The highly anticipated (by myself of course), forthcoming release by The National titled High Violet, isn’t due for legal until May 11th here in the States, but the band previewed the lead track on Jimmy Falon last night. “Terrible Love” is the name, and it all sounds like The National, but upon just one spin, I can’t come to any conclusions on the song, so develop your own.

Minus The Bear have remained on my radar ever since I came across the Menos El Oso recording, and as much as I want still be a big fan of the band, some of the singles that they have been releasing lately, just don’t seem to have the same hold on me as some of their earlier work.  I’m still holding out for the full recording though, before I jump to any conclusions.

The band recently signed to the Dangerbird Records label, and have a newly recorded album to set loose May 4th, titled Omni. The release was recorded with Grammy Award winning producer Joe Chiccarelli (The White Stripes, My Morning Jacket). My least favorite MMJ album.

MP3> Minus The Bear ‘My Time’

SXSW Dates:

March 18th            Filter Showcase @ Cedar St Courtyard (3:30pm)
March 19th             Relix Magazine Party @ Antones (3:20pm)
March 19th            Musebox @ Rusty Spur (1am)
March 20th            Stubbs (9pm)
March 20th            Dangerbird Records @ Mellow Johnny’s (11:20pm)

I’ve had this record, Exploding Head, in my dirty grimy paws for months now, and each time I put it on for listen, it reveals something more mystical and intriguing than the previous spin. The drive home tonight with “Ego Death” playing on the stereo, accompanied by the 3/4 moon all dark yellow and jaundice looking,  hanging low on the horizon and peeking through the low tree branches and power lines, felt the soundtrack of someone’s life, possibly my own.

The album is appropriately titled Exploding Head, and if you have ever been to a live show of A Place to Bury Strangers you would understand how relevant that is. The band will bring it’s beautiful destructive dissonance to the Parish next month performing opening duties for The Big Pink.  A visual and auditory assault is in-store for those scampering in early for the Euro pop-synth sounds of The Big Pink, and “Dominos” will fall…

I chatted with Oliver from APTBS awhile back..

A Place to Bury Strangers and The Big Pink @ The Parish 4/8 Tickets

MP3> A Place to Bury Strangers ‘Ego Death’

The reunion story of the year (technically last year), if you haven’t caught wind of it yet, is Pavement. The 90’s art-rock, indie/alternative band that influenced many a band you have spinning on your iPod these days are doing what all the “cool” kids do these days. A year full of tour dates including some essential festival stops will be accompanied by the release of  the best of Pavement album titled Quarantine The Past. Now, I’m not usually one that recommends “best of” albums, but the band has a pretty lengthy catalog of material, and being the creative edgy art rockers that they were, it would take a bit of work to sort through some of the material that at some times can test the listener. The band’s label Matador has compiled a pretty comprehensive collection of tracks from the band, that really does capture the “best of” Pavement.

Quarantine The Past sees release on March 9th, and is well worth the time it takes to make your way through the 23 tracks on the album. Have I mentioned yet, that Pavement is one of my favorite bands of all time? Yepper, I dig these kids.

The remastered “Gold Soundz”

MP3> Pavement ‘Gold Soundz’

Tour dates as of now: Read more

There must be something in the water in Athen’s, because the music that is coming out of that city continues to impress along with it’s rich history, and Twin Tigers have quickly become my latest Athen’s crush (sorry DC). The bands debut album Gray Waves, which had a digital release on Jan 19th, will see physical on March 2nd. Picking a single to release from this album surely has to be a challenge as this thing is solid from front to back. Amazon has it available for $5 now, if you haven’t gotten you paws on it yet.

I stress, and I mean STRESS..this album is the tits!

And…Twin Tigers are preparing their schedule for SXSW 2010 as well, and I’ll definitely keep you updated on these gigs.

MP3> Twin Tigers ‘Passive Idol’

There’s no shortage of love for the Scots in Frightened Rabbit here, and the anticipation of a new album and some live dates in ATX during SXSW is full blown swollen. The Winter of Mixed Drinks drops legal on March 1st, and this is the video for the second single off that roundy.

I’ll have SXSW dates for you as soon as possible.

The highly anticipated release from Midlake The Courage of Others doesn’t become official until Feb 2nd, but any little bit fans can get their hands on at this point is needed. With the upcoming release, there will be a deluxe edition available packaged with a double LP, 45 rpm version of the record, a 32 page book, a live CD, and a short film DVD directed by Jason Lee. The trailer for the film follows:

A list of tour dates one being the recently released NX35 festival gig taking place in the band’s hometown of Denton:

Midlake Tour Dates
March
1 Tucson, AZ – Plush
2 Solana Beach, CA – Belly Up Tavern
3 Los Angeles, CA – El Rey Theatre
4 San Francisco, CA – The Great American Music Hall
5 Arcata, CA – The Van Duzer Theatre
6 Portland, OR – Wonder Ballroom
7 Bellingham, WA – The Nightlight
10 Salt Lake City, UT – The State Room
11 Denver, CO – The Bluebird Theater
12 Lawrence, KS – Jackpot Saloon
13 Denton, TX – NX35

Quite simply, Retribution Gospel Choir is a welcomed and what seems to be an inevitable extension of the slow-core outfit Low. Consisting of Low founder Alan Sparhawk and current Low bassist Steve Garrington, the only lineup difference is Eric Pollard on drums. Low percussionist/vocalist Mimi Parker isn’t completely out of the picture, as she makes her appearance on the sophomore release from the band, chiming in vocally.

I’ve always been somewhat of a casual fan of Low for a few years, latching on to the occasional song over the course of their quiet career, but recently became more intrigued with the band and it’s existence. The interest was sparked by the documentary of the band titled You May Need A Murderer released in 2008. It is an examination of a band, and a man that wrestle with the same demons that each of us endure while justifying a life in conflict with some religious leanings. A film that I highly recommend. In this film there is a scene where Sparhawk, who is married to Parker, is in what appears to be the basement of his house, practicing with what would seem to be Retribution Gospel Choir, while Parker attends to household chores and their children play outside. And while we may have seen glimpses of Sparhawks sonic tendencies in Low and even on the debut Retribution Gospel Choir record, this scene reveals Sparhawk’s electric guitar inner child, and it’s intriguing. Something inside me ached to see that come to fruition. To hear Sparhawk let loose on the electric outside of the pace and level of Low. And that is what 2 delivers.

The guitar reminiscent of Neil Young and Crazy Horse at times, while Sparhawk continues with the lyrical fodder that defines his unique views, opinions, and conflicts within the world that not only he lives in, but the one that we inhabit as well. It’s a quick 34.5 minutes of hearty, gritty rock in a time when many of us are dazzled by the bells and whistles of technology wearing the face of music.

Retribution Gospel Choir’s 2 out 1/26 on Sub Pop!

Shearwater have established themselves as a band who make beautiful music that is more cerebral and less inviting upon first listen, but always delivers upon time committed. The third release from the band The Golden Archipelago is already being pitched as “not an easy or immediate record”, confirming that the band is staying true to the musical path that they have chosen.

The Golden Archipelago is set for release digitally on Feb 16th and will see physical, both shiny and waxy, on Feb 23rd.

Released MP3 from upcoming album

MP3> Shearwater ‘Black Eye’

Shearwater tour dates Read more

Spoon. If you don’t know who they are by now…..well, I wouldn’t know how to respond to that exactly.

The band is set to release it’s newest offering, and it’s first self-produced, titled Transference on Jan 19th. You can stream the entire album currently @ NPR’s “Exclusive First Listen”, which I’m doing right now. If you are looking for an album that is going to follow closely in the footsteps of Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga, you might be a bit surprised. Britt Daniel and Co return to the sound that established the band as one of the more original and creative indie band’s over the past 15 years. A bit raw and crafty in timing, while holding on to some of the stylistic songwriting that Daniel has achieved over the years. Upon first listen..Bravo!

In another collaboration with NPR, Spoon will play Stubb’s on March 17th as part of the station’s SXSW coverage.

More Spoon news to surface soon, I would suspect….

Matador Record’s and current Austin resident, Gerard Cosloy has pieced together a compilation of Austin artists and their songs to be released on Jan 26th. Casual Victim Pile seems a likely title taking into consideration Cosloy’s loss last year when his Austin home burned to the ground. In addition to the release, Matador, WOXY, and The Austinist have put together a string of shows featuring artists from the recording.

The track from a band currently on my radar, Follow That Bird!

MP3> Follow That Bird! ‘The Ghosts That Wake You’

Cosloy’s own words in regards to the release and show(s) details after the… Read more

So, I’m sitting in my truck at a stoplight in downtown Austin yesterday when I notice the woman driving the minivan next to me obviously enjoying some music that is being played over her stereo. As I look to the back seat there’s a little girl who appears to be playing with her Barbie doll. I soon realize that the doll is stuck to a hook above the girls window, and she is desperately trying to pull the doll down off of the hook. For minutes I watch the child try to think through the problem at hand, not really grasping why the doll won’t come down. Then I notice that this song “This Old World” is playing over my stereo. And it brings a smile to my face.

I’ll have more on this band Ola Podrida soon, as I haven’t been able to remove this cd from my player for awhile for it’s beauty. Belly Of The Lion is the album, and this is the video for “This Old World”

Spoon’s upcoming release Transference has much of us chompin at the bit in anticipation of it’s early 2010 appearance, compliments of the released track “Written In Reverse”.  A return to a sound that might be more reminiscent of a younger Britt Daniel at work? January will tell all soon enough.

In the meantime, some video cut of the Spoon boys behind the scene and behind the music with Howie Weinberg…

It’s been just over a year since Athen’s GA’s Dead Confederate released their debut album Wrecking Ball, and album that made the WOXY year end top 97 album list of 2008 coming in at #6, if you hadn’t heard. With the band coming off a year of constant touring and plans to hole up in the studio soon for the follow-up to Wrecking Ball, a live LP just made itself available for fans itching for something new from the band. Dirty Ammo contains previously released material in it’s intense live presentation as well as the band’s un-released “Guns” along with covers of Elliot Smith and Officer May. The album was recorded @ The Earl in Atlanta GA, May 27th 2009.

And there’s more..

If you choose, you can get the album download for free, but I hope that at the least, you choose to donate $1 to help rebuild the historic Georgia Theatre which was destroyed in a fire in June of this year. There are several levels of donations available, with each level getting you more Dead Confederate Dirty Ammo paraphernalia. $1, $21, and $41 are the magic numbers and you can check out the goods @ dirtyammo.com. It’s the holidays folks, dig deep, help out a good cause, and get some great tunes.

MP3> Dead Confederate ‘Start Me Laughing (Live)’ Dirty Ammo

Dirty Ammo Track List

Side A
Get Out
Start Me Laughing
Shadow The Walls
Roman Candle*

Side B
Smoke A Minor**
Guns
Tortured Artist Saint

* Elliott Smith cover
** Officer May cover

Upcoming shows:

December 19, 2009 – The 2009 Festivus of Bands at Sky City – Augusta, GA

January 7, 2010 – Tasty World – Athens, GA (with Futurebirds)

January 8, 2010 – The Earl – Atlanta, GA

Denton’s Midlake have been keeping us all at bay for what seems wayyyy toooo long since they dazzled and wooed us with the old world adventures on the 2006 release The Trials of Van Occupanther. The band’s forthcoming release, which is easily one of the most anticipated releases in the already promising music year of 2010, The Courage Of Others is quietly revealing itself. The “Acts of Man”/”Rulers, Ruling All Things” limited edition 12″ is out today, and you can stream both songs over @ The Hype Machine.

Both songs sound amazing as expected, yet not quite as strayed from the The Trials of Van Occupanther as I was expecting.

The band has also released a string of tour dates, which unfortunately doesn’t have an Austin appearance yet listed. I say yet, because if they don’t make an appearance here soon, heads will roll.

Dates after the jump…. Read more