Chevrolet Adopts Dawes’ “When Time Comes” for Commercial


It’s not hard to hear why “When My Time Comes” from Los Angeles band Dawes was chosen by one of the automobile industry’s leading brands, Chevrolet, to score their newest commercial. The single off the off their September 2009 released album North Hills, named for the part of Los Angeles from which they hail, is a real solid, folksy narrative and one that seems to target the Chevrolet demographic.

It’s got that blue collar pride and Springsteen spirit that accompanies all too well the Chevrolet truck and what it represents: The American Dream, more or less. The comparison between Dawes’ video of “When My Time Comes” and Chevrolet’s sampling is a progression. The band’s official video shows an early 20th Century impoverished and enslaved life as the band plays inmates shoveling dirt on the side of the road watched over by oppressive, Aviator-adorning cops, then they escape to a haven in the woods playing makeshift instruments like pots for drums and an upright bass with one string.

The Chevrolet commercial, using effective marketing, shows the modern American life using the truck as proof of endurance and invention ranging from everyday tasks to police missions and ending with a declarative motto: “This is how America gets work done.”

Who is Middle Brother?


Earlier this week, Partisan Records made a huge announcement; Taylor Goldsmith of Dawes, John McCauley of Deer Tick, and Matthew Vasquez of Delta Spirit have joined forces to create Middle Brother. Since the trio played their tiny, late-night, unannounced event at CMJ under the moniker “MG&V,” there have been whispers that a side project wasn’t far off. But, little did we know that the guys had already wrapped their debut record, which is set for a March 1st, 2011 release date.

Middle Brother will be playing a one-off show December 20 at the Troubadour in Los Angeles  to benefit Invisible Children. That show will also feature an acoustic McCauley set.


http://c.brightcove.com/services/viewer/federated_f9?isVid=1&isUI=1

Jonquil’s Oxford Invasion


Oxford England’s Jonquil are not the Beatles, but they are British, and coming to America. Hugo Manuel, Sam Hudson Scott and Robin McDiarmid have been rehearsing and recording in their studio, aka their UK flat.

As a leading sound in Oxford’s Blessing Force collective, alongside Pet Moon, Trophy Wife, Fixers, Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs and Chad Valley (Jonquil’s own Hugo Manuel), Jonquil brings an exciting and new sound to pop music. Influences of The Smiths, Paul Simon and Mark Ronson, they deliver a royal slice of indie-pop.

Releasing their single, “Fighting Smiles” on RCRD LBL, a vinyl version of their EP, One Hundred Suns is available now and will be released on vinyl in January 2011. Jonquil are slated to perform at SXSW in March 2011, perhaps even adding some US dates. Check ’em out here: Nylon Free Music Download “Fighting Smiles.”

The Decemberists Frontman Looks To Broadway

The Decemberists

 

The Decemberists just finished a new album (The King Is Dead out on January 18th) but frontman Colin Meloy is already after bigger things.

The singer told Spin that he’d already been in contact with the director of Green Day’s American Idiot musical about penning his own show.

According to Spin, Meloy is not quite sure what the musical would be about, but he has some ideas. It will have to wait for a little while at least because the Decemberists embark on a three-month tour January 24th.

Happy New Year Receives Gift in “Hotel” Video


Yay for privacy! We complain about not having enough of it, but when artists can retreat to make-shift studios in condemned 19th century breweries to record solo projects, it’s time to count your amendment blessings.

Eleanor Logan of Adult Themes released a 7″ of vengeful pop songs receiving critical acclaim (as if anyone else would take the time) under the name Happy New Year.

UK Director, Rob Heppell created the enticing video for “Hotel” which you can view once you’ve finished reading this sentence.

 

HAPPY NEW YEAR- HOTEL from rob heppell on Vimeo.

The Luyas Are ‘Too Beautiful To Work’


Canadian futuristic pop group, The Luyas, have outdone themselves with a masterpiece in Too Beautiful To Work.  Their debut album will be released on February 22nd on the Dead Oceans label. 

Band mates Jessie Stein, Mathieu Charbonneau, Pietro Amatro and Stefan Scheider have incorporated the use of some unique instruments like a French horn and a 12-string electric zither called a Moodswinger to bring their sound into the space-age pop sound they’ve developed while Jessie’s voice adds to the heady and airy sound of the album. 

This week they released the video for “Tiny Heads”, the first single off the album.  You can watch the video on Pitchfork

TRACK LISTING:
1. Too Beautiful to Work
2. Worth Mentioning (Bell Song)
3. Tiny Head
4. Moodslayer
5. Canary
6. Spherical Mattress
7. Cold Canada
8. What Mercy Is
9. I Need Mirrors
10. Seeing Things