Tim Kasher (Cursive) Posts 'Truly Freaking Out' from Forthcoming Sophomore CD / Show at The Bell House on Nov. 6th

DOWNLOAD: Tim Kasher - "Truly Freaking Out" (from Adult Film - out Oct. 8th on Saddle Creek)

Tim Kasher, frontman for Cursive and The Good Life, premiered "Truly Freaking Out," the first single released off his upcoming sophomore solo LP Adult Film, today and the raucous, barreling track is available as a free MP3 download. Adult Film will be released on October 8th, 2013 via Saddle Creek and is currently available for pre-order in multiple formats in the label's webstore, as is a 7-inch of "Truly Freaking Out" (featuring non-album track B-side "King of the Hill of Beans"). The song can also be purchased as a standalone digital single, and all pre-order options can be found here: http://saddle-creek.com/store/artist/timkasher/.



Kasher's fall headlining tour will get underway with a hometown show at The Waiting Room in Omaha, NE on October 5th and wind the singer and his band throughout the US and into Canada over six weeks. The run includes shows in Los Angeles and Brooklyn on October 18th at The Echo and November 6th at The Bell House, respectively, as well as a performance at The Fest 12 in Gainesville, FL on October 31st. A full itinerary is below.

Whereas his debut solo LP The Game Of Monogamy was an orchestral album filled with theatrical arrangements, Adult Film favors less ornate, equally impactful instrumentation across its 10 affecting tracks. The album is filled with variations of Kasher's signature blend of ruminative rock/pop, ranging from raucous and barreling ("American Lit," "Truly Freaking Out") to uneasy and undulating ("Where's Your Heart Lie," the dreamy "Lay Down Your Weapons"), from deceptively bright and poppy ("The Willing Cuckold," "A Raincloud is a Raincloud") to tempered and cascading ("You Scare Me To Death," "A Lullaby, sort of"). Lyrically, Kasher is at his incisive best, thematically elastic and touching on aging (self-reflection and taking stock), mortality (one's own and others'), and relationships of all kinds.

Kasher is joined on Adult Film by Sara Bertuldo (bass, vocals), Patrick Newbery (organ, keys, synths, horns), and Dylan Ryan (drums) - who backed him while touring around The Game Of Monogamy - as well as additional artists including Nate Kinsella (drums; of Make Believe and Birthmark) and Laura Stevenson (vocals), among others. The album was mixed by John Congleton (St. Vincent, Wye Oak, Explosions In The Sky) at Elmwood Recording in Dallas, TX.

Tim Kasher Tour Dates
OCT. 5 - OMAHA, NE - THE WAITING ROOM

OCT. 6 - DENVER, CO - LARIMER LOUNGE

OCT. 8 - SALT LAKE CITY, UT - URBAN LOUNGE

OCT. 9 - BOISE, ID - NEUROLUX

OCT. 10 - PORTLAND, OR - DOUG FIR LOUNGE

OCT. 11 - VANCOUVER, BC - ELECTRIC OWL

OCT. 12 - SEATTLE, WA - BARBOZA

OCT. 15 - SAN FRANCISCO, CA - RICKSHAW STOP

OCT. 16 - SANTA CRUZ, CA - CREPE SHOP

OCT. 17 - SANTA ANA, CA - CONSTELLATION ROOM

OCT. 18 - LOS ANGELES, CA - THE ECHO

OCT. 19 - LAS VEGAS, NV - BACKSTAGE BAR

OCT. 21 - SAN DIEGO, CA - THE CASBAH

OCT. 22 - PHOENIX, AZ - CRESCENT BALLROOM

OCT. 23 - TUCSON, AZ - CLUB CONGRESS

OCT. 25 - DALLAS, TX - THREE LINKS

OCT. 26 - AUSTIN, TX - RED 7

OCT. 27 - HOUSTON, TX - FITZGERALDS

OCT. 29 - TALLAHASSEE, FL - CLUB DOWNUNDER

OCT. 30 - ORLANDO, FL - THE SOCIAL

OCT. 31 - GAINESVILLE, FL - THE FEST 12

NOV. 1 - TAMPA, FL - CROWBAR

NOV. 2 - ATLANTA, GA - THE EARL

NOV. 3 - RALEIGH, NC - KINGS BARCADE

NOV. 4 - CHARLOTTE, NC - CASBAH @ TREMONT MUSIC HALL

NOV. 5 - WASHINGTON, DC - ROCK AND ROLL HOTEL

NOV. 6 - BROOKLYN, NY - THE BELL HOUSE

NOV. 7 - BOSTON, MA - BRIGHTON MUSIC HALL

NOV. 8 - PROVIDENCE, RI - THE MET

NOV. 9 - PHILADELPHIA, PA - JOHNNY BRENDA'S

NOV. 11 - CLEVELAND, OH - GROG SHOP

NOV. 12 - DETROIT, MI - MAGIC STICK LOUNGE

NOV. 13 - CHICAGO, IL - THE EMPTY BOTTLE

NOV. 14 - ST. LOUIS, MO - FIREBIRD

NOV. 15 - IOWA CITY, IA - THE MILL

NOV. 16 - MINNEAPOLIS, MN - TRIPLE ROCK

* all dates with Laura Stevenson

Links:
Tim Kasher

Sharks: UK Punk Band Kicks of US Tour With Social Distortion / One-Off Show at Bell House on May 16th

Sweet Harness by Sharks

Can't Hardly Wait (The Replacements) by Sharks

UK punk band Sharks are releasing their US debut CD next week and are kicking off a late April - May US tour with Social Distortion and Chuck Ragan (Hot Water Music).

Sharks’ US debut The Joys Of Living 2008-2010 comes out April 5, in a unique partnership between their own label Velvet Scene and Rise Records. The 14-song album is actually a compilation of sorts, showcasing the band’s first 2 years worth of recorded material ('Shallow Waters' and 'Show Of Hands' EP's and the 'Common Grounds' single) as well as 2 brand new songs.

Video for "It All Relates" from the 'Show of Hands' EP


Sharks are playing a one-off show at The Bell House along with Chuck Ragan and Sean O'Neill on May 16th. Tickets are $10 and doors are at 8PM.

Sharks Tour Dates (w/ Social Distortion and Chuck Ragan):
-April 26 Albuquerque / Sunshine Theatre
-April 27 El Paso / Club 101
-April 29 Tulsa / Cain’s Ballroom
-May 3 Kansas City, MO / Beaumont Club
-May 4 St. Louis / The Pageant
-May 5 Chicago, IL / Mayne Stage
-May 6 Indianapolis / Egyptian Room @ Old National Centre
-May 7 Milwaukee / The Rave
-May 8 Cincinnati / Bogart’s
-May 9 Kalamazoo, MI / The Strutt (SHARKS & CHUCK RAGAN ONLY)
-May 10 Columbus / LC Pavilion
-May 11 Pittsburgh / Stage AE
-May 12 West Chester, PA / The Note (SHARKS & CHUCK RAGAN ONLY)
-May 13 Baltimore / Rams Head Live!
-May 14 Asbury Park / The Stone Pony Summer Stage
-May 15 Providence / Lupo’s Heartbreak Hotel
-May 16 Brooklyn, NY / The Bell House (SHARKS & CHUCK RAGAN ONLY)
-May 17 Norfolk / The NorVa
-May 18 Richmond / The National

Links:
Sharks

The English Beat Play The Bell House on Dec. 9th & Maxwell's on Dec. 14th

Dave Wakeling launched an American version of The English Beat sometime last decade. The new band sounds great and Dave's voice remains in top form. The tour stops at The Bell House on Dec. 9th and Maxwell's in Hoboken on Dec. 14th.

While out in Los Angeles many years back, I had the extreme pleasure of seeing Dave play with his group Bang at The Roxy, In an interview with songfacts.com, here is how Dave described how Bang morphed into The English Beat: "I started my own 4-piece band and called it Bang. And sort of went back to roots. The Beatles, there was only four of them and they sounded okay, so I did that instead. Bang went on for a couple of years, but so many times I would show up, and they would say, "Tonight: The English Beat, General Public, Bang, and Dave Wakeling," like it was four groups. In the end, I just gave up. I was like all right, fine. English Beat it is. You can't fight against the tide."



As a major part of the two-tone ska music revolution of the late 70s and early 80s, alongside their stablemates The Specials, Madness, and The Selector, the musical juggernaut that is lead vocalist Dave Wakeling hasn't lost any momentum in songwriting. He and his bandmates managed to find time between endless touring to lay down demos for their forthcoming release (planned for 2011). Their new songs such as "The Love You Give Lasts Forever", "How Can You Stand There" and "Said We Would Never Die" are quickly becoming fan favorites and live staples.

Tickets for the Dec. 9th show at The Bell House are $25 and doors are at 8PM. Tickets for the Dec. 14th show at Maxwell's are $24.99 and doors are at 8PM.

English Beat Tour Dates
Nov 12 -- Belly Up Tavern, Solana Beach, CA
Nov 13 -- Belly Up Tavern, Solana Beach, CA
Nov 19 -- SLO Brewing Company, San Luis Obispo, CA
Nov 20 -- SoHo, Santa Barbara, CA
Dec 08 -- Ramshead On Stage, Annapolis, MD
Dec 09 -- Bell House, Brooklyn, NY
Dec 10 -- Fairfield Theatre – Stage One, Fairfield, CT
Dec 11 -- Fairfield Theatre – Stage One, Fairfield, CT
Dec 12 -- Infinity Hall, Norfolk, CT
Dec 14 -- Maxwell’s, Hoboken, NJ
Dec 15 -- Tupelo Music Hall, Londonderry, NH
Dec 16 -- Tupelo Music Hall, White River Junction, VT
Feb 4 -- Belly Up Tavern, Solana Beach, CA
Feb 5 -- Belly Up Tavern, Solana Beach, CA

Links:
The English Beat

J. Roddy Walston and The Business: Self-Titled CD Review // Show at Music Hall of Williamsburg on Oct. 1st

"J. Roddy Walston and the Business is what would happen if Queen and Black Oak Arkansas birthed four boys in the backwoods and let them listen to nothing but Cheap Trick and showtunes." – Baltimore City Paper

Photo: Glynnis McDaris

DOWNLOAD: J. Roddy Walson and The Business - "I Don't Wanna Hear It"
DOWNLOAD: J. Roddy Walston and The Business - "Don't Break The Needle"
DOWNLOAD: J. Roddy Walston and The Business - "Brave Man's Death"

Watch out Kings of Leon, J-Roddy Walston and the Business have a hot new album and the band’s constant touring has them headlining bigger rooms with each stop through town. It is only a matter of time before J-Roddy is headlining the outdoor shed circuit and this bunch of (self-described) “scary sort of redneck types” don’t seem like the type to be scared off by some pigeon poop.

Nashville to Baltimore transplants J-Roddy Walston and the Business have just released their self-titled debut for Vagrant Records and disc’s ten tracks fuse T-Rex style glam/funk with southern rock that is equal part gospel fervor and whisky-soaked bar room boogie. Adding to this musical stew is a couple of tracks that fall into the Cheap Trick/Big Star style of power pop. While this mix of styles may not resonant on paper, Walston’s music has an infectious groove that will get even the most jaded audience on their feet.

The disc starts out strong with the Lynyrd Skynrd meets T. Rex cut “Don’t Break The Needle” where Walston’s cigarettes and whiskey voice and ferocious piano pounding set the tones for the rest of the disc. Some of the disc’s strongest cuts include the Big Star style “Used to Did” which is just as catchy as “In the Street”; the gospel rave-up “Don’t Get Old” and “Uh Oh Rock & Roll”, which could be the modern-day bastard child from Macca’s White Album days.

The perfect overview of this disc comes from a quote that Walston gave a few years ago: “People hear the first chorus and, by the second chorus, they’re singing along.”

J-Roddy Walston & the Business are out on tour through early October and the tour stops at Music Hall of Williamsburg on October 1st. The band is playing with Shooter Jennings and tickets are $15 (in advance).

Here is the complete list of tour dates:

Aug. 21 2010 -- House of Blues w/ Wolfmother, San Diego, CA
Sep. 08 2010 -- Great American Music Hall, San Francisco, CA
Sep. 09 2010 -- Soho- Restaurant & Music Club, Santa Barbara, CA
Sep. 10 2010 -- Detroit Bar, Costa Mesa, CA
Sep. 11 2010 -- Pappy and Harriets Pioneertown Palace, Pioneer Town, CA
Sep. 12 2010 -- Troubadour, West Hollywood, CA
Sep. 24 2010 -- Visulite Theater w/ Shooter Jennings, Charlotte, NC
Sep. 25 2010 -- 8x10 w/ Shooter Jennings, Baltimore, MD
Sep. 26 2010 -- State Theatre w/ Shooter Jennings. Falls Church, VA
Sep. 29 2010 -- Diesel w/ Shooter Jennings, Pittsburgh, PA
Sep. 30 2010 -- Chameleon Club w/ Shooter Jennings, Lancaster, PA
Oct. 01 2010 -- Music Hall of Williamsburg w/ Shooter Jennings, Brooklyn, NY
Oct. 02 2010 -- Middle East Downstairs w/ Shooter Jennings, Cambridge, MA
Oct. 05 2010 -- Beachland Ballroom & Tavern w/ Shooter Jennings, Cleveland, OH
Oct. 06 2010 -- Ottos Nightclub w/ Shooter Jennings, Dekalb, IL
Oct. 07 2010 -- The Vogue Theatre w/ Shooter Jennings, Indianapolis, IN
Oct. 08 2010 -- Exit In w/ Shooter Jennings, Nashville, TN
Oct. 09 2010 -- Headliners Music Hall w/ Shooter Jennings, Louisville, KY

Links:
J-Roddy Walston & the Business

J Roddy Walston and The Business Play the Bell House on June 19 // New Disc Out on July 27th

DOWNLOAD: J Roddy Walston and The Business - "Don't Break The Needle"
DOWNLOAD: J Roddy Walston and The Business - "Brave Man's Death"

J Roddy Walston and The Business have a new digital EP out in advance of their self-titled full-length debut which is due out on July 27th (on Vagrant Records). The band will also be pressing limited edition 7” vinyl records with custom designed sleeves by J Roddy himself that will be available on their upcoming tour dates and on the Vagrant site in the coming weeks.

J Roddy Walston and The Business are playing a free summer party at The Bell House this Saturday. The show is sponsored by Rachael Ray and Snapple and includes The Detroit Cobras, Motel Motel and a slew of other bands. The show runs from 12PM - 5PM and J Roddy Walston is playing at 3PM.



Links:
J Roddy Walston and The Business

Peasant, Emanuel and the Fear and Lost In The Trees + Free Beer Tomorrow Night at Bell House

DOWNLOAD: Peasant - "The End" (MP3 from Daytrotter Session)
DOWNLOAD: Emanuel and the Fear - "The Rain Becomes the Clouds" (MP3)
VIDEO: Lost In The Trees - "Walk Around the Lake" (Couldn't find a download)

The Bell House has a new recession-busting event "CHIRPY CHIRPY CHEAP CHEAP" which is 3 bands for $5.00 and cover includes free beer for the first hour.


Tomorrow night, the bands are:

Peasant (Doylestown, PA): “DeRose’s vocals float above acoustic guitar melodies, evoking the lyrical eloquence and delicate arrangements of Rogue Wave and the late Elliott Smith.” - Magnet Magazine

Emanuel and the Fear (Brooklyn, NY): "The group is a brilliant new approach to the modern rock band consistently capturing the audience with beautifully, intricate scores laced with eloquent, quivering vocals." - Stranded In Stereo

Lost in the Trees (Chapel Hill, NC): "An Arcadian construction of emotional wilderness hemmed by string sections [and] strummed acoustic guitars." -The Independent

Links:
The Bell House

A.A. Bondy Plays Bell House in Brooklyn on June 6th

DOWNLOAD: A.A. Bondy - "Mightiest of Guns" (HearYa Sessions)

A.A. Bondy starts his summer tour next month in Northampton and he is playing the Bell House on June 6th. Bondy is likely to debut some new material on the road as he is currently in a Mississippi studio finishing up his second album for Fat Possum. A.A. Bondy's first CD, American Hearts, was re-released by Fat Possum in April 2008 after its original release by Superphonic in 2007.

For anyone who hasn't heard American Hearts, here is a live video of the title track.


Here is A.A. Bondy's summer tour schedule:
June 05, Northampton, MA -- Iron Horse Music Hall
June 06, Brooklyn, NY -- Bell House
June 08, Philadelphia, PA -- Kung Fu Necktie
June 09, Pittsburgh, PA -- Club Cafe
June 11, Arlington, VA -- Iota
June 12, Charlotte, NC -- Snug Harbor
June 14, Manchester, TN -- Bonnaroo Music Festival
June 15, Columbus, OH -- The Basement
June 16, Indianapolis, IN -- Radio Radio
June 17, Pontiac, MI -- The Pike Room
June 18, Chicago, IL -- Schubas Tavern
June 19, Milwaukee, WI -- Club Garibaldi
June 20, Minneapolis, MN -- 400 Bar
June 22, Denver, CO -- Hi Dive
June 23, Salt Lake City, UT -- Urban Lounge
June 25, San Francisco, CA -- Café du Nord
June 26, Visalia, CA -- Cellar Door
June 29, Phoenix, AZ -- Modified Arts
July 07, Baton Rouge, LA -- Spanish Moon

Links:
A.A. Bondy's MySpace Profile

French Kicks Announce Two Area Shows in February (Vagrant)

French Kicks are back home and have announced shows in Hoboken and Brooklyn next month. The band is playing Maxwell's on Feb. 13th (Tickets are $10 in advance) and The Bell House in Brooklyn on Feb. 21st (Also on the bill are Pomegranates and tickets are $12).

French Kicks were busy in 2008 as they released their fourth full-length, Swimming, which took the band in a new direction. This was followed by "Covers - EP", where the band covered Lindsey Buckingham, The Ramones and others. Three of the four songs on Covers were recorded live in the studio and this gives the songs a loose and relaxed feel.

For anyone who hasn't listened to Swimmers, there are a couple live performances from French Kicks that are available as free (and legal) downloads. The band recorded a session for WOXY that features three tracks from Swimmers and a Daytrotter Session the features four tracks from the disc.

Links:
French Kicks' Website

Dead Leaf Echo Play Free Show @ Bell House Tomorrow Night (with Free Beer)

Dead Leaf Echo put out a strong EP, Pale Fire, last year and just finished recording new material with John Fryer (Cocteau Twins,Lush,Pale Saints) of 4AD fame. The forthcoming album is entitled "Truth" and it will be released in the early part of this year.

Dead Leaf Echo are playing a free show tomorrow night at The Bell House with The Depreciation Guild and there will be free Brooklyn Lager from 8PM - 9PM.

Here is the video for "Tears", which is from the Pale Fire EP.



Links:
Deaf Leaf Echo's MySpace Profile