Automatic Children Play Bowery Electric on Wednesday, Sept. 28th (First NYC Show in 2011)

I'm too tired to write anything really deep and meaningful tonight/this morning so...great band, great live set, first NYC show in nine months. What more do I need to say?

"We are excited to announce two new shows in the coming weeks. Wednesday, September 28th we will be rocking the Bowery Electric (327 Bowery at 2nd st) at 930pm for an L Rock the Party booking event. We have half an album of new songs to debut, and we can't wait for you to hear them. We are gearing up to record a new album in a few months, and we hope you'll come out and hear all of the new songs in the works. This show is $10/21+ and at 10pm. There's 5 great bands on the bill, starting at 7pm. Joining us on drums is our friend Brian Jones, fresh off two years of touring with the Afromotive and Bobby Lee Rodgers. In October, we will be playing CMJ 2011 at Wicked Willy's on Bleecker Street for an L Rock the Party showcase. We go on at 1030pm. Again, its a great lineup, 21+, $10 and we may have even more new material to premiere. See you there!"



Links:
Automatic Children

Electric Low (shoegazer / indie-rock) Plays Free Show at Pub One in Brooklyn on September 25th

DOWNLOAD: Electric Low - "Broken Glass"

I've been working too many hours as of late so I don't get much of a chance to listen to new bands and, when I do, I've got the attention span of a gnat.

Virginia Beach shoegazers Electric Low managed to grab and hold my attention with the track "Broken Glass" from their forthcoming debut EP. The track combines lush instrumentation with compelling vocals and a slow-burn dance floor beat. The band has sort of a School of Seven Bells / Metric vibe. This initial track sold me on the band so I am looking forward to hearing the rest of the EP.

"Two landscapers and a community college student by day, by night Jonathan Anderson, Todd Bunting, and Monica Bjorklund are Electric Low. Melodic electronics, danceable beats, and a satisfying combination of energetic and tranquil guitars display influence from the likes of Stars, School of Seven Bells, and Metric. An Electric Low live show resembles a game of musical chairs, instruments swapped around every time the music stops. These three display an entertaining combination of light-hearted fun and concentrated intensity. Look for their debut e.p., "Speak How You Like," out next month."

Electric Low is playing a free show at Pub One in DUMBO (5 Front Street) on Sunday night along with Carl Vasile and The Vanity Belles.

Links:
Electric Low

The Meatmen Announce October 2011 East Coast Tour / Show at Europa on October 23rd

THE MEATMEN... The very sound of the name can send limp writed Emo simps diving for cover, and always lays a healthy butt hurt on the forces of good everywhere they play. Led by Drum Major in the Squadron of Doom; one Tesco Vee, The Dutch Hercules, the Lansing Liberace, this latest assemblage of Meatboys just finished a whirlwind tour of the West Coast where they laid the musical wood to 25 cities in 25 days, and endured every drug, undocumented alien, and produce checkpoint west of Texarcana.



At one particular "fruit check-point" the boys heard a commotion in the next lane... The shrieks of 'Search me Offither! I'm packing bananas!!" was overheard and alas another band of merry pranksters known as Black Fag 'An Absoultely Fabulous Tribute to Black Flag" were seen chasing the guards around the van demanding attention... and of course an instant bond was formed between these unlikely hardcore wack factories. Yes its true, LA's Black Fag has joined forces with the Meatboy showband and revue for 3 spectacular shows on The Meatmen's upcoming east Coast Extrava-gonzo of sin filled fun and frolic with stops in Boston, Long Island and Brooklyn.



And we are also pleased to announce the bands first foray into Florida in 15 years, the Meatmen will also be tag teaming it with long time LA hardcore stalwarts Youth Brigade in their Miami appearance! This East Coast auditory assault begins Oct 19 and runs thru Oct 30, and will be brimming with more props, confetti and gags than any a Rip Taylor or Gallagher show combined!

Catch The Meatmen and down a shot of old school Motor City Hardcore straight up in a dirty glass!

Dates marked * w/ Black Fag - date marked # with Youth Brigade...
Thu. Oct. 6 Indianapolis, IN - Earth House
Fri. Oct. 7 Columbus OH - The Summit (21+)
Sat. Oct. 8 Sandusky OH - The Underground (18+)
Wed. Oct. 19 Greensboro, PA - 42 St. Rock House (18+)
Thu. Oct. 20 Baltimore MD - Sonar
Fri. Oct. 21 Boston MA* - The Church (18+)
Sat. Oct. 22 Babylon, NY* - Sinclairs
Sun. Oct. 23 Brooklyn, NY* - Europa [Tickets are $15]
Tue. Oct. 25 Myrtle Beach, SC - TBA
Wed. Oct. 26 Jacksonville FL - The Pit
Thu. Oct 27 West Palm Beach, FL # - Respectable St. (18+)
Fri. Oct. 28 Tampa, FL - Brass Mug
Sat. Oct. 29 Atlanta GA - Vinyl @ Center Stage
Sun. Oct. 30 Nashville TN - TBA

For the show at Europa, Black Fag will be making their NYC debut and Runny and Beer and Cable are also on the bill. Doors are at 7PM and the show is all-ages.

Links:
The Meatmen

Iggy & the Stooges - "Raw Power Live: In the Hands of the Fans" DVD Review (MVD)

At 63, the “world’s forgotten boy” hasn’t slowed down. On Tuesday, MVD Entertainment will release Iggy and the Stooges' "Raw Power Live: In The Hands Of The Fans" on DVD and Blu-Ray. The video captures Iggy & the Stooges performing their classic album Raw Power along with tracks from the first two Stooges’ albums and Kill City at the All Tomorrow’s Parties Festival on Friday, September 3, 2010.

I saw The Stooges at Roseland Ballroom on their first reunion tour. When Iggy jumped into the crowd and seemed to be heading right for me, I quickly stepped to the side as Iggy had an aura of frenetic unpredictableness which the cameras do a nice job of capturing on this disc. The concept behind this first “In The Hands Of The Fans” disc is that six fans were selected to film the concert and, following the performance, the fans meet and interview the band. The various camera angles do a great job of capturing the intensity of The Stooges’ performance and it gives the user the sense of almost being part of the crowd.

The half-naked and heavily muscled Iggy is backed by (retired Sony VP – how that for a career change?) James Williamson, whose licks sounds tighter than they did back in 1973, gunslinger bassist Mike Watt and the ever-steady Rock Action. This show isn’t Iggy and a backing band as return of James Williamson adds a darker tone to the band’s music which the rhythm section then locks on to. With saxophonist Steve Mackay, the band adds some of the free-form freak-out of the early Stooges to songs like "1970 (I Feel Alright)" and "Night Theme". The band plays with the energy that defies their age and their performance is on fire.

Continuing in his role as ‘chief instigator’, Iggy called out for dancers, spazzers and freaks and brought members of the audience on stage to dance and pogo while the band played “Shake Appeal” and he was in the crowd at the end of the band’s set.



Raw Power Live Track List
Raw Power
Search and Destroy
Gimme Danger
Your Pretty Face is Going to Hell
Shake Appeal
I Need Somebody
Penetration
Death Trip
1970 (I Feel Alright)
Night Theme
Beyond the Law
I Got A Right
I Wanna Be Your Dog
Open Up & Bleed
Fun House
No Fun

Some of the bonus features include the original YouTube videos that the six fans who filmed the concert submitted along the post-show Q&A that these fans had with the band.



In an interview earlier this year with The Guardian, Iggy had the following to say on the Raw Power tour: "All we're doing now is finishing off a job…[a]nd I'm pleased to report that James has now learned to use his intelligence in balance with his more impulsive, aggressive side."

Links:
Iggy Pop

Foreigner - "Live on Stage" DVD Review (XXL Media)

Prior to watching Foreigner’s forthcoming live DVD “Live On Stage”, I had completely forgotten about Japan’s Super Rock Festival. After doing some on-line searches, my best guess is that the festival ran two years - 1984 and 1985. This live set is from Foreigner’s appearance on August 10, 1985 and the band was touring behind their fifth disc, Agent Provocateur, at the time. The festival lineup appears to have been pretty eclectic as Foreigner played alongside Dio, Rough Cut, Mama’s Boys and Sting.

Foreigner’s performance runs sixty minutes and, while the set is weighted more toward AOR material from Foreigner 4 and Agent Provocateur, the band doesn’t ignore its older material and touches on songs from all of their albums. This DVD also marks the release of the first full-length concert by the Lou Graham fronted lineup of Foreigner. While Classic Hits Live also featured Lou Graham, it compiled tracks from shows between 1978 – 1988 and seems more weighted to the guitar-rock of Foreigner’s early days.

Super Rock Festival 1985 Set List:
1. Long, Long Way From Home
2. Head Games
3. Waiting For A Girl Like You
4. Luanne
5. That Was Yesterday
6. I Want To Know What Love Is
7. Reaction To Action
8. Urgent
9. Dirty White Boy
10. Hot Blooded
11. Juke Box Hero





While the AOR sound and synthesizer-driven power ballads of the 80’s may sound a bit dated today, bands like Van Halen (with Sammy Hagar), Night Ranger and Foreigner dominated FM-radio at that time. The overall performance is solid as the band had completed their evolution into an arena rock band with Agent Provocateur and any of the rough-edges from the band’s early days were long smoothed over.



The band hit their commercial peak with Foreigner 4 but any fans of the band will want to check out Live On Stage. This tour was the “last hurrah” for this lineup of the band as they ran out of gas two years later on Inside Information (1987).

Looking now at the audio and video quality - this show was broadcast on Japanese TV so all the footage is pro-shot and multi-camera. This brings up my one complaint with this disc as it looks like a VHS tape was used as the source that was one or two generations from the master. The audio portion of the show though sounds perfect.

Lou Graham is currently fronting The Lou Graham Band, who released a Christian rock album in 2009. Mick Jones and the Kelly Hansen-fronted lineup of Foreigner are currently on tour with Journey and Night Ranger.

Foreigner 2011 Tour Dates:
September 21, 2011 - San Antonio, TX - AT&T Center
September 22, 2011 - Austin, TX - Frank Erwin Center
September 24, 2011 - Dallas, TX - Gexa Energy Pavilion (SOLD OUT)
September 25, 2011 - Houston, TX - Cynthia Mitchell Woods Pavilion
September 27, 2011 - Oklahoma City, OK - Zoo Amphitheater
September 28, 2011 - Kansas City, MO - Starlight Theatre
September 30, 2011 - Albuquerque, NM - Hard Rock Casino presents the Pavilion
October 01, 2011 - Englewood, CO - Comfort Dental Amphitheatre
October 04, 2011 - Santa Barbara, CA - Santa Barbara Bowl
October 05, 2011 - Concord, CA - Sleep Train Pavilion at Concord
October 07, 2011 - Chula Vista, CA - Cricket Wireless Amphitheatre
October 08, 2011 - Las Vegas, NV - MGM Grand Garden Arena
October 11, 2011 - Los Angeles, CA - Hollywood Bowl
October 12, 2011 - Fresno, CA - Save Mart Center
October 14, 2011 - Wheatland, CA - Sleep Train Amphitheatre
October 15, 2011 - Mountain View, CA - Shoreline Amphitheatre
October 19, 2011 - Portland, OR - Rose Garden
October 21, 2011 - Seattle, WA - Key Arena

Links:
Foreigner

Baje One (of Junk Science) Releases "The Only One (House Wigger 2.0)" as a Free Download

"This is a song that I made a while back, in like 2009. Snafu made the beat, which is superdope in my opinion. We considered using the song on a Junk Science project (“A Miraculous Kind Of Machine”) but Snaf wasn’t feeling the song as much as I was so we decided to scrap it. Democracy. Since then it’s been sitting around in my itunes. I’ve been kinda nervous about releasing it… on some “Oh Lord, please don’t let me be misunderstood” shit. Today I woke up and was just like “Fuck it.” I think it’s funny. Feel free to tell me what you think." = baje

LYRICS
Most rappers don’t really like rappers
In fact you might say it’s kinda vital to the fabric
The history of hip hop, track by track
The greats rail against imaginary rappers and their wackness
Most white rappers don’t really like rappers
Especially other white rappers
You gotta wonder why it matters so much
Why you got to hate?
What? You were born to rhyme and this is not my fate?
Come on man, this is 2000 and future
And everybody rhymes, it’s just something to get used to
So riddle me this, when I see you around
And then I give you a pound, you gotta give me a frown?
And it’d be one thing if you don’t like my writing
But I’m convinced it’s a white on white thing
It’s a big table I’m just walkin to my seat
But you, you wanna be the H.W.I.C.
The Head Wegro that’s In with the Colored folks
Oh god, here comes Baje with another joke
But I aint laughing, I’m just askin
What about my existence is so taxing?
Does it take away from your creepy little fantasy?
Hip hop Tarzan, swingin through the canopy
In your world we can’t both have fly grammar
Cause there can only be one like Highlander

CHORUS
And I wanna be your only one
I wanna be your only one
Hip hop, I wanna be your only one
I had a dream I was the only one
I wanna be your only one
I wanna be your only one
Hip hop I wanna be your only one
Show me the force like Obiwan Kinobe

Ok, in response to some of your letters… to Jackie in Queens, yes we do tend to prefer expensive coffee. And to Caesar in New Haven, yes a lot of us do like to wear our shoes inside the house. And yes it’s true, we really do like Mos Def.

Ahem… it’s not just rap
It’s one good lens but it’s not just that
Check it, me and my lady travelin abroad
And we try to be polite the get wrapped up in a conversation
With a bunch of white kids at a hostel
Traveler types, yeah, right, you know what it’s like
White kids with dreads and no shoes
Tryin to tell you about this place they went that’s so cool
“You wouldn’t believe it, the whole entire place
Was a sea of brown people, and me the only white face
Some had never even seen a white person
It’s crazy, right? I felt like a virgin
On virgin territory, off the beaten path
I’d be surprised if it was even on the map”
(cough) Pause – inhale weed smoke
An opportunity, another kid he spoke
Might as well have been the same couple sentences
Different locale with the exact same sentiment
I had to cut him off said I’m off to bed
Plus my girl’s about to stab him in the neck and so we stepped
Peep… it seems harmless, but has a really ill side
If seeing all the brown folks is just another thrill ride
All that melanin to boost your adrenaline
It’s like snowboarding except you’re more snowed in
Look, you gotta travel, just it’s kinda frail
To sit around competing for the most exotic tale
It just so happens these kids are kinda pale
Stuck with the bug to float you gotta sail
With a one-way ticket running away from your whiteness
And here you are in the jungle starin at your likeness
Last thing you wanna do is see another Tarzan
Who forces you to contemplate what you really are man…

CHORUS
Cause you wanna be that only one
You wanna be that only one
You wanna be that only one
You had a dream you were the only one
And I wanna be that only one
I wanna to be your only one
Hip hop I wanna be your only one
Show me the force like Obiwan Kinobe
Or better yet… Mace Windu

Ok. A few more letters. To Araceli in the Bronx, I don’t know, I don’t know why we like weird beers. Thanks for asking I guess. And to Chris in L.A. yes we often do have weird beards. Good observation. Weird beers and weird beards… dot com.

Links:
Junk Science

Peter Case - "The Case Files" CD Review (Alive Records)

DOWNLOAD: Peter Case - "Round Trip Stranger Blues"
Peter Case - (Give Me) One More Mile by alivenaturalsound

Bomp/Alive describes The Case Files as a collection of “demos, out-takes, one live shot & other rarities recorded between 1985 and 2010”. This description doesn’t do the disc justice as this is a pretty solid collection of tracks rather than the half-finished demos and cast-offs found in archival compilations by other artists (maybe Peter Case could give some pointers to whomever is managing the Marc Bolan/T Rex estate).

As this disc spans Case’s solo career post-The Plimsouls, there are some expected stylistic jumps. The music on The Case Files include: roots-rock, a heavy dose of blues, “Woody Guthrie style” social protest songs and a hint of the indie power-pop of The Plimsouls. The traditional blues number “Milk Cow Blues” was recorded live and the remaining tracks are a mix of full band studio performances and Case playing solo acoustic. The songs are a mixture of newly heard originals, early versions of songs that ended up on one of Case’s solo discs and covers of Alexandro Escovedo (“The End”), Bob Dylan (“Black Crow Blues”) and Rolling Stones (“Good Time Bad Times”) songs

The disc starts out strong with the upbeat root-rock tune “(Give Me) One More Mile” before heading into a social indictment of the past Republican administration with “Let’s Turn This Thing Around”. Musically, this later song is somewhat odd as it includes a host of sound effects (crowd noise, safety alarm noise, animal noises, etc.) along with some crazy synthesizer effects, courtesy of Stan Ridgeway. A chunk of the lyrics from this song are repeated on “The Ballad of the Minimum Wage” but on this later song, Case’s vocals are delivered beat-poetry style. Case also uses this spoken word delivery style on the other working class anthem on the disc “Kokomo Prayer Vigil”.

While there is nothing too ‘hard-edged’ on the disc, “Good Time, Bad Times” and “The End” are both bash ‘em out rock tunes. “Anything (Closing Credits)” (which sounds completely different than the version on Case’s 2006 release Torn Again) and “Trusted Friend” capture the pop sparkle of The Plimsouls and this first track features Eddie Munoz and the later was described by Case as a long lost track in between the Plimsouls and his solo career. Lastly, the disc also contains a stripped-down, melancholy version of “Steel Strings #1” (which features T. Bone Burnett) which was given a high-gloss sheen for Case’s first solo disc.



The Case Files Track List:
1. (Give Me) One More Mile
2. Let's Turn This Thing Around
3. Anything (Closing Credits)
4. The End
5. Good Times, Bad Times
6. Milkcow Blues
7. Kokomo Prayer Vigil
8. The Ballad of the Minimum Wage
9. Steel Strings (Demonstration)
10. Trusted Friend
11. Black Crow Blues
12. Round Trip Stranger Blues

Peter Case 2011 Fall Tour
Sep. 9 - Vagabond Blues, Palmer, AK
Sep. 10 - Out North Theatre, Anchorage, AK
Sep. 14 - The Geomatic Attic, South Lethbridge, AB, Canada
Sep. 15 - The Palomino, Calgary, AB , Canada
Sep. 16 - The Roxy Theatre, Saskatoon, SK Canada
Sep. 30 The Record Collector Concert Series, Bordentown, NJ
Oct. 1 (12:30PM) - Bridge Street Live, Collinsville, CT
Oct. 1 (6PM) - The Turning Point, Piermont, NY
Oct. 2 - Roots Hoot House Concerts, Peace Dale, RI
Oct. 4 - Stage On Herr, Harrisburg, PA
Oct. 5 - Thunderbird Café, 4023 Butler Street, Lawrenceville, PA
Oct. 6 - Rumba Café, Columbus, OH
Oct. 8 - Trinity House Theatre, Livonia, MI
Oct. 9 - Columbia Street West, Ft. Wayne, IN
Oct. 10 - WYCE Fall Hat Trick Series,Grand Rapids, MI
Oct. 11 - Beachland Ballroom, Cleveland, OH
Oct. 12 - The Good Neighborhood @ The Sportsman, Buffalo, NY
Oct. 13 - Lovin' Cup, Rochester, NY
Oct. 14 - Buffalo Film Festival Opening Night, The Screening Room Cinema Café, Amherst, NY
Oct. 15 - This Ain't Hollywood, Hamilton, ON, Canada
Oct. 16 - Hugh's Room, Toronto, ON
Oct. 20 - Bayport BBQ, Bayport, MN
Oct. 21 - Lee's Liquor Lounge, Minneapolis, MN
Oct. 22 - House Of Righteous Music, Madison, WI
Oct. 23 - Old Town School of Folk Music, Chicago, IL

The closest show is Saturday, Oct. 1 at The Turning Point, 468 Piermont Ave. Piermont, NY. The show starts at 6PM and tickets are $20.

Links:
Peter Case

Waters (ex-Port O'Brien) - "Out In The Light" CD Review (TBD Records)

DOWNLOAD: Waters - "For The One" (from Out in the Light)

Waters is the new project from ex-Port O'Brien front man Van Pierszalowski. Following the demise of that band last year, he took a break from making music and ended up living in Oslo, Norway. After some time off, he began writing again, then traveled most of the next year to Alaska, California, and Brooklyn, NY, before returning to Oslo to record the album with a band he put together.

The new album, Out in the Light (out Sept. 20th on TBD Records), has a louder, fuller, more aggressive and raw sound than anything he's written before. Out in the Light was recorded during a focused ten day session in Dallas with John Congleton (St. Vincent, Explosions In The Sky, The Walkmen) who captured the raw intimacy and intensity of both the band’s noise pop and stripped-down numbers.

Musically, Out in the Light sounds like something from the early 90’s as there are elements of Matthew Sweet style fuzzed-out Byrdsian power-pop (“Abridge My Love”, “San Francisco”), Sonic Youth style grunge (“For the One”, “Back To You”) and lo-fi, alt-rock sing-alongs (“Take Us Out to the Coast”). Breaking from this comparison though are a couple Neil Young style stripped-down numbers (“Ones You Had Before”, “Mickey Mantle”).



This seems to have been a cleansing album for Van as his lyrics focus around tales of loss, regret and heartbreak. Beneath the heartbreak though, there seems to be new energy as upbeat portions of the disc bristle with blustery energy. While this record seems to be an introspective look back, Van said: "[t]he record is about waking up. It is about getting out of a situation that seems endless, and realizing you're not too old to make dramatic and sudden changes in your life. It is about starting over.”

Waters will head out on a quick run of west coast headlining shows next week. Next month, the band - who toured with The Joy Formidable, Vetiver, and Mister Heavenly in August - will head to the east coast for a handful of shows beginning October 16th at the Northstar Bar in Philadelphia, PA. A current itinerary is below and more shows will be announced shortly.

Waters Tour Dates:
SEPT. 20 -- LOS ANGELES, CA -- ORIGAMI VINYL (free in-store)
SEPT. 21 -- LOS ANGELES, CA -- THE SATELLITE
SEPT. 23 -- SANTA BARBARA, CA -- MUDDY WATERS
SEPT. 24 -- SAN FRANCISCO, CA -- THE INDEPENDENT
SEPT. 25 -- SAN LUIS OBISPO, CA -- SLO BREWING COMPANY
OCT. 16 -- PHILADELPHIA, PA -- NORTHSTAR BAR
OCT. 18 -- WASHINGTON, DC -- RED PALACE
OCT. 19 -- NEW YORK, NY -- CMJ
OCT. 20 -- NEW YORK, NY -- CMJ
OCT. 21 -- NEW YORK, NY -- CMJ
OCT. 22 -- BOSTON, MA -- GREAT SCOTT

Links:
Waters

Jim Ward (Sparta, Sleepcar) Plays Highline Ballroom In Support of "Quiet in the Valley, On the Shores The End Begins & The Electric Six"

DOWNLOAD: Jim Ward - "Take It Back" (Electric Version)

Following last month's two-week tour of the western US, Jim Ward - frontman of Sparta and Sleepercar and founding member of At The Drive-In - will head out on an east coast tour this Sunday, September 18th. The tour launches at The Earl in Atlanta, GA and wraps up on September 27th at The Crofoot in Pontiac, MI. The dates include a full band show supporting Yuck in Boston on the 22nd, a Ward solo acoustic show supporting Rhett Miller in New York on the 24th, and a performance at the POP Montreal festival on the 25th.

Ward's debut solo album Quiet In The Valley, On The Shores The End Begins & The Electric Six was released on August 8th via his own Tembloroso Recordings. The album is a compilation of his acoustic solo EP trilogy - 2007's "Quiet", 2009's "In The Valley, On The Shores", 2011's "The End Begins" - paired with an additional disc of select tracks gone electric. To kick off the tour, the electric version of album track "Take It Back" is now available as a free MP3 download (download link above). Ward also made a video for "Broken Songs (electric)" with director Zach Passero.



The ever-busy Ward - who already co-owns a bar, The Hope and Anchor, and recording studio, Clap of Thunder, in his hometown of El Paso - recently opened a new downtown venue, Tricky Falls, which also features a separate bar, Bowie Feathers, on the second floor. Sparta will play their first show since 2008 at the venue on November 17th; tickets for the show are available here.

Jim Ward Tour Dates:
SEPT. 18 -- ATLANTA, GA -- THE EARL
SEPT. 19 -- CHAPEL HILL, NC -- LOCAL 506
SEPT. 20 -- WASHINGTON, DC -- DC9
SEPT. 21 -- PHILADELPHIA, PA -- MILKBOY
SEPT. 22 -- BOSTON, MA -- TT THE BEAR'S#
SEPT. 24 -- NEW YORK, NY -- HIGHLINE BALLROOM%
SEPT. 25 -- MONTREAL, QC -- LE CAGIBI (POP MONTREAL)
SEPT. 26 -- TORONTO, ON -- HORSESHOE TAVERN
SEPT. 27 -- PONTIAC, MI -- THE CROFOOT
# supporting Yuck
% solo show supporting Rhett Miller

Tickets for the Highline Ballroom show are $22 in advance and $25 DOS. At this show, Jim is opening for Rhett Miller who will be playing a full band show.

Links:
Jim Ward

Tyler Ramsey (Band of Horses) - "The Valley Wind" CD Review (Fat Possum)

The Valley Wind by tylerramsey

Band of Horses guitarist Tyler Ramsey is releasing his third solo album, The Valley Wind, on September 27th on Fat Possum. This new disc is a crystalline yet warm slice of Appalachian-flavored folk/country tunes, filled with Ramsey’s rich, plaintive vocals and expressive, intricate guitar playing.

The Valley Wind was written while both on and off the road over the course of last year and recorded in Nashville, TN at Alex The Great studio in early January. Friend and bandmate Bill Reynolds (who’s worked with The Avett Brothers and Lissie) produced and aided on bass, while friend Seth Kauffman (Floating Action) sat in on drums and guitar, also singing background vocals.

The disc starts off with intricate guitar-based instrumental “Raven Shadow” which sets the tone for the disc. A number of the tracks feature Ramsey’s finger-picked guitar notes and ringing chords along with his plaintive and intimate vocals accompanied by just a brushed drum. Echo and reverb are added to some of these tracks but it is still a fairly stripped-down affair. Ramsey mixes things on the back-half of the disc with numbers like “Stay Gone”, which features great vocal harmonies from Seth Kauffman so the track sounds like a country-rock version of CSN, and “When It's Gone” and “All Night” which are hazy, almost psychedelic, numbers which would sound perfect on 70’s AM radio.

The disc is available for pre-order via Fat Possum’s webstore and iTunes. The iTunes version comes with a bonus track of Ramsey covering Jules Shear’s “All Through The Night”.

Band of Horses just finished a short run of West Coast dates and are heading to Australia in October so Tyler Ramsey is playing a short run of East Coast headlining dates in between these legs of the BoH tour.

Tyler Ramsey 2011 Tour Dates
10/06 – Asheville, NC @ The Grey Eagle
10/08 – Charlotte, NC @ The Evening Muse
10/10 – New York, NY @ Joe’s Pub
10/11 – Vienna, VA @ Jammin Java
10/12 – Harrisburg, PA @ The Gallery at the Abbey Bar
10/13 – Pittsburgh, PA @ Club Café
10/15 – Staunton, VA @ Mockingbird
10/19 – Decatur, GA @ Eddie’s Attic

The show at Joe’s Pub starts at 9:30PM and advanced tickets are $15.



Links:
Tyler Ramsey

Wyldlife - "Wyldlife" CD Review / Show at Bowery Ballroom on Sept. 19th

If Wyldlife had come up ten years earlier, they would easily have been picked up by a major label alongside The Strokes and The Star Spangles.

Forming out of Purchase College, Wyldlife quickly strided into the New York music scene with a pair of leather boots on their feet and a mission in their hearts: to bury the days of tame rock and roll. Still digging on their collection of 70's punk and power pop, perhaps the boys were born into the entirely wrong decade altogether? Or perhaps they realize that to get an audience on its feet, all that's need is a fast beat and a loud melody- a timeless simplicity enhanced with refined grit that has (nearly) been lost in today's clutter of rock boredom.

Wyldlife plays glammed-up, old-school punk and the closest reference points are Hanoi Rocks and D Generation as the band mixes sing-along, anthemic punk along with greasy Rn'B Stones' licks. The band released their 10-track (31 min.) self-titled debut last month and it is a welcome return to the sound of the bands that used to play the Continental and CBGB in the late 90's. While the rhythm section holds down a steady beat and keeps the band grounded, the focal point of Wyldlife is on Samm Allen's guitar licks and Dave Feldman's sneering, nasal vocals. Lyrically, the band touches on break-ups, bl*wjobs and serial killers along with 70's junk culture and the band has included covers of "California Sun" and the Bay City Rollers' "Saturday Night" in their live sets.





Wyldlife is playing the Bowery Ballroom on Monday, Sept. 19th with The Pain of Being Pure at Heart and Twin Sister. Tickets are $20 and doors are at 7PM.

Links:
Wyldlife

PJ Harvey - "iTunes Session" CD Review

Earlier this month, PJ Harvey became the first person to win the UK’s Mercury Music Prize twice. Harvey previously won the award in 2001 for Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea and this second award was for her eighth studio album, Let England Shake, which was released earlier this year.

PJ Harvey is releasing an exclusive iTunes Session on Monday, September 13th that features seven recently recorded live tracks along with a twenty-four minute interview with Harvey where she discusses her musical background, song writing process and how her collaboration with Seamus Murphy evolved. The Session includes four songs from Let England Shake (Vagrant/Island), as well as "Angelene" from 1998's Is This Desire?, and "C'mon Billy" and "Down by the Water" from 1995's To Bring You My Love.

iTunes Session track listing:
1. “Let England Shake”
2. “The Words That Maketh Murder”
3. “The Last Living Rose”
4. “Written On The Forehead”
5. “Angelene”
6. “C’Mon Billy”
7. “Down By The Water”
8 – Interview -

After winning the Mercury Music Prize, Harvey said: “I feel surprised and astonished that I’ve won twice and I do feel proud, it’s amazing, I can’t quite take it in but at the same time I feel that making music and words is very important to me and I’ve always tried to make it the best it could possibly be and I hope to continue doing that. I hope to be back here again in another 10 years’ time with another record because it’s very important to me to keep making word that is of relevance, not just to myself but to other people.”

Below is PJ Harvey's performance of "The Words That Maketh Murder" from the Mercury Music Prize Ceremony along a live audience video from Harvey’s show at Terminal 5 earlier this year of “Let England Shake”.





PJ Harvey Tour Dates:
Oct 21 – Stockholm, Sweden @ Filadelfiakyrkan
Oct 22 – Stockholm, Sweden @ Filadelfiakyrkan
Oct 24 – Oslo, Norway @ Sentrum Scene
Oct 25 – Oslo, Norway @ Sentrum Scene
Oct 27 – Prague, Czech Republic @ Lucerna Hall
Oct 30 – London, UK @ Royal Albert Hall
Oct 31 – London, UK @ Royal Albert Hall

Links:
PJ Harvey

Keegan DeWitt Premiers Video for "Colors" / CMJ Show at Canal Room on Oct. 19th

DOWNLOAD: Keegan DeWitt - "Colour"

Nashville-based Keegan DeWitt is preparing to head out with Madi Diaz for a handful of southeastern shows beginning September 21st at the Workplay Theater in Birmingham, AL and he'll also perform at the ASCAP showcase during the CMJ Music Marathon on October 19th in New York.

Over the past year DeWitt has caught the attention of Paste ('10 Best New Solo Artists of 2010'), American Songwriter, AOL Music's Spinner, Popmatters, My Old Kentucky Blog, and the Nashville Scene, among others, while his "Nothing Shows" EP track "Say La La" will be featured in the pilot of ABC's new drama Revenge on September 21st (10pm ET/9pm CT). He and his band also filmed a stripped-down Sleepover Shows live session in Boston in June.



DeWitt has gained additional recognition for his film score compositions, and his work was seen theatrically earlier this year in Aaron Katz's New York Times 'Critic's Pick' Cold Weather. He recently collaborated with the cycling gear company Rapha as well, composing a suite for their coverage of the Amgen Tour of California.

Keegan DeWitt Tour Dates:

SEPT. 21 -- BIRMINGHAM, AL -- WORKPLAY THEATER*
SEPT. 22 -- ATLANTA, GA -- DRUNKEN UNICORN*
SEPT. 23 -- NASHVILLE, TN -- MERCY LOUNGE (Soundland Festival)*
SEPT. 24 -- CHAPEL HILL, NC -- LOCAL 506*
OCT. 19 -- NEW YORK, NY -- THE CANAL ROOM (ASCAP CMJ showcase)
* with Madi Diaz

Links:
Keegan DeWitt

Alexander (Ebert): Performed "Truth" on Conan O'Brien on Sept. 12th (Edward Sharpe)

DOWNLOAD: Alexander - "Truth" (album version)



Links:
Alexander

Thin Lizzy - "Black Rose" Deluxe Edition CD Review

The early part of 1978 was a prolific period for members of Thin Lizzy. The late January / early February sessions yielded most of Black Rose (1979) along with tracks that appeared on Gary Moore’s solo disc Back on the Streets and Phil’s Solo in Soho CD.

To echo the same thing that I said about the Bad Reputation deluxe edition, the Andy Pierce remaster sounds great and one can clearly hear all of the subtleties and dynamics within the music. It has been years since I’ve heard this album and it has aged well to my ears. The somewhat dated 70’s funk/boogie of Johnny the Fox has been left in the past and this is classic arena rock featuring some stellar song writing and the twin guitar leads of Gary Moore and Scott Gorham. Even the casual Lizzy fans will know “Waiting for An Alibi” and “Do Anything You Want To” but other tracks like “Got To Give It Up” and Gary Moore powered “A Roisin Dubh (Black Rose): A Rock Legend” shouldn’t be missed.

I’ve got mixed feelings on the bonus tracks. While it is great to hear the embryonic versions of tracks that ended up on Black Rose and Gary Moore’s Back on the Streets (specifically “Don’t Believe a Word”) albums, I have nine of the disc’s ten tracks on the eighteen track “Black Rose Sessions” bootleg CD. The issue isn’t that these tracks were bootlegged but rather than the legitimate release doesn’t include half of the Black Rose sessions. It seems both curious and arbitrary that the slow version of “Don’t Believe A Word” (from Gary Moore’s Back on the Streets disc) was included and "Parisienne Walkways" wasn’t. (…or that “Rockula/Rock Your Love”, which was probably intended for Solo in Soho, was included and “Hate” wasn’t).

My view is that the recent slew of 2CD Deluxe reissues (from all bands) are targeted to the longtime fan as an “upgrade” rather than new fans. Given that the limitation (from the 80’s) of a maximum of a ~40 minute running time for CD is long in the past, this is a decent upgrade but it falls short of what it could have been.

Track List for Black Rose Bonus Disc

1. Just The Two Of Us (Do Anything You Want To B-Side)
2. A Night In The Life Of A Blues Singer (longer version)
3. Rock Your Love (unreleased)
4. Don't Believe A Word (slow version)
5. Toughest Street In Town (different version)

1978 Nassau Session
6. S & M
7. Got To Give It Up
8. Cold Black Night (unreleased)
9. With Love
10. Black Rose

Thin Lizzy – Black Rose Sessions Bootleg

1-21-78 Rampart Studios
1) Rockula [aka “Rock Your Love”] (unreleased/written by Jimmy Bain)
2) A Night In the Life of a Blue Singer (long version)

1-22-78 Rampart Studios
3) Cold Black Night (Unreleased)
4) Hate (Unreleased)
5) With Love (with Huey Lewis on harmonica)
6) Parisienne Walkways (with Huey Lewis)
7) Black Rose (with Huey Lewis)
8) Got to Give It Up (slower / different lyrics)
9) Toughest Street in Town (lyrics dubbed too nasty by record company)
10) Don’t Believe a Word (slow version – Lynott / Moore vocals)

Good Earth Studios 2-1-78
11) Ode to a Black Man (Original version)
12) Spanish Guitar (demo / different lyrics)
13) Parisienne Walkways (demo)
14) Are You Ready (Unreleased Studio Version)
15) Blackmail (Unreleased by Lizzy – on first Wild Horses Album)
16) Waiting for an Alibi (Slower / different Lyrics)
17) Fanatical Fascists (Lynott vocals)

Unknown Date / Location
18) Leaving Town (Unreleased)
19) Just the Two of Us ("Do Anything You Want To" b-side)



Links:
Thin Lizzy

Kiss Release Plushies, Announce Appearance in "Archie" Comic Book and New Album in 2012

Kiss has announced their 20th album, Monster, and the fourth volume of Kissology will be released sometime around the beginning of the year. In the run-up to these releases, Kiss has some new merchandise coming out.

First up are plushies of the original lineup (Gene, Paul, Peter and Ace) and each doll is 7" tall. The dolls were released yesterday and are available through Entertainment Earth and FYE stores. Each doll is $11.99 through Entertainment Earth.









(from KissOnline)
Come November, Riverdale will rock 'n roll all night -- not to mention, party every day -- for the four-part storyline "Archie Meets KISS" running through "Archie" #627-630. Written by Archie Comics' Executive Director of Publicity and Marketing Alex Segura with art by Dan Parent -- an Archie mainstay most recently known for creating Kevin Keller, the publisher's first openly gay character -- the story will find Sabrina's errant protection spell inviting a horde of demons to town, with the comics-inspired KISS personas of the Demon, Moonchild, Spaceman and Catman arriving just in time to help save the day.

CBR News spoke with Segura and Parent about "Archie Meets KISS" and how the two worlds will collide.

CBR News: First, guys, how did this unusual team-up come together?

Alex Segura: Pretty easily, actually. Gene Simmons called up our Co-CEO Jon Goldwater with the idea. Once the deal was struck, I pitched my story to Jon and President Mike Pellerito. I'd written an issue of "Archie and Friends" before, so they knew I was interested in writing more. The timing worked out really well and the chance to bring together two major pieces of Americana -- Archie and the KISS gang -- was impossible to pass up.

Lastly, Kiss' forthcoming disc Monster already has a Wikipedia page. In an interview, Gene Simmons said that this forthcoming disc is a "combination of three of the band's previous albums, Destroyer, Revenge and the album's predecessor Sonic Boom."

Links:
Kiss

A.A. Bondy - "Believers" CD Review (Fat Possum) / Show at Bowery Ballroom on Nov. 22nd

AA Bondy - The Heart Is Willing by fatpossum

A.A. Bondy is releasing his third disc Believers (Fat Possum) on Tuesday and this follow-up to 2009’s When The Devil’s Loose shows Bondy continuing to expand on the full band sound of When the Devil’s Loose but moving away from his folky/Americana past into darker “Dax Riggs” territory.

Believers was recorded in the spring of 2011 by Rob Schnapf at Mant/Kingsize Studios in Glassell Park, California. The new ten songs (40 minute) disc sets a dark and melancholy mood and the disc’s press release states that these songs were “conjured during and between dreams, in bare rooms, and on the late night streets of America.” This is a lonely album where Bondy’s stark vocals and the steady undercurrent of neo-psychedelic echo and reverb will pull you into the restless night, right alongside of him.

In a 2009 interview, Bondy described When The Devil’s Loose as “something that more generates a feeling rather than telling someone how to feel” and I feel this new disc goes a step further in bringing out that emotive current within his music. This is also the closest that Bondy has gotten to replicating the sound of his live shows and he is joined on the disc by Ben Lester (drums, piano, pedal steel) and Macey Taylor (bass). Standout tracks are the slow burning “Skull & Bones” and the up-tempo disc opener “The Heart is Willing”.

"Believers is the last couple years in one long exposure" – Bondy



A.A. Bondy Tour Dates:
SEPT. 28 -- SAN DIEGO, CA -- THE CASBAH
SEPT. 29 -- LOS ANGELES, CA -- BOOTLEG THEATER
OCT. 4 -- PORTLAND, OR -- MISSISSIPPI STUDIOS
OCT. 6 -- SEATTLE, WA -- TRACTOR TAVERN
OCT. 7 -- VANCOUVER, BC -- MEDIA CLUB
NOV. 1 -- SALT LAKE CITY, UT -- URBAN LOUNGE
NOV. 2 -- DENVER, CO -- HI DIVE
NOV. 4 -- OMAHA, NE -- THE WAITING ROOM
NOV. 5 -- MINNEAPOLIS, MN -- 7TH STREET ENTRY
NOV. 7 -- MADISON, WI -- HIGH NOON
NOV. 8 -- CHICAGO, IL -- LINCOLN HALL
NOV. 10 -- NASHVILLE, TN -- MERCY LOUNGE
NOV. 11 -- LITTLE ROCK, AR -- STICKYZ CHICKEN SHACK
NOV. 12 -- DALLAS, TX -- PROPHET BAR
NOV. 13 -- AUSTIN, TX -- THE PARISH
NOV. 15 -- OXFORD, MS -- PROUD LARRY'S
NOV. 16 -- ATLANTA, GA -- THE EARL
NOV. 17 -- KNOXVILLE, TN -- PILOT LIGHT
NOV. 18 -- CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA -- THE SOUTHERN
NOV. 19 -- WASHINGTON, DC -- ROCK 'N ROLL HOTEL
NOV. 21 -- PHILADELPHIA, PA -- FIRST UNITARIAN CHURCH
NOV. 22 -- NEW YORK, NY -- BOWERY BALLROOM

There is no opening act (currently) listed for A.A. Bondy's show at Bowery Ballroom. Tickets are $15 the Bowery Ballroom's site lists doors at 8PM and the show at 9PM.

Links:
A.A. Bondy

Girl on Fire Releases "Medicate" from "Revenge" EP / Show at Webster Hall on October 2nd

The only bio information that I can find posted on Girl on Fire comes from their Facebook page: "We are a rock band from Seattle, WA!"

Hmmm...I kind of figured that one out already.

Girl on Fire have a six-song EP, "Revenge", coming out on Sept. 13th and the tracks I've heard are melodic hardcore that sound something like Evergreen Terrace. The band kicked off a coast-to-coast tour with Get Scared and Dr. Acula earlier this month and are playing The Studio at Webster Hall on October 2nd.

For the show at Webster Hal, Airismine and Masses are also on the bill. Tickets are $12 in advance and $14 DOS - doors are at 6PM.



Girl on Fire Tour Dates
09/13/2011 - Seattle, WA @ El Corazon Lounge
09/14/2011 - Portland, OR @ Hawthorne Theatre
09/15/2011 - Boise, ID @ The Venue
09/16/2011 - Salt Lake City, UT @ Club Sound
09/17/2011 - Colorado Springs, CO @ The Black Sheep
09/18/2011 - Denver, CO @ Marquis Theater
09/19/2011 - Oklahoma City, OK @ Conservatory
09/20/2011 - Tulsa, OK @ The Marquee
09/22/2011 - Houston, TX @ Warehouse Live Studio
09/23/2011 - San Antonio, TX @ White Rabbit
09/24/2011 - Dallas, TX @ The Door (*Firefest with: Attack Attack!, Falling In Reverse, Eyes Set To Kill and more)
09/26/2011 - Jacksonville, FL @ The Pit
09/27/2011 - Atlanta, GA @ Masquerade (downstairs)
09/30/2011 - Poughkeepsie, NY @ The Loft
10/01/2011 - Danbury, CT @ The Streets @ Tuxedo Junction
10/02/2011 - New York, NY @ The Studio @ Webster Hall
10/03/2011 - Philadelphia, PA @ The Barbary
10/04/2011 - Teaneck, NJ @ Mexicali Live
10/05/2011 - Allentown, PA @ Crocodile Rock
10/06/2011 - Providence, RI @ Firehouse 13
10/07/2011 - Montreal, QC, Canada @ Underworld
10/08/2011 - Toronto, ON, Canada @ Sneaky Dees
10/09/2011 - Buffalo, NY @ Xtreme Wheels
10/10/2011 - Cleveland, OH @ Privates Cove
10/11/2011 - Southgate, MI @ Modern Exchange
10/13/2011 - Joliet, IL @ Mojoes
10/14/2011 - Minneapolis, MN @ 7th Street Entry
10/15/2011 - Milwaukee, WI @ The Rave Bar
10/16/2011 - St. Louis, MO @ Fubar

Links:
Girl on Fire

Hull: Beyond-The-Scenes Footage of the "Beyond the Lightless Sky" Video Posted

DOWNLOAD: Hull - "Fire Vein" (hosted on VillageVoice.com)

Metal Injection is currently hosting an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at the creation of Hull's upcoming "Beyond The Lightless Sky" video, the title track from the band's new full-length. Set for North American release on October 11, 2011 via The End Records, the follow-up to the band's critically-acclaimed Sole Lord debut was co-produced by Brett Romnes and mixed by Billy Anderson (Sleep, Neurosis, Melvins, et al).



Hailing from the streets of Brooklyn, New York, Hull has yet again emerged with a creation to outlive the ages with latest saga, Beyond The Lightless Sky. Digging further into the past, the Mayan epic takes the listener through a division of two brothers and the struggles that they are faced with. One finds salvation amongst the stars and the wisdom of a stranger, while the other is mesmerized with the bloodthirsty belief of sacrifice and self mutilation. In silence lies a realm that exists outside the plane of fear.

Beyond The Lightless Sky features guest appearances by vocalist Jarboe, keys/ambiance by Fade Kainer (Batillus/Jarboe/Inswarm ) and cello by Joe Merolla with artwork by Tamara Waite-Santibanez. Pre-order Beyond The Lightless Sky HERE.

Links:
Hull

Wolves in the Throne Room - "Celestial Lineage" CD Review (Southern Lord) // NYC Shows on Sept. 12th & 14th

On September 13, Wolves in the Throne Room are releasing Celestial Lineage (Southern Lord), which finishes the trilogy that began with Two Hunters (2007). This new disc is more organic (and perhaps less malevolent) than Black Cascade and, while these seven tracks are a noticeable step toward a more open sound, the disc incorporates all of the elements from the band’s past. Immediately noticeable is the return of angelic vocalist Jessika Kenney (who added vocals to Two Hunters (2007) and “Malevolent Grain” (2009)) whose voice starts off the first track “Thuja Magus Imperium”.

In describing the writing process for Celestial Lineage, drummer Aaron Weaver stated: “An ornate constellation of imagery is what that guides the songwriting process. Cedar temples crowned with burnished bronze domes glimpsed in a remote valley. Wild Midsummer bonfires and feasting on roasted flesh. All of the sounds serve to evoke the images that exist in our minds eye. With this record we’re going to explore an entirely new palette of sound. We want the instruments to sound like the liturgical music of a cedar cult.”

Celestial Lineage’s seven tracks run just under fifty minutes and brunt of the disc is comprised by three epic tracks: "Thuja Magus Imperium" (11:41), which opens the disc, and "Astral Blood" (10:16) and "Prayer of Transformation" (10:57) which close the disc. “Theja Magus Imperium” opens with a majestic soundscape before heading into black metal darkness and then the song resurfaces back into the light before the ending. The band utilizes these contrasting moods and sonic colors on a few other tracks such as “Subterranean Initiation” which includes delicately picked guitar work along with the sonic blast beats and “Astral Blood” which has an acoustic interlude which break up the black metal fury.

The other four tracks include the brooding “Woodland Cathedral”, which features clean vocals from Jessika Kenney; two short instrumental interludes, “Rainbow Illness” and “Permanent Changes in Consciousness” with the later including chanting courtesy of Aaron Turner (ISIS) and the pounding black metal of “Subterranean Initiation”. Celestial Lineage is not your run-of-the-mill black metal disc and drummer Aaron Weaver has said "Wolves in the Throne Room is not black metal, or, more accurately we play black metal on our own terms, for our own reasons."

In support of the album, Wolves in the Throne Room kicked off a US tour earlier this month and plan on eventually engulfing many other regions of the planet. In the US, they will travel with their own PA system thus “enabling them to perform in warehouses, groves and collapsed barns rather than the well-worn circuit of the clubs and bars”.

Wolves in the Throne Room Fall Tour Dates
Fri, Sep 30th 2011 - Denver, CO, Rhincoeropolis

Wed, Sep 28th 2011 - Fort Worth, TX, Lola's Saloon
Playing with: Garuda and Megton Leviathan

Tue, Sep 27th 2011 - Austin, TX, Red 7
Playing with: Megaton Leviathan

Sun, Sep 25th 2011 - New Orleans, LA, Nowe Miasto
Playing with: Thou and Megaton Leviathan

Sat, Sep 24th 2011 - Tallahasse, FL, The Far Side Collective
Playing with: Megaton Leviathan

Fri, Sep 23rd 2011 - St. Petersenburg, FL, The Chop Shop
Playing with: Megaton Leviathan

Thu, Sep 22nd 2011 - Atlanta, GA, Club 529
Playing with: Megaton Leviathan

Wed, Sep 21st 2011 - Nashville, TN, The Little Hamilton
Playing with: Megaton Leviathan

Tue, Sep 20th 2011 - Sheffield, AL, JD's
Playing with: Megaton Leviathan

Sun, Sep 18th 2011 - Greensboro, NC, Legitimate Business
Playing with: Mt. Eerie, Megaton Leviathan

Sat, Sep 17th 2011 - Richmond, VA, Strange Matter
Playing with: Megaton Leviathan

Fri, Sep 16th 2011 - Bethlehem, PA , Steel Cty Firehall, Lower Saucon. Adress: 2121 Riverside Drive Bethlehem, PA 18015
Playing with: Megaton Leviathan and Fursaxa
Additional info: Buy advance tickets here: www.angeldess.bigcartel.com

Thu, Sep 15th 2011 - Philadelphia, PA, Broad Street Ministry
Playing with: Megaton Leviathan, Vit and Woe

Wed, Sep 14th 2011 - NYC, Death By Audio
Playing with: Thou

Mon, Sep 12th 2011, 20:00 - NYC, The Bell House
Playing with: THOU



Links:
Wolves in the Throne Room

Peter Case Kicks Off Fall Tour In Support of "The Case Files" (Alive Records)

DOWNLOAD: Peter Case - "Round Trip Stranger Blues"

Peter Case - Steel Strings No1 by alivenaturalsound

Peter Case released the well-received collection of demos, out-takes, one-time live performances & other rarities, The Case Files (Alive) earlier this year and All Music Guide said "these 12 songs make for an entertaining and empowering album that delivers the goods with smarts and simple, sweaty force. The Case Files proves this man’s cast-offs make for a better album than most acts’ level-best efforts, and with any luck, he’ll offer another look into his archives before long." Case is heading out on a Fall Tour in support of this disc that starts today in Palmer, AK.



The closest show is Saturday, Oct. 1 at The Turning Point, 468 Piermont Ave. Piermont, NY. The show starts at 6PM and tickets are $20.

Peter Case 2011 Fall Tour
Sep. 9 - Vagabond Blues, Palmer, AK
Sep. 10 - Out North Theatre, Anchorage, AK
Sep. 14 - The Geomatic Attic, South Lethbridge, AB, Canada
Sep. 15 - The Palomino, Calgary, AB , Canada
Sep. 16 - The Roxy Theatre, Saskatoon, SK Canada
Sep. 30 The Record Collector Concert Series, Bordentown, NJ
Oct. 1 (12:30PM) - Bridge Street Live, Collinsville, CT
Oct. 1 (6PM) - The Turning Point, Piermont, NY
Oct. 2 - Roots Hoot House Concerts, Peace Dale, RI
Oct. 4 - Stage On Herr, Harrisburg, PA
Oct. 5 - Thunderbird Café, 4023 Butler Street, Lawrenceville, PA
Oct. 6 - Rumba Café, Columbus, OH
Oct. 8 - Trinity House Theatre, Livonia, MI
Oct. 9 - Columbia Street West, Ft. Wayne, IN
Oct. 10 - WYCE Fall Hat Trick Series,Grand Rapids, MI
Oct. 11 - Beachland Ballroom, Cleveland, OH
Oct. 12 - The Good Neighborhood @ The Sportsman, Buffalo, NY
Oct. 13 - Lovin' Cup, Rochester, NY
Oct. 14 - Buffalo Film Festival Opening Night, The Screening Room Cinema Café, Amherst, NY
Oct. 15 - This Ain't Hollywood, Hamilton, ON, Canada
Oct. 16 - Hugh's Room, Toronto, ON
Oct. 20 - Bayport BBQ, Bayport, MN
Oct. 21 - Lee's Liquor Lounge, Minneapolis, MN
Oct. 22 - House Of Righteous Music, Madison, WI
Oct. 23 - Old Town School of Folk Music, Chicago, IL

Links:
Peter Case

Crock - "Grok" CD Review (Jackpot Records)

STREAM/DOWNLOAD: Crock - "No More Dumb Fun" (from forthcoming CD Grok - out Sept. 27th)

Crock is a new project from Quasi's Sam Coomes and Hella's Spencer Seim. The band's sound is built off the fuzzed-out / freaked-out urban electonica of bands like Suicide to which the band add elements of space rock, Zappa / Pavement style free-form deconstruction, dark stoner riffs and pounding industrial squiggles and rhythms. The disc's cover art was done by Janet Weiss (Quasi / Sleater-Kinney) and its montage of colors visually sums up Crock's debut - there is a lot going on but but there is a sense of structure around the chaos which allows you to hear different elements of the band's sound with each spin of the disc.

Seim is credited with the spazzy, sputtering drum work so I assume that Commes handled all of the other instrumentation and vocals. Most of Commes' melodic vocals are low in the mix so the listener can hear his melodic harmonies but his lyrics are mostly unintelligible. Coomes delivers his vocals with the punk fervor of Nation of Ulysses' Ian Svenonius but when the vocals are on top of the mix ("Corpsecrystal Mountain"), he sounds a bit more like Stephen Malkmus on the early Pavement discs.

Grok comes out on Jackpot Records on September 27th. The CD edition is limited to 500 copies and the pre-order edition of the LP comes on neon green vinyl.



Links:
Crock