Hear the first new track from Bon Iver's, Volcano Choir project

A few months back we heard news of Bon Iver's new project, Volcano Choir, which is a collection of Wisconsinites and longtime friends, made up Bon Iver's, Justin Vernon working with the band, Collections of Colonies of Bees. The collaboration we're told actually predates Vernon's Bon Iver, with some of the original songwriting dating back to the summer of 2005, around the time the Bees first toured with Vernon's previous band DeYarmond Edison.
The new album, Unmap doesn't come out until Sept. 22nd via Jagjaguwar, but a new song has been made available from the project, called "Island, IS" which shows a different side of Vernon, complete with synths and loops.

Island, IS - Volcano Choir

Volcano Choir- Unmap track listing
1 Husks And Shells
2 Seeplymouth
3 Island, IS
4 Dote
5 And Gather
6 Mbira In The Morass
7 Cool Knowledge
8 Still
9 Youlogy

The Cave Singers: streaming new album early

In advance of it's August 18th release date for their new sophomore album, Welcome Joy, Seattle's The Cave Singers are streaming the LP in it's entirety for one week over at Rhapsody.

The brooding folk trio consisting of the gravelly voiced Peter Quirk, along with Derek Fudesco and Marty Lund were joined on the new record by Amber Webber (Black Mountain, Lightning Dust) and Ashley Webber (Lightning Dust). The album was recorded at The Hive in Vancouver with Colin Stewart.
Welcome Joy is out August 18th on Matador Records.

The Cave Singers upcoming tour dates:
8/18 Seattle Washington Easy Street Records
9/5 Vancouver BC Bitmore Cabaret
9/7 Seattle WA Bumbershoot
9/11 Minneapolis MN 400 Bar*
9/12 Chicago IL Schubas*
9/13 Detroit MI Magic Stick*
9/14 Toronto ONT Horseshoe Tavern*
9/15 Montreal QC Il Motore*
9/16 Northampton MA Iron Horse Music Hall*
9/17 Boston MA TT The Bears*
9/19 New York NY Bowery Ballroom*
9/20 Philadelphia PA Johnny Brenda's*
9/21 Washington DC The Black Cat*
9/23 Memphis TN Hi-Tone*
9/24 Birmingham AL The Bottletree*
9/26 Austin TX The Mohawk*
9/29 Phoenix AZ Modified*
9/30 Las Vegas NV The Beauty Bar*
10/1 Los Angeles CA The Echo*
10/2 San Diego CA Casbah*
10/3 Merced CA The Partisan*
10/5 Santa Cruz CA The Crepe Place*
10/6 San Francisco CA The Independent*
10/16 Portland OR Mississippi Studios
10/17 Seattle WA Neumos
* w/ Lightning Dust

visit The Cave Singers on myspace.

'Song of the Week': The Wooden Sky- "Something Hiding For Us in the Night"

Over the past several weeks I've been heaping praise on The Wooden Sky's forthcoming disc, If I Don't Come Home You'll Know I'm Gone to anyone willing to listen. I've been consumed by the album, the bands second overall, and believe it could be a true groundbreaking record for the Toronto band. The album reveals itself more and more with each listen, from beautiful background vocals, to subtle nuances in the arrangements, you can feel the band growing right before your ears.
One of the highlights on the album for me is the chill inducing track, "Something Hiding For us In The Night" which just builds and swells until it explodes in the final minute. Do yourself a favor and check it out.
If I Don't Come Home You'll Know I'm Gone comes out on August 25th via Black Box.

Something Hiding For Us In The Night. - The Wooden Sky

get familiar w/The Wooden Sky on myspace.

This Weeks 'New Releases': (WK 8/11)

Another short list this week that features new music from Mazzy Star's, Hope Sandoval & The Warm Inventions, and Anna Ternheim's new disc, Leaving on a Mayday getting it's US release.

A Mountain of One- Bones EP
Anna Ternheim- Leaving on a Mayday
Balmorhea- All is Wild, All is Silent (remixes)
Bat For Lashes- Live: London Festival '09 EP
Buffy Sainte-Marie- Running For the Drum
Cobra Starship- Hot Mess
The Dry Spells- Too Soon for Flowers
Emiliana Torrini- Me and Armini EP
Emmy the Great- First Love
Friendly Fires- Kiss of Life (single)
Hope Sandoval & The Warm Inventions- Bavarian Fruit Bread
Jack White- Fly Farm Blues (single)
Meeting of Important People- self titled
The Morning Benders- Damnit Anna EP
Patrick Wolf- The BachelorThrice- Beggars
Robert Pollard- Elephant Jokes

Fanfarlo: getting U.S. release and add select shows

One of my favorite albums to come out so far this year has been Fanfarlo's debut disc, Reservoir. Their uplifting anthemic music has drawn comparisons to bands like Arcade Fire, and Clap Your Hands and Say Yeah, and so far the album has only been available digitally or through the bands website, but on October 6th the band is getting a physical release date here in the U.S.
Prior to the albums release, the band will be playing a handful of shows across the States starting in Seattle on Sept 14th and ending in the NYC area on the 21st and 22nd.
get familiar with some of their music below.

Drowning Men - Fanfarlo


FANFARLO TOUR DATES:
Sep 14 Chop Suey Seattle
Sep 15 Troubadour West Hollywood
Sep 16 The Echo Los Angeles
Sep 17 Popscene San Francisco
Sep 20 Kungfu Necktie Philadelphia
Sep 21 Bowery Ballroom New York
Sep 22 The Bell House New York

visit Fanfarlo.com

Thao and The Get Down Stay Down 'Know Better...' this Fall

Thao Nguyen made a splash last year with her quirky debut, We Brave Bee Stings and All which featured her upbeat tempo's and down beat lyrics, mixed in with her stellar guitar work. Now backed full time by her band The Get Down Stay Down, Thao will unveil her sophomore effort this Oct. 13 on Kill Rock Stars, titled Know Better Learn Faster, which will feature a who's who of guest appearances led by, Andrew Bird, Laura Veirs, members of Blitzen Trapper, Horse Feathers, and tUnE-yArDs.

Thao had this to say on the albums title and tone ....“The album is named ‘Know Better Learn Faster’ because you can’t… By the time you realize you should, it’s too late. And I enjoy the predicament and the totally devastating, unfunny humor of that.” ... “A few of these are just straightforwardly sad,” .... “Sometimes there’s not much room to mince words and music when you feel like shit.”

Know Better Learn Faster track listing:
1 The Clap
2 Cool Yourself
3 When We Swam
4 Know Better Learn Faster
5 Body
6 The Give
7 Good Bye Good Luck
8 Trouble Was For
9 Oh No
10 Fixed It!
11 Burn You Up
12 But What of the Strangers
13 Easy

and you can check out our interview w/ Thao from last year.


check out Thao w/ The Get Down Stay Down on myspace.

Bon Iver- "The Wolves (Act I and II)" live from Glastonbury

Bon Iver's magical run just keeps on going, as Justin Vernon and the guys have been out on the road seemingly forever, criss- crossing the globe in support of the brilliant, For Emma, Forever Ago . He's been gaining a well deserved rep. for his live shows, and if you haven't caught one yet, you can check out a recent (pro quality) live performance from the Glastonbury festival, playing the track, The Wolves (Act I and II)" below.



remaining Bon Iver tour dates:
Aug 7 LOLLAPALOOZA Chicago, Illinois
Aug 12 OYA FESTIVAL Oslo, Norway
Aug 14 WAY OUT FESTIVAL Gothenburg
Aug 15 HALDERN POP Haldern
Aug 16 SUMMER SUNDAE Leicester, UK
Aug 20 Pukkelpop Hasselt, Belgium
Aug 21 LOWLANDS Netherlands
Aug 22 GREEN MAN FESTIVAL Powys, UK
Sep 19 The Slowdown Omaha, Nebraska
Sep 24 Fox Theater Oakland, California
Sep 25 The Wiltern Los Angeles, California
Sep 28 Rialto Theatre Tucson, Arizona
Sep 29 Mesa Arts Center Ikeda Theater Mesa, Arizona
Oct 3 Austin City Limits Austin, Texas

visit Bon Iver.org

William Fitzsimmons covers Kanye West-"Heartless"

In what might seem like one of the most unlikely pairings on paper, William Fitzsimmons cover of the Kanye West track, "Heartless" turns into one of the better fits of a cover song that I've heard this year. Fitzsimmons sparse take on the song gives it a new meaning and a heartbreak not felt on the original. The track appeared in a new article and interview with Fitzsimmons in Billboard magazine. Here's what William had to say when asked about the track.

You're obviously well-known for your own songwriting, what was it about Kanye's "Heartless" that made you want to perform it?
I've really always just wanted to get into top-40 hip-hop, as you can tell by the stuff I've done before, it's the natural next step [laughs]. But really, I'm drawn to anything that has a melancholic chord to it, and that song certainly has one. And there's something sort of fun of finding that, especially a song that people sort of don't take to be that serious, not that it's not a wonderful song-it's sort of in the vein of Jose Gonzales, who did a cover of one of Kylie Minogue's old songs called "Hand on your Heart." And it's straight up kind of bubble-gum pop, but the way he does it is he kind of rips the production to shreds, and it's actually kind of a heartbreaking and sweet and poignant song. I think that's true about "Heartless," and was maybe lost on some people, because it's Kanye and everything and the way it was produced.
To read the full Billboard article you can go here.
William also just added some new tour dates to his schedule which you can check out here.

Compare the two versions below.

Heartless - Kanye West

Shaken Not Stirred

I don't know if they started working on the next movie in the James Bond series yet, but whoever is the music supervisor for the film your theme song is waiting for you right here. From the opening intoxicating bass line, to the sexy and mysterious vocals, 'What Have I Done" by Anna Ternheim evokes images of a spy thriller, with chase scene and gunfire erupting over some opening credits.
The Swedish songstresses newest work, Leaving on a Mayday drops in the U.S. this August 11th.

What Have I Done - Anna Ternheim

check out Anna Ternheim on myspace.

Noah and The Whale: First Days of Spring coming this Fall

Break-up albums can create some epic work, and London indie-folksters, Noah and the Whale are going all out for their upcoming sophomore release, The First Days of Spring. Along with the new CD, the work will be accompanied by a film that runs the entire length of the album. The disc and film, as the title suggests centers around a running narrative of a post-break up, and starting over again theme, with the thought being it's about frontman Charlie Finks former relationship with singer Laura Marling.
The new CD and film comes out Aug 31 in the UK and Oct. 6 in the U.S, and you can download for free the lead track, "The First Days of Spring" by clicking here.

The First Days Of Spring - Noah And The Whale

The First Days of Spring Official Trailer from charlie fink on Vimeo.

Noah and The Whale on myspace.

This Weeks 'New Releases' (WK 8/04)

A short list this week that includes new side projects from Interpol frontman Paul Banks as, Julian Plenti, and Jim James of My Morning Jacket fame, releasing a covers album of George Harrison songs under the name of Yim Yames.

This Weeks New Releases (WK 8/04):
Amanda Blank- I Love You
Antony & The Johnsons- Aeon (single)
David Gray- Fugitive (single)
David Mead- Almost and Always
The Dodos- Time to Die
Fruit Bats- The Ruminant Band
Japandroids- Post Nothing
Johnny Cash- Live in Ireland
Julian Plenti- Julian Plenti Is...Skyscraper
Kings of Leon- Notion EP
Lightning Dust- Infinite Light
Medeski, Martin & Wood- Radiolarians III
Modest Mouse- No One's First, and Your Next
Muse- Uprising (single)
Nurses- Apple's Acre
The Ocean- Fluxion
Sebastien Tellier- L'amour et la Violence EP
Throw Me The Statue- Creaturesque
Yacht- See Mystery Lights
Yim Yames- Tribute to EP

'A Kiss With a Fist is Better Than None'

One of the best parts of Summer is getting out on the open road, driving with the windows down and cranking up the stereo. One track that has been on heavy rotation this Summer on my stereo is "Kiss With a Fist" by the UK's Florence and the Machine, which is one of the most fun and pure straight ahead rock numbers you'll hear this year. I know the song has been out there for quite some time now in the UK, but fresh off her recent 'Mercury Prize' nomination and an impending US release date for her debut album, Lungs, out this October, I thought It was worth throwing it out there again.

Kiss With A Fist - Florence And The Machine

...you hit me once
i hit you back
you gave a kick
i gave a slap
you smashed a plate
over my head
then i set fire to our bed

My black eye casts no shadow
your red eye sees no pain
your slaps don't stick
your kicks don't hit
so we remain the same
blood sticks and
sweat drips
break the lock if it don't fit
a kick in the teeth is good for some
a kiss with a fist is better than none

visit Florence and the Machine.net

Deer Tick: give away MP3, add tour dates

On his debut disc War Elephant in '07, John J. McCauley III of Deer Tick essentially was a one man band. Recruiting three new members for his new album, Born on Flag Day, Andy Tobiassen, Dennis Ryan and Chris Ryan, allowed McCauley III to evolve and expand the bands sound, and to focus on his songwriting. The result of which is a great sophomore release that is led by the tracks "Easy" and "Smith Hill", the latter of which the band is offering up as a free MP3 which you can grab by clicking here.
The band added a bunch of dates to their already busy schedule below.

Deer Tick tour schedule:
Aug-07 Brooklyn, NY Prospect Park Bandshell
Sep-03 Uncasville, CT Mohegan Sun- The Wolf Den
Sep-06 Ithaca, NY Stewart Park
Sep-07 New York, NY Rocks Off Concert Cruise
Sep-08 Pittsburgh, PA Club Café
Sep-09 Bloomington, IN Video Saloon
Sep-10 Chicago, IL Bottom Lounge
Sep-11 Iowa City, IA The Mill
Sep-12 Lincoln, NE Bourbon Theatre
Sep-13 Morrison, CO Monolith Festival
Sep-15 Centralia, WA Olympic Club
Sep-16 Portland, OR Kennedy School
Sep-17 Gearhart, OR Sand Trap
Sep-18 Portland, OR Mississippi Studios / MusicFest
Sep-19 McMinnville, OR Hotel Oregon
Sep-23 Bend, OR Old St. Francis School
Sep-24 Seattle, WA High Dive
Sep-25 Vancouver, BC Baltmre Cabaret
Sep-26 Forest Grove, OR Grand Lodge
Sep-27 Troutdale, OR Edgefield
Oct-03 Austin, TX Austin City Limits Festival
Oct-10 Joshua Tree, CA Joshua Tree Roots Music Fest
Oct-11 Joshua Tree, CA Joshua Tree Roots Music Fest
Nov-05 Wallingford, CT The Space
Nov-07 Northampton, MA Iron Horse
Nov-08 Boston, MA Church

Deer Tick on myspace

'Song of the Week': The Temper Trap-"Sweet Disposition"

I usually don't talk much about movies on here, but I had the chance to see the new movie, 500 Days of Summer over the weekend with Zooey Deschanel and Joseph Gordon-Levitt. The movie I thought was really well done and refreshingly original in a romantic comedy genre that can be tedious and cliche. I'll spare you guys a full movie review, but one strength of '500 Days' was not only it's soundtrack, but it's use and placement of the songs, which flowed in and out effortlessly through the film. One song that stood out to me after the film and made me want to look into who performed the song, was the track "Sweet Disposition" from the Aussie band, The Temper Trap. The band apparently has had some success in the UK with the single, and while none of their other songs blew me away on an initial run through their tunes, I'm inclined to give them a few more listens off the strength of this one.

Sweet Disposition - The Temper Trap


get familiar with The Temper Trap on myspace.

Great Lake Swimmers extend tour into the Fall

Having grown and matured with each album since 2005, it's no surprise to fans of Great Lake Swimmers, to see a breakthrough with their fourth and latest album, Lost Channels. Already a success in their native Canada, with stamps of approval from the likes of Feist, the album was released this past March and showcases the groups simple haunting acoustic formula, that has worked so well for them. The band has been on the road nearly non-stop since the albums release, and they just announced a new round of headlining Fall tour dates across the U.S. for late September through October (check below).

Get familiar with some live performances.





Great Lake Swimmers live dates:
August
23 Nashville, Tenn. @3rd & Lindsley
26 Louisville, KY. @WFPK Waterfront
28 Pittsburgh, Penn. @ WYEP Final Friday
29 Ann Arbor, Mich. @The Ark RSVP
September
24 Burlington, Vt. @Higher Ground
25 Cambridge, Mass. @Middle East
27 New York, N.Y. @Bowery Ballroom
28 Brooklyn, N.Y. @Music Hall of Williamsburg
29 Philadelphia, Penn. @Johnny Brenda's
October
1 Washington, D.C. @Black Cat
2 Carrboro, N.C. @The ArtsCenter
3 Charlottesville, Va. @ The Southern
5 Knoxville, TN @ The Square Room
9 Norman, Okla.@ Union Court@University of Oklahoma
12 Los Angeles, Calif. @El Rey Theater
14 San Francisco,Calif. @Great American Music Hall
16 Seattle, Wash. @Crocodile Cafe
17 Portland, Ore. @Doug Fir
20 Salt Lake City, Utah @ TBA
21 Denver, Colo. @Larimer Lounge
23 Madison,Wis.@Memorial Union,Univ. of Wisconsin
24 Urbana, Ill. @Courtyard Cafe,Univ. of Illinois
25 Minneapolis, Minn. @Cedar Cultural Center
28 Chicago, Ill. @TBA

check out Great Lake Swimmers.com