning to the US (new dates added)

Earlier in the year Frightened Rabbit brought us one of the finest albums to come out so far in 2008, with their sophomore effort, The Midnight Organ Fight. Soon after the band played a brief US tour, impressing the crowds with their energetic live sets. Building off the buzz that was generated, the group are planning a return engagement in the US this fall, as they will be playing in support of the The Spinto Band on select dates.

Until then, Frightened Rabbit can be seen across the UK touring with fellow talented Scottish mates We Were Promised Jetpacks.

Frightened Rabbit tour itinerary:

Aug 31 2008 Hydro Connect-Speakeasy Tent at 5pm, Inverary
Sep 4 2008 Brudenell, Leeds
Sep 5 2008 Night & Day w/ We Were Promised Jetpacks, Manchester
Sep 6 2008 Fistful of Fandango @ 229 w/ Camera Obscura, London
Sep 7 2008 Freebutt w/ We Were Promised Jetpacks, Brighton
Sep 8 2008 Pure Groove Records London, London and South East
Sep 8 2008 Orange Rooms w/ We Were Promised Jetpacks, Southampton
Sep 9 2008 South Street w/ We Were Promised Jetpacks, Reading
Sep 10 2008 Firebug w/ We Were Promised Jetpacks, Leicester
Sep 11 2008 The End Bar w/ We Were Promised Jetpacks, Newcastle
Sep 14 2008 HWCH Festival, Dublin
Sep 16 2008 University Union, Dundee
Sep 18 2008 Barfly with We Were Promised Jetpacks, Aberdeen
Sep 19 2008 Loopallu Festival, Ullapool
Sep 20 2008 FatCat Festival, Antwerp
Sep 21 2008 THE CAVES: Tennent’s Mutual w/ James Murphy
Sep 25 2008 The Mill (The Caves)- FREE SHOW w/We Were Promised Jetpacks, Edinburgh
Sep 30 2008 The Arches, Glasgow
Oct 2 2008 Concrete & Glass Festival at Hoxton Bar & Grill, London
Oct 3 2008 Loppen, Copenhagen
Oct 9 2008 La Maroquinerie, Paris
Oct 11 2008 El Sol, Madrid
Oct 12 2008 (LA2) Apollo, Barcelona
Oct 17 2008 First Unitarian Church, Philadelphia, Penn.
Oct 18 2008 Music Hall Of Williamsburg NY, NYC
Oct 19 2008 Middle East Cambridge, Massachusetts
Oct 20 2008 Petit Campus Montreal, Quebec
Oct 22 2008 Skully’s Music Diner Columbus, Ohio
Oct 23 2008 Metro Chicago, Illinois
Oct 24 2008 High Noon Saloon Madison, Wisconsin
Oct 25 2008 7th Street Entry Minneapolis, Minnesota
Oct 28 2008 Chop Suey Seattle, Washington
Oct 29 2008 Media Club Vancouver, British Columbia
Nov 1 2008 Bottom Of The Hill San Francisco, California
Nov 2 2008 Bottom Of The Hill San Francisco, California
Nov 3 2008 Echoplex Los Angeles, California

Listen to Frightened Rabbit.

Melpo Mene new video for "I Adore You"

Blending gentle acoustic folk sounds with catchy pop hooks, Melpo Mene just recently put out their new disc Bring The Lions Out. The first single from the new LP is for the track "I Adore You", which if it sounds oddly familiar may be because it has been featured in a car commercial not that long ago. Here is the official video for the track.

Melpo Mene- "I Adore You":

José Gonzalez adds new dates

Although his second album In Our Nature dropped almost a year ago, Sweden's José Gonzalez continues to criss cross the globe in support of his second LP. Gonzalez who is known for his dynamic finger picking guitar style just added a handful of dates to his already busy schedule. The frequent flyer miles will be piling up as Gonzalez returns to the States from Europe in September before then hitting locales such as the Middle East, the UK, back to the States and then out to Tokyo later on in the fall.

José Gonzalez upcoming tour dates:

28 - Bradford, England @ St. George's Music Hall
29 - Northampton, England @ Roadmender
30 - Birmingham, England @ Moseley Folk Festival
31 - London, England @ Regents Park Open Air Theatre

September
1 - Århus, Denmark @ Aarhus Festival
23 - Oakland, Calif. @ Yoshi's Oakland
24 - Oakland, Calif. @ Yoshi's Oakland
25 - Austin, Texas @ Austin City Limits
27 - Austin, Texas @ Emo's Alternative Lounge
28 - Brooklyn, N.Y. @ Campfire on the Canal @ the Yard

October
6 - Beirut, Lebanon @ The Basement
8 - Dubai, UAE @ Medinat Jumeriah Amphitheatre
11 - Tel Aviv, Israel @ barby
14 - London, England @ KOKO
15 - Liverpool, England @ The Academy
16 - Exeter, England @ Lemon Grove
17 - Canterbury, England @ Kents International Arts Festival

December
4 - Brooklyn, N.Y. @ The BAM Howard Gilman Opera House
5 - Brooklyn, N.Y. @ The BAM Howard Gilman Opera House
15 - Tokyo, Japan @ Duo
16 - Tokyo, Japan @ Duo

catch a 'live' performance of José Gozalez- "Killing For Love":

Tuesday's New Releases

Not much as far as big names on the list this week, the lone standout being the new LP from the recently reuinited The Verve,with Forth. As far as singles go, there are some hotly anticipated one's out from Land Of Talk and Cold War Kids to name a few.
So, after much digging thru the lists here's what we thought you might find interesting.

The Verve- Forth
Delta Spirit- Ode To Sunshine
The Silent Years- The Globe
Electric Touch- self titled
Raine Maida- The Hunter's Lullaby
Duchess Says- Anthologie des 3 perchoirs
Nightmares On Wax- Thought So..
The Week That Was- self titled
Obi Best- Capades
Jupiter One- self titled
Woodhands- I Wasn't Made For Fighting ep
Land Of Talk- Some Are Lakes(single)
Ray Lamontagne- You Are The Best Thing (single)
Ingrid Michaelson- Be OK(single)
Cold War Kids- Something is Not Right With Me(single)

Video & Song of the week: The Walkmen- "In The New Year"

This weeks choice for video & song of the week comes from NYC's The Walkmen. The group just last week came out with their new LP You & Me, which features the track "In The New Year". Though not the official video for the song, this clip captures the band performing the song in a rehearsal space with the video shifting between black & white and color.

The Walkmen- "In The New Year":

our 'Liner Notes' interview w/ Yeasayer

We recently had the opportunity to sit down with the guys Chris, Ira, Anand & Luke, from the Brooklyn band Yeasayer. The band first started to gain attention when they released their double A sided single in mid 2007 for "2080" & "Sunrise", which was hailed by the music blogging community and created a buzz about the band. Shortly thereafter the group released their full length debut All Hour Cymbals, which furthered the groups ecclectic and diverse world sounds. That early hype & momentum has carried into 2008, seeing the band co-headline with fellow Brooklynites MGMT, as well as having the band about to embark on a headlining tour of their own across the US starting this fall.

our 'Liner Notes' interview w/ Yeasayer:

Rachael Yamagata album & tour news + stream two new tracks

Rachael Yamagata is finally close to releasing her long awaited sophomore effort, A Record in Two Parts: Elephants…Teeth Sinking Into Heart on October 7th. The album sees two different and contrasting sets of works, the first of which, 'Elephants', is supposed to be the more melancholy and darker of the two. The second part of the album 'Teeth Sinking Into Heart' will be the grittier and more guitar-driven affair. Rachael will be heading out on the road starting Sept. 20th previewing the new material leading up to the albums release.

stream "Elephants"stream "Sidedish Friend"


Elephants Tracklist:
1. Elephants
2. What If I Leave
3. Little Life
4. Sunday Afternoon
5. Elephants Instrumental
6. Duet
7. Over and Over
8. Brown Eyes
9. Horizon

Teeth Sinking Into Heart Tracklist:
1. Sidedish Friend
2. Accident
3. Faster
4. Pause The Tragic Ending
5. Don't

RACHAEL YAMAGATA Tour Dates:
September 20 - Asbury Park, NJ - The Wonder Bar
September 21 - Pittsburgh, PA - Diesel
September 22 - Washington DC - Birchmere
September 24 - Philadelphia - Johnny Brenda's
September 25 - New York, NY - Joe's Pub (two shows)
September 29 - Boston, MA - Café 939 @ Berklee College of Music
October 1 - Chicago, IL - Lakeshore
October 2 - Minneapolis, MN - Fine Line
October 4 - Seattle, WA - Chop Suey
October 5 - Portland, OR - Wonder Ballroom
October 6 - San Francisco, CA - Café Du Nord
October 7 - Los Angeles, CA - Largo at the Coronet

Lackthereof- Your Anchor

Lackthereof is the solo project from Menomena drummer Danny Seim. For fans of Menomena or otherwise that are unfamiliar with Seim's solo work, Seim has been putting out his solo projects since the late 90's. In fact his latest, Your Anchor will actually be his 9th release, but his first with some major label backing (Barsuk).
Seim is literally a one man band on his latest work, from playing every instrument you hear, to singing all the vocals, 'Your Anchor' is totally self produced. Where one man shows can often end up lacking in one area or another, Seim holds the album tightly together with a strong rythm section, which not surprisingly is highlighted by Seim setting the pace with his drumming.
With a sound reminiscent of the days of Lou Barlow and Sebadoh, lackthereof brings a lo-fi touch to songs like the opener "Chest Pass", with it's rumbling bass and textured vocals and the lazy slow churner "Locked Upstairs". Two tracks not to be missed are the catchty yet grungy "Last November" with an infectious chorus, as well as gorgeously melodic "Ask Permission".


Listen to lackthereof.
Listen to Menomena.

Airborne Toxic Event- new video for "Sometime Around Midnight"

You may remember a few weeks back we chose an acoustic performance of "Sometime Around Midnight" by Airborne Toxic Event" as our 'video & song of the week'. As there was no official video out from the band at the time, we all had to make due with what was available. Now, giving fans what they want and making things all 'official like', the band has released their new video for the track, directed by Jason Wishnow.

Airborne Toxic Event- "Sometime Around Midnight":

Ra Ra Riot new video for "Ghost Under Rocks"

With their new debut disc The Rhumb Line hitting stores this past Tuesday, the buzz keeps growing and the press keeps mounting for Ra Ra Riot. Riding the wave of good publicity, the band has just released an offical video for their track, "Ghost Under Rocks". The video was directed by Brian Savelson, who you might know from his work with Band Of Horses for the video of "Is There a Ghost".

Ra Ra Riot- "Ghost Under Rocks":

Ohbijou- add tour dates, readying new album

Toronto, Ontario's Ohbijou have just announced a new set of tour dates that will be bringing the band across Canada as well as their first extensive jaunt into the US this fall. Ohbijou just recently made their U.S. debut in May 2008, with two performances in NYC. On this tour the group will head out with, The Acorn, who they share a new 12" split-single. The 12" includes both bands covering a track of the other, and a new original song by each.
The band has recently been in studio working on their new sophomore full-length, which is expected to come out in early 2009.
Right now you can preview a new track "Black Ice", which is up on the bands myspace.

Ohbijou tour schedule:

Aug 22 2008 The Ford Plant - Murdered City Music Festival Brantford, Ontario
Oct 4 2008 Kingston: The Grad Club Kingston, Ontario
Oct 6 2008 Sault Ste Marie Sault Ste Marie, Ontario
Oct 7 2008 Thunder Bay : The Apollo Thunder Bay, Ontario
Oct 8 2008 Winnipeg: The Lo Pub Winnipeg, Manitoba
Oct 9 2008 Saskatoon: Amigo’s Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
Oct 10 2008 Calgary : Broken City Calgary, Alberta
Oct 11 2008 Edmonton: Pawn Shop Edmonton, Alberta
Oct 13 2008 Kelowna: The Habitat Kelowna, British Columbia
Oct 14 2008 Vancouver: Media Club Vancouver, British Columbia
Oct 15 2008 Victoria: Lucky Bar Victoria, British Columbia
Oct 16 2008 Portland: Doug Fir Portland, Oregon
Oct 17 2008 Seattle: Tractor Tavern Seattle, Washington
Oct 18 2008 TBA in the US somewhere
Oct 19 2008 Bend: St. Francis Bend
Oct 21 2008 San Francisco: Hemlock San Francisco, California
Oct 22 2008 Santa Cruz: Crepe Place Santa Cruz, California
Oct 24 2008 Los Angeles: Spaceland Los Angeles, California
Oct 25 2008 Phoenix: Modified Phoenix, Arizona
Oct 28 2008 Denver: Hi-Dive Denver, Colorado
Oct 29 2008 Omaha: Slowdown Omaha, Nebraska
Oct 30 2008 Minneapolis: The 7th Street Entry Minneapolis, Minnesota
Oct 31 2008 Madison: Cafe Monmartre Madison, Wisconsin
Nov 1 2008 Chicago: Schuba’s Chicago, Illinois
Nov 20 2008 Hamilton: The Casbah Hamilton, Ontario
Nov 21 2008 Guelph: Dublin Street United Church Guelph, Ontario
Nov 22 2008 Peterborough: Montreal House Peterborough, Ontario
Nov 27 2008 Toronto: Lee’s Palace Toronto, Ontario
Nov 28 2008 Montreal: La Sala Rosa Montreal, Quebec
Nov 29 2008 Ottawa: Barrymore’s Music Hall Ottawa, Ontario

Sigur Ros new video for "Inni Mér Syngur Vitleysingur"

Bet you can't say that one three times fast! Sigur Ros has released a new video for the track "Inni Mér Syngur Vitleysingur" off of their Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust LP. The video is pretty straightforward for the group, as they are usually known for their art related videos. In this clip, the video catches footage of the band during a live performance.


‘Inní mér syngur vitleysingur’ - Official Video

the Insound 20

The music website Insound, which has been helping indie bands get there music out there for years, is teaming up with designer Jason Munn to put together and style graphics for 20 indie based artists for a special cause. The designs were put together for merchandise that includes t-shirts, hoodies and posters for bands that feature The National, Grizzly Bear, The Decembrists, José Gonzales, New Pornographers, Death Cab for Cutie, Spoon, Built To Spill and more.

All of the profits of the project will go to 826 NYC, which is a nonprofit writing center for children founded by author Dave Eggers.

Click here to check out the project.

Okkervil River- The Stand Ins new album & covers project

To celebrate the upcoming release of their new album The Stand Ins, which will be out on Sept. 9th, Okkervil River have asked some of their favorite songwriters and performers to record cover versions of each song off the album. The band will release one of the new cover songs every few days leading up to albums release on Sept 9th via the groups YouTube channel.
The first song, "Lost Coastlines," is a duet between Okkervil's own Will Sheff and A.C. Newman of the The New Pornographers.

"Lost Coastlines":



here you can also check out the teaser for the new The Stand Ins album:

Bloc Party- releasing new album this week

In a surprise move to fans, Bloc Party have announced that they will be digitally releasing their new album Intimacy on Thursday the 21st via the groups website. The move can be seen as an attempt to prevent leaks of the new work, after their last album Weekend In The City fell prey to piracy. Intimacy was co-produced by Paul Epworth (Silent Alarm) and Jacknife Lee (A Weekend In The City). A physical version of the album will be out on October 28th and will supposedly contain different tracks than the digital release.

Intimacy track listing:

01. "Ares"
02. "Mercury"
03. "Halo"
04. "Biko"
05. "Trojan Horse"
06. "Signs"
07. "One Month Off"
08. "Zephyrus"
09. "Better Than Heaven"
10. "Ion Square"

Johnny Flynn- A Larum

Drawing heavily on American musical traditions and blending them with old English-style storytelling, UK troubadour Johnny Flynn brings his old school folk sounds and gives them a unique twist on his new disc, A Larum. Flynn's affinity for literature, theatre and storytelling are deep rooted, as his father was an actor and Flynn himself spent a chunk of his youth working in Shakespearean ensembles, some of which even brought him to NYC. That trip to NYC proved to be a turning point for Flynn, turning him on to the anti-folk movement that was happening, especially to singers Adam Green and Jeffrey Lewis.
On A Larum, Flynn draws well on all those influences and weaves them into his brand of nostalgic folk, yet manages to keep the sound as fresh as anything the genre has seen in years. Perhaps due to his thespian beginnings Flynn shows a chameleon like ability to not only place himself in the characters he sings about, but to draw the listener in to his stories. Whether it's playing the role of the vagrant on "Leftovers", singing of lost loved one's on "Hong Kong Cemetary" or spinning a tale of the the writings of Henry David Thoreau in "The Box" Flynn is at his most engaging.
The album was recorded mostly live, adding to the loose raucous barroom feel. In describing the albums title, 'A Larum' Flynn says ... "The larum is a warning bell, a call to arms. So it's a wake up call and an alarm, and a call to brings people together." 'A Larum' is a wake up call indeed, a wake up to the genre, to other artists and to it's listeners. An album that can just as easily fit in at your favourite old English pub or at that trendy Lower East Side bar.

Tracks not to miss: "Tickle Me Pink", "Cold Bread", "Hong Kong Cemetary", "Wayne Rooney", "The Box"

Listen to Johnny Flynn on myspace.

Gomez- celebrating anniversary of debut disc

Gomez have announced that on August 25, EMI will be releasing a special 10th Anniversary Collectors' Edition of Gomez's Mercury Prize-winning debut album, Bring It On. The new collector's edition adds a full second disc of material, with two previously unreleased BBC sessions and the B-sides to all three singles released from the album. The band have also announced plans for a tour to coincide with the release, the 'Bring It On tour', which will see the band play the album in it's entirety at each show.

'Bring It On' tour:

Aug 28 2008 The Plug Sheffield
Aug 29 2008 Electric Picnic Stradbally Hall
Aug 30 2008 Hydro Connect Festival Argyll
Aug 31 2008 Carling Academy Newcastle Newcastle
Sep 2 2008 The Forum London
Sep 3 2008 Carling Academy Birmingham Birmingham
Sep 4 2008 Manchester Academy 1 Manchester


Bring It On - 10th Anniversary Collector's Edition

CD1: Bring It On - released 08/09/98
1. Get Miles
2. Whippin' Piccadilly
3. Make No Sound
4. 78 Stone Wobble
5. Tijuana Lady
6. Here Comes The Breeze
7. Love Is Better Than A Warm Trombone
8. Get Myself Arrested
9. Free To Run
10. Bubble Gum Years
11. Rie's Wagon
12. The Comeback

CD2: BBC Sessions and B-Sides
BBC Radio One Session - 06/04/98
1. Here Comes The Breeze
2. Brother Lead
3. 78 Stone Shuffle
4. The Way You Do The Things You Do

BBC Radio One Session - 24/08/98
5. Stag O' Lee
6. Whippin' Piccadilly
7. Rie's Wagon

B-sides from the "78 Stone Wobble" single
8. Who's Gonna Go The Bar
9. Steve McCroski
10. Wham Bam
11. Flavors

B-sides from the "Get Myself Arrested" single
12. Old School Shirt
13. The Cowboy Song

B-sides from the "Whippin' Piccadilly" single
14. Whippin' Piccadilly (Turbo Version)
15. Pussyfootin'
16. Pick Up The Pieces

Tuesday New Releases

The first real big release week of the summer is here. Lot's of quality in the list this week, with some big imports from Lykke Li and Laura Marling as well as highly anitcipated releases from the Walkmen and Ra Ra Riot.

Walkmen- You & Me
Lykki Li- Youth Novels
She Keeps Bees- Nests
Hotel Lights- Firecracker People
Jaguar Love- Take Me to The Sea
Laura Marling- Alas I Cannot Swim
Pictures And Sound- self titled
Amy Mcdonald- This Is The Life
The Stills- Oceans Will Rise
The Dandy Wharhols- Earth To The Dandy Warhols
Uh Huh Her- Common Reaction
Jeff Hanson- Madam Owl
The Ting Tings- i tunes live
Praveen & Benoit- Songs Spun Simla Ep
Jennifer O'Connor- Here With Me
Fujita & Miyagi- Knickerbocker (single)
Keane- Spiralling (single)
Ra Ra Riot- The Rhumb Line

new video: My Morning Jacket- "Touch Me I'm Going To Scream Pt2"

Jim James and My Morning Jacket give their newest single, "Touch Me I'm Going To Scream Pt2" the animated treatment in their latest video. Although their latest LP Evil Urges saw the group experiment and expand their sound, the latest single is one of the more classic sounding MMJ tracks off the LP.

My Morning Jacket- "Touch Me I'm Going To Scream Pt2":

Video & Song of the Week 8/18: Dead Confederate-"The Rat"

The past year has seen a quick rise for Athens Georgia's Dead Confederate. The band has seen themselves touring with heavyweights such as Dinosaur Jr., Drive By Truckers, and Deerhunter, as well as sharing the stage with fellow Athens boys R.E.M. at SXSW. The group is now ready to release the follow up to their self titled Ep, their new debut full length, Wrecking Ball which comes out September 16th on TAO Records. The album features their standout track "The Rat", which you can catch below from a live performance in Atlanta, Georgia in the Digital Arts Entertainment Lab.

"The Rat":



Upcoming Dead Confederate tour dates:

09.11.08 – Exit/In – Nashville, TN
09.12.08 – Sky City – Augusta, GA
09.18.08 – The Hummingbird – Macon, GA
09.19.08 – 40 Watt – Athens, GA
09.20.08 – The Earl – Atlanta, GA
09.23.08 – JJ’s Bohemia – Chattanooga, TN
09.24.08 – The Bottletree – Birmingham, AL
09.25.08 – Sticky Fingerz – Little Rock, AR
09.26.08 – Emo's – Austin, TX
09.27.08 – The Cavern – Dallas, TX
09.29.08 – The Bluebird – St. Louis, MO
09.30.08 - Jackpot Music Hall - Lawrence, KS
10.01.08 – The Waiting Room – Omaha, NE
10.02.08 – The Annex – Madison, WI
10.03.08 – Mo's Irish Pub – Milwaukee, WI
10.04.08 – Schubas – Chicago, IL
10.07.08 – TT the Bears – Cambridge, MA
10.09.09 – Mercury Lounge – New York, NY
10.10.08 – Union Hall – Brooklyn, NY
10.14.08 – Cat's Cradle – Carrboro, NC
10.16.08 – Exit/In – Nashville, TN
10.17.08 – Proud Larry's – Oxford, MS
10.25.08 – Voodoo Experience – New Orleans, LA

Listen to Dead Confederate.

Wake up Poland, It's 9 O'Clock- Free album Download

Wake up Poland, It's 9 O'Clock is the project from one time roommates, Paul Brandt and Philip Grey. Although both are involved with their main projects, Paul in the Eau Claire based indie-folk band, Cranes & Crows, which brought us the brilliant Blame Winter LP this year, and Phil in the electroacoustic solo project, The Messenger Lay Asleep. The pair got together and collaborated for what turned out to be the The Two A.M. Sessions, which they have made available as a free download via Amble Down Records (which the group is not officially signed to).

To get a copy of the free download you can head on over to Amble Down Records and scroll down on the news section, or head over to the bands Myspace.

Windmill- Puddle City Racing Lights

Windmill, is the project from London's Matthew Thomas Dillon. His Puddle City Racing Lights has been out for a bit overseas, and has just only recently hit American shores. Being relatively new to Windmill, I have heard a lot of varied opinions on Dillon's distinct voice, often being compared to acts such as Flaming Lips, Mercury Rev and Danielson to name a few. While his voice does fall in the same register at times, it is unfair to lump Dillon's work in with those artists and not judge it on it's own merit.
Dillon, who had been recording on his own for ten years or so prior to the album coming out, is clearly gifted musically and is a talented songwriter, crafting heartfelt piano lead folk-pop. And getting back to Dillon's voice for a minute, it has a distinct child like innocence about it that adds to the already vulnerable material. His lyrics and music are wrapped in wanderlust, and when you add his fascination of airports and travel, a theme that runs throughout the album, like on "Plastic Pre Flight Seats" and "Boarding Lounges" it drives the message home. Much of the tracks have a sweeping emotional arch, with lush string orchestrations and an erupting chorus, as in "Fluorescent Lights", "Planning Stopped", "Tokyo Moon" and album highlight "Asthmatic".
Heartbreaking material has never before felt so good as on Puddle City Racing Lights, it is melancholy yet joyous, soft yet loud, Dillon proves to be a craftsman of emotions. An album to be taken on your next flight or road trip for sure, a journey worth going on.

Listen to Windmill.

Bombay Bicycle Club- "Evening/Morning"

Still only in their teens, London newcomers, Bombay Bicycle Club have a new video and single out for their track "Evening/Morning". The track is the follow up to their 2007 Ep How We Are, and the group can currently be seen out on tour across the UK.

Bombay Bicycle Club-"Evening/Morning":

Noah And The Whale- US Tour

The UK's Noah And The Whale are about to make their American debut. The band will be kicking off a tour across the States beginning on Sept. 16th, the same day that their new album Peaceful, The World Lays Me Down hits stores. The album features a guest appearance from Laura Marling on the track "5 Years Time", and band is said to have drawn inspiration on the new album from sources ranging from the films of Wes Anderson to the music of Neutral Milk Hotel.

Noah And The Whale Tour Dates:

September 16- Union Pool- Brooklyn, NY
September 18- Sidewalk Cafe- New York, NY
September 19- Mercury Lounge- New York, NY
September 20- TOAD- Boston, MA
September 22- The Saints- Montreal
September 23- Horseshoe Tavern- Toronto, ONT
September 25- TBA- Chicago, IL
September 26- Empty Bottle- Chicago, IL
September 29- Chop Suey- Seattle, WA
September 30- Doug Fir Lounge- Portland, OR
October 02- Pop Scene @ 330 Ritch- San Francisco, CA
October 04- Detour Festival- Los Angeles, CA
October 06- Spaceland- Los Angeles, CA

"5 Years Time":

Killers- new album news

The Killers are gearing up towards a release of new material come this November. The album will be the bands third new LP, and is the follow up to the disappointing to some Sam's Town, which was met with mixed reviews. The band is looking to rebound with their upcoming disc, which is tentatively titled Day And Age, which is said to have a leaner sound according to bassist Mark Stoermer ..."This record is stripped down in a lot of ways,”... “Each instrument has its place, and things aren’t clouding anything up. We’re not trying to be bombastic. It’s our most poppy record but also our most experimental”. While front man Brandon Flowers says of the new disc ....“Everything is at stake on this album”.
The group had previewed new material just this past July at a secret show in NYC, previewing two new tracks, “Spaceman” and “Neon Tiger”.

new video: Calexico- "Two Silver Trees"

It's been two years since we've had new material from Arizona's Calexico, which is made up of core members Joey Burns and John Convertino. On Sept. 9th the band will be coming out with their new disc, Carried To Dust which includes a guest appearance from Iron & Wine's own Sam Beam. The first track to be released off the disc is the single, "Two Silver Trees", which displays the bands classic alt-country style.

Calexico-"Two Silver Trees":



Listen to Calexico on myspace.

Mogwai- new video for "Batcat"

Mogwai turn up the creep factor in their new video for the song "Batcat", which is off their soon to released new album The Hawk Is Howling, which will be out on Sept. 23rd. The new full length won't be the only release from the band in Sept., as The Hawk Is Howling will be preceded by a three song Ep, Bobcat on the 9th. With the plethora of new material the psychedelic rockers are already out on the road promoting, currently in Europe for a brief jaunt and returning in Sept. for a full tour of the States.

Mogwai- "Batcat":



Upcoming Mogwai Tour dates:

Aug 30 2008 De Beschaving Festival Utrecht
Aug 31 2008 Rivierenhof Antwerp
Sep 3 2008 Music Fest NW Portland, Oregon
Sep 4 2008 Showbox SoDo Seattle, Washington
Sep 5 2008 Sugar Victoria, British Columbia
Sep 6 2008 Commodore Ballroom Vancouver, British Columbia
Sep 8 2008 The Grand Ballroom San Francisco, California
Sep 9 2008 Wiltern Theatre Los Angeles, California
Sep 10 2008 The Rialto Tuscon, Arizona
Sep 12 2008 Stubbs Waller Creek Austin, Texas
Sep 13 2008 Granada Theatre Dallas, Texas
Sep 15 2008 Variety Playhouse Atlanta, Georgia
Sep 16 2008 The National Richmond, Virginia
Sep 17 2008 9:30 Club Washington, Washington DC
Sep 18 2008 Terminal 5 New York, New York
Sep 19 2008 Starlight Ballroom Philidelphia
Sep 21 2008 ATP - New York Catskills, New York
Sep 22 2008 Wilbur Theatre Boston, Massachusetts
Sep 23 2008 Metropolis Montreal, Quebec
Sep 25 2008 The Crofoot Pontiac
Sep 26 2008 Congress Theatre Chicago, Illinois
Sep 27 2008 First Avenue Minneapolis

Tuesday new releases

Here's the short list of what we think you might want to give a listen to this week ... happy hunting!!

The Ettes- Look At Life Again Soon
Kings Of Leon- Sex On Fire (single)
Ben Weaver- The Ax In The Oak
Portland Cello Project- self titled
Elsiane- Hybrid
Future Kings Of Spain- Syndicate Ep
Midnight Juggernauts- Into The Galaxy Ep
Kyle Andrews- Real Blasty
Prussia- Dear Emily, Best Wishes Molly
MGMT- Metanoia Ep
Manhattan Love Suicides- Burnt Out Landscapes
Brett Dennen- Make You Crazy (single)

Mason Proper- New album on the way + free download

Mason Proper are all set to release their new album Olly Oxen Free on Sept. 23rd. The new work is the bands second full length and is the follow up to their 2007 LP 'There Is A Moth In Your Chest'. For a limited time the group has made available a free download of the first single, "Lock and Key", which is available via RCRD LBL . Meanwhile if your not into free stuff, you can preview two new additional tracks "Out Dragging The River" & "Safe For The Time Being" off the forthcoming CD on the bands myspace.

OLLY OXEN FREE Track Listing
1. Fog
2. Point A to Point B
3. Lock And Key
4. Only a Moment
5. Out Dragging the River
6. In The Mirror
7. Downpour
8. Shiny
9. Alone
10. Safe For the Time Being

Deerhunter- new album soon & tour dates added

The Atlanta indie rock outfit, Deerhunter have just released new tour dates that will coincide with their new album Microcastle hitting stores on October 28th. The band can currently be seen out on tour with Nine Inch Nails which takes them into the month of Sept. But shortly after they will be heading back out on a headlining tour across the states, as things get kicked off in their home state of Georgia on Halloween.
For now you can hear two new tracks, "Nothing Ever Happened" & "Never Stops"
off the upcoming 'Microcastle' on the bands myspace.

Upcoming Deerhunter live dates:
10.31.08 - Atlanta, GA (Variety Playhouse)
11.01.08 - Asheville, NC (Orange Peel)
11.02.08 - Carrboro, NC (Cats Cradle, Carrboro)
11.03.08 - Baltimore, MD (Ottobar)
11.04.08 - Washington, DC (Black Cat)
11.05.08 - Philadelphia, PA (First Unitarian Church)
11.06.08 - Princeton, NJ (Terrace F. Club)
11.07.08 - Brooklyn, NY (Music Hall Of Williamsburg)
11.08.08 - New York, NY (Bowery Ballroom)
11.10.08 - Boston, MA (Paradise)
11.11.08 - Montreal, QC (Theatre Plaza)
11.12.08 - Toronto, ON (Lees Palace)
11.13.08 - Pontiac, MI (Crofoot Ballroom)
11.14.08 - Cleveland, OH (Grog Shop)
11.15.08 - Chicago, IL (Metro)
11.16.08 - Madison, WI (High Noon Saloon)
11.17.08 - Minneapolis, MN (Triple Rock Social Club)
11.20.08 - Vancouver, BC (Richards On Richards)
11.21.08 - Seattle, WA (Neumos)
11.24.08 - San Francisco, CA (Great American Music Hall)
11.25.08 - Los Angeles, CA (El Rey Theatre)
11.28.08 - San Diego, CA (Casbah)
11.29.08 - Phoenix, AZ (Modified Arts)
12.01.08 - Dallas, TX (Palladium Loft)
12.02.08 - Austin, TX (Emos Alternative Lounge Outside)
12.03.08 - Houston, TX (Warehouse Live)
12.04.08 - Baton Rouge, LA (Spanish Moon)
12.05.08 - New Orleans, LA (One Eyed Jacks)
12.06.08 - Birmingham, AL (Bottletree)

Video & Song of the week: The Airborne Toxic Event- "Sometime Around Midnight"

In a span of just two short years, The Airborne Toxic Event has gone from forming the group in mid 2006 and playing their first live show a few months later, to recently being named in the L.A. Times as one of the top 3 bands to watch in 2008. The quick rise from obscurity has seen the group get signed and recently put out their self titles debut disc, featuring their single "Sometime Around Midnight". Here you can catch an acoustic version of the song the band recently performed:




Listen to The Airborne Toxic Event

our 'Liner Notes' interview w/ Motek

The Belgian band Motek is an audiovisual collective known for it's live music, video art and sampling. Often cinematic in it's approach, Motek came out with their latest album this past May, Port Sunshine, which saw the band breakout with their hit single "Tryer", which has brought the band a wider fan base and mass exposure across radio and tv. We sat down with the band to discuss the new album, their audiovisual work, newfound success and more. To see the full interview you can click below.

Wild Sweet Orange- We Have Cause To Be Uneasy

Wild Sweet Orange, who hail from Alabama, have been catching a lot of buzz from the critics and fellow music bloggers since their 2007 'Whale' EP came out. The pleasantly surprising part of that is, that Wild Sweet Orange are not your A-typical blogged about flavor of the moment hipster band. The group draws more on classic americana based roots and rock n' roll for inspiration, which is sort of a forgotten and often overlooked genre in today's music world, and half the reason why this blog was created in the first place.
WSO is out now with We Have Cause to be Uneasy , their debut full length, which was recorded over the past two years and was produced by Mike McCarthy who has worked with Spoon and Patty Griffin. A big chunk of that time saw the group honing it's craft and sound out on the road supporting bands like Counting Crows, and fellow southern boys, the Whigs. Listening through to 'We Have Cause To Be Uneasy' shows the band to be particularly tight and in sync as a unit, maybe in part to the time spent playing out, but also due to the fact that the core of the group, singer Preston Lovinggood along with bass player Garrett Kelly and drummer Chip Kilpatrick, have known each other since elementary school. The group can shift from quiet to loud on the new record, and bring a building intensity to most of the tracks, perfect examples of which are, "Tilt", "Crickets" and "Either/Or", the latter of which closes with an exploding finish. The band is equally strong in it's softer moments too, whether it's the dysfunctional youth of "Sour Milk" or on the closer "Land Of No Return", which could be the strongest song on the album.

Singer Preston Lovinggood say's of the new album...."We've put all of ourselves into this record. We've given it our all and I think it's a great picture of our life."
In addition to the new record coming out the band has recently appeared on the Late Show w/ David Letterman, along with recording a recent session with Daytrotter. They can currently be seen out on tour, to check dates or listen to Wild Sweet Orange you can visit their myspace.

Fleet Foxes on Letterman

Seattle's Fleet Foxes appeared on the Late Show w/ David Letterman the other night making their network tv debut, performing the track "Blue Ridge Mountains".
Be sure to pay attention to Letterman's intro as he botches the cue cards not once but twice trying to introduce the band.

new video: Arsenal- "Estupendo"

Arsenal, have come out with their second single off of their recent multi collabrative LP Lotuk, with the single "Estupendo". There is a new video for the track also, that features guest vocals from singer Scott Mason, from the Chicago band Office. Their newest Lp, 'Lotuk' sees the band experimenting and performing with various guest vocalists and performers on the new album, just like as in their first single of the same name, which saw the group working with singer Shawn Smith from the bands Brad and Satchel. Also appearing on the album are singers Cortney Tidwell, Mike Ladd and Grant Hart from Husker Du.

Arsenal- "Estupendo":

The Weeks New Releases

Now that the typical slow month for new releases (July) is out of the way, we now move forward to the first release week from August. There are actually a few big named anticipated releases scheduled later this month, so let's hope it's a bit more promising?

Here's what this week has to offer:

Birdmonster- From The Mountain To The Sea
The Airborne Toxic Event- (self titled)
Meiko- (self titled)
Marching Band- Spark Large
Ida- My Fair My Dark Ep
The Faint- Fascination
Conor Oberst- (self titled)
Clinic- Funf
Darker My Love- 2
Oxford Collapse- Bits
Santogold- L.E.S. Artistes Ep
Shannon McArdle- Summer of The Whore
Bombay Bicycle Club- Evening/Morning (single)
Bob Dylan- Dreamin' of You (single)

Greg Laswell-Three Flights From Alto Nido

The last time that we heard from singer/songwriter Greg Laswell was a few months back at a performance with the Hotel Cafe tour where he almost stole the show. Fast forward to this summer and Laswell is out with a brand new disc Three Flights From Alto Nido . On the new disc, just like on his 2006 full length 'Through Toledo', Laswell crafts piano driven pop melodies that invite the listener into his personal journey's of love, loss and letting go. If you've ever seen Greg perform live then you know he's not afraid to get personal, often delving into tales from his life, whether it's family relationships or stories from his love life between songs. In fact Laswell has said that the new album was shaped around the fact that 2007 was a difficult and strange year for just about all of his friends and family members, and it shows.
Throughout the album is a recurring theme of loss and recovery, on tracks like "Comes and Goes(in waves)", which features brilliant backing vocals from Molly Jenson, Laswell sings of a loneliness and a yearning for answers. The single from the album "How The Day Sounds" reflects on the aftermath of a lost love, but displays an acceptance for the place he's currently in. Further exploring the healing process is the opener "It's Been a Year" with the lyric ..."I should have known better to pick up that god damn phone, but i don't" ..."but you sound so sweet". Other tracks not to miss on the album are "Day's Go On" with it's soft electronic beats and "That it Moves".
Laswell has said that the term 'alto nido' in Spanish means a high nest, and that on 'Three flights up...' it implies that you're on your way to a high nest, even if you're not quite there yet.


Greg Laswell on Myspace.

new Lykke Li video- "Breaking It Up"

Swedish songstress Lykke Li has just put out a new video for her latest single "Breaking It Up", from her smash Youth Novels LP. Having already had success with popular singles "Little Bit" and "I"m Good I'm Gone" overseas, Li's debut album 'Youth Novels is finally just about ready to assault Amercian shores this summer, with an August 19th release date.

Catch more of Li's dance moves in "Breaking It Up":

Video & song of the week- The Dutchess & The Duke- "Back to Me"

This weeks choice for video and song of the week comes from the low-fi rock project, The Dutchess and The Duke from Seattle,WA. with their song "Back to Me". The track is off their recently released She's The Dutchess, He's The Duke, which came out earlier in the summer.
The video was shot at in store performance at Criminal records.

Listen to more of The Dutchess and The Duke.

unreleased Clash material coming out

On October 6th you'll be able to get your hands on some rare material from the legendary punk band, The Clash. In the works is a live album which was recorded back when the band supported The Who at their renowned Shea Stadium gig in 1982. Reportedly the disc will feature the Clash's 15 track set in it's entirety. In addition to the live CD there will be a DVD, 'The Clash Live-Revolution Rock' directed by Don Letts also coming out on the same date. It will include over 20 rare performances spanning the group's brief career with seven unreleased performances by the group, included in which is their appearance on 'The Tomorrow Show With Tom Snyder' from 1981.

In other Clash news, there will be an authorised book 'The Clash By The Clash' hitting stores that same week on October 3rd, which has been compiled from extensive interviews with Joe Strummer, Mick Jones, Paul Simonon and Topper Headon.