photos by Tim Griffin

Black Moth Super Rainbow @ Psych Fest

"We came back."

Black Moth Super Rainbow was one of many psychedelically tinged artists to make their way down for Austin Psych Fest. We've previously posted pictures of Prefuse 73, Black Ryder, Spectrum, Bass Drum of Death, and more but swing below for a belated set of pictures of Black Moth Super Rainbow from the fest as well. Those pictures and all tour dates, which also include an appearance at Camp Bisco with Four Tet, are below.

Continue reading "Black Moth Super Rainbow released expanded 'Dandelion Gum', announced tour, played Psych Fest (pics & dates)"

DOWNLOAD: Crystal Stilts - Practically Immaculate (MP3)

"The Black Angels and Reverberation Appreciation Society are happy to announce the dates, location and initial lineup for Austin Psych Fest 4. The 4th annual festival will be held at The East Side Drive In, an outside venue in the heart of downtown from April 29 - May 1, 2011. Spanning the full range of the psych sounds, the festival honors the past while also magnifying the modern vanguard of mind-expanding music. The festival grounds will feature a multi-stage setup and wide-open spaces for you to stretch out and enjoy live performances from these bands and many more to be announced."

Continue reading "Crystal Stilts release a holiday song, playing Austin Psych Fest w/ Black Angels, Spectrum & more (MP3 & lineup)"

by BBG

If one stands back from the mayhem of life around them and will honestly realize what has been done on volume one of Low Level Owl, they will be floored. Here is a band who has, for the most part, orchestrated a symphonic masterpiece and glides effortlessly from one track into another. Odd for the average indie rock fan? Perhaps. Unapproachable? Hardly. Ambience and environment are the keys here. Through a number of experiments and hard work, the band has made a piece that is truly larger than what many people may be able to appreciate. -[Allmusic review of Low Level Owl Vol 1]

The Appleseed Cast are preparing to release the 3LP vinyl of Low Level Owl Vol 1 and 2 via Graveface Records. Preorder it here.They'll also offer a new live LP while on the Low Level Owl tour. Their last full-length Sagarmatha was released in 2009.

Dreamend contains one Ryan Graveface, owner of the Graveface Records (TAC's vinyl label) and a member of Black Moth Super Rainbow.

All tour dates and the tour flyer are below...

Continue reading "The Appleseed Cast playing Low Level Owl Vol 1 & 2 on tour - 2010 dates w/ Dreamend"

words by Black Bubblegum, photos by Ryan Muir

some of the stars of ATP NY 2009

What's almost the exact opposite of a soothing set of Seven Swans performed by one of the most delicate singers in indie rock? Try nine drummers (including Hisham Bharoocha, Zach Hill, and Kid Millions among other notables) bashing your fucking skull for so long that the stage manager has to come out to unplug their gear and remove toms from underneath them! That's how I started my ATP Day 3... with the Boredoms blowing my mind.

Starting off with sparse chords on the monstrous multi-neck guitar/percussive device, Eye set a calm and reflective mood... and then the cymbals. And then the toms. And then eight drummers pummeled away led by Yoshimi P-We. And then the synced rimshots that recalled an Animal Collective beat. All of this happened before a ninth drummer was carried into the show like an emperor while doing a call and response with the other eight.

Within about 10 minutes, I knew that Boredoms would take the prize as best show at Kutsher's that weekend. The sheer power of the coordinated drums, along with pregnant pauses and killer synth effects performed via keys, CD-DJ tables, and broomsticks (!) were beyond jaw dropping.

Following Boredoms, I poked my head into Oneida's Ocropolis for the first of many times. For 10+ hours, Oneida basically had the small and very decorated room all to themselves for a long jam session with their friends. Reportedly, the band had tape rolling the whole time (Ocropolis is the name of their Brooklyn recording studio) and had visuals provided by the Mighty Robot AV Squad. With local standbys like BJ Warshaw of Parts & Labor/Shooting Spires fame, Chris Weingarten (ex P&L), Todd P, and many others spotted in the Sportsman's Bar, it seemed like Brooklyn in the Catskills. Unfortunately, I missed every single special guest appearance (word is, and in part according to a sign on the door, Soft Circle, Yoshimi, Aaron from Tall Firs, Zach Hill, Steven Drozd and many others all popped in) but the band was very interesting to watch, alternating between songs, and droney ambient jams.

Caribou was next in the main room and the 16-piece(!) band including Sun Ra Arkestra member Marshall Allen, Koushik, Kieran Hebden (Fourtet) and many others. I had no expectations heading into the set and was pleasantly surprised, although I found the mix to have waaay too much low end.

I ducked out of Caribou early to catch the last twenty minutes of Hopewell who was billed to be playing "The Desperation Suite," "complete with a female choir and avant-garde saxophonist Mark Marinoff". From what little I saw, the three person "choir" did little but coo, ooh, ahh, and coordinate a dance, but the band did close with a rousing cover of Jane's Addiction's classic "Of Course".

continued below...

Continue reading "ATP NY 2009 - Day 3 pics & review (Boredoms, Caribou, Deerhoof, Boris, Jarmusch, Oneida, that crazy guy...)"

All Tomorrow's Parties (ATP) is happy to announce its return to Kutsher's Country Club in Monticello, New York for the 2nd annual ATP New York festival. The event will be held Sept 11-13, 2009. Last year's festival, co-curated by My Bloody Valentine, was a critical and cultural success with rave reviews from media and fans. This year's Fest will be co-curated by The Flaming Lips.

Recently added were Crystal Castles, Super Furry Animals, Boris performing Feedbacker, Low Lows and "Oneida presents the Ocropolis" - where Oneida will transport the impetus, spirit and community of their multidisciplinary studio/performance space, The Ocropolis, to ATP for a full day of improvisation, collaboration, and recording, combined with the astounding Mighty Robot Visuals light crew. Other announced acts include Boredoms continuing their BOADRUM series, performing with 9 drummers on stage. Deerhoof will perform with special visuals by Martha Colburn. Caribou will perform as Caribou Vibration Ensemble, with a 4 piece horn section, 4 drummers and a choir and guests that include Kieran Hebden (Four Tet/Fridge/Kieran Hebden & Steve Reid), Koushik (Stones Throw Records), John Schmersal (Enon, Brainiac), Kathryn Bint (One Little Plane), Ahmed Gallab (Sinkane), Marshall Allen (Sun Ra Arkestra) and more.

Circulatory System, was added in the last announcement, and have since revealed an entire tour. Dead Meadow play ATP on Saturday and will perform on a boat in NYC that same week. The Feelies have a Brooklyn show scheduled. Super Furry Animals play NYC and NJ in addition to ATP. The list of related shows goes on...

Unfortunately missing from the ATP NY schedule is Nick Cave - not that he was ever supposed to be there, but in addition to being very involved with ATP in general, he was recently confirmed to be only a short car ride away just one day after the festival ends. Full 2009 lineup below...

Continue reading "ATP NY final 2009 lineup -- Bob Mould (now official), Eugene Mirman, Menomena, Hopewell & more (but not Nick Cave) "

Yeah Yeah Yeahs @ Sasquatch 2009 (more by Chris Graham)

tonight in NYC
* DANCE
* Louis CK @ Caroline's
* A-Trak @ Webster Hall
* ArpLine, Prima @ 92YTribeca
* AC/DC & Anvil @ Giants Stadium
* Polvo, Obits @ South Street Seaport
* Crystal Castles (DJ) @ Red Bull Space
* Morton Subotnick @ Issue Project Room
* Steely Dan: The Royal Scam @ Beacon Theatre
* The Mekons, The Horse's Ha @ The Bell House
* Vivian Girls, These Are Powers @ Whitney Museum
* Me'Shell N'degeocello & Brandon Ross @ The Stone
* Saviours, Sourvein, Bezoar, Pollution @ Cake Shop
* Dredg, Rx Bandits, Zechs Marquis @ Bowery Ballroom
* Rooftop Films w/ Kurt Vile @ Automotive High School
* Sigmund Droid, Shadow Box, Action Painters @ Shea Stadium
* Langhorne Slim, Polite Sleeper, Marcellus Hall @ Maxwell's
* Midnight Masses, Justin Ripley, Katie Eastburn @ Glasslands
* Grooms, Bouncer Fighter, Ogre Smash Death Boom @ Littlefield
* Ethan Iverson, Reid Anderson & Paul Motian @ Village Vanguard
* Hey Willpower, Hot Lava, That Ghost, Crime Novels @ Bruar Falls
* Blacklist, Ringo Deathstarr, The Vandelles, deVries @ The Cameo
* Brutal Truth, Pig Destroyer, Repulsion @ Brooklyn Masonic Temple
* Ben Sollee, Holly Miranda, Julianna Barwick @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
* Team Robespierre, Math the Band, IJI, Watercolor Paintings @ Death By Audio
* Lubricated Goat, Netherlands, Beauty Apes, EMOK, Porfirio @ Delancey
* Soulive w/ John Scofield, Christian Scott/Ivan Neville @ Prospect Park
* Wolff, Builders & the Butchers, Illinois, Drink Up Buttercup, Elfi Snow @ Pianos
* Chainsmokers, The Albertans, Your 33 Black Angels, Worst Case Ontario, The Brilliant Sweaters @ Queens Palace
* All Points West w/ Jay-Z, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Vampire Weekend, The National, Fleet Foxes, more @ Liberty State Park

Free outdoor music tonight includes Polvo and Obits at South Street Seaport CANCELLED and a Celebrate Brooklyn show titled The Royal Family: Soulive's 10th Anniversary Celebration, which features guests John Scofield, Christian Scott, Ivan Neville and Dumpstaphunk, at the Prospect Park Bandshell.

It's the first soon-to-be-rainy day All Points West at Liberty State Park. Jay-Z, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Vampire Weekend, The National and Fleet Foxes are among the headliners. Seasick Steve and many others have played already.

Crystal Castles, who play the fest on Saturday, are DJing its offcial afterparty tonight at Red Bull Space.

The Modern English won't be playing the Studio at Webster Hall.

The Whitney Museum hosts Vivian Girls and These Are Powers, the final free Dan Graham-related show. These Are Powers will "feature Providence Dance Troupe JAZZ HAND JOB who will perform original choreography to [their] live music". The dance troupe will join them again Saturday at Secret Project Robot.

SATURDAY AUGUST 1st

3 to 7pm- Rummage:
A handmade furniture show on river street with food and drink
curated by Gabby Shaw

9 to 2am- Dance of the Sugarplum Ferry Party:
Fountains and Kiddie pools with
These Are Powers, Javelin, Mirror Mirror, DJ cool Places Sound System
hosted by Live With Animals and Secret Project Robot $8

Kurt Vile plays a Rooftop Films show at the Automotive High School with the Troll 2 documentary. The Drums played last night with Troll 2 the actual movie.

Repulsion, making their NYC debut, play the Brooklyn Masonic Temple with Brutal Truth and Pig Destroyer. Saviours, Sourvein, Bezoar and Pollution play the Cake Shop. Saviours will open the Dinosaur Jr./Walkmen Summerstage show on August 12th.

Justin Ripley, with "half of the awesome, raucous Rooftop Vigilantes" as his backing band plays Glasslands with Midnight Masses and Katie Eastburn.

An interview with the creepy masked guy from Black Moth Super Rainbow and a clip from their July 24th South Street Seaport show are below.

Also, the trailer for Wes Anderson's new film The Fantastic Mr Fox.

What else?

Continue reading "What's going on Friday?"

photos by Chris La Putt

DOWNLOAD: Black Moth Super Rainbow - Born On A Day The Sun Didn't Rise (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Black Moth Super Rainbow - Twin of Myself (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Black Moth Super Rainbow - Twin of Myself (Go! Team remix) (MP3)

"Eating Us is the fourth album by Pennsylvania based band Black Moth Super Rainbow released on May 26, 2009 on the CD format. With a running time of just under 36 minutes, it is the shortest full-length release by the band to date. The album was released in a limited-edition "hairy" version, which includes synthetic hair inside the CD's inner sleeve, and also in a regular "super jewel" casing. The "hairy" version was sold-out before the album was even released due to pre-orders." [Wiki]

Continue reading "Black Moth Super Rainbow, Blank Dogs & Dan Friel @ South Street Seaport in NYC - pics "

by Bill Pearis

DOWNLOAD: Yellow Fever - Culver City (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Yellow Fever - Joe Brown (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Fergus & Geronimo - Harder Than It's Ever Been (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Magic Kids - Hey Boy (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Coconut Coolouts - Party Jail (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Seaport Music Festival Sampler (Zip)

YellowFever @ Death By Audio - July 22, 2009 (by Bryan Bruchman)

There are a lot of out-of-town bands I'm looking forward to seeing this weekend, and luckily they're all playing more than once, and many are sharing the same bill.

First is Austin duo Yellow Fever who I have caught a few times in the last year and they are really something special I think. I wrote this the first time I saw them: "Their sound couldn't be more spare -- usually just drums, the simplest guitar (often just single notes, not chords), and Jennifer Moore's understated, kinda haunting voice. It's that space in between the instrumentation that makes them so special. It's a little bit like Young Marble Giants if Beth Orton was the singer instead of Alison Statton." My only complaint would be they are slow on releasing records, but I look forward to hearing new stuff from them while they're here. They played last night at Death by Audio, where Vivian Girls said this via Twitter: "Yellow Fever were amazing tonight! Don't miss their other NYC shows this week." So, yeah, don't miss 'em -- you've got four more chances, including tonight at Cake Shop. All dates HERE.

Fergus & Geronimo

While we're in the Lone Star state, let's talk about another duo, Fergus & Geronimo, who are from Denton, TX and are playing two NYC shows this weekend. Andrew Savage and Jason Kelly are also in such Denton bands as Wax Museums and Teenage Cool Kids respectively, bonded over a love of '60s pop, Motown and psych-rock (a Texas specialty). Those influences come through loud and clear in their music, most of which is, at this point, only available on their MySpace, which was enough to get interest from Tic Tac Totally, Transparent, and Woodsist all of whom will be putting out their records. The Woodsist 7", "Harder Than It's Ever Been," is out now and you can download the A-side at the top of this post. It's a 1:47 pop gem, one of the best of its kind since Box Elders' "Hole in My Head." This is super-catchy stuff, and I'm really looking forward to seeing them this weekend.

Fergus & Geronimo, who are a five-piece when they play live, are at 92 Y Tribeca on Friday (7/24) with Crystal Stilts, Portland's Little Claw and Memphis' Magic Kids who I'll get back to in a second. They also play Saturday (7/25) at Market Hotel, also with Magic Kids, as well as YellowFever and the ever-present (and very good) Beets (who have a tour coming up with the Vivian Girls). Tickets are still on sale for Friday's show.

Magic Kids

Now onto Magic Kids. They're from Memphis and I first heard of them from a MySpace bulletin from Girls who played a show with them and enthusiastically raved about them. There's not a lot of bio info out there, but there seem to be a lot of them, and they clearly love '60s pop: Beach Boys, The Association, Tommy James & the Shondells, etc. The band have a record coming out sometime on Goner (home to Ty Segall and Box Elders and others) and you can download their single "Hey Boy" at the top of this post. They play Cake Shop tonight (7/23), that 92 Y Tribeca show tomorrow (7/24) and Market Hotel on Saturday night (7/25).

Personal and the Pizzas

Also this weekend we've got a couple West Coast bands, both of whom love a good slice, neither of whom seem to mind a little extra cheese, and they play together at Silent Barn on Friday and Cake Shop on Saturday.

Looking like greasers and sounding like New York 1975, Personal & the Pizzas originally hailed from New Jersey but now seem to call San Francisco their home. I'm not sure that there's a whole lot you need to say about these guys, you see their name you hear one song and you kind of know whether you're gonna like it or not. Maybe not for a whole album, but tracks like "I Don't Wanna Be No Personal Pizza" or "Brass Knuckles" would add flavor to any mix, and you just know they'll be fun live. Pizza Slayer interviewed them:

PS: Do you have pizza at all your shows? How does it enhance the experience?

P&P: Everybody loves the pie!! We probably order it like half and half..we're usually pretty broke so it's kinda hard to shell out like 70 or 80 bucks just for the love of it, but we'll do it. We don't care. Everyone loves Pizza and Pop. One time we was all dressed up in haWaiian shirts and coconut tits and all, and then we ordered some a them hawaaiian pizzas and then that delivery chic delivered the pies to us while we was playin with them shirts on and and she didn't know what the hell was goin on.

The Coconut Coolouts remind me of the Nuggets box set, where there are so many great bands with seminal songs on those cd's that I had never heard, it's hard to believe that the bands weren't bigger than their regional popularity. The Coconut Coolouts will likely be on on a Nuggets comp sometime in the year 2040 and people will be wondering why they had never heard of these guys with classics like Spinaround, Coconut Weekend, Party Jail and Stickup. Apparently they sometimes dress in banana costumes for gigs, no bananas were on stage but they were throwing out lifesavers saying they were acid.

Coconut Coolouts

A few more shows of interest this weekend. Black Moth Super Rainbow make their second Seaport Music series appearance on Friday (their first was in 2007 opening for Fugiya & Miyagi), this time headlining. Their latest album, Eating Us, was produced by Dave Fridman (Flaming Lips, MGMT among other things) and is pretty good. Opening will be low fi electro goths Blank Dogs whose new album, Under and Under, on In the Red Records I like a lot. They are also a band that benefits from good sound, something the Seaport has brought to every show this year. (Here We Go Magic in particular sounded stellar.) Also playing is one-man experimental band Dan Friel. Between the three acts there's gonna be a lot of temperamental old synthesizers, patch bays and homemade equipment on the Seaport stage -- let's hope it doesn't rain. I should also mention that Seaport Music has a "digital mixtape" you can download via Insound that features 15 of the acts playing this year, including all three of this week's acts (plus Superchunk, Casiokids and more). Download link is at the top of this post.

And don't forget Sissy Wish has added another show while in NY -- she plays Union Hall on Saturday night. She's better than her name.

Tour dates and video after the jump...

Continue reading "Fergus & Geronimo, Coconut Coolouts, Magic Kids, Personal & the Pizzas, YellowFever & more in This Week in Indie"

Woods @ 979 Broadway Backyard (more by Tim Griffin)

tonight in NYC
* DANCE
* Dayna Kurtz @ Sycamore
* Sara Siskind @ Joe's Pub
* Aimee Mann @ City Winery
* Bonnie Baxter @ Silent Barn
* Kaki King @ Music on the Oval
* NY Philharmonic in Prospect Park
* Toby from Youth Group @ Living Room
* Jucifer, Mount Vicious, J.A.C.K. @ Cake Shop
* Asher Roth, Kid Cudi @ Nokia Theatre Times Square
* Michael Showalter, Michael Ian Black @ Bell House
* Wavves, Woods, Real Estate, PoPo @ Bowery Ballroom
* Don Byron plays Junior Walker @ Madison Square Park
* Midsummer's Night Swing w/ Otros Aires @ Lincoln Center
* Charlie Hunter/Douge Wamble/Tony Mason @ Jazz Standard
* Darcy James Argue's Secret Society @ (Le) Poisson Rouge
* The Sweet Divines, The Bo-Keys, The City Champs @ Southpaw
* The Jaguar Club, The Grates, Apollo Run, Spiral Beach @ Pianos
* Cheval Sombre, Speck Mountain, Georgiana Starlington @ Bruar Falls
* Jeff the Brotherhood, Coin Under Tongue, Sisters, Lame Drivers @ Death By Audio
* Air Waves, Dan Friel, Ed Schrader, Turn Into Something, Lesser Gonzales Alvares @ Market Hotel

Free music for tonight includes Kaki King at the Stuy Town Oval, Don Byron plays the music of Junior Walker at Madison Square Park, Luisito Rosario y su Orquestra play at Battery City Park and George Lamond and Judy Torres perform at Crotona Park.

Wavves returns to live performance tonight (despite a broken wrist) at the Bowery Ballroom. Woods and Real Estate (who play tomorrow at the Cameo) open with PoPo.

Andy Rourke of the Smiths DJ's at Beauty Bar (in Manhattan). Flyer below...

Jeff the Brotherhood kick off three nights of NYC shows with a gig at Death By Audio. Coin Under Tongue, Sisters and Lame Drivers also play.

Aimee Mann caps her trio of shows at City Winery tonight.

"Wearing jeans and a tailored black blazer, she played a solid two-hour set, breezing through old hits (a folksy take on her '80s hit with 'Til Tuesday, "Voices Carry," was a highlight) and newer favorites, including some from her latest disc, the Grammy-nominated @#%&*! Smilers. It was a fantastic show, but I was secretly hoping she'd rock out a little more--and she eventually did, trading in her acoustic for an electric bass during the encore." [Elle]

Michael & Michael Have Issues, the new show from Michael Showalter and Michael Ian Black, premieres tonight on Comedy Central. The pair appear for a performance and release party at the Bell House.

Darcy James Argue's Secret Society, at LPR tonight, is a big band with a modern twist. See a video of the group below.

Black Moth Super Rainbow has a new video, below...

Breakfast at Sulimays listened to St. Vincent and Isis -- that video, below...

Continue reading "What's going on Wednesday?"

"It's simple really: Summer. Friday night. New York City. The first port in the new world hosting some of the best new music, as well as those established and influential artists you already know and love. All of this amidst the city's most inspiring views of tall buildings, historic ships and nighttime sky. All for FREE.

Get ready, cause summer is coming and with it another great line up on Pier 17 at the Seaport. Hard to believe we're entering our eighth season of summer shows but 2009 promises to be amongst our best.

Highlights this year include Superchunk, Polvo, Obits, The Pains of Being Pure at Heart and well, pretty much every night is a highlight to us.

Our FREE, outdoor series runs every Friday night from July 3 to August 14. The music starts at 6pm with a Guest DJ and bands go on around 7pm. Join us downtown to take in the stunning backdrop and enjoy New York's best open air venue.

Seaport Music is presented by the River to River Festival."

Continue reading "updated 2009 South Street Seaport Music lineup (free shows)"

South Street Seaport (more by Chris La Putt)

South Street Seaport - initial 2009 show schedule
June 13 (noon) - Children's Day
June 27 (7:00) - New York City Opera
July 03 (6:00) - Here We Go Magic & Bachelorette
July 10 (6:00) - The Pains of Being Pure at Heart & TBA
July 17 (6:00) - TBA
July 20-30 --- Sitelines (see below)
July 24 (6:00) - Black Moth Super Rainbow & TBA
July 31 (6:00) - TBA
Aug 07 (6:00) - Moshi Moshi day w/ Casiokids, The Wave Pictures & Slow Club
Aug 14 (6:00) - TBA

NYC's summer-long Seaport Music Series, part of the River to River Festival is back with more free, outdoor concerts in 2009. The initial portion of the always-indie-heavy lineup is here - both above, and in more detail, below...

Continue reading "South Street Seaport - initial 2009 free show schedule is here"

School of Seven Bells @ LPR last Tuesday (more by Kyle Dean Reinford)

"Tuesday night I caught School of Seven Bells and Fujiya & Miyagi at Le Poisson Rouge. School of Seven Bells were basically brand new to me and their performance sounded great. I'm still not quite sure how to describe them (electronic/rock with a hint of psych and umm...other stuff), but would definitely check them out again (unfortunately they mentioned it's the last time they'll play here for a while)." [Showtrotta]

Continue reading "School of Seven Bells - more 2009 Tour Dates (Black Moth Super Rainbow, Bowery Ballroom) "

Jane's Addiction - @ Echoplex, Los Angeles - Feb 16, 2009 (revolute)

Live Nation and Adam Zacks are pleased to announce this year's line up for the Sasquatch! Music Festival at the legendary Gorge in Eastern Washington. The festival, now in its eighth and most ambitious year yet, has evolved from a unique, homegrown & low key fest into a full blown three day extravaganza. A festival-goer's dream, it comes complete with camp-outs, canyons, sunsets, three stages and new this year, an expanded comedy and dance music tent. The tent will feature performances from comedians throughout the day, and then come dusk, will spotlight electronic and dance music artists.

Already the official opener to summer for music fans, the Sasquatch! Music Festival is becoming a certified monster of a musical event: this year features another exciting and diverse line-up for the musically adventurous, and ups the ante on an event already hailed for its independent spirit. Tickets go on sale Saturday February 28th at 10AM

Today it was announced that Jane's (feat. all four original members), NIN, Kings of Leon, Ben Harper & Relentless7, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Erykah Badu, The Decemberists, Fleet Foxes, TV On The Radio, Animal Collective, Silversun Pickups, Bon Iver, Santigold, and many others are playing this year's Sasquatch Festival (May 23, 24, 25, 2009 @ The Gorge in Quincy, WA). Full lineup and ticket info below...

Continue reading "Jane's Addiction played LA, headlining SASQUATCH Festival (which just announced most of the 2009 LINEUP)"

LCD Soundsystem, RJD2, Devendra Banhart, Mum, The Decemberists, Neon Neon, Devlin & Darko, My Morning Jacket, VHS or Beta, Diplo, Gnarls Barkley, Tim & Eric, Black Moth Super Rainbow, and Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings are among the artists contributing tracks to Causes 2, an album to benefit Darfur (out March 2009).

Causes 1 is out now and has tracks by Animal Collective, Bloc Party, Death Cab, Spoon, The Shins, Bright Eyes, Cornelius and many others.

Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings and the Decemberists are also among the artists who contributed to Dark Was the Night, a new comp to benefit the Red Hot Organization which will be released in February.

Sharon Jones just announced some tour dates. My Morning Jacket will be at MSG on New Years Eve.

A video trailer for Causes 2, below...

Continue reading "Causes 2 - a new CD comp for Darfur w/ LCD Soundystem, My Morning Jacket, Decemberists, Sharon Jones & many more"

Photos by Gabi Porter

I didn't get the chance to catch (Black Moth Super Rainbow frontman) Tobacco this CMJ, but the reviews I heard ranged from "amazing" to "good visuals" to "totally pointless live show" (aka he might as well just hit play). What did you think? On Wednesday night (10/22) he shared a bill with Sebastien Grainger at Mercury Lounge. A few more pictures from that below...

Continue reading "Tobacco @ Mercury Lounge (CMJ), NYC - pics "

DOWNLOAD: Tobacco - Truck Sweat (MP3)

Fucked Up Friends - out Oct 14 on Anticon

Continue reading "Tobacco is a member of Black Moth Super Rainbow"

photos by Bao Nguyen

More photos from Sunday's (packed) show (July 27, 2008) below...

Continue reading "MGMT & the Ting Tings @ McCarren Pool, NYC - pics"

DOWNLOAD: MGMT vs Notorious B.I.G. vs Justice (ddpesh REwORk) (MP3)

Photos of the crowd at McCarren Pool on Sunday (July 27, 2008) by heartonastick.

Continue reading "2008 free McCarren 'Pool Party' lineup announced "

Impose posted this:

The shows keep getting bigger but the pool stays the same. Here are some of the official lineups for Jelly NYC's annual McCarren Pool shows, which, on their third year, can officially be dubbed a hipster tradition. Since we are enormous hipsters over here at Impose, we've already broken out the seasonal short shorts and started shaking the dust out of our giant beards, which we are hoping are still fashionable after a ten month stint in our closet (the beards, not us).

June 29::
Hold Steady with White Denim
(as just previously posted)

July 20::
Liars and special guests who may have played an after party with Angus and the crew a few months ago.

July 27::
MGMT and Black Moth Super Rainbow
(Black Moth part was previously confirmed)

August 3::
Black Lips, Deerhunter, and a crazy motherfucker who those aforementioned Atlantans (and Vice) seem to think is the second coming

There are other rumors as well. Apparently The Breeders may make an appearance in July, though no date's set. Team Robespierre's in that same boat.

Wilco is also playing McCarren Pool.

So are M.I.A., Death Cab & Ween. (and Armin Van Buuren)

And Devo I think.

photos by Ryan Muir

DOWNLOAD: Black Moth Super Rainbow - sun lips (MP3)

BMSR @ The The Thirsty Nickel, Austin, TX - March 15, 2008

In a pairing that seems predestined, the almost indescribable Black Moth Super Rainbow has signed to Waxploitation. Tobacco, a key member of Black Moth Super Rainbow, will also work with Waxploitation on his forthcoming solo project.

Waxploitation is a record label, management company and music publisher also known for its commitment to humanitarian causes.

Its not clearly fixed which of the three or four hats Waxploitation will wear at any given moment with BMSR, but chaos is underrated. To us its more important to simply be down with an artist and lend support in all aspects of their vision, rather than limit our role to a one-dimensional category says a spokesperson for Waxploitation.

Continue reading "Black Moth Super Rainbow - SXSW pics, Waxploitation label news & 2008 Tour Dates (McCarren Pool, Knitting Factory)"

BMSR @ SXSW 2007, not CMJ (CRED)

They should have though. It's cause they're still on tour with Aesop Rock. Their new video for "Sun Lips" is below....

Continue reading "Black Moth Super Rainbow didn't play CMJ"

DOWNLOAD Aesop Rock - Citronella (MP3)
DOWNLOAD Aesop Rock - None Shall Pass (MP3)

Aesop Rock getting down (cred)

Def Jux is releasing Aesop Rock's excellent new album None Shall Pass on Tuesday August 28th. Such was the occasion that got Undisputed Wes over to the NYC Def Jux offifces last week to sit down and ask Ian Matthias Bavitz - aka Aesop Rock - a few questions....

W: Many of your previous records had a pretty clear concept or theme. Labor Days being the most obvious one. Was there a specific idea that None Shall Pass was born out of?

AR: I guess that would be me turning 30 and freaking out about it. (laughs) I went through a few life changes. Turned 30. Moved from New York to San Francisco. Stopped smoking cigarettes. A bunch of stuff happened and it influenced the writing. The writing on this album is more reflective, for lack of a better word. I didn't want to do any braggadocio, no first person stuff, and get more into stories. Vivid descriptions of a snapshot of a moment in high school, first job, etc. and how all those snapshots add to who I am now at 30 years old.

W: Do you ever think ahead further than one album?

AR: No, that doesn't make sense with my writing process. I couldn't have told you I was making None Shall Pass until I was 3/4 in. I just stay busy, hope something sticks. I couldn't ever plan ahead aside from maybe a theme or name for a song. Usually the way it works is that I just write songs and then there is one song that comes along that will be the first one I'll decide to keep. That one will kind of set the stage for the album's feel. 'Catacumb Kids' was kind of the key record that sparked it for None Shall Pass in terms of it being a snapshot of an era without resorting to the cliche "back in the day" stuff.

W: You did a song ("Coffee") with John Darnielle of The Mountain Goats for this album. Are there any other indie rock musicians whose music you enjoy and you'd want to work with?

Continue reading "An interview with Aesop Rock"

DOWNLOAD: Black Moth Super Rainbow - Vietcaterpillar (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Black Moth Super Rainbow - I Am The Alphabet (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Black Moth Super Rainbow - 1 2 3 Of Me (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Black Moth Super Rainbow - Hazy Field People (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Black Moth Super Rainbow - Boatfriend (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Black Moth Super Rainbow - I Think It Is Beautiful That You Are 256 Colors Too (MP3)

Black Moth Super Rainbow @ South Street Seaport, July 2007 (CRED)

Just two days after I posted my first Black Moth Super Rainbow post (MP3s & tour dates included), they announced this:

Graveface, in conjunction with Black Moth Super Rainbow's own The 70's Gymnastics Recording Co. is pleased to announce the reissue of the first two, currently out-of-print, albums by Black Moth Super Rainbow. Both albums will hit stores on October 23rd with revised cover art and featuring unreleased bonus tracks.

DOWNLOAD: Black Moth Super Rainbow - Forever Heavy (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Black Moth Super Rainbow - Sun Lips (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Black Moth Super Rainbow - The Afternoon Turns Pink (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Octopus Project & Black Moth Super Rainbow - Psychic Swelling (MP3)

Black Moth Super Rainbow are a band from "Rural Western PA" that are touring practically non-stop betweeen now and the end of November. Two of those dates are TODAY (Aug 18) in Brooklyn, and a lot of them are opening for the Flaming Lips, and even more are as opener for Aesop Rock. You may have seen them when they not-too-long-ago opened for Fujiya & Miyagi at South Street Seaport. I didn't - it took these new Brooklyn shows, and hearing their name a million times to finally get me to listen, and now all I can say is I with I had done so earlier - check out the pscyhedelic-electro-keyboard-vocoder-heavy tracks above. Aquarium Drunkard says,

While this shit is most definitely way out there, it is also informed, and reined in by, a pop enthusiasm that keeps it from blasting off into the ether entirely. You might want to put on some headphones for this one. Dood.

But what about their live show? I obviously still haven't seen it, but Rolling Stone, The New York Times, Chicago Tribune, and MTV are all raving about it. Have you seen them? There are some videos, and all tour dates below...

Continue reading "Black Moth Super Rainbow - MP3s & 2007 Tour Dates"