The Smiths: American Laundromat Records Announces New Tribute Disc Due Out August

American Laundromat Records (ALR) is proud to announce plans to release a Smiths tribute CD titled Please, Please, Please: a tribute to The Smiths. The CD will feature newly-recorded covers by The Wedding Present, Greg Laswell, Doug Martsch (Built To Spill), William Fitzsimmons, Trespassers William, The Rest, Katy Goodman (La Sera, Vivian Girls), The Leisure Society, Joy Zipper, Tanya Donelly and many other outstanding artists. The CD is slotted for Autumn 2011 worldwide release.

Confirmed Artists (in alphabetical order) / Track Covering
Cinerama / "London"
Class Actress / "Ask"
Dala / "Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me"
Doug Martsch (Built To Spill) / "Reel Around the Fountain"
Elk City / "I Know It's Over"
Greg Laswell / "Half A Person"
Joy Zipper / "What Difference Does It Make?"
Katy Goodman (Vivian Girls, La Sera) / track to be announced
Kitten / track to be announced
Mike Viola / "How Soon Is Now?"
Sara Lov / track to be announced
Sixpence None the Richer / "I Won’t Share You"
Tanya Donelly w/Dylan in the Movies / "Shoplifters Of The World Unite"
The Leisure Society / "That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore"
The Rest / "Stop Me If You Think You've Heard This One Before"
The Wedding Present / "Hand In Glove"
Trespassers William / "There Is A Light That Never Goes Out"
William Fitzsimmons / "Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want"

Additional artists will be announced soon.

"I’m a huge Smiths fan and have been planning a tribute for a few years now. Timing just never seemed right. Then late last year, for several weeks, everywhere I went, I heard The Smiths playing… at the mall, at restaurants, on my car radio. It was weird… I felt like the universe was telling me now was the time. I started reaching-out to artists in November and the response was overwhelmingly positive. This is going to be one of the best tributes we’ve ever produced." – Joe Spadaro, American Laundromat Records

For the album cover, American Laundromat Records secured rights to use a Sandie Shaw photograph and tapped rock-poster designer Lonny Unitus (Apples In Stereo, The Decemberists, Willie Nelson) to design the cover art and eco-wallet packaging. Sandie Shaw (aka Sandra Goodrich) is an English Pop-Singer, who was one of the most successful British female singers of the 1960s. Both Morrissey and Johnny Marr of The Smiths were “two incurable Sandie Shaw fans” and reportedly wrote her a letter back in 1983 stating so. In April of 1984, Shaw recorded a version of The Smiths Hand in Glove (their first single) which peaked just inside the UK Top 30. She later collaborated with the band and has covered songs by both The Smiths and Morrissey.

“I wanted to do something interesting for the cover art. Most importantly, I wanted it to look like a Smiths album. Beyond that though, I thought the photograph we used needed to be something that had deeper meaning. Once I learned of the Sandie Shaw connection, I sourced hundreds of old photographs and finally found the one of Sandie lying in the leaves in that fantastic pea coat. I thought it was perfect immediately. Not only because the tribute will be an Autumn release, but because Sandie’s expression and the whole feel of the photo, in my opinion, is reminiscent of The Smiths music. It was a lucky find, and Ms. Shaw has been very gracious in allowing us to use it.” – Joe Spadaro, American Laundromat Records

American Laundromat is now offering 3 exclusive limited-edition, pre-order bundles from their website. The bundles range from $13.00 (CD & Promo Pin) to $35.00 (CD, 7” Vinyl, T-Shirt, Free Digital Download, Promo Pin, and Album Preview prior to release date).

Links:
American Laundromat Records

The Builders and The Butchers - "Dead Reckoning" CD Review (Badman) // Show at Mercury Lounge on April 11th

DOWNLOAD: The Builders and the Butchers - "Lullaby" (from the disc Dead Reckoning)
DOWNLOAD: The Builders and the Butchers - "Rotten to the Core" (from the disc Dead Reckoning)

Last month, Portland's The Builders and The Butchers released their third disc, Dead Reckoning, which is a "Southern Gothic"-hued journey through ideas about the father and the son, early 1900s America, absolute good and evil, addiction, and religion. Vocalist Ryan Sollee said "[o]n this album, I really thought a lot about the end of the world and the dark times we live in, how the feelings we feel and the world we experience is not that different from 1930s America, and I thought about the music that was created at that time. This is where the inspiration for these songs originated."

The Builders’ songs aren’t quite the murder ballads of Nick Cave but they aren’t that far off with Ryan Sollee’s narrative stories of sin, salvation and the devil. Solle delivers his narratives with the passion and conviction of a Southern preacher but, with lyrics like “killing is better than living” (from “Lullaby”), this raw, emotional delivery crosses into the zealotry of the damned. Unfortunately, as Sollee noted, there are many parallels between the Great Depression of the 30’s and the current “Great Recession” and songs like “All Away”, “Rotten to the Core” and “Lullaby” highlight both the greed that caused these crashes and the resultant human suffering.





Dead Reckoning is a fairly stripped-down affair that predominately adds guitar and drums around Ryan Sollee's distinctive vocals. The band recorded this disc using the recording style of the 1950s and 1960s, where the magic of a song was captured by the band playing together live with minimal overdubbing so the urgency and intensity of the music pulls the listener into the darkness it inhabits. The disc ends on somewhat of an uplifting note with "Family Tree" which is the closest The Builders come to a full-band sound on this disc with its predominant up-beat percussion, subtly gospel organ and plucked guitar parts.

The Builders and The Butchers are playing a late show at Mercury Lounge on April 11th. Tickets are $10 and The Builders are sharing the bill with Damion Suomi & the Minor Prophets who go on at 9PM.

The Builders and The Butchers Tour Dates:

APR. 01 -- SPOKANE, WA, A CLUB
APR. 02 -- BOZEMAN, MT, FILLING STATION
APR. 04 -- MINNEAPOLIS, MN, 400 BAR
APR. 05 -- CHICAGO, IL, SCHUBAS
APR. 06 -- MADISON, WI, THE FREQUENCY
APR. 07 -- COLUMBUS, OH, THE SUMMIT
APR. 08 -- PITTSBURGH, PA, BRILLOBOX
APR. 09 -- BOSTON, MA, MIDDLE EAST
APR. 11 -- NEW YORK, NY, THE MERCURY LOUNGE
APR. 12 -- WASHINGTON, DC, RED PALACE
APR. 13 -- PHILADELPHIA, PA, MILKBOY
APR. 14 -- CHAPEL HILL, NC, LOCAL 506
APR. 15 -- ATLANTA, GA, THE DRUNKEN UNICORN
APR. 16 -- NASHVILLE, TN, THE BASEMENT
APR. 18 -- AUSTIN, TX, EMO'S (INSIDE)
APR. 19 -- DALLAS, TX, DOUBLE WIDE
APR. 20 -- WICHITA, KS, FISCH HAUS STUDIOS
APR. 21 -- ST. LOUIS, MO, OFF BROADWAY
APR. 22 -- LAWRENCE, KS, JACKPOT MUSIC HALL
APR. 23 -- DENVER, CO, HI-DIVE
APR. 24 -- SALT LAKE CITY, UT, URBAN LOUNGE
APR. 26 -- SAN DIEGO, CA, THE CASBAH
APR. 27 -- LOS ANGELES, CA, THE SATELLITE
APR. 28 -- SACRAMENTO, CA, BLUE LAMP
APR. 29 -- VISALIA, CA, CELLAR DOOR
APR. 30 -- SANTA CRUZ, CA, CREPE PLACE
MAY 01 -- SAN FRANCISCO, CA, BOTTOM OF THE HILL
JUN. 08 -- SEATTLE, WA, TBA
JUN. 09 -- PORTLAND, OR, DOUG FIR LOUNGE
JUN. 10 -- PORTLAND, OR, DOUG FIR LOUNGE

Links:
The Builders and The Butchers

Thee Attacks - Danish Garage Rock Band Plays Two NYC Shows in Advance of SXSW

"Thee Attacks are a mod-looking four-piece from Aalborg in north Denmark. Soulful vocals complement a '65-era Townshend guitarist, who whacks out Have Love, Will Travel-style riff after riff. So good - and with no covers - they'll easily move beyond the garage and could crossover to become a successor to The Hives. Primitivist über-producer Liam Watson is here and smiling along." - MOJO Magazine

Here is one of the pre-SXSW show that caught my attention...Danish bands Thee Attacks (garage rock) and Lars and the Hands of Light (psychedelic/pop) are playing local pre-SXSW "warm-up" shows next Friday (March 11th) and Monday night (March 14th) in addition to a DJ set on Saturday night at Motor City Bar, where Jon Spencer will be spinning along with both Danish bands.

Friday night's show (March 11th) is at Fontana's and cover is $8.00. The lineup for the evening is Swords of Chaos (Iceland) [8PM], Dinosaur Eyelids [9PM], Theee Attacks [10PM] and Lars and The Hand of Light [11PM].

Monday night's show (March 14th) is at Santos Party House and tickets is $10. Doors are at 7:30PM and the lineup for the evening is Who Made Who, Lars and The Hand of Light and Thee Attacks.



Links:
Thee Attacks

The Bright White Make East Coast Debut With Show at Mercury Lounge on March 18th

Chicago's The Bright White just released their debut EP "Until Then" and the band is making their East Coast debut with a late show at Mercury Lounge on March 18th. The Bright White are going on at 9:30PM and they are playing with Plastiq Passion and Dujeous. Tickets are $10 and the show is 21+.

The Bright White have already begun creating a buzz in the Midwest and beyond. Combining soaring vocals with an exciting guitar driven attack, The Bright White have won comparisons to bands such as Oasis and The Replacements. Their highly anticipated debut EP, "Until Then", blends the energy and passion of The Bright White live experience with all the influences that define the band: a dash of Revolver-era Beatles, a hint of mid 90s Brit pop, and a helping of classic American rock - all serving to create one of the most memorable debuts of the year.



Having played in bands in NYC and Nashville, and now finally settled in Chicago, lead singer Matthew Kayser lives and breathes rock and roll. His fiery intensity makes him the ultimate front man. Propelled by a dynamic rhythm section, the four-piece play with a raw intensity that has won them gigs at Chicago's most esteemed venues, including an EP release at the legendary Double Door.

Links:
The Bright White

Keegan DeWitt Plays Communion @ Public Assembly This Sunday, March 6th

Communion was born in the Summer of 2006 at London’s Notting Hill Arts Club. Founded by Ben Lovett (Mumford and Sons), former Cherbourg bassist Kevin Jones, and acclaimed producer Ian Grimble, it quickly grew into a flourishing community of musicians and fans alike, providing a first independent platform for the freshest young artists on London’s circuit and beyond.

Since its humble beginnings from a West London basement bar, Communion has branched out across the UK to Brighton, Bristol, Leeds, York, Oxford, Dublin and Belfast, and internationally to Sydney and New York City. Communion is now working closely with the SXSW conference in Austin, Texas, The Camden Crawl, HMV’s Next Big Thing series, The NME awards, Belfast’s Open House Festival, and many more clubs and companies who all have a hand in promoting exciting new music to as big and broad an audience as possible.

Later this month, DeWitt will make his way down to Austin, TX, to perform at SXSW. He is confirmed to play at the 2011 Paste Party In Austin, The Billy Reid & K-Swiss SXSW Shindig presented by American Songwriter, and the Storychord day party, all on March 16th. A full itinerary is below. A noted film score composer, DeWitt's most recent work will also premiere at the festival in official selection No Matter What, directed by Cherie Saulter, and in the short film "Remigration," directed by Barry Jenkins (Medicine For Melancholy).

Keegan DeWitt Tour Dates:

MAR. 06 -- BROOKLYN, NY -- PUBLIC ASSEMBLY (Communion New York)
MAR. 16 -- AUSTIN, TX -- SXSW
* 12:00PM - The Billy Reid & K-Swiss SXSW Shindig presented by American Songwriter, The Swan Dive (651 Red River; RSVP)
* 1:30PM - Storychord SXSW Day Party, Cheer Up Charlies (1104 E. 6th St.; Free)
* 2:30PM - 2011 Paste Party in Austin, The Stage On Sixth (507 E. 6th Street; RSVP)

Links:
Keegan DeWitt

Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros Release New Video for "40 Day Dream"

DOWNLOAD: Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros - "40 Day Dream"

"40 Day Dream" is the third installment of SALVO!, a 12-part music video series from Edward Sharpe and The Magnetic Zeros. "40 Day Dream" finds Edward and Brother hiding out in the desert after their violent jail-break. Jade, having received a telepathic message from Brother, brings them to meet the rest of the Magnetic Zeros. Edward is welcomed by his new family and his troubles are briefly lifted by a healing vision of togetherness. After a night of revelry, Edward is awakened by Angel.



CAST:
Edward Sharpe: Alex Ebert
Angel: Lisa Richards
Brother: Orpheo McCord
Jade: Jade Castrinos
Guard: Tay Stratharin
The Magnetic Zeros: Nico Anglietti, Stewart Cole, Aaron Embry, Aaron Older, Josh Collazo, Nora Kirkpatrick, Christain Letts, Tyler James, Chris Richard, Benjamin Kutsko

Links:
Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros

Guitars: Brooklyn Country Psychedelic Band Releases New EP "I'm Really Sorry You Guys" as Free Download

DOWNLOAD: Guitars - "I'm Really Sorry You Guys" EP

Guitars are proud to announce the release of their new EP, "I'm Really Sorry You Guys".

Recorded in a spontaneous studio session at Mysterious Mammal in LA while touring in support of their debut album Soundtrack To Your Future Nostalgia, the new EP represents an expansion of Guitars delicate and moving psych-folk sounds further into the realms of psych and country. The dynamic live sound Guitars has developed on the road is fully present on the new EP. Tracked live by the band in one day without a click track, the recording embodies Guitars obsession with classic country and soul recordings. Piano, organ and sixties style mixing all add to the vintage feel.

The four songs on the EP were written while the band was living in upstate NY and working on Soundtrack To Your Future Nostalgia. Shanna and Kenric were deeply immersed in the work of sci-fi author Philip K. Dick and various spiritual and psychedelic end times narratives. While the lyrical content is indeed cosmic there is a newfound focus on storytelling and concrete imagery that will engage listeners.

The cover art sums up Guitars goals for the EP while continuing their practice of collaborating with excellent photographers. Collapsing western creation and historical narratives into a single hilarious and trippy moment, the image asks the question that is implicit throughout all of I'm Really Sorry You Guys, "What have we done??? What have we done???"

Credits:
Vocals, ukulele - Shanna Hill-McDowell
Vocals, guitars, organ, piano, mixing- Kenric McDowell
Bass - Bug
Drums - Malcolm Holt
Recorded and mastered by Matt Lynch
Cover photo of Shanna and Kenric by Jen Rodewald, collage by Kenric McDowell
Snake provided by reptilerecyclery.org

Upcoming Tour Dates
With Bug (bass), JC (drums) and Kuz (gong + hype).

*SXSW* March 16th Beatles Complete w/Roger Greenwal @ Jo's Coffeet Austin,TX
*SXSW* March 19th Spiderhouse Austin, TX
March 22nd Valley of the Vapors Festival Hot Springs, AR
March 23rd Valley of the Vapors Festival Hot Springs, AR
March 24th Soundpony Tulsa, OK
March 25th Double Wide Dallas, TX

Links:
Guitars

Those Dancing Days: "Daydreams & Nightmares" CD Review (Wichita)

DOWNLOAD: Those Dancing Days - "F@ckarias" (from Daydreams & Nightmares)

Stockholm, Sweden’s Those Dancing Days made their East Coast debut just about two years ago with shows at Mercury Lounge and Union Hall. With the band’s second album, Daydreams and Nightmares (Witichita) released yesterday, the band is back in the States and are playing some shows around their appearance(s) at SXSW.

The eleven tracks on Daydreams and Nightmares show that the band’s sound has matured over these last few years. After listening to the band’s 2008 full-length debut In Our Space Hero Suits, I compared their sound to 60’s girl-group ‘revival’ band The Pipettes. This time out, the band has a jagged edge and captures a fuller alt-rock sound, all without giving up any of their pop-hooks. “We didn’t go into the studio and say: ‘Let's change our sound.’ It happened naturally, almost unconsciously. I think it is because we have gone through so much together the last few years. We have grown up, simple as that,” says drummer Cissi Efraimsson.

Similar to the previous disc, lyrical themes are predominently about relationships starting, ending or going aray, This time out though the lyrics are wrapped around catchy pop hooks and soaring choruses and delivered with a sense of urgency and edgyness. With the move away from the twee cuteness of the first disc, there is enough slashing guitar and tribal drumming on this disc to keep the band out of the pure pop scene. Producer Patrik Berger gives the band a high-gloss but doesn’t overdo it so Those Dancing Days can now be compared to bands like The Graces (Charlotte Caffey, Meredith Brooks) or perhaps The Breeders. Those Dancing Days haven’t completely lost their twee roots though as the disc ends with “One Day Forever” where Linnea Jönsson trades-off vocals with The Macabees’ Orlando Weeks and the end-product sounds something like The Brunettes.

Tracks on the disc range from the perfect power-pop of “Can’t Find Entrance” to the pounding slash n’ burn punk of “Fuckarias” to the new wave-ish “Dream About Me”.





The band is playing a small set of US shows this month when they are over for SXSW which include a stop at Mercury Lounge on March 22nd. The Mercury Lounge show is an early show (6:30PM doors) and Bloc Party's Gordon Moakes' latest project Young Legionnaire opens the show. Tickets are $10.

Links:
Those Dancing Days

Arson Anthem - "Insecurity Notoriety" CD Review (Housecore Records)

Arson Anthem is an crossover thrash band that was formed in New Orleans in 2006 by vocalist Mike IX Williams (Eyehategod), guitarist Phil Anselmo (Pantera, Down and Superjoint Ritual), drummer Hank Williams III (Assjack, Superjoint Ritual) and bassist Collin Yeo (Ponykiller). The band’s self-titled debut EP came out in 2008 and their full-length Insecurity Notoriety came out toward the end of last year on Phil Anselmo’s Housecore Records.

For anyone who remembers CBGB’s Sunday hardcore matinees and the lineup of bands that were on Combat Records in the 80’s, that is exactly what you have with Arson Anthem. Insecurity Notoriety carries only minimal traces of its members’ other bands; instead you have seventeen tracks of raw, hardcore thrash blasting by like a speeding freight train. The majority of tracks clock-in under one minute with the only exception being the album closer “Teach the Gun (To Love The Bullet)”, which runs over three minutes.

Insecurity Notoriety was obviously recorded live in a one-take studio session as there seems to have been little-to-no attempt at production. On top of the raw lo-fi sound, you can hear the band talking and laughing between songs. Williams sings with a guttural bark which is accompanied by gang backing vocals on some tracks and the lyrics touch on typical hardcore themes of injustice and alienation. Phil Anselmo plays by-the-books screeching hardcore riffs while Collin Yeo lays down a twisting bass line beneath Anselmo’s chords. Hank III more than fills the space that remains by staying in lock-step with Yeo and delivering some pounding blast beats. Throughout the disc, the band seems on the edge of chaos and collapse but they never spin totally out of control.

Some of the stronger tracks are “Isolation Militia”, “Insecurity Notoriety” and “Polite Society Blacklist”.



Arson Anthem is playing the Housecore Records Showcase at SXSW on March 16th along with Ponykiller, Haarp and Warbeast.

"Illegal Downloading is Killing Music…but so is Arson Anthem"

Links:
Arson Anthem

The Church: Live Photos from "Future Past Perfect" Show at BB King's, NYC 2-17-11

This past Thursday, The Church brought their "Future Past Perfect" tour to a full house at B.B. King's in Times Square. The concept of the evening was that the band would play the following albums in their entirety: Untitled #23 (2009), Priest=Aura (1992), and Starfish (1988). Over the last few years, some indie and alt-rock bands have played one of their classic albums from start to finish, this is the first time that I've heard of any band taking this concept to such a grand scale.



The concert was nothing short of impressive. As the band took the stage, Steve Kilbey came to the mic and said "We are called The [pause] Crouch and we are going to give you Untitled #23". There was a minimal amount of stage banter after this as the music and the art (projected on the screens) did all of the talking needed. This first set was stellar so it is hard to pick out a individual song or two but "Anchorage" was particularly stunning as the band added a backing vocalist (Tour Manager Tiare Helberg) and an additional guitarist to create a haunting and memorable soundscape.

After a twenty minute intermission, the band returned for Priest = Aura and gave a shout-out to Jay Dee Daugherty who was in the audience (Jay Dee played drums on Priest = Aura and toured with The Church for a few years). While I don't think I gave this album the time of day when it originally came out, the band's live performance made me realize that I have been missing something. Particularly stellar was "The Disillusionist" where Steve Kilbey became more animated than I've seen once he put his guitar down. The other track of note was "Film" where this melancholy instrumental seemed to perfectly ramp-down the second set.

As the band went off for the second intermission, I could hear Marty saying something about needing to rest his hands and that made me really pay attention to the amount of energy and precision that went into this 3+ hour show. On the audience side, not everyone was able to appropriately pace themselves. One "nice" young man staggered right into me after the second set and I watched as his date was trying to help him get his arms into his jacket sleeves as he was having no luck on his own.

For the last set, the band played Starfish from start to finish and the album has aged well. While I've heard "Under The Milky Way" way to many times, the overall album doesn't have that "big" (aka dated) 80's sound that many bands were utilizing at that time. Songs like "Destination" and "Hotel Womb" sound just as vital today as they did when originally released.

Someone sitting on the floor obviously brought a pocket camera into the show and filmed the last song of the night - "Hotel Womb". My post-show thoughts are that an official live album/DVD from this tour is really needed as this was a show not to be missed.



Links:
The Church

Hollis Brown - "When The Weather's Warm" CD EP Review // Release Show at Brooklyn Bowl on Feb. 26th

DOWNLOAD: Hollis Brown - "Doghouse Blues"

NYC quartet Hollis Brown has been playing around town for the last three-four years but I've never had an opportunity to hear what they sound like prior to receiving a copy of the band's forthcoming EP "When The Weather's Warm". A number of reviews that I've read over the last few years have compared Hollis Brown to The Black Crowes (which I don't hear at all) but I would suggest a better comparison is the bastard child of John Fogerty and the MC5 (if you can image such a combination) with a little bit of Del Shannon thrown in on the side.

"When The Weather's Warm" is a gritty, blues-drenched slab of old-school rock that doesn't require visual props like bell-bottoms and feathered boas to prove its authenticity. Hollis Brown embraces a variety of styles and tempos across this 16-minute/five tracks EP, all the while staying true to its blues-rock core. The disc's lead-off track "Doghouse Days" comes on like early MC5, back in the day when they were playing James Brown medleys. Both "Miracle" and "Down On Your Luck" sounds like tracks that easily could have been part of John Fogerty playbook. Continuing to mix things up though, "Hey Baby, Shake Mama" sounds like the sort of thing Led Zeppelin was playing on their first post-Yardbirds tour but with a more relaxed vibe.



Hollis Brown are playing a CD Release Show at Brooklyn Bowl on Feb. 26th. Tickets are $5 and there will be a special guest appearance from DMC (of Run DMC) who recently finished a new single ("The Fly") with Hollis Brown that will be released as a limited edition 7" in the Spring.

Links:
Hollis Brown

BTBAM Vocalist Tommy Rogers (aka Thomas Giles) Announces Solo Show at Santo's Party House on April 2nd

Tommy Rogers, lead vocalist, keyboardist and founding member of the award-winning North Carolina progressive rock band Between the Buried and Me has announced special U.S. tour dates in support of his just-released solo album, Pulse. The versatile front man / multi-instrumentalist who uses the pseudonym Thomas Giles (his given middle name) on the record will perform songs from the new release backed by a hand-picked live band. Support on the mini-tour will be provided by Steven Brodsky (of Cave In) and Braveyoung.

TOMMY ROGERS' TOUR DATES:

March 30 --Charlotte, NC, Casbah @ Tremont Music Hall
March 31 --Norfolk, VA, Jewish Mother
April 01 --Philadelphia, PA, North Star Bar
April 02 --New York, NY, Santo's Party House
April 03 --Providence, RI, The Met

The show at Santos Party is 18+ and tickets are $10 in advance.



Thomas Giles' Pulse is a challenging rock record designed so that the parts build up to a larger, cinematic-like structure where everything from production to arrangements to lyrics to album art is carefully crafted towards a unified purpose. Testing the limits of what he can do naturally with his voice, Rogers' strikingly beautiful falsetto and dynamic range conjures tales of anxiety, collapse, end-times and strength against swelling, heart-lifting arrangements and pristine backdrops of ambient loops, digital burbles, analog hiss and woozy drones. Exploring combinations of the outré genres of both post-rock and glitch, the music's emotionally resonant yet textural sounds draw reference to artists such as NIN, Radiohead, Muse, The Verve, Beck and Spiritualized, balancing both rock and electronic impulses.

Links:
Thomas Giles Music

The Church - "Deep in the Shallows: The Classic Singles Collection" CD Review (Second Motion Records)

STREAM: The Church - Live on KEXP 2/8/11

There was a guy on my hall in college who ran out to buy R.E.M.’s Fables of the Reconstruction right when it came out and the only song he would play was “Driver 8” over and over (and over) again. This is the sort of person that I think singles compilations are designed for.

When Pink Floyd won their court case blocking iTunes from selling single song downloads, David Stubbs lamented in The Independent that the rise of iTunes has led to “fewer groups hav[ing] license or encouragement to express themselves across the album format, à la Radiohead. It's all about those 79p downloads. This is a shame and a loss, since the album listening experience is cumulative and greater than the sum of its single-track components…if it has taken a rock dinosaur to help stave off this idea from extinction, then so be it.”

The Church have some glorious singles but I don’t consider them a “singles” band. There is a context, mood and overall aesthetic to each of The Church’s discs and, to apply Dave Stubbs’ comment from above, the overall album listening experience is greater than the sum of the singles. (…or, to put it more crudely, this isn’t like recent output from a band like The Rolling Stones where there are two or three good songs per disc and the rest is filler).

On the positive note, this compilation contains some 7” versions and tracks from the “Too Fast For You”, “Sing Sing” and “Persia” EPs that aren’t available on any of the current reissues.

CD 1:
1. She Never Said (from the 7” “She Never Said”, 1981)
2. The Unguarded Moment (from Of Skins And Heart, 1981)
3. Too Fast For You (from “Too Fast For You” EP, 1981)
4. Tear It All Away (from “Too Fast For You” EP, 1981)
5. Almost With You (from The Blurred Crusade, 1982)
6. When You Were Mine (from the 7” “When You Were Mine”, 1982)
7. A Different Man (from “Sing-Songs” EP, 1982)
8. It's No Reason (from Seance, 1983)
9. Electric Lash (from Seance, 1983)
10. Constant In Opal (from “Persia” EP, 1984)
11. Already Yesterday (from Heyday, 1986)
12. Tantalized (from Heyday, 1986)
13. Columbus (from Heyday, 1986)
14. Disenchanted (from Heyday, 1986)
15. Antenna (from Starfish, 1988)
16. Reptile (from the 7" “Reptile”, 1988)
17. Destination (from Starfish, 1988)
18. Under The Milky Way (from Starfish, 1988)

CD 2:
1. Metropolis (from Gold Afternoon Fix, 1990)
2. You're Still Beautiful (from Gold Afternoon Fix, 1990)
3. Russian Autumn Heart (from Gold Afternoon Fix, 1990)
4. Ripple (from “Ripple” CD Single, 1992)
5. Feel (from Priest = Aura, 1992)
6. Two Places At Once (from Sometime Anywhere, 1994)
7. Welcome (from Magician Among The Spirits, 1996)
8. Comedown (from Magician Among The Spirits, 1996)
9. Louisiana (from “Louisiana” CD Single, 1998)
10. Numbers (from After Everything Now This, 2002)
11. Song In Space [Short Trip] (from “Song In Space” CD Single, 2003)
12. 0408 (from El Momento Descuidado, 2004)
13. Block (from Uninvited, Like The Clouds, 2006)
14. Unified Field [Short Circuit Mix] (from “Unified Field” CD Single, 2006)
15. Easy [Sliced Mix] (from “Easy” CD Single, 2006)
16. “Pangaea” (from Untitled #23, 2009)
17. “Operetta” (from Untitled #23, 2009)

Links:
The Church

The Felice Brothers Sign with Fat Possum / Show at Maxwell's on March 27th

The Felice Brothers announced today that they have signed with Fat Possum Records, home of Andrew Bird, The Walkmen, and Wavves, among many others. The band will release their fifth full-length album and Fat Possum debut later this spring.

Last week, The Felice Brothers announced new headlining tour dates in the US, Australia, and New Zealand. Before heading out on the six-week international tour, the Palenville, NY-based band will perform during SXSW in Austin, TX, on March 19th at Auditorium Shores alongside Bright Eyes, Wavves, Man Man, and Middle Brother. The first leg of the US tour begins March 25th in Oneonta, NY, and wraps up April 16th at Coachella in Indio, CA, where The Felice Brothers will make their debut performance at the festival. The second half of the tour will begin April 28th in San Francisco, CA, and currently continues through May 6th in Chicago, IL. The band will also travel for the first time to Australia and New Zealand from April 20th through 24th.

The only local tour stop is at Maxwell's in Hoboken. The show on March 27th is sold out but a second show has been added for March 28th -- tickets are $20.

The Felice Brothers Tour Dates:

MARCH 19 -- AUSTIN, TX, AUDITORIUM SHORES (SXSW)
MARCH 25 -- ONEONTA, NY, ONEONTA THEATER*
MARCH 26 -- HUDSON, NY, HELSINKI ON THE HUDSON*
MARCH 27 -- HOBOKEN, NJ, MAXWELL'S* (SOLD OUT)
MARCH 28-- HOBOKEN, NJ, MAXWELL'S*
MARCH 30 -- PHILADELPHIA, PA, FIRST UNITARIAN CHURCH*
MARCH 31 -- WASHINGTON, DC, ROCK AND ROLL HOTEL*
APRIL 01 -- HUNTINGTON, WV, V CLUB*
APRIL 02 -- LEXINGTON, KY, BUSTER'S BILLIARDS & BACKROOM*
APRIL 03 -- KNOXVILLE, TN, RHYTHM 'N BLOOMS (Dogwood Arts Festival)
APRIL 05 -- CHARLOTTE, NC, VISUALITE THEATER*
APRIL 06 -- ATHENS, GA, 40 WATT CLUB*
APRIL 07 -- NASHVILLE, TN, EXIT/IN*
APRIL 08 -- BIRMINGHAM, AL, THE BOTTLETREE*
APRIL 09 -- MEMPHIS, TN, HI-TONE CAFÉ*
APRIL 10 -- DALLAS, TX, THE LOFT*
APRIL 12 -- LUBBOCK, TX, BLUE LIGHT*
APRIL 13 -- SANTA FE, NM, CORAZON*
APRIL 16 -- INDIO, CA, COACHELLA
APRIL 20 -- SYDNEY, AUS, ANNANDALE HOTEL
APRIL 21 -- MELBOURNE, AUS, THE PRINCE
APRIL 22 -- MELBOURNE, AUS, BOOGIE FEST
APRIL 23 -- MEENYAN, AUS, TOWN HALL
APRIL 24 -- AUCKLAND, NZ, GRASSROOTS FESTIVAL
APRIL 28 -- SAN FRANCISCO, CA, GREAT AMERICAN MUSIC HALL**
APRIL 29 -- PORTLAND, OR, MISSISSIPPI STUDIOS**
APRIL 30 -- SEATTLE, WA, TRACTOR TAVERN**
MAY 02 -- SALT LAKE CITY, UT, URBAN LOUNGE**
MAY 03 -- DENVER, CO, HI DIVE#
MAY 04 -- OMAHA, NE, THE WAITING ROOM#
MAY 06 -- CHICAGO, IL, LINCOLN HALL#

* Diamond Doves supporting
** You Are Plural supporting
# Shovels And Rope supporting

Links:
The Felice Brothers

The Church - "Heyday" CD Review (Second Motion Records)

DOWNLOAD: The Church - "Tantalized" (free download on Amazon.com)

Aside for the bad 80's mullets on the cover photo, Heyday is a major leap forward from Seance. This is the first disc that sounds like The Church were working as a cohesive unit and eight of the disc's original ten tracks were co-written by all four members of the band. As an interesting footnote, Steve Kilbey co-wrote one track, "Youth Worshiper", with then girlfriend Karin Jansson who later co-wrote "Under the Milky Way" on Starfish.

Peter Walsh (who helped Simple Minds and China Crisis break into the US market) produced the disc and gave the band a bright and energetic sound. Walsh layers strings, keyboards and horns into the mix but these accompaniments are tastefully integrated into the songs so none of the tracks have the dated feel of Seance. The disc is also helped along by what sounds to be "real" drumming (as opposed to the drum trigger sound of Seance) and Richard Ploog adds some innovative rhythms to songs like "Myrrh" and the Middle-Eastern flavored "Trance Ending".

There are some serious memorable melodies and hooks on this disc which are powered by the ringing guitar sounds of Willson-Piper and Koppes and a good starting point into this disc are the songs "Tantalized" and "Already Yesterday". The majority of the songs keep to this upbeat pace with the only exception being the moody instrumental "Happy Hunting Ground".





There are three bonus tracks this time around: "As You Will" (the b-side of "Already Yesterday" which is sung by Peter Koppes), "The View" (the b-side of "Tantalized" which is sung by Marty Willson-Piper) and "Trance Ending" (the b-side of "Columbus" which is noted in the liner notes as being one of Steve's favorite songs from the Heyday-era sessions).

While Starfish received the mass-media acclaim, Heyday is really the album that broke The Church into the US market.

Links:
The Church

The Church - "Seance" CD Review (Second Motion Records)

The Church's third disc, Seance, was released in May 1983 and, while there are some stand-out tracks, the overall sound of the disc is a step in the wrong direction.

This time out, Steve Kilbey wrote all of the tracks, aside for the glorious space-rock jam "Travel By Thought". The band self-produced the record and utilized engineer Nick Launay for the final mixes. While the band continues to move yet further toward the textured, neo-psychedelic sound of their later discs, the mixing left the disc sounding flat and the dated "80's" pre-programmed drum effects make less of the songs stand out than on the band's two previous discs.

While there are elements of some of the jangly power-pop sounds from the prior discs on Seance, prominent keyboard and strings push the disc closer to the "new romantic" camp of OMD and Lloyd Cole & the Commotions. The stronger cuts on the disc are the one's where the band's music is able to shimmer outside of the murky mixing. These include "Electric Lash" and "Travel By Thought" (both of which feature stream-of-conscious lyrics from Kilbey) and "Dropping Names" and the slow burning "Disappear?".



The two bonus tracks - "Someone Special" and "Autumn Soon" - were originally the b-sides of "It's No Reason" and "Electric Lash". "Someone Special" is pleasant but somewhat bland but "Autumn Soon" features some soaring guitar leads and what sounds to be a "real" drummer.

Links:
The Church

Cheers Elephant: Philly Psychedelic Rock Group Plays Spike Hill on March 4th

DOWNLOAD: Cheers Elephant - "Waster Time" (from The Key Studio Sessions 1/5/2011)



Philadelphia psychedelic rock group Cheers Elephant released their second LP, Man is Nature, to a sold out crowd at World Cafe Live Downstairs (400+) last month and the band is playing a show at Spike Hill on March 4th. The band is playing alongside Steel Phantoms, Gold Streets and I Love Monsters and Cheers Elephant takes the stage at 8PM.

Deli Magazine described Cheers Elephant's new disc as "reminiscent of all the best British Invasion folk rock, like some Byrds-meets-Yardbirds combo refined by time...Opener “Shark Attack” is inviting and should be considered a front runner for the first single, a piece of spontaneous power-pop that wouldn’t sound out of place on the current Polyvinyl Records roster. “My Bicycle Ride” has the vocal harmonies kicked into full gear and sports a soaring hook."



Links:
Cheers Elephant

Dad Rocks! - "Nothing Keeps Up" CD EP Review (Paper Garden Records)

DOWNLOAD: Dad Rocks! - "Nothing Keeps Up"
DOWNLOAD: Dad Rocks! - "Kids"

Dad Rocks! is the solo vehicle for Snævar Njáll Albertsson, singer/guitarist/trumpet-player in the Danish band Mimas. Albertsson's debut disc "Nothing Keeps Up" is a charmingly shambolic six-track EP that shares a kindred musical spirit with bands like The Annuals and an absurdist lyrical outlook along the lines of Frank Zappa and Captain Befheart.

The songs are all moderate tempos but deceivingly complex as multi-tracked vocals are layered on top of an acoustic guitar and various instruments and sounds come in and out of the mix, which include piano, horns and brass, xylophone, hand-claps along with gospel choir-like backing vocals. Albertsson's vocal style is winsome and uplifting and between his delivery and lyrics like "Six billion people on earth are changing the eco-system and clothes, and nothing keeps up. A bird that flies turns into a bird that dies, and all the flies want a slice of it, why? They try to keep up. My feet grace the grass of the past in the park, where the kids get cut, bitten and stung.", one can't help but smile when listening.

Dad Rocks! is in the midst of recording his debut-album to be released this Spring and he is planning a North American tour for later in the year.

Links:
Dad Rocks!

My Cousin, The Emperor Play The Rock Shop on Feb. 16th // New Disc, "The Subway EPs", Out March 29th

DOWNLOAD: My Cousin The Emperor - "Nothing Left for Us to Find"

Alt-country Brooklynites My Cousin, The Emperor release their single disc, double EP entitled, THE SUBWAY EPs on March 29, 2011. Next week, they begin a string of shows with Caitlin Cary and Matt Douglas as The Small Ponds. The two groups will head down to Austin, TX for SXSW and back, hitting Raleigh, Charlotte, Asheville, Knoxville, Little Rock and Houston before turning around to come back through Atlanta, with more dates to be added. Before they head out, both acts will be playing a kickoff show at The Rock Shop in Brooklyn on Wednesday, Feb 16th. Tickets are $10 and the show is 21+.

My Cousin, The Emperor’s SUBWAY EPs are separated into two volumes; Volume I being the acoustic PROSPECT PARK WEST and Volume II, the electric BROADWAY-LAFAYETTE, named after lead singer, guitarist and songwriter Jason Reischel’s two main stops between Brooklyn and Manhattan. Think of it as the mirrored counterpart to Dylan’s Bringing It All Back Home.

The Small Ponds was born when veteran alt-songstress Caitlin Cary (Whiskeytown, Tres Chicas) asked pop-raconteur Matt Douglas (The Proclivities) to partner with her for Raleigh, NC’s longstanding post-Valentine’s day tradition The Love Hangover, for which they learned to sing each other’s favorite songs relevant to love and/or its lacking. Upon discovering a kindred sensibility on this subject and many others, and finding they sang well and laughed easily together, they decided they’d better make it a band.

As 2011 dawns, we find Matt and Caitlin preparing songs for their third Love Hangover, celebrating the release of their five-song EP (Last Chance Records), and building up a head of steam to power a full-band Small Ponds tour en route to an official showcase and a lot of hooplah in Austin at this year’s South by Southwest music festival.

Dubbing it "really sweet Americana," No Depression calls My Cousin, The Emperor’s upcoming release, "notably clean and well-imagined. This might be a good springtime roadtrip album. Good crisp air and sunshine music.”

The title track from their debut album A Long Way From Home won the Independent Music Award‘Best Alternative Country Song of the Year’ and the quartet grabbed the crown for Brooklyn in WNYC’s “Battle Of The Boroughs.” for

On the horizon in 2011, My Cousin, The Emperor is contributing music to the film Jeremy Fink & The Meaning Of Life, based on the book by Wendy Mass, due out this summer and starring Mira Sorvino and Joey Pantoliano. They’ve also recorded a rockabilly cover of "More Than Words" for Guilt By Association 3, set for release in April via Engine Room Recordings.

MY COUSIN, THE EMPEROR & THE SMALL PONDS TOUR DATES:
Wed, Feb 16 – Brooklyn, NY – The Rock Shop
Thurs, Feb 24 – New York, NY – LES Film Festival **
Tues, March 1 – Allentown, PA - VIP Elite Lounge @ Crocodile Rock **
Thurs, March 3 – New York, NY – The Living Room **
Tues, March 8 – Philadelphia, PA – The Fire **
Wed, March 9 – Raleigh, NC – The Pour House
Thurs, March 10 – Charlotte, NC – Evening Muse
Fri, March 11 – Asheville, NC – The Emerald Lounge
Sat, March 12 – Knoxville, TN – Patrick Sullivans
Sun, March 13 – Little Rock, AR – Whitewater Tavern
Mon, March 14 – Denton, TX – Dan’s Silver Leaf
Tues, March 15 – Houston, TX – Big Star Bar
Wed, March 16 – Austin, TX – The Ale House ##
Fri, March 18 – Austin, TX – Red Eyed Fly**
Fri, March 18 – Austin, TX – Maria’s Tacos ##
Sat, March 19 – Carrollton, GA – TBA
Sun, March 20 – Atlanta, GA – TBA

** - MCTE only
## - The Small Ponds only

Links:
My Cousin, The Emperor

Buffalo Tom Release Free Acoustic EP // Show at Bowery Ballroom on April 28th

DOWNLOAD: Buffalo Tom - "Bones" EP
(note: click-through and enter email address to download)

DOWNLOAD: Buffalo Tom - "Arise, Watch" (from Skins)

After taking a hiatus for the majority of the last decade, Buffalo Tom will be releasing their eighth disc, Skins, on March 8th.

The band surprised fans this week with Bones, a free acoustic EP released exclusively via their website. The short-player features four songs, including two Buffalo Tom favorites and a rendition of "Arise, Watch," the lead track from the band's forthcoming disc, Skins. The digital-only release also includes a rousing cover of New Order's "Age Of Consent."

Bones EP Tracklist:
01 Arise, Watch
02 C.C. & Callas
03 Treehouse
04 Age Of Consent (New Order Cover)

In addition to offering a free download, the band's website also features in-studio video performances from the Bones recording sessions at Q Division in Boston, and a live rendition of "Age Of Consent" from a recent performance at The Paradise. All video was shot by Michael Gill, and offers a unique and intimate glimpse at a seminal act in their element.

In other news, the band has recently announced a run of European and US tour dates. March finds the band touring across Europe before an April return to the States. The tour stops at Bowery Ballroom on April 28th and tickets are $20. Doors are at 8PM and the show starts at 9PM.

Buffalo Tom Tour Dates:
03-05 Groningen, NL - Vera
03-06 Brussels, BE - AB
03-07 Amsterdam, NL - Melkweg
03-08 Cologne, DE - Luxor
03-10 London, UK - Dingwalls
03-11 Manchester, UK - Sound Control
03-12 Glasgow, UK - Oran Mor
04-08 Boston, MA - Paradise
04-28 New York, NY - Bowery Ballroom
04-29 Philadelphia, PA - M Room
04-30 Washington, DC - The Black Cat

Links:
Buffalo Tom