This years Sunset Junction Festival in L.A. will take place August 23rd and 24th. The full line-up has yet to be released, but Saturdays headliners will include Antibalas Afrobeat Orchestra, The Cold War Kids, and Broken Social Scene. Sundays headliners include Kinky and The Black Keys.
Indie-pop duo Mates of State add to their signature sound for their forthcoming album titled Re-Arrange Us. Kori Gardner and Jason Hammel have long been kicking out tunes with their organ and drum combo, but for their fifth full-length album they add guitar, strings, horns, and piano! Re-Arrange Us officially releases next tuesday (May 20th).
I've been enjoying the new album from The Heavy titled Great Vengeance and Furious Five, whose sound is both a bit retro contemporary. On the track "Coleen" the band sound like they can rival Gnarls Barkley's best, on "That Kind of Man" they sound like Curtis Mayfield with electric guitars, and the trip-hop tune "Brukpockets Lament" finds them at their best.
The Heavy hail from Noid, a small town in South West England and their debut album Great Vengeance and Furious Fire was released on Counter Records/NinjaTune in the U.K. in October 07 and has just released in the U.S.
We posted about these boys about a month ago, but back then we only gave you the first single "London Bridges". Now we introduce you to This Is Ivy League's new summer single and a cover of Arcade Fire's "Crown of Love"!
This Is Ivy League's (Alex Suarez and Ryland Blackinton) debut self-titled album filled with Simon & Garfunkel and Belle & Sebastian-esque pop, available now through Twentyseven Records.
Pitchfork said the album ”sustains a soft-focus weirdness, borrowing all the elements you’d expect from a postmillennial Chad & Jeremy -- blazers, bicycles, merry-go-rounds, a park in autumn-- while adding a few new flourishes-- women in animal costumes, gently evocative use of color and pattern. Alex Suarez and Ryan Blackinton croon their crisp harmonies, finishing each other’s sentences and riffs, nearly symmetrical as they perform atop their pedestals for the animal woman.”
The Nortec Collective began in the late nineties as a group of Tijuana electronic/techno music artists who came together using norteño music as the raw material for their new unique sound.
Tijuana Sound Machine is the new album by Nortec Collective’s core artists Bostich and Fussible. In honor of Cinco De Mayo songs from the forthcoming album were popping up everywhere online today, as well as streaming on their Tijuana Sound Machine Myspace page. The album will officially release tomorrow (May 6th).
One of pur favorite singer/songwriters David Dondero played at Spaceland in L.A. this past friday (May 2nd) and despite having guitar issues he (and his band) sounded great.
I had a drink with Dondero while Nik Freitas was on and he persuaded me to stick around and catch El Olio Wolof...and I'm glad he did! No time to write a proper review, but good performances all around, so be sure to check any of these artists out when they come to a town near you.
We've been a big fan of From Bubblegum To Sky's lo-fi disco indie-pop for years!
A Soft Kill is the third full-length album by the half Mexican, half Japanese one man band (Mario Hernandez) known as From Bubblegum To Sky. A Soft Kill will be considered by some to be one of the best one-man albums of the year. Hernandez’s previous records Me and Amy and the Two French Boys and Nothing Sadder Than Lonely Queen feature some pristine pop melodies, and A Soft Kill is no exception, harking back to the music he listened to before departing Japan for America at the age of 12.
From Bubblegum To Sky’s A Soft Kill will be released by Eenie Meenie Records as a digital download and vinyl LP only. The vinyl configuration will come packaged with an exclusive t-shirt designed exclusively by the Brown Sound Clothing Company, available online and in select stores. Check out the company that created this exclusive offer here. A Soft Kill will release on July 3rd.
Death Cab's forthcoming album Narrow Stairs drops May 13th, but they are releasing 3 songs
from the new album today exclusively on Daytrotter! There are also new versions of 4 previous released songs.
Don't laugh, this album just might end up becoming one of your new guilty pleasures!
Madonna's 11th studio album, Hard Candy, and is dance floor music with some hip-hop beats. Collaborators include Timbaland, Justin Timberlake, Pharrell Williams of the Neptunes and Nate "Danja" Hills.
Jamie Lidell's new album Jim will release this tuesday (April 29th) on Warp Records, but you can stream the album right now on his MySpace. Jim is the follow up 2005's soul inspired album Multiply.
Folk-popsters Herman Dune have just released the I Wish That I Could See You Soon EP! New tracks include: "When the Water Gets Cold", "I'd Rather Walk than Run", and "I Wish I Had Someone That I Loved Well".
You can stream the I Wish That I Could See You Soon EP right here!
Here's the video for "I Wish That I Could See You Soon"...
Weezer is set to release (for the third time in its six-album history) release a self-titled album. The new album will release on June 24th through DGC/Interscope Records. To distinguish it from the other eponymous albums it is being referred to as "The Red Album". The album was produced by Rick Rubin, Jacknife Lee, and the band itself. The first single, the quirky and catchy "Pork and Beans" is sure to be a Weezer classic. The song will be available to buy digitally on April 22nd.
Minneapolis hip-hop duo Atmosphere are back with their highly anticipated 6th official studio album titled When Life Gives You Lemons, You Paint That Shit Gold. The album is now streaming on Atmosphere's MySpace!
The Limited Deluxe version of the album includes: a 40 page gold embossed hard cover book featuring an illustrated children's story written by Slug and a bonus DVD with over an hour of live footage and extras.
The Kooks are back with their 2nd album titled Konk and it is classic Brit-pop, chalk full of singable hooks!
The Kooks are on tour this summer with Berkeley's The Morning Benders. The morning benders just released a special single of their own on itunes for ‘Waiting for a War’ in anticipation of their full-length album Talking Through Tin Cans.
Below is a zip file featuring an acoustic version of The Kooks "Tick of Time" and a live version of ‘Always Where I Need to Be’, as well as an acoustic version of The Morning Benders "Waiting for a War"
Listen to The Kooks "Tick of Time" and a live version of ‘Always Where I Need to Be’, as well as an acoustic version of The Morning Benders "Waiting for a War" right here
Have you tuned into The Black Cab Sessions? Well, you damn well should! Each chapter features an artist performing a song in the back seat of a black cab, complete with an excerpt of how each session came to be in the sidebar.
Some of my favorite episodes include sessions from: Lightspeed Champion, Spoon, The Kooks, Langhorne Slim, and The Cold War Kids.
Last month it was announced that Joseph Arthur would be releasing one EP a month, for four months. He was serious...and now it's time for EP #2. The melodic and chaotic Crazy Rain EP is out today (April 15th) on Joseph Arthur's Lonely Astronaut label.
Crazy Rain features the track “Nothin 2 Hide” featuring Greg Dulli (Afghan Whigs/Twilight Singers/Gutter Twins).
Crazy Rain Tracklisting:
1) Killer’s Kniife
2) Nothin 2 Hide
3) I Wanna Get You Alone
4) Radio Euphoria
5) Dream of the Eternal Life
6) I Come Down
7) Nobody Make It Home
8) Hunter
Order Crazy Rain on Joseph Arthur's online store and receive a Limited Art Poster of an original water color by Joseph Arthur!
May 6, 2008 marks the US release date of Lykke Li’s will release her Little Bit EP on May 6th through her own label LL Recordings. The EP was recorded in her hometown of Stockholm, Sweden and New York City, and produced by Bjorn Yttling of Peter, Bjorn and John.
Lykke Li will be touring North America for the first time this spring on a double headlining bill with fellow Swedes El Perro Del Mar and special guest Anna Ternheim.
Here's the tour dates...
05.06.08 - Philadelphia, PA - Johnny Brenda's
05.07.08 - New York, NY - Joe’s Pub
05.08.08 - New York, NY - Bowery Ballroom
05.09.08 - Boston, MA - Middle East
05.10.08 - Montreal, QUE - Lambi
05.11.08 - Toronto, ON - Mod Club
05.12.08 - Chicago, IL - Shuba’s
05.14.08 - Vancouver, BC - Red Room
05.15.08 - Seattle, WA - Triple Door
05.16.08 - Portland, OR - Doug Fir
05.18.08 - San Francisco, CA - Bimbo’s
05.19.08 - Los Angeles, CA - El Rey Theatre
El Perro Del Mar releases new single from upcoming album Valley To The Stars and readies for North American tour!
Critically praised Swedish artist El Perro Del Mar (aka the lovely Sarah Assbring) is back with her sophomore LP From The Valley To The Stars, set for North American release on April 22nd by The Control Group.
Having already released an LP and several EP's, Sarah focussed on making From The Valley To The Stars "something that in its character might appear more like a hymn or a psalm but in a pop costume."
In addition to the April 22nd North American release of From The Valley To The Stars, El Perro Del Mar will be touring North America with Lykke Li and Anna Ternheim starting in early May.
Here's the tour dates...
May 6 - Johnny Brenda's - Philadelphia, PA
May 7 - Joe's Pub - New York, NY
May 8 - Bowery Ballroom - New York, NY
May 9 - Middle East - Boston, MA
May 10 - Lambi - Montreal, Quebec
May 11 - Mod Club - Toronto, Ontario
May 12 - Schuba's - Chicago, IL
May 14 - Red Room - Vancouver, British Columbia
May 15 - Triple Door, Seattle, WA
May 16 - Dough Fir - Portland, OR
May 18 - Bimbo's - San Francisco, CA
May 19 - El Rey Theatre - Los Angeles, CA
El Perro Del Mar releases new single from upcoming album Valley To The Stars and readies for North American tour!
Critically praised Swedish artist El Perro Del Mar (aka the lovely Sarah Assbring) is back with her sophomore LP From The Valley To The Stars, set for North American release on April 22nd by The Control Group.
Having already released an LP and several EP's, Sarah focussed on making From The Valley To The Stars "something that in its character might appear more like a hymn or a psalm but in a pop costume."
In addition to the April 22nd North American release of From The Valley To The Stars, El Perro Del Mar will be touring North America with Lykke Li and Anna Ternheim starting in early May.
Here's the tour dates...
May 6 - Johnny Brenda's - Philadelphia, PA
May 7 - Joe's Pub - New York, NY
May 8 - Bowery Ballroom - New York, NY
May 9 - Middle East - Boston, MA
May 10 - Lambi - Montreal, Quebec
May 11 - Mod Club - Toronto, Ontario
May 12 - Schuba's - Chicago, IL
May 14 - Red Room - Vancouver, British Columbia
May 15 - Triple Door, Seattle, WA
May 16 - Dough Fir - Portland, OR
May 18 - Bimbo's - San Francisco, CA
May 19 - El Rey Theatre - Los Angeles, CA
The Beautiful Antony/Rufus Wainwright/Joseph Arthur collaborator Joan Wasser (aka Joan as Police Woman) has announced the release of her second album titled To Survive. This is the follow-up to last year's Real Life and features the ultra-catchy first single "To Be Loved", as well as a duet with Rufus Wainwright titled "To America". Reveal will then release the album in the UK on June 9th, and Cheap Lullaby will release it in the U.S. on June 10th. Have a listen...
We anxiously await Aimee Mann's 7th studio album titled @#%&*! Smilers, which comes out June 3rd. She'll be playing a few gigs in our neck of the woods so we will looking forward to catching her live! She'll be playing Largo in Los Angeles on June 2nd and 10th, and the House of Blues Anaheim on June 6th.
Hear a new song titled "Thirty One Today" courtesy of Loudersoft
Electro popsters Ladytron gear up to release their fourthcoming album (the follow-up to 2005's Witching Hour) titled Velocifero on June 3rd via Network Records. Here's the opening track titled "Black Cat", which is an indication of the grittier sound Ladytron are experimenting with...
Langhorne Slim-New Track, New Album, and Letterman!
Kemado Records just signed folk/soul-rocker Langhorne Slim and will release his upcoming, self-titled album on April 29th. Slim's drummer Malachi DeLorenzo and Sam Kassirer (otherwise known as Josh Ritter's keyboardist/producer) produced all but one of the 13 tracks on the forthcoming album. Slim will also be the musical guest on Letterman March 26th.
Longhorne Slim will be in town to play the Troubadour on May 14th. have a listen to a brand new song...
As promised R.E.M. began streaming their new album Accelerate on the iLike program, which can be accessed via Facebook for the next six days. The ballad "Until the Day Is Done" and the mid-tempo "Hollow Man" are my early favs.
Watch the video for "Supernatural Superserious" right here...
March 18, 2008
{The Submarines}
The Submarines are set to release their forthcoming album titled Honeysuckle Weeks on May 13th through Nettwerk Records. Network recently sent me an advanced copy of the album and I'm pleased to report that it is it chalk full of warm indie-pop tunes that will linger 'round in your head long after they've ended.
This album is decidedly more upbeat than the Los Angeles-based duo's excellent debut (Declare a New State), which was one of my favorite albums of 2006. Whereas the last album was all about their breakup, this one has more of a classic pop feel with plenty of hand claps and catchy melodies to spare. The album also marks the first time Blake Hazard (great-granddaughter of F.Scott Fitzgerald) and John Dragonetti have collaborated fully on all the elements of crafting a record.
Here's a standout track courtesy of the SXSW site...
It was announced today that the intimate Los Angeles supper club Largo will be moving locations in early June, from the Fairfax district over to La Cienega at the Coronet Theatre. The new venue will seat up to 280 in the main room (as opposed to 120) and will have a smaller space with about a 90 person capacity for up-and-coming artists and comedians. Jon Brion will still rock the stage every week, only now it will be a larger stage to rock giving Largo the ability to attract bigger-name headliners. So far Aimee Mann is booked for June 2nd and Randy Newman for June 5th.
Aimee Mann - "The Scientist" (Coldplay cover) courtesy of Cover & Original
David Garza - "Ready To Fly" courtesy of SXSW Site
Grant Lee Phillips - "Love My Way" (Psychedelic Furs cover) courtesy of Joe De Vivre
Colin Hay - "I Just Don't Think I'll Ever Get Over You" courtesy of Indie Christoph
View the Largo-The Film trailer right here...
March 11, 2008
{Portishead}
Portishead's forthcoming album Third has recently found it's way on to the web, and what I've heard thus far I love. I'm just going to re-direct you to a couple of highlights. The tracks "Machine Gun" and "Magic Doors" are two of my early favs, both featuring a hard hitting hip-hop beat. This is likely goingto be one of my favorite releases this year. Look for Third to officially release on April 29th.
I've really been digging DeVotchka's forthcoming album Mad and Faithful Telling, which is due to officially release on March 18th. I'm basically just going to forward you to a couple of highlights. The song "The Clockwork Witness" is arguably one of their best songs to date (and will probably be one of my favorite songs this year). "Along the Way" is another standout track that features their usual Spanish flare.
The Late Night Sounds is a (roughly 30 min.) eclectic monthly mixtape I put together of some under-the-radar artists, both past and present.
Spring forward with the poptastic March Late Night Sounds Mix, which features indie pop, British rock, world, trip-hop, and soul from: Keren Ann, Yo La Tengo, Caetano Veloso, The Answering Machine, The Notwist, Orillia Opry, Eli "Paperboy" Reed & The True Lovers, and Hercules & Love Affair (featuring Antony). Give it a listen or just checkout the artists on your own...
Say Hi's catchy new indie-pop album titled The Wishes and the Glitch is streaming online right now! The album covers similar themes (video games, crushes, vampires) and delivers all the catchy hooks with more of a full band sound.
Stream The Wishes And The Glitch in it's entirety right here!
We hit you with the first single a couple of months back, and then with the second single last week. Now the moment has arrived and it's free! That's right, legendary Brit-poppers The Charlatans are offering their new album You Cross My Path for free online.
Download You Cross My Path in it's entirety right here
"Free Not Free" is the new single from the masked Liverpool quartet known as Clinic. The single is off the forthcoming album titled 'Do It!' (to be released April 7th). Download "Free Not Free", including b-side & artwork, for free from Clinic's official site.
