Abigail Williams Working on Second Full-Length Disc (Candlelight Records)

Black metal band Abigail Willaims have completed recording of individual performances for their still untitled second full-length. Recorded at Conquistador Studios in Cleveland, Ohio, eight new songs were laid down with vocalist/guitarist Ken Sorceron and engineer Cole Martinez controlling the audio takes. The songs are currently being mixed by Peter Tagtgren (Dimmu Borgir, Immortal, Celtic Frost) and are expected to be completed later this month.

Commenting briefly on the new material, Sorceron notes, "There are a lot less keyboards on the new songs. They are far more guitar-driven and have a bit more of a traditional sound in some ways but still very Abigail Williams sounding. We let ourselves have much more room with writing this album; kind of a more open, free environment than any we have employed before. The studio experience this time round was very natural to us. We recorded everything with much more ease and I think it has helped in capturing a very honest vibe."

Due to a injury to drummer Ken Meyers back in January, Abigail Williams canceled their planned tour with Nile. With Ken Bedene (Blood of Cain) behind the skins, the band is heading out on their first trip to Australia in May touring alongside Nile.

While the finishes touches are ongoing for the new album, Sorceron and drummer Ken Bedene are touring in Europe with Aborted (Sorceron contributed to the band’s latest album) while guitarist Ian Jekelis is keeping busy touring in the US with God Dethroned. In the Shadow of a Thousand Suns (which was released as a deluxe edition earlier this year with previously unreleased tracks) and the band’s 2007 "Legend" EP are available on iTunes.

Links:
Abigail Williams

Barn Burner - Bangers CD Review (Metal Blade)

The New Wave of Traditional Heavy Metal continues to shine with the debut release from Montreal’s Barn Burner. The new disc, Bangers, was released on Metal Blade last month and the band combines the clean, melodic sounds of bands like Thin Lizzy and Iron Maiden with the feedback-drenched, stoner grooves of Kyuss and Fu Manchu.

The disc starts out strong with the track “Holy Smokes” which captures the 70’s rock vibe so perfectly that it sounds like it could have come off Lizzy’s Thunder & Lightening. Singer/guitarist K. Keaglesmith’s vocals also bear more than a passing resemblance to Philo’s.



The Thin Lizzy comparison isn't to say that Barn Burner are revisionists though. Across this eleven-track disc, the band takes elements of punk, hardcore and 70's metal to create a unique, yet familiar sound, that is more than just the sum of its parts. The band captures a live vibe on this disc and producer Adrian Popovich gives the band a thick, meaty sound which has much of the same "warmth" that vinyl had back in the pre-digital age.

With songs like "Beer Today, Bong Tomorrow" and "Brohemoth", there is little doubt that this is a party band. Here is how the band described their music in a recent interview:

"The impetus for starting the band was initially to write and play tunes that made people want to drink excessively and high-five a lot. What came with that thrust was also the desire to write tunes that sort of compiled everything we like to listen to, from the harshest of death metal to catchy 70’s metal and rock."

This is a solid disc that will hopefully get the attention it deserves. The band is planning on spending a lot of time on the road this year which will hopefully include a stop-over in the NYC area.

Links:
Barn Burner

Today Show Announces 2010 Summer Concert Series

The Today Show 2010 Summer Concert series kicks off on May 14th with a set from Sting. Sting will play a thirty minute greatest hits set which is the forerunner to his forthcoming world tour with the Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra.



Here is the rest of the Summer line-up:

MAY
14 Sting
21 The Script

JUNE
4 Justin Bieber
8 Christina Aguilera
11 Rascal Flatts
18 James Taylor and Carole King
25 Maxwell

JULY
2 Maroon 5
9 Lady Gaga
16 Enrique Iglesias
23 John Mayer
30 Carrie Underwood

AUGUST
6 Train
13 Ke$ha
20 Keith Urban
27 Katy Perry

Links:
The Today Show

Gang of Four Launch Pledgemusic Campaign for New CD 'Content'

Post-punk band Gang of Four are readying the release of their first set of new songs since 1995's Shrinkwrapped with a Pledgemusic campaign to support the release of their new album Content.

Pledge gifts range from signed CDs, limited edition white label LPs and hand-written lyrics to a private concert, copies of the band's first show (Leeds '77) and Andy Gill's mixing services.



Here is Andy & John's posting from the band's MySpace page:

"Making an album, you focus on the creative process, on exactly what you want to do and how to get there. Jon and I have been working on this new material for three years. It’s only as we came close to the end of the process that we began to think in practical terms, about how to make our music available. The traditional route, via the majors, doesn’t make sense any more. In fact, the whole architecture of the music industry doesn’t make sense any more. Record companies are taking more than ever before from artists and giving less than ever before to the people who want to listen to their music.

We decided to work with Pledge Music as a direct and innovative way to get our music out there. Towards the end of the summer, the album will be released and sold in record shops and as a download, but Pledge Music makes it possible for Gang of Four aficionados to get involved ahead of the release and to get a deeper insight into the making of the album and our ongoing work, through special pages on the site with daily updates of videos, gigs, conversations, demos, rough mixes, previously unreleased songs from the archives, and also words and photos.

We look forward to seeing you at our forthcoming gigs."

Andy and Jon

Links:
Gang of Four

Waking Lights Kick Off WP 88.7 Brave-A-Thon Fundraiser this Friday / May Show at Rockwood Music Hall

DOWNLOAD: Waking Lights - "Where It All Began" (from The Rabbit Hole)

NJ-based indie/folk band Waking Lights are kicking off the 2nd annual fundraiser for William Paterson University's 88.7FM Radio Station. The Brave-A-Thon fundraiser starts on Friday morning, April 23rd, and 15 bands will be playing live on-air at the studios. Waking Lights kicks off this event with a 9AM live set.

Waking Lights released an impressive EP, "The Rabbit Hole", at the end of last year that is available as a limited edition vinyl 7" (which comes with a digital download card). On this release, the band's sound ranges from indie-folk to 70's-style county/rock and I haven't quite made up my mind whether the band sounds more like Motel Motel or Steely Dan. Either way, it is engaging stuff that translates well to the live stage (check out the live video below).



Here is the band's upcoming tour dates, which includes a show at Rockwood Music Hall next month.

Apr. 23, 2010 -- WP 88.7 FM, Wayne, New Jersey (Note: 9AM set time)
Apr. 30, 2010 -- Wayne Firehouse, Wayne, New Jersey
May 19, 2010 -- Rockwood Music Hall, New York

Links:
Waking Lights

Melissa Etheridge Releases 11th Album, Fearless Love, on April 27th

Melissa Etheridge hit the East Coast in 1989 after the release of her self-titled debut and quickly built a reputation for her raw, high-energy rock n' roll shows that were one part Janis Joplin and one part Bruce Springsteen. As I dated women who thought there was music out there other than hardcore and alt-rock, I saw Melissa Etheridge a few times in the late 80's through mid 90's as she moved from club shows to headlining large amphitheaters. I lost touch with what Melissa was doing after the mid-90's but, what I heard in passing of her later-day material, struck me as "adult contemporary" (i.e. pure schmaltz).

Melissa's new album, Fearless Love, which comes out on April 27th, marks a welcome return to her roots-rock sounds of the early 90's. Check out the live video for the title cut and try not to think of Springsteen while watching.



To make Fearless Love, Etheridge invited old friend John Shanks to produce and play guitar. “I like to tell people I discovered John Shanks,” she teases. “He toured as my guitar player on my very first tour and he worked with me from 1993 to 1999.” Shanks’ first production credit came when he co-produced Melissa’s 1999 effort, Breakdown. “ “After that he went on to produce Michelle Branch, Sheryl Crow, Alanis Morissette—he’s Mr. Pop guy now. He’s done quite well,” Notes Etheridge. The 2005 Grammy® winner for Producer of the Year has written with and produced an A+ list of stars including Carlos Santana, Celine Dion, Sting, Fleetwood Mac, Bon Jovi, Jewel, Robbie Robertson, Chris Isaak, Stevie Nicks, Keith Urban, Kelly Clarkson and Rod Stewart.

The first new song [from Fearless Love], a dramatic number called “To be Loved,” came out much darker than the album as a whole. As more songs were written, potential singles began to emerge: “Indiana,” a ballad-cum-monster-of-a-rocker that relates the story of a girl who has overcome a difficult childhood in the Heartland; “The Wanting of You,” a classic Etheridge rocker based on the story of a small-town, Midwestern girl who lives in fear of the life-changing choices she’s made; and “Company,” a mid-tempo rocker that will all undoubtedly amass plenty of airplay in 2010. The big Pete Townshend-inspired power chords in “Company” are an example of Etheridge’s propensity for proudly displaying her influences on Fearless Love; listen carefully and you’ll hear a U2-like guitar line here, a ZZ Top-like lick there, some Led Zeppelin-style rock for all to hear. “I wanted to unabashedly use the influences I’ve had all my life,” Etheridge explains, “I wanted to present them in this album, and honor them and respect them.”

Amazon is taking pre-orders for Fearless Love (click on the photo above) for $7.99 and the first two singles ("Fearless Love" and "The Wanting of You") are currently available on iTunes.

Melissa is playing a limited set of live dates over the next few months:

May 22, 2010 -- KFOG’s KaBoom @ Candlestick Point San Francisco, California
Jun 26, 2010 -- Hard Rock Calling in Hyde Park with Stevie Wonder, London
Jun 27, 2010 -- Paradiso, Amsterdam, Noord-Holland
Jun 29, 2010 -- O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire, London
Jun 30, 2010 -- Astra Kulturhaus, Berlin

Links:
Melissa Etheridge

Joan Osborne - City Winery, NYC 4-14-10

I made my first visit to City Winery earlier this week to catch the second of two sold-out shows by Joan Osborne.

I haven't seen Joan Osborne live since an early club show when Relish was first released (and "One of Us" was getting played to death on the local 'modern rock' station). In watching Joan's live show now fifteen years later, the radio stations back in the 90's may have latched onto the 'wrong' song. Joan's set on Wednesday night featured more roots/blues oriented songs which were closer in comparison to artists like Bonnie Raitt than anything 'modern rock'. If anything, Joan's voice has gotten stronger over the years and she has a solid band that complements her vocal stylings well.



I didn't keep a set list during the 90+ minute set but noted some of the highlights:
- "Brokedown Palace"; a Grateful Dead cover which Joan introduced as a song she rehearsed with the Dead but never sang live
- "Long Black Coat"; a Bob Dylan cover which is back in the setlist after a multi-year absence
- "St. Theresa"; one of my favorites from Relish
- "Spiderweb"; played as a slow, funky jam
- "Hallelujah in the City"; incredible vocals
- "What Became of the Brokenhearted"; a Jimmy Ruffin/Motown cover from the mid-60's

Joan also road-testing some new material and had two new songs in the set.

I really enjoyed City Winery as well as both the sound and the sight lines were great. What I especially appreciated is that the service was attentive without being intrusive. As such, I've subsequently joined City Winery's Vinofile club (which gets you no service fees on tickets) and have bought tickets for the upcoming Suzanne Vega/Lloyd Cole show next month.

Joan Osborne is playing a limited set of shows over the next few months and here are the upcoming tour dates:

Apr. 16, 2010 -- Tupelo Music Hall Londonerry, New Hampshire
Apr. 17, 2010 -- Blue Ocean Music Hall, Salisbury, Massachusetts
Apr. 24, 2010 -- Edmonds Center for the Arts, Edmonds, Washington
Jun. 13, 2010 -- Riverbend Festival: Tennesse Valley Stage, Chattanooga, Tennessee
Jul. 10, 2010 -- Vancouver Island Musicfest: Courtenay Exhibition Grounds, Courtenay, British Columbia
Jul. 24, 2010 -- Churchill Downs - HullaBalou Festival, Louisville, Kentucky

Links:
Joan Osborne

Chappo Hosts a CD Release/Lunar Dance Party at Glasslands on Friday, April 23rd

DOWNLOAD: Chappo - "Come Home" (from Plastique Universe)

I hadn't heard Chappo's music prior to them reaching out but I've obviously been missing out as the band's music is d*mn addictive.

Chappo describes their music as a "cross pollination of indie pop and space rock. It's The Rolling Stones in space and like The Flaming Lips without gravity. They've got space shoes, phantasmagorical adventures, confetti six-shooters and diamond powder-filled hourglasses." I'm not sure the Flaming Lips comparison does Chappo justice (just not a fan of the Lips) but I can't come up with anything better.

The band has a new CD EP "Plastique Universe" coming out next week and they are hosting a CD release/lunar dance party at Glasslands Gallery on Friday, April 23rd.

Links:
Chappo

Fates Warning - Parallels Special Edition CD Review (Metal Blade)

Last month, Metal Blade continued on with the recent series of Fates Warning reissues and released the band's 1991 CD Parallels as a three-disc set. I'm starting to feel really old now as this disc is now nineteen years old and the last time (that I can remember) Fates Warning played NYC was 2001 at L'Amour.

The set contains an eight-track live show which was recorded on the Parallels tour at the Hollywood Bowl on January 23, 1992 along with six demos. The demos cover the majority of the Parallels LP with the exception of "Life in Still Water" and "We Only Say Goodbye". The live show also skips over these tracks (and "The Road Goes On Forever") but adds "Nothing Left To Say" (from Perfect Symmetry), "Quietus" (from No Exit) and "Through Different Eyes" (from Perfect Symmetry). The DVD contains a 13-track live concert that was filmed in 1992 in New Haven, CT along with behind-the-scenes footage from the 1992 tour and current interviews with all the band members.

Here is the full track listing for the two bonus discs. As Amazon is selling the 3-disc set new for $14.99, you aren't going to go wrong with this set.

Disc 2 - Live and Demos
"Leave the Past Behind" [Live] - 4:39
"Don't Follow Me" [Live] - 5:19
"The Eleventh Hour" [Live] - 8:09
"Point of View" [Live] - 4:20
"Eye to Eye" [Live] - 4:06
"Nothing Left to Say" [Live] - 7:59
"Quietus" [Live] - 4:00
"Through Different Eyes" [Live] - 4:39
"Leave the Past Behind" [Demo Version] - 5:50
"Eye to Eye" [Demo Version] - 4:06
"The Eleventh Hour" [Demo Version] - 7:39
"Point of View" [Demo Version] - 4:50
"Don't Follow Me" [Demo Version] - 4:17
"The Road Goes on Forever" [Demo Version] - 5:43
Tracks 1-8 recorded at the Hollywood Bowl in Hollywood, California on January 23, 1992.

Disc 3 - Live, "The Making of..." and Interviews DVD
"Leave the Past Behind"
"Static Acts"
"Don't Follow Me"
"Part of the Machine"
"The Eleventh Hour"
"Point of View"
"Silent Cries"
"Life in Still Water"
"Eye to Eye"
"Nothing Left to Say"
"Quietus"
"Damnation/In a Word"
"Through Different Eyes"



The Parallels line-up of the band has reunited for a few one-off reunion shows and the closest show that the band is playing is at The Webster Theatre in New Haven, CT on June 4th.

Links:
Fates Warning

Ratt Releases New Single "Eat Me Up Alive" As A Free Download / Show at Irving Plaza on May 10th

The surviving members of Ratt reunited in 2007 (without bassist Juan Croucier) and went into the studio last year for their first new studio album in 11 years. The new disc, Infestation, will be released on April 20 via Loud & Proud/Roadrunner. The disc is available for pre-order on iTunes and includes 4 bonus tracks. Roadrunner is also taking pre-orders which come with an autographed CD booklet.

In a recent interview with Icon vs Icon, Bobby Blotzer had the following to say about the new disc: "I definitely think it’s in the same ballpark as Out of the Cellar and Invasion (Invasion of Your Privacy), I’d put it in between those two records. This is a good thing. I’m definitely not one to tell people “Oh, this is the best thing ever.” if it’s not great. I’m not going to just hype it up. I’ll do interviews for it, like the last one that we did. I liked that record. Do I think it was a great RATT record? No, I didn’t think it was a great RATT record."



Ratt is heading out on a cross-country April-May tour that stops at The Fillmore at Irving Plaza on May 10th. Tickets for the Irving Plaza show are $28.50.

Here are the upcoming tour dates:

Apr 15, 2010 -- Arizona Bike Week @ Handlebar Saloon, Scottdale, Arizona
Apr 17, 2010 -- The New Oasis, Sparks, Nevada
Apr 20, 2010 -- Key Club, Los Angeles, California
Apr 30, 2010 -- Pechanga Casino Resort, Temecula, California
May 06, 2010 -- Ram’s Head Live, Baltimore, Maryland
May 08, 2010 -- Theatre of Living Arts, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
May 10, 2010 -- Fillmore New York @ Irving Plaza, New York
May 12, 2010 -- House of Blues, Cleveland, Ohio
May 13, 2010 -- Cubby Bear, Chicago, Illinois

Links:
Ratt

Nashville Pussy - Live Photos from Rocks Off Cruise, NYC 4-8-10

Nashville Pussy kicked off the 10th Annual Rocks Off Concert Cruise Series with a headlining set. The band is on the road with the Parental Advisory tour which runs through May with Psychostick and Green Jelly (tour dates below).

Nashville Pussy's set was the perfect way to end the night as the band continues to be one of the prime purveyors of Southern fried, good-time, beer drinking rock n' roll. The band's most recent disc From Hell to Texas was released just about a year ago and Metaleater said that if this disc "was released in 1975, Nashville Pussy could have zapped ZZ Top and tampled Ted Nugent."



Here is a recent live video from Nashville Pussy which was filmed this past February.



Parent Advisory Tour Dates
Apr. 12, 2010 -- Bourbon Street, Baltimore, MD
Apr. 13, 2010 -- Rex Theater, Pittsburgh, PA
Apr. 14, 2010 -- Sherlocks, Erie, PA
Apr. 15, 2010 -- The Machine Shop, Flint, MI
Apr. 16, 2010 -- Headliners, Toledo, OH
Apr. 17, 2010 -- Alrosa Villa, Columbus, OH
Apr. 20, 2010 -- The Reverb, Waterloo, IA
Apr. 21, 2010 -- Reggies, Chicago, IL
Apr. 22, 2010 -- EXPO 5, Louisville, KY
Apr. 23, 2010 -- The Library, St. Louis, MO
Apr. 24, 2010 -- Aftershock, Merriam, KS
Apr. 25, 2010 -- House of Bricks, Des Moines, IA
Apr. 27, 2010 -- The Other Side, Tulsa, OK
Apr. 29, 2010 -- Backstage Live, San Antonio, TX
Apr. 30, 2010 -- Wired Live, Houston, TX
May 01, 2010 -- The Red Eye Fly, Austin, TX
May 02, 2010 -- Skillman Street, Dallas, TX
May 05, 2010 -- War Legion Underground, Amarillo, TX
May 06, 2010 -- Cervante’s, Denver, CO
May 07, 2010 -- Mesa Theater, Grand Junction, CO
May 08, 2010 -- Club Vegas, Salt Lake City, UT
May 12, 2010 -- New Oasis, Sparks, NV
May 13, 2010 -- Domino Room, Bend, OR
May 14, 2010 -- Hell’s Kitchen, Tacoma, WA
May 15, 2010 -- Peter’s Room @ Roseland, Portland, OR
May 21, 2010 -- The Crest Theatre, Fresno, CA
May 22, 2010 -- The Catalyst, Santa Cruz, CA
May 27, 2010 -- Galaxy Theater, Santa Ana, CA
May 29, 2010 -- Brick By Brick, San Diego, CA
May 30, 2010 -- The Rhythm Room, Phoenix, AZ
* All Shows with Green Jelly and Psychostick

Links:
Nashville Pussy

Iggy Pop - Raw Power Legacy Edition Released on April 13th

DOWNLOAD: Iggy & the Stooges - "Raw Power" Podcast

As much as I've tried to break away from being a record collector, I still have way too many legit, semi-legit and bootleg Iggy Pop CDs, LPs, etc. As I started trading tapes twenty years ago and recently bought both Iggy Pop live box sets from Easy Action, I'm pleasantly surprised that this new reissue of Raw Power contains a number of tracks that I don't already have.

There is both a 2-disc (the first two discs listed below) and 4-disc version of the Raw Power Legacy Edition. Here is the track listing:

Disc 1 - Raw Power (original David Bowie mix)
01. Search and Destroy
02. Gimme Danger
03. Your Pretty Face Is Going to Hell
04. Penetration
05. Raw Power
06. I Need Somebody
07. Shake Appeal
08. Death Trip

Disc 2 - "Georgia Peaches"
01. Introduction *
02. Raw Power *
03. Head On *
04. Gimme Danger *
05. Search and Destroy *
06. I Need Somebody *
07. Heavy Liquid *
08. Cock in My Pocket *
09. Open Up and Bleed *
10. Doojiman [outtake]
11. Head On [CBS Studio rehearsal performance]
* Live in Atlanta, 1973

Disc 3 - Rarities, Outtakes, & Alternates from the Raw Power Era
01. I'm Hungry [outtake]
02. I Got a Right [outtake]
03. I'm Sick of You [outtake]
04. Hey, Peter [outtake]
05. Shake Appeal [alternate mix]
06. Death Trip [alternate mix]
07. Gimme Danger [alternate mix from the 1996 Iggy "violent" remixes]
08. Your Pretty Face Is Going to Hell [alternate mix from the 1996 Iggy "violent" remixes]

Disc 4 (DVD)
The Making of Raw Power - documentary by Morgan Neville featuring new interviews with Iggy Pop, James Williamson, Scott Asheton, Mike Watt, Johnny Marr, and Henry Rollins + live performance footage of James Williamson’s first reunion gig with Iggy and the Stooges shot at Festival Planeta Terra, São Paulo, Brazil, November 2009

Links:
Iggy Pop

Green Jelly - Live Photos from Rocks Off Cruise, NYC 4-8-10

Punk/comedy band Green Jelly reunited in 2008 and released a new disc, Musick to Insult Your Intelligence By, in 2009. The band is currently out on the "Parent Advisory Tour" with Psychostick and Nashville Pussy which runs through the end of May (tour dates below).


Here is a quote from Bill Manspeaker/Moronic Dictator on the band's reformation "..AND THEN ONE DAY I WOKE UP WITH A HANG OVER AND SEVERAL NAKED GIRLS KISSING AND I SAID TO MYSELF...DUH SILLY MONKEY DONT YOU REMEMBER THAT YOU PUT ON SILLY PUPPET COSTUMES AND SHITTY ALBUMS FOR A LIVING...

SO I GOT OUT THE OLD COUCH CUSHION PUPPETS AND I PUT THEM BACK ON MY HEAD....IT WAS A LOT FUNNER THAN WRESTLING DOWN DRUNK STUPID PEOPLE AT MY CLUB....I THINK I GOT A LITTLE TOOOO CAUGHT UP IN CREATING A HOLLYWOOD UNDERGROUND MUSIC/ART WORLD THAT I FORGOT ABOUT MY OWN UNDERGROUND WORLD OF ROCK N ROLL PUPPETS.....

SO NOW THAT I REMEMBERED THAT I AM AND ALWAYS WILL BE A PUPPET ...I AM PLAYING THIS BROKEN WRECKERD ONCE AGAIN....27 YEARS AND 238 BAND MEMBERS LATER GREEN JELLO STILL SUCKS....I AM VERY PROUD OF THAT...SO HERE I GO AGAIN...WHEN I THINK OF ALL THE RIDES I HAVE RIDDEN I THINK I LIKE THIS TRAIN WRECK OF A RIDE THE BEST....GREEN JELLO SUXX....LATER..MORONIC DICKTATOR"









Here is a live video of "Three Little Pigs" from a recent show at Jaxx in Springfield, VA.



Parent Advisory Tour Dates
Apr. 10, 2010 -- Montage Music Hall, Rochester, NY
Apr. 12, 2010 -- Bourbon Street, Baltimore, MD
Apr. 13, 2010 -- Rex Theater, Pittsburgh, PA
Apr. 14, 2010 -- Sherlocks, Erie, PA
Apr. 15, 2010 -- The Machine Shop, Flint, MI
Apr. 16, 2010 -- Headliners, Toledo, OH
Apr. 17, 2010 -- Alrosa Villa, Columbus, OH
Apr. 20, 2010 -- The Reverb, Waterloo, IA
Apr. 21, 2010 -- Reggies, Chicago, IL
Apr. 22, 2010 -- EXPO 5, Louisville, KY
Apr. 23, 2010 -- The Library, St. Louis, MO
Apr. 24, 2010 -- Aftershock, Merriam, KS
Apr. 25, 2010 -- House of Bricks, Des Moines, IA
Apr. 27, 2010 -- The Other Side, Tulsa, OK
Apr. 29, 2010 -- Backstage Live, San Antonio, TX
Apr. 30, 2010 -- Wired Live, Houston, TX
May 01, 2010 -- The Red Eye Fly, Austin, TX
May 02, 2010 -- Skillman Street, Dallas, TX
May 05, 2010 -- War Legion Underground, Amarillo, TX
May 06, 2010 -- Cervante’s, Denver, CO
May 07, 2010 -- Mesa Theater, Grand Junction, CO
May 08, 2010 -- Club Vegas, Salt Lake City, UT
May 12, 2010 -- New Oasis, Sparks, NV
May 13, 2010 -- Domino Room, Bend, OR
May 14, 2010 -- Hell’s Kitchen, Tacoma, WA
May 15, 2010 -- Peter’s Room @ Roseland, Portland, OR
May 21, 2010 -- The Crest Theatre, Fresno, CA
May 22, 2010 -- The Catalyst, Santa Cruz, CA
May 27, 2010 -- Galaxy Theater, Santa Ana, CA
May 29, 2010 -- Brick By Brick, San Diego, CA
May 30, 2010 -- The Rhythm Room, Phoenix, AZ
* All Shows with Nashville Pussy and Psychostick

Links:
Green Jelly

Psychostick - Live Photos from Rocks Off Cruise, NYC 4-8-10

Crazed beer metal band Psychostick kicked off the night on the first 2010 Rocks Off concert cruise. The band is currently off on an April - May tour with Green Jelly and Nashville Pussy (tour dates below) and the band's most recent release, Sandwich, came out in 2009.

Psychostick's MySpace profile describes the band as a "Beer is good and stuff band" and this quote fits well with the band's lyrical outlook on life. The band has songs about beer, Jagermeister, first jobs and more - all of which comes off as sort of a cross between The Meatmen and Green Jelly. What is refreshing is that the band's sense of humor doesn't substitute for their music abilities (Hello Shat) and Psychostick has the punk/metal chops to keep their music engaging.









Here is a live video from Psychostick from the current tour along with upcoming tour dates.



Apr. 10, 2010 -- Montage Music Hall, Rochester, NY
Apr. 12, 2010 -- Bourbon Street, Baltimore, MD
Apr. 13, 2010 -- Rex Theater, Pittsburgh, PA
Apr. 14, 2010 -- Sherlocks, Erie, PA
Apr. 15, 2010 -- The Machine Shop, Flint, MI
Apr. 16, 2010 -- Headliners, Toledo, OH
Apr. 17, 2010 -- Alrosa Villa, Columbus, OH
Apr. 20, 2010 -- The Reverb, Waterloo, IA
Apr. 21, 2010 -- Reggies, Chicago, IL
Apr. 22, 2010 -- EXPO 5, Louisville, KY
Apr. 23, 2010 -- The Library, St. Louis, MO
Apr. 24, 2010 -- Aftershock, Merriam, KS
Apr. 25, 2010 -- House of Bricks, Des Moines, IA
Apr. 27, 2010 -- The Other Side, Tulsa, OK
Apr. 29, 2010 -- Backstage Live, San Antonio, TX
Apr. 30, 2010 -- Wired Live, Houston, TX
May 01, 2010 -- The Red Eye Fly, Austin, TX
May 02, 2010 -- Skillman Street, Dallas, TX
May 05, 2010 -- War Legion Underground, Amarillo, TX
May 06, 2010 -- Cervante’s, Denver, CO
May 07, 2010 -- Mesa Theater, Grand Junction, CO
May 08, 2010 -- Club Vegas, Salt Lake City, UT
May 12, 2010 -- New Oasis, Sparks, NV
May 13, 2010 -- Domino Room, Bend, OR
May 14, 2010 -- Hell’s Kitchen, Tacoma, WA
May 15, 2010 -- Peter’s Room @ Roseland, Portland, OR
May 21, 2010 -- The Crest Theatre, Fresno, CA
May 22, 2010 -- The Catalyst, Santa Cruz, CA
May 27, 2010 -- Galaxy Theater, Santa Ana, CA
May 29, 2010 -- Brick By Brick, San Diego, CA
May 30, 2010 -- The Rhythm Room, Phoenix, AZ
* All Shows with Nashville Pussy and Green Jelly

Links:
Psychostick

Hurricane Bells Plays Webster Hall (w/ Blue October) on Saturday, April 10th

DOWNLOAD: Hurricane Bells - "This Year" (from Tonight is the Ghost)


Brooklyn's Hurricane Bells have been staying out on the road these past few months and the band is playing a show this Saturday night with Blue October and Stars of Track and Field. Tickets for Saturday night's show are $30 and Hurricane Bells is playing as an acoustic duo of band architect Steve Schiltz and Ashen Keilyn (from the band Scout).

Hurricane Bells is the new solo project by Longwave guitarist/front-man Steve Schiltz. Schiltz wrote, played, recorded, and mixed the entirety of Tonight Is The Ghost - a moody, gorgeous mix of somber undercurrents and chiming guitars bathed in echo and reverb. Schiltz originally had planning on self-releasing this disc but the disc picked up national attention when the b-side "Monsters" was chosen for the The Twilight Saga: New Moon soundtrack last fall. The disc is currently available digitally through Vagrant Records and a special-edition physical release of the album comes out on April 12th.



Hurricane Bells' Upcoming Tour Dates

APR. 10 -- NEW YORK, NY, WEBSTER HALL*
APR. 11 -- WASHINGTON, DC, 9:30 CLUB*
APR. 15 -- PITTSBURGH, PA, MR. SMALLS*
APR. 16 -- ROCHESTER, NY, WATER STREET*
APR. 17 -- COLUMBUS, OH, LC PAVILION*
APR. 18 -- CLEVELAND, OH, HOUSE OF BLUES*
APR. 20 -- CHICAGO, IL, HOUSE OF BLUES*
APR. 21 -- ST. LOUIS, MO, PAGEANT*
APR. 23 -- OMAHA, NE, SOKOL HALL*
APR. 24 -- DENVER, CO, GOTHIC THEATER*
APR. 25 -- ALBUQUERQUE, NM, SUNSHINE THEATER*
APR. 27 -- LUBBOCK, TX, LONESTAR EC PAVILION*
APR. 28 -- ODESSA, TX, DOS AMIGOS*
APR. 29 -- TULSA, OK, CAIN'S*
APR. 30 -- DALLAS, TX, HOUSE OF BLUES*
* with Blue October

Links:
Hurricane Bells' MySpace Profile

The Great Unknown Plays Free Show at Spike Hill Tomorrow Night (Americana / Roots Rock)

STREAM: The Great Unknown - Interview w/ Philadelphia Weekly + Studio Tracks from Debut CD

Philadelphia Americana/Roots-Rocks band The Great Unknown released their debut CD, Tonight, Let’s Pretend, late last year. The band is coming to Spike Hill tomorrow night for a free show with Argyle Johansen and Thin Skin Jonny. The show starts at 10PM and The Great Unknown goes on first.

The Deli Magazine described Tonight, Let's Pretend as a "work of meticulous beauty...It’s an honest album, with no glitz or glam, but by relying on pure, raw talent, The Great Unknown have written one of my favorite albums of the year." This self-released disc was recorded and mixed by Tony Mascara in Millville, NJ and mastered by Frank DeGennaro (Ornette Coleman).

Here is the first video, "I Can See Forever Up Here", from the new disc.



Links:
The Great Unknown

Drugs of Faith Start Recording Debut Full-Length Next Month (Selfmadegod Records)

DOWNLOAD: Drugs of Faith - "Race to the End" (from 2008 Demo)

Ever since the release of Drugs of Faith’s debut eponymous mini-album in 2006, fans and press have been asking when the Virginia-based trio will record a full-length record. Well, that recording has finally been scheduled. The band will enter Developing Nations in Baltimore, Maryland this May, with Kevin Bernsten (Triac) at the helm.

The as-yet-untitled first full-length record for the band -- to be released by Poland's Selfmadegod Records, who also released the self-titled mini-album as well as the band's split release with Antigama -- will feature the grind ‘n’ roll sound the group is known for, as well as lyrics covering social and political subjects they continue to feel strongly about. These will be the first recordings from the band since turning in their tracks to Relapse Records for This Comp Kills Fascists Vol. 2.

Drugs of Faith features guitarist/vocalist Richard Johnson, bassist Taryn Wilkinson and drummer Edward Spode. Stay tuned for additional info and announcements on DOF's upcoming album, live updates and more.

Upcoming Drugs of Faith Live Appearances:
4/24/2010 Corpse Fortress - Silver Spring, MD w/ DOC, Mind as Prison, Coche Bomba, Lotus Fucker.
5/13/2010 Sidebar Tavern - Baltimore, MD w/ Akris, 4th Horseman, Salome, Sons of Tonatiuh

Links:
Drugs of Faith
Selfmadegod Records

Bury Tomorrow - "Portraits" CD Review (Artery Recordings)

Southampton’s Bury Tomorrow hit the national press with their 2007 EP “The Sleep of the Innocents” and a tour with Bring Me the Horizon. The band recently signed to Artery Recordings and their full-length debut, Portraits, was released in the US last month.

Portraits is a “buy-the-books” metalcore album that follows in the vein of US bands like Haste the Day and Killswitch Engage. The band combines rhythm guitarist Jason Cameron’s clean vocals with vocalist Dani Winter-Bates’ hoarse growls over a melodic verse / chorus / breakdown song structure. While this release doesn’t break any new ground, it is surprisingly catchy.

Bury Tomorrow’s strength is the individual vocal strength and interplay between the band’s two vocalists. Jason Cameron has a strong emotive voice that is able to rise above the emo-stylings of other clean vocalists in the genre and Dani Winter-Bates also has more power and range than the stereotypical growler. Two of the disc’s standout tracks (the first single “You and I” and the holdover from the first EP “The Woods Aren’t Safe For Us”) should give you an indication as to what the rest of the disc sounds like. The only exception from the band's core sound is the one ballad on the disc, "Relief". While I'm not much on ballads (including this one), Jason's vocal range and strength is enough to keep me from hitting the "skip" button.





Here are Bury Tomorrow's upcoming tour dates:

Apr. 13, 2010 -- Cockpit w/ Alesana, A Skylit Drive, Leeds
Apr. 14, 2010 -- The Rescue Rooms w/ Alesana, A Skylit Drive, Nottingham
Apr. 16, 2010 -- O2 Academy Islington w/ Alesana, A Skylit Drive, London
Apr. 17, 2010 -- Birmingham O2 Academy w/ Alesana, A Skylit Drive, Birmingham
Apr. 18, 2010 -- Academy 2 w/ Alesana, A Skylit Drive, Manchester
Apr. 19, 2010 -- King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut w/ Alesana, A Skylit Drive, Glasgow
Apr. 20, 2010 -- The Masque w/ Alesana, A Skylit Drive, Liverpool
Apr. 21, 2010 -- Arts Centre w/ Alesana, A Skylit Drive, Colchester
Apr. 22, 2010 -- Melkweg w/ Alesana, A Skylit Drive, Emarosa, Amsterdam
Apr. 24, 2010 -- Conne Island w/ Alesana, A Skylit Drive, Emarosa, Leipzig
Apr. 25, 2010 -- Matix w/ Alesana, A Skylit Drive, Emarosa, Bochum
Apr. 27, 2010 -- Abart w/ Alesana, A Skylit Drive, Emarosa, Zurich
Apr. 29, 2010 -- Razzmatazz 2 w/ Alesana, A Skylit Drive, Emarosa, Barcelona
Apr. 30, 2010 -- Sala La Riviera Madrid w/ Alesana, A Skylit Drive, Emarosa, Madrid

Links:
Bury Tomorrow

A Weather - Everyday Balloons (Team Love) CD Review / Show at Union Hall on April 23rd

DOWNLOAD: A Weather - "Giant Stairs"
DOWNLOAD: A Weather - "Third of Life"

Portland, Oregon slowcore, indie-folkies A Weather released their sophomore disc Everyday Balloons last month on Team Love Records. The band is current playing shows coast to coast and are stopping at Union Hall on April 23rd. At the Union Hall show, Inlets (CD release show) and Sparrow House are sharing the bill and tickets are $10.

Everyday Balloons is an intimate and delicate record. Aaron Gerber (vocals, guitar) and Sarah Winchester (vocals, drums) combine breathy, often intertwined vocals with gauzy, lush melodies to create a sense of melancholy-tinged comfort over the course of the disc. With the subtle nature of the vocals and instrumentation, lyrical narratives of comfort, fear, vulnerability and spiritual exhaustion rise to the forefront of the consciousness.

This isn't the sort of record that you can pop on and listen to while doing other things - A Weather's subtle, yet complex, music requires careful focus to be fully appreciated. The music doesn't demand your attention but rather invites you in, if you will give it some time and attention. Everyday Balloons is the perfect disc to spend some time with during a rainy morning or a late night.

Links:
A Weather

Penguin Prison Releases New AA-Side Single / Show at Mercury Lounge on April 8th

DOWNLOAD: Penguin Prison - "The Worse It Gets"
DOWNLOAD: Penguin Prison - "Something I'm Not"

If you wait long enough - music comes full circle. The songs on the last few promos that I've listened to could easily have been classic 80's new wave/dance tracks.

Electro-pop dance artist Penguin Prison has released a new Double-A Side 7" ("The Worse It Gets / Something I'm Not") on Neon Gold. The Guardian described Penguin Prison's music as "Michael Jackson getting fired by Quincy Jones in 1979 and cheering himself by going into the Hit Factory with David Byrne to record Fear of Music."

Penguin Prison is playing a live band show at Mercury Lounge on April 8th and has a live band and DJ set scheduled at Brooklyn Bowl on May 8th. At the Mercury Lounge show, Penguin Prison is sharing the bill with Das Racist, Solid Gold and Bad Brilliance. Tickets are $10 and Penguin Prison plays at 10:30PM.

Links:
Penguin Prison