Category Archives: News

02.08.11
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The Strokes Are Back!

Seriously. This isn’t a joke. Rock superstars the Strokes have announced a brand-spankin new album, coming out this March!

Their first full-length since their ambitious First Impressions of Earthand, the album Angels will be out March 22nd on RCA records. The track listing goes like this:

1.Machu Picchu

2. Under Cover of Darkness

3. Two Kinds of Happiness

4. You’re So Right

5. Taken For A Fool

6. Games

7. Call Me Back

8. Gratisfaction

9. Metabolism

10. Life Is Simple In The Moonlight

Although there is still plenty of time for these flighty rockers to change their minds, the band will also give some details on a spring North American backing tour for the new album sometime soon.

Strokes fans, your time has come. Stay tuned for more info on the upcoming tour and more details on Angels (including news on the single “Under Cover of Darkness” out sometime this month).

 

02.08.11
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Architecture In Helsinki Set To Release New Album And Announce Tour

Australian indie pop band Architecture in Helsinki is well-known for their gleeful, avant-garde style and their use of the glockenspiel, clarinet, and other unorthodox instruments. They also haven’t released a new album since 2007, which, if you think about it, was actually a while ago. On May 3rd, the group will drop Moment Bends on Cooperative Music USA/Downtown Records.

Recorded over two years, the album purports to be more danceable than previous releases, tapping into popular music and cathartic moments of feeling. Check out their tour dates below!

Tour Dates:

02/19: Wiseman’s Ferry, NSW, AU @ Playground Weekender
02/26: Launceston, TAS, AU @ MS Festival
03/13: Meredith, VIC, AU @ VIC- Great Plains Festival
04/06: Hamburg, DE @ Knust
04/07: Luxembourg, LX @ Rotondes
04/08: Paris, FR @ Gaité Lyrique, Super Mon Amour! Festival
04/09: Rotterdam, NL @ Motel Mozaique Festival
04/10: Strasbourg, BE @ Laiterie, Super Mon Amour! Festival
04/12: Manchester, UK @ Academy3
04/13: London, UK @ XOYO
04/14: Glasgow, UK @ Oran Mor
04/15: Dublin, UK @ The Button Factory
04/16: Brighton, UK @ Concorde2
04/18: Cologne, DE @ Genaude 9
04/19: Copenhagen, DK @ Vega
04/20: Berlin, DE @ Maria
04/21: Vienna, AT @ Wuk
04/22: Prague, CZ @ Sperm Festival
04/24: Zurich, CH @ Kaseme
04/25: Turin. IT @ Spazio 211
04/26: Milan, IT @ Magnolia
06/01: Los Angeles, CA @ Henry Fonda
06/02: San Francisco, CA @ Great American Music Hall
06/03: San Francisco, CA @ Slims
06/05: Portland, OR @ Wonder Ballroom
06/06: Seattle, WA @ Neumo’s
06/10: Minneapolis, MN @ Varsity
06/11: Chicago, IL @ Lincoln Hall
06/14: Boston, MA @ Paradise
06/16: New York, NY @ Webster Hall
06/17: Philadelphia, PA @ World Cafe Live
06/18: Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club
06/19: Brooklyn, NY @ Music Hall

02.04.11
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Dam Mantle Announces New Album

Glasgow-based Tom Marshall, a.k.a. Dam Mantle, has announced a new album, First Wave, to be released on March 8, 2011.  Track listing is as follows:

1. A Statue That is Perpetually Unveiled
2. Rebong
3. Grey
4. Yoghourt
5. Theatre
6. Broken Slumber
7. Purple Arrow
8. Two Women
9. March of the Prince
10. Beaching Loom
 11. D1
12. D2
13. Movement

The last track on the album, “Movement,” can be heard here:
http://player.soundcloud.com/player.swf?url=http%3A%2F%2Fapi.soundcloud.com%2Ftracks%2F9929919Dam Mantle – Movement by forcefieldpr

Dam Mantle has also announced they will be supporting Gold Panda on a tour.  Dates are below:

03/16 – 03/19 Austin, TX SXSW 
03/22 Vancouver, BC – Fortune Sound Club *
03/23 Seattle, WA – Nectar Lounge * 
03/24 Portland, OR – Rotture * 
03/25 San Francisco, CA – 103 Harriet *
03/27 Los Angeles, CA – Troubadour * 
03/29 Chicago, IL – Schubas Tavern *
03/30 Toronto, ON – TBA *
03/31 Philadelphia, PA – The Arch *
04/01 Washington, DC – Red Palace * 
04/02 Brooklyn, NY – Public Assembly* 
 
* = w/ Gold Panda

02.04.11
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Toro Y Moi Shares New Single

South Carolina native Chaz Bundick, a.k.a. Toro Y Moi, has offered up a new single from his latest album, Underneath the Pine.  “New Beat” is right here:

http://player.soundcloud.com/player.swf?url=http%3A%2F%2Fapi.soundcloud.com%2Ftracks%2F9888963Toro Y Moi “New Beat” by carparkrecords

Tour dates are here as well:

03/11 Athens, GA – 40 Watt *
03/12 Atlanta, GA – Drunken Unicorn *
03/13 New Orleans, LA – The Saturn Bar *
03/14 Houston, TX – Fitzgeralds *
03/15 McAllen, TX – M.P.M. Fest @ Ambiente *$
03/16-18 Austin, TX – SXSW
03/19 Dallas, TX – Club Dada *
03/20 El Paso, TX – Lowbrow Palace *^
03/21 Tempe, AZ – Sail Inn *^$
03/22 Costa Mesa, CA – Detroit Bar *
03/23 Los Angeles, CA – Troubadour *
03/24 San Francisco, CA – Great American Music Hall *
03/25 Portland, OR – Doug Fir *
03/26 Kennewick, WA – The Red Room *^
03/27 Seattle, WA – Crocodile *
03/28 Vancouver, British Columbia – Biltmore ^
03/30 Salt Lake City, UT – Urban Lounge #
03/31 Denver, CO – Larimer Lounge #
04/01 Kansas City, MO – Riot Room #
04/02 Omaha, NE – Slowdown Jr. #
04/03 Minneapolis, MN – 7th St. Entry #
04/05 Chicago, IL – Empty Bottle #
04/06 Bloomington, IN – The Bishop #^
04/07 Toronto, Ontario – Wrongbar #
04/08 Montreal, Quebec – La Sala Rossa #
04/09 Boston, MA – Brighton Music Hall #
04/10 Brooklyn, NY – Music Hall of Williamsburg #
04/11 New York, NY – Bowery Ballroom #
04/12 Philadelphia, PA – First Unitarian Church #
04/13 Baltimore, MD – Talking Head #^
04/14 Washington, DC – Rock N Roll Hotel #
04/15 Chapel Hill, NC – Local 506 #^
04/16 Columbia, SC – Indie Grits Film Festival
04/23 Honolulu, HI – Next Door

* = w/ Cloud Nothings
^ = w/ Braids
# = w/ Adventure
$ = w/ Nite Jewel

02.04.11
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Brown Recluse – No, this music is not frightening

It’s a given that Slumberland Records has cornered and rounded up any potentially cute indie bands out there, but with more and more cute bands becoming established acts, it must be harder for fresh little darlings to capture your heart.  Not for Brown Recluse. They have a pretty good shot.  They’re like the nerdy/blossoming into a full-blown cutie shy girl that regularly writes in a diary, reads Kafka and Tolstoy, is really good at Wii, is down with being around people who smoke pot even though she personally abstains but she can drink herself into the ground, and she’s a mean baker.  Yes, this Philidelphia septet craft some downright joyous pop ala POBPAH and Belle & Sebastian.  They’ve already released a couple EPs and are prepping their Slumberland debut LP, Evening Tapestry for a February 11 release.  Get a better idea from “Impressions of a City Morning”.

02.04.11
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USF’s new album ‘Jamaica Plain EP’ Releases New Album

Male duo U.S.F. on Seattle label Highfives and Handshakes has crafted an aquatic club album, Jamaica Plain EP to be released on February 8 of this year.

“Point Break II,” whether or not is alluding to a sequel in song of the 90’s Keanu surf hit, or the reference just conjures images of surfing, but I can’t help but seeing the tops of waves arch over a surfer’s head as he/she cuts through them while this song plays.

The title track is a wonderful ADD reflection on multilayered synth with club beats, delicate melodies and psychedelia.  At first the track submerges underwater through a submarine ride of muffled wave and calming electronic effects, then forges upward into an epic stratosphere of sound. The sudden change of pace goes from chilled out oceanic grooves to heightened synth and booming bass drum determination, ending in a euphoric catharsis. It is truly a story told in sonic tropes.

“Greywolf” is one of two tracks with any vocals, and they are a Thurston Moore-ish fuzzy dictation.

All four tracks including “Branss” which has a M.I.A. base dance beat and helium infused sporadic vocals are all heady ambient pieces that make for an interesting EP that piques many moods.