by jill ettinger

Coming February 2011: The Boxer Rebellion Releases “The Cold Still”

Save the Date: February 8th, 2011. You’ll be relieved to find some assistance to help lift you out of the mid-winter blues with the Boxer Rebellion’s forthcoming album, The Cold Still.

Following up to their critically acclaimed 2009 release, Union, this highly anticipated album is poised to please old fans of the Boxer Rebellion and create an army of new listeners.

Their trademark, graceful lyrics and hypnotic melodies met with great assistance on The Cold Still by way of legendary producer, Ethan Johns, best known for his work with Ryan Adams, Ray LaMontagne and Kings of Leon. The Boxer Rebellion says he is their “dream producer” and his magical skills helped refine the albums natural and evolved sound.

Union reached acclaim for becoming the first self-released album to make it on to Billboard’s top digital sales charts, and the band hopes that The Cold Still, also self-released on Absentee Recordings, will also make it onto the charts. www.theboxerrebellion.com

11.11.10

by jill ettinger

Lille To Open Up for Dresden Dolls in Atlanta

Whale Heart Records kicks-off their new Web site by sharing some great news for Lille fans in Atlanta. Eighteen year-old Grace Bellury who goes by “Lille” will take the stage at several upcoming Atlanta shows, including the Dresden Dolls on November 13th, Book Club on the 18th, Aaron Lee’s Ukulele By Bicycle Tour, Little Horn on the 21st and The Earl on January 10th. Hailing from a musical upbringing, Lille’s debut EP Tall Shoulders came out on Whale Heart Records to rave reviews.

Brooklyn based WHR was founded by Daniel Bellury in 2009 to support family and friends making great music. With a focus on indie artists, there’s no shortage of incredible talent available and Bellury and company are eagerly looking forward to all that’s coming from WHR in 2011. For complete info on Lille and all WHR artists, swing on by to their new digs at whaleheartrecords.com

Tour Dates:
11.18.2010 – Atlanta, GA – Highland Inn Ballroom w/ Book Club
11.21.2010 – Atlanta, GA – Picaflor Studios w/ Aaron Lee’s Ukulele By Bicycle Tour, Little Horn
01.10.2011 – Atlanta, GA – The Earl

11.10.10

by jill ettinger

Levi’s Website Offering Limited-Time Free Download of The Duke Spirit’s New Song “Procession”

Rocker chics are awesome. They last and last and last, getting better and sexier through the ages, becoming increasingly harder to toss out, kind of like your favorite pair of Levis. Though they’re not new to the fashion world at all, it’s still pretty button-fly-fitting that The Duke Spirit, fronted by the throaty vocal styling’s of Liela Moss, are offering a free download of their track “Procession” on Levi’s Web site. Liela inspired designers Philip Lim and the late Alexander McQueen and now the quintessential denim brand is cozying up to The Duke Spirit with a limited-time offering of this free track.

“Procession” comes off of The Duke Spirit’s, Bruiser, sounding somewhat like Patti Smith meets The Dead Weather-covering-Pavement, in a heady, heavy and addictively comfy perfect track for winter playlisting. Now if The Duke Spirit would only offer a free pair of Levi’s when you buy their new album…

11.01.10

by jill ettinger

Pepper Rabbit Hops All Over the Left Coast

Is it ever a bad time to be a band based in Los Angeles? Not if you’re the LA based duo, Pepper Rabbit. On the heels of their debut, Beauregard, released October 26th, Pepper Rabbit’s Xander Singh and Luc Laurent are garnering praises from fellow Angelinos, Local Natives, and press raves across the country from FILTER, WNYC, and Seattle’s KEXP.

Gearing up for fall concert dates with Freelance Whales, Passion Pit and coming in early 2011, two shows with Ra Ra Riot, Pepper Rabbit kicks off the tour with a show at The Echo in Los Angeles on November 18th. Their live show delivers a variety of instrumentation unique to Pepper Rabbit’s sound—expect ukele, synths, clarinet and those unmistakable rhythms. Catch their latest track, “Babette!” here.

Tour Dates:

11/18/10 – Los Angeles, CA @ Echo
11/19/10 – San Francisco, CA @ Rickshaw Shop ^#
11/23/10 – Seattle, WA @ The Crocodile ^#
11/24/10 – Vancouver, BC @ The Biltmore
11/29/10 – Vancouver, BC @ Vogue Theatre *
11/30/10 – Seattle, WA @ Moore Theatre *
12/1/10 – Portland, OR @ Crystal Ballroom *
12/3/10 – Santa Cruz, CA @ Santa Cruz Civic Auditorium *
12/4/10 – Pomona, CA @ Fox Theatre *
12/5/10 – San Diego, CA @ Soma *
12/7/10 – Los Angeles, CA @ Hollywood Palladium *
12/9/10 – Las Vegas, NV @ House of Blues *
1/22/10 – Sacramento, CA @ Harlow’s %
1/25/10 – Eugene, OR @ WOW Hall %
^ w/ Freelance Whales
# w/ Miniature Tigers
* w/ Passion Pit
% w/ Ra Ra Riot

www.myspace.com/pepperrabbit

01.05.10

by jill ettinger

Bill Laswell’s Back to Mess With You, Releases “Praxis” in January 2011

If there are two things music should probably always be, it’s eclectic and experimental, or more commonly known as: Bill Laswell. The legendary producer and musician has been responsible for more magic than you likely know, unless you are lucky enough to be in the know in which case you can skip past this next sentence. Tabla Beat Science, Gigi, Sting, Herbie Hancock, John Zorn, Jah Wobble, Bootsy Collins, Sly & Robbie, Ginger Baker, Bob Marley and freaking Miles Davis have all worked with Laswell or been lucky enough to have him do dirty, sexy, H O T things to their songs even the most adventurous couples never attempt in the bedroom.

Laswell, alongside fellow weirdos Buckethead and Brains equals Praxis, the hard rock mania a la Zappa gone wild style. Their new album, Profanation: Preparation for a Coming Darkness features a who’s who in freakland including Wu Tang’s Killah Priest, System of A Down’s Serj Tankian, master of madness front man of Faith No More, Mr. Bungle, Tomahawk and Peeping Tom, Mike Patton, and the Duracell battery of punk rock himself: Iggy Pop.

Due for release stateside on January 25th 2011, consider Profanation: Preparation for a Coming Darkness the apocalyptic sign we’ve all been fearing, but strangely enough, it’s actually going to be a really delicious and amusing Armageddon.