Hostage Calm Release Pay-What-You-Want Digital Compilation / Show at MHOW in Brooklyn on 9-26 with Saves The Day and Into It. Over It.

Hostage Calm have announced the release of Tonight, They Won't Take Me Alive, a digital collection that charts a course through the band's storied career. Featuring various live and acoustic performances, the compilation also includes all of the group's non-album tracks and some highlights from each of their three critically acclaimed LPs and debut Demo 7”. Tonight, They Won't Take Me Alive is more than an outline from a varied back-catalog, it's the manifestation of Hostage Calm's 6-year narrative of challenging the status quo at each junction they cross.

The band is offering the collection for 'Pay What You Want' download on their band camp page, with all proceeds are going towards helping to pay for their new tour van (http://hostagecalm.bandcamp.com/album/tonight-they-wont-take-me-alive). "Whether this release serves as an introduction to the band or a chance to explore new and different material, we hope you enjoy listening to the music as much as we have enjoyed creating and living it." - Tom Chiari, guitar

Tonight, They Won't Take Me Alive Tracklist:
1. Brokenheartland (Live @ Audiotree)
2. The 'M' Word (Nervous Energies Session feat. Jon Simmons of Balance and Composure)
3. Olly Olly Oxen Free (from Split 7" w/Anti-Flag, 2013)
4. Don't Die On Me Now (Live @ Warped Tour, 2012)
5. Affidavit (Acoustic, Alternativ News Session Live in Paris, 2011)
6. The 'M' Word (Mixed Signals Compilation, 2011) from Please Remain Calm (2012)
7. Woke Up Next To A Body
8. Patriot from Hostage Calm (2010)
9. War On A Feeling
10. Young Professionals
11. Donna Lee (from War On A Feeling 7" Single, 2011)
from Lens (2008)

12. Interchangeable Parts
13. Gaslighting
from Demo (2007)
14. Grayscale
15. One Face



Hostage Calm Tour Dates:

Hostage Calm only
08/29 Keyser, WV @ Clancy's


w/Into It. Over It.

08/30 Indianapolis, IN @ Hoosier Dome

08/31 Kalamazoo, MI @ Audiotree Music Festival (early set)

08/31 Toledo, OH @ Frankie's *Citizen Record Release* (No IIOI)

09/03 Tucson, AZ @ Club Congress


w/Saves The Day, Into It. Over It.

09/04 Pomona, CA @ Glass House

09/05 San Francisco, CA @ Slim's

09/06 Portland, OR @ Hawthorne Theater (Music Fest Northwest)

09/07 Vancouver, BC @ Biltmore

09/08 Seattle, WA @ El Corazon

09/10 Salt Lake City, UT @ Club Sound

09/11 Denver, CO @ Marquis Theatre

09/12 Lawrence, KS @ Granada Theatre

09/13 Minneapolis, MN @ Mill City Nights

09/14 Iowa City, IA @ Blue Moose

09/15 Chicago, IL @ Riot Fest

09/17 Detroit, MI @ Magic Stick

09/18 Columbus, OH @ Skully's

09/19 Pittsburgh, PA @ Altar Bar

09/20 Cleveland, OH @ Grog Shop

09/21 Syracuse, NY @ Lost Horizon

09/22 Toronto, ON @ The Hoxton

09/24 Boston, MA @ Paradise Rock Club

09/26 Brooklyn, NY @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
*Show Sold-Out

09/27 Philadelphia, PA @ Union Transfer

09/28 Sayreville, NJ @ Starland Ballroom

09/29 Washington, DC @ Black Cat

09/30 Carrboro, NC @ Cat's Cradle

10/02 Jacksonville, FL @ Roc Bar

10/03 St. Petersburg, FL @ The State Theatre

10/04 Orlando, FL @ The Social

10/05 Atlanta, GA @ The Loft

10/06 Nashville, TN @ Exit/In

10/08 Austin, TX @ The Belmont

10/09 Dallas, TX @ Trees

10/11 Scottsdale, AZ @ Martini Ranch

10/12 West Hollywood, CA @ Troubadour

10/13 San Diego, CA @ The Irenic

Links:
Hostage Calm

AlunaGeorge (UK Electronic Music Duo) Sign to Vagrant / First US Tour in Sept. Includes Stops At Music Hall of Williamsburg and Bowery Ballroom

I'm generally not much for dance music but I've been getting into the minimalist trip-hop glitch meets R and B/soul sound of London duo AlunaGeorge.   I like the quote from the BBC which describes the band as "strik[ing] a rare balance between dancefloor legitimacy and pop nous."

The band just signed with Vagrant Records and their debut disc, Body Music, will be released July 30th. The band is also kicking off their first US tour at the end of August at Chicago's North Coast Music Festival and are making their NYC debut with shows at Bowery Ballroom and Music Hall of Williamsburg on Sept. 5th and 6th.   At both shows, AlunaGeorge is supported by Chicago's Supreme Cuts. Tickets for each show (Bowery Ballroom, MHOW) are $15 in advance and $18 DOS; each of these shows start at 9PM.



Taking the boom of British bass culture and marrying it to the sweet slickness of classic American R&B, AlunaGeorge – aka Aluna Francis and producer George Reid – are excited to announce the details of their eagerly awaited debut album Body Music, released on July 30th via Vagrant Records.

Body Music – Track List:
1. Outlines
2. You Know You Like It
3. Attracting Flies
4. Your Drums, Your Love
5. Kaleidoscope Love
6. Bad Idea
7. Diver
8. Lost And Found
9. Best Be Believing
10. Superstar
11. Just A Touch
12. Body Music
13. Friends to Lovers
14. This is How We Do It (bonus track)

In the 12 months since their first release went viral, AlunaGeorge’s DIY video for “You Know You Like It” has clocked up over 2 million views, the band were crowned the most blogged artist of 2012, they sold out a European tour, performed at Moschino’s catwalk show during London Fashion Week and made the top 3 for both last year’s prestigious BRITS Critics Award and the BBC Sound of 2013 (#2). On top of all of the above, scored a #2 single in the UK with their Disclosure collaboration “White Noise”.





Links:
AlunaGeorge

The Hounds Below: Post "For You and I" from Forthcoming Full Length / Show at Music Hall of Williamsburg with The Cribs

DOWNLOAD: The Hounds Below - "For You and I"



The Hounds Below have announced multiple performances at next week’s SXSW (South By Southwest Festival) in Austin, TX. Made up of Midwestern music notables, the band includes Jason Stollsteimer (who launched his former band The Von Bondies to global recognition) as well as Jesse Shepherd-Bates (bass), Griffin Bastian (drums) and Skye Thrasher (guitar). The Hounds Below are also announcing U.S. dates as main support for The Cribs (dates below). The U.S. dates will be immediately followed with a month long headlining tour of Europe in May (dates to be announced shortly).

"For You And I" which will appear on the band’s debut album (to be released summer 2012) recently premiered with a non-album version on Consequence Of Sound (link above). The song is an example of the band’s synthesis of 90’s alternative pop and 50’s troubadour rock and dollops of elements in-between.

Formed over three years ago, The Hounds Below organically grew their fanbase through touring, DIY single releases and working out their material in the live setting before recording. With that mentality, the quartet has been able to complete numerous U.S. runs along both coasts and Canada as well. Their formidable live show has seen them share stages with such acts as Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, The Airborne Toxic Event, The Heavy, The Black Angels, The Raveonettes and Fountains of Wayne.



TOUR DATES:
3/15-- Austin, TX/SXSW-- Camel Party (@Emo’s East)-4:00pm
3/16 --Austin, TX/SXSW-- The Side Bar-2:00pm
3/16 --Austin, TX/SXSW-- Texas Jumpsuit Party (@Lovejoy’s)-4:30pm
3/17 --Austin, TX/SXSW-- 40 Watt Party (@The Side Bar)-3:30pm
3/17 --Austin, TX/SXSW-- Do 512 (@The Rooftop)-1:00am
4/9 --Chicago, IL-- Schuba’s (with The Cribs)
4/10 --Pontiac, MI-- The Pike Room (with The Cribs)
4/11 --Toronto, ON --Lee’s Palace (with The Cribs)
4/13 --Brooklyn, NY --Music Hall Of Williamsburg (with The Cribs) [Tickets are $20]
4/14-- Boston, MA-- Brighton Music Hall (with The Cribs)

Links:
The Hounds Below

Margot & The Nuclear So and So's: "Rot Gut, Domestic" CD Review / Show at Music Hall of Williamsburg on April 11th

PREMIERE: Margot & The Nuclear So And So's - Shannon - RCRD LBL

Prozac Rock by MargotCloud

Margot & The Nuclear So and So’s are releasing their fifth disc, Rot Gut, Domestic, on March 20th via the band’s Mariel Recording Company label. Rot Gut, Domestic is the Nukes' rawest take on their evocative, soaring brand of guitar-centric pop. Singer/songwriter Richard Edwards wrote Rot Gut, Domestic over 26 days in Pismo Beach, CA last spring. Plagued by chronic stomach pain, he'd headed to Pismo Beach - which had become a somewhat mythical place for the band, a respite of calm and healing where they'd somehow always been drawn - following the last days of the band's touring around Buzzard. The album was conceived as the second installment of the band's 'panic pop' trilogy, Edwards composing a new set of songs about Midwestern fringe characters set to his skewed version of the pop music on which he was raised. Upon returning to his current hometown of Chicago, IL, Edwards and the rest of the band headed into Electrical Audio studio with producer/engineer John Congleton (St. Vincent, Bill Callahan, The Walkmen). The Nukes churned out these 12 resounding tracks over 10 days in July before Congleton returned to his Dallas, TX studio to mix the album.

Margot & The Nukes shook up its lineup and almost completely abandoned its chamber-pop roots with 2010's Buzzard (called "masterpieces of controlled tension" by SPIN). Rot Gut, Domestic shows the band continuing to move down the same gritty alcohol-fueled path to the gutter, with twisted tales of self-loathing, serial killers and urban paranoia. On opener "Disease Tobacco Free", the band builds up a wall of sound and Edwards sings at the higher end of his register which leaves the track sounding like Radiohead off on a NYC bender. "Books About Trains" is a tale of urban paranoia with a big guitar sound that hits its overloaded peak and comes crashing back down to Earth. "Shannon" is more sludgy and psychedelic than the first two tracks but, a the same time is more melodic with some nice backing harmonies – yet again though this song builds right up to the edge of the cliff with its tortured backing vocals before it comes crashing down. "Prozac Rock" is the disc’s big ‘radio single’ (if there were still such a thing) with its pulsing bass lines, razor-tight harmonies and exploding choruses. If this wasn’t enough, the band shifts gears on "A Journalist Falls In Love" which is a shimmering love ballad about a serial killer (“I know I’ve killed a few / but none of those women were you”). Seemingly out of left field, there is even a track about Eastern European basketball star Arvydas Sabonis which utilizes a verse-chorus-verse song structure with some very melodic hooks.

The disc ends with the gothic “The Devil” and the piano ballad “Christ” (“Jesus breaks your heart every night when he doesn’t come”). On the last, alcohol-filled night in Pismo, Edwards wrote “The Devil” and “Christ” in succession, and scribbled “rot gut, domestic” on the cover of his notebook and “panic pop” on the back. In the morning, he hitched a ride back to his adopted hometown of Chicago with a Bible salesman who told him, “Times have gotten bad.”



Margot & The Nuclear So and So's Tour Dates:

March
31 – Columbus, Ohio @ LC Pavilion

April
1 – Akron, Ohio @ Musica
3 – Grand Rapids, Mich. @ Pyramid Scheme
4 – Ann Arbor, Mich. @ The Blind Pig
5 – Toronto, Ontario @ The Garrison
6 – Buffalo, N.Y. @ The Ninth Ward
7 – Pittsburgh, Pa. @ Brillobox
9 – Hamden, Conn. @ The Space
10 – Boston, Mass. @ Middle East – Downstairs
11 – Brooklyn, N.Y. @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
(Tickets are $13 in advance and $15 DOS - support acts are Ezra Furman and Writer)
12 – Philadelphia, Pa. @ First Unitarian Church
13 – Washington, D.C. @ Rock and Roll Hotel
14 – Chapel Hill, N.C. @ Local 506
15 – Nashville, Tenn. @ Exit/In
17 – Orlando, Fla. @ The Plaza Live
18 – Tampa, Fla. @ Crowbar
19 – Tallahassee, Fla. @ Club Down Under
20 – Birmingham, Ala. @ Bottletree
21 – Atlanta, Ga. @ Masquerade

Links:
Margot & The Nuclear So and So's

Margot and the Nuclear So and So's Premier Video for "Prozac Rock" / Show at MHOW on April 11th

Margot and The Nuclear So and So's premiered the first video, "Prozac Rock", off their upcoming fourth LP Rot Gut, Domestic earlier this month which was directed by Dom Bloink.



A "Prozac Rock" single, featuring B-side "Fingertips", is currently available digitally via iTunes and Amazon. Rot Gut, Domestic will be released on March 20th, 2012 on the band's own Mariel Recording Company.

The band has also announced a spring headlining tour throughout the eastern US and into Canada. The tour will launch on March 31st with a performance at the sold out CD101 Day Side A at the LC Pavilion in Columbus, OH, and wrap up on April 21st in Atlanta, GA, and includes an April 11th show at the Music Hall of Williamsburg in Brooklyn, NY. Full tour dates are below.

Rot Gut, Domestic is the Nukes' rawest take on their evocative, soaring brand of guitar-centric pop. The album follows in the footsteps of the more brazen, rocking songs that comprised 2010's Buzzard (called "masterpieces of controlled tension" by SPIN) and the first four tracks provide a fittingly booming intro. Opener "Disease Tobacco Free" is a propulsive low-end led rumble; squealing guitars and rough-hewn edges augment the sinister air of "Books About Trains"; "Shannon" is a bleary-eyed and grimy, fuzzy bass stomp; and the undulating "Prozac Rock" is a modern pop song's frenetic, slightly spooky sister. The swinging, sweetly twisted tale of "A Journalist Falls In Love" and the rolling "Ludlow Junk Hustle" ease the album's pace, and The Nukes still pen some of the most moving, lush songs today, heard here in the gorgeous, sweeping guitar lilt of "Coonskin Cap".

Singer/songwriter Richard Edwards wrote Rot Gut, Domestic over 26 days in Pismo Beach, CA last spring. Plagued by chronic stomach pain, he'd headed to Pismo Beach - which had become a somewhat mythical place for the band, a respite of calm and healing where they'd somehow always been drawn - following the last days of the band's touring around Buzzard. The album was conceived as the second installment of the band's 'panic pop' trilogy, Edwards composing a new set of songs about Midwestern fringe characters set to his skewed version of the pop music on which he was raised. Upon returning to his current hometown of Chicago, IL, Edwards and the rest of the band headed into Electrical Audio studio with producer/engineer John Congleton (St. Vincent, Bill Callahan, The Walkmen). The Nukes churned out these 12 resounding tracks over 10 days in July before Congleton returned to his Dallas, TX studio to mix the album.

Margot and The Nuclear So and So's Tour Dates:
MAR. 31 -- COLUMBUS, OH -- LC PAVILION -- (CD101 DAY SIDE A - SOLD OUT)
APR. 01 -- AKRON, OH -- MUSICA
APR. 03 -- GRAND RAPIDS, MI -- PYRAMID SCHEME
APR. 04 -- ANN ARBOR, MI -- THE BLIND PIG
APR. 05 -- TORONTO, ONT -- GARRISON
APR. 06 -- BUFFALO, NY -- THE NINTH WARD
APR. 07 -- PITTSBURGH, PA -- BRILLBOX
APR. 09 -- HAMDEN, CT -- THE SPACE
APR. 10 -- BOSTON, MA -- THE MIDDLE EAST

APR. 11 -- BROOKLYN, NY -- MUSIC HALL OF WILLIAMSBURG
(Tickets are $13 in advance and $15 DOS - support acts are Ezra Furman and Writer)

APR. 12 -- PHILADELPHIA, PA -- FIRST UNITARIAN CHURCH
APR. 13 -- WASHINGTON, DC -- ROCK AND ROLL HOTEL
APR. 14 -- CHAPEL HILL, NC -- LOCAL 506
APR. 15 -- NASHVILLE, TN -- EXIT/IN
APR. 17 -- ORLANDO, FL -- THE PLAZA
APR. 18 -- TAMPA, FL -- CROWBAR
APR. 19 -- TALLAHASSEE, FL -- CLUB DOWN UNDER
APR. 20 -- BIRMINGHAM, AL -- BOTTLETREE
APR. 21 -- ATLANTA, GA -- TBA

Links:
Margot & The Nuclear So and So's

Pearl and the Beard (Folk-Pop) Play Music Hall of Williamsburg on Feb. 16th

DOWNLOAD: Pearl and the Beard - "Sweetness"



"Neverland's got nothing on the whimsical world constructed by Pearl than the Bear. The N.Y.C. based trio carries listeners on their backs through a DIY dreamland that is unpredictable yet safe and warm like the comfort of one's own bed." - Bust Magazine

Pearl and the Beard is three voices, one cello, one guitar, one glockenspiel, one melodica, several drums, one accordion, ninety-six teeth, and one soul.

Pearl and the Beard will also be touring this month supporting Ani DiFranco, celebrating the release of their extended single for "Prodigal Girl" at Music Hall of Williamsburg, and tearing through the Midwest and Southeast throughout February and March supporting the release of said extended single. The single will feature Prodigal Girl and 3 solo songs from each of the members Jocelyn Mackenzie, Emily Hope Price, and Jeremy Styles.

Pearl and the Beard Tour Dates:
02.16 -- Brooklyn NY -- Music Hall of Williamsburg
(Tickets are $13 in advance and $15 DOS)

02.23 -- Philadelphia -- Kung Fu Necktie
02.24 -- Washington DC -- Rock N Roll Hotel
02.28 -- Evanston IL -- S.P.A.C.E.
02.29 -- St. Louis MO -- The Gramophone,
03.01 -- Columbia MO -- True/False Film Festival
03.06 -- Omaha NE -- O'Leary's Pub
03.23 -- Greensboro NC -- The Blind Tiger
03.25 -- Greenville NC -- Spazzfest
03.28 -- Shepherdstown WV -- Blue Moon Cafe
03.29 -- Easton MD -- The Night Cat, 8pm



Links:
Pearl and the Beard

Mission of Burma and The Static Jacks Play Music Hall of Williamsburg on Jan. 19th

Mission of Burma Sampler by Fenway Recordings

Please note that the poster is from Mission of Burma's show at MHOW 2008 which was coincidently the same date. This year's show is on Thursday, Jan. 19th. Tickets are $20 and doors are at 8PM.

Mission of Burma, cited as an influence by such artists as R.E.M., Sonic Youth, the Foo Fighters, Moby and the Pixies, are returning to New York for the first time since playing last summer’s successful Seaport Music Festival on NYC’s Pier 17. The band has defied expectations throughout its more than three decade career is currently at work in the studio recording the follow up to 2009’s The Sound The Speed The Light. Describing the band’s approach to recording, drummer Peter Prescott explains, “Everything is in a constant state of flux, including the 4 of us. One thing remains the same when we make a record; a grim and relentless determination to not humiliate ourselves.”

New Jersey five piece The Static Jacks, whose debut record You Are Young (released August 30 on Fearless Records) was chosen as one of Newsday’s top albums of 2011, will support Mission of Burma on this bill. The Static Jacks, who have toured with Manchester Orchestra, The Wombats, White Denim, Young the Giant and the Futureheads among others, will head to the UK for their second visit in as many months following this opening slot with Mission of Burma.



Links:
Mission of Burma

Band of Skulls Releases Second Track - "Sweet Sour" - From Forthcoming Sophomore Album (out Feb. 21st)

Sweet Sour by Band of Skulls

Southampton’s Band Of Skulls have just posted the second track from their forthcoming sophomore disc Sweet Sour (out Feb. 21st on Vagrant Records). and the band is kicking off a US tour in March next year with shows at Webster Hall and Music Hall of Williamsburg.

Sessions for Sweet Sour started in January of this year when the trio returned to the cradle of their first album, their home studio in Southampton. The creative juices soon started flowing, and the three songwriters – Marsden, Hayward and Richardson – were collaborating more fully than ever before. Scraps of melodies, lyrics and riffs fell into place, and complete songs began to emerge: the slow-burning album opener "Sweet Sour", rockers "Lies" and "The Devil Takes Care Of His Own". The results were designed for bigger crowds. “We wanted to write material that’s primed for where we’d got to,” says guitarist/vocalist Russell Marsden. “Beefier songs for bigger stages.”

By the time they reached Rockfield, the legendary residential studio in Wales, the band were primed to road-test the new material, playing a handful of US dates in a break from the album sessions. The response was electrifying: at the Beachside Festival in San Diego, one over-zealous fan rocked out so hard during new track, "You’re Not Pretty But You’ve Got It Going On" he was tasered by the police. “I guess he was having too much of a good time,” shrugs bassist Emma Richardson. “It felt like a real moment”. Later, a performance at the Bonnaroo festival went on to shape the album’s character. “The new songs went down so well there we decided to incorporate some of the mistakes and mishaps into the studio versions,” says Marsden. “We had Ian [Davenport, returning Baby Darling... producer] jumping on top of our Fender amps to recreate one bit where the reverb was crackling and making weird noises. All the gear still had the dust and mud on it from the festival, so the dirt was there – a bit of filth from the road that made it onto the record.”

Band of Skulls had previously released the track "The Devil Takes Care of His Own" (from the forthcoming album) and have now followed this up with a video for the song.



Band of Skulls' show at Webster Hall is on March 22nd and tickets are $20. The band's show at Music Hall of Williamsburg is on March 27th and tickets are also $20.

Links:
Band of Skulls

Dead Meadow - Live Photos & Review from Music Hall of Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY 10-30-11

Dead Meadow's blissful, psychedelic stoner rock was a great way to follow Spindrift. Original drummer Mark Laughlin returned to the band last year and the Dead Meadow is currently working on their next studio disc, which is a follow-up to 2008's Old Growth.



The band's set ran about an hour and here is my best guess at a set list:

01 Intro > I Love You Too
02 What Needs Must Be
03 Till Kingdom Come
04 1000 Dreams (??)
05 Good Moanin'
06 Indian Bones
07 At Her Open Door
08 Sleepy Silver Door



Spindrift drew a good crowd but MHOW was packed as Dead Meadow prepared to take the stage. What was sad/funny is that some arse pushed his way up to the front of the stage and starts yelling over and over again "Mark Laughlin". Mark came over, seemingly a bit perplexed but very pleasant, and asked the guy if they knew each other. This idiot then just smirked and said "no". During the last song, someone from the Dead Meadow camp (presumably) came out in a monster costume and this same idiot tried to pull the monster off stage. The things people do when they can't find a Pearl Jam show to go to...









Links:
Dead Meadow

Spindrift - Interview with Kirpatrick Thomas and Photos from MHOW, Brooklyn, NY 10-30-11

Video: Spindrift - "Space Vixens"

Spindrift has been around for almost twenty years and the band just released its fourth full-length disc, Classic Soundtracks Vol. 1, early this year. This disc shows the band continuing to follow its Western / Morricone muse and "the album featured 14 theme songs to various film scores they are set to and up to 8 different directors participated in the project. The film clips, music videos, and movie trailers were all premiered on IFC and featured films by Burke Roberts, J. X. Williams, Abigail Bean, Simon Chan, and many others. The music crossed genres such as Bollywood songs, Science fiction, Exploitation films, and Film noir." (from Spindrift's official bio)

I had the opportunity to sit down and talk with Spindrift founder/guitarist Kirpatrick Thomas prior to the band taking the stage for the second of two sold-out shows at Music Hall of Williamsburg.



BrooklynRocks: Thanks for taking the time to talk with me! Would you mind starting out by talking a bit about the current tour and what the reception has been so far?

Kirpatrick Thomas: We kicked off the tour on October 6th in Los Angeles, which is where we are from, and did some shows through the Southwest before we hitched up with Dead Meadow and played with them in Austin. From Austin, we shot over to Houston to start off the first show of this tour with Black Angels, Dead Meadow and Spindrift. Since then, we have been going since mid-October. It is 20 shows with the three of our bands and 40 shows with just Spindrift headlining. The reception has been awesome having these three bands play every night. It shows the weight that Black Angels can carry - headlining three nights at Williamsburg Music Hall - they really bring it out. Dead Meadow does pretty well themselves so they were able to back the tour. For us, we have toured a lot so we can bring out what we have.



BrooklynRocks: How did the current lineup of Spindrift come together? I've been watching the band for years and it seems like it has been you along with a rotating cast of band members.

Kirpatrick Thomas: We started the band in Newark, DE and that was in 1994. We started out as a four piece - we were getting out of college, added a keyboard player and became a five piece. Though the 90's, we did a lot of shows on the East Coast and the South but we weren't getting anywhere. We were playing psychedelic rock, garage rock and experimental blues. We really liked My Bloody Valentine, The Doors, Hawkwind, Chrome and those types of bands but it wasn't until I moved out West that we decided that we got to get out of here and try something new and different. Basically, moving from one place to another, we had to change some band members. The way I see it is that we go through a rotation every five years. It just happens like that but this current lineup has been set for over two years now. The previous lineup was five years and the one before that was also five years. We have been out in LA for ten years now and it has been going really strong. I think with every lineup change, I get a little smarter about finding musicians that I would like to interact with.

Lucas Dawson (Pedal Steel & Guitar) was floating around in Joshua Tree and he said that he played pedal steel and he wanted to play psychedelic pedal steel so we started jamming. Then I got James Action (Drums, Autoharp) who was in Salt Lake City and I had met him before and he played autoharp. Originally, I just wanted an autoharp player and them our drummer left so he said he played drums. I decided to give him a try and he moved to LA to join the band. I had seen Sasha's (Mellosonic, Vocals, Flutes) solo thing around LA and she had already approached Spindrift to be in the band. So it was just me as the mainstay and Henry (Evans) the bass player as hold-overs from the previously line-up.



BrooklynRocks: How did the new disc, Classic Soundtracks Vol. 1, come together?

Kirpatrick Thomas: The new disc is basically a musical resume for film composition so it is a compilation as well. The songs are from a bunch of films that we did while we were living out in LA. We had done our own film, The Legend of God's Gun, and that got our foot in the door as far as being known as an indie film composing score band. Once we started doing that with the Western we did, other people started asking us to do scores for this or that film. Next thing I knew, we had a really big catalog of stuff and we could put out a compilation of all the different film scores that we had done. So we worked with different directors for each song and each song is for a different style of film and a different genre of film and that created a unique album. We went out and road-tested it for a while and figured out what we wanted to lay down officially.



BrooklynRocks: Now how much of tonight's set is going to be from the current album and how far back do you go in the catalog?

Kirpatrick Thomas: We go back to about 2003 - we play "Red Reflection" and that was written around then. In fact, on the new album, we have a new version of "Red Reflection" because it has gone through so much changes over years. This time out, we really nailed the spooky, atmospheric Western style that we were trying to go at.



BrooklynRocks: What Los Angeles like these days? Going back a number of years, I remember bands bitching about pay-to-play on the Strip.

Kirpatrick Thomas: The Strip is terrible...you shouldn't go near that place unless they really request that you do. The best parts are downtown LA and the Echo Park / Silver Lake / Highland Park scene and also out in the desert. Hollywood has some pretty good venues - occasionally, the Troubadour and The Roxy will have good shows. We have played most of those places. The glitzy side doesn't really appeal to us because we are very underground indie film-maker style stuff.



BrooklynRocks: Here is the last question - what's next for you guys and where do you want to go from here?

Kirpatrick Thomas: There could be Classic Soundtracks Vol. 2 because we scored a few more films that haven't been released yet. We about to score another film called The Legend of the Widower Colby Wallace and that is a mountain man film, shot in the Colorado Rockies. It is very authentic and is done by a talented director named Burke Roberts and I'm sure that we will do more film works beyond this. As a side thing, one thing that we really enjoy doing is playing old traditional cowboy trail and folk songs. We break this down with traditional instruments and three and four-part harmonies and we are definitely going to do an album like that pretty soon.

BrooklynRocks: Thanks for the time tonight and looking forward to hearing what comes next.

Links:
Spindrift

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

Those Darlins Play MHOW on March 2nd and Bowery Ballroom on March 3rd

DOWNLOAD: Those Darlins - Wild One (MP3)

"Not since the phenomenon of the O Brother Where Art Thou soundtrack has a Nashville project had so much potential to bring hardcore country music to a trendsetting, young, broad-based musical audience. Those Darlins completely inhabit the deepest, raw roots of country music. But with primal charisma, musical chops, and easy confidence, they make these roots seem jarringly modern." -- BMI

Those Darlins have been getting a lot of notice as of late for their musical style (which combines old-school country music with punk-rock attitude and energy). The band is in town for two nights supporting Dan Auberbach (Black Keys) and are playing shows with him at Music Hall of Williamsburg on March 2nd and Bowery Ballroom on March 3rd. Tickets for each night are $20.00.

Those Darlins just recorded a live session for HearYa and the band also has a new single out, "Wild One", which is available on iTunes and at the shows.

Links:
Those Darlins MySpace Profile

Witch (J Mascis) and Earthless Play Music Hall of Williamsburg on Wed., Feb. 25th

DOWNLOAD: Witch - Sweet Sue (MP3)

After playing the Luna Lounge about a year ago, Witch (which features J Mascis on drums) is coming back through town with a show at MHOW on Feb. 25th.

Witch is touring behind their second CD, Paralyzed, which was released last Spring on Tee Pee Records. This release is described as a return to the band members' past punk roots and the band's Black Sabbath sludge is now combined aggressive punk rock tempos.

Check out the interview with J and live footage from Witch's show last year at Luna Lounge (from Govnmt.tv).



Also on the bill is Earthless, who is an instrumental psych band from San Diego. The description on Earthless' MySpace profile says "We play mostly instrumental, partially structured improvised & grooved out LOUD rock-n-roll with a lot of "cosmic nodding". HIGH VOLUME BASHING. Los eardrums get ze trashing."

Last year, Earthless released a split single with Witch (on Volcom Ent. Vinyl Club) and a double-live LP on Tee Pee Records from their performance at Roadburn Festival.

Tickets are $12.00 in advance and $15.00 at the door.

Links:
Witch's MySpace Profile

The Spinto Band - Moonwink CD Review

There seemed to be a huge buzz in the blogs when The Spinto Band released Nice and Nicely Done but I just couldn't get into either "Oh Mandy" or "Brown Boxes" and I found the whole chamber-pop thing somewhat unsettling.

The band's sound has really matured over the past three years and Moonwink is a great set of infectious hyperactive/ADD pop tunes. I would expect this release to break big for the band and they have already moved from a Union Hall residency (capacity: 100) to playing Music Hall of Williamsburg (capacity: 550).

The first single from this release "Summer Grof" is available on iTunes and the band has also posted a video to YouTube. The frantic Self-Righteous Brothers/White Rabbits pace of this song will give you a good feel for what the rest of disc sounds like.



The band describes "Summer Grof" as "a vague tribute to the great comedienne Janeane Garofalo" and this single was released with a non-LP b-side, "Snowball".

Three of the new disc's eleven tracks are streaming on the band's MySpace page. One of the stand-out tracks is "Later On" which kicks off the disc. There is also a live video for this song on The Spinto Band's website where the band plays an "acoustic" version of the song using kitchen utensils and fruit.

Moonwink was recorded with Producer / Engineer Dave Trumfio (Wilco, Built To Spill, Billy Bragg, Mates of State) and Mixing Engineer Tchad Blake (Tom Waits, Los Lobos, Cibo Matto, Paul Simon). Moonwink will be released October 7th on Park The Van Records.

The Spinto Band plays Music Hall of Williamsburg on October 18th with Frightened Rabbit and The Sw!ms -- Tickets are $15.00.

Boris Releases Damaged (Ltd. Edition 10") and Plays Music Hall of Williamsburg

Japanese doom-metalers Boris return to the US for an East Coast tour and release an ultra-limited edition 10" EP.

Boris is back in town for a show at Music Hall of Williamsburg (the old NorthSix) on October 3rd. The band is playing with Damon and Naomi and Michio Kurihara and tickets are only $15.

The band has also just released a limited edition (1500 copies according to Wikipedia) 10" EP entitled Damaged. This is a split EP with Stupid Babies Go Mad where the bands cover each others songs. This is a picture disc and it comes with a bonus DVD which features live footage of both bands. The EP was released on Diwphalanx Records and is available from Conspiracy Records for 22.75 Euro (currently $31.39 US dollars).

Links:
Music Hall of Williamsburg
Boris' Website
Damon and Naomi's Website

Music Hall of Williamsburg Announces Initial Lineup of Shows

A few weeks ago, The Music Hall of Williamsburg announced Patti Smith as the opening night show (and the show sold out very quickly). Bowery Presents has just released the initial bookings for the club and there looks to be a number of solid acts.

The initial Fall lineup for the Music Hall of Williamsburg is as follows:

September

4: Patti Smith and Her Band (previously announced)

7: Joseph Arthur & The Lonely Astronauts

8: Vampire Weekend

10: Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
*fan presale July 10

14: The Walkmen

15: Bonde do Rolê with Plastic Little

19: The Black Lips with The Selmanaires and Nice Boys

21: Les Savy Fav
*tickets on sale July 18, presale July 14

27: Medeski, Martin & Wood

28: Fujiya & Miyagi with Dirty on Purpose

29: Jose Gonzalez
*tickets on sale July 17

October

3: BORIS and Damon & Naomi with Michio Kurihara

8: Sunset Rubdown

9: High On Fire with Mono, Panthers, Coliseum
*tickets on sale July 20, presale July 13

Tickets for the initial September and October shows will go on sale Friday, July 13 at noon, unless otherwise noted. Additional Music Hall of Williamsburg shows will be announced soon.

Through the new agreement with Ticketmaster, fans will be able to purchase tickets for events at all Bowery Presents venues at a fee structure virtually the same as that of former ticketing partner, TicketWeb.

"This decision to move to Ticketmaster allows us to maintain our dedication to providing easy access to tickets and entry into clubs, given our recent expansion," said Michael Swier, a partner in The Bowery Presents. "Considering our solid history with Ticketmaster as the owners of TicketWeb, we believe they have come to know not only our market but also our commitment to low ticketing fees."

In September, The Bowery Presents will open a second box office at the Music Hall of Williamsburg that will sell tickets to all of The Bowery Presents' venues -- Music Hall of Williamsburg, Bowery Ballroom, Mercury Lounge and Webster Hall - and to select Bowery Presents concerts. As at the Mercury Lounge box office, this outpost will offer cash-only ticket sales with no additional fees.

The Music Hall of Williamsburg will open on September 4th with a sold-out performance by Patti Smith and Her Band and will be the first Brooklyn music venue to be managed and operated by The Bowery Presents. Inspired by the look and feel of the Bowery Ballroom, and committed to providing the best experience possible for bands and fans, the 550-capacity Music Hall of Williamsburg will have a focus on acoustics, sightlines and space. The venue will feature state-of-the-art sound, lighting, broadcasting and recording systems, which will also have the capability to be used for Internet, TV and radio broadcasts.

Please visit www.musichallofwilliamsburg.com for ticket information and schedule updates.

About The Bowery Presents

The Bowery Presents is an independent promotion company based in New York City. With a core business based around great music, its mission is to bring the best bands to the NY metropolitan area and to provide the best concert experience for fans and artists, along with reasonable ticket prices. Over the years The Bowery Presents has worked with a vast cross-section of some of the most talented performing artists, including Arcade Fire, Bloc Party, Bright Eyes, Billy Corgan, Guster, Interpol, John Mayer, Moby, Modest Mouse, Muse, Queens of the Stone Age, Sonic Youth, The Sea & Cake, The Shins and The White Stripes. Michael Swier and John Moore of The Bowery Presents have presented music at the Mercury Lounge, the Bowery Ballroom and Webster Hall over the past 15 years. Jim Glancy, former president of the New York division of Live Nation joined the company as partner in 2006. In addition to opening the Music Hall of Williamsburg in September 2007, The Bowery Presents, headquartered on Manhattan's Lower East Side, will open a larger venue in Manhattan in October 2007. For more information, visit www.bowerypresents.com.

Patti Smith to Headline Opening of Music Hall of Williamsburg (the old NorthSix)

I am glad to see NorthSix reopening (as the Music Hall of Williamburg) and Patti Smith is playing opening night. Check out the details in the press release below. I would recommend getting tickets right when they go on sale (this Saturday, June 23rd at noon) as this is going to be one of those shows where tickets will go quick.

THE BOWERY PRESENTS TO OPEN MUSIC HALL OF WILLIAMSBURG ON SEPTEMBER 4 WITH PATTI SMITH AND HER BAND
***
Music Venue To Open In Williamsburg

(NEW YORK) June 19, 2007 - The Bowery Presents, an independent New York concert-promotion company, today announced the Music Hall of Williamsburg will open on September 4th with Patti Smith and Her Band. The Music Hall of Williamsburg will occupy the former space of Northsix, on 66 North 6th Street, and will provide a first-rate, mid-size venue for bands to play in Brooklyn.

Patti Smith is widely regarded as one of the most influential artists in rock history and was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in March. Well-loved by her New York fans, Smith, for the eighth consecutive year, sold out her annual New Year's Eve/Birthday run at The Bowery Ballroom as well as an April record release show at Hiro Ballroom in support of her latest album, Twelve.

"To have Patti and her band, who have become so much a part of our lives, open the Music Hall, for me, is the perfect beginning to our life in Brooklyn," said Michael Swier, a partner in The Bowery Presents. "We've been fortunate to have a lot of support for the Bowery Ballroom and the Mercury Lounge over the years, and we hope that with our continued dedication to the music and the fans, the Music Hall will become a well-loved neighborhood music destination."

The 550-capacity Music Hall of Williamsburg will be the first Brooklyn music venue to be managed and operated by The Bowery Presents, which has promoted shows in Brooklyn since 2006 and will promote a line-up of shows at McCarren Park Pool and Keyspan Park at Coney Island this summer. Inspired by the look and feel of the Bowery Ballroom, and committed to providing the best experience possible for bands and fans, the Music Hall of Williamsburg will have a focus on acoustics, sightlines and space.

The re-designed layout of the Music Hall of Williamsburg will be three levels, including a lower level lounge, where guests can congregate around the U-shaped bar, one of three bars in the facility. The ground floor lobby leads into the Music Hall performance space, which will feature 28' ceilings, side balconies and a back mezzanine. The venue will feature state-of-the-art sound, lighting, broadcasting and
recording systems, which will also have the capability to be used for Internet, TV and radio broadcasts.

Josh Moore, who previously worked at AEG Live's Nokia Theatre Times Square and is a founding partner of Jam Cruise, was brought on board in March to book the Music Hall of Williamsburg.

"The Bowery Presents has a vision of developing and working with quality artists from the ground up, and the Music Hall provides an amazing new place for artists to play Brooklyn," said Moore. "I couldn't be more excited to be booking this venue."

Tickets for the opening night Patti Smith show will go on sale Saturday, June 23 at Noon, for $35 each. Additional shows will be announced on July 10.

Links:
Music Hall of Williamsburg (link)
Patti Smith's Main Website (link)