Stephanie Schneiderman Plays The Living Room Tomorrow Night, April 29th (Ambient/Trip-Hop)

DOWNLOAD: Stephanie Schneiderman - "Oxygen" (MP3)

Multi-faceted singer/songwriter Stephanie Schneidermna is playing a show tomorrow night at the Living Room in support of her sixth CD Dangerous Fruit. On this new disc, Stephanie collaborates with electronica musician/producer/DJ Keith Schreiner to create an 11 song compilation that artfully combines pop, trip-hop, soul, electronica and folk.

The following video is a great introduction to Stephanie's music and the inspirations behind Dangerous Fruit.


Stephanie is taking the stage at 9:30PM tomorrow night and she is sharing the bill with Dan Lubell.

Links:
Stephanie Schneiderman's MySpace Profile
The Living Room

Dynasty Electric: EP Release Party Tomorrow (April 29th) at Fontana's / Opening for the Meat Puppets' show at Mercury Lounge in June

DOWNLOAD: Dynasty Electric - "One Small Push" [featuring Brian Chase from the Yeah Yeah Yeahs on drums] (MP3)

Photo by Jeffrey Hangerman
Brooklyn electro/rock duo Dynasty Electric are having a release party tomorrow night at Fontana's for their new EP "Burning". Free copies of the new disc will be given out at the show.

One reviewer described Dynasty Electric's 2005 full-length debut as "Blondie on acid" and this new release is already generating some buzz. The video for "Closer to Contact", which is the lead-off track from the new EP, is currently making the rounds on the video sites . The video was produced by Superfad (who did the Durex Condoms balloon animal commercial in addition to doing spots for Nike and Nascar) and the story line behind the video seems to be a tribute to the movies Barbarella and Orgazmo.



For anyone who doesn't make it out tomorrow night, "Dynasty Electric" is currently available from CD Baby. For those going to the show, cover charge is $7.00. The video for "Closer to Contact" will be screened at 8:45PM and the band takes the stage at 9:00PM.

Dynasty Electric's next local show is June 12th at Mercury Lounge supporting the Meat Puppets.

Links:
Dynasty Electric's Myspace Profile

Reckless Sons Play Jesse Malin's 'Death or Glory' Party on Thursday Night (April 30th)

Reckless Sons are playing Jesse Malin's "Death or Glory" party Thursday night at Bowery Electric. Cover is $8.00 and there is an open vodka bar starting at 10PM. Supporting Reckless Sons is Brooklyn-based grunge/electro-fusion band Condom Pocket.

Links:
Reckless Sons' Website

The Boat That Rocked: A Film About British Pirate Radio Opens in Theaters on August 28th

Having read a lot about British pirate radio and how John Peel got his start on the pirate station Radio London, I'm looking forward to seeing this film.

The Boat That Rocked is a fictitious comedy set in Britain during 1966 in an era when the BBC, the only UK mainland licensed radio broadcaster played little more than two hours of any kind of recorded music each week. In the story a pirate station called Radio Rock began broadcasting rock music twenty-four hours a day from a boat anchored off the coast of England in international waters. Hosted by a colourful band of disc-jockeys, it soon gains an audience of millions and angers the government in the process. While the story does have some relationship to real events it does not represent any specific station that was broadcasting to Britain in 1966. (from Wikipedia)

The Boat That Rocked - Press Conference


The film opens August 28th and stars Philip Seymour Hoffman, Bill Nighy, Rhys Ifans, Nick Frost and Kenneth Branagh.

Links:
The Boat That Rocked Website

Sky Picnic - Synesthesia CD EP Review (Psychedelia)

DOWNLOAD: Sky Picnic - "Tea Break" (MP3)

Sky Picnic do an excellent job of bringing the sounds of 60's psychedelia to the present on their debut CD Synesthesia. Sky Picnic plays highly textured psychedelic space-rock and a major point of comparison is the Syd Barrett-era of Pink Floyd.

Taking a look at some of the stand-out tracks on Synesthesia, "Moons of Jupiter" is a (soon to be) classic space-rock instrumental track that is held together with an echo-drenched ("Interstellar Overdrive" style) guitar lead and "Sequence IV" is a 13+ minute multi-part opus that will make a Pink Floyd fan weep with joy.

Even though Synesthesia has only been out a few months, Sky Picnic have a new release, The Psychedelic Picnic in the Sky, Volume I which was recorded this past February. The band describes this release as being "recorded live on the first take and meant to show the more experimental side of the band." This is a digital-only release that is available through the band's website for $2.00.

Sky Picnic are playing a series of Tuesday night residency shows at Otto's Shrunken Head in Alphabet City starting on May 5th. The shows are free and Sky Picnic will be taking the stage at 10PM.

Castevet Release Debut 7" "Stones/Salts" (Paragon Records)

Experimental metal band Castevet have released their debut 7", "Stones/Salt" on Paragon Records. I used to buy a lot of the limited edition vinyl in the 80's and 90's so it is kind of cool is that this release is on clear vinyl and limited to 300 copies. Castevet will be going into PAINcave Studios this September to record their debut full-length which is targeted for release in 2010. The band will be recording with with engineer Colin Marston (Dysrhythmia, Behold...The Arctopus, Krallice) .

“Stones/Salts" has its foundation in the demonology tome "The Lesser Key of Solomon". In this book,Paimon is keeper of the secrets of music, art and philosophy. His appearance is heralded by demons in the form of men blaring discordant trumpets and rattling cymbals. In order to receive Paimon’s knowledge, a conjurer must first allow him to ask any question he wishes. “Stones/Salts” reshapes conventional black metal sounds into a new form that asks questions of the listener before revealing the secrets hidden within its epic structures.

Castevet's next show is June 17th at Cherry St. Station in Wallingford, CT. Also on the bill are Bone Awl, Ashdautas, and Volahn.

Links:
Castevet's MySpace profile
Paragon Records

Crown the Lost - Blind Faith Loyalty CD Review (Cruz Del Sur)

Melodic thrashers Crown the Lost will be releasing their second CD on May 5th on Cruz Del Sur. The new disc is entitled Blind Faith Loyalty and it follows Crown the Lost's impressive self-released debut Reverence Dies Within (2006).

The band recorded this disc in the early part of 2008 and this is what led to the deal with Cruz Del Sur. Label owner Enrico Leccese said "I was so blown away by their perfect balance between aggressive thrash metal and classic heavy metal that I felt the urge to offer them to be part of our roster. I am sure 'Blind Faith Loyalty' will be one of the albums you'll remember on your 2009 best of the year lists."

I realize that genre labels are very fluid, especially in metal, but I would categorize this disc as (aggressive) epic power metal as opposed to thrash. Lead guitarist Joe Bonaddio plays complex melodic leads that complement Chris Renaldi's clean vocals and operatic vibrato. A chugging bass line and pounding blast beat drumming keeps this disc out of "Iron Maiden" territory but it isn't that far removed (which isn't a bad thing). According to the band's MySpace page, this disc is the result of a year's worth of intense songwriting. This effort has obviously paid off for the band as there isn't a bad track on the disc. Each of the ten tracks are over five minutes in length so solid songwriting allows each song to develop and stand on its own. There are a couple tracks from Blind Faith Loyalty streaming on the band's MySpace profile and the full CD is streaming on Cruz Del Sur's website.

Crown the Lost are doing some touring behind this upcoming release (which included a show with Exodus earlier this month). Here are the band's upcoming tour dates:

May 09 ,2009, 9:30PM, The Smiling Moose, Pittsburgh, PA (Blind Faith Loyalty CD Release Show)
May 23, 2009, 9:00PM, C-Rock Live, Pittsburgh, PA
May 30, 2009, 9:00PM, RPM’s w/ Jacob’s Dream, Bridgeville, PA
June 20, 2009, 10:00PM, Pizon’s Place w/ DOFKA, Smock, PA

Links:
Crown the Lost's Website

Bonded By Blood: Live Video from Show at Maric Lanes Bowling Alley In Astoria, NY 3-28-09

California thrash metalers Bonded By Blood made their first trip to the East Coast last month as part of the Masters of Disaster tour. The local tour stop was a free show at Maric Lanes in Astoria, Queens. To echo a comment from Bonded By Blood frontman Jose "Aladdin" Barrale, I never thought I'd be thrashing out on top of a bowling alley but it was a great show. I'd love to see more DIY-style thrash/metal shows put on in the NYC area.

Here is some live footage of Bonded By Blood playing "Mind Pollution" and "The Evil Within".



The Masters of Disaster tour (which features Bonded By Blood, Witchaven and Exmortus) wraps up next week with a few more West Coast dates:
4/24 San Jose CA- West Valley College
4/25 San Francisco CA-Thee Parkside
5/01 Hollywood CA-The Knitting Factory "Thrasho De Mayo IV" w/Exumer
5/02 Reno, NV- The Underground

Bonded By Blood's debut CD, Feed the Beast, is is available from Earache Records' Webstore in a limited edition 2CD pressing that contains two bonus tracks.

Links:
Bonded By Blood's MySpace profile

Heaven and Hell: Advance Tracks from "The Devil You Know" (Black Sabbath)

Stream: Heaven and Hell - Five Advance Tracks from "The Devil You Know"

Who ever thought Black Sabbath would reunite with Dio...and record a new studio disc?

Heaven and Hell (I have a hard time not saying 'Sabbath') have their first studio disc coming out on April 28th on Rhino Entertainment. The last time this lineup of the band went into the studio was 1992's Dehumanizer.

There are a couple of different versions of The Devil You Know coming out next week:
- The iTunes version contains bonus live versions of "I" and "Die Young" (from Heaven & Hell's 2007 tour)
- At select indie record stores, a signed booklet or a t-shirt comes with the purchase of the disc (check out Vintage Vinyl in Fords, NJ)
- The Best Buy version comes with a bonus DVD of behind-the-scenes content with interviews, studio footage, etc.
- The Wal Mart version features an exclusive cover with a logo similar to the old Sabbath logo

Here is the teaser promo video for The Devil You Know:


Links:
Heaven and Hell's Website

Magnificent Gizmos & Gadgets - New Physics Based Puzzle Game for the iPhone/iPod Touch (Publisher X)

Earlier this week, Publisher X announced that the physics-based puzzle game Magnificent Gizmos & Gadgets is now available in the iTunes App Store.

The concept behind Magnificent Gizmos & Gadgets is straight-forward as players have to move an object from one part of the screen to another. The challenge though is getting this done - you can build catapults, automated vehicles, and even create battering rams as you navigate through the different terrains and obstacles. There are multiple solutions to each level so the game should hold up to repeated play.

Magnificent Gizmos & Gadgets features:
• 44 challenging levels, each with an infinite number of possible solutions
• A variety of environmental objects, including explosive cannons, powerful fans, rumbling conveyors, and more
• A helpful tutorial and hint system that teaches you how to be a physics whiz
• A "Share" feature that allows you to save and email your favorite Gizmos to your friends
• Beautifully stylized visuals
• Groovy, foot-tappin' soundtrack

Magnificent Gizmos & Gadgets is available through the App Store for $4.99. You can visit the official Magnificent Gizmos & Gadgets website to learn more and try out a demo of the game.

Flight Control - iPhone/iPod Touch Game Review (Firemint)

Flight Control is currently one of my favorite games and it is well worth the (current) .99 cent price.

The game's premise is deceptively simple; you are an air traffic controller and you have to land red and yellow planes and helicopters on their appropriate runways. You use the touch screen to draw the landing path for each plane. It is easy to get going with this game and that is what makes it additively challenging.

Landing the first 20 or so planes is reasonably straight-forward but, after that, planes start appearing from all sides of the screen...and many of them are queuing for the same runway. The other challenge is that the different types of planes fly at different speeds so it takes a careful eye to set and modify the flight paths for each of the planes to ensure there isn't a mid-air collision.

The ability to pause the game is nice but appleiphoneapps.com posted that Firemint is going to update the game on Friday (April 24th) to include online highscores and the ability to save your game.

While there is only one level of play, I haven't gotten bored of the game after many repeated plays (which says a lot). There is a good reason that Flight Control is the top selling game in the iTunes App Store.

Links:
Flight Control (iTunes App Store)

New York Dolls: Advance Tracks from 'Cause I Sez So (Atco Records)

STREAM: New York Dolls - 'Cause I Sez So (First Six Tracks)

The New York Dolls' new disc 'Cause I Sez So is coming out May 5th on Atco Records. This is the band's second studio album since reuniting in 2004 and this disc reunites the band with producer Todd Rundgren, who produced the Dolls 1973 debut. David Johansen said "[i]t was amazing working with Todd again, and I think we were able to evoke the special sound of our first album and drag it by the hair into the present".

The new disc features 11 new songs and along with a new version of "Trash". The title track, "Cause I Sez So", is currently available as a single from iTunes and below is the complete track listing for the disc.

1. 'Cause I Sez So
2. Muddy Bones
3. Better Than
4. Lonely So Long
5. My World
6. Ridiculous
7. Temptation To Exist
8. Making Rain
9. Drowning
10. Nobody Got No Bizness
11.Trash
12. Exorcism Of Despair

Links:
New York Dolls Website

Velvet Cacoon - Genevieve CD Review (Southern Lord)

Earlier this year, Southern Lord reissued Velvet Cacoon's first "public" full-length CD Genevieve. Like all of the Southern Lord releases, a lot of care went into this reissue and the disc comes packaged in a velvet jacket with the band's logo embossed in silver metallic foil. "Velvet Cacoon's recordings are a monumental, epic experience and we felt it only appropriate to present their recordings with packaging that complimented the intensity and passion of the music." (from Southern Lord's website)

Everything that I've ever read about Velvet Cacoon starts with the group's backstory (stories about a drunk drummer who died by falling off of a cliff and live shows fueled by self mutilation, drug use, and bloodletting are only the tip of the iceberg). The stories make for interesting reading but - to focus on the music - Velvet Cacoon makes dark ambient music and some points of comparison are early Wolves in the Throne Room or Burzum. Most of the tracks on Genevieve are instrumental with the occasional whispered vocal buried deep beneath the music. In a 2004 interview, main-man Josh (SGL) said "I've always disliked the idea of using vocals as a message in black metal. The only message one will gather from this album is through experiencing the climate of the music. The words themselves are of no importance, but the atmosphere is crucial. This album is about being miles below the surface of the cold sea, in pitch blackness."

Staying with the metaphor of the sea, in the same 2004 interview, Josh described the atmosphere of Genevieve. "Much of the ambience we streamlined into the songs are location recordings of the sea which we amplified and delayed until they took on a very mesmerizing and somnolent sound. Both LVG and myself have an affinity for the ocean and all of its mystery. It is comforting to us. Think of Genevieve as a soundtrack to desolation and isolation in regards to drifting beneath the surface of a pitch black sea at night."

The music on Genevieve rises and falls in hypnotic waves and the disc culminates in the seventeen minute epic "Bete Noir". On their MySpace profile, Velvet Cacoon describe their music as "drug induced black metal" and the band seems to have an unhealthy fixation with the drug dextromethorphan (when consumed in mass quantities is a dissociative hallucinogenic). In a 2005 interview, Josh said that dextromethorphan "is the chemical of pure godliness and brilliance...It is the inspiration for everything Velvet Cacoon has done...Bete Noir is designed specifically for the experience of this chemical."

With or without dextromethorphan, Genevieve is essential for any fans of the ambient black metal.

Velvet Cacoon are supposed to have two new discs, Atropine and P aa opal Poere Pr. 33 coming out in the next few weeks on Full Moon Productions.

Links:
Velvet Cacoon's MySpace Profile

Throbbing Gristle: Review and Pictures from Brooklyn Masonic Temple, Brooklyn, NY 4-16-09

In reading some of the comments posted around the 'net, it seems that people either loved or hated this show. From my perspective, it was a brilliant show!

Throbbing Gristle started the night by playing a live soundtrack to Derek Jarman's 1974 film "In the Shadow of the Sun". According to Simon Ford (author of Wreckers of Civilization), the original soundtrack "revelled in distortion, chance, and formlessness". Throbbing Gristle's performance last Thursday held true to Ford's quote. Cosi, Peter and Chris all sat in front of computer workstations and radically reworked the soundtrack from its original 1980 release. Genesis didn't have a computer but he created a variety of sounds using a bass and other instruments.

Here is a brief clip of the live soundtrack that someone filmed from the crowd.



After this first set, Throbbing Gristle spent 60+ minutes doing a record signing. This is the first time that I've ever seen a band break up a set with a "meet & greet" but it was kind of cool. The band stayed until everyone got their merch signed. I've never been an autograph collector but I brought along my copy of the Fetish box set and it made my day getting it signed.



Continuing to reset traditional expectations for a live concert, there was an "opening" act - Bruce McClure - prior to Throbbing Gristle's second set. McClure's set was somewhat interesting but it went on for way too long and there wasn't much to watch. While there were some images being projected on the video screen, the only thing moving on stage was the security guard. It seemed a bit strange hearing all of the computer generated sounds but seeing no one. (I read a day or so ago on another blog that McClure was in the back of the house mixing the music live. )

Throbbing Gristle came back on for their second set just after 11PM and played for about 75 minutes. They started with a fairly straight-forward version of "Very Friendly" but the remainder of the set had a decidedly tribal feel. A number of the songs were significantly reworked so I didn't recognize all of the material but the set list included "Discipline", "Hamburger Lady" and "What A Day".

There are a couple of good quality live videos from the show posted to YouTube that did a great job of capturing the feel of the second set.

Throbbing Gristle - "Very Friendly"


Throbbing Gristle - "Discipline"


After playing playing some West Coast dates (which included Coachella Festival earlier today), Throbbing Gristle are coming back to Brooklyn Masonic Temple for a show on Tuesday, April 28th. The show is sold out but there are tickets currently selling for face value (and below) on eBay.

Links:
Throbbing Gristle
Mute Records

Ann Courtney & The Late Bloomers Play a CD Release Show @ Rockwood Music Hall on April 25th

Download: Ann Courtney & the Late Bloomers - "Perfect Medicine" (MP3)

Following up their 2006 release, The Pollyanna EP, Ann Courtney & the Late Bloomers are releasing their full-length debut, Crocodile, on April 28th (on The Cougar Label).

I've listened to the first few cuts from the disc and was immediately impressed. Ann Courtney sings with a sultry cool and her voice is somewhat similar to artists like Chrissie Hyde and PJ Harvey. How Marvelous (UK Music blog) described Crocdile as "a surprising range of styles, bound together by Ann's voice, which could be described as a uniquely splendid amalgam of Chrissie Hynde, PJ Harvey & Patti Smith, with a Loretta Lynn feel."

Ann Courtney and the Late Bloomers' record release show is at Rockwood Music Hall on Saturday, April 25th. The show is free (one drink minimum) and starts at 10PM.

Here is a video of Ann Courtney performing "Perfect Medicine" live on Fearless Music.



Links:
Ann Courtney & the Late Bloomers MySpace Profile

Karl Smith (x-Sodastream) Releases First Single from New Project: Lee Memorial

DOWNLOAD: Lee Memorial - "Long Days In Bed" (MP3)

After 10 years, five albums, four EPs, and seven international tours, Melbourne's Sodastream decided to call it a day in early 2007. (Did anyone catch Sodastream's show at Piano's in 2004?)

Vocalist/guitarist Karl Smith is back with a new project Lee Memorial which features Laura MacFarlane (Ninety Nine, Sleater-Kinney), Tom Lyngcoln (Nation Blue), Matt Bailey (Paradise Motel) and Madeline Spawton.

The band's debut CD is due out this Summer and, in addition to the download above, there are four more cuts from this forthcoming release streaming on the Lee Memorial's MySpace page.

Lee Memorial is currently playing a few shows around Australia. Here are the band's upcoming tour dates:

April 23, 2009, 8:00 PM, The Toff in Town, Melbourne, Victoria
May 9, 2009, 8:00 PM, Northcote Social Club, Melbourne, Victoria
May 21, 2009, 8:00 PM, The Troubadour, Brisbane, Queensland
May 22, 2009, 8:00 PM, The Old Bar, Victoria

Brian Grosz and Friends Play a Free "Death Taxes and Resurrection" Themed Show Tomorrow Afternoon (April 18th) at Parkside Lounge

DOWNLOAD: Brian Grosz - "Lydia the Tattooed Lady" (MP3)

Brian Grosz and friends are playing a show tomorrow afternoon at Parkside Lounge. According to Brian, all performers will be performing songs on the theme of "Death Taxes and Resurrection" and all attendees are encouraged to wear springtime pastels and easter bonnets (or dress as their favorite HR Block employee).

This should be a great way to spend the afternoon. The show is free -- there will be a pass the hat donation and part of the proceeds will go to the Save the Music Foundation.

Performers include:

Matt Whyte of Earl Greyhound
Alex Walker of Aloke
Brian Grosz
Emily Zuzik
Dorie Colangelo
Sam Barron
The Celebration of Man
The Knuckleheads
Seth Berkowitz
Len Xiang

Links:
Lapdance Academy (Brian's new artists collective)
Parkside Lounge

Superdrag: Pre-show Interview with John Davis and Tom Pappas, MHOW, Brooklyn, NY 4-10-09

Last Friday, I had the chance to catch up with John Davis (vocals/guitar) and Tom Pappas (bass) from Superdrag prior to the band's show that night at Music Hall of Williamsburg. The original lineup of Superdrag got back together two years ago and the reunited band band just released a new studio disc, Industry Giants, in March. Industry Giants has been getting great reviews and the Village Voice called it "easily the best rock record of 2009 to date".



Superdrag just released a video for the song "Aspertame" (from Industry Giants) which John Davis describes as "his favorite Superdrag video by a mile".



Superdrag has two more dates left on this current tour (below) but the band is looking to be back out on tour this summer.

April 24, 2009, 8:00PM, Rock Island Brewing Company, Rock Island, Illinois
April 25, 2009, 8:00PM, Metro, Chicago, Illinois

Links:
Superdrag
Superdrag's MySpace Profile

The Datsuns Release Their Fourth CD, "Head Stunts", on May 12 (Cooking Vinyl USA)

New Zealand rockers The Datsuns are back with their fourth disc Head Stunts. This disc was released in Europe last October and it will be released in the USA on May 12th on Cooking Vinyl USA.

This is The Datsuns' first disc with new drummer Ben Cole and lead singer Dolf de Borst described the recording of this disc as "it was like making our first record again, with new influences and new abilities. With a new person, we were able to feed off each other in different ways, and also revive some old ideas that did not click before.”

With the disc having been out in Europe for a few months, there are a number of studio and live videos on YouTube of songs from Head Stunts.


Here is the video for the lead-off track from Head Stunts:

The Datsuns - "Human Error"


The Datsuns - "Highschool Hoodlum", Live in France, March '09


The Datsuns are currently at home and are spending April touring around New Zealand. Here are the upcoming tour dates:

April 16, 2009, 8:30PM, Altitude, Hamilton, Waikato
April 17, 2009, 8:00PM, The Cabana, Napier, Hawke’s Bay
April 18, 2009, 8:00PM, San Francisco Bathhouse, Wellington
April 19, 2009, 8:00PM, Cherry Rock 009, Melbourne, Victoria
April 23, 2009, 8:00PM, Al’s Bar, Christchurch, Canterbury
April 24, 2009, 8:00PM, Sammy’s, Dunedin

Links:
The Datsuns' MySpace Profile

The Morning After Girls Play Santos Party House on April 16th / New 5 Song EP "The General Public" Due Out April 21st

DOWNLOAD: The Morning After Girls - "Shadows Evolve" (MP3)

This show is going to sell out - I'd recommend getting tickets quickly.

Australia-to-New York transplants The Morning After Girls are playing a special one-off show at Santos Party House to celebrate the release of their new single "The General Public". The title track from this five-song EP is also the first single from the band's forthcoming debut CD Alone.

The band has been getting some great reviews for their recent live performances and here is a video from the band's sold-out show at the Mercury Lounge in January.


The Morning After Girls - "Chasing Us Under"



Tickets for Thursday's show at Santos Party House are $10 and The Morning After Girls are sharing the bill with Paul Dillon's (x-Mercury Rev) new project Silver Rockets and DJ Cock Fosters.

Links:
The Morning After Girls' MySpace Profile

The Pack A.D. Play Santos Party House on April 23 / New Video for "Making Gestures"

DOWNLOAD: The Pack A.D. - "Making Gestures" (MP3)

Vancouver heavy blues/rock band The Pack A.D. are in the middle of a two-month long US tour. After which, the band will be going back into the studio to record their follow-up to Making Gestures (which was released last August on Mint Records).

The only local show on the current tour is at Santos Party House on Thursday, April 23rd. Advance tickets are $10 and this is an early show, with doors at 7PM. On the bill with The Pack A.D. are Cherie Lilly, May Lane and Tayisha Busay.

Earlier this year, The Pack A.D. released the video for "Making Gestures" which gives anyone not familiar with the band a sense for the sonic power of their live show.



I did a video interview with Becky and Maya at their show last year at Piano's which also includes some live footage from the show.



Links:
The Pack A.D.'s Website
The Pack A.D.'s MySpace Profile

River of Suns: Interview with BrooklynRocks (Alt-Rock/Hip-Hop)

River of Suns are a fairly new roots-rock/hip-hop band out of Los Angeles. An early lineup of the band recorded their debut CD, Scattered Atoms, in 2007. The core lineup of Padric Payton (Lead Vocals, Guitars) and Asa Anderson (Guitar, Bass, Keys) have now expanded to a four-piece with the addition of Brando Farr (Emcee, Vocals, Harmonica, Percussion) and Rich Thomas (Bass) and the band has started working on their second disc.

I had the chance to catch up with Padric, Asa and Brando a few weeks back. We talked a bit about the band's music, how its has evolved into a mix of soulful roots-rock and funk/hip-hop and the inspiration behind their fusion of sounds.

Here is a direct link to the interview with River of Suns and here is a link to the feed. At the end of the interview is a new studio track entitled "High Risin'".

River of Suns' next show is April 18th at the Topanga Community House (in Topanga).

Links:
River of Suns

The Bloodsugars are Playing Public Assembly Tonight (April 10th)

DOWNLOAD: The Bloodsugars - "Purpose Was Again" (MP3)

Village Voice said "The Bloodsugars play sweet garage synth-pop, refreshingly unconnected to bands of the 80's in it's simplicity."

The Bloodsugars are playing a show tonight at Public Assembly in Williamsburg with Soft Black, Grand Mal and Mitten Field. The show supposed to include Spacecamp but guitarist Jon Wiley was in an accident a few weeks back. Tonight's show is dedicated to Jon's speedy recovery.

The Bloodsugars released their debut CD, BQEP, last summer which is available on Engine Room Recordings.

Links:
The Bloodsugars
Public Assembly

Junk Science (Nuclear Family) and Mr. Lif Play The Studio @ Webster Hall on April 11th

DOWNLOAD - Junk Science: "Running Shoes" (MP3)

Def Jux artists Junk Science and Mr. Lif are playing a show on Saturday at The Studio @ Webster Hall. Both artists are respectively finishing work on their third albums, which are due out later this year, so I would expect that there will be a good mix of old and new material played at the show. Doors are at 8PM and tickets are $15 dollars.

Junk Science, which features emcee Baje One and DJ Snafu, released their second disc, Gran'Dads Nerve Tonic, in 2007. One of the highlights from the disc was the ultra-catchy single "Hey". Junk Science's new disc, A Miraculous Kind of Machine, is due out later this year on Embedded Music.



Boston's Mr. Lif is a long time member of the rap group The Perceptionists, along side Akrobatik and DJ Fakts On. He is currently preparing for the release of his third solo LP, I Heard It Today, which coming out on Def Jux Records on April 21st.



Links:
Junk Science's MySpace profile
Mr. Lif's MySpace profile

Playing for Change: Songs Around The World CD/DVD Review

STREAM: Playing for Change Band - "Don't Worry"

The concept behind Playing for Change is that music the a common bond that can unite people around the world. Playing for Change brings together performers from around the world as they play classic songs of hope, change and protest.



Watching the videos of these performances is particularly poignant as, on "Stand By Me" (which is currently up to over 8 Million views on YouTube), director Mark Ronson seamlessly integrates performances from musicians in diverse locations that range from Santa Monica and New Orleans to Brazil, Russia and the Netherlands. The end result is a unified rendition of the song that brings together each musician's individual performance into a unified and collaborative whole.



Other songs on the disc include covers of Bob Marley's "One Love" (which was released in conjunction with Bob Marley's 64th world-wide birthday celebration) and "War/No More Trouble", Peter Gabriel's "Biko" and the U2/Bob Dylan collaboration "Love Rescue Me". This CD also comes with a seven-track bonus DVD that includes two promo videos and five live performances.

Playing for Change - Songs Around the World will be released on April 28th and Amazon is currently taking pre-orders.

Links:
Playing for Change Website
Playing for Change MySpace profile

Cursive Release Video for New Single "From the Hips" + Perform Live on David Letterman Show

Indie-rockers Cursive made their network debut on the David Letterman show last month and played their new single "From the Hips". Stereogum described the band's Letterman performance as "summon[ing] an air of electricity from the sparse jags and soaring climax of Mama I'm Swollen's lead single".

The band followed this by debuting their Michael Grodner-directed video for "From the Hips" on MySpace.

Cursive - "From the Hips" Video



Cursive - "From the Hips", Live on David Letterman Show 3/13/09


Cursive is heading off on tour with Man Man toward the end of this month and here are the upcoming tour dates:

APRIL 24 ST. LOUIS, MO, THE FIREBIRD
APRIL 25 MEMPHIS, TN, HI TONE
APRIL 26 NASHVILLE, TN, MERCY LOUNGE*
APRIL 27 BIRMINGHAM, AL, BOTTLETREE*
APRIL 28 PENSACOLA, FL, SLUGGOS*
APRIL 29 ORLANDO, FL, THE SOCIAL*
APRIL 30 ORLANDO, FL, THE SOCIAL*
MAY 1 ATLANTA, GA, VARIETY PLAYHOUSE*
MAY 2 CARRBORO, NC, CAT’S CRADLE*
MAY 3 WASHINGTON, DC, BLACK CAT*
MAY 4 STATE COLLEGE, PA, THE STATE THEATRE*
MAY 5 PITTSBURGH, PA, DIESEL*
MAY 6 DETROIT, MI, MAGIC STICK*
MAY 7 MILWAUKEE, WI, TURNER HALL
MAY 8 MINNEAPOLIS, MN, FIRST AVENUE
MAY 9 CHICAGO, IL, BOTTOM LOUNGE
*with MAN MAN

Cursive's latest disc, Mama, I'm Swollen, was released March 10th on Saddle Creek Records.

Links:
Cursive's Website

The Mission District: Interview with BrooklynRocks, NYC 3/19/09 (EMI/Relentless Records)

Montreal pop/punk band The Mission District were in town two weeks ago to promote their forthcoming major label debut. The band has been recording in London with producer Andy Green (The Feeling, Scouting for Girls, Keane) and the record is due out this summer. The first single, "Heartbreaker", is currently streaming on The Mission District's MySpace profile.



The Mission District are currently touring in the UK while finishing up the recording of their new disc.

Here are the band's upcoming tour dates:

April 6, 2009, 7:00PM, Barfly Club, Liverpool, Northwest
April 7, 2009, 8:00PM, Dexters, Dundee, Scotland
April 8, 2009, 7:00PM, Cathouse, Glasgow, Scotland
April 10, 2009, 7:00PM, Plugged at Parr Hall, Warrington, Northwest
April 11, 2009, 8:00PM, The New Tavern, Wigan, Northwest
April 12, 2009, 7:00PM, Met Lounge, Peterborough, East
April 13, 2009, 7:00PM, Roadmender, Northampton, East
April 14, 2009, 7:00PM, Central Station, Wrexham, Wales
April 15, 2009, 7:00PM, Barfly Club, Cardiff, Wales
April 17, 2009, 7:00PM, Academy 2, Dublin, Ireland
April 18, 2009, 1:00PM, Think Tank, Dublin, Ireland
April 19, 2009, 7:00PM, The Bunker, Belfast
April 20, 2009, 7:30PM, Barfly (w/ Nightmare Of You), Birmingham, Midlands
April 21, 2009, 7:30PM, Roadhouse (w/ Nightmare Of You), Manchester, Northwest
April 24, 2009, 8:00PM, Pop Bubble Rock, Nottingham, Midlands
April 29, 2009, 8:00PM, Pop Bubble Rock, Manchester, Northwest

Superdrag: Reunited Band Plays Bowery Ballroom and MHOW Next Weekend (April 9th and 10th)

Since reuniting in 2007, Supergrass have gotten some great press for their 2008 tour with Nada Surf and their recent SXSW performances.

Supergrass - Guero's, Austin, TX 3/20/09


The band just released their first new disc, Industry Giants, in nine years which Daily Vault described as "nothing short of incendiary; this is excellent material, played with exuberant passion".

Superdrag are in town next Thursday and Friday (April 9th and 10th) for shows at Bowery Ballroom and Music Hall of Williamsburg. Mic Harrison & The High Score and Tenderhooks are playing with Superdrag at the Bowery and advance tickets are $20. Aberdeen City and Cassavettes are playing with Superdrag at MHOW and advance tickets are also $20.

For anyone who hasn't seen the band play live, five live videos from Supergrass' recording sessions at Lake Fever in Nashville will be posted to the Lake Fever Sessions website tomorrow.

For anyone who can't wait, here is a trailer from the sessions:




Links:
Superdrag's Website

Bonded By Blood, Exmortus, Witchaven, Martyrd: Pictures from Free Show in Queens, NYC 3-28-09

After a series of venue switches, the Masters of Disaster tour hit Maric Lanes in Astoria last Saturday night. This was an old-school, up-close experience with four hard-hitting thrash bands playing on the top floor of this Queens bowling alley.



It was a great show - the bands gave it all and the crowd gave it right back. It was also nice to see that a good number of people made it out for the show, especially with this show having come together at the last minute.

The Masters of Disaster tour is currently in the Mid-West and are working their way toward the West Coast where they will be playing with Exumer on the final night of the tour (May 1st at the Knitting Factory in Hollywood).

Here is the complete list of upcoming tour dates:
4/4 Aurora IL-Dougs Rock House
4/7 Des Moines IA-Vaudville Mews
4/8 Kansas City MO-Riot Room
4/9 Lincoln Nebraska- Knickerbocker
4/10 Denver CO-Moes BBQ
4/11 Billings MT-FOE
4/15 Boise ID-Gustos
4/16 Seattle WA-King Cobra
4/17 Portland OR-Satyricon
4/18 Medford OR-Musichead
4/20 Daly City CA-Route92
4/22 Fresno CA- The Exit
4/24 San Jose CA- West Valley College
4/25 San Francisco CA-Thee Parkside
5/1 Hollywood CA-The Knitting Factory "Thrasho De Mayo IV" w/Exumer

Links:
Bonded By Blood's MySpace Profile
Exmortus' MySpace Profile
Witchaven's MySpace Profile
Martyrd's MySpace Profile