Friendly Fires Hit the Road

Photo by Dominic Storer

Friendly Fires have settled on a release date for their sophomore album. Pala will be out May 24th on XL Recordings.

The album will follow the group’s critically acclaimed self-titled debut album, which was released in 2008. Even better, fans don’t have to wait till May to hear a glimpse of the new album. The band just premiered their new single “Live Those Days Tonight” live on Late Night With Jimmy Fallon on Wednesday, March 23rd.

If for whatever reason you don’t watch Jimmy Fallon (understandable), the band has considerately made the song available to listen to on the groups website. You can hear it right here.

Although the band is still recovering from the chaos of SXSW, they will set off on tour behind their new album in late May. Their tour schedule looks like this:

5/24 – Philadelphia, PA – First Unitarian Church

5/25 – New York, NY – Webster Hall

5/26 – Washington, DC – 9:30 Club

5/27 – Boston, MA – Paradise

5/28 – Montreal, QC – Corona Theatre

5/30 – Toronto, ON – Phoenix Concert Theatre

5/31 – Chicago, IL – Lincoln Hall

6/1 – Minneapolis, MN – Varsity Theater

6/4 – Vancouver, BC – Venue

6/5 – Seattle, WA – Neumos

6/6 – Portland, OR – Doug Fir Lounge

6/8 – San Francisco, CA – The Independent

6/10 – Los Angeles, CA – Music Box at The Henry Fonda

Bird of Youth Release New Video

Defender Image

Brooklyn’s Bird of Youth want you to step back and relax from the escalating madness that makes up the week after SXSW, free from all the band announcements, venue-hunting and other insanity.

If SXSW had gotten you overwhelmed, take a breather from the constant barrage of information and instead enjoy a nice, relaxing acoustic performance of Bird of Youth’s song “The Great Defender” right here.

The song is off of the band’s upcoming debut, Defender, which will be available March 24th.

Asobi Seksu Release New Tune

Despite releasing their latest full-length in February, Asobi Seksu (which translated means “playful sex”) have just premiered a new song courtesy of RCRD LBL. The single “Perfectly Crystal” can be heard right here.

Besides a new song, less than a month after releasing the full-length Fluorescence, Asobi Seksu is out on the road right now. The band is sharing the stage with Brahms, Braids, and Cults. Look below for their entire tour schedule.

3/24/2011 – Strange Matter – Richmond, VA****

3/25/2011 – Rock and Roll Hotel – Washington, D.C.****

3/26/2011 – Johnny Brendas – Philadelphia, PA****

4/7/2011 – Bowery Ballroom – New York, NY

**w/ BRAHMS

***w/ BRAIDS

****w/ Cults

Crystal Stilts Show Off Tracks from New Album

cs

Crystal Stilts have released a couple new songs from their upcoming album In Love With Oblivion.

The songs “Through The Floor” and “Shake the Shackles” have both been released for public consumption.

“Through The Floor”

“Shake the Shackles”

If you happen to live in New York or Austin, you’ll be happy to know the Crystal Stilts will be heading over in April. You can see them:

 

04/16 New York, NY Le Poisson Rouge #

04/17 Brooklyn, NY Music Hall of Williamsburg #

04/29 Austin, TX Austin Psych Fest

 

# = w/ Spectrum

 

Cymbals Eat Guitars Find A New Home

Cymbals Eat Guitars have found a home. After self-releasing their first album Why There Are Mountains, the band has announced they are joining Barsuk Records.

After almost two years off from recording, the band will be heading into the studio later this month with esteemed producer John Agnello (Dinosaur Jr., Sonic Youth, Kurt Vile) to assemble their sophomore release.

The band will also be hitting the road extensively this fall, so look for tour news soon!

 

Nik Freitas Readies New Solo Album

LA musician Nik Freitas is putting the final layer of polish on his fifth solo album, which will be out sometime early this summer.

Released on Little Record Company, the album came together when Freitas took a break from touring in Broken Bells and The Mystic Valley Band (with Conor Oberst).

Freitas will be revealing parts of the new record while he tours in support of the Submarines. You can see them here:

4/7/11 – Costa Mesa, CA @ Detroit Bar

4/9/11 – San Francisco, CA @ Slim’s

4/11/11 – Portland, OR @ Doug Fir Lounge

4/12/11 – Seattle, WA @ Tractor Tavern

4/13/11 – Vancouver, BC @ The Biltmore

4/15/11 – Salt Lake City, UT @ Urban Lounge

4/16/11 – Denver, CO @ Larimer Lounge

4/18/11 – Omaha, NE @ The Waiting Room

4/19/11 – St. Paul, MN @ Turf Club

4/20/11 – Chicago, IL @ Schuba’s

4/22/11 – Toronto, ON @ Horseshoe Tavern

4/23/11 – Montreal, PQ @ Casa del Popolo

4/25/11 – Boston, MA @ Brighton Music Hall

* all dates with The Submarines