Check out NOISEY’s premiere of Miike Snow’s new video for “Pretender” which is the next chapter of our friend Jean Noel, the character from previous Happy to You videos. And how cool is it that this time he’s experiencing festival culture at LA’s HARD Summer.
Melbourne’s four-piece Strange Talk return to the fray with a new single, “Cast Away”, the first offering from their debut album due out in early 2013.
A laid-back cavalcade of synth washes, toms, layered vocals and organic instrumentation, “Cast Away” perfectly showcases Strange Talk’s ambitions to bring together futuristic soundscapes with hook-laden direct songs.
Key songwriters and producers, Steve Docker and Gerard Sidhu’s influences (the pomp and clout of Queen, the dream haze of M83) are as diverse as their backgrounds (Steve a classical violinist, Gerard a club DJ).
Strange Talk have already commanded airwaves and online with their previous singles “Climbing Walls”, “Eskimo Boy” and “Sexual Lifestyle”. They’ve followed this up with key performances at the likes of Falls Festival, Parklife and supports slots for the likes of Kele, Marina & The Diamonds, Foster The People, The Rapture, and Art Vs. Science.
STRANGE TALK USA DATES:
THU 10/11 – SAN FRANCISCO @ RICKSHAW STOP w/ Violens (tix Rickshaw Stop)
FRI 10/12 – LOS ANGELES @ ECHO w/ wildcat! wildcat! (tix Echo)
WED 10/17 – NEW YORK @ Mercury Lounge (CMJ) (tix Mercury Lounge)
THU 10/18 NEW YORK @ TBD (CMJ)
FRI 10/19 – NEW YORK @ Terminal 5 w/ The Presets (CMJ) (tix Terminal 5)
SAT 10/20 NEW YORK @ TBD (CMJ)
Winnipeg-based six piece Royal Canoe have released their latest digital 7″, Purple and Gold. The digital release features two new songs, “Show Me Your Eyes” and “Summersweat.” The release also features remixes from Ryan Guldemond of Mother Mother and Tim “DJ Co op” Hoover. The 7″ is now available for purchase on the band’s official Bandcamp website as well as iTunes and will be available in physical form on October 8.
Royal Canoe is a group of musicians on a mission to construct ambitious, inventive music. The songs are thick with catchiness, rich in rhythm and are consistently pushing against the boundaries of pop music separating them from the standard indie music makers invading the internet. Having already been featured on the cover of Verb and with two singles charting on CBC Radio, Royal Canoe’s genre-defying arrangements and sharp lyrics has continued to garner the attention of media such as The Uniter which stated that “Royal Canoe have established themselves as musical mad scientists, throwing rock, pop and hip hop into a blender to create catchy-as-hell, dance floor-ready songs with odd time signatures and distorted vocals.” All the while, Indie Shuffle stated Royal Canoe have “an expertise in energetic psychedelic pop…deconstructed, slithering, intriguing.” Listeners can check out exclusive new music teasers, studio footage and music and performance videos found on their official youtube channel.
PURPLE AND GOLD NORTH AMERICAN TOUR
Sept 20 @ Hotel Utah – San Francisco, CA **
Sept 21 @ Fulton 55 – Fresno, CA
Sept 22 @ The Satellite – Los Angeles, CA
Sept 23 @ Soda Bar – San Diego, CA
Sept 27 @ The Broken City – Calgary, AB !!
Sept 28 @ The Artery – Edmonton, AB !!
Oct 9 @ Knitting Factory – Brooklyn, NY #
Oct 11 @ Club Lambi – Montreal, QC # !!
Oct 12 @ Cafe Dekcuf – Ottawa, ON # !!
Oct 13 @ Rancho Relaxo – Toronto, ON & !!
Oct 14 @ Brighton Music Hall – Boston, MA &
Oct 16-20 CMJ Music Marathon (performance details TBA)
Oct 17 @ BAR – New Haven, CT &
Oct 19 @ Ortlieb’s Jazzhaus – Philadelphia, PA&
Oct 20 @ Rock N Roll Hotel – Washington, DC &
Oct 22 @ Mayday Northside – Cincinnati, OH &
Oct 23 @ Garfield Artworks – Pittsburgh, PA &
Oct 24 @ Grog Shop – Cleveland, OH &
Oct 25 @ Township – Chicago, IL &
Oct 26 @ First Avenue (7th Street Entry) – Minneapolis, MN ^^
Bad Books, the collaboration between Kevin Devine and Manchester Orchestra, will release their sophomore album II on October 9 via Triple Crown Records and Favorite Gentleman. This October the band will hit the road for tour dates across the US, with stops in Seattle, Los Angeles, and a performance at Austin City Limits.
Early enthusiasm for II and lead single “Forest Whitaker” continue, as the song charts at the #2 spot on Commercial Specialty Radio and enjoys heavy airplay on Sirius XM’s Alt Nation. Last week Bad Books launched the music video for their single, which highlights a number of movie scenes from legendary actor Forest Whitaker’s extensive career.
II was recorded at Favorite Gentlemen Studios in Atlanta, GA and was produced by Devine, Manchester Orchestra’s lead singer Andy Hull, and Bad Books/Manchester Orchestra guitarist Robert McDowell. Rob Schnapf (well known for his work on Elliott Smith’s seminal recordings XO and Either/Or) leant his talent to mixing the album. II expands upon the band’s well-received self-titled debut, which won praise for the unique “union of opposites” in Hull and Devine’s songwriting explored on NPR’s All Things Considered. Alternative Press praised the dynamic as well, writing “the thing both Hull and Devine are famous for is the ability to write great songs,” going on to say that “when the two styles meet, it’s especially rewarding.”
BAD BOOKS UPCOMING TOUR DATES:
Oct 6 – Seattle, WA @ Neumos
Oct 7 – Portland, OR @ Doug Fir Lounge
Oct 9 – San Francisco, CA @ Bottom Of The Hill
Oct 10 – Los Angeles, CA @ Troubadour
Oct 11 – San Diego, CA @ The Irenic
Oct 12 – Phoenix, AZ @ Crescent Ballroom
Oct 14 – Austin, TX @ Austin City Limits Music Festival
Oct 16 – New Orleans, LA @ Parish @ House of Blues
The Hives are ready for their close up with the release of their new video for “Wait A Minute,” which recently premiered on MTV. Directed by Travis Schneider, the video was filmed in a Chicago hotel room using only some leather, an iron, a floor lamp, frozen yogurt, and the sweltering Chicago sun. “Wait A Minute” is the second single from The Hives lauded new album Lex Hives, which was released earlier this summer on the band’s own Disques Hives.
The Hives will return to the U.S. next month for a West Coast run, kicking off September 2 at the Made In America festival in Philadelphia with stops in Seattle, Portland, Los Angeles, Oakland, Las Vegas, and more. The tour will include appearances on CONAN on September 12 and The Tonight Show with Jay Leno on October 5.
The September dates are the latest on the band’s world tour, which included a stop this past weekend at Reading & Leeds Festival, and marks their second outing in the U.S. following a widely-praised run in June. The Philadelphia Inquirer proclaimed “The Hives have been single-handedly saving rock and roll,” and the Washington Times stated, “The Hives played the audience like a fiddle.” Similarly, MTV praised their “Superhuman capacity for consistent excellency,” and SPIN anointed Howlin’ Pelle Almqvist “one of the greatest frontmen in rock.”
The band’s newest album Lex Hives is receiving worldwide praise, with NME declaring “Let it be said that Lex Hives is amazing,” and The Independent states, “If Lex Hives has one fault, it’s that it makes you want to switch it off, go straight out and see the Hives live,” and Entertainment Weekly proclaims “The Hives have returned to remind us the Swedes do it better.”
THE HIVES TOUR DATES:
September 2 – Philadelphia, PA @ Made In America Festival
September 5 – Victoria, BC @ Club9one9 Nightclub
September 6 – Vancouver, BC @ Commodore Ballroom
September 7 – Seattle, WA @ Showbox SoDo
September 8 – Portland, OR @ Wonder Ballroom
September 10 – Oakland, CA @ Fox Theater
September 11 – Santa Ana, CA @ The Observatory
September 13 – Las Vegas, NV @ The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas
September 14 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Wiltern
September 16 – Morrison, CO @ Red Rocks (93.3 KTCL Big Gig)
October 6 – Pioneertown, CA @ Pappy & Harriet’s
October 8 – San Diego, CA @ House of Blues
October 9 – Tempe, AZ @ The Marquee
October 10 – Ventura, CA @ Majestic Ventura Theater
Chicago production duo The Hood Internet dropped the video for ‘Won’t F— Us Over’ which is the first single off their debut album FEAT out 10/2 on Decon Records. Directed by Dan Huiting (Bon Iver videos, etc.) the video shows a bizarre unfolding of a group of kids partying in the wilderness.
UPCOMING TOUR DATES:
FRI SEP 7 – Wonder Ballroom, Portland, OR%
WED SEP 12 – Pyramid Scheme, Grand Rapids, MI#
THR SEP 13 – Mayday, Cincinatti, OH#
FRI SEP 14 – Music Hall of Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY*
Check out this interview with Swedish band The Royal Concept, who released their self-titled EP in June via Lava/Universal Republic and has a full-length album due out in October. They’re also touring in October and November with Wolf Gang.
MA: What song is the most played on your iPods?
TRC: Up until yesterday we all thought Jimi Hendrix was the god of rock guitar but then we saw St Vincent and now her song Cruel is constantly on our iPods.
MA: What chore do you hate the most?
TRC: Sneaking our guitars on board planes as carry on luggage.
MA: Are you attending any festivals soon? (Whether performing or just going to hang out)
TRC: We’re at one now actually! Europe’s best festival: Way Out West in a beautiful park in Gothenburg, Sweden. We’re actually playing ourselves. It’s a small independent festival with some other bands including, Kraftwerk, Black Keys, Blur, Bon Iver.
MA: If you could live anywhere, where would it be?
TRC: In the small and beautiful mountain village in Croatia called Groznjan. Filip is born in that neighbourhood and its the most inspiring place on Earth.
MA: Do you ever read any music blogs? If so, how do you pick which ones?
TRC: Our relationship with music blogs is random. It can lead anywhere. From big blogs to the tiniest ones. We have the blogs to thank for our success so far.
MA: What’s your favorite music media outlet? (TV, radio, shows, magazines, etc. and which ones?)
TRC: Is internet an option? Other than that old radios, vintage magazines, Spotify and all kinds of app’s. We almost never watch TV, honestly.
MA: What’s the first concert you went to?
TRC: David saw Joe Zawinul, the father of synthesizers, when he was really young and he’s still talking about that show. So that’s gotta be the one. Zawinuls band Weather Report is a huge inspiration for us when it comes to sounds, so please check that out if you haven’t heard it before.
MA: Oddest food combination that you love? (Everyone has one!)
TRC: Yellow pea soup, mustard, pork, dried Thyme and Arrak Punch – believe it or not this is a Swedish speciality that you eat on Thursdays.
MA: Do you believe in past lives? If so, what do you think your life was like before this?
TRC: 50 % of the band believes and 50 % only hopes. But as we don’t remember any past life, we probably won’t remember this life in a next life, so whats the point really. Let’s say we were Marilyn Monroe , Greta Garbo, Grace Kelly and Rita Hayworth then, that would explain a few things.
MA: What’s going to be your next big purchase?
TRC: A Jaguar probably, gotta get that real quick. And we also need some strings and band aid for the road, so we’re saving for that first.
The Royal Concept and Wolf Gang Tour Dates:
OCTOBER
1 Los Angeles, CA Troubadour
2 San Diego, CA Casbah
6 Portland, OR Doug Fir
7 Seattle, WA Crocodile
10 Salt Lake City, UT Urban
11 Denver, CO Hi Dive
12 Colorado Springs, CO Black Sheep
14 Kansas City, MO Record Bar
15 Minneapolis, MN Varsity
16 Chicago, IL Lincoln Hall
18 St. Louis, MO Blueberry Hill
20 Columbus, OH A & R
22 Toronto, ON Wrong Bar
24 Providence, RI Met Café
25 Boston, MA Brighton Hall
27 Washington, DC U Street
28 Philadelphia, PA Union Transfer
29 Pittsburgh, PA Stage AE
30 Brooklyn, NY Cameo
NOVEMBER
1 New York, NY Santos Party House
3 Charlotte, NC Stage Door
4 Atlanta, GA Vinyl
5 Birmingham, AL Workplay
7 Houston, TX Fitzgeralds
8 Dallas, TX Trees
9 Austin, TX Parish
Today, the mysterious Brooklyn-based MS MR will reveal a few not before released tracks LIVE during their KEXP Radio Session at New York’s Cutting Studios.People can tune in on 90.3 FM in Seattle and listen worldwide starting 12 noon EST / 9am PST LIVE via http://www.KEXP.org. Beside their single “Hurricane”, they’ll play a selection of songs that have been played live on tour. The duo have created quite a stir online with their first single, “Hurricane,” a dark glitch pop track with equally hauntingly beautiful vocals. Head over to MS MR’s tumblr to get your fill of 90s influenced visuals. MS MR revealed their identities in a live performance of their debut single “Hurricane” at Electric Lady Studios for Yours Truly HERE.
MS MR, playing as a 4-piece live band, are continuing for their tour supporting Marina & The Diamondsand will head out with GROUPLOVE later in October / November and they’ll make their first trip to Europe in September.
MS MR tour dates:
* w/ Marina & The Diamonds
** w / GROUPLOVE
8/14 – Washington D.C. @ 9:30 Club*
8/16 – New York, NY @ Webster Hall*
8/17 – Philadelphia, PA @ Theatre of the Living Arts*
8/18 – New York, NY @ Webster Hall*
9/12- London, UK @ Birthdays
9/15 – Leffinge, Belgium @ Leffinge Leuren
9/17 – Paris, France @ Nouveau Casino
9/19 – Amsterdam, Holland @ Paradiso
9/20 – Hamburg, Germany @ Reeperbahn Festival
9/22 – Berlin, Germany @ Berlin Independent Night
10/14 – New Orleans, LA @ HOB **
10/16 – Atlanta, GA @ Masquerade **
10/17 – Knoxville, TN @ Bijou Theater **
10/18-22 @ CMJ Festival
10/23 – Nashville, TN @ Cannery **
10/24 – Norfolk, VA @ NorVA **
10/26 – Pittsburgh, PA @ Altar Bar **
10/27 – Rochester, NY @ Water Street Music Hall **
10/29 – Washington, DC @ 930 Club **
10/30 – Washington, DC @ 930 Club **
11/01 – Philadelphia, PA @ Electric Factory **
11/02 – New York, NY @ Terminal 5 **
11/03 – Boston, MA @ Royale **
Montreal’s Men Without Hats will soon be taking their timeless performance back on the road in support of their new album Love In The Age of War (out now on Cobraside Records). During 2011’s “Dance If You Want” tour, Men Without Hats opened every show with their single “This War.” Today, they are sharing the single, which just premiered on AOL’s Spinner, in honor of their upcoming tour dates. The track is an uplifting blend of the band’s distinguished synthpop sound, accentuated by Ivan’s distinctive baritone croon.
Love In The Age of War marked the band’s their first album release in albums 10 years and features 10 original songs written by Ivan Doroschuk. Produced by Dave “Rave” Ogilvie (Skinny Puppy, Marilyn Manson), Love In The Age of War features charismatic front man Ivan (voice & electronics), his brother Colin Doroschuk (vocals), as well as Lou Dawson (vocals & live keyboards), and James Love (guitars). In 2011, Men Without Hats soared back into the scene with their breakout performance at SXSW, followed by an extensive, well-received North American tour.
Since forming in the late 70’s, the band released six studio albums – having songs featured on hit TV series such as Glee, The Simpsons, Futurama and Family Guy. Their 1980’s hit “The Safety Dance” reached Top 10 in the US, the UK and 25 other countries around the world. Their 1987 hit “Pop Goes The World” reached the top 20 in the US and Canada. In 1983, they picked up a Grammy nomination for Best group.
Austin, TX’s anthemic indie-rock band The Rocketboys have released their first ever official video for the track “The Best”, which is the last song on their recently released album Build Anyway.
A true epilogue to the new record, singer Brandon Kinder comes to terms with his disappointment and anger towards former bandmates and even makes something of an apology for his pain: “You spent your time trying to make a better life, while I was spending mine making up bitter rhymes”; “All those words I wrote, they’ve already died…If I ever had brothers, I hope you know that you were them.” It’s a fitting and powerful end to a soaring rock record that covers endless ground in the search for explanations for the fragmentation and almost-breakup of the band.
The Rocketboys also announce a Fall tour schedule for August-October which covers the Central and Eastern US. A co-headline tour with Bearcat, the tour is in support of Invisible Children and will make available limited edition I.C. posters.
Download a free two song tour sampler, which includes an acoustic version of The Rocketboys’ new single “The Best” and Bearcat’s song “Let’s Be Honest,” here.
The Rocketboys Tour Dates:
Aug 27 – Austin, TX – W Hotel*
Aug 28 – Ft. Worth, TX – Live Oak Music Hall
Aug 30 – Lubbock, TX – Bash Riprocks
Aug 31 – Oklahoma City, OK – The Conservatory
Sept 1 – Tulsa, OK – Vanguard Music Hall
Sept 2 – Kansas City, MO – Riot Room
Sept 3 – Des Moines, IA – Vaudeville Mews
Sept 4 – Chicago, IL – The Ace Bar
Sept 5 – Indianapolis, IN – Hoosier Dome
Sept 6 – Pontiac, MI – Vernors Room at Crofoot Ballroom
Sept 7 – Pittsburgh, PA – The Smiling Moose
Sept 8 – New York City, NY – The Living Room
Sept 10 – New York City, NY – Studio at Webster Hall
Sept 11 – New Haven, CT – The Space
Sept 12 – Philadelphia, PA – The Barbary
Sept 13 – Vienna, VA – Jammin Java
Sept 14 – Cleveland, OH – Wilbert’s
Sept 15 – Louisville, KY – Uncle Slayton’s
Sept 16 – St. Louis, MO – Cicero’s
Sept 17 – Knoxville, TN – Barley’s Taproom
Sept 19 – Nashville, TN – High Watt at Mercy Lounge
Sept 20 – Atlanta, GA – The Vinyl
Sept 22 – Oxford, MS – Two Stick Sushi Bar
Sept 25 – Little Rock, AR – Stickyz
Sept 28 – Tampa, FL – New World Brewery
Sept 29 – Orlando, FL – Backbooth
Oct 1 – Jacksonville, FL – Burro Bar
Oct 3 – Athens, GA – New Earth Music Hall & Taproom
Oct 4 – Charlotte, NC – The Evening Muse
Oct 5 – West Columbia, SC – Conundrum
Nov 2 – Waco, TX – Common Grounds*
*No Bearcat
Musically Amusing 