by wesleyambrecht

Smith Westerns Set For Spring Tour

Smith Westerns’ self-recorded debut earned them critical praise and a record deal with Fat Possum. A myriad of tour dates with MGMT, Belle and Sebastian, Girls, and Passion Pit earned them adoration from the glam rock community. And, their sophomore record, Dye It Blonde, proved that they have staying power.

This spring they’re hitting the road again; this time with Wilco and Yeasayer for a tour that will take them across the pond to London and Amsterdam, up north to Canada and to numerous locations here in the US. Check out a full list of dates below.

Upcoming Tour Dates

04/11 London, England – Cargo
04/14 Amsterdam, Netherlands – Paradiso
04/16 Paris, France – Fleche d’Or
04/25 New York, NY The Bowery Ballroom
04/26 Philadelphia, PA Johnny Brenda’s
04/28 Baltimore, MD Ottobar
04/29 Raleigh, NC Kings Barcade
04/30 Atlanta, GA Masquerade
05/02 Montgomery, AL Montgomery Performing Arts Centre #
05/03 Mobile, AL Saenger Theatre Mobile #
05/04 Birmingham, AL Bottle Tree
05/05 New Orleans, LA One Eyed Jack’s
05/06 Houston, TX Verizon Wireless Theater #
05/07 Denton, TX University of North Texas Main Auditorium #
05/08 Tulsa, OK Cain’s Ballroom #
05/11 Chicago, IL Lincoln Hall
05/21 Solana Beach, CA Belly Up Tavern ^
05/22 Pomona, CA The Glass House ^
05/23 Hollywood, CA The Music Box ^
05/24 Hollywood, CA The Music Box ^
05/25 San Francisco, CA The Fillmore ^
05/26 San Francisco, CA The Fillmore ^
05/27 Portland, OR Wonder Ballroom ^
05/28 Vancouver, BC Commodore Ballroom ^
05/29 Quincy, WA Sasquatch Festival
05/31 Aspen, CO Bell Up Aspen ^
06/01 Denver, CO Ogden Theatre ^
06/02 Lawrence, KS The Granda Theatre ^
06/03 Columbia, MO The Blue Note ^
06/04 Cincinnati, OH – MOTR Pub
06/06 Detroit, MI Majestic Theatre ^
06/07 Toronto, ON Phoenix Concert Theatre ^
06/08 Montreal, QC Club Soda ^
06/09 Boston, MA – Royale ^
06/10 Pittsburgh, PA – Mr. Smalls Theatre
06/12 Manchester, TN Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival

# = w/ Wilco
^ = w/ Yeasayer

03.02.11

by aitorzabalegui

Pitchfork Music Festival Announces Dates

It magically became March without giving people enough time to take notice and summer already seems palpable. What does that mean? FESTIVALS. The music industry is definitely embracing the cash cow that is the summer indie music festival — Coachella has evolved (devolved?) into a clusterfuck with Sasquatch!, Bonnaroo, Outside Lands and Lollapalooza in tow. So many choices, such expensive tickets, increasingly questionable headliners…

Well, at least you know what to expect from the Pitchfork Music Festival, going down July 15-17 at Union Park in Chicago. They haven’t announced the lineup yet, but browse their “Best New Music” page to get a general idea.

Best Coast, Destroyer, Girls, Joanna Newsom, The Radio Dept., Wavves, OFF!, Smith Westerns, Cut Copy, Das Racist, Walkmen, Curren$y, Ariel Pink, Flying Lotus, Tame Impala, Robyn, and James Blake will most likely all be there; throw in some classic post-punk acts like Mission of Burma, Gang of Four, and Wire and you have the initial lineup for the most predictable festival on the circuit. But the best part is, this mock lineup fucking delivers. And tickets are only $45 for single-day passes and $110 for three-day passes. Throw in delicious food from local eateries, a full record store, and various local art, clothes, and trinkets for a well-rounded Chicago experience. Tickets go on sale this Friday, so if this all sounds appealing, schedule! transfer funds! make travel plans!

10.01.10

by Sedera Ranaivoarinosy

Watch Magic Kids’ “Candy” Performed Live In Oakland

Magic Kids’ debut album Memphis, named after their hometown, out on True Panther Sounds came out in August and has led them to be compared to E.L.O, Belle and Sebastian, all with a Beach Boys influence. The video they have just premiered for the artsy music bloggers at Yours Truly is a record of their first venture out in the Bay area, where they performed at the Oakland’s Ghost Gallery on February 15th, 2010. During this rendition of “Candy,” the band was joined by Christopher and Garrett from Girls, Max from Smith Westerns, members of a weekend flute club, a string section and more friends for a touching and laid back performance.

Watch the video below:

If this intimate live performance caught your attention, you may want to catch Magic Kids on their tour, which currently has them running around Europe but will see them back in the US of A in November!

Here are their upcoming tour dates:

10/1 – London, UK @ Barfly
10/2 – London, UK @ Camden Proud Galleries
10/3 – Bruges, Belgium @ Botanique/Witloofbar
10/5 – Amsterdam, Holland @ Paradiso
10/6 – Tilburg, Holland @Tilburg 013/Batcave
10/7 – Hamburg, Germany @ Molotow
10/8 – Helsingar, Denmark @ Musikhuset Elvaerket
10/9 – Oslom, Norway @ Café Mono
10/10 – Gothenburg, Sweden @ Pusterviksbaren
10/11 – Stockholm, Sweden @ Landet
10/12 – Copenhagen, Denmark @ Lades
10/13 – Berlin, Germany @ Magnet
10/14 – Köln, Germany @ Werkstatt
10/15 – München, Germany @ Atomic Cafe
10/16 – Zurich, Switzerland @ Club Zukunft
10/17 – Milan, Italy Indierocket party @ Rocket (free entry)
10/18 – Paris, France @ Point Ephemere
10/19 – Oxford, UK @ Jercicho Tavern
10/21 – Bristolm UK @ Louisanna
10/22 – Bristol, UK @ The Social
10/23 – Cardiff, UK @ Swn Festival
10/24 – Newcastle, UK @ The Cluny
10/25 – Leeds, UK @ Nation of Shopkeepers
10/26 – Birmingham, UK @ Hare and Hounds
10/27 – London, UK @ TBC
10/28 – London, UK @ Lexington
11/05 – Dallas, TX @ The Cavern (with Bosco Delrey)
11/07 – Houston, TX @ Numbers (with Bosco Delrey)
11/08 – Baton Rouge, LA @ Spanish Moon (with Bosco Delrey)
11/10 – Chapel Hill, NC @ Local 506 (with Bosco Delrey)
11/12 – New York, NY @ Mercury Lounge (with Bosco Delrey)
11/13 – Brooklyn, NY @ Silent Barn (with Bosco Delrey)
11/15 – Cleveland, OH @ Beachland Tavern (with Bosco Delrey)
11/16 – Chicago, IL @ Empty Bottle (with Bosco Delrey)
11/17 – St. Louis, MO @ Firebird (with Bosco Delrey)
11/18 – Nashville, TN @ The End (with Bosco Delrey)

04.15.10

by Jane Lambert

Coachella Announces Schedule….Finally!

With Coachella starting TOMORROW, the festival finally decided to release the schedule of who is playing when and where. Nothing like leaving to to the last minute, eh?

The three day fest is set to take place from this Friday, April 16th through Sunday, April 18th. Hold onto your hats because the lineup and schedule is about to blow them off. You’ll be able to catch everyone from Pavement to Vampire Weekend to MGMT to Spoon without them overlapping. Well played Coachella, well played indeed.

Take a peak below at the schedule lineup and make your own time table at <a href=”http://www.coachella.com/event/set-times”>Coachella’s Official Site.</a>

Coachella Schedule

Friday, April 16

2:00-2:45 Baroness (Mojave Tent)
3:30-4:10 Sleigh Bells (Gobi Tent)
4:20-5:10 Yeasayer (Mojave Tent)
5:45-6:35 She & Him (Outdoor Theater)
6:20-7:20 The Specials (Coachella Stage)
6:55-7:55 Gil-Scott Heron (Gobi Tent)
7:00-7:50 Passion Pit (Outdoor Theater)
7:50-8:40 Them Crooked Vultures (Coachella Stage)
8:05-8:55 Grizzly Bear (Mojave Tent)
8:35-9:25 Echo and the Bunnymen (Outdoor Theater)
9:05-10:00 LCD Soundsystem (Coachella Stage)
9:55-10:45 Vampire Weekend (Outdoor Theater)
10:50 Jay-Z (Coachella Stage)
11:10-12:20 Fever Ray (Mojave Tent)
11:20-12:10 Public Image Limited (Outdoor Theater)

Saturday, April 17

2:45-3:35 Frightened Rabbit (Outdoor Theater)
3:10-3:55 Camera Obscura (Mojave Tent)
3:25-4:10 Girls (Gobi Tent)
4:25-5:15 Beach House (Mojave Tent)
6:25-7:10 The xx (Outdoor Theater)
6:55-7:45 Dirty Projectors (Mojave Tent)
7:35-8:25 Hot Chip (Outdoor Theater)
7:55-8:45 Faith No More (Coachella Stage)
8:50-9:40 MGMT (Outdoor Theater)
9:25-10:10 Major Lazer (Mojave Tent)
10:45-11:35 Flying Lotus (Gobi Tent)
11:05-12:00 The Dead Weather (Outdoor Theater)
11:35-11:55 Die Antwoord (Sahara Tent)
11:50-12:45 Devo (Mojave Tent)

Sunday, April 18

2:10-2:55 Local Natives (Gobi Tent)
2:25-3:10 Owen Pallet (Outdoor Stage)
3:35-4:20 Deerhunter (Outdoor Stage)
3:50-4:40 De La Soul (Coachella Stage)
4:25-5:10 Matt & Kim (Mojave Tent)
4:30-5:15 Florence and the Machine (Gobi Tent)
4:45-5:30 Sunny Day Real Estate (Outdoor Stage)
5:00-5:50 Yo La Tengo (Coachella Stage)
5:35-6:20 Julian Casablancas (Mojave Tent)
5:40-6:30 Charlotte Gainsbourg (Gobi Tent)
5:55-6:45 Jónsi (Outdoor Stage)
6:30-7:20 Spoon (Coachella Stage)
7:00-7:45 Sly Stone (Gobi Tent)
7:10-8:00 Phoenix (Outdoor Theater)
7:45-8:55 Pavement (Coachella Stage)
7:55-8:45 Gary Numan (Mojave Tent)
9:00 Thom Yorke (Outdoor Theater)
9:25-10:15 The Big Pink (Mojave Tent)
10:30 Gorillaz (Coachella Stage)

02.16.10

by Jane Lambert

The Morning Benders Release Friend Filled Video for “Excuses”

The Morning Benders have certainly come up in the world. You don’t have to search hard on Modern Mystery to find out that we’ve loved this band since day one. I personally recall listening to the band for the first time when one of their first videos for “Waiting for a War,” came onto the scene from their debut album Talking Through Tin Cans (+1 Music) in 2008. For most people, the guys have been a bit off the radar until recently. Now they seem to be exploding everywhere we look. Their newest record titled Big Echo (Rough Trade) will be out on March 9th and is produced by no other than Grizzly Bear’s own Chris Taylor.

The Morning Benders just put out an amazing performance video of their new song ” Excuses,” which singer Chris Chu performed at CMJ during his very intimate Lit Lounge performance with a bunch of very talented teenagers. In the video for “Excuses” the band was joined with the help of various people and friends (spot Chris from Girls? or the sensational John Vanderslice?) along with the Echo Chamber Orchestra. The Morning Benders are about to become your new favorite band, if they aren’t already. Check out the video and tour dates below including shows with Surfer Blood and The Miniature Tigers!

The Morning Benders on Tour
02/25 – New York, New York @ Housing Works (Hype Machine CD Swap)
02/27 – Brooklyn, New York @ Market Hotel #
03/10 – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania @ Johnny Brendas
03/11 – Washington DC @ Black Cat
03/12 – Chapel Hill, North Carolina @ Local 506
03/13 – Atlanta, Georgia @ Drunken Unicorn
03/15 – Birmingham, Alabama @ The Bottletree
03/17 – Austin, Texas (SXSW)
03/23 – Phoenix, Arizona @ Rhythm Room
03/25 – Los Angeles, California @ The Troubador
03/26 – San Diego, California @ The Casbah
03/27 – Costa Mesa, California @ Detroit Bar
03/28 – Santa Barbara, California @ Muddy Waters
03/30 – San Francisco, California @ The Independent
04/01 – Portland, Oregon @ Holocene
04/02 – Seattle, Washington @ Crocodile Cafe
04/03 – Vancouver, British Columbia @ Media Club
04/05 – Provo, Utah @ Club Velour
04/07 – Denver, Colorado @ Hi-Dive
04/09 – Des Moines, Iowa @ The Vaudeville Mews
04/10 – Ames, Iowa @ The Maintenance Shop
04/11 – Rock Island, Illinois @ Huckleberry’s Pizza (Daytrotter Presents)
04/12 – Chicago, Illinois @ Schubas
04/14 – Toronto, Ontario @ The Drake Hotel
04/15 – Montreal, Quebec @ La Sala Rossa
04/16 – Winooski, Vermont @ The Monkey House
04/17 – Boston, Massachusetts @ TT The Bear’s
04/22 – New York, New York @ Mercury Lounge

# w/ Surfer Blood

12.31.09

by Jane Lambert

Modern Mystery’s Top 25 Albums of 2009

1. The Wooden Birds-Magnolia
From the ashes of the classic indie band, American Analog Set, rose a new project from former frontman, Andrew “AK” Kenny, called The Wooden Birds. Shifting completely everything he’s done musicially, AK has come out with one of the most surprising releases of the year. Creating a record that is more folk than rock, no songs on the album contain any drums what-so-ever. The bass and vocals really take off and captivate you, the listener. The live sets of the song also include Matt Pond on guitar along with songstress Leslie Sisson. I’m not sure I’ve heard such a heart felt and warm record in the past 10 years.

2. Julian Casablancas- Phrazes for the Young
It’s been a long time since we heard from The Strokes as a unified band. A lot of fans were hesitant on the thought of a solo album by the charasmatic leader, Julian Casablancas, putting out music that doesn’t resemble his band at all. What a surprise it was when we found he took his love for a bit of 1980’s dance and incoporated it with his unforgettable voice and lyrics. The end result? One of the coolest records of the year. We’d expect no less from him.

3. James Husband- Parallax 1
It took 10 years for multi-instrumentalist and drummer from Of Montreal, James Husband, to create his solo album masterpiece. Husband is in the spotlight for the first time in his career and wow, is he certainly taking advantage of it. Providing one of the best indie pop records of the past year, he lets out a 60’s retro sound that no one can mess with. The end result is something as charming as it seems. Raw, catchy, and glorious.

4. Alvin Band-Mantis Preying
Rick Schaier is not only an amazing drummer and artist, but he is also an extremely talented singer and songwriter. Schaier who spends most of his time playing drums in The Miniature Tigers has begun a new chapter in his book in the form of ‘Alvin Band,’ this year and completely blew our minds. Blending a retro sound with updated electronics, this is one album you should pick up if you haven’t yet. The catchy hooks and vocals will only leave you wanting more. That my friends, is a good thing!

5. Bishop Allen- Grrr
It’s been a long night since Bishop Allen gained attention by two teenagers named Nick and Norah, and fans were at the edge of their seat wondering what the Brookyln line up would come up with next. Taking a further step into their brilliant indie pop sound, the band did not disappoint at all with Grrr. See it as the next chapter in the Bishop Allen movie, one that is bound to have many sequels in store.

6. Grizzly Bear-Veckatimest
Unless you’ve been living under a rock lately, you may have heard of a little band called Grizzly Bear. Somehow exploding this year, it was certainly one of the most highly anticipated albums of 2009. Every song is flawless. Catchy yet moody. Beautiful in every way. This album describes itself better than anyone ever could.

7. Bat for Lashes- Two Suns
Completely out of left field, the lovely miss Natasha from Bat for Lashes surprised us all this year with making a stunning, charming, and beautiful record. The combination of her voice and the spacey background music is enough to send chills down your spine. And it does just that. The haunting track “Daniel” captivated the attention of many, and the rest of the album is able to keep you around.

8. Flight of the Conchords-I Told You I Was Freaky
Yes, they are known for writing ‘funny’ songs, but on this record, FOTC became even witty and even more advanced it seems in their writing. Their songs, even though the lyrics are mostly ‘silly’, are composed perfectly from start to end. Jermaine and Bret are really on top of their game with this record. We can’t wait to hear more!

9. Phoenix-Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix
This band always makes a great record, and their 2009 hit was no different. Everyone wanted a piece of Phoenix and boy, did they get them. This classic indie dance pop record was a must have for everyone who ‘knew what’s cool.’ Apparently, this was the world.

10. Girls-Girls
An unlikely hit, this retro indie duo shocked us all with such a raw and appealing debut album. This lo-fi record filled with melodies, doesn’t need any frills or thrills to make it great. It hold’s its own firmly which is a hard thing to mess with.

11. Cass McCombs-Catacombs
12. Yeah Yeah Yeahs- Its Blitz
13. Pains of Being Pure at Heart-Pains of Being Pure at Heart
14. Casper and the Cookies-Modern Silence
15. Headlights-Wildlife
16. Japandroids- Post Nothing
17. Cymbals Eat Guitars-Why There are Mountains
18. Kevin Devine- Brother’s Blood
19. Joan of Arc- Flowers
20. Passion Pit-Manners
21. The Antlers- Hospice
22. Loney Dear-Dear John
23. Neko Case-Middle Cyclone
24. The Mountain Goats- The Life of the World to Come
25. Dirty Projectors-Bitte Orca