Veteran quirk rockers The Presidents of the United States of America had planned to be done recording music after 2008's These Are the Good Times People, but as drummer Jason Finn puts it, they "accidentally did it again" with this year's PledgeMusic-funded Kudos to You!, which came out this past February. It features a few re-workings of of older PUSA material and material from some of singer Chris Ballew's other projects, and new stuff too. The Long Winters' John Roderick makes an appearance, singing on "Crown Victoria." Listen to that one below, and stream the whole record at RDIO.

PUSA are also heading out on a tour this year which brings them to NYC for a show on August 6 at Irving Plaza. Tickets for that show go on sale Friday (4/25) at 10 AM.

All dates are listed, with the song stream, below...

Continue reading "The Presidents of the United States of America released their first album since 2008, going on tour (dates & stream)"

By Doug Moore

Misery Index at Fontana's, CMJ 2009 (more by Samantha Marble)

Jason Netherton likes to keep himself busy. His current band, Misery Index, is one of the tightest and most active death meta bands on the touring circuit -- they have their fifth album, The Killing Gods, coming out on May 23 via Season of Mist. Even when Misery Index isn't busy (and they haven't been especially so over the past few years), Netherton keeps working -- he's currently two years into a PhD program, and recently compiled an oral history of the death metal scene. This ethic goes back to the DIY roots of Dying Fetus, his influential previous band.

Invisible Oranges spoke to Netherton as part of our ongoing series on metal vocalists today. We also touched on his academic studies, his book, and the way the metal scene has changed over his two decades of involvement. Here's an excerpt:

This stuff obviously relates to the book you have coming out shortly -- Extremity Retained: Notes from the Death Metal Underground. Is writing a book something that you've always wanted to do?

That sort of came together over the last touring cycle. I was trying to figure out something that I could do with my time -- a long term project of some kind.

Once you do this touring thing long enough, you get to know a lot of people. You see a lot of the same people in different cities, and you become part of this network of touring musicians. I decided to start documenting the conversations we'd have backstage or in the bus or wherever. We'd often end up talking about the state of the underground, or how it came from where it was in the late '80s and early '90s to where it is today. Other things would come up too -- tour stories, memories from recording sessions. I started to record these conversations, and before I knew it, I had dozens of them. Eventually I worked my way up to over a hundred, over about three years. In my downtime I'd transcribe them and put them into categories, which eventually became five different sections in the book.

It kind of unfolded like that. It wasn't necessarily planned -- I didn't know how it'd end up. I thought it'd be cool to have an oral history of death metal; there have been some other really cool books written about the death metal scene, but there hasn't been any collection of firsthand stories and anecdotes, like there's been for some other scenes.

You can read the interview in full over at IO. Misery Index also recently debuted the title track for their upcoming album, The Killing Gods; you can stream it below. They're currently on tour with Gorguts in Europe; no North American dates have been announced in support of the album yet, but given the band's past habits, you can bet some will be.

All dates are listed, along with the new track stream, below...

Continue reading "Misery Index share title track from from 'The Killing Gods' (listen) ++ an interview with singer Jason Netherton"

Thee Oh Sees @ Coachella 2013 (more by Wei Shi)

As mentioned, Thee Oh Sees' hiatus was a brief one -- the same amount of time off for most bands wouldn't even be noticed -- and they're playing California shows in May. Still no word if a proper tour is in the works, but the band will play Brooklyn's Northside Festival, an outdoor show at McCarren Park on June 14. Like the CHVRCHES show on 6/15, this is free and open to the public but you will need to RSVP which you can do beginning Friday (4/25) at noon.

Thee Oh Sees' new album, Drop, was released on Record Store Day (4/19) and you can stream it via Rdio. Updated tour dates are listed below...

Continue reading "Thee Oh Sees playing free outdoor Northside Festival show"

We lost house music pioneer Frankie Knuckles earlier this month and tributes are still pouring in, none more notable than former Chicago resident and current man in charge President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama. They released a condolence letter to Knuckles' family that read in part:

Frankie's work helped open minds and bring people together, blending genres to capture our attention and ignite our imaginations. He was a trailblazer in his field, and his legacy lives on in the city of Chicago and on dance floors across the globe.

You can see a photo of the letter below.

Meanwhile, the Elton John AIDS Foundation has set up the Frankie Knuckles Fund to support HIV information, testing and treatment. Says Sir Reg:

Frankie was such a lovely man and a great talent and his legacy provides a powerful voice to reach out to people, particularly men of colour, about their essential role in helping to create an AIDS-free future.

In more musical news, The Horrors just covered Frankie Knuckles' classic single "Your Love" as part of a session for BBC DJ Zane Lowe. Recorded live at the Beeb's famed Maida Vale studios, you can stream that below as part of the whole session -- "Your Love" kicks in at the 18 minute mark. Perhaps they'll play it at their Converse Rubber Tracks show next week (which is now sold out).

And lastly, Summerstage is presenting "Whistle!: A Tribute to Frankie Knuckles" at Bed Stuy's Herbert Von King Park on June 22, featuring the Soul Summit DJs, DJ Kervyn Mark, and DJ Stormin' Norman. There will also be a screening of the director's cut of Hands to the Sky, a documentary about the outdoor house music scene. You can check out a trailer for that below...

Continue reading "The Horrors covered Frankie Knuckles' "Your Love" (listen); The Obamas, Elton John & Summerstage offer tributes"

by Andrew Sacher

Former Distillers singer Brody Dalle releases her first solo album Diploid Love next week (4/29) but you can listen now ahead of its release. It's streaming below (via The Guardian) and also at NPR. As discussed, it features contributions from Garbage's Shirley Manson, plus Warpaint singer Emily Kokal, Strokes guitarist Nick Valensi, QOTSA basist Michael Shuman and others. It's not exactly a return to the Distillers or anything, but parts of it are definitely sounding punkier than Spinnerette. Check it out.

Brody also has a number of tour dates coming up, including a Brooklyn show happening on May 14 at The Bell House. Tickets for that show are on sale now. Her dates also list her as the opener for the Queens of the Stone Age show at Capitol Theatre (7/16) (whose Josh Homme she is married too), but The Cap's site still lists no opener.

All dates are listed, with the album stream, below...

Continue reading "Brody Dalle streaming solo LP, touring (dates, listen)"

by Andrew Sacher

photo by Callie Gajdica

Richmond, VA trio Comrades have been given the post-rock tag due to their lack of vocals, but that's just about the only thing post-rock about them. They list As Cities Burn, The Fall of Troy and Thrice among their influences, and with a vocalist thrown into the mix they could easily sound similar to any one of them. Distortion-fueled post-hardcore is really the driving force here, and some vaguely math rock tendencies are thrown in for good measure too. Their new record, Safekeeper, comes out on May 6 via Blood & Ink Records (pre-order) and you can get a taste of it from its new single, "Severance," which makes its premiere in this post.

Stream that, along with the album artwork, tracklist, and list of tour dates (none in NYC), below...

Continue reading "Comrades releasing 'Safekeeper' (stream a track)"

As we mentioned, Northside Media Group, the people behind the Northside Fest and The L Magazine, will be booking the concerts at 50 Kent (fka Williamsburg Park) this year, but concerts is not the only thing OSA is putting there as part of the "2014 50 Kent Festival":

OSA is pleased to announce the 2014 50 Kent Festival at the North Brooklyn waterfront - the ninth consecutive season of OSA's outdoor summer programming series. This year's series will have live concerts produced by Northside Media Group, including just-announced performances by The War on Drugs and Beirut on June 13 and 14. Free outdoor movies will be provided by Nitehawk Cinemas and each Sunday will feature an open-air market operated by Brooklyn Flea. Bike New York will install a Community Bike Education Center to offer free learn-to-ride and bike skills classes for children and adults, and Gotham Girls Roller Derby partners with Five Stride Skate Shop to set up a pop-up roller rink to host classes and free public roller skating one evening in July and August. Finally, in September, Renegade Craft Fair will operate a festive weekend-long craft market.

The Festival will operate May through September with programming every Sunday and concerts throughout the season. A full calendar will be available on OSA's website in the coming weeks. Proceeds from the 50 Kent Festival will go towards OSA's mission of maintaining and improving North Brooklyn parks.

Meanwhile, tickets for the two announced concerts are on sale.

Billie Joe filling in for & helping carry Paul @ Coachella

After what was regarded as a lackluster first weekend set, the Replacements returned to Coachella's Outdoor Stage with a vengeance, recruiting Green Day singer Billie Joe Armstrong to fill in for ailing frontman Paul Westerberg, who was laid up on the couch -- literally. [Billboard]

The reunited Replacements now played Riot Fest in multiple cities and Coachella twice including the second week which was this past weekend when they were joined by Billie Joe Armstrong of Green Day (see above).

Their upcoming festival dates continue to get announced and include Shaky Knees in Atlanta, Forecastle in KY, Boston Calling, Osheaga in Montreal, and two weekends of Austin City Limits. They are being picky. The Boston Globe reports that, "Westerberg's manager, Darren Hill, said the band has been invited to play at every major festival, but is only playing a few."

Meanwhile still no NY, but the band today announced their "long-anticipated homecoming show at St. Paul's Midway Stadium on Saturday, September 13, 2014. Tickets for the show, taking place at the home of the Saint Paul Saints, go on sale Saturday, May 3 at 10 AM CDT." Opening acts TBA.

Get well soon Paul!. All dates are listed along with both of their Coachella setlists below....

Continue reading "Replacements tour keeps growing; no NY, but homecoming MN show announced (updated dates & Coachella setlists)"

by Andrew Sacher

Okay, I wasn't kidding about the '90s emo reunions not ending. Just yesterday we posted about the potential Mineral reunion, and this reunion is potential no longer. The veteran band has just announced a short tour for September which hits NYC for shows on September 5 & 6 at Bowery Ballroom. They'll also play Gainesville, FL's The Fest in November. All dates will be opened by Evan Weiss' Into It. Over It.. Tickets for all shows go on sale Friday (4/25) 11 AM. All dates are listed below.

And don't forget to get your American Football tickets!

Continue reading "Mineral reunion confirmed! (dates w/ Into It. Over It. include 2 NYC shows)"

by Doug Moore

Slayer at MSG Theater, 2013 (more by Caroline Harrison)

Revolver Magazine's Golden Gods Awards were last night. I'm not typically one for awards shows, but this one was notable for a surprise (read: tweeted about several hours in advance) live appearance by thrash metal legends Slayer, who are down to two original members following the death of guitarist Jeff Hanneman (RIP) and the departure of drummer Dave Lombardo. In true post-2000 Slayer fashion, the Golden Gods appearance was timed to coincide with a business announcement -- the band have ended their relationship with Rick Rubin's American Recordings (which goes all the way back to the Reign In Blood days) and signed to a worldwide deal with long-running German label Nuclear Blast where they'll have their own imprint.

The band also announced a tentative early-2015 release date for their upcoming, still-untitled 12th album. They both debuted a song from it, "Implode," live at Golden Gods last night and posted a studio version on their website as a free download. It's their first new studio cut in five years and you can stream it below.

"Implode" pretty much picks up where Slayer left off before the lineup shuffle of the past few years -- which sounds better on paper than it does in practice. The groove section that opens the song aims for 'tense,' but predictably misses and ends up with 'goofy' instead. (There's something to be said for masking your lyrics with incomprehensible growling on occasion.) The band sounds much more confident at the faster tempos that occupy the second half of "Implode." It's not exactly a dire omen for the album to follow, but it hardly inspires renewed confidence in Slayer's songwriting future, either.

Stream "Implode" below...

Continue reading "Slayer leave American Recordings, sign to Nuclear Blast, release first new song five years (listen)"