“You can’t deny that this band pens blistering psych-rock tunes.” – MTV Hive
Swimm is the swirling and whirling combination of Chris Hess’s guitar, keyboard and voice and Adam Winn’s drums and harmonica; Formerly of Le Blorr, this duo is bringing a fresh sound to their art as Swimm with their debut FeelEP to be released on April 23rd.
Feel EP starts out riding high on a psychedelic wave of rock ‘n roll distortion with the record’s first single “Too Old” which you can listen and download below.
Swimm has manifested a shoegaze-influenced sound on Feel EP that also contains acoustic, gauzy tracks with an intimacy that will draw you in like “Darkness of Love”, as well as breezy, danceable songs like “Feels”.
“I think we are into music that stretches in different directions,” singer Chris Hess explained. “We love float-y feeling dance music as much as we like psychedelic rock.”
Shows:
4/5 – Jacksonville, FL – Mellow Mushroom
4/6 – Melbourne, FL – Downtown Debauchery
4/13 – Deerfield Beach, FL – Kahuna Bar & Grill
4/19 – Ybor City, FL – New World Brewery
4/20 – West Palm Beach, FL – Respectable Street
4/26 – Orlando, FL – The Social
4/27 – Satellite Beach, FL – The Sports Page Live
4/28 – The Garage – Winston Salem, NC
4/29 – Asbury Park, NJ – Lance & Debbie’s Wonder Bar
5/2 – Rockwood Music Hall – New York, NY
5/3 – Glasslands – New York, NY
Twenty-thirteen marks the thirteenth anniversary of what we ’round these parts like to call The Last Great Classic Rock Album, one slab of plastic and ink labeled Thirteen Tales From Urban Bohemia.
In anticipation of the forthcoming reissue on cd, vinyl and limited edition vinyl boxset, The Dandy Warhols have a few somethings special up their sleeves, up to and including: performance of Thirteen Tales LIVE in its perfect entirety right in front of your face.
This May, The Presets and Dragonette come together for an extensive co-headline across North America. Although coming from opposite sides of the world (Australia and Canada respectively), both share recognition globally for their electric live shows – hailed by audiences and critics as infectious, dynamic and irrepressible.
The Presets tour this May in support of their recently released album Pacifica. Featuring ten prismatic, synth-laced songs, Pacifica ventures boldly into new, uncharted musical territories, traversing both light and shade in energy and emotion.
Fresh from US dates with Major Lazer, Dragonette will be showcasing material from their latest long player Bodyparts. From emotion-packed ballads to fist-pumping anthems, Bodyparts fuses heavy-hitting electro rhythms with pulsing beats, and sing-along choruses.
The Presets captured the world’s imagination with their blitzkrieg sophomore Apocalypso. Spawning five hit singles and Triple Platinum sales in Australia, Apocalypso set dizzying new heights for dance music in Australia. The single “My People” is the longest charting Australian single in ARIA chart history. Pacifica is following suit – acclaimed Album of The Year in a dozen Australian publications, and the single “Ghosts” recently awarded Single of the Year (Readers’ Choice) for at the 4th annual Australian Rolling Stone Awards.
Dragonette has also racked up an impressive list of accomplishments in the past year: a JUNO Award win for their hit single “Hello,” a live performance on Good Morning America, and a second JUNO nomination for Dance Recording of the Year for Bodyparts.
The bands will be joined in most markets by acclaimed LA duo, Classixx, performing tracks live from their upcoming debut Hanging Gardens, a svelte selection of impossibly sunny grooves, expertly crafted for road trips, pool parties and dance clubs (All shows except Salt Lake City, Phoenix and San Francisco).
Tour Dates:
05/04 9:30 CLUB WASHINGTON, DC (THE PRESETS ONLY)* 05/05 UNION TRANSFER PHILADELPHIA, PA* 05/07 PARADISE ROCK CLUB BOSTON, MA* 05/08 TERMINAL 5 NEW YORK, NY* 05/09 LE NATIONAL MONTREAL, QC* 05/10 THE DANFORTH MUSIC HALL TORONTO, ON* 05/12 THE VOGUE THEATRE INDIANAPOLIS, IN* 05/13 NEWPORT MUSIC HALL COLUMBUS, OH* 05/14 MAJESTIC THEATRE MADISON, WI* 05/15 FIRST AVENUE MINNEAPOLIS, MN* 05/17 THE GRANADA LAWRENCE, MO* 05/18 OGDEN THEATRE DENVER, CO* 05/19 THE DEPOT SALT LAKE CITY, UT 05/20 MARQUEE THEATRE TEMPE, AZ 05/21 AVALON LOS ANGELES, CA* 05/24FOX THEATER SAN FRANCISCO, CA 05/25 MY LIFE EVERY DAY SAN DIEGO, CA (THE PRESETS ONLY) 05/25 NEON DESERT MUSIC FESTIVAL EL PASO, TX (DRAGONETTE ONLY) 05/26 SASQUATCH FESTIVAL GEORGE, WA (THE PRESETS ONLY)
On their self-titled sophomore album Caveman stretch their legs in a number of different, albeit cohesive, directions. Their highly anticipated return will come out in America via Fat Possum Records on April 2nd and the first single “In The City” was revealed via NPR’s All Songs Considered HERE.
Caveman—a five-man vibe collective from NYC—released their first album in 2011. As first albums go, CoCo Beware was something akin to a moody statement of intent, a blueprint for a band quickly learning how to create horizon-wide rock songs that were equal parts intimate and expansive. Initially self-released and later snatched up by Fat Possum for re-release in early 2012, the record brims over with four-part harmonies, crystalline guitar lines, and tracks that see-sawed between echoey lullaby (“A Country’s King of Dreams”) to shoegaze-by-way-of classic-FM-radio sprawl (“Old Friend”). The album quickly elevated Caveman from local band to watch to a sizable touring draw and formidable live act, as evidenced by stints on the road with the likes of The War on Drugs, White Rabbits and Built to Spill. Despite being the work of a brand new band, CoCo Beware displayed a kind of Zen-like ease. It was the sound a five friends settling into a nice groove; the music that happens when, for whatever reason, a lot of seemingly disparate elements finally fall into place.
“We all went up to Jimmy’s grandmother’s place in New Hampshire,” says singer Matthew Iwanusa. “That’s where the new record kind of started. It was literally the attic of her barn, lit up by Christmas lights. We’d all sit in this one room together and one by one we’d all go into the bathroom and record ourselves making the most psycho noises possible. It actually felt kind of like a weird breakthrough. We were all confident and comfortable enough with each other to try out these experiments, which extended itself into the making of the new record…which is really just an evolution of this vibe that we’d been cultivating for long time.”
As a result, the guitars on Caveman are bigger and more expansive, the rhythm section is tighter and more adventurous, the keyboards more opaque and pronounced. Like a marriage between Tangerine Dream, late period Slowdive, and Lindsey Buckingham, tracks like their new single “In the City” and “Ankles” boast synth lines that sound simultaneously retro and futuristic, while “Pricey” and “Never Want to Know” overflow with guitar sounds that could have miraculously floated off an old Cure album. It should be noted that James Carbonetti, the band’s primary guitar player, also happens to be one of the most highly regarded guitar makers in New York City.
And while Caveman’s music could certainly operate on the level of dreamy soundscape and still be excellent, the depth of feeling in front man Matthew Iwanusa’s lyrics helps weave the songs deeply into your memory. When Iwanusa sings Where’s the time to waste on someone else’s life? on “Where’s the Time,” it’s hard not to read between the lines. Wonder and regret seem to fuel the record in almost equal measure.
Caveman – CAVEMAN tracklisting: Pre-sale link HERE
01 — Strange to Suffer
02 — In the City
03 — Shut You Down
04 — Where’s the Time
05 — Chances
06 — Over My Head
07 — Ankles
08 — Pricey
09 — I See You
10 — I Never Want to Know
11 — The Big Push
Caveman tour dates (more to be announced):
Tue, Mar 26 – San Francisco, CA @ The Independent
Thu, Mar 28 – Los Angeles, CA @ Troubadour
Fri, Mar 29 – San Diego, CA @ Casbah
Sat, Mar 30 – Tucson, AZ @ Club Congress
Mon, Apr 01 – Austin, TX @ The Parish INFO
Tue, Apr 02 – Denton, TX @ Dan’s Silverleaf INFO
Thu, Apr 04 – Birmingham, AL @ The Bottletree
Fri, Apr 05 – Nashville, TN @ The High Watt
Sat, Apr 06 – Atlanta, GA @ Drunken Unicorn
Sun, Apr 07 – Chapel Hill, NC @ Local 506 INFO
Tue, Apr 09 – Washington, DC @ Black Cat Backstage INFO
Wed, Apr 10 – New York, NY @ Webster Hall
Thu, Apr 11 – Philadelphia, PA @ Johnny Brenda’s
May 23-25 – George, WA @ Sasquatch Festival
Rolling Stone called it “one of the ten hottest summer package tours of 2012” and Entertainment Weekly spotlighted it on their “2012 Summer Must List.” We’re talking, of course, about the Barenaked Ladies’ uber-successful “Last Summer On Earth,” a rollicking roadshow that tore through more than 30 arenas and amphitheaters during its near-sold-out run. Back by popular demand, this year’s lineup sees the multi-platinum-selling Ladies joined by Ben Folds Five and Guster for a hot-ticket-tour set to kick off June 17th at the Verizon Theatre in Dallas, TX. The “Last Summer On Earth 2013” will hit 30 arenas and amphitheaters across the country, with public sale beginning today at Ticketmaster.com and Livenation.com.
As an added bonus, those who purchase tickets for “The Last Summer On Earth” will receive a voucher for a download of the Barenaked Ladies’ much-anticipated new album to be released June 4th on Vanguard Records, featuring the single “Boomerang.”
It’ll be a busy summer for the Barenaked Ladies (guitarist/vocalist Ed Robertson, bassist/vocalist Jim Creeggan, keyboardist/vocalist Kevin Hearn and drummer/vocalist Tyler Stewart), who are celebrating their 25th anniversary with the release of a brand-new studio album (their twelfth, for those keeping count) and their first for new label Vanguard Records. The band is putting the finishing touches on the album, which was recorded in Toronto with producers Gavin Brown (The Tragically Hip, Metric), Howie Beck (Feist, Josh Rouse) and Mark Endert (Maroon 5, Train). Over the course of the past twenty-three years, Barenaked Ladies have amassed an international fanbase whose members number in the millions. Their plethora of career highlights includes eight Juno Awards and multiple Grammy nominations, more than 14 million albums sold worldwide and a series of hit singles, including No. 1 hit “One Week,” as well as “Pinch Me, “Brian Wilson,” “If I Had $1,000,000” and many more, along with the theme song for the hit CBS television series, “The Big Bang Theory.”
Ben Folds Five is touring in support of The Sound Of The Life Of The Mind, the group’s first album of new music in 13 years. The groundbreaking pop trio of pianist Ben Folds, bassist Robert Sledge and drummer Darren Jessee launched in Chapel Hill, North Carolina in‘94 and released debut album Whatever And Ever Amen in ‘97. A slice of pure pop perfection, the album introduced the ballad “Brick,” which broke the band commercially and sold more than two million copies worldwide. BF5 recorded its last album, ‘99’s The Unauthorized Biography Of Reinhold Messner, which included the single “Army,” before disbanding in 2000. (The trio reunited for a one-off live performance of The Unauthorized Biography Of Reinhold Messner on MySpace in 2008). In 2011, the original three members of Ben Folds Five came together to record three new studio tracks for The Best Imitation Of Myself: A Retrospective, a career-spanning anthology. The band’s magic rekindled in the new tracks, BF5 gave its first concert in more than a decade to a spellbound audience at New York’s Mountain Jam Festival on June 2, 2012. That inspired a short run of key US summer festival dates, including Bonnaroo, Milwaukee Summerfest, and Old St. Patrick’s Church Block Party in Chicago which set up a massive comeback tour with dates in the US, UK, Australia, and Japan.
Guster recently self-released Guster: Live Acoustic, a collection of live recordings from their 2012 acoustic tour. It’s been eight years since Guster released a proper live album – 2004’s Guster On Ice – and two years since their last studio album, Easy Wonderful. The sixteen tracks from Live Acoustic are a musical tribute to the varied faces and places that made last year’s travels one of the most remarkable in Guster’s impressive career. Known to open up for themselves in disguise as psychedelic rockers “Trippin’ Balls” and as Christian Southern Rock outfit “The Peace Soldiers,” Guster has also shared the stage with the Boston Pops Symphony Orchestra and the Colorado Symphony in recent years. Singer Ryan Miller has branched out into scoring films – including 2012’s beloved Sundance standout Safety Not Guaranteed. Bandmate Adam Gardner has started his own non-profit called “Reverb,” which works with bands, artists, and venues to reduce the music industries environmental footprint.
Dates are as follows:
June 17 Dallas, TX Verizon Theatre
June 19 Denver, CO Red Rocks
June 20 Salt Lake City, UT USANA Amp
June 22 Santa Barbara, CA Santa Barbara Bowl
June 23 Los Angeles, CA Greek Theatre
June 25 Saratoga, CA Mountain Winery ●
June 26 Saratoga, CA Mountain Winery ●
June 28 Boise, ID Botanical Gardens
June 29 Seattle, WA White River Amp
June 30 Missoula, MT Big Sky Brewing Company
July 3 Fargo, ND Newman Field ●●
July 5 Columbus, OH LC Pavilion
July 6 Cincinnati, OH (Venue TBA March 29)
July 8 Lansing, MI Commonground Festival
July 9 Chicago, IL Charter One Pavilion ●
July 11 Toronto, ON Molson Canadian Amphitheatre
July 12 Detroit, MI DTE Energy Music Theatre
July 13 Nashville, TN The Woods at Fontanel
July 15 Columbia, MD Merriweather Post Pavilion
July 16 Boston, MA Bank of America Pavilion ●
July 18 Philadelphia, PA Mann Music Ctr
July 19 Uncasville, CT Mohegan Sun Arena
July 20 Holmdel, NJ PNC
July 21 Bangor, ME Waterfront Park
July 23 Lenox, MA Tanglewood
July 25 Charlotte, NC T W Cable Uptown Amp
July 26 Alpharetta, GA Verizon Wireless Amp
July 27 Charleston, SC Family Circle Stadium
July 28 Raleigh, NC Red Hat Amphitheatre
July 30 Brooklyn, NY Celebrate Brooklyn! at the Prospect Park Bandshell
THE TERROR by The Flaming Lips has a new U.S. release date of April 16th (U.K release date remains April 1). As previously mentioned The Terror is The Lips’ thirteenth studio album and was produced by long-time collaborator Dave Fridmann and The Flaming Lips at Tarbox Road Studios.
Wayne Coyne explains, “Why would we make this music that is The Terror – this bleak, disturbing record…? I don’t really want to know the answer that I think is coming. Maybe this is the beginning of the answer.”
The Terror is a bold and expressive journey that has evolved over The Lips’nearly 30-year tended garden of sonic delights that ebbs and flows with extraordinary splashes of light and shade, pleasure and pain, sadness and hope, and the knowledge that to expect the unexpected is half the fun of The Lips’ experience.
The Terror will be available as a special Direct To Consumer, Limited-Edition Silver Vinyl double-LP set, housed in a two-pocket gatefold jacket with printed sleeves. Those who pre-order will receive an instant download of “Sun Blows Up Today” and the digital album delivered on release date, April 16th. Suggested retail price is $35.98.
The Terror CD edition pre-order includes an instant download of “Sun Blows Up Today” and the digital album delivered on release date, April 16th. Suggested retail price is $10.98. Go to:http://store.flaminglips.com/ for pre-order details on both
In other LIPS news, the band hosted two magic events at SXSW this past week, including a no-frills first-ever performance of YOSHIMI BATTLES THE PINK ROBOTS in its entirety live from The Warner Sound at The Belmont in Austin, TX. The intimacy of a small room packed to the bricks was the perfect setting to see the band up close performing some the songs from their certified gold album for the first time ever without any stage production made for special night. The show was filmed live by NPR.
Even more impressive was the first-ever performance of The Terror in its entirety the following night at Auditorium Shores, which set an all-time attendance record for a show at that venue in the history of SXSW drawing in excess of 30,000 attendees. Jim James of My Morning Jacket (who opened the show) joined the band on-stage for a particularly moving version of “Do You Realize??”. The Auditorium Shores show was broadcast live by Sirius/XM.
Tracklist:
Look…The Sun Is Rising
Be Free, A Way
Try To Explain
You Lust
The Terror
You Are Alone
Butterfly, How Long It Takes To Die
Turning Violent
Always There…In Our Hearts
Confirmed Tour dates:
Mar 29 Sao Paulo, Brazil Lollapalooza Brazil
April 3 NYC, NY The Late Show w/David Letterman
Apr 28 Kansas City, MO Sprint Center w/ The Black Keys
April 29 Indianapolis, IN Egyptian Room at Old National Centre
Apr 30 Pittsburgh, PA Consol Energy Center w/ The Black Keys
May 2 Atlanta, GA Aaron’s Amphitheater at Lakewood w/ The Black Keys
May 3 Nashville, TN Bridgestone Arena w/ The Black Keys
May 4 Chattanooga, TN Track 29 w/ JEFF The Brotherhood
May 5 Memphis, TN Beale St. Music Festival
May 10 Napa, CA Bottle Rock Festival
May 16 Montclair, NJ, USA The Wellmont Theatre
May 20 London, UK Roundhouse
May 21 London, UK Roundhouse
May 22 Brighton, UK Dome Concert Hall, Brighton Festival
May 24 Paris, France Villette Sonique Festival
May 25 Düdingen, Switzerland Bad Bonn Kilbi
June 14 Hultsfred, Sweden Hultsfred Festival
June 15 Aarhus, Denmark Northside Festival
July 11 Raleigh, NC Time Warner Cable Pavilionw/The Black Keys
July 12 Simpsonville, SC Charter Amphit/Heritage Park w/The Black Keys
“Tecla deftly blends electro-pop with tropicalia, hip-hop, funk and R&B, creating an awesome stew of dance music fresher and more original than much of what we’ve heard lately.” – PAPER
NYC singer, rapper, DJ, producer and boundary-breaking artist TECLA has released her sophomore album, We Are The Lucky Ones. Written entirely by TECLA herself, the album infuses tropical, Caribbean, pop, and funk elements with TECLA’s unapologetic rap lyricism. We Are The Lucky Ones is available for purchase via iTunes and other digital retailers, and you can stream the album in full at AOL Spinner.
Album single “Fake Tears” features TECLA’s distinct, soulful vocals delivering an uplifting message above driving tribal beats. Having recently shared an eye-catching video for the track (watch above), TECLA is now treating fans to a remix from Gordon Voidwell.
We Are The Lucky Ones features tracks like “Lucky Ones,” full of skittering beats and rumbling synth, and the anthemic “Money,” a club-ready satirical take on gold digging with an instantly memorable hook. The hypnotic and soulful “Tragic Mulatto” was co-produced by members of Chairlift and takes a look at the life of iconic actress, singer and dancer Josephine Baker. “Fiction Fairytales of Love” closes the album with an ominous dancehall beat, spiraling vocals, and melancholic acoustic guitar, which explodes into layers of hand drumming and feedback.
TECLA recently performed live on WNYC’s Soundcheck, and you’ll be able to hear the full performance on air and streaming online soon! Those in the NYC area will have two chances to catch TECLA live next week, including her album release party at Joe’s Pub.
3/23: Brooklyn, NY @ BAMcafé (FREE)
3/26: New York, NY @ Joe’s Pub (album release party) TICKETS
Youngblood Hawke’s debut album, Wake Up, will be out April 30th.
Los Angeles indie alternative quintet Youngblood Hawke and Toronto electronic pop troubadour Diamond Rings have swapped remixes! The band added a devilishly danceable energy to the Canadian stalwart’s hit single “Runaway Love,” while he took on “Last Time,” giving it a fresh and fiery spin.
“Last Time” shows listeners another side of the group’s forthcoming Republic Records debut full-length, Wake Up, available in stores and online April 30. This is the first time the world has the opportunity to hear new music, so listen up. The band is also hot off of a sold out headlining show in their hometown and ten smoking SXSW appearances. They’ll be hitting on the road again starting April 19 in Austin, TX, where they’ll be kicking off a headlining tour (all dates below).
“We Come Running” has become a ubiquitous anthem in its own right. With danceable cadence and a massive refrain, the song resounds with arena-ready energy. The group recently played the standout track live on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, which you can watch here. Plus, its music video has some real teeth, featuring an audience of sharks and the submersed band members. Consistently drawing attention, the clip recently surpassed 1 million views on YouTube/VEVO and counting.
After a tour with Stars, performances on The Late Show With David Letterman and The Tonight Show with Jay Leno plus a string of showcases at SXSW, Diamond Rings will be hitting the road opening for electro-pop icons OMD this Spring and Summer (dates below).
Upcoming YOUNGBLOOD HAWKE Tour Dates:
4/19 – Austin, TX – The Parish
4/20 – Houston, TX – Buzzfest at the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
4/22 – Atlanta, GA – Masquerade
4/23 – Charlotte, NC – Visulite Theatre
4/24 – Nashville, TN – Mercy Lounge
4/27 – Dallas, TX – Dallas Stadium
5/3 – Tampa, FL – Florida Sunshine Festival
5/5 – Albuquerque, NM – Isleta Amphitheatre
5/6 – Minneapolis, MN – Triple Rock Social Club
5/7 – Chicago, IL – Lincoln Hall
5/8 – Detroit, MI – Shelter
5/9 – Toronto, ON – Lee’s Palace
5/13 – New York, NY – Santos Party House
5/14 – Boston, MA – Brighton Music Hall
5/15 – Washington, DC – U Street Music Hall
5/17 – San Diego, CA – Sungod Festival
5/22 – Los Angeles, CA – Avalon
5/23 – San Francisco, CA – Popscene
5/25 – Portland, OR – The Hawthorne Theatre
5/26 – George, WA – Sasquatch Festival @ The Gorge
5/27 – Vancouver, BC – Vogue
Upcoming Diamond Rings Tour Dates:
4/6 Seattle WA The Showbox
4/7 Portland OR Wonder Ballroom
4/10 Salt Lake City, UT The Depot
4/12 San Francisco, CA The Regency
4/15 Los Angeles, CA Fonda Theatre
7/12 Philadelphia, PA Union Transfer
7/13 Washington, DC 9:30 Club
7/15 Boston, MA Paradise Club
7/17 New York, NY Terminal 5
7/20 Detroit, MI St. Andrew’s Hall
7/22 Minneapolis, MN Varsity Theatre
7/23 Chicago, IL Metro
“Mission Bells” is the infectious new single from Matt Nathanson’s upcoming summer release. Matt describes the track as “a love story via a street fight” with San Francisco as its backdrop. Check out the video below!
This week Matt Nathanson heads to Austin, TX for a string of performances during the SXSW festival. He’ll be playing some additional new songs and some fan favorites.
In October of last year, I posted an intro to Hank & Cupcakes as well as a free download of “Sweet Potion”. Now, here’s the video to check out. Also, the duo will be here in Pittsburgh for a show at Howler’s on March 27th.
Musically Amusing 