I don't know if I'll find my wooden leg, but I'll see Boston Strong in action as I'm taking a little road trip around New England visiting peops, drinking beers, eating seafood, seeing a BoSox game and rummaging through some record shops. Newbury Comics, yup. Any shows? Maybe, Palma Violets, Steve Mason, Rhianna, Daughter and Insane Clown Posse will all be in town. They are not playing on the same stage on the same night, which would have been awesome.
I'll be back online Thursday. Don't break anything.
Don't cancel again, my friend. Tricky returns with his tenth album. WHAAAAA???? Ten! I remember buying Maxinquaye in college. Jesus, just shoot me. Looking at his wikipedia page, he's 45.
In any event, the new album is called False Idols. It's out May 28th. On this track with his collaborator, Francesca Belmonte sings lead on "Tribal Drums"
He has a handful of U.S. tour dates for June.
June 8: Columbus, OH - Newport Music Hall June 9: Washington, D.C. - 9:30 Club June 11: Philadelphia, PA - Union Transfer June 13: New York City - Webster Hall June 14: Boston, MA - Royale June 17: Chicago, IL - Metro June 18: Minneapolis, MN - First Avenue June 20: Dallas, TX - House of Blues June 21: Houston, TX - House of Blues June 22: Austin, TX - Stubb's BBQ
The little band from Alaska that are now a big deal are ready with their eight album. If you don't have Portugal. The Man in your collection or on your mp3 player, you are just lame. LAME-OOOOOO
Brian Burton (aka Danger Mouse) was called upon to produce their latest effort, Evil Friends. Atlantic Records puts it out June 4th.Here's the tracklisting:
1. Plastic Soliders
2. Creep In a T-Shirt
3. Evil Friends
4. Modern Jesus
5. Hip Hop Kids
6. Atomic Man
7. Sea of Air
8. Waves
9. Holy Roller (Hallelujah)
10. Someday Believers
11. Purple Yellow Red and Blue
12. Smile
A taste of the new material can be found in their first video from the album, "Purple Yellow Red & Blue". Watch it below, and get excited:
Tour dates galore for the John Gourley and company. It's all mid-size venues and festival appearances, so I can bring out my "I saw them at Maxwell's" card. A slew of fine opening acts will be available for enjoyment as well.
May 20: New York -- Irving Plaza (Royal Bangs opening)
May 25: Boston -- Boston Calling Music Festival
June 7: Philadelphia -- Theatre of Living Arts (Skaters opening)
June 8: Washington D.C. -- 9:30 Club (Skaters opening)
June 9: New York -- The Governor’s Ball Music Festival
June 11: Toronto -- Phoenix Concert Theatre (Skaters opening)
June 12: Buffalo -- Town Ballroom (Skaters opening)
June 13: Cleveland -- House of Blues (Skaters opening)
June 14: Cincinnati -- Bogart’s (Skaters opening)
June 13-16 -- Manchester, TN -- Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival
June 18: Indianapolis -- The Vogue (Skaters opening)
June 19: Detroit -- St. Andrew’s Hall (Skaters opening)
June 20: Chicago -- House of Blues (Guards opening)
June 21: Milwaukee -- Pabst Theater (Guards opening)
June 22: Minneapolis -- First Avenue (Guards opening)
June 23: St. Louis -- The Pageant (Guards opening)
June 25: Dallas -- House of Blues (Guards opening)
June 26: New Orleans -- House of Blues (Guards opening)
June 27: Houston -- House of Blues (Guards opening)
June 28: Helotes, TX -- Josabi’s (Guards opening)
June 29: El Paso, TX -- Tricky Falls (Guards opening)
July 2: Santa Fe -- Santa Fe Sol Stage & Grill (Guards opening)
July 3: Telluride, CO -- Telluride Conference Center (Guards opening)
July 4: Aspen, CO -- Belly Up Aspen (Guards opening)
July 5: Morrison, CO -- Red Rocks Amphitheatre (opening for The Avett Brothers)
July 10: San Diego -- House of Blues (Avi Buffalo opening)
July 12: Los Angeles -- The Wiltern (Avi Buffalo opening)
July 13: Oakland -- Fox Theater (Avi Buffalo opening)
July 16: Vancouver -- Commodore Ballroom (Avi Buffalo opening)
July 17: Seattle -- Showbox at the Market (Avi Buffalo opening)
July 18: Portland -- Crystal Ballroom (Avi Buffalo opening)
UK band Dutch Uncles are back with their third album, Out of Touch In The Wild, out now on Memphis Industries. During Record Store Day, they released a vinyl single of a cover of Grace Jones' "Slave to the Rhythm". Now, they've released their latest video from their album. It's of the track "Bellio". It's very much in line with their esoteric avant-pop leanings.
The magazine that goes hand in hand with the British music scene finally has a book that goes behind the scenes of its 60-year history. It's called The History of the NME: High Times and Low Lives at the World's Most Famous Music Magazine.
First off, love that's it is the World's Most Famous Music Magazine. That's a big eff you to Jann Wenner and Rolling Stone. I applaud that title. It goes with NME's brash nature. I would have called it The History of the NME: 60 Years of Breaking Out New Bands and Pissing Off Morrissey. He's on the cover!
This is the Book Description:
Since it was founded in 1952, the New Musical
Express has played a central part in the British love affair with pop
music. Snotty, confrontational, enthusiastic, sarcastic: the NME landing
on the doormat every Wednesday was the high point of any music fan's
week, whether they were listening to The Beatles, Bowie or Blur. The Sex
Pistols sang about it, Nick Hornby claims he regrets not working for it
and a whole host of household names - Tony Parsons and Julie Burchill,
Nick Kent and Mick Farren, Steve Lamacq and Stuart Maconie - started
their career writing for it. This authoritative history, written by
former assistant editor, Pat Long, is an insider's account of the high
times and low lives of the world's most famous, and most influential,
music magazine. The fights, the bands, the brawls, the haircuts, the
egos and much more. This is the definitive - and first - book about the
infamous NME.
No word if the book mentioned all the crappy bands they touted that went nowhere. Enter Shikari and Menswear anyone?
When I was college, everytime I went in NYC, I would pick up a copy of NME and Q Magazine at Tower Records. I use to hoard them until I moved then I ditched it all ... except one -- the Blur cover when 13 came out.
Florida trio Beach Day are gearing up for their debut album, Trip Trap Attack. Kanine Records will release the album on June 18th for all the world to enjoy.
Since you are a cool person and enjoy girl groups, surf rock, garage rock and the wonderful feeling of guitars and organs, I know you'll enjoy a preview of album. "Boys" is taken from said album, and you can watch all two minutes of the fun below.
How about some tours dates as well? They even booked a NJ date at the legendary Wonder Bar in Asbury Park.
May 2: Providence, RI @ Fete
May 3: Boston, MA @ Middle East
May 4: Brooklyn, NY @ Music Hall Of Williamsburg (opening for He's My Brother, She's My Sister)
May 6: Asbury Park, NJ @ Wonder Bar
May 7: Philadelphia, PA @ North Star Bar
May 8: Washington, DC @ Black Cat
May 9: Richmond, VA @ Strange Matter
May 10: Jacksonville, FL @ Burro Bar
May 11: Tampa, FL @ Tropical Heatwave
May 18: Delray Beach, FL @ Dada
June 6: Houston, TX @ Fitzgerald's
June 7: Tulsa, OK @ The Vanguard
June 9: Austin, TX @ Mohawk
June 11: Kansas City, MO @ The Riot Room
June 14: Toronto, ON @ NXNE
June 15: Toronto, ON @ NXNE June 19: Brooklyn, NY @ Glasslands
Looking towards Los Angeles for some cosmic new music.In the Valley Below is the duo Angela Gail and Jeffrey Jacob. They bring with them some soothing melodies, dreamy soundscapes and layer upon layer of spaced-out synths. The ending result gives you a comforting feeling, a nice hug if you will. "We mostly make music that we would want to listen to," they told Interview.
They have a 3-song EP you can download on their bandcamp page. The song that stood out to me was "Last Soul" for its West Coast / futuristic Laurel Canyon vibes.
Jono Ma and Gabriel Winterfield have put the finishing touches on their debut album, Howlin. Jagwar Ma's first LP will feature some previously released singles like The Throw and Come Save Me. The new material was recorded all over the globe in their native Australia, Berlin, Paris and other undisclosed locations.
What Love
Uncertainty
The Throw
That Loneliness
Come Save Me
Four
Let Her Go
Man I Need
Exercise
Did You Have To
Backwards Berlin
June 10th is when we can hear the loveliness. For now, if you have 10 minutes to spare, you can listen to Man I Need:
Now that is a insane, wonderful booking at Maxwell's. Legendary, ground-breaking Brazilian psych tropicália collective Os Mutantes is cramming into the small stage for their NJ debut. I remember when they played Webster Hall for like $75, now it's a reasonable $25. Screw you Bowery Presents!
I expect a lot of weirdness on this tour.
April 27: Psych Fest -- Austin April 28: Kessler Theatre -- Dallas April 30: Club Congress -- Tucson May 1: Casbah -- San Diego May 2: The Troubador -- Los Angeles May 3: Moe's Alley -- Santa Cruz, CA May 4: The Independant -- San Francisco, CA May 5: Applegate River Lodge -- Applegate, OR May 7: Star Theatre -- Portland May 8: The Triple Door -- Seattle May 9: Neurolux -- Boise May 10: Urban Lounge -- Salt Lake City May 11: Hard Rock Cafe -- Las Vegas June 21-23: Solid Sound Festival 2013 -- North Adams, MA June 26: Club Cafe -- Pittsburgh June 28: Maxwell's -- Hoboken, NJ
This is support of their second post-reunion/revamped line-up album, Fool Metal Jack.
That's Kurt Vile up there. Three years ago, he was opening up for bands like Real Estate and Fucked Up at Maxwell's. Now, he's the headliner for this year's 4Knots Festival at the South Street Seaport. Walkin' on a Purple Haze is another impressive album from the Philly songwriter. It should be a fantastic time to see it live for all you freeloaders.
The Village Voice organized a damn fine line-up, if I might say. No complaints or eye-rolling from me. Marnie Stern is hotness incarnate. Parquet Floors rip off Pavement, but then again, every indie rock band does. Reigning Sound is your veteran act on the bill. Love me The Babies. Looking forward to seeing what The Men, White Lung and Heliotropes have going for them. The only act I haven't heard of is Fat Tony, unless Joe Mantegna is doing some spoken word in character. Never the less, Fat Tony is a rapper out of Houston. Smart Ass Black Boy is his latest album. Here's his video for his track, BKNY. Warning: the following video contains shots of Brooklyn. Viewer Discretion Advised.
