by Andrew Sacher

Maryland's Julia Brown (not a person, a band fronted by Sam Ray of the now-defunct Teen Suicide) released their debut album, To Be Close To You, this past February via Birdtapes. it's a super lo-fi, recorded-to-tape album reminiscent of those early pre-studio Mountain Goats albums in approach, but musically its sugary indie pop. You can stream the entire album below or download it (name your price) at bandcamp. You can also pick up the cassette from Birdtapes.

Julia Brown will be coming to NYC for the first-ever Orchid Tapes showcase which happens at all ages Bushwick DIY venue Living Bread Deli on May 18 (2 Knickerbocker Ave). The rest of the lineup includes Foxes In Fiction, Coma Cinema, RL Kelly, Happy Trendy, and Alex G. Orchid Tapes wite:

We will also be selling cassette compilation containing rare and unreleased songs from each of the musicians involved, which will be sold for an additional $5 with admission, with proceeds going towards traveling expenses for all the out-of-towners.

Continue reading "Julia Brown released an album, playing shows (dates, stream)"

Thomas Meluch will release his fourth album under his musical alias Benoît Pioulard, Hymnal, on March 4 via Kranky. The record was made in England and Europe while on a year abroad, taking inspiration from the continent's many ornate cathedrals. Benoît just released the video for album track "Margin" and you can watch that below.

You may remember that Benoît just released a split with Foxes in Fiction, with whom he'll share a few dates on his upcoming March tour, though not at either of FiF's NYC shows this month. He will, however, play The Studio @ Webster Hall on March 26 with Noveller and tickets are on sale now. All tour dates are listed below.

Continue reading "Benoit Pioulard readies new LP, playing shows (dates, stream)"

Foxes in Fiction (aka former Toronto resident Warren Hildebrand who now lives in NYC) has a new single coming out on French label Wool Recordings next month which is a collaboration with likeminded lo-fi artist Benoît Pioulard and you can stream one of the tracks below.

Hildebrand, who has also spent time in the live incarnation of Memoryhouse, will be bringing Foxes in Fiction to NYC for two shows next month: Glasslands on February 10 with Four Visions (tickets on sale); and a record release party at Silent Barn on February 25.

Single stream and artwork below...

Continue reading "Foxes in Fiction releasing new 7", playing NYC (dates, stream)"

by Andrew Sacher

Over the summer, we mentioned that Berlin-via-Stockholm lo-fi pop songwriter Molly Nilsson, who contributed to John Maus' excellent 2011 LP, We Must Become the Pitiless Censors of Ourselves, is coming to NYC for a show at Glasslands on October 28. Sufjan Sevens/Sharon Van Etten collaborator Cat Martino and Amalie Bruun are opening that show and tickets are still available. That show is part of a larger tour of the US and Canada which kicks off in NYC this week at Littlefield on Thursday (9/6) with Tim Fite (who released a new album this year) and Foxes in Fiction. Tickets for the Littlefield show are on sale now.

Molly Nilsson released her most recent album, History, in 2011. Here's what I said about it back in June:

One listen to History, and it's no surprise why John Maus wanted to work with her. She's got masterfully crafted synths and drum machines, and a commanding new wave baritone that looks to the '80s for its cues and grounds them in the lo-fi tendencies of modern day bedroom pop. And though the overall mood is dark and subdued, Molly's voice soars.

Continue reading "Molly Nilsson kicking off North American tour in NYC (dates)"

Seun Kuti (is back in town & plays Highline Ballroom tonight)

today in NYC
* ASSSCAT 3000 @ UCB
* Moonalice @ Brooklyn Bowl
* Pretty Good Friends @ Union Hall
* Other Crimes, Ana Lola Roman @ Zebulon
* Sunday Night Standup @ Three of Cups
* The Curious Mystery, Popcorn @ The Ace Hotel
* The War On Drugs, Sleepy Sun @ Bowery Ballroom
* Comedy Night @ The Knit with Hannibal Buress
* Nada Surf, Milagres @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
* Wymyns Prysyn, Tournament, Foster Care, Plant @ Death By Audio
* Angel Olsen, Companion, Emily Reo, Alex Drewchin @ Littlefield
* Veins, Raw Nerve, Divine Right, Hoax, Chain Wallet @ 538 Johnson Avenue
* Foxes In Fiction, Happy New Year, Backlights, Four Visions @ Glasslands
* Heyrocco, French Camp, Adam and the Amethysts, The Academics @ Cake Shop
* Seun Kuti & Fela's Egypt, Zozo Afrobeat, Rich Medina 80 @ Highline Ballroom

As mentioned, the K Records-signed Curious Mystery, who just played Market Hotel with the Hive Dwellers (Calvin Johnson included), begin a Sunday night residency at NYC's Ace Hotel tonight.

Toronto bedroop pop artist Warren Hildebrand, aka Foxes in Fiction, is in town for a show at Glasslands.

Chicago Bonnie Prince Billy collaborator Angel Olsen plays one more show in Brooklyn tonight. Her last was at Glasslands.

Both Nada Surf and The War on Drugs play their second of two NYC shows tonight (not together).

TODAY at PS1:

Location: MoMA PS1 Performance Dome, 3-6 PM
The Brucennial 2012, the most important exhibition of all time, ever, just got a whole lot betterer. The Bruce High Quality Foundation and MoMA PS1 are pleased to announce Bruceforma 2012: The Resurrection, the most important performance addendum to the most important exhibition of all time, ever. Featuring live music, live performance, live easter egg hunting, live lamb roasting, and a live resurrection of Bruce High Quality!

With Grayson Revoir
Brian Hubble
Philip Gabriel
Kenneth Casey Swoyer
Sleep Study (Marshall James Kavanaugh, Sophie White)
Platnumb Hits (Emerson Greenesmith, Eamon Monaghan)
Tomashi Jackson
Stephen Wuensch
Tight Spots
Sophia Knapp
Dinner with Loren Kramar (Oto Gillen, Eugene Wasserman, Keegan Monaghan, Loren Kramar)

3 PM
Kenneth Casey Swoyer
Sleep Study (Marshall James Kavanaugh, Sophie White)
Platnumb Hits (Emerson Greenesmith, Eamon Monaghan)

4 PM
Tomashi Jackson
Stephen Wuensch
Tight Spots

5 PM
Sophia Knapp
Dinner with Loren Kramar (Oto Gillen, Eugene Wasserman, Keegan Monaghan, Loren Kramar)

Follow @BrooklynVegan on Twitter.
Follow @bvChicago for just Chicago stuff.
Also follow @bvAustin for just Austin stuff.

Be our friend on Facebook too, and BV Austin's friend on Facebook and BV Chicago's friend on Facebook.

What else?

by Bill Pearis

DOWNLOAD: Natural Child - Hard Workin' Man (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Natural Child - Yer Birthday (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Miracle Fortress - Miscalculations (MP3)

Happy Summer everybody. Before we get into this week's recommended shows, I hope you've been spending the week, like I have, listening obsessively to Domino Radio which has put together an incredible all-star lineup of presenters for this seven-day experiment. All the shows are archived, so go back and listen to Felt/Denim mastermind Lawrence, Primal Scream's Bobby Gillespie (who appears on the new CSS record), Mute Records founder (and former Silicon Teen) Daniel Miller, Franz Ferdinand's Alex Kapranos spin tunes, among other notables. Upcoming DJ slots include Radiohead's Colin Greenwood on Friday, Robert Wyatt and Alfie are on Saturday, and The Pastels on Sunday. Here's hoping they bring it back at a later date.

Ume

Ok, let's get into what this weekend and beyond has in store. Austin powerhouse trio Ume's current tour hits the city this weekend for two shows: tonight (6/9) at Pianos and Saturday (6/11) at The Rock Shop. As previously reported, the band just signed to Modern Outsider records who will release their debut album, Phantoms, in August. Pretty much everybody here at BV are Ume fans. They write great songs and, yes, they are a bundle of energy on stage with some serious guitar heroics provided by singer Lauren Langer Larsen. After NYC the three of them head north to the NXNE festival. All Ume dates are at the bottom of this post.

Memoryhouse

Memoryhouse also roll into town this weekend. They play Glasslands on Friday (6/10) and Piano's on Saturday (6/11). Both shows are with dreamy acoustic trio High Highs who are worth getting there early to see.

As you may have heard the Toronto duo are now signed to Sub Pop and should have something out on the label by year's end. Memoryhouse is also now a full band, including a drummer, which make the likelihood of their music remaining Eno-ambient less likely. I'd probably have more of a clue if I'd caught their set at our SXSW party this year. Reports I could find from Austin were positive, though not especially descriptive. Anyone got a firsthand report? Personally I"m hoping this more traditional band format pulls them into Slowdive territory. We shall see.

Both shows have their individual draws. Glasslands also has personal faves North Highlands whose debut album is in the can, apparently, and now we just have to wait for someone to release it. They will definitely be the most energetic live band on the bill, unless all the other groups have radically changed. Well, I've never seen Wonder Bear live but judging by the chill sounds on their album Avalanche (a free download) but I have to imagine it will be a mellow affair.

Speaking of chill, you may remember the sweatbox that was Glasslands last summer, well with the new club's new makeover they also finally got A/C. Certainly the 90 degree heat of this week will be a good test for it's power.

Meanwhile the Pianos show on Saturday has Foxes in Fiction which is, on record, basically Warren Hildebrand who is now also a member of the Memoryhouse live touring unit. At SXSW he was backed by Memoryhouse so I'd expect the same here. Last year's Swung from Branches mixed soundscapes with more structured songwriting (he gets compared to Bradford Cox a lot) and his most recent FiF release, Alberto (download the whole thing for free HERE), finds him moving into even more pop territory. It's a packed Pianos bill, including Eastern Conference Champions and Suns (not Suuns).

Natural Child

Let's keep going, shall we? Nashville party rock trio Natural Child are here for a two-night stint at Death By Audio, playing Sunday (6/12) and Monday (6/13). The band's debut album is out now on JEFF the Brotherhood's Infinity Cat label which should give you a good idea of what you're in for. An even better indicator are the two tracks from it at the top of this post from the album. If you like Thin Lizzy, honky tonk side of the Stones and JEFF the Brotherhood, you'll probably dig Natural Child too. These shows are bound to be packed and sweaty (and smokey) so be prepared for that, as well as for having a good time.

Laetitia Sadier

On the opposite end of the spectrum is former Stereolab vocalist Laetitia Sadier who will be playing  Le Poisson Rouge on Monday (6/13) and The Rock Shop on Wednesday (6/15). Her solo debut, The Trip, came out last year on Drag City and was a lovely album. Not that far off from what she did with her band for the last 15 or so years, but it has it's own special charms as well.

Miracle Fortress

And lastly this Tuesday (6/14) is a swell double bill of danceable Canadians at Webster Hall: Junior Boys and Miracle Fortress. Junior Boys' fourth album, It's All True, is out that same day on Domino and is another fine example of their lithe, breezy style. Miracle Fortress -- aka Graham Van Pelt of Think About Life -- just released its second album, Was I the Wave, which finds him setting aside the first LP's guitars in favor of electronics with a decidedly Eno-esque slant. You can download album track "Miscalculations" at the top of this post. It's a really nice record. When I caught him at SXSW, Van Pelt performed solo surrounded by tons of equipment and a few vintage table lamps. Not bad for a one man show.

That's it for this week. A few more day-by-day picks follow.

THURSDAY JUNE 9

Looking for some quality indie rock newcomers? TWII-approved bands Radical Dads and Gross Relations are at Cake Shop tonight.

Did you know The Cloud Room was still together? They are and play Mercury Lounge tonight. Of course they're going to play local hit "Hey Now Now," no need to shout for it.

continued below...

Continue reading "Domino radio, Glasslands A/C, Ume, Foxes in Fiction, Natural Child, Miracle Fortress & more in This Week in Indie"