The Canon Logic's Record Release Party for 'FM Arcade' is at Mercury Lounge on March 5th

The Canon Logic's debut album, FM Arcade, is coming out on March 9th and the band is having a record release party at Mercury Lounge next Friday, March 5th. Tickets are only $10 and all tickets include a free copy of FM Arcade. I expect that that after this new disc is released, the band will be playing bigger rooms fairly quickly. Get your tickets soon as this show will likely sell out.

The Canon Logic are playing with Pants Velour and this is an early show - Pants Velour play at 7:30PM and The Canon Logic play at 8:30PM.

The first single from the new disc, "Avenue of Criminals" is available as a free download (below) and the second single "Nights at Armour Mansion" is posted on The Canon Logic's website.





Track list for FM Arcade:
1. Villain in America
2. Avenue of Criminals
3. The Fabulist
4. It All Went Away…
5. Nights At Armour Mansion
6. Amy is a Wolverine
7. Dead Man
8. Exile
9. The Dark Maid
10. Delia
11. The System
12. Last Day of Man

Links:
The Canon Logic

Chelsea Grin - Desolation of Eden CD Review (Artery)

Chelsea Grin is a pummeling six-piece deathcore band out of Utah who just released their first full-length CD on Artery Recordings (a Razor & Tie imprint). Desolation of Eden follows the band's 2008 debut 5-song EP (Statik Factory) and contains re-recordings of the EP's "Recreant" and "Cheyne Stokes" (live video below).

Describing this disc as "brutal" is about the equivalent of describing a typhoon as "windy". A 'chelsea grin' in soccer hooligan terminology is the act of cutting a rival's mouth with either a credit card or blade and then kicking them in the crotch; the band delivers the musical equivalent of this beatdown. Chelsea Grin features three guitarists who play downtuned start/stop speed-burst riffs and chugging breakdowns while Alex Koehlr delivers vocals that range from a Cookie Monster bass growl to a high-pitched banshee shriek. The bass and double bass drumming are beyond technically precise as they stay in pounding lock-step.



I'm not a huge fan of many deathcore bands as it seems, across the genre, that power and brutality are valued significantly more than melody but there are a couple of songs on Desolation of Eden which caught my ear. "The Human Condition" has a killer melodic guitar line which sets the stage for the instrumental track "Elysium" that follows. There is also the disc's finale, "Wasteland", where Alex Koehlr's murmured vocals are buried beneath chugging riffs. For fans of the genre, there should be more than enough here to sink your teeth into.

The band has built a solid fan base by constant touring over the last two years and they are currently out on the Burgers & Bowling tour with The Red Chord, MyChild MyBride and Those Who Lie Beneath. The tour is skipping NYC (why is it no longer a surprise that a lot of metal show skip the City?) and the closest date is March 12th at School of Rock in Hackensack, NJ.

Burgers & Bowling Tour
Featuring: The Red Chord (Metal Blade), My Child My Bride, Chelsea Grin and Those Who Lie Beneath
Mar 01, 2010 8:00PM, Flagstaff, Arizona
Mar 02, 2010 8:00PM, Albuquerque, New Mexico
Mar 03, 2010 8:00PM, Amarillo, Texas
Mar 04, 2010 8:00PM, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Mar 05, 2010 8:00PM, Memphis, Tennessee
Mar 06, 2010 8:00PM, Louisville, Kentucky
Mar 07, 2010 8:00PM, Nashville, Tennessee
Mar 08, 2010 8:00PM, New Brookland Tavern, Columbia, South Carolina
Mar 09, 2010 8:00PM, Raleigh, North Carolina
Mar 11, 2010 8:00PM, Lancaster, Pennsylvania
Mar 12, 2010 8:00PM, South Hackensack, New Jersey
Mar 13, 2010 8:00PM, Webster Underground, Hartford, Connecticut
Mar 14, 2010 8:00PM, Water Front Tavern, Holyoke, Massachusetts

Chelsea Grin Headlining Tour
Mar 15, 2010 8:00PM, The Vibe Lounge, Rockville Centre, New York
Mar 16, 2010 8:00PM, Masquerade Club @ Crocodile, Allentown, Pennsylvania
Mar 17, 2010 8:00PM, The Modern Exchange, Southgate, Michigan
Mar 19, 2010 8:00PM, Bobby Mcgees, Chicago Ridge, Illinois
Mar 20, 2010 8:00PM, The El Torreon, Kansas City, Missouri
Mar 21, 2010 8:00PM, Marquis Theater, Denver, Colorado

Links:
Chelsea Grin

Your Demise: Live Video and Interview from Santos Party House, NYC 2-24-10

UK hardcore band Your Demise made their NYC debut on Wednesday night, headlining a show at Santos House Party. The band played an aggressive 30+ minute set as singer Ed McRae bounded from one side of the room to the other with the energy of a Tasmanian Devil.

I had the chance to talk with guitarist Daniel "Ozzy Porkchop" Osborne prior to the show and the video below finishes up with the final song from the band's set.



Here are the upcoming tour dates for Your Demise:

Mar. 1, 2010 8:00PM, Club Octane, Charleroi, Pennsylvania
Mar. 2, 2010 8:00PM, The Lighthouse, Frankfort, Illinois
Mar. 9, 2010 8:00PM, Newcastle, UK @ Uni w/ A Day To Remember + Architects
Mar. 10, 2010 8:00PM, Glasgow, UK @ ABC w/ A Day To Remember SOLD OUT
Mar. 11, 2010 8:00PM, Manchester, UK @ Academy w/ A Day To Remember + Architects
Mar. 12, 2010 8:00PM, London, UK @ HMV Forum w/ A Day To Remember + Architects
Mar. 13, 2010 8:00PM, Bristol, UK @ Anson Rooms w/ A Day To Remember + Architects
Mar. 14, 2010 8:00PM, Birmingham, UK @ Academy 1 w/ A Day To Remember + Architects
Mar. 15, 2010 8:00PM, Portsmouth, UK @ Pyramid Centre w/ A Day To Remember + Architects
Mar. 17, 2010 8:00PM, House Of Rock, Corpus Christi, Texas
Mar. 18, 2010 8:00PM, Emo’s- Day Show, Austin, Texas
Mar. 18, 2010 8:00PM, White Rabbit- Night Show, San Antonio, Texas
Mar. 19, 2010 8:00PM, The Village, Little Rock, Arkansas
Mar. 21, 2010 8:00PM, Gallery 13,Columbus, Georgia
Mar. 22, 2010 8:00PM, The Warehouse, East Ridge, Tennessee

Links:
Your Demise

Adam Green - 'Minor Love' CD Review (Fat Possum)

DOWNLOAD: Adam Green - "What Makes Him Act So Bad"
DOWNLOAD: Adam Green - "Castles and Tassels"

Adam Green released his sixth solo album, Minor Love, earlier this month. As a brief disclaimer, this is my first exposure to Green's music so I can't compare this disc to any of his earlier work.

After listening to Minor Love a few times, the immediately comparison is to late 70's/early 80's era Lou Reed. Green tells narrative stories in a near spoken-word singing voice and, like some of Reed's themes, these are tales of scumbags, squalor and excess which are delivered with a dark sense of humor. Musically, the disc spans a number of style which range from 70's soul/funk ("Buddy Bradley", "Lockout") to the Velvet Underground sounding "What Makes Him Act So Bad". The disc switches gears mid-way as Green embraces a Country-Western folk style reminiscent of Rob Orbison ("Cigarette Burns Forever") and Johnny Cash ("Boss Inside", "You Blacken My Stay"). While some of the stylistic jumps can be somewhat disconcerting, the disc is held together by Green's lyrics which show his view on the world and the people within it. To provide a brief view into Green's outlook on life - he is the only songwriter that I can think of who can successfully pull off rhyming "castles and tassels" with "flatulent assholes".



Adam Green is currently touring in Europe and he is back in town for two headlining shows at Bowery Ballroom on April 23rd and April 24th. Tickets for the Bowery Ballroom show are $15 and The Dead Trees (who are out with Green for the month of April) are opening the show.

Links:
Adam Green

Rock/Funk Band KiNDERGARTEN Play Rockwood Music Hall on March 4th

DOWNLOAD: KiNDERGARTEN - "Man on the Stairs"
DOWNLOAD: KiNDERGARTEN - "Just a Little (Shook)"

Earlier this month, rock/funk band KiNDERGARTEN released their second disc, Small (click the band's photo to go to iTunes). The band is playing a free show next Thursday night, March 4th, at Rockwood Music Hall. The show is 21+ and KiNDERGARTEN go on at 10PM.

Small, which is the follow-up to KiNDERGARTEN’s debut album River of Slime (2007), is a collection of 12 hook-heavy songs that the band has been performing live for at about a year prior their recording. The lyrics focus on dark themes relating to the end of the world, the growing role of machines in our society, and the recession. This isn't as dark as it sounds though as KiNDERGARTEN mixes ‘70s funk and ‘80s rock with influences that range from Lou Reed and David Bowie to Earth Wind and Fire and Michael Jackson. There is a review of the new disc posted to iTunes where the reviewer says "This album is going to be classic...I've danced, smiled, cried and at least once got pretty scared while listening".

Links:
KiNDERGARTEN

Magic Wands Release The xx Remix of "Warrior" as a Free Download

DOWNLOAD: Magic Wands - "Warrior" (The xx Remix)

Nashville-to-Los Angeles dream pop duo Magic Wands have released a new song "Warrior" and have made The xx remix of the song available as a free download.

This is the first new song since Magic Wands released the "Magic Love and Dreams" EP just under a year ago. "Magic Love and Dreams" was recorded with John Hill (Santogold, Lykke Li, Nas) - using the same drum machine as Prince’s Purple Rain - and is available through iTunes, Bright Antenna and Young and Lost Club.

“Magic Wands will instantly force you to start tapping your feet and possibly hand clap along with these four bouncy tracks that rely on a combination of drum machines, distorted guitars and catchy melodies”- THE FIRE NOTE

The band hasn't announced any tour dates after SXSW but, as they spent a good bit of time out on the road last year touring with bands like The Kills and The Horrors, one would assume that a coast-to-coast tour will follow later this year.

Magic Wands - "Warrior" (Original Version)


Links:
Magic Wands

Cage Announces Limited Edition Vinyl Version of 'Science of Annihilation' (Power Metal)

DOWNLOAD: Cage - "Planet Crusher" (from Science of Annihilation) + 8 other songs

San Diego power/thrash metal band Cage released their fifth CD, Science of Annihilation, about a year ago and the disc is coming out on a limited edition 180 gr. vinyl pressing on Feb. 26th. This 2-LP set is limited to 525 copies and hand numbered. There will be 100 copies on colored vinyl with the remainder on black vinyl.

The LP is coming out on Pure Steel Records who will be releasing Cage’s Hell Destroyer and Darker Than Black on vinyl later this year.

Sounding like a cross between Rob Halford and King Diamond, Cage vocalist Sean Peck sings/screams in a high falsetto while the band blasts through twelve dark tales with themes that range from science fiction to demon possession. The band’s songs have picked up some speed on this release, perhaps due to the addition of drummer Norm Leggio (Psychotic Waltz), but this speed hasn’t dimmed any of Cage’s melodic hooks.

Guitarists Dave Garcia and Anthony Wayne McGinnis add intertwined melodies to all of the songs which range from alternating shredding leads to laid back instrumentals. Bassist Mike Giordano stays in lock-step with drummer Norm Leggio which gives the band a driving sense of urgency and aggression across this disc. While Cage continues to owe a solid debt to Painkiller-era Judas Priest, the band's sound has continued to evolve and this release should also strike a chord with fans of Jag Panzer and Manowar.

Cage was in town last September for the Power Metal Festival at Club Europa and below is a live video from their performance.



Cage is currently scheduled to play some of the metal festivals around the US. Here is the list of currently announced tour dates:

04/29/10 – Triton Power Fest Pre-Party – Miami, Florida
04/30/10 – SwordFest – Largo, Florida
05/01/10 – MayDay MetalFest – Atlanta, Georgia
05/02/10 – Amos Southend – Charlotte, North Carolina
05/08/10 – Angels Roadhouse – Yucaipa, California
06/26/10 – Warriors of Metal III Festival – Chillicothe, Ohio
09/11/10 – SwordBrothers IX Festival – Juz Andernach, Germany

Links:
Cage

Brainstorm - Just Highs No Lows (12 Years of Persistence) CD Review (Metal Blade)

At the end of last year, Metal Blade released Just Highs No Lows (12 Years of Persistence), a 2-CD compilation of Brainstorm hits and rarities. This is the band's final release on the Metal Blade label and this 32-track compilation pulls 4+ selections from each of the five albums that the band recorded for Metal Blade between 2000 - 2008 along with eight rarities.

The compilation runs in reverse chronological through Brainstorm's tenure with Metal Blade. Here is the track listing:

Disc 1:
"Downburst" (2008):
01. Falling Spiral Down
02. Fire Walk With Me
03. End In Sorrow
04. How Do You Feel
05. Stained with Sin

"Liquid Monster" (2005):
06. Worlds Are Coming Through
07. All Those Words
08. Inside The Monster
09. Painside
10. Heavenly

"Soul Temptation" (2003):
11. Highs Without Lows
12. The Leading
13. Doorway To Survive

"Trinity of Lust" trilogy :
14. Shiva's Tears
15. Fornever
16. Soul Temptation

Disc 2:

"Metus Mortis" (2001):
01. Blind Suffering
02. Hollow Hideaway
03. Shadowland
04. Under Lights

"Ambiguity" (2000):
05. Tear Down The Walls
06. Maharaja Palace
07. Beyond My Destiny
08. Demonsion

Bonus Tracks:
09. Face Down (from "Metus" digipack)
10. Breathe ("Liquid Monster" Japanese bonus)
11. Drowning ("Downburst" Japanese bonus)
12. Crawling In Chains ("Downburst" Japanese limited edition)
13. Before The Dawn (Judas Priest cover / from "All Those Words" single)
14. Is This The Way to Amarillo (Tony Chrisie cover)
15. Voices (Live - Budapest DVD)
16. Liar's Edge (Live - Summer Breeze DVD)

While this compilation spans a number of years, Brainstorm's melodic, power metal sound hasn't changed significantly over the years so this set comes across as a consistent body of work.

This is a great introduction to the band for the uninitiated. For those, like myself, who already have a number of Brainstorm's studio albums, I would have liked a second disc of just European b-sides and rarities but minor complaints don't diminish the power of this set.

Links:
Brainstorm

Join Dweezil Zappa at Camp Dweezilla; a Boot Camp for Aspiring and Professional Musicians

This is one of those "if only I had some extra money" events --

This June, Dweezil Zappa and members of his core band are hosting Dweezilla, which is a five day boot camp for musicians of all levels. Running from June 21-24 in the Catskill Forest Preserve in upstate New York, Dweezilla offers aspiring musicians a wide range of master classes at all skill levels in addition to one-on-one sessions with Dweezil himself.

"I decided to create a diverse music boot camp for people of all skill levels hoping to increase their musical prowess. It would make me very happy if I could help a fellow musician take their skills to the next level." - Dweezil Zappa

Here is the pricing for Dweezilla:

-$1,460: Camping, On-Site at Full Moon Resort
-$1,600: Double Occupancy, Full Moon Resort, Shared Bath. Roommate Selected
-$1,725: Double Occupancy, Full Moon Resort, Private Bath. Roommate Selected
-$1,900: Single Occupancy, Full Moon Resort, Shared Bath.
-$1,925: Double Occupancy, Alpine Inn, Private Bath. Roommate Selected
-$2,050: Single Occupancy, Full Moon Resort, Private Bath
-$2,350: Single Occupancy, Alpine Inn, Private Bath

Note: Pricing includes accommodations (Full Moon Resort or Alpine Inn), gourmet meals, and all Dweezilla workshops, activities, and performances from Sunday, June 20th to Friday, June 25th 2010).

Frank and Dweezil Zappa - "Whipping Post", Live in Stockholm, Sweden 1988


Links:
Dweezilla Home Page
Dweezil Zappa's Website

Heroes of Popular Wars Post New Video for "It's a Doozy" (directed by Rob McKittrick)

DOWNLOAD: Heroes of Popular Wars - "It's A Doozy" (from 2009's Church and Mcdonald)

Brooklyn-to-LA transplants Heroes of Popular Wars just released a new video for "It's a Doozy", which is from the band's 2009 release Church and Mcdonald, which is available as a free download from HOPW's website.

In reviewing the latest disc, the UK-based blog "The Devil Has the Best Tuna" wrote "[i]t's difficult to pick out just a couple of tracks on an album that is best heard in full from start to finish but special mention should be made of the dance inflected 'A Bus Called Further' a Steely Dan homage, 'She's A Microscope' which starts out as a slow, candy-coated pop song that builds and builds before exploding like a bomb in a synth factory and 'American Loser', a two-part pop song/dirge that sounds like Kevin Shields playing tug of war with 80's Peter Gabriel."



Links:
Heroes of Popular Wars

The Secret Machines Play Glasslands Gallery Tonight, Feb. 19th

DOWNLOAD: The Secret Machines - "Like I Can"

This should be a big show tonight - The Secret Machines are playing Glassland Gallery with Bear in Heaven, Mon Khmer, Noveller and Papa. The show starts at 9PM and cover is $15 ($12 reduced cover if you RSVP to rsvp@popgunbooking.com).

Earlier this month, The Secret Machines released a new two-song single "Like I Can / Terrible Light". (Click the cover to go to iTunes) The single is out on the band's own label, TSM Recordings, and both tracks were recorded at The Magic Shop and mixed at Electric Lady in NYC.

Here is a live version of the b-side of the new single, "Terrible Light", that was recorded last year at a show at Santos Party House.



Links:
The Secret Machines

Ben Sollee and Daniel Martin Moore Release New Disc "Dear Companion" / All Proceeds Benefit iLoveMountains.org

DOWNLOAD: "Something, Somewhere, Sometime" - Ben Sollee and Daniel Martin Moore

Ben Sollee's new disc, Dear Companion, was released today and here is the copy of the note that Ben sent out earlier this morning:

Just wanted to send a brief note to let you know that my new record, Dear Companion, is just released today. It's a collaborative project between fellow Kentuckian Daniel Martin Moore and myself produced rock-maestro Yim Yames of My Morning Jacket. We've come together to make some music celebrating our cultural ties to Appalachia and to raise awareness about mountain-top removal coal mining. It's an unfortunately efficient means of strip mining to removes to summits of mountains to dig out coal. Daniel and I feel that losing our environmental and cultural heritage is far too big a sacrifice for something as inefficient as coal.

We're donating a portion of the proceeds to the organization Appalachian Voices to help with all the good work they are doing to help raise awareness around the issue and to help amplify the voices of people struggling in the coal fields. You can find out more about what they do at www.ilovemountains.org.

We had a tremendous amount of fun making this record and we hope that will enjoy and make it a part of your listening. We're not trying to change the world with this music. We're just trying to discover our role in it all. I hope you can share with others and spread the good.

Thanks to Sub Pop records for getting beyond this project and recognizing that we're all in this together as a nation.

Take Care,
Ben

The tour kicks off this week and stops at Joe's Pub on March 5th and 6th. Here are the complete tour dates:

2.16 - Louisville, KY - Ear X-tacy (In-Store)
2.17 - Lexington, KY - CD Central (In-Store)
2.19 - Cincinnati, OH - Shake-It Records (In-Store)
2.19 - Cincinnati, OH - Northside Tavern
2.20 - Indianapolis, IN - Radio Radio
2.25 - Nashville, TN - Grimey's (In-Store)
2.25 - Nashville, TN - Mercy Lounge
2.26 - Louisville, KY - Brown Theater
2.27 - Asheville, NC - The Orange Peel
3.01 - Boone, NC - Boone Saloon
3.02 - Carrboro, NC - Carrboro Arts Center
3.04 - Philadelphia, PA - World Cafe Live
3.05 - New York, NY - Joe's Pub
3.06 - New York, NY - Joe's Pub
3.09 - Albany, NY - The Linda
3.11 - Cleveland, OH - Beachland Ballroom
3.12 - Evanston, IL - SPACE
3.13 - Chicago, IL - Schuba's
3.15 - Cedar Rapids, IA - CSPS
3.16 - St. Louis, MO - Old Rock House
3.18 - Austin, TX - SXSW
3.19 - Austin, TX - SXSW
3.26 - Santa Monica, CA - McCabe's
3.27 - San Francisco, CA - Swedish American Hall
3.29 - Portland, OR - Doug Fir Lounge
3.30 - Seattle, WA - The Crocodile
4.02 - Minneapolis, MN - Cedar Cultural Center
4.03 - Madison, WI - Majestic Theater

Links:
Dear Companion
Ben Sollee
Daniel Martin Moore

Hurricane Bells Play Union Hall Tomorrow Night (Feb. 17th) / Release Video for "Monsters"

Brooklyn's Hurricane Bells are playing a headlining show tomorrow night at Union Hall prior to heading down to SXSW next month.

Hurricane Bells is the new solo project by Longwave guitarist/front-man Steve Schiltz. Schiltz wrote, played, recorded, and mixed the entirety of Tonight Is The Ghost - a moody, gorgeous mix of somber undercurrents and chiming guitars bathed in echo and reverb. The disc is currently available digitally through Vagrant Records and a special-edition physical release of the album will be announced shortly.

Tickets for tomorrow night's show are $10 and Hurricane Bells is playing with Scout and Falcon. The band is also set to perform at SXSW in March, followed by an April tour opening for Blue October as an acoustic duo of band architect Steve Schiltz and Ashen Keilyn (also of Scout). Complete tour dates are at the bottom of the post.

Schiltz originally had planning on self-releasing this disc but the disc picked up national attention when the b-side "Monsters" was chosen for the The Twilight Saga: New Moon soundtrack last fall. The band just released the video for "Monsters" which was directed by Bill Moldt (who had previously done the charming "This Year" video for the band).



FEB. 17 -- BROOKLYN, NY, UNION HALL
MAR. 17-20 -- AUSTIN, TX, SXSW
APR. 07 -- ATLANTA, GA, CENTER STAGE*
APR. 08 -- RICHMOND, VA, HAT FACTORY*
APR. 09 -- PHILADELPHIA, PA, TLA*
APR. 10 -- NEW YORK, NY, WEBSTER HALL*
APR. 11 -- WASHINGTON, DC, 9:30 CLUB*
APR. 16 -- ROCHESTER, NY, WATER STREET*
APR. 17 -- COLUMBUS, OH, LC PAVILION*
APR. 18 -- CLEVELAND, OH, HOUSE OF BLUES*
APR. 20 -- CHICAGO, IL, HOUSE OF BLUES*
APR. 21 -- ST. LOUIS, MO, PAGEANT*
APR. 23 -- OMAHA, NE, SOKOL HALL*
APR. 24 -- DENVER, CO, GOTHIC THEATER*
APR. 27 -- LUBBOCK, TX, LONESTAR EC PAVILION*
APR. 28 -- ODESSA, TX, DOS AMIGOS*
APR. 29 -- TULSA, OK, CAIN'S*
APR. 30 -- DALLAS, TX, HOUSE OF BLUES*
* with Blue October

Links:
Hurricane Bells' MySpace Profile

Peasant Releases New Disc "Shady Retreat" on March 2nd / Show at Mercury Lounge on Feb. 24

DOWNLOAD: Peasant - "Well Alright"

Damien DeRose (aka Peasant) is releasing his third disc, Shady Retreat, on Paper Garden Records on March 2nd.

While Peasant’s new album was recorded in several locales, DeRose spent the majority of his time in the attic of a 200-year-old farmhouse. Shady Retreat puts together the techniques DeRose learned in the studio for On The Ground, while staying true to his DIY beginnings. It's a gorgeous and ambitious collection of Peasant's best, most exciting work. Sixties-esque guitar and pop songs are encircled with layered harmonies and synths, as Peasant sings his dreamy lyrics with his usual conviction.

In a recent review, RCRDLBL said that '"'The End' will make you sigh at what could have been, while 'Well Alright' will have you mouthing words you don't yet know."

Here are the upcoming tour dates:
2/24 – New York, NY @ Mercury Lounge w/ Rocky Votolato
2/25 – Toronto, ON @ Rancho Relaxo (Two Way Monologue series)
2/26 – Toronto, ON @ Opera House w/ Fucked Up + Kurt Vile (sold out)
3/11 – Philadelphia, PA @ World Café Live w/ Emanuel and the Fear
3/12 – Covington, KY @ Mad Hatter Club w/ Seedy Seeds
3/14 – Louisville, KY @ The Rudyard Kipling w/ Seedy Seeds
3/15 – St. Loius, MO @ Cicero’s w/ Seedy Seeds
3/18 – Austin, TX @ Tap Room (Blackbird official SXSW showcase)
3/19 – Austin, TX @ tbd
3/20 – Austin, TX @ Howl Interior (Paper Garden Records SXSW day party)
3/24 – New Orleans, LA @ Circle Bar w/ Seedy Seeds
3/31 – Brooklyn, NY @ Glasslands

Links:
Peasant

Late Night Alumni Release Sophomore Disc "Of Birds, Bees, Butterflies, etc." on Ultra Records

After a five year absence, Ryan Raddon (aka Kaskade) and Late Night Alumni are back with their follow-up to 2005's Empty Streets. The new disc, Of Birds, Bees, Butterflies, etc. was recorded in various studios between Park City, Utah and San Francisco, California and the band continues to maintain a sound that is equal parts electronic and organic while tying it all together with the vocals of front-woman Becky Jean Williams.

Late Night Alumni is composed of dance music vets Becky Jean Williams, Finn Bjarnson, John Hancock, and Kaskade. The group came into being in 2003 when Bjarnson, who had already worked with Kaskade, met Williams and the three of them began recording as Late Night Alumni. In 2004, the Hed Kandi label made an offer to release a full-length Late Night Alumni album. “At that point,” Bjarnson says, “I knew the band was not ready. We were missing an element.” The missing element turned out to be John Hancock, a talented local producer with whom Bjarnson had been trying to “find an excuse” to work with for years.

To get a feel for the band's sound, check out the videos for the first two singles from this new disc.

Late Night Alumni - "You Can Be The One" (Live)


Late Night Alumni - "Finally Found"


Links:
Late Night Alumni

Tank Battle: Iron Warfare iPhone Game Review

Tank Battle: Iron Warfare is the latest in Tank Warfare games for the iPhone/iPod touch. Unlike some of the other games in this genre, Tank Battle is more action than strategy and it is easy to jump right in and start playing.

In Tank Battle, you guide your World War II style tank through a series of terrains to play a high stakes version of capture the flag. The goal within each level is to find the enemy flags which are positioned in different areas of the terrain (and directionally identified by the red flags in the sky) and park your tank in close proximity to each of the flags to give your 'men' time to lower the enemy's flag and raise your own. The primary challenge is that the enemy guards their flags and will start firing on you. While you have a number of allies and a heavy tank in many of the early levels, the number of allies decrease in the later levels along with your tank's ability to sustain a direct hit. To clear each level, you need to capture all of the flags. The game includes a training level along twenty additional levels of increasing difficulty.

One of the features that stands out in this game is the controls. You can guide your tank with almost pinpoint accuracy by using a combination of the on-screen directional arrows (see the bottom left corner of the screen shot) and the accelerometer. This precision is critical when you are using the Light tank (fast and nimble but weak) and you need to 'hit and run' when directly fighting the enemy. Other tank classifications are Medium (well-balanced) and Heavy (powerful and tough but slow).

Tank Battle: Iron Warfare is the first game developed by John Judnich, a 19-year-old college student at Santa Clara University near San Jose, California who is a self-taught videogame developer. The game is available for $1.99 in the AppStore.

Mobile Version of Guitar Hero 5 Released at Nokia's Ovi Store

The mobile version of Guitar Hero® 5 debuted at Nokia's Ovi Store with 20 tracks from rock bands such as Blink 182, No Doubt, Nirvana, Vampire Weekend, Sublime, Bush, David Bowie and the early reviews of the game have been strong. (Check out PocketGamer's review).



To celebrate the mobile launch of Guitar Hero® 5, Nokia has announced the Rock Star Photo Competition where entrants can win Nokia and Guitar Hero merchandise simply by submitting their rock star photos. The 5 best photos will win a Nokia X6 mobile phone, Guitar Hero® 5 guitar bundle (including game software and guitar controller) and a Microsoft Xbox 360 console. One grand prize winner will receive a trip for 2 to see any Nokia Theater concert in NYC or LA. Photos will be selected by a panel of judges from the 10 highest user-voted images

Links:
Ovi Store by Nokia official page
Guitar Hero® 5 Ovi Store Link
Rock Star Photo Competition Link

Karnivool Kick Off US Tour at SXSW / Show at The Grammercy Theater on March 31st

Australian alt-rock band Karnivool kick off their first US tour in three years with six shows at SXSW. The tour stops at The Grammercy Theater on March 31st and advanced tickets are $15.00

The band's second disc, Sound Awake, will be released in the US next Tuesday (Feb. 16th) via SIN/SonyMusic Independent Network. This disc has been out in Australia since last June and it debuted at #1 on the Australian Independent Music charts. Kerrang! described the disc as "a hail of expansive melodies, that, when at their best are a little short of breathtaking. This is genuinely impressive stuff’".

Here is a live video of first single from this disc, "Set Fire to the Hive", that was recorded earlier this year at Big Day Out.



Here are the upcoming tour dates:

March 17 -- Austin, TX (SXSW), Manic Fest Destiny @ The Belmont (ACOUSTIC), 4:00pm
March 18 -- Austin, TX (SXSW), Full Metal Texas @ Emo's, 12:15pm
March 18 -- Austin, TX (SXSW), SIN Party @ Antone's, 4:00pm
March 20 -- Austin, TX (SXSW) Aussie BBQ @ Maggie Mae's, 12:00pm
March 20 -- Austin, TX (SXSW) Manic Fest Destiny @ The Belmont (ACOUSTIC), 4:00pm
March 20 -- Austin, TX (SXSW) Aussie Showcase @ Maggie Mae's, 11:59pm
March 21 -- Corpus Christi, TX, The Pavilion @ Concrete St
March 23 -- San Antonio, TX, Scout Bar
March 24 -- Houston, TX, Scout Bar
March 26 -- Jacksonville, NC, Hooligan's
March 27 -- Augusta, GA, Sky City
March 28 -- Charleston, SC, The Oasis
March 30 -- Baltimore, MD, The Quarter
March 31 -- New York, NY, Gramercy Theater
April 01 -- Philadelphia, PA, The Note
April 02 -- Hartford, CT, Webster Underground
April 03 -- Providence, RI, Club Hell
April 05 -- Toronto, ONT, Wreck Room
April 07 -- Cleveland, OH, Peabody's
April 08 -- Louisville, KY, Phoenix Hill Tavern
April 09 -- Chicago, IL, Penny Road
April 10 -- Appleton, WI, Revolution
April 11 -- Madison, WI, The Annex
April 12 -- Minneapolis, MN, The Rock
April 14 -- Denver, CO, Marquis Theatre
April 16 -- Sacramento, CA, Boardwalk
April 17 -- Los Angeles, CA, Troubadour

Links:
Karnivool

Stalkers Perform 'When We Get There' on Fearless TV This Saturday Night (Second Appearance)

Brooklyn's high-octane garage punks Stalkers are making their second appearance on Fearless TV before heading back out to the West Coast next month to finish their second disc.

The band is working with Ross Skomsvold (Nice Boys) and they are in the process of finishing their second full-length disc which is due out later this summer. The band has a new single, "Lady Sonia", coming out in March (Colonel Records). You can get an advance listen as the band played "Lady Sonia" on a December '09 appearance on Fearless Music (video below).



“The logical connection between Slade, Rocket From The Crypt and the Bay City Rollers….they embody the forever brilliant unison of beer and shouting. Alright?" NME

Links:
Stalkers

Your Demise Plays First NYC Show at Santos House Party on Feb. 24th (Earache Records)

DOWNLOAD: The Judas Syndrome - "Death of the Soul"

UK hardcore band Your Demise is the midst of their first US tour and the band is making their NYC debut with a show at Santos House Party on Feb. 24th. Tickets are $10 and Circle Of Contempt and The Judas Syndrome are also on the bill.

Your Demise signed on with Earache last year for US distribution and Earache released the band's second full-length, Ignorance Never Dies, last August. Your Demise's music combines hardcore punk and thrash metal which leads to comparisons to bands like Hatebreed or Throwdown. Your Demise though breaks away from the genre by including some instrumentals across the disc which range from electronica to drums and bass dub.

Ignorance Never Dies should find a number of fans within the NYHC scene . The disc starts out strong with the title track "Ignorance Never Dies" which serves as a lead in to one of the disc's strongest tracks "Burnt Tongues", which is a old-school style hardcore stomp.



Across this disc, Your Demise plays with a gritty aggressiveness which should translate well to the live stage and keep the mosh pit moving (check out the live video below).



Here are the upcoming tour dates:

Feb. 11, 2010 8:00PM, Buffalo, NY @ Xtreme Wheels w/ The Ghost Inside, For The Fallen Dreams & Suffokate
Feb. 12, 2010 8:00PM, Nitro, WV @ Brickhouse w/ The Ghost Inside, For The Fallen Dreams & Suffokate
Feb. 13, 2010 8:00PM, Indianapolis, IN @ Emerson Theatre w/ The Ghost Inside, For The Fallen Dreams & Suffokate
Feb. 14, 2010 8:00PM, Louisville, KY @ Uncle Pleasants w/ The Ghost Inside, For The Fallen Dreams & Suffokate
Feb. 16, 2010 8:00PM, Chubby Pickle, Windsor, Ontario
Feb. 18, 2010 8:00PM, Rock Cafe Le Stage, Trois-Rivieres, Quebec
Feb. 19, 2010 8:00PM, Salle Rona, Longueil, Quebec
Feb. 20, 2010 8:00PM, Salle Scout de Victoriaville, Victoriaville, Quebec
Feb. 21, 2010 8:00PM, The Warehouse, Gatineau, Quebec
Feb. 22, 2010 8:00PM, Eleanor Rigby’s, Jermyn, Pennsylvania
Feb. 24, 2010 8:00PM, Santos Party House, New York, New York
Feb. 25, 2010 8:00PM, Heirloom Arts Theater, Danbury, Connecticut
Feb. 26, 2010 8:00PM, The Classroom, Middletown, New York
Feb. 27, 2010 8:00PM, Hangar 84, Vineland, New Jersey
Mar. 1, 2010 8:00PM, Club Octane, Charleroi, Pennsylvania
Mar. 2, 2010 8:00PM, The Lighthouse, Frankfort, Illinois
Mar. 9, 2010 8:00PM, Newcastle, UK @ Uni w/ A Day To Remember + Architects
Mar. 10, 2010 8:00PM, Glasgow, UK @ ABC w/ A Day To Remember SOLD OUT
Mar. 11, 2010 8:00PM, Manchester, UK @ Academy w/ A Day To Remember + Architects
Mar. 12, 2010 8:00PM, London, UK @ HMV Forum w/ A Day To Remember + Architects
Mar. 13, 2010 8:00PM, Bristol, UK @ Anson Rooms w/ A Day To Remember + Architects
Mar. 14, 2010 8:00PM, Birmingham, UK @ Academy 1 w/ A Day To Remember + Architects
Mar. 15, 2010 8:00PM, Portsmouth, UK @ Pyramid Centre w/ A Day To Remember + Architects
Mar. 17, 2010 8:00PM, House Of Rock, Corpus Christi, Texas
Mar. 18, 2010 8:00PM, Emo’s- Day Show, Austin, Texas
Mar. 18, 2010 8:00PM, White Rabbit- Night show, San Antonio, Texas
Mar. 19, 2010 8:00PM, The Village, Little Rock, Arkansas
Mar. 21, 2010 8:00PM, Gallery 13,Columbus, Georgia
Mar. 22, 2010 8:00PM, The Warehouse, East Ridge, Tennessee

Links:
Your Demise

Black Breath Announce US Tour in May with Converge (Southern Lord)

Seattle hardcore punk band Black Breath is releasing their first full length, Heavy Breathing, March 30th on Southern Lord and the band is heading off on a full US tour with Converge & Lewd Acts. The tour kicks off in NYC on May 6th at Santos Party House. Tickets are $16 and go on sale on Feb. 17th.

Heavy Breathing was recorded last year at Kurt Ballou's God City Studios (Converge, Trap Them, Disfear) and this new 10-track disc picks up where Razor to Oblivion left off. This disc is more brutal though than Razor to Oblivion and is described as a "a fired-up blend of Poison Idea on a whiskey-soaked Dismember bender".



Here are the upcoming tour dates:

5/06/2010 -- Santos Party House - NYC w/ Touche Amore, Lewd Acts
5/07/2010 -- Grog Shop - Cleveland, OH w/ Lewd Acts
5/08/2010 -- Magic Stick - Detroit, MI w/ Lewd Acts
5/09/2010 -- Bottom Lounge - Chicago, IL w/ Lewd Acts
5/10/2010 -- Bottleneck - Lawrence, KS w/ Coalesce, Lewd Acts
5/11/2010 -- Marquis Theatre - Denver, CO w/ Coalesce, Lewd Acts
5/13/2010 -- Neumo's - Seattle, WA w/ Coalesce, Lewd Acts
5/14/2010 -- Satyricon - Portland, OR w/ Coalesce, Gaza, Lewd Acts
5/15/2010 -- Slim's - San Francisco, CA @ Slim's w/ Coalesce, Lewd Acts
5/16/2010 -- Downtown Brew - San Luis Obispo, CA w/ Coalesce, Gaza, Lewd Acts
5/17/2010 -- Chain Reaction - Anaheim, CA w/ Coalesce, Gaza, Lewd Acts
5/18/2010 -- El Rey Theatre - Los Angeles, CA w/ Coalesce, Gaza, Lewd Acts
5/19/2010 -- The Clubhouse - Tempe, AZ w/ Coalesce, Gaza, Lewd Acts
5/21/2010 -- Emo's - Austin, TX w/ Coalesce, Gaza, Lewd Acts
5/22/2010 -- Trees, Dallas, TX w/ Coalesce, Gaza, Lewd Acts
5/23/2010 -- The Marquee - Tulsa, OK w/ Gaza, Lewd Acts
5/25/2010 -- The Hi Tone - Memphis, TN w/ Gaza, Lewd Acts
5/26/2010 -- Headliners - Louisville, KY w/ Gaza, Lewd Acts
5/27/2010 -- Rockettown - Nashville, TN w/ Harvey Milk, Gaza, Lewd Acts
5/28/2010 -- The Masquerade - Atlanta, GA w/ Harvey Milk, Gaza, Lewd Acts
5/29/2010 *TBA - North Carolina w/ Harvey Milk, Gaza, Lewd Acts

Links:
Black Breath

Robert Fripp Announces Three UK Shows with The Humans (Toyah Willcox) / Free Live Download

Robert Fripp & the Humans - "Is It Wrong", Live in Estonia, 5/1/09

Robert Fripp-King Crimson
Originally uploaded by jamesstamper

Later this month, Robert Fripp is playing three shows with The Humans. This is a somewhat rare series of shows as Fripp hasn't toured th UK as part of a band since King Crimson’s appearance at the Shepherds Bush Empire in 2000.

Here are the details on the upcoming shows:
22 Feb 2010 Assembly, Leamington Spa

23 Feb 2010 The Junction, Cambridge

24 Feb 2010 The Scala, London

Links:
The Humans
DGM Live

Joe Satriani Performs on Jimmy Fallon Tonight / Live in Paris CD/ DVD Set Released Last Week

Guitar hero Joe Satriani is performing on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon tonight in support of his new 2CD/DVD set Live in Paris: I Just Wanna Rock (Epic Records).



The Paris show was recorded May 27, 2008 at The Grand Rex Theater and includes Satriani standards like "Surfing With The Alien” and “Flying In A Blue Dream” along with recent hits like “Super Colossal” and “I Just Wanna Rock.”

Links:
Joe Satriani

Pocket / Richard Jankovich - "5 Single EPs" CD Review (Compilation)

DOWNLOAD: Pocket featuring Steve Kilbey - "Hear in Noiseville"

Last year, Pocket (aka Richard Jankovich) started releasing a series of singles where he collaborated with a "dream list" of vocalists on the A-Side and introduced a breaking artist on the B-Side. Each of these singles also featured three remixes from a variety of electronic music producers. Pocket has compiled the A-Sides from the first five singles along with five of the remixes and three of the B-Sides and has released this compilation through iTunes as "5 Single EPs".

The disc kicks off with the track "Surround Him With Love" which features Robyn Hitchcock. Hitchcock steps away from his recent acoustic material and intones the chant "Surround Him With Love" over a slithering and oozing dance floor beat that leaves the song sounding like Shriekback at its prime. The second track, "Sampo", is a dream pop song where Asobi Seksu's Yuki Chikudate sings in Japanese while Pocket plays New Order style electro-pop instrumentals.

There are official videos (below) for Pocket's collaborations with Steve Kilbey and Dave Smalley. While the Steve Kilbey cut isn't that far removed from what The Church was doing in the 80's, the track with Dave Smalley is a pleasantly surprising industrial dance track that is closer to work by Ministry and/or Nitzer Ebb than Dag Nasty or Down by Law.





The last of the A-Side singles, "Someone to Run Away From" features Craig Wedren. This is a quirky pop tune that fits well alongside Shudder to Think's back-catalog. As an interesting aside, the Dave Smalley & Craig Wedren songs were originally released as each other's B-Sides.

While this disc includes a remix of each of the five A-Sides, these tracks aren't essential listening as they don't break any new ground. The three B-Sides are very strong though and introduced me to some artists that I wasn't previously familiar with - Shonali Bhowmilk (Tiger and Monkeys), Loraine Lelis (Moahogany/Somnambulants), Kimi Recor (Lilofee). Loriane Lelis' track is the strongest of the three and it comes across like a Camera Obscura/St. Etienne lost pop gem.

Pocket has continued to keep the singles coming and has recently collaborated with Tanya Donelly, Mark Burgess and Menomena's Danny Seim.

Links:
Pocket

Empires Releases Third Digital Single "Strangers" From Forthcoming CD "Bang"

Empires, Chicago's answer to The Killers, have a new CD Bang coming out on March 9th. The band has just released the third digital single, "Strangers", from this forthcoming disc.

Empires made their NYC debut last year at CMJ with shows at Union Hall and Fat Baby. MTV describes the band's sound as "all ethereal and doomy like the Black Rebel Motorcycle Club or the Black Angels, but with a little bit of My Chemical Romance snarl thrown in for good measure.” Here is a live video of Empires' "Under the Bright Lights" (from 2008's Howl) from the Union Hall show so you can judge for yourself.



Bang was written, produced and mixed by Empires and will be available through the band's webstore starting on March 9th.

Links:
Empires

Nebula Releases Ltd. Edition 7" / Plays Piano's on March 27th (Tee Pee Records)

STREAM: Nebula - "The Perfect Rapture" (from upcoming split 7" with Quest of Fire)

Psychedelic rock band Nebula are staying out on the road after their current European tour and are kicking off a full US tour on March 16th in Houston. The band will be playing with Tee Pee Records labelmates Quest For Fire on the first leg of the tour and The Willowz and Lionize will support Nebula on the second leg of the tour.

The tour includes a stop at SXSW for a Tee Pee Records Showcase on Thursday, March 18th at Habana Calle 6. The first leg of the tour hits the East Coast in late March and stops at Piano's on March 27th. In conjunction with the tour, Tee Pee Records will release a limited ediiton split 7" featuring brand new tracks from Nebula and Quest For Fire with artwork by Andre Ethier (The Deadly Snakes). The 7" will be limited to 1000 copies on color vinyl.

Nebula's latest release Heavy Psych came out last summer as NME described the disc as "one of those records that makes you want to throw out every other record you've listened to, grow your hair to your elbows, and start all over again".

Here are the upcoming US tour dates:
03/16/10 - Channel/Meridian, Houston TX w/Torche
03/18/10 - Tee Pee Records SXSW Showcase @ Habana Calle 6 w/ Priestess and Iron Age
03/19/10 - SXSW TBA
03/20/10 - SXSW TBA
03/21/10 - SXSW TBA
03/22/10 - Saturn Bar, New Orleans LA w/ASG
03/23/10 - Lenny's, Atlanta GA w/Quest For Fire
03/24/10 - Rocket Club, Asheville NC w/Quest For Fire
03/25/10 - V Club, Huntington WV w/Quest For Fire
03/26/10 - Johnny Brendas, Philadelphia PA w/Quest For Fire
03/27/10 - Pianos, New York NY w/Quest For Fire
03/28/10 - Wreck Room, Toronto ON w/Quest For Fire
03/29/10 - Bug Jar, Rochester NY w/Quest For Fire
03/30/10 - Grog Shop, Cleveland OH w/Quest For Fire
03/31/10 - Summit, Columbus OH w/Quest For Fire
04/01/10 - Double Door, Chicago IL w/The Willowz, Quest For Fire, Lionize
04/02/10 - Firebird, St. Louis MO w/The Willowz, Lionize
04/03/10 - Hi Tone, Memphis TN w/The Willowz, Lionize
04/04/10 - The Conservatory, Oklahoma City OK w/Lionize
04/05/10 - Jackpot Saloon, Lawrence KS w/The Willowz, Lionize
04/06/10 - 3 Kings Tavern, Denver CO w/The Willowz, Lionize
04/07/10 - Club Vegas, Salt Lake City UT w/The Willowz, Lionize
04/09/10 - Studio Seven, Seattle WA w/The Willowz, Lionize
04/10/10 - Dante's, Portland OR w/The Willowz, Lionize
04/12/10 - Thee Parkside, San Francisco CA w/The Willowz, Lionize
04/15/10 - Spaceland, Los Angeles CA w/The Willowz, Lionize

Links:
Nebula

Aeternam - Disciples of the Unseen CD Review (Metal Blade)

Disciples of the Unseen is the debut release by Canadian epic death metal band Aeternam. The band signed with Metal Blade last year and this new release is coming out next Tuesday, Feb. 16th.

Aeternam's new release stands out from a number of the bands in the death metal genre as they effortlessly combine brutal riffs and growling vocals with Middle Eastern and tribal rhythms and sweeping guitar solos. Nile is a close point of comparison but Aeternam's music is more diverse and more melodic.

The disc starts with an almost Gregorian instrumental ("Ars Almadel") which then leads into the pounding blast beats of "Angel Horned" (live video below). On songs like "Goddess of Masr", the band combines the aggressive with the sublime. This song starts with some epic guitar solos before heading into a breakdown and then coming out of this mid-way through the song for some melodic and restrained guitar work, finally ending the song with some church-like chanting. Other songs include the acoustic "Interu" which features clean vocal harmonies from the band combined with intricate Middle Eastern bass and drum rhythms. Vocalist Achraf Loudiy also uses clean vocals on "The Coronation of Seth" and this track could easily find its way into heavy rotation on metal radio stations. While Aeternam is based in Quebec, the overall tone of this disc is closer to some of the metal that has been coming out of Europe as of late rather than some of Aeternam's North American contemporaries.

Disciples of the Unseen was produced by mastermind JeF Fortin (Neuraxis, The Last Felony) and he brings out the subtle complexities of the music which makes for great headphone listening. It sounds like every note on this disc was chosen with care and the band never stoops to raw brutality just for the sake of it. This a great debut and the diversity of the disc should attract fans from across a variety of metal sub-genres.

Aeternam is planning on spending most of the next year out on the road so I'm looking forward to catching the band live whenever they get to NYC.



Links:
Aeternam

Glint is Playing a Free Show at Brooklyn Bowl on Feb. 18th (Electro-Rock)

DOWNLOAD: Glint - "Freak" (Radio Edit)

Local electro-rock band Glint is playing a free show at Brooklyn Bowl on Thursday, Feb. 18th as part of the Hank and Cupcakes Video Release Party. Glint got a lot of buzz with their 2009 release Sound in Sight which had songs featured on iTunes and Melrose Place and the band also made two live appearances on Fearless Music (video from the first appearance is below).

Glint's music has been described as "emulative of early David Bowie and Eno-esque atmosphere" and, last year, the UK Metro stated “Muse's Matt Bellamy is a clear influence on Glint singer Jase Blankfort, but the New York outfit are arguably even more epic than the British band, full of glistening synths, massive hooks and orchestral swatches [...] This may be your only chance to catch them in relatively intimate surrounds before the inevitable arenas".



Glint is currently in the studio working on a new disc so this show is essentially a warm-up show for the band's upcoming US tour in March.

Links:
Glint

Ingrid Michelson Announces a US Co-Headlining Tour with Mat Kearney

Ingrid Michaelson has announced a US co-headlining tour with Mat Kearney that kicks off on March 9th.

Ingrid is continuing to tour behind her well-received 2009 release Everybody and she has also been performing live on a number of the network talk shows. Her most recent appearance was on the Ellen Degeneres show last month where she performed "Maybe", the first single off Everybody.



As last fall's tour sold out quickly, anyone interested in seeing the tour should sign up on Ingrid Michaelson's website to be able to purchase pre-sale tickets.

Here are the upcoming tour dates:

March 09, Lancaster, PA, Chameleon
March 11, Athens, OH, Templeton Blackburn Memorial
March 12, Allentown, PA, Crocodile Rock
March 13, Montclair, NJ, Wellmont Theatre
March 14, New Haven, CT, Toad's Place
March 16, Clifton Park, NY, Northern Lights
March 17, Providence, RI, Lupo's
March 18, Philadelphia, PA, Electric Factory
March 20, Baltimore, MD, Rams Head Live
March 21, Norfolk, VA, The Norva
March 23, Charlotte, NC, Amos' Southend
March 24, Jacksonville, FL, Florida Theatre
March 25, Tampa, FL, Ruth Eckerd Hall
March 26, Orlando, FL, House of Blues
March 27, Gulf Shores, AL, The Hangout
March 29, Charleston, SC, Music Farm
March 30, Knoxville, TN, Bijou Theatre
March 31, Greenville, SC, The Handlebar
April 1, Bloomington, IN, The Bluebird
April 2, Chicago, IL, Riviera Theatre
April 3, Des Moines, IA, People's Court

Links:
Ingrid Michaelson's MySpace Profile

The Secret Machines Release New Single "Like I Can" (TSM Recordings)

DOWNLOAD: The Secret Machines - "Like I Can"

Earlier this week, The Secret Machines released a new two-song single "Like I Can / Terrible Light". (Click the cover to go to iTunes) The single is out on the band's own label, TSM Recordings, and both tracks were recorded at The Magic Shop and mixed at Electric Lady in NYC.

When talking about "Like I Can", Brandon Curtis said "This song was conceived as a conversation. You know, some of my best conversations have been held between me and myself. Not that I feel particularly anti-social or anything. It's just that when operating as both parties, one tends to have more patience for revision. Editing for content and language. Balancing intensity of emotion with just the right amount of logic. Anyway, as you might have guessed this practice has resulted in many missed opportunities. So, this is it. Spilled out like a cracked wine glass. Me at my most persuasive? Perhaps not, but it's a start."

Links:
The Secret Machines

The Organ Beats Play Glasslands Tomorrow Night (Feb. 5th)

DOWNLOAD: The Organ Beats - "Happy Birthday Come On Home" (from Sleep When We Are Dead)

Last weekend, I played Damone's debut CD, From the Attic, for the first time in years and I had forgotten what a great power pop disc this was. The band played a lot of high profile shows around town (opening for Joan Jett at North Six, Ramps & Amps Festival on Randall's Island, etc.) in 2005 - 06 but then seemed to fade from view.

After taking some time off from music, Damone guitarist/front-woman Noelle LeBlanc is back with her newest project The Organ Beats. The three piece band was formed in 2008 and consists of Noelle LeBlanc, her brother Danny and long-time friend Mikey C. The new 9-track album Sleep When We Are Dead was recorded in the summer 2009 in their friends' small studio outside of Houston,TX over the course of 3 weeks.

The band is off on a short tour which stops at Glasslands tomorrow night. The band is playing with Red Wire Black Wire and Beat Radio. Cover is $8.00 and doors are at 7PM.

Here is the band's upcoming tour dates:

02.05.10 - Glasslands New York, NY
02.09.10 - Tammany Hall Worcester, MA
02.11.10 - KC's Tap Pawtucket, RI
02.26.10 - TT the Bear's Place Cambridge, MA
03.06.10 - Ralph's Worcester, MA

The Organ Beats - "Time To Go"


Damone - "What We Came For"


Links:
The Organ Beats

We Are Wolves Play The Studio at Webster Hall on Friday (5th/Feb) and Brooklyn Bowl on Saturday (6th/Feb)

DOWNLOAD: We Are Wolves - "Blue" (from Invisible Violence)

Montreal dance-rock band We Are Wolves are in town this weekend for two shows. The band is touring behind their third CD Invisible Violence which came out just a few days ago on Dare To Care Records.

The band doesn't slow down on the dance floor grooves on this new disc but there is a bit of a "cooler core" to the overall sound. In a recent interview with Exclaim.ca, Alexander Ortiz "volunteers a recent group obsession with David Bowie's Low that subliminally seeped into their sound, even to the point where producer Moumneh mentioned it during recording."

We Are Wolves are playing The Studio at Webster Hall on Friday, Feb. 5th. Tickets are $10 and the band is playing at 11PM.

On Saturday night, We are Wolves are playing Brooklyn Bowl as part of the Hot Chip Official After-Party and DJ Set. Tickets are $10 and doors are at 11PM.

Links:
We Are Wolves' MySpace Profile

Hurricane Bells (Ashen & Steve) Sing to Fans In India (Vagrant Records)

While on tour in India, Ashen and Steve from Hurricane Bells came across this group of young Indian girls at a temple near a beach. The girls recognized them from posters promoting shows in their area and asked Steve and Ashen to sing for them.



Hurricane Bells are back in the States later this month and are playing a show at Union Hall with Falcon and Scout on February 17th. Tickets are $10 and doors are at 7:30PM.

Links:
Hurricane Bells' MySpace Profile

Weedeater Starts "Nine Toe" Tour in Savannah in March (Southern Lord)

After an unfortunate accident with a shotgun (see previous post) delayed the previous round of tour dates, Weedeater heads out on the road for a cross-country March/April tour. The tour kicks off a week before this year's SXSW Festival where Weedeater will be headlining the Tone Deaf Touring showcase on March 20th. Support bands for the tour include Black Cobra, ASG, Black Tusk, The Gates of Slumber, US Christmas, and Struck by Lightning.

There is only one local tour stop, which is at The Studio at Webster Hall on April 10th. Right after this run of tour dates, the band will be going into Electrical Audio Studios to record their new release entitled Jason... The Dragon (Southern Lord) with Steve Albini.

Weedeater 2010 "Nine Toe" Tour
3/12/2010 The Jinx - Savannah, GA
3/13/2010 The Back Booth - Orlando, FL
3/14/2010 Crazy Marlins - Panama City Beach, FL
3/15/2010 Lenny's - Atlanta, GA
3/16/2010 Bottletree - Birmingham, AL
3/17/2010 Hi Tone - Memphis, TN
3/18/2010 The Channel @ Meridian - Houston, TX
3/19/2010 Skillman Street Bar - Dallas, TX
3/20/2010 Encore - Austin, TX @ Tone Deaf SXSW Showcase
3/21/2010 Zombie's - San Antonio, TX
3/23/2010 Launchpad - Albuquerque, NM
3/24/2010 Chasers - Scottsdale, AZ
3/26/2010 Ultra Violet - Los Angeles, CA
3/27/2010 Elbo Room - San Francisco, CA
3/28/2010 Rotture - Portland, OR
3/29/2010 Funhouse - Seattle, WA
3/31/2010 Club Vegas - Salt Lake City, UT
4/01/2010 Larimer Lounge - Denver, CO
4/02/2010 The Record Bar - Kansas City, MO
4/03/2010 Triple Rock - Minneapolis, MN
4/04/2010 Reggie's - Chicago, IL
4/05/2010 Mac's - Lansing, MI
4/06/2010 The Southgate House - Newport, KY
4/07/2010 The Grog Shop - Cleveland, OH
4/08/2010 Wreck Room - Toronto, ON
4/09/2010 Bug Jar - Rochester, NY
4/10/2010 Webster Hall (Studio) - New York, NY
4/11/2010 Khyber - Philadelphia, PA
4/12/2010 DC9 - Washington, DC
4/13/2010 Krug's - Frederick, MD
4/14/2010 The Triple - Richmond, VA

Links:
Weedeater

White Wizzard Releases 'Over The Top' on March 9th / Show at Santos Party House on March 10th

Los Angeles traditional metal band White Wizzard are releasing their first full-length, Over the Top (Earache), on March 9th and are playing an early show at Santos Party House on March 10th.

The new disc was produced by Ralph Patlan (Megadeth, UFO, Michael Schenker) and Earache is taking pre-orders for limited edition colored vinyl and 2-CD versions of the disc. For anyone who wants an advance listen on how the new material sounds live, there are two White Wizzard videos from a recent performance at Reggie's in Chicago streaming on Chicago's UVTV site.

Here is an interview that I did with the band when they were in town last year for a show at Club Europa.



Links:
White Wizzard