by Bill Pearis

DOWNLOAD: Masters of the Hemisphere - Eggshell (MP3)

Masters of the Hemisphere

After a nearly ten-year absence, Athens, GA indie pop quartet Masters of the Hempisphere are back with a new album, Maybe These Are the Breaks, that's out October 4 on Kindercore/Magic Marker. We're pleased to premiere the album's lead track, "Eggshell," which you can download at the top of this post. The band will be touring soon too, stopping in NYC for CMJ: October 21 at The Rock Shop and October 22 at Bruar Falls.  All tour dates at the bottom of this post.

Masters of the Hemisphere formed in 1996, releasing three albums and a handful of singles and EPs before calling it quits in 2002. All four members  have kept busy and worked with each other since. Main man Sean Rawls plays in Je Suis France along with Master drummer Jeff Griggs (who was also in The Mendoza Line) as well as forming indie reggae conglomerate Still Flyin' which also includes fellow Master Bren Mead. Adrian Finch is in Atlanta band Night Moves Gold. Original, short-lived MOTH drummer Ryan Lewis continues to run Kindercore Records who released all of MotH's original records.

All four main members all back for Maybe These are the Breaks which might just be the best thing Masters of the Hemisphere have released. "Eggshell" is typical of the tunefull, ridiculously catchy pop contained within it.

Meanwhile, Modern Country is reissuing Masters of the Hemisphere's catalog -- all of it, including the new album -- as a box set of cassettes. Only 100 are being made.

Meanwhile meanwhile... Rawls and Mead's Still Flyin' are still flying, and will be in NYC at the Start of next month: they play Glasslands on Oct. 7 (with Dinosaur Feathers, Crush and The Gytters) and Cake Shop on Oct. 8 (with German Measles, Bright Lights and Love Connection).

All tour dates for Masters of the Hemisphere and Still Flyin' are below.

Continue reading "Masters of the Hemisphere return with new album & shows (MP3 premiere, CMJ & other tour dates too)"

photos by Ryan Myers

The Glands @ Georgia Theatre

The Glands played the Georgia Theatre in Athens, Georgia exactly one month ago today (on August 1st), christening the historic space on the occasion of its re-opening.

The Glands are a band whose musical output, which is almost entirely great, suffers only from an infrequency of output.

Since 1998, they have released just two albums, Double Thriller and 2000's eponymous LP. Shows are sporadic. But try as they may to avoid the adoration, they can't. Monday night's [August 1st] show was sold out and the crowd appeared, for the most part, to be there to see this band.

Sonically, the mix was a kind of reflection of the band itself, with head singer/songwriter Ross Shapiro low, at times his guitar parts almost buried. But even as he switched through instruments and worked through songs, he remained watchful over the other members, nodding like a conductor, while the lead guitar, bass and drums all stabbed, bopped, and churned along at more reasonable levels.

This story of The Glands is constantly rehashed, because, at least from the outside, it appears to not move forward very much. They are a watched pot. But, really, whatever. The Glands move at their own speed, and if they want to release one classic album every ten years, fine. Great. Ross Shapiro, a Terrence Malick for Indie rock. -[Creative Loafing]

The reunited Athens band also played another Athens show at the end of 2010, but now their plan to bring the reunion on the road has been revealed. Tickets are on sale for a show on November 5th at Maxwell's in Hoboken. We hear they're coming to Mercury Lounge too. They play Mercury Lounge on November 4th. Stay tuned for more dates and Manhattan show ticket info.

More pictures from the Georgia Theatre below...

Continue reading "The Glands are back, played the Georgia Theatre re-opening (pics), playing NYC-area shows (dates)"

Athens, Georgia music fans have reason to rejoice. After a fire gutted the historic Georgia Theatre in 2009, the music venue has been rebuilt and will open its doors again with an August 1st concert by legendary Athens band The Glands (they put out Patterson Hood's fourth favorite album of all time). The official celebration continues for two weeks with Chuck Leavell, RJD2, J Roddy Walston and the Business, Reptar, Bela Fleck and the Flecktones, and more. Check the theater's site for more info.

If you happen to live in Georgia, catch a documentary on the rebirth on TV tonight (7/26)

In related, but sad news, Athens record store Schoolkids, which happens to be owned by Ross Shapiro of the Glands, is closing (Hopefully that will leave him more time to focus on making new music!). Some Glands videos below.

Continue reading "Georgia Theatre reopening (with a show by The Glands)"

by Bill Pearis

DOWNLOAD: Standard Fare - Dancing (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Standard Fare - Fifteen (MP3)

Standard Fare

Sheffield, UK's jangly pop trio Standard Fare are heading to Athens Popfest (Aug 10 - 14) and are making the most of their trip with an East Coast tour of the States. They'll play Bruar Falls on August 5 and Mondo! at Don Hill's on August 6. Standard Fare's The Noyelle Beat (out now in America on Bar/None) is one of the best indiepop records of the year (along with Allo Darlin's debut). Cute, romantic, but with some muscle in there too. You can download a couple tracks from it above. You should also watch the new video for their great single "Philadelphia" at the bottom of this post.

Maybe you saw them back in March? They are fun (and funny) live too. Don't miss 'em.

Athens Popfest, which took last year off, is back with a strong line-up that, along with Standard Fare, includes The Wedding Present, Mission of Burma, BOAT, Apples in Stereo, Rose Melberg, Dream Diary, Gold-Bears, Quintron & Miss Pussycat, and about 30 more.

All Standard Fare dates below...

Continue reading "Athens Popfest & other Standard Fare tour dates"

"We have lost one of our great ones." -Michael Stipe, Dec 25, 2009

Vic Chesnutt (November 12, 1964 - December 25, 2009) was a singer-songwriter living in Athens, Georgia. He had been writing songs since he was five years old. Injured in a car accident in 1983, the paraplegic artist's first big breakthrough to commercial success came with the release of the tribute album Sweet Relief II: Gravity of the Situation.

Around 1985, Chesnutt moved to Athens and joined the band, The La-Di-Da's.[2] After leaving that group he began performing solo on a regular basis at the 40 Watt Club; it was there that he was spotted by Michael Stipe of R.E.M.; Stipe produced Chesnutt's first two albums, Little (1990) and West of Rome (1991). [Wikipedia]

Patti Smith, Jeff Mangum, and Kristin Hersh have also made public statements since it was confirmed that Vic Chesnutt passed away on Christmas day.

R.E.M. covered Vic's song "Sponge" for the above-mentioned Sweet Relief CD. Audio of that song, along with video of Vic and Elf Power covering "Everybody Hurts" at the REM tribute at Carnegie Hall, below...

Continue reading "Michael Stipe remembers Vic Chesnutt (quote), Vic covered 'Everybody Hurts' w/ Elf Power @ REM tribute (video) "

photos by Tim Griffin

Aquarium Drunkard: You're living in Brooklyn, which is not exactly known for its country music. Were you worried about the way that the [Willie Nelson cover record] would be received in New York?

Matthew Houck (Phosphorescent): No. I knew it was a good record and the way that those kinds of things go, I think that Phosphorescent has rarely been considered "hip" or something like that, so it never really concerned me. (laughs)

AD: How do you like the music scene up there compared to Athens?

MH: I really do like it up here. To be honest, scenes and those things have never really meant that much to me. It's always been about doing whatever needs to be done in terms of the music. Brooklyn has a really supportive music scene and there are lots of great bands up here, so I'm sure that that stuff has an effect on all of this, but it's not really a comparable thing, you know?

If you missed Phosphorescent's 'Celebrate Brooklyn' set in Prospect Park on Saturday night (they opened for Dr. Dog), here are some pictures, and info on a second chance to see them... tonight (6/30) (they are the secret guest) in Brooklyn. Everything you need to know, below...

Continue reading "Phosphorescent - Prospect Park pics + Bruar Falls TONIGHT"

sad news from Athens, Georgia...

It is with great emotion that we sadly report the Georgia Theatre burned down this morning. There are a lot more questions than answers right now and we will do our best to keep the public informed as we learn more.

We appreciate all of the support that the great folks of Athens have provided and the additional messages received from wonderful patrons from around the world.

THANK YOU!!!
The Georgia Theatre Staff