No single to sling. No album art to display. All we get is this….

Bright Eyes will release The People’s Key on February 15th 2011 on Saddle Creek. The People’s Key – the band’s seventh studio album -  is the eagerly awaited follow-up to 2007’s acclaimed Cassadaga. In support of the album Bright Eyes can announce two very special shows next year: Radio City Music Hall in New York City on March 9th and London’s famed Royal Albert Hall on June 23rd.

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

And this lovely photo of Connor chillin in the back of a pickup truck..

By now most of you have seen the official Fun Fun Fun Fest recap video, which is awesome as always, but this unofficial video has surfaced, and it’s pretty damn good. It’s got Deerhunter in it..and Yelle.

Seattle’s modern folk rock outfit, Cave Singers are looking to set loose their third full-length on Feb 22nd, titled No Witch. Can’t wait. This will be the band’s first release on Jagjaguwar since the move from Matador. The first track from the upcoming release just surfaced, and it’s titled “Swim Club”

MP3> Cave Singers ‘Swim Club’

Deerhunter have slowly worked their way into one of my new favorite bands. Each performance that I see only compliments the recorded material 10 fold, and each album seems to find the band developing into a musical force that isn’t soon to go away. I stumbled upon this trailer for what seems to be a live Deerhunter film to be released…soon I hope.

deerhunter live – film trailer from John Albrecht on Vimeo.

San Francisco’s Birds & Batteries are stopping by Mohawk here in Austin on Wednesday 12.1 setting up shop for a show with locals The Authors and Sleep Good. Pretty solid triple bill happening the first day of December.

Interested in checking out the show and scoring a healthy Birds & Batteries merch package?

This is what is up for grabs:

“Birds & Batteries Holiday Prize Package” – tickets to the Mohawk show for one winner & guest + merch. That would be 2 tickets to the show Wed night, the new CD, the new beautiful 12″ vinyl (comes w/ download card), the tour poster and postcard. A pretty sweet deal!

Email me for a chance to win this package. Winner will be randomly be selected by my fish Phil and will be contacted Wednesday just before noon. Merch package to be picked up at the show from the band.

ENTER HERE w/Birds & Batteries Contest in subject line

“Panorama” is the third full-length from San Francisco based Birds & Batteriesand their finest work to date. The new album is a rare mix of organic and electronic, pop and experimental and an effortless play of surprising elements.

Birds & Batteries 2009 EP “Up To No Good” showed singer / bandleader Michael Sempert exploring synth-funk and the influences of Bowie’s ”Scary Monsters” and P-funk.  On “Panorama,” his love for artists like Harry Nilsson, ELO, and David Byrne shines through, and he trades in a bit of the irony for empathy.  Sempert might as well be a scientist in his next life, as he is able to blend his classic folk-ish voice with synth textures for down right futuristic results. When pressed for a simple summary, he’s described the sound as “Art-rock meets Tom Petty.”  Basically it’s not all that easy to define. Sempert is joined by Christopher Walsh (guitar), Jill Heinke (bass), and Brian Michelson (drums).

MP3> Birds & Batteries ‘We’re An Industry’

The year is quickly closing on us, and as the holidays close in, the opportunities to catch quality touring shows starts to dwindle. Dec 1st presents a great opportunity to catch one of the time lasting groups in the indie rock scene, Blonde Redhead, at La Zona Rosa. 17 years after their inception, and 8 albums later, the trio of Kazu Makino, Amedeo Pace, and Simone Pace are riding the best days of their careers with their most recent release Penny Sparkle in tow and receiving a warm reception.

Start off the last month of 2010 with a date with Blonde Redhead. Olof Arnalds opens.

Wed Dec 1st, Doors @ 8 p.m.  TICKETS

MP3> Blonde Redhead ‘Here Sometimes’

I can completely appreciate the work of Alan Sparhawk with the early outfit Low, but the Retribution Gospel Choir contribution is something that is to be witnessed. Sparhawk is one of the few who live their passion and dream, while maintaining the regular life that he lives, wife and kids in the mix, all as a result of hard work. And the guy puts on a live show that is pretty damn impressive…..

Sometimes it’s just really nice to find yourself awash in the hazy electro dream rock of School Of Seven Bells, and this track is definitely one to do so.”I L U” can be found on the bands most recent release Disconnect From Desire.

MP3> School Of Seven Bells ‘I L U’

The video was directed by Toby Halbrooks (Polyphonic Spree) and David Lowery (maybe the dude from Cracker?) and features a sexy, yet somewhat creepy love scene. Either way it’s pretty cool, and fits the song well.

School of Seven Bells – I L U – Official Video from Vagrant Records on Vimeo.

The band has a date with The Walkmen then hit the road with Interpol starting Jan 27th..

SCHOOL OF SEVEN BELLS tour dates:
Dec 02 – New York, NY @ Terminal 5 supporting The Walkmen
Jan 27 – Vancouver, BC @ Orpheum Theatre
Jan 28 – Seattle, WA @ The Showbox SoDo
Jan 29 – Portland, OR @ Roseland Theater
Jan 31 – San Francisco, CA @ Warfield Theatre
Feb 02 – La Jolla, CA @ RIMAC Arena
Feb 04 – Santa Barbara, CA @ UCSB Events Center
Feb 05 – Tempe, AZ @ Marquee Theatre
Feb 07 – Salt Lake City, AZ @ In The Venue
Feb 08 – Boulder, CO @ Boulder Theatre
Feb 11 – St. Louis, MO @ The Pageant
Feb 12 – Chicago, IL @ Riviera Theatre
Feb 15 – Toronto, ON @ Sound Academy
Feb 16 – Montreal, QU @ Metropolis
Feb 19 – Boston, MA @ House of Blues Boston

Yep, believe it or not, it’s time to start thinking and planning for SXSW 2011. They just released the second set of bands which includes notables DeVotchKa, Alberta Cross (been wanting to see these guys for awhile), J Mascis, The Dears, and JEFF The Brotherhood, just to name a few. Follow the jump for the entire list including the first release of bands. Read more

Over the past 3 1/2 years that I have been writing this blog, you’ll find that one local band that gets more attention from me than others, is the Black Angels. While the records have always been good/decent in the past, the latest release Phosphene Dream is exactly what the band needed to produce in order to spread the talent of one of the most interesting Austin bands of the past few years. Working with famed producer Dave Sardy turned out to be a wise decision, and the end result has the band playing Letterman, Billboards “Tastmakers” series, and a current tour with Black Mountain, which drops it’s psych heavy groove on Austin at La Zona Rosa on Friday night. If you like the records or the song that you may have heard, but haven’t seen the band, you deserve. It’s always been about the live show with these guys, and it can be a little intense. Do it.

Black Angels at La Zona Rosa 11.19 Tickets

Coinciding with the ever popular East Austin Studio Tour, Y.EAST is a multimedia event taking place @ Cheer Up Charlies, featuring musical performances, short experimental films, and video installations. Plenty of opportunities to drop by and have your senses tantalized.

Get your details HERE

While the music is the main draw, this year’s Fun Fun Fun Fest provide a cornucopia of events to entertain and even take part in if so desired..

Dr Dog might be the headlining act for this show, but I would recommend that you show up early enough for the Here We Go Magic. Sure the band has been through town a few times this year, but this, if I’m not mistaken will be the first stop in the ATX since their latest Pigeons dropped legal not too long ago.

Luke Temple and company craft quirky lo-fi pop that inspires a foot tap, a head bob, and the occasional smile, and that, my friend is what it’s all about. Smiles.

Buy Tickets

MP3> Here We Go Magic ‘Collector’

The dust has settled, mostly in our lungs, and the spirit of Fun is slowing wearing off. A few photos to resurrect the memories of Saturday at Fun Fun Fun Fest.

FREE…it’s just about the favorite word that everyone loves to hear, and tonight, compliments of the fine folks at The Austinist, Austin Town Hall, A.V. Club,  Futuresounds, Covert Curiosity, and Waterloo Records, you get 4 local bands at Beerland for FREE! Check the poster for details, and if you haven’t seen The Redboys, get there early for some pre-teen kids with some serious rock skills..

Recently featured on Futuresounds Song of The Day, a track from Sad Accordions off their upcoming EP..

MP3> Sad Accordions ‘Sacrificial Chumpsucker Diatribe’