“…full-blooded heat, evoking what would happen if Sade met a caffeinated Air, a sublime voice floating easily on a ballast of clever instrumental touches.” – PITCHFORK
“gentle strings and dancing harp lines,…so uncomplicatedly sweet” – THE FADER
” direct, striking love songs that sound like classics the instant you hear them.” – DUMMY
Los Angeles-based Rhye, made their mark on the radar last year with their debut ‘Open’ EP and critically lauded single, “The Fall”, called “one of the most beautiful heartbreak songs” of 2012 by the Fader and receiving Pitchfork’s Best New Musicaccolade. In anticipation of the release of their debut album, Woman coming March 5th on Innovative Leisure / Loma Vista / Republic, Rhye are excited to announce their first US tour dates, cover art and track listing for Woman, along with a new video for their song “Open”.
In working withDanish director Daniel Kragh-Jacobsen on the nostalgia-inducing video for “The Fall”, Rhye decided to revisit the themes and questions proposed with the same director in a new video for their chill-inducing song “Open”. With Kragh-Jacobsen at the helm to create an extension, or rather second chapter of the narrative in context of the album, Manuel Alberto Claro (Melancholia), was recruited as DP, giving the video the same colors, landscape and stylistic look of “The Fall”. Rhye set out avoid the cookie cutter artist-as-narrator music video and again create a short film to which “Open” could serve as the soundtrack. This time around, we see a young woman teetering between her carefree youth and the challenges of adult life and love. As the bike from “The Fall” became symbolic for the lead character’s inner-quest for happiness, here a reoccurring kite leads the main character to a surprise appearance from some familiar faces.
Rhye Tour Dates
4/01/13 Mon LOS ANGELES, CA Masonic Lodge at Hollywood Forever Cemetary
4/03/13 Wed SAN FRANCISCO, CA Bimbo’s 365 Club
4/11/13 Thu CHICAGO, IL Schubas
4/13/13 Sat TORONTO, ON Great Hall
4/14/13 Sun MONTREAL, QC Cabaret du Mile End
4/16/13 Tue BOSTON, MA Sinclair
4/17/13 Wed NEW YORK, NY Le Poisson Rouge
4/18/13 Thu WASHINGTON, DC Sixth & I Historic Synagogue (downstairs)
4/20/13 Sat PHILADELPHIA, PA World Cafe Live Upstairs
The Flaming Lips and Warner Bros. Records will release their thirteenth studio album, THE TERROR on April 2nd but you can see and hear and the new video for an exclusive non-album track, titled “Sun Blows Up Today” right now!
As previously announced, those who pre-order The Terror digitally beginning Jan 29th, through the iTunes Store or other participating digital retailers will receive “Sun Blows Up Today” as an instant gratification, non-album, bonus track. This is the only way to get the new song by The Flaming Lips.
Looking for more from your favorite band?Well, if you’re near a TV set this Sunday, Feb 3rd, watching the Super Bowl, you might just see a very cool TV commercial by Hyundai that stars none other than The Flaming Lips and features the song, “Sun Blows Up Today”.
It’s a product of quiet bedroom experimentation: subtly crafted for headphones, yet full enough to envelop a room in gorgeous melodies and exuberant sheets of sound– NPR
Recorded over the past year, splitting time between their new home of Los Angeles and Sonic Ranch ( Animal Collective, Beach House, At the Drive In, Yeah Yeah Yeah’s), the bliss-duo Houses are set to release sophomore album A Quiet Darkness on April 16th via Downtown Records.
The narrative of the album tells the story of a husband and wife separated in the midst of a nuclear disaster and their attempt to reunite with one another along the Highway 10 in California before their inevitable deaths, each song taking place in different abandoned houses along the way. Real life couple Dexter Tortoriello(also of Dawn Golden and the Rosy Cross) and Megan Messinamade the trek themselves multiple times, to record sound and video at these abandoned houses that are featured on the album.
The album’s celestial ambiance and wanderlust concepts are conveyed throughout the recording with techniques employed by Dexter Tortoriello’s production and the stark contrast between the minimal electronic pulses, found sounds and meandering and melancholy harmonies. The ethereal sound on which Houses was built is woven through A Quiet Darkness, the 2013 release shows a deep and pensive side to a band who clearly encompass a darker side of bliss; a bold new bravado that will resonate with anyone who has ever experienced love and loss. Look for Houses to preview some of A Quiet Darkness at this years SXSW and check out some additional tour dates below.
After releasing an EP last March, Gold Fields will release their debut LP, Black Sun, on February 26th via Astralwerks. The Australian quintet has toured with Diamond Rings, Crystal Castles, SBTRKT & Metric, and will be heading out their first US co-headlining tour early next month. Having played 2012’s SXSW and CMJ, the band has already received praise from the New York Times, Billboard, FILTER, & more. Check out the streams below, Diamond Rings and Gold Fields remixed each other!
The Dandy Warhols have released their latest single, “The Autumn Carnival,” and I think it’s pretty great. The video was directed by Thomas Rhazi and produced by Wanda, shot in Blackpool, England, and stars young Owen Salthouse as “The Boy.”
“The Autumn Carnival” is taken from their latest album, This Machine, and was written by Courtney Taylor-Taylor with David J from Bauhaus/Love & Rockets. Says Court: “The song came from David J and I discussing Something Wicked This Way Comes. The theme here is how, as we age, our view of youth and our feelings regarding what it means become paper thin and almost totally unrealistic.”
TODAY, Neil Young will take questions from his fans by participating in Twitter’s #LegendsOnTwitter campaign, which gives fans a rare opportunity to interact with their musical heroes. Young will answer questions from fans tweeted to his Twitter handle @neilyoung with the hashtag #AskNeil.
For the first time, Young will connect directly with his fans through Twitter’s @TwitterMusic handle- all in real time. Twitter is very excited to participate in facilitating Neil’s opportunity to connect with fans across the world.
Young and his band Crazy Horse are also releasing a new album, entitled PSYCHEDELIC PILL, on October 30th. Produced by Young with John Hanlon and Mark Humphreys, PSYCHEDELIC PILL was recorded right after AMERICANA (the band’s well-received summer release) at Audio Casablanca and features eight tracks, plus a bonus track. PSYCHEDELIC PILL will be available for streaming exclusively at neilyoung.com beginning October 24th until its October 30th release date.
Crazy Horse, which is Young, Billy Talbot, Ralph Molina, and Poncho Sampredo, is currently on the road for its North American tour, which visits cities from coast to coast.
Neil Young & Crazy Horse on the road:
Oct 25 Tuscaloosa, AL Tuscaloosa Amphitheater
Oct 26 New Orleans, LA Voodoo Fest
Nov 10 Seattle, WA Key Arena
Nov 11 Vancouver, BC Rogers Arena
Nov 13 Calgary, AB Scotiabank Saddledome
Nov 14 Saskatoon, SK Credit Union Centre
Nov 16 Winnipeg, MB MTS Centre
Nov 19 Toronto, ON Air Canada Centre
Nov 20 Kitchener, ON Memorial Auditorium
Nov 23 Montreal, QC Bell Centre
Nov 24 Ottawa, ON Scotiabank Place
Nov 26 Boston, MA TD Garden
Nov 27 New York, NY Madison Square Garden
Nov 29 Philadelphia, PA Wells Fargo Center
Nov 30 Fairfax, VA Patriot Center
Dec 3 Brooklyn, NY Barclays Center
Dec 4 Bridgeport, CT Webster Bank Arena at Harbor Yard
Back in May, I posted about Milkman and some ‘dope dancin’ downloads’ to grab. Now, The Los Angeles-based producer has served up another summer track in anticipation of his performance at Jay Z’s Made In America Festivalon September 2nd. See below to go check out “Neon Eyes.”
Emerging from the burgeoning mash-up scene of a few years ago Milkman has become one of the premiere up and coming electro / progressive house artists in the country with his most recent EP Fragments reaching #2 on the iTunes electronic chart in it’s first week of release.
The album Good Morning To The Night came out via Casablanca on July 17th, and now Casablanca is putting out the deluxe edition on September 25th. The Australian duo Pnau (also known from their breakthrough side-project, Empire Of The Sun!) has re-invented some early classic 70’s Elton John on Good Morning To The Night. Elton John signed Pnau after listening to their record a few years ago, and now with his blessing, a selection of Elton’s old masters have been re-imagined into an album featuring their recreations of his classic songs between 1970-1976.
Check out two brand new remixes from the project below!
Musically Amusing 