by Andrew Sacher

DOWNLOAD: Damien Jurado - "Nothing Is The News" (MP3)

Damien Jurado will release Maraqopa, the followup to 2010's Saint Bartlett, on February 21 via Secretly Canadian. The album was produced by Richard Swift, who also produced Saint Bartlett and is now a member of The Shins. That's the album artwork above. The album opener and first single, "Nothing Is The News," is a jammy cut that opens with Damien and his acoustic guitar, but as soon as dual lead guitars come in about half a minute through, they don't let up for the entirety of the song. Grab an MP3 of that track above and stream it below. The video for this track, which premiered today on Alt Press, and the album tracklist is also below.

Damien has a number European tour dates scheduled for the next few months (except for one show in his hometown Seattle in February) and he'll follow that with a North American tour that includes dates with Peter Wolf Crier and others with JBM. The tour includes a Chicago show and a NYC show which will happen on May 19 at Mercury Lounge with JBM. Tickets for the NYC show are on AmEx presale and go on sale to the general public on Friday (1/13) at noon.

All currently known dates, video, stream, and album info below...

Continue reading "new Damien Jurado album, tour dates, MP3 & video"

by Andrew Frisicano & Jake Forney

Damien Jurado & John Vanderslice @ Mercury Lounge (photo by Steven Marsh)

Damien Jurado and John Vanderslice started their two-night NYC run at Mercury Lounge on Thursday (5/12). They're at the Rock Shop tonight, and it's now sold out.

On this tour, Vanderslice - accompanied by Jason Slota on drums, keys and other things - has been inviting the audience to join him on stage. On his website he gives some examples of what might happen.

-You can sing lead or harmony vocal on "Trance Manual"
- You can play a solo on "Exodus Damage" with an instrument of your choice, the weirder the better.
- You can trigger that cool squiggly sound in "Underneath The Leaves".
- You can also choose your own adventure. Again, the stranger the better.

What happened last night?

BV correspondent Jake Forney was there for Damien Jurado's set (and a small bit of JV's). His report and some videos of John and guests from earlier on the tour are below...

Continue reading "Damien Jurado & John Vanderslice (and fans) played Mercury Lounge (Rock Shop tonight)"

Damien Jurado @ a BV Day Party @ SXSW (more by Amanda Hatfield)

"For the most part, 95 percent of my songs are fictitious," says Jurado.

But he does conceive his material much the way a novelist would, with dialogue, towns, characters. Many of his tracks are named after places -- "Arkansas," "Kansas City" and "Wallingford" (a Seattle neighborhood) on Saint Bartlett.

"I just need a setting, a place to put the story," he says. "I do not write short stories, but I do write short stories. The short stories are the song."

Repeated listenings to the record reveal recurring, somewhat submerged themes: characters are stuck outside their homes, looking in, trying to find their way back, or a safe place to sleep; lights left on serve as both a sign of safety or welcome and as a visual reminder of being physically removed from the business of life.

The recordings are open and sparse, but there are loads of little details -- a handclap, a mellotron part, half-hidden harmony vocals -- which reward focused attention.

"I'm really into space," says Jurado. "That's what jazz does, it's full of clutter, but at the same time it's full of lots of space. The clutter creates space. You're pushing more space to be created." [Hartford Advocate]

Here's a reminder that the Damien Jurado / John Vanderslice tour rolls in to NYC tonight, 5/12, for shows at Mercury Lounge and then the Rock Shop (both still on sale). An updated set of tour dates is below...

Continue reading "Damien Jurado & John Vanderslice on tour, in NYC now"

photos by Dominick Mastrangelo

Damien Jurado

Twin Shadow

Catching up a bit. Here's what Dominick saw in Austin on Thursday, March 17, 2011 (St. Patrick's Day)...

Continue reading "SXSW 2011 Day 2 pics"

photos by Amanda Hatfield and Timothy Griffin

Menomena (by Tim)

After 14 hours of BrooklynVegan shows on Wednesday with barely a break (Emo's and then Swan Dive), and while BBG was holding down a stage at Emo's again, we returned to Swan Dive on Thursday, but this time with the addition of the two connecting stages at Barbarella for another full day BrooklynVegan Day Party. The 3-stage affair featured 19 bands, DJ Anika, and comedian Brody Stevens as host.

The day couldn't have started better, as we had one of the artists I was most excited to see playing live on the Swan Dive stage right at noon, and that was the tall, well-dressed and significantly bearded Josh T Pearson. I only wish I wasn't still hecticly dealing with issues after the doors opened so I could have been one of the people sitting down and enjoying his solo set of songs taken from his new album Last of the Country Gentlemen which is out on Mute on March 29. What I did hear sounded great.

Meanwhile, Savoir Adore kicked things off on the outside stage while Shannon & the Clams got things going inside Barbarella. Navigating the three stages and not getting lost was definitely one of the challenges we gave attendees at the venues we camped out at for day shows all week.

After Shannon came Hunx & His Punx who Shannon also plays with. As Andrew pointed out, "Hunx seemed pretty annoyed about the five-show day ahead of him. "Come see the last one," suggested Hunx, saving the goods for that final push. The Punx band showed off admirable chops though, with the drummer pounding away and girl-group-style backups by the bassist." Andrew continues:

"Out at the venue's back stage, Dominique Unique Young had a two-man band providing soulful hooks for her club bangers, which were just fine in the brutal sunlight. And then at Swan Dive, Rural Alberta Advantage made a push for anyone, like me, who hasn't checked out their new disc, Departing, yet to do so soon (live, drummer Paul Banwat easily does the work of two guys)."

Before Dominique came Alex Winston, complete with full band three backing singers. Dominique ended her set early, giving Brody lots of time to talk before late-addition Beans went on. Beans was great and is the coolest guy I met in Austin. That's around when Bill got there:

"...arriving just in time to catch the end of Fergus & Geronimo and Beans' sets. Trying to navigate between the two connected clubs -- blazing sunshine at the patio stage, pitch black for the Barbarella inside stage -- was a bit tough.

I watched most of Yuck's set and thought they sounded great. Not the most exciting band to watch, but that's okay, not everyone can bounce around the stage like Superchunk to whom they owe more than a little sonic dept. Speaking of, Mac McCaughan was their for their whole set which I thought was kind of awesome. I asked him if he was there to collect royalties from Yuck. He laughed and said, "No way, I love these guys!"

From there it was out to the Patio for Obits' set. There's something about their pedal-to-the-metal rock that sounds a little better in Texas. Plus they played the two songs I really wanted to hear: "You Gotta Lose" from the new album Moody, Standard and Poor, and their first-ever single "One Cross Apiece."

After scarfing down some tacos (courtesy of the El Diablo truck in Barbarella's backyard, yes a sister truck to the one here at Union Pool), I caught a little of Screaming Females, rip-roaring as usual, and Menomena."

Menomena went on to a packed Swan Dive after Damien Jurado and one of Sub Pop's newest signings Memoryhouse played (both of whom I pretty much missed while dealing with technical difficulties on other stages). Gentleman Jesse & His Men and Pete & The Pirates (a UK band who many I know consider one of their favorites, and their set this day definitely didn't disappoint) also played the inside stage.

Mellowhype (by Tim)

But the main attraction of the day goes to... Mellowhype who were playing their second-ever show as Mellowhype (their first was a day earlier at their new label Fat Possum's party at Club DeVille), and who brought the whole Odd Future crew with them (anyone who was in Austin anyway), Tyler included. It was a beyond-packed house full of excitement...

"The assembled crowd of hipsters, blipsters, and media types went nuts when the beats dropped, as this still-teenaged hip-hop collective has been drawing favorable comparisons to early Wu-Tang, especially in terms of production aesthetic and overall energy." [Houston Calling]

You can watch some of the action in videos below.

Thanks to Izzoz, Line 6 (the mics), Korg (keyboard), Vox (amps), Blackstar (and amps), Sensible Portions, Honest Tea, ASCAP, NadaMoo, Raw Revolution, Sailor Jerry, SPARKS, all the bands, Zach, Nevona, our bartenders, sound guys, Ramone, everyone who stopped by and anyone else I'm forgetting.

Lots more pictures and videos from the whole day, below...

Continue reading "BrooklynVegan Thurs Austin day party pics (Mellowhype, Yuck, Menomena, Obits, Beans, Rural Alberta Advantage & more)"

We've lost our mind and are doing nine BrooklynVegan shows at SXSW this year. It all starts Wednesday during the day on two stages at Emo's, and continues Wednesday night at Swan Dive where we might as well stay overnight because Thursday at noon is when we start the first of three day parties in a row at the same place (Swan Dive) and Barbarella (they connect).

And the FREE Thursday lineup is:

STAGE 1 (Swan Dive)
12:00 PM Josh T. Pearson
1:00 PM Pujol
2:00 PM The Rural Alberta Advantage
3:00 PM Damien Jurado
4:00 PM Memoryhouse
5:00 PM Menomena

STAGE 2 (Barbarella Patio)
12:00 PM Savoir Adore
1:00 PM Alex Winston
2:00 PM Dominique Young Unique
3:00 PM Beans
4:00 PM Obits
5:00 PM Mellowhype (Odd Future)
HOSTING & JOKES BY: Brody Stevens

STAGE 3 (Barbarella Inside)
12:00 PM Shannon & The Clams
12:30 PM Hunx & His Punx
1:15 PM Gentleman Jesse & His Men
2:00 PM Pete & The Pirates
3:00 PM Fergus & Geronimo
4:00 PM Yuck
5:00 PM Screaming Females

And that's just Thursday! Check out Friday on the same three stages! Saturday still TBA.

Some notes: Mellowhype (aka Hodgy Beats and Left Brain of Billboard cover stars Odd Future - and whatever other Odd Future members decide to come along) are only playing one other show - their label's showcase at Club DeVille. Listen to David Fricke and get to Swan Dive in time to see Josh T Pearson. Shannon & the Clams and Hunx & His Punx share members, and have even been known to show their members. There are lots of bands with "and" in their name playing the Barbarella Inside Stage. Brody Stevens is funny! Anika will be spinning vinyl between sets during the second half of the day. I am super excited to be hosting Screaming Females for a second time.

This party will also have:

• FREE vegan Izzoz breakfast tacos while supplies last!
• lots of FREE snacks courtesy of Sensible Portions!
• a lot of FREE Honest Tea!
• FREE Raw Revolution bars to eat.
• FREE vegan ice cream from NadaMoo
• FREE Sailor Jerry cocktails while supplies last.
• more FREE DRINKS TBA.

AND THANKS TO:

• Our official microphone sponsor Line 6.
• and our backline sponsors Korg, Vox & Blackstar.
• and to ASCAP for sponsoring too.

and of course to Zach Jaeger of Tonally Dude for creating the racy flyer you see below....

Continue reading "BrooklynVegan Free Thursday Austin Day Party lineup ----------- (3 stages @ Barbarella & Swan Dive)"

The previously mentioned John Vanderslice/Damien Jurado Rock Shop show is in fact part of a tour. The two troubadours will hit the road together in April. They hit NYC for two shows: The May 13th Rock Shop (tickets) show happens one day after a May 12th show at Mercury Lounge (tickets). All dates below...

Continue reading "John Vanderslice & Damien Jurado --- 2011 Tour Dates"

DOWNLOAD: John Vanderslice - "Sea Salt" (MP3)

John Vanderslice at Public Assembly (more by Chris Gersbeck)

Though tickets are still available for both the March 28, and the March 29 Mountain Goats/Megafaun shows at Bowery Ballroom, John Darnielle and crew have added a third show at Bowery Ballroom happening March 30th. Tickets go on sale Friday at noon.

The last time that John Darnielle was in NYC was with The Extra Lens during CMJ as part of a short tour with John Vanderslice who later wooed the crowd in the middle of the day and in the middle of the floor at Public Assembly as part of the BV day party. Now the singer/songwriter (JV) will make his first trip back to NYC since that outing, and with a new LP in tow; White Wilderness is out now via Dead Oceans. So far there are no additional East Coast dates to report, but John Vanderslice will take on Brooklyn's Rock Shop on May 13 with Damien Jurado! A Fine double bill. Tickets go on sale Friday at noon (2/11).

And like JV, Damien Jurado, who is still supporting his latest Secretly Canadian release Saint Bartlett, is planning a trek to SXSW in March. Damien will be joined along the way, and for more dates afterwards, by Viva Voce. All dates and some videos below...

Continue reading "Mountain Goats add 3rd NYC show, John Vanderslice playing Brooklyn w/ Damien Jurado (who is touring w/ Viva Voce)"

Thor of Shearwater/Swans (more by Chris Graham)

Behind those long golden tresses and rugged good looks, Thor is a warrior. Before, in-between and following appearances at 'Matador at 21' and Austin City Limits, the Shearwater percussionist will play dates with the reactivated Swans (tickets are still available to their show at Brooklyn Masonic Temple on 10/8).

After the North American Swans dates, that last through the end of October, Thor will go BACK on the road with Shearwater for a string of November dates with Damien Jurado. That hits Music Hall of Williamsburg on November 12th (tickets are on sale). After that, Thor heads to Europe with Swans.

All Swans and Shearwater dates are below...

Continue reading "Shearwater touring w/ Damien Jurado in between Swans tours (2010 dates) "

DOWNLOAD: Damien Jurado - Arkansas (MP3)

"i am still awaiting the release of saint bartlett. soon. may 25th. i am excited and also anxious. it's wanting both, to go out and promote it and also stay at home. it's not how things work though. i'm going to be completely honest. over this past year, i wanted to hang this up. at least the going out into the world part. it was a lot that caused this. my deep growing love and devotion to my son, who is getting older. we have conversations all the time. he understands more. we teach each other new things daily. any day that i am not near him, is heart breaking. "the other part of me" is absent. he is encouraging in my pursuit of music.. well, so long as it's done at home. understandable. another thing that made me consider a change was the joy i felt being in the studio with richard swift. for the first time in my years of playing music, i felt able to really look at the songs for the first time. this is kind of vague. i am not even sure how i begin to explain it. picture a bird, for the first time walking on the edge of a tree limb and jumping. the bird's wings open as it is diving towards the ground, and just before it hits the ground, with the help of his own wings, he is taken to the sky. does this make sense? freedom. it's how i felt about the new songs. about the songs that i have still been writing. about my time in the studio with richard. about my time with him, talking about music and playing records. seeing his un dying devotion to his family and his music career. i left the studio no longer feeling "outside" or apart from other well known songwriters. i now see myself beside them. arm in arm. or at least near them. so here i am now. standing in this line. mentioned in the same breathe as those other musicians. considered a legend of my own time. i don't think that. some in the press said it. i'm fine with it. ...where am i going here? i guess it's to say, that i'm happy about my future and the songs. it's just getting out the front door first. or making it to the edge of the tree limb, to make a flying leap." [Damien Jurado]

Damien Jurado's new album Saint Bartlett will be released by Secretly Canadian on May 25th. Check out the sweet song "Arkansas" from that album above. And Damien will get out the door at least one more time. All tour dates still TBA, but tickets are now on sale for a June 17th NYC show at Mercury Lounge and for one the very next day (6/18) at Littlefield in Brooklyn. Both shows are with Kay Kay & His Weathered Underground. Caleb Engstorm is also listed on the Manhattan show. The new album's tracklist is below...

Continue reading "Damien Jurado is going to tour & release a new album despite wanting to hang it up (MP3 & NYC shows) "

DOWNLOAD: Damien Jurado - Gillian was a Horse (MP3)

Damien Jurado

"Laura Gibson's new album, Beasts of Seasons, is nothing short of a masterpiece, both for its flawless and often haunting execution and for its inspired statements on the human experience. Broken into two parts, "Communion Songs" and "Funeral Songs," the album opens with a foreboding burst of feedback and static. If it's the sonic equivalent of darkness and what may be lurking there, then Gibson's fragile voice and plaintively strummed guitar soon emerge as a flicker of light. It's a mesmerizing contrast, as the curtain rises for Gibson's beautifully gloomy and arresting meditations on life and death."
[NPR is streaming the whole album]

Damien Jurado is going on tour with Laura Gibson. Tickets are on sale for an April 17th show at the Bell House in Brooklyn. All dates below...

Continue reading "Damien Jurado & Laura Gibson - 2009 Tour Dates"

photos by Kyle Dean Reinford

DOWNLOAD: PWRFL POWER - It's Okay (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: PWRFL POWER - Alma Song (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Damien Jurado - Gillian Was a Horse (MP3)

Damien Jurado

Currently on tour in support of his latest album Caught in the Trees, the newly married Damien Jurado played a 1.5 hour set at Union Hall in Brooklyn last night (October 1). He also played Mercury Lounge in Manhattan one night earlier.

The famous Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson (with full band) and the quirky PWRFL Power opened the show which was great from start to finish (says Kyle).

Damien also visited WNYC's Soundcheck while he was here. You can stream that interview and performance at their site. More pictures from last night below...

Continue reading "Damien Jurado, Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson and Pwrfl Power @ Union Hall, Brooklyn, NY - pics"

With JagJaguwar, JagJaguwar, Dead Oceans, Dead Oceans and David Vandervelde's only upcoming tour date after today all on the front page, I was inspired to also post this piece of Secretly Canadian news and that is a new album by Damien Jurado called "Caught in the Trees" (out September 9, 2008 on Secretly Canadian) and a related tour which has him at Mercury Lounge on September 30th and Union Hall one day later. Both NYC shows are with Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson (add them to the list). All dates below...

Continue reading "Damien Jurado - new album, 2008 Tour Dates"

Jeremey Enigk & Damien Jurado

Jurado's solo career began during the mid-1990s, with him releasing lo-fi folk based recordings on his own cassette-only label, Casa Recordings. Gaining a local cult following in Seattle, he was brought to the attention of Sub Pop Records by Sunny Day Real Estate singer Jeremy Enigk. After two 7" releases ("Motorbike" and "Trampoline") Sub Pop issued his first full album, Waters Ave S. in 1997. His second album Rehearsals for Departure, released in 1999, was a relative breakthrough. Produced by Ken Stringfellow (The Posies, Big Star), Jurado's second album established him as both a singer and songwriter of great ability. [Wikipedia]

Tickets go on sale at noon for a June 1st show at Bowery Ballroom in NYC. All dates below....

Continue reading "Damien Jurado/Jeremy Enigk (old friends) - 2008 Tour Dates"