DOWNLOAD: Felix - "Oh Thee 73" (MP3)

UK chamber-pop trio Felix are set to release their sophomore LP, Oh Holy Molar, on April 23 via Chicago's own Kranky Records. Centered around singer-songwriter Lucinda Chua's distinct vocal delivery and soft piano lines, Felix also features intricate guitar work from Chris Summerlin and understated percussion courtesy of drummer Neil Turpin. Download Oh Holy Molar's lead single "Oh Thee 73" at the top of this post and/or stream it below. While you're down there, peek the album's cover art/tracklisting and check out some live video footage.

As a somewhat recent addition to Felix, Neil Turpin is also a member of French composer Yann Tierson's live band. As mentioned, Tierson's seventh studio album, Skyline, was just released in the US via -Anti and he'll begin a North American tour next week. Felix will act as main support on the first leg of his dates, which includes a May 4 show at Metro. Tickets are still available for the Chicago show.

All 2012 tour dates, song streams, and Oh Holy Molar's album info, below...

Continue reading "Felix are releasing 'Oh Holy Molar;' touring w/ Yann Tierson"

photos by Zach Pollack

Disappears / Lotus Plaza @ Lincoln Hall last night

Last night (Friday, April 13), Disappears and Lotus Plaza (aka Lockett Pundt of Deerhunter) kicked off their spring North American tour with a packed show at Lincoln Hall. Their Kranky label mates Implodes (who we unfortunately missed) got things started. Continue on for a set of pictures from last night...

Continue reading "Disappears & Lotus Plaza kicked off their tour @ LH (pics)"

Disappears @ Cake Shop in July (NYC) (more by BBG)

As mentioned, Disappears are set to release their new LP, Pre Language, on March 1st via Kranky. The band have some upcoming West Coast dates with The Fresh & Onlys and then will hop the pond in late-March for a two-week European run. They'll return stateside in mid-April, kicking off a spring North American tour with Lotus Plaza (aka Lockett Pundt of Deerhunter) here in their hometown of Chicago at Lincoln Hall on April 13th. The tour, lasting through the end of April, will bring Disappears to the East Coast and then down to Texas for a performance at Austin Psych Fest 2012 (which Lotus Plaza also plays). Tickets for the Chicago show go on sale tomorrow (1/20), at noon CST.

All 2012 tour dates, song streams, and some videos, below..

Continue reading "Disappears announce tour w/ Lotus Plaza (LH included)"

DOWNLOAD: Disappears - "Replicate" (MP3)

Disappears are set to release their new LP, Pre Language, on March 1st via Kranky. The album marks the first studio material that new-ish drummer Steve Shelly is featured on. Like Guider, Pre Language was recorded at Sonic Youth's Echo Canyon West Studio in Hoboken, NJ and mixed with John Congleton. Download its lead single, "Replicate," at the top of this post and check out the tracklisting below.

The band have some upcoming shows with The Fresh & Onlys, though no hometown gig to speak of. Fellow Chicagoans E+ on the other hand, featuring Disappears members Damon J Carruesco and Jonathan Van Herik, have two local shows. They'll play Beat Kitchen on January 18th with Summer Girlfriends, Pearls, Magic City and then headline Schubas on February 1st with support from Wimps. Stream some demos via their Facebook and stay tuned for a proper record. You can also catch Disappears frontman Brian Case on January 25th, when he plays a DJ Set at the Hideout as part of their Soup & Bread series.

All 2012 dates and Pre Language's tracklisting, below..

Continue reading "a new Disappears MP3 & LP details; check out E+"

Disappears @ A.V. Fest (more by Matt Ziegler)

We're happy to say that according to Sonic Youth's blog, Chicago's own Disappears (who they now share a drummer with) are at work on a new album due out in 2012!

The upcoming record to be released on Kranky Records will be Disappears' first LP with Steve Shelley. Basic tracks were recorded in Hoboken, NJ with Aaron Mullan engineering.

Also in the works, is a collaborative LP with friends White/Light who made a soundboard recording of their House of Blues - Lollapalooza aftershow, opening for Arctic Monkeys. Look out for that in 2012 as well.

Could there be a better way to spend New Year's?

Billboard has named HoZac, Drag City, Kranky, and Jagjaguwar in its top 50 independent US labels list.

Check out a blurb about each, directly below..

HoZac Records (9)
Since 2006, this Chicago vinyl label has focused on endearingly distorted, underground rock'n'roll, reminding us why an ears-to-the-ground approach to music pays off--they released the first LP from recent break-out band Smith Westerns in 2009, as well as the debut EP 7" EP from LA popsmiths Dum Dum Girls, now with Sub Pop, in 2008.

Drag City Records (34)
Not just a gold mine for mind-blowing folk and psychedelic reissues, Drag City's catalog is alive and well with new artists, responsible for the latest from Ty Segall, Joanna Newsom and Scout Niblett.

Kranky (35)
Go-to label for eccentric architects of thundering towers of sound like Tim Hecker and Deerhunter or dissonant punks like Disappears. As explicitly stated on the label's site, their high-brow and selective operation seldom deviates from its "very specific aesthetic," which vacillates between chaos and opioid ambience.