Mar 31, 2010

Gayngs

Allow me to introduce you to Gayngs. They are the brainchild of Minneapolis producer Ryan Olson, a studio collective if you like. Olson enlisted the help of Solid Gold members Adam Hurlburt and Zack Coulter to create an album that was inspired and influenced by the work of 70s pop masters 10cc. His idea grew though, finally enlisting the help of over 25 musicians. These included Joe Westerlund, Brad Cook and Phil Cook from Megafaun, Ivan Howard from The Rosebuds and finally Justin Vernon and Mike Noyce from Bon Iver. Quite a talented collection you could say. Then add on P.O.S., Dessa and countless other talents. Over a dozen people contribute their vocal talents. The album, "Relayted", is due for release on May 11 on Jagjaguwar and judging by the first sounds to reach our ears it should be quite an experience.

Relayted Track Listing
1 The Gaudy Side Of Town
2 The Walker
3 Cry
4 No Swear
5 False Bottom
6 The Beatdown
7 Crystal Rope
8 Spanish Platinum
9 Faded High
10 Ride
11 The Last Prom on Earth

MP3: The Gaudy Side Of Town-Gayngs

Mar 29, 2010

Goodbye Sweet Dreams-Roky Erickson & Okkervil River



Here is a performance from SXSW last week by Roky Erickson and Okkervil River. They are performing "Goodbye Sweet Dreams" from the partnership's new record "True Love Cast Out All Evil", which is to be released on April 20 on Anti. The album is Erickson's first in 14 years and was produced by Will Sheff, with Okkervil River performing as backing band.

Mar 26, 2010

Avi Buffalo

Avi Buffalo started out as the brainchild of a young Californian named Avi Zahner-Isenberg. From the city of Long Beach, he mixed skateboarding with writing songs on his guitar. Soon Avi met other like minded people and formed a band. Rebecca Coleman, Arin Fazio and Sheridan Riley became that band. They put a song on MySpace in "What's In It For?" and soon caught the attention of Sub Pop. Fast forward to 2010 and the band now have a debut album ready for release. Their self titled debut is due out on April 27 and contains 10 songs in total. The two songs available for preview are both very, very nice and make me excited for the release of the album.

Avi Buffalo Track Listing
1 Truth Sets In
2 What's In It For?
3 Coaxed
4 Five Little Sluts
5 Jessica
6 Summer Cum
7 One Last
8 Can't I Know?
9 Remember Last Time
10 Where's Your Dirty Mind?

MP3: What's In It For?-Avi Buffalo
MP3: Remember Last Time-Avi Buffalo

Mar 25, 2010

Destroyer Of The Void

June 8 will see the release of a new album from Portland's very own Blitzen Trapper. "Destroyer of The Void" contains 12 tracks and will be released on the venerable Sup Pop label. This new album was recorded in the studio of Mike Coykendall (Bright Eyes, She & Him). We have a song for preview in "Heaven and Earth", which I find luxurious and stately. A dreamy concoction. Can't wait for the album's release.

Destroyer Of The Void Track Listing
1 Destroyer Of The Void
2 Laughing Lover
3 Below The Hurricane
4 The Man Who Would Speak True
5 Love and Hate
6 Heaven and Earth
7 Dragon's Song
8 The Tree (feat. Alela Diane)
9 Evening Star
10 Lover Leave Me Drowning
11 The Tailor
12 Sadie

MP3: Heaven and Earth-Blitzen Trapper

Mar 23, 2010

Red Ford Radio-U.S. Girls



I love this song. "Red Ford Radio", by U.S. Girls. It's from their new album "Go Grey", which is out now on Siltbreeze Records.

MP3: Red Ford Radio-U.S. Girls

Mar 22, 2010

Wolf Parade Update

This just in from the Department of Essential News. Wolf Parade have confirmed that their album is likely to see the light of day in June this year. In an informative interview with Exclaim Dan Boeckner revealed a number of essential updates.

The band have finished recording the new album.
The album was recorded at Hotel2Tango.
It was produced by Howard Bilerman.
They are just about to commence mixing.
The band are doing the mixing at Mount Zoomer.
It was recorded in a two week period.
There are 15 songs spread over 80 minutes.
So it could be a double album.
Nearly everything was recorded live to tape.
Hadji Bakara has left the band.
He is studying at the University of Chicago.
Dan and Dante played keyboards and bass on the album.
Most of the album was co-written.
They plan to tour Australia in early 2011!!!!!!

Stay tuned...



Mar 21, 2010

Forgiveness Rock Record (Preview?)

Mar 17, 2010

Stars Bring The Ghosts

Those purveyors of all those things heartfelt and emotional are returning with a new album. Canada's Stars bring us their fifth full length album on June 22. "The Five Ghosts" marks the first released on the band's new label imprint Soft Revolution Records. The album was recorded in Montreal and written by all 5 members of the band.

Mar 15, 2010

Damien Jurado Gives Us Saint Bartlett

This is something to look forward. A new album from Damien Jurado. This American singer songwriter will release "Saint Bartlett" on May 25 on Secretly Canadian. His previous album in "Caught In The Trees" was an excellent effort, so I am very much looking forward to more Jurado magic and honesty. The album was made entirely at Richard Swift's National Freedom studio in Oregon, with only Jurado and Swift performing.

Saint Bartlett Track Listing
1 Cloudy Shoes
2 Arkansas
3 Rachel & Cali
4 Throwing Your Voice
5 Wallingford
6 Pear
7 Kansas City
8 Harborview
9 Kalama
10 The Falling Snow
11 Beacon Hill
12 With Lightning In Your Hands

MP3: Arkansas-Damien Jurado

Mar 14, 2010

A More Perfect Union-Titus Andronicus



The great and totally amazing Titus Andronicus performing "A More Perfect Union". This wonderful song is the opening track to their new album "The Monitor".

Mar 12, 2010

Terrible Love-The National



This is 48 different types of awesome! The National debut "Terrible Love" on Jimmy Fallon. Can't wait for the new album to be released.

Mar 11, 2010

The Mama Papa-Plants And Animals



As reported a couple of days ago, Plants And Animals have a new album due in April. Here is the first video from the album for "The Mama Papa".

Mar 10, 2010

Plants And Animals

April 20 will see the release of "La La Land" from Montreal's Plants and Animals. This much anticipated album is the follow up to 2008's wonderful "Parc Avenue". "La La Land" was recorded in Montreal at The Treatment Room and also at Studio La Frette, outside Paris. The album contains 11 tracks and is to be released on Secret City.

La La Land Track Listing
1 Tom Cruz
2 Swinging Bells
3 American Idol
4 Undone Melody
5 Kon Tiki
6 Game Shows
7 The Mama Papa
8 Fake It
9 Celebration
10 Future from the 80s
11 Jeans Jeans Jeans

MP3: Tom Cruz-Plants and Animals

Mar 9, 2010

Band Of Horses Give Us A Cover (Album)

"Infinite Arms", the third album from Band Of Horses, hits the world on May 18. Now we have the sparkling and shiny new album cover.

"Infinite Arms" is to be released on Fat Possum.

Mar 7, 2010

Treme



Treme, from the makers of The Wire. Coming to HBO in April. Can't wait until it makes its way to Australian TV screens.

Mar 5, 2010

Pavement @ Enmore Theatre

In the great universe, in the cosmos of space, on this very earth there are few things that make you think, make you know, make you feel something special has happened. Something unique that will stay with you forever. Ladies and gentlemen I give you Pavement. Yes, Pavement. Now and forever the greatest band of all time. You see, you could say I am a fan. A big fan. For a long time. In fact I have cherished memories of seeing this seminal band quite a few times live in the 90s. Memories that will stay with me forever. So after a decade away a reunion was met with equal parts trepidation and excitement. Would it be worth it? Would they be just going through the motions? Would it matter? You could say yes. Definitively.

Pavement tore apart the Enmore Theatre Thursday night in their second show back. They were fresh and invigorating. Exciting and thrilling. Meaningful. From the opening chord of "Silence Kid" to the last song in their second encore they were amazing, incredible, superb. Everything to me and to you. Their energy was impressive, their passion undeniable and most importantly their joy unrestrained. They were loving every minute of the show. Feeding off the passion and delight from an ecstatic crowd. Yes the kings of slack were in touch and on song. So many highlights to mention from an unbelievable night, but here are a few. They played "Frontwards", which was a surprise and a total delight. "In The Mouth A Desert" was majestic and superb. "Trigger Cut" beat a hole in my heart. "Grounded" was breathtaking. "Unfair" was insane. "Zurich Is Stained" was hoped for and received with open arms. "Cut Your Hair" was sung loudly by EVERYONE in the theatre. "Summer Babe" was so good I think I lost my voice. "Gold Soundz" was wonderful and "Fight This Generation" was perfect to close the main set. Then we received two encores which included a wonderful "Shady Lane". Holy cow!

Just a great, great night! All of the band were great but I would like to especially mention Bob Nastanovich who must have gone close to losing his voice with the amount of screaming he does. He also plays a mean cowbell. Then there is the man. Stephen Malkmus. Perhaps the oddest, but most alluring front man in rock history. An incredibly gifted guitarist, despite stuffing up a couple of intros, he exudes a strange coolness. Sometimes he appears as if stoned, but then swings back into action. It is nearly impossible to take your eyes off of him. A magnetic leader of a timeless band. If you are undecided about seeing Pavement this time around. Then decide now. See them. They might not come our way again.

Set List
Silence Kid
Stereo
Frontwards
Father To A Sister of Thought
In The Mouth A Desert
Trigger Cut
Date w/Ikea
Grounded
Range Life
Unfair
Elevate Me Later
Zurich Is Stained
The Hexx
Cut Your Hair
Stop Breathin
Summer Babe
Here
Gold Soundz
Kennel District
Conduit For Sale!
Fight This Generation

Debris Slide
We Dance
Shady Lane
Perfume-V

Fin
Spit On A Stranger


More photos at Flickr

Mar 4, 2010

New Album From Phosphorescent

May 11 sees the release of a new album from Phosphorescent, the project of Brooklyn based Matthew Houck. "Here's To Taking It Easy" (through Dead Oceans) follows on from 2007's excellent "Pride". Last year Houck released "To Willie", a collection of Willie Nelson covers that I found hard to like. So an album's worth of new material is something I am looking forward to. Houck employed a full band to record this album, which was recorded at Williamsburg's Headgear Studios with engineer Alex Lipsen. A song is now available for sampling. It's quite upbeat and uptempo. Not sure yet if I like it yet, hopefully the rest of the album will be a little starker and folkier.

Here's To Taking It Easy Track Listing
1 It's Hard to Be Humble (When You're From Alabama)
2 Nothing Was Stolen (Love Me Foolishly)
3 We'll Be Here Soon
4 The Mermaid Parade
5 I Don't Care if There's Cursing
6 Tell Me Baby (Have You Had Enough)
7 Hej, Me I'm Light
8 Heaven, Sittin' Down
9 Los Angeles

MP3: It's Hard to Be Humble (When You're From Alabama)-Phosporescent

Mar 3, 2010

Pavement in Auckland (Video Footage)

Mar 2, 2010

Pavement Play Auckland (First Show On Reunion Tour)

Photo via here.

Monday night in Auckland represented the first show for Pavement on their world reunion tour. Next up is Sydney on Thursday night and I am ridiculously excited. Pavement are my favourite band of all time and I was lucky enough to see them in Australia in the early 90s when they visited our shores on three separate occasions. But I never thought I would see them again and somehow I was happy to have these perfect memories of a perfect band. I wondered whether a reformation would spoil those memories. You know, old men doing it for the money. But now I am excited. This is Pavement after all and I believe they will get it right. Do the songs justice. By looking at the set list for the Auckland show we are in for an absolute treat. There has been some conjecture on some of the set list, but after a bit of homework I believe I have the right one. Looks like "Here" was to be played at the end of the encore but they moved it into the main set list, taking out "The Hexx" from the show.

Pavement, Auckland March 1 2010
In The Mouth A Desert
Trigger Cut
Ell Ess Two
Shady Lane
Father To A Sister Of A Thought
Rattled By The Rush
Perfume-V
Summer Babe
Kennel District
Silence Kit
Range Life
Unfair
Stop Breathin
No Life Singed Her
Fight This Generation
Date w/ Ikea
Box Elder
Grounded
Gold Soundz
Here
Give It A Day
Cut Your Hair

Stereo
Spit On A Stranger
Conduit For Sale

Mar 1, 2010

New Album On The Way From Born Ruffians

Paper Bag Records will release the new album from Canada's Born Ruffians on June 1. "Say It" is the band's second album following their excellent 2008 debut in "Red, Yellow and Blue". It will be interesting to see if the band expand their sound or stick to their already popular pop magic.

Say It Track Listing
1 Oh Man
2 Retard Canard
3 Sole Brother
4 What To Say
5 The Ballad Of Moose Bruce
6 Higher & Higher
7 Come Back
8 Nova-Leigh
9 Blood, The Sun & Water
10 At Home Now

MP3: Sole Brother-Born Ruffians