Matt Pond PA and Rocky Votolato are currently on a tour which stops by NYC this Saturday (3/19) at Bowery Ballroom after hitting The Loft in Poughkeepsie, NY a day earlier. Matt Pond told Austinist that he's finishing up the recording of his new EP Spring Fool due out this spring.

The Wooden Birds, American Analog Set frontman Andrew Kenny's project which Matt Pond has contributed to, are releasing their second full length Two Matchsticks on June 7 via Barsuk.

"Kenny wrote every song on Two Matchsticks and played every instrument, recorded it in a converted bedroom at home, and mixed at Austin's Resonate Studio with producer Louie Lino (Nada Surf). The album also features special guests Ben Gibbard, members of Ola Podrida, and Wooden Birds touring members Matt Pond and Leslie Sisson, who, in addition to backing vocals, takes a solo turn in a song custom penned by Kenny."

They are currently down at SXSW. All dates and a video below...

Continue reading "Matt Pond PA & Rocky Votolato on tour, Wooden Birds at SXSW & releasing a new album"

by Andrew Frisicano

DOWNLOAD: The Wooden Birds - False Alarm (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: The Wooden Birds - Sugar (Live @ WOXY) (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: The Wooden Birds - The Other One (Live @ WOXY) (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: The Wooden Birds - Believe In Love (Live @ WOXY) (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: The Wooden Birds - Complete Live @ WOXY session (MP3)

The Wooden Birds @ Mercury Lounge in April (more by Jacob Blickenstaff)

Like Lymbyc Systym, Andrew Kenny of The Wooden Birds and American Analog Set played on Her Space Holiday's XOXO album.

The Wooden Birds recently toured Europe and the US. That included three NYC shows in April, including one with Lymbyc System on April 10th at the Mercury Lounge, and a stop at WOXY to record a live session. The Wooden Birds' debut, Magnolia, is out now on Barsuk Records (An MP3 from that, above, with the WOXY session).

The Wooden Birds now have a new May/June US tour scheduled (with more dates to come). This tour includes a June 24th show at the Bell House in Brooklyn with Other Lives. Tickets are on sale.

Stillwater, Oklahoma band Other Lives, formerly Kunek, just released its debut as well. The self-titled release came out on tbd Records in April.

"When a band's instrumentation includes things like harmonium, vibraphone, electric harpsichord, mellotron, violin, cello, and lap steel, it's easy to feel intimidated; the combination of modern and analog instruments could make for a weird and cluttered orchestra, or a pretentious one at the very least. But Other Lives wield their cumbersome pile of apparatus gracefully, choosing instrumentations carefully, and using them to create a larger variety of feelings--on "End of the Year", the change from charming guitar-peppered opening movement to the darkened string-based middle section makes the song a story in and of itself." [Crawdaddy]

Check out some videos including one of Other Lives playing an acoustic version of "E Minor," a song off their debut, and all dates, below...

Continue reading "Wooden Birds & Other Lives (formerly Kunek) - tour dates"

DOWNLOAD: The Wooden Birds - Sugar (live on WOXY) (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: The Wooden Birds - The Other One (live on WOXY) (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: The Wooden Birds - Sugar (MP3)

photos by Jacob Blickenstaff

The Wooden Birds played the first of three scheduled NYC dates at the Mercury Lounge on Friday, April 10th. Lymbyc Systym opened that show. Pictures from that show above and below.

The Wooden Birds' second gig at the same venue is Thursday, April 16th with opener Home Video. (Tickets still on sale.) The next night, April 17th, the Wooden Birds play with Cale Parks and Sam Izdat at Union Hall. (Tickets are also on sale.)

Last month the band visited SXSW. One stop on that visit was WOXY's Lounge Act sessions, where the band performed tunes off their forthcoming Barsuk debut, magnolia. Songs "Sugar" and "The Other One" from that session are posted above for free download, as well as the studio version of one of them

Andrew Kenny, Wooden Birds frontman, also briefly reunited with his former band, American Analog Set, for a one-night (SXSW day party) performance of their 1999 album The Golden Band.

On hiatus since 2005's Set Free, [American Analog Set] got back together to pull a "Don't Look Back"-esque revisit to 1999's The Golden Band for this show only. A special occasion to say the least. I'd forgotten how beautifully hypnotic AmAnSet was, particularly their earlier records - I'd only seen them live in their (slightly) more upbeat and poppier configurations. This show, however, was all shimmering vibraphone, whirring farfisa and Andrew Kenny's somnambulant vocals - pure aural beauty in its sleepiest form. Though it's great that Kenny has a new project in The Wooden Birds, I hope this isn't the last of AmAnSet (although I sort of do, since it means I was there). [Chromewaves]

The Wooden Birds have more tour dates scheduled, including an April/May European tour with Grand Archives. All dates and more Mercury Lounge pictures, below...

Continue reading "The Wooden Birds @ WOXY (MP3s) & Mercury Lounge (pics) "

by Andrew Frisicano

Andrew Kenny is a native Texan who after nearly six years in Brooklyn, NY has returned to beautiful Austin, TX. He's best known as the singer/songwriter behind mellow indie favorites the American Analog Set. However, he's also performed as a guest artist with the Album Leaf, Her Space Holiday, Styrofoam, Arthur and Yu, Ola Podrida, and most recently the Broken Social Scene.

His latest project is called The Wooden Birds...

The Wooden Birds perform for their hometown crowd at SXSW's Barsuk/Merge Showcase showcase on Saturday, March 21st at The Parish. The band's NE dates, before heading to Europe, include two Mercury Lounge shows, first on Friday, April 10th with Lymbyc System (tickets on sale here), then Thursday, April 16th (tickets here). The next night (4/17) The Wooden Birds play Union Hall in Brooklyn (no tickets for that one yet).

The band, recently signed to Barsuk Records, will release its debut, magnolia, on that label in May.

During SXSW, Kenny will also play with The American Analog Set, performing its 1999 record The Golden Band straight through at InSound.com's 10th anniversary party, Friday, March 20th at Club de Ville.

Insound SXSW flyer and Wooden Birds tour dates below...

Continue reading "Andrew Kenny forms The Wooden Birds - Barsuk debut, 2009 tour dates (3 NYC shows), SXSW & American Analog Set"

but Emily and the guy from Pavement did.....

Emily Haines & Kevin Drew @ Webster Hall (CRED)

Scott Kannberg (spiral stairs) & BSS @ Webster Hall (CRED)

The covered a Pavement song with Scott. A set list that Dirk is 'pretty sure' about, below...

Continue reading "J Mascis didn't show - BSS @ Webster Hall, NYC - pics"