by Jane Lambert

Bright Eyes Returns with New Album This Winter!

Conor Oberst fans rejoice! Bright Eyes is BACK! The group will release their newest, and 7th album on February 15, 2011 via Saddle Creek. Titled The People’s Key, will feature ten new tracks from the Oberst, Mike Mogis, Nathaniel Walcott trio.

Additional players on the record include Andy LeMaster, (Now It’s Overhead), Matt Maginn (Cursive), Carla Azar (Autolux), Clark Baechle (The Faint), Shane Aspegren (The Berg Sans Nipple), Laura Burhenn (The Mynabirds) and Denny Brewer (Refried Ice Cream).

What will this sound like you may ask…well we guess it’s too early to tell. The follow-up to Cassadega (Saddle Creek) was a long wait as Oberst dabbled in solo projects and super groups. This could also be the last Bright Eyes record if anyone recalls Conor stating that a few years ago. We will have to wait and see for sure.

Bright Eyes have just announced two shows to get us even more excited about the album release. One at Radio City Music Hall in New York City and the other at Royal Albert Hall in London. You can find the information regarding those shows below. The pre-sales begin TOMORROW, so be sure to have your mouse clicker finger ready.

Take a peek at the show information AND the tracklisting for the new LP. 2011 is already starting off with a bang in indie rock.

Live shows & on sale info:
March 9th New York, NY Radio City Music Hall*
June 23rd London, UK Royal Albert Hall#

*Pre-Sale Begins: December 1 at 12PM EST. Public On-Sale: December 4 at 10AM EST
# Pre-Sale Begins: December 1 at 12PM EST. Public On-Sale: Saturday, December 4 at 9AM

Full track list for The People’s Key
1 Firewall
2 Shell Games
3 Jejune Stars 4 Approximate Sunlight
5 Haile Selassie
6 A Machine Spiritual (In The People’s Key)
7 Triple Spiral
8 Beginner’s Mind
9 Ladder Song
10 One For You, One For Me

11.22.10

by John Grimley

Decemberists Detail International Tour

The Decemberists have detailed a very extensive tour to support their upcoming full-length. Ironically excluding the month that is in their name, the band has a tour schedule that sees them traveling the globe from January to March.

The band is set to release their newest album, The King Is Dead on January 18th via Capitol Records. You can watch a short preview of the record below.

If you want to see the Decemberists, check them out…

01-25 New York, NY – Beacon Theatre *
01-28-29 Boston, MA – House of Blues *
01-31 Montreal, Quebec – Olympia De Montreal *
02-01 Toronto, Ontario – Sound Academy *
02-02 Royal Oak, MI – Royal Oak Music Theatre *
02-04 Chicago, IL – Riviera Theatre *
02-05 Milwaukee, WI – Riverside Theatre #
02-06 Minneapolis, MN – State Theatre #
02-07 Kansas City, MO – Uptown Theatre #
02-09 Boulder, CO – Boulder Theater #
02-10 Denver, CO – Ogden Theatre #
02-12 Los Angeles, CA – The Wiltern #
02-13 San Diego, CA – House of Blues #
02-14 Oakland, CA – Fox Theater #
02-18 Seattle, WA – Paramount Ballroom #
02-19 Portland, OR – Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall #
03-04 Dublin, Ireland – Vicar Street
03-05 Glasgow, Scotland – ABC
03-07 Birmingham, England – Birmingham Institute
03-08 Bristol, England – Bristol Academy
03-10 Manchester, England – Manchester Academy
03-11 Leeds, England – Leeds Academy
03-13 Antwerp, Belgium – Trix
03-14 Amsterdam, Netherlands – Paradiso
03-16 London, England – Hammersmith Apollo

* with Wye Oak
# with Mountain Man

11.19.10

by John Grimley

The Concretes Release Vowel-Free Album

Well…Unless you count Y. The Concretes released their newest album, WYWH, last week. The album features a new singer and a new label for the band, but the album still manages to sound like an evolved version of The Concretes.

Drummer Lisa Milberg has stepped up for vocals duty and Friendly Fire Records will be bringing the release to a store near you (or Amazon).

To celebrate the occasion, the band has put out a new song from the album. The song “All Day” is a melodic piece of fuzz-pop that would have fit perfectly into the summer rotation for the beach. However it’s still pretty amazing in the midst of a chilly November.

You can check it out right here.

11.15.10

by John Grimley

Masonic Plan To Live Like A Millionaire

Masonic’s fifth full-length, Live Like A Millionaire, was released on Tuesday. Featuring more of the band’s trademark fuzz pop along the lines of Stereolab and Yo La Tengo, the album was funded through license fees from the Colorado State Lottery.

Now the band has released a couple tracks from their new album as a teaser. You can check out the tracks “Let’s Do It All Again” and “Lifetime of Deception” right here. Both feature the ambient yet incredibly catchy rhythms Masonic is known for, as well as the deeply layered keyboard and guitar melodies.

11.15.10

by John Grimley

Acid House Kings Return with “Music Sounds Better With You”

Pop-darlings Acid House Kings released one of the most critically acclaimed pop albums in 2005 with the release of Sing Along With Acid House Kings. As Allmusic said waaay back then, “It all adds up to one of the best releases, indie or not, of 2005.”

Well, six long years have passed with no sign of the sequel…until now. Acid House Kings have released a new single off of their anxiously awaited upcoming album Music Sounds Better With You.

The album will be here on March 22nd, but luckily the song “Are We Lovers or Are We Friends” is out now.

Featuring some of the most sugary pop in recent years, the song shows that while years have passed, Acid House Kings have not missed a beat.

Check it.

11.04.10

by John Grimley

The Wombats Release New Single

UK’s favorite rockers, The Wombats have been diligently hammering out their sophomore full-length under the tutelage of famed producer Eric Valentine (Queens of the Stone Age, All-American Rejects) for a couple years now.

Now the first single, “TOKYO (Vampires & Wolves)” is ready to be heard. Featuring an intensely dance-centric beat and flavorful synths, the song showcases the Wombats’ evolution musically. Check out the music video below, in which the band engages in gruesome rock-star behavior, sugarcoated with drugs and booze.