Fredrik updates and mp3s!

Ny new favorite song at the moment is "White on White" by Fredrik, from their EP that they released in November - I know it's not all that new but I guess I'm just in the mood for chill, beautiful music with a little dramatic flare lately. Granted, I've always loved Fredrik and they create such amazingly rich, layered songs. But this one is at least tied with Na Na Ni, which is on my top songs of all time list, and it grows on me with every listen. It's really very calming and I find myself being completely absorbed in the song and zoning out everything else - listening to it is almost like a meditation.

Also playing on repeat is their newest single ("Rites of Spring," which is more dramatic than "White on White") from their recent album, Flora, which came out in May and I meant to post this earlier because they played a rare show in NYC last night in support of the album (one of the many things that makes me so wish I still lived in NYC...), but lo and behold I was busy driving home from Bonnaroo (woo!) and then recovering from Bonnaroo (oy). You can actually listen to/watch the whole album on YouTube. Anyway, if you caught the show last night, I'm jealous. Really really jealous. I need to find a way to get them to DC.

White on White [mp3] - ( Amazon / iTunes )

Rites of Spring [mp3] - ( Amazon / iTunes )

The Dodos' "No Color" out today + tour dates!

This is an album that I've been listening to on repeat for the last few weeks, as you may be able to tell because I've posted about The Dodos twice -1, 2 (with mp3s!) - in the last month or so and it's finally out today! I love The Dodos' intense percussion and jangly guitars. Since I've already posted quite a bit pertaining to this album, I'll just let say buy the album and see how awesome it is for yourself! ( Amazon / iTunes )

Obviously they're playing tons of shows at SXSW (damn you, day job! I swear some day I'm going to make it down to Austin...) and then launching right into a massive tour across the US, Canada and Europe. Unfortunately it looks like they're missing the entire East Coast (seriously, Fargo and Omaha but no NYC?), but here are the dates for those of you fortunate to be at SXSW or have them coming through your city:

 03-16 Tiger Mountain and Noise Pop Present - Brooklyn vs. the Bay Day Party at Red Eye- 5:10pm-6pm

 03-16 French Kiss Night Showcase at Parish - 1am-1:45am

 03-17  Under the Radar Day Party at Flamingo Cantina - 12:45pm-1:30pm

 03-17 Pitchfork Party at East Side Drive Inn - 3:30pm-4pm

 03-18  Food Panel at Convention Center - 11am - 12:30pm- 

 03-18 Brooklyn Vegan Day Party at Swan Dive & Barbarella - 5pm-5:45pm

  03-18  Orchard Night Showcase-at Cedar Street Courtyard - 10pm-10:45pm

  03-19  AOL Pop Up Show- secret location- 1pm - location announced 24 hours beforehand

 03-19 Mess With Texas Outside Festival at East Side Drive Inn – 4:15pm - 4:45pm

03-21 Kansas City, MO - Record Bar 

03-22 Omaha, NE - Waiting Room

03-23 Minneapolis, MN - Cedar Cultural Center

03-24 Fargo, ND - Aquarium 

03-25 Winnipeg, MB - West End 

03-26 Saskatoon, SK - Amigo’s 

03-28 Calgary, AB - Republik 

03-29 Edmonton, AB - Starlite

03-31 Vancouver, BC - Rickshaw

04-01 Victoria, BC - Sugar

04-02 Bellingham, WA - Wild Buffalo 

04-04 Seattle, WA - Neumo's 

04-05 Portland, OR - Doug Fir

04-07 San Francisco, CA - Filmore

04-08 Los Angeles, CA - El Rey Theater

04-09 San Diego, CA - Casbah 

04-27 Spain, Donostia - Gazteszena

04-28 Spain, Vigo - University

04-29 Spain, Madrid - El Sol

04-30 Spain, Barcelona - Plaça de la Odissea (Free Outdoor show)

05-02 Grenoble, France - Le Ciel

05-03 Milan, Italy - Salumeria Della Musica

05-04 Rome, Italy - Circolo Degli Artisti

05-05 Ravenna, Italy - Bronson

05-06 Aarau, Switzerland - Kiff

05-07 Munich, Germany - 59-1

05-09 Berlin, Germany - Magnet

05-10 Hamburg, Germany - Prinzenbar

05-11 Cologne, Germany - Blue Shell

05-12 Nijmegen, Holland - Doornroosje

05-13 Amsterdam, Holland - Melkweg

05-14 Brussels, Belgium - Botanique Festival

05-16 Vendome, France - La Chapelle Vendome

05-17 Strasbourg, France - La Laiterie

05-18 Paris, France - Divan du Monde

05-19 London, UK - Scala

05-20 Manchester, UK - Deaf Institute

05-21 Glasgow, UK – Arches

06-15 Montreal, QC - Le Tulipe

06-16 Toronto, ON - Phoenix Concert Theatre

Sxip Shirey - Sonic New York

Sxip Shirey's new full-length album Sonic New York is coming out next week on July 24th, and the album is exactly what it sounds like - an epic auditory tribute to this big, magical, noisy, dirty, historical, lively, lovely, artsy, infested, creepy, beautiful city that is New York. Sxip's inventive music very successfully evokes the eclectic sights, sounds, feelings, experiences, energy and even smells that come with the city. His songs range in style from the flowy, classical "Grammercy Park" to songs like "Bergen and Grand" that is more like a soundscape than an actual song, to the sultry, Latin-influenced "You Can Ring My Bell," to the eery "Ghosts of the Gowanus Canal," to the soulful, rockin' "Dreamland," to the folky "Brooklyn Bridge Song," to the hip hop-influenced raspy, down 'n' dirty harmonica-through-a-bull-horn sound of a "I Live in New York City." All in all, I'm quite pleased with Sxip's album. He never fails to come up with innovative new music and having lived in NYC for 6 years, this album is yet another reminder of the many great artists who live here and all the amazing things I have at my fingertips just by being in this city.

Even though you can already purchase the album in various places, the official release party for the album is July 24th at City Winery. Should be a great time, as Sxip and the group of artists he rolls with are nothing if not incredibly fun entertainers.

Dreamland [mp3] - ( Amazon /  iTunes )

KaiserCartel - Secret Transit

Hello dear readers! Em here. I've been absent from the blog for a while - I was in the beautiful country of Peru! But I'm back now, and I'm very pleased to have a review of my favorite Brooklyn due KaiserCartel's new album to share with you for my comeback.

For those of you familiar with KaiserCartel, you will probably be a bit surprised by their new self-released album, Secret Transit, which came out on June 8th. Whereas their previous albums will relax you with their hauntingly beautiful harmonies and placid music, this album is going to have tapping your foot and bopping your head to their spunky rock 'n' roll tunes. And whereas I always associate their songs with a kind of melancholy, many of their new songs are full of simple, sweet, romantic lyrics such as "Around You" (about wanting to be around "you") and "Stella," which has lyrics about leaving "the light on for you, just in case you come back late." Of course, there are still a few songs reminiscent of their old sound, like the down-tempo, longing "Mine Field," and the gentle, yearning "The Wait." Some of you may remember this video, but for those who haven't seen it, here's an exclusive video of KaiserCartel behind-the-scenes writing "The Wait" last summer. It's evolved a lot since that session, so I find it really interesting to look back.

Ready To Go [mp3] - (Amazon / iTunes)

Tour Dates (more to be announced):

06/15 Evanston, IL @ SPACE w/ Jeremy Messersmith
06/16 Iowa City, IA @ The Mill w/ Jeremy Messersmith
06/17 Minneapolis, MN @ Cedar Cultural Center w/Kid Dakota
06/18 Milwaukee, WI @ Club Garibaldi’s w/Jeremy Messersmith
06/21 London, UK @ The Green Note w/Treetop Flyers
06/23 BBC Late Night, 94.9 FM – 11 pm
07/06 St. Louis, MO @ Old Rock House – supporting Kate Miller-Heidke
07/07 Chicago, IL @ Schuba’s – supporting Kate Miller-Heidke

07/09 Dubuque, IA @ The Lift
07/14 Lincoln, NE @ Bourbon Theatre
07/16 Portland, OR @ Mississippi Studios – opening for LeRoy Bell
07/17 Seattle, WA @ High Dive
07/19 Los Angeles, CA @ Hotel Café
07/20 Los Angeles, CA @ Echo – opening for Grand Archive
07/22 Colorado Springs, CO @ Shugas
07/23 Ft. Collins, CO @ Road 34
07/24 Denver, CO @ Hi Dive/Underground Music Showcase
07/27 Chattanooga, TN @ JJ Bohemia
07/28 Nashville, TN @ The Basement
07/29 Louisville, KY @ Zanzabar
07/30 Pittsburgh, PA @ Schenley Plaza/WYEP Event
08/29 Keene, NH @ Armadillo Burrito/Acoustic Sundays

Kathryn Calder Debuting Solo Album

Kathryn Calder of  The New Pornographers has put her singer-songwriter skills to the test with a breakout solo album, entitled Are you My Mother?. The Canadian native went back to her hometown of Victoria to record with producer Colin Stewart. Fellow bandmates Neko Case, Kurt Dahle, and Todd Fancey join as guests, as well as members of Ladyhawk and Frog Eyes.

After spending years of half-writing songs for The New Pornographers, Calder decided it was time to dive into the full process. This took her 2 years and is largely inspired by her time spent caring for her terminally ill mother. You can hear a sense of both melancholy and hope with the track "Slips Away."

The album officially debuts August 10. While Calder hasn't announced any tour dates, she's playing with The New Pornographers on their current tour. 

Slips Away [mp3]

Albums out tomorrow

Two albums that I've been excited about for quite a while are coming out tomorrow: Swedish group Marching Band is releasing Pop Cycle and the fabulous freaky Janelle Monae is release The ArchAndroid.

Janelle Monae's The ArchAndoid is an epic 18 tracks featuring all kinds of genres from R&B to classical to hair metal to old timey show tunes and much much more. I don't really understand why Janelle Monae has been labeled "pop" by some people (though she is what most pop artists should aspire to be), beyond the fact that she seems to be gaining notoriety rather rapidly. She's freaking weird (and I love it)! Definitely nothing mainstream about most of her songs, though some of them will definitely be big dance floor hits this summer, I suspect. The whole album is available to stream on her MySpace NOW. So go check it out. I'll let the music speak for itself.

Pre-order the album on iTunes / Amazon

Marching Band's album couldn't be much more different than Janelle Monae's so it's probably rather strange that I'm writing about them in the same post but oh well - time is of the essence. We featured Marching Band on our Artists to Watch for 2010 list. Pop Cycle is the perfect album to ring in summer. The peppy percussion and pleasant vocals will have you bopping your head as you drive with your windows down and the wind in your hair or as you walk the streets and feel the sun shining down on you. There really is a warm feeling about the album and it has me even more excited for summer to truly arrive than I already am. You can buy the mp3s now, or buy a hard copy of the album tomorrow.

iTunes / Amazon

MGMT - Congratulations (plus tour dates)

MGMT's second full-length album, Congratulations, is coming out tomorrow and I have to say it really wasn't what I expected it to be. First off, I didn't feel as if there were any standout hits - no catchy hooks that gave them three dance floor smashes on their first album. Flash Delirium, the first single off this new album, is going to be the closest thing to a dance floor hit, and I think it will have to be remixed first because it's a bit slow to be danceable on its own. 

In fact, a lot of the songs are really downtempo and a few of them are downright weird. And whereas the last album had many influences from the '70s and '80s, this album seems to have more of a '60s influence. Of course, they still have a very electronic sound, but some of the chord progressions and harmonies are very reminiscent of classic oldies pop. In conclusion, the album was not what I expected but that's not necessarily a bad thing. In fact, I enjoy the album overall - my favorite tracks are the frenzied “Brian Eno” and the slower but dramatic “I Found a Whistle.”

They also recently announced their North American tour dates:

April 12            San Francisco, CA                   The Fillmore

April 13            San Francisco, CA                   The Fillmore

April 17            Indio, CA                                 Coachella

April 29            Toronto, ON                            The Mod Club Theatre

April 30            Durham, NH                            University of New Hamsphire

May 2              East Rutherford, NJ                  Meadowlands Sports Complex (Bamboozle)

May 28            San Luis Obispo, CA               Avila Beach Bowl

May 29            Santa Cruz, CA                        Santa Cruz Civic Center

June 1              Portland, OR                            Crystal Ballroom

June 2              Portland, OR                            Crystal Ballroom

June 4              Salt Lake City, UT                   In The Venue

June 6              Austin, TX                                Stubb’s Bar-B-Q

June 7              Houston, TX                            House of Blues

June 8              Dallas, TX                                House of Blues

June 11            Denver, CO                             Red Rocks

June 13            Kansas City, MO                     Uptown Theatre

June 14            Indianapolis, IN                        The Vogue

June 15            Columbus, OH                         LC Pavillion

June 16            Detroit, MI                               The Fillmore

June 18            Chicago, IL                              Riviera

June 20            Milwaukee, WI                        Riverside Theatre

August 8           Chicago, IL                              Lollapalooza  

Andrew Belle - The Ladder

I don’t know what it is about Andrew Belle that I love so much, especially considering how much I typically hate poppy male singer-songwriters (John Mayer, Jack Johnson, and that John Mayer sound-a-like… what’s his name? Jason Mraz I think… all literally induce my gag reflex and I immediately have to lunge for the radio to turn it off). There’s something different about Andrew Belle though. Maybe it’s just that his album is actually good and not just catchy pop dribble (although I do have to say that a few tracks fall dangerously close). There’s also something kind of cinematic about his music – it makes me see pretty sweeping shots of scenery in my head. His music would definitely be good for film soundtracks. And then I think there’s a melancholy to his music that the other poppy male singer-songwriters lack.

I'm not the only one who's loving him. His song was #1 on the iTunes singer/songwriter charts and was in the top 25 on Billboard Heatseekers (whatever that means), and this is only his debut album (self-released on less!). He's great proof that a self-released album doesn't have to sound low budget. So check him out.

The Ladder [mp3] - (iTunes)

Emanuel & the Fear's album release show

Last Wednesday I had the pleasure of attending Emanuel & the Fear's album release show at the Gramercy theater.

Opening for them was Elizabeth Ziman (of Elizabeth & the Catapult) and Jeff Taylor. At every one of Elizabeth's shows that I've seen, Jeff has come up and performed a song or two with her, but it was cool to see them perform a whole set together. In fact, no offense to Elizabeth's band but I think I liked it better just the two of them. They're both immensely talented songwriters with incredibly nice, very natural voices that complement each other very well and they seem to energize each other and play off of each other in a really great way. Plus I think the combination of Elizabeth's playfulness and Jeff's folkiness makes for a really great pairing. They just light up when playing with each other and it looked like they were having so much fun the whole time. I highly enjoyed their set, although I will say that I thought it was cut quite short (they had to skip something like four or five new songs and I think they only played for about half an hour), and that made me sad.

Emanuel and the Fear, already a huge 12-piece band as it is, took the stage with the NYU symphony orchestra behind them (or at least part of it - there were maybe 25ish or so additional musicians. I tried counting but I couldn't see them all, there were so many people). It was quite the sight and I'm surprised they managed to fit so many people on that stage. It was to celebrate the release of their debut full-length album, Listen. Emanuel came out dressed in a red suit (according to him, Ru Paul owns the same one) and had everything a frontman should - high energy, memorable hair (oh that hair) and clothing, a unique voice, an eccentric poet MC to introduce him, plenty of rockness, and lots and lots of talent. He's a multi-instrumentalist whose songs seem to be influenced by so many genres that it's easy to lose count and his in-between song banter was simultaneously self-assured and self-deprecating, so it was a great show all around.

Of course, the whole band (and the back up orchestra) were all quite good, but there's so many of them that I don't really have time to comment on each of their individual performances. They played a nice long set, about an hour and a half including the encore (which they couldn't get off stage for and back on so Emanuel pretended to walk away for a second and then came right back. It was awkward but funny). All in all a very strong set and a solid album.

Dear Friend [mp3] - (iTunes)

More pictures here:

Emanuel & the Fear Album Release Show

Drink Up Buttercup - Born and Thrown on a Hook

Drink Up Buttercup is finally coming out with their first full-lenth album. Due to be released on March 23rd, the band is also releasing a live video of every song on the album on their website - one song each week (starting last week), culminating with the albums release.

The album is, well, exactly what I expected - noisey, catchy, full of mischief and ruckus - and all in all it embodied everything I love about them. Having seen Drink Up Buttercup perform on several occasions, I am familiar with most of the songs on the album by now. Plus it has most if not all of the songs from their early demo/EP (not sure it was ever officially released) on it, which makes me happy. I like to describe them as "Sargent Pepper at a creepy circus." I have written so much about them already, I'm not really sure what else to say except for BUY IT IN MARCH. Ok? Ok.

Seasickness Pills [mp3]

Fredrik - Trilogi

When Fredrik was still but a fledgling sextet, they recorded and self-released three very limited edition EPs. Now, after the success of their first full-length album, Na Na Ni, they are releasing the EPs as one full-length album, Trilogi. Trilogi is indeed a little darker than its predecessor, but the album is still quietly experimental and full of beautiful, understated drama, much like Na Na Ni. In fact, it's so understated that I think this album will take a little warming up to for many people. It definitely takes multiple listens to fully appreciate the intricate layers that Fredrik is so skilled at crafting.

Locked in the Basement [mp3] - (iTunes)

Chris Garneau is weird

Chris Garneau is bizarre. Quite bizarre indeed. But, coming from me, that's typically a compliment. In this case, it definitely is. In fact, I'm about to compare him to basically my two favorite artists of all time: it's like the orchestral and vocal whimsy of Matt Jones meets the dark, playful, genre-bending cabaret of Amanda Palmer. For example, in the third track from his sophomore LP, El Radio, which came out in July, entitled "Dirty Night Clown" (yes that is the real title of the song) despite its fanciful tone (it even has the word "cup-y-cakes" in it), it's also really dark and it continues to get darker and darker as the song goes on, with the lyrics like "let them be buried, buried alive... in their suits, in their ties." I would say that dark but whimsical - rascally maybe - is a good way to describe most of the album.

Granted, not all his songs are strange for you readers who don't have quite the "weird" taste in music that I've been told I have. Quite a few of Chris' songs are quite simple, elegant and pretty sounding, like "Hands on the Radio." Of course, these are the ones I typically like the least.

Here is a video for another of my favorites from the album, "Fireflies" (and the mp3 is below). I don't love the video all that much, but it certainly is weird and seems to fit the song well.

Fireflies [mp3] - (iTunes)

P.S. My apologies for having a YouSendIt download link instead of a streamable download link. Our usual uploading service seems to be on the fritz today.

Cloud Cult releases double disc re-issue

One of my favorite MN bands, Cloud Cult, is releasing a double-disc reissue of two of their earliest albums: They Live on the Sun (2003) and Aurora Borealis (2004). Although this isn't just a straight reissue. The two albums have been "re-envisioned, remixed and remastered for the first time by Cloud Cult's Craig Minowa" and will contain previously unreleased bonus tracks. For a long time, the albums have only been available for purchase at live gigs and select Independent record stores. Now it will be available to everyone and is being offered for presale right now on their website.

While I haven't actually heard the original albums and therefore can't make a comparison of the re-issue to the originals, I can say that this re-issue contains all of the drama, beauty and sadness that have caused many people to fall in love with Cloud Cult's music. It's less orchestral and a little more rock 'n' roll (particularly They Live on the Sun) than some of their more recent releases, but it is still just as heartwrenching and lovely. Here are some mp3s to stream:


"It" - They Live on the Sun


"Breakfast With My Shadow" - Aurora Borealis

Nouvelle Vague

Playful, French band Nouvelle Vague is releasing the second single from their October album, 3, today: "Ça Plane Pour Moi." I like Nouvelle Vague the most when they're at their most fanciful, inventive and mischievous, experimenting with different genres, and this single is a good example of that with a influences from Reggae and old '60s pop like the Beach Boys. Other tracks I love from 3 include the first track on the album, the rumbling '70s Americana "Master and Servant," or their flirty, poppy cover of Violent Femmes' "Blister in the Sun," or the pasa doble-esque "Not Knowing." Their songs, no matter what the genre, also seem to have a really sexy quality about them. It might have something to do with their French accents...

Ça Plane Pour Moi [mp3] - (iTunes)

US/Canada Tour dates for Winter 2010:

Friday, Jan. 22, Philadelphia, PA, World Café
Saturday, Jan. 23, New York, NY, Webster Hall
Sunday, Jan. 24, Boston, MA, Somerset
Tuesday, Jan. 25, Montreal, PQ, Metropolis
Wednesday, Jan. 27, Toronto, ONT, Opera House
Thursday, Jan. 28, Detroit, MI, Crofoot Ballroom
Friday, Jan. 29, Chicago, IL, Logan Square
Monday, Feb. 1, Denver, CO, Bluebird
Tuesday, Feb. 2, Salt Lake City, UT, Urban Lounge
Thursday, Feb. 4, Seattle, WA, King Cat
Friday, Feb. 5, Vancouver, BC, Venue
Sunday, Feb. 7, San Francisco, CA, Regency
Monday, Feb. 8, Sant Cruz, CA, Rio Theater
Tuesday, Feb. 9, Los Angeles, CA, Henry Fonda
Friday, Feb. 12, Dallas, TX, Granada
Saturday, Feb. 13, Austin, TX, Mohawk
Sunday, Feb. 14, New Orleans, LA, Republic
Tuesday, Feb. 16, Miami, FL, Revolution
Wednesday, Feb. 17, Orlando, FL, Firestone
Thursday, Feb. 18, Atlanta, GA, Loft
Saturday, Feb. 20, Washington DC, 9:30 Club

Holy Ghost Tent Revival - Family

My favorite North Carolina head-banging bluegrass/ragtime band is coming out with a new EP, called Family. Available now on iTunes but not yet available in hard copy, Holy Ghost Tent Revival's 5-song EP (featuring a slew of guests) is a little different than the faster-than-you-ever-thought-possible rock bluegrass from their last album. They change it up quite a bit in fact genre-wise, even including a rapper in one song, but still stay true to their gritty, down South, banjo-laden sound. I think it is a testament their versatility as a group. My favorite track is probably the slow and sultry "Under Your Fingers" featuring the impressive vocals of Rachel Loeb. Check it out below:

Under Your Fingers [mp3] - (iTunes)

Fanfarlo - Resevoir

UK band Fanfarlo is set to physically release Resevoir, their debut album, in the US on October 13th (it's available on iTunes now). The first word that comes to mind when I listen to this album is "pleasant." That may not seem like a big compliment, but it is. The whole album is just incredibly pleasant and familiar (not in the "I've heard this before" way but in the way that provides comfort and strikes a chord deep within). They remind me of a cross between Beirut and The National (which makes sense since their album was produced by Peter Katis - who has produced for The National and Interpol - at his home studio in Bridgeport, CT). Here's a video for one of my favorite songs from the album, "The Walls Are Coming Down":


For those of you New York readers, they're in town tonight and tomorrow night, so go check them out:
September 21 - Bowery Ballroom - New York, NY
September 22 - The Bell House - Brooklyn, NY

Luna [mp3] - (iTunes)

The Dodos' Time to Die out TODAY!

Today marks the release of The Dodos' 3rd album, Time To Die. It also marks the addition of a third member, 21-year old Keaton Snyder on the vibraphone, to the San Francisco-based band. Despite beefing up the band and the involvement of Phil Ek (Built to Spill, Fleet Foxes, The Shins) The Dodos maintain their relatively simple, upbeat, percussion-driven sound that makes their music so delightful and damn catchy. Not that I'm even sure exactly what a vibraphone is, but I like the addition. And I have to say this album seems perfect for the oncoming Autumn. I can just see the beautiful Fall leaves falling as I walk down the street to this album.

Tour Dates (with Ruby Suns):
9/26 - Henry Miller Library - Big Sur, CA
9/27 - El Rey Theatre - Los Angeles, CA
9/28 - Casbah - San Diego, CA
9/29 - Club Congress - Tucson, AZ
9/30 - Modified - Phoenix, AZ
10/2 - House of Blues, Pontiac Garage - Dallas, TX
10/3 - The Orange Show - Houston, TX
10/4 - Austin City Limits Festival - Austin, TX
10/6 - Club Downunder - Tallahassee, FL
10/7 - The Earl - Atlanta, GA
10/8 - Grey Eagle - Asheville, NC
10/9 - Rock and Roll Hotel - Washington DC
10/10 - Talking Head - Baltimore, MD
10/12 - First Unitarian Church - Philadelphia, PA
10/13 - Music Hall of Williamsburg - Brooklyn, NY
10/14 - Bowery Ballroom - New York, NY
10/15 - Middle East Downstairs - Cambridge, MA
10/16 - La Sala Rossa - Montreal, QC
10/17 - Lee’s Palace - Toronto, ON
10/19 - Bottom Lounge - Chicago, IL
10/20 - Turf Club - St. Paul, MN
10/22 - Bluebird Theater - Denver, CO
10/24 - Neurolux - Boise, ID
10/25 - Aladdin Theatre - Portland, OR
10/26 - The Biltmore Cabaret - Vancouver, BC

These United States - Everything Touches Everything

I meant to post this forever ago... These United States came out with their third album in 18 months on September 2nd. Everything Touches Everything is another great bluesy, country rock album from the DC-based band. I feel like it's maybe a little bit more "chill" than some of their previous ruckus rock but the album maintains their casual, gritty tone and has some pretty catchy numbers, my favorites being "Conquest & Consequence" and the title track. Listen and enjoy. And check out the tour dates:

09/14/09 Santa Fe, NM Corazon
09/15/09 Tucson, AZ Plush
09/16/09 San Diego, CA Beauty Bar
09/18/09 Los Angeles, CA The Troubadour w/ Everest, Parson Red Heads
09/19/09 Davis, CA Sofia's
09/20/09 San Francisco, CA Cafe Du Nord
09/21/09 Ashland, OR Stillwater
09/22/09 Bend, OR Silver Moon
09/23/09 Boise, ID Downtown summer series
09/24/09 Portland, OR Mississippi Studios
09/25/09 Seattle, WA High Dive
09/25/09 Seattle, WA KEXP - Live Session
09/26/09 Yakima, WA Yakima Center
09/27/09 Moscow, ID John's Alley
09/29/09 Salt Lake, UT Urban Lounge w/ Slim Cessna's Auto Club
10/01/09 Omaha, NE Slowdown
10/02/09 Grinnell, IA Grinnell College
10/03/09 Madison, WI Der Rathskeller
10/04/09 Minneapolis, MN 7th St. Entry
10/06/09 Iowa City, IA The Mill
10/07/09 Chicago, IL Subterranean
10/09/09 Louisville, KY Skull Alley w/ Jessica Lea Mayfield
10/09/09 Louisville, KY WFPK - Live Lunch
10/11/09 Athens, OH NPR's Mountain Stage radio show at Ohio Univ. w/ Southern Culture On The Skids
10/21/09 New York, NY Pianos CMJ Showcase w/ Evan Dando

Everything Touches Everything [mp3] - (iTunes)

The Reverend John DeLore

This past Wednesday night I saw The Reverend John DeLore play at Bar 4 in Brooklyn. He played a solid set of gritty bluesy country rock that is the epitome of Americana to me and had everyone in the bar bopping, tapping and even dancing. I don't know if he's actually a reverend but the Wisconsin native looks like your classic American "hometown" boy with his sandy brown beard and friendly smile.

His album is even decorated in an American flag theme and it's called Ode to an American Urn. The album alternates from gritty country rock to gentle ballads to catchy (almost poppy) tunes. His music would be perfect to blast at full volume while driving through the desert with your windows down. Watching him in person, though, I felt more like I was in a dive bar in the rural South than in Park Slope. The gritty country rock aspect really comes out even more in his live performance. He's playing a show at Banjo Jim's on Saturday, September 5th - so go check him out!

Take A Ride [mp3]
Jerusalem [mp3]
purchase Ode to an American Urn

Ingrid Michaelson - Everybody

Ingrid Michaelson's new album, Everybody, is due out August 25th and starting yesterday, she's revealing a song a day on her myspace until the release. The album is her usual mixture of beautifully dramatic or sweetly simple ballads and peppy, bouncy, summery tunes. Whenever I listen to one of Michaelson's albums, I inevitably end up with the word "pretty" on my tongue and while in some ways this is generic word that people overuse and I therefore try to stay away from, I think it describes her music (and herself really) better than anyone else I've written about on this blog - "attractive in a delicate way" is the dictionary.com defintion, which I think is pretty perfect. There's a delicate simplicity and a certain amount of joy within her music that makes me think "pretty."

Tour Dates:

August
31 Dennis, MA @ Cape Cinema

September
09 Toronto, Canada @ Mod Club Theatre
10 Montreal, Canada @ Petit Campus
11 S. Burlington, VT @ Higher Ground
12 Boston, MA @ Paradise Rock Club SOLD OUT
13 Albany, NY @ Valentines
16 New York, NY @ Webster Hall
17 Philadelphia, PA @ Theatre of the Living Arts
18 Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club
19 Charlottesville, VA @ The Southern
21 Carrboro, NC @ Cat's Cradle
22 Atlanta, GA @ The Loft @ Center Stage
23 Athens, GA @ The Melting Point
24 Birmingham, AL @ Workplay
25 New Orleans LA @ The Parish @ House of Blues
26 Houston, TX @ Warehouse Live Studio
28 Austin, TX @ The Parish
29 Dallas, TX @ House of Blues

October
01 Tucson, AZ @ Club Congress
02 Scottsdale, AZ @ Martini Ranch
03 San Diego, CA @ House of Blues
04 San Juan Capistrano, CA @ Coach House
06 W. Hollywood, CA @ Troubadour
07 W. Hollywood, CA @ Troubadour SOLD OUT
09 San Francisco, CA @ Great American Music Hall
10 Redding, CA @ Cascade Theatre
11 Portland, OR @ Wonder Ballroom
12 Seattle, WA @ Neumos
13 Vancouver, Canada @ Venue
15 Boise, ID, @ Knitting Factory
17 Salt Lake City, UT @ Avalon
18 Aspen, CO @ Wheeler Opera House
19 Denver, CO @ Gothic Theatre
21 Minneapolis, MN @ Fine Line Music Cafe
22 Menomonie, WI @ Great Hall @ University of WI
24 Madison, WI @ Barrymore Theatre
25 Milwaukee, WI @ Turner Hall Ballroom
26 Chicago, IL @ Park West
27 Ann Arbor, MI @ The Ark
29 Cincinnati, OH @ 20th Century Theatre
30 Louisville, KY @ Headliner's
31 Cleveland, OH @ Beachland Ballroom

November
02 Nashville, TN @ The Belcourt Theatre
03 Asheville, NC @ The Grey Eagle
04 Towson, MD @ Recher Theatre
05 Pittsburgh, PA @ Mr. Smalls Theatre