by Andrew Sacher

DOWNLOAD: Owen - "I Believe" (MP3)

Owen (aka Mike Kinsella) is releasing his sixth full length album, Ghost Town on November 8 via Polyvinyl. After becoming a husband and father, Owen made a shift in his songwriting on the appropriately titled New Leaves in 2009. He abandoned his damaged lyrics and delicate acoustic guitar for a fuller band-oriented album, which felt overall like a more lighthearted affair. Those new leaves may still be turned over, but whatever it was that haunted Owen on his earlier work is resurfacing on Ghost Town. As he admits on "No Language," "I guess I'm still angry/Still punching walls that look like you." You can grab the album track "I Believe" above and stream two others below, along with the artwork and tracklist and preorder it at the Polyvinyl webstore.

Owen is scheduled to play the Pygmalion Music Festival in Champaign, IL this month. He'll go on tour in support of the album later this year. A full set of dates hasn't been announced yet but it's been revealed that he'll play NYC on December 2 at Glasslands. The NYC show is being opened by Caithlin de Marrais, lead singer of Owen's ex-Polyvinyl labelmates Rainer Maria, who broke up in 2006. Tickets go on sale Friday (9/16) at 7 AM.

Caithlin, whose new solo record 'Red Coats' is coming out Nov. 8 on End Up Records, also has a NYC show coming up even sooner, a CMJ showcase at Littlefield in Brooklyn that looks like this:

BITCH Magazine Presents:
Caithlin De Marrais (ex-Rainer Maria)
The Shondes
Grass Widow
Alina Simone
Fri, October 21, 2011
Doors: 8:00 pm / Show: 8:30 pm
$10.00
This event is 21 and over
FREE WITH CMJ BADGE

Grass Widow is also in NYC this week, with the Raincoats.

In July, Owen covered Jane's Addiction's "Summertime Rolls" at Hot Doug's in Chicago for AV Club. Check out a video of that performance, a video from Caithlin's new record, all Owen dates, song streams, album art and tracklist below...

Continue reading "Owen & Caithlin De Marrais releasing albums, playing shows"

by Bill Pearis

As previously mentioned, Friday (9/16) at the Warsaw is the first date of a short tour for classic postpunk band The Raincoats who just reissued their seminal 1980 album Oddyshape on vinyl. I wrote this a while back:

With odd instrumentation, unconventional songwriting and a generally itchy, discordant vibe, the London group's three original albums (1979's self-titled debut , 1981's Odyshape, 1984's Moving) were mildly successful on the UK indie charts but proved highly influential. (Their records have aged exceptionally well.) Kurt Cobain was a huge fan, and actually got his label DGC to reissue the Raincoats' albums and convinced the band to reform and open for Nirvana on a 1994 UK tour, though he would die a week before it was to start. But the reformation proved creatively successful, and Raincoats recorded a third album, Looking in the Shadows, in 1996. They've stayed sporadically active ever since.

Openers on this tour are San Francisco's Grass Widow who are definitely direct descendants of The Raincoats style and sound. Their new single "Milo Minute" is a little more straightforward than anything we've released in a while, I like it a lot. The video, filmed at Boston's Franklin Park Zoo, is below.

Tobi Vail (Bikini Kill, Frumpies) and Amy Yao (Emily's Sassy Lime) are both also DJing the Brooklyn show. All dates below too...

Continue reading "Grass Widow heading out on tour w/ The Raincoats"

Lower Dens at Bruar Falls (more by Jessica Amaya)

Lower Dens headlined Music Hall of Williamsburg on Friday (2/25). How was that show?

Next week Lower Dens will hit the road to get to SXSW followed by a European tour that will last them through mid-April. After a couple of weeks away from the road, they'll play some more shows including one at the more intimate Mercury Lounge on May 1st with Tara Jane O'Neil. Tickets go on AMEX presale Wednesday at noon (3/2), and regular sale on Friday.

Mercury Lounge is one of two NYC dates scheduled for Tara Jane O'Neil. She'll also play Death by Audio on April 24th with Broken Water, Grass Widow, and Talk Normal. That is one of two NYC dates scheduled for Grass Widow (who'll also support Hunx & His Punx at Glasslands).

The Tara Jane O'Neil dates precede the release of "Ruh Roh", A collaborative LP with Nikaido Kazumi (5/24 on K Records) an album described as "an experiment in improvisation and collaboration without shared language". Listen to at track at K.

All tour dates, video from Lower Dens' MHOW show and more below...

Continue reading "Lower Dens played MHOW, playing Merc w/ Tara Jane O'Neil who plays DbA w/ Grass Widow (and other dates)"

by BBG

DOWNLOAD: The Psychic Paramount - "RW" Excerpt (MP3)

The Psychic Paramount

After releasing a double-disc of solo guitar compositions and a live LP, The Psychic Paramount is back with their second full-length of new material, the aptly titled II due on Feb 22nd via No Quarter Records. Fans of ripping and proggy instrumentation take note and preorder the new LP via No Quarter. Check out an excerpt of the first track to make its way out, "RW" which you can download above/stream below.

TPP will play a record release party on March 5th at Death By Audio, snagging Talk Normal and Eleven Twenty Nine (Tom Carter + Marc Orleans) to warm the masses. The show is one of two scheduled for Eleven Twenty-Nine, who will also play Zebulon on 2/22 with the Gunn/Truscinski Duo, Marcia Bassett/Samara Lubelski and Messages.

Before the Eleven Twenty-Nine show at Zebulon, Daniel Higgs will play a special "Happy Hour" set, the second of four of such sets scheduled at the venue happening from 2/21-2/24 which is right before he plays, Issue Project Room on 2/26. The spankin' new Skull Defekts (with Higgs) will play Littlefield on April 3rd.

Talk Normal also has a few other shows in their near future, including one with Liturgy at 285 Kent Ave on 2/25, April 23rd at The Stone, and April 24th at Death By Audio with Grass Widow, Broken Water & Tara Jane O'Neil.

All tour dates, a video and that PP song stream is below...

Continue reading "The Psychic Paramount releasing 'II' & playing a show w/ Talk Normal ++ Daniel Higgs doing 4 shows @ Zebulon & more"

"heading to NYC to play the PORTLANDIA premiere!" - The Thermals

"OMG just saw Carrie Brownstein at the airport SHE'S ON OUR FLIGHT!!!" - The Thermals

"whoa there's a lot of sluts on this flight. c u in NYC!" - The Thermals

"good flight. I finally learned what the mile high club is. I always thought it meant getting stoned in Denver" - The Thermals

The Thermals @ 2009 Pitchfork Fest (more by Joseph Xu)

"Allow us to introduce you (against their wishes) to Forbidden Friends!

Forbidden Friends is part secret society, part torrid love affair. The kind of experience you cherish, yet would kill to keep secret. Well as of this moment the secret is OUT. You can wash your dirty sheets as many times as you want, but once the world knows all your steamy indiscretions there's no going back! Might as well post all your (formerly) deep, dark secrets as your next status update. Forbidden Friends may have hoped to keep their little club private, but it's too late now! The gossips have spoken and won. Let's tell EVERYBODY. Please help us!

Forbidden Friends is a new band from Hutch Harris, lead singer and mastermind of The Thermals, Portland's last great post-pop-punk-power trio. Initially conceived as a way for lovers to send hidden messages in plain view (isn't there an app for that?), Forbidden Friends is now a legitimate, public work of art. The band is at once old fashioned (acoustic instruments, mono mixes), forward thinking (reference-less, incredibly danceable), and timeless (classic lyrical themes of love and desire.)

Forbidden Friends will release their debut single, "Tiny Hands", on the Kill Rock Stars label March 15, 2011, on vinyl (7") and digital download. It is accompanied by the b-side "For You". Harris played the basic instruments (drums, guitar, bass, vocals), and was assisted in the studio by his fellow Thermals Kathy Foster and Westin Glass, as well as Michael Lerner of Telekinesis, on percussion. Both songs are truly upbeat and fun, and are the perfect introduction to this exciting new band." [Kill Rock Stars]

Forbidden Friends have no upcoming live dates, but (not counting the private party that Hutch has been tweeting about - see the top of this post) The Thermals do, as do Portlandia guest stars and Thermals' Kill Rock Stars label-mates Corin Tucker and the Decemberists.

Portlandia, starring Fred Armisen and Carrie Brownstein, premieres on Friday, January 21, 2011 at 10:30 PM ET/PT on IFC, but you can watch it now in the video embedded below.

The Thermals, after the Portlandia party (1/19), have some dates scheduled on the west coast followed by a European tour with The Coathangers. Their list of dates, and Carrie's new band Wild Flag's updated set of dates, and pretty much every upcoming Kill Rock Stars-artist tour date currently listed by the label, is below...

Continue reading "Hutch of the Thermals forms new band 'Forbidden Friends' (Thermals playing a Portlandia party in NYC & other dates)"

photos by Andrew Frisicano

Grass Widow

Grass Widow played the "Old Firehouse" aka "DCTV" in Manhattan last night, supporting Beach Fossils and flanked by Oberhofer & Ovens. The show was part of a SHOWPAPER "pop up gallery opening/closing", and as you can see in the pictures in this post, there was more going on than just music.

The show was one of two for the San Fran all-girl band with the second going down tonight (9/28) with The Babies (mems Vivian Girls, Woods, Bossy, Stupid Party), Ovens (again), Web Dating, and Red Romans at Monster Island at 8PM.

More pictures from last night's gig, though none of Ovens unfortunately, and some videos shot by (((unartig))), below...

Continue reading "Grass Widow, Beach Fossils & Oberhofer played an 'Old Firehouse' (pics & video) "

photos by Matthew Eisman

DOWNLOAD: Grass Widow - Fried Egg (MP3)

Grass Widow @ Prospect Park

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Monday September 27th @ OLD FIREHOUSE aka DCTV
:: "WHAT, NO HELLO?" - a SHOWPAPER pop up gallery opening/closing
:: curated by GABRIELLE SHAW
:: video by Alaina Stamatis, G Lucas Crane, Jesse Hlebo, & Sean Berman
:: sculpture by Olga Miasnikova
:: Beach Fossils
:::: Grass Widow
:::::: Oberhofer
:::::::: Ovens
| OLD FIREHOUSE | aka DCTV
87 Lafayette St @ White St | Chinatown, Manhattan
NQRW6JZ to Canal St | 7pm | all ages | $10

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Tuesday September 28th @ MONSTER ISLAND
:: the Babies ------ mems Vivian Girls, Woods, Bossy, Stupid Party
:::: Grass Widow
:::::: Ovens
:::::::: Web Dating
:::::::::: Red Romans
| MONSTER ISLAND |
128 River St @ Metropolitan Ave | Williamsburg, Brooklyn
L-Bedford, G-Metropolitan, JM-Marcy | 8pm | all ages | $tba

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The above two-Todd P listings include all the info you need to know about the Grass Widow dates happening in NYC on Monday and Tuesday night. Each show has other great bands on it as well. Last time the California band was here was when they played Prospect Park with Sonic Youth. A second set of pictures from that show, the band's new video fro "11 of Diamonds" and updated tour dates, below...

Continue reading "Grass Widow are back - updated dates & Prospect Park pics "

photos by Lori Baily

"Is there any better big venue live band these days than Sonic Youth? Okay, maybe Radiohead, maybe Phish, and maybe--depending on how their Madison Square Garden debut goes this week--even Arcade Fire. (Yes, we just used Phish in the same sentence as Sonic Youth; the crucifixion line forms on the right!) But none of those bands possess Sonic Youth's illustrious history, or restless dynamism, or reckless edge. Frontman Thurston Moore is middle age (his wife/bandmate Kim Gordon's even older!) but after seeing them crush the Celebrate Brooklyn bandshell in Prospect Park Saturday night, it's clear that their particular blend of punk-pop-noise rock is some sort of magical, anti-aging elixir that ought to be bottled and sold worldwide. Don't grow old gracefully; shred it every step of the way with Tonic Youth." [Gothamist]

Sonic Youth played a free Celebrate Brooklyn show to a packed Prospect Park on Saturday, July 31st. It was magnificent. Show highlights, if I can remember back that far, included the pre-encore set closer, "Shaking Hell" and Thurston trying to get Kim back on stage to play the encore-closing number, "Expressway To Yr Skull". He did so by having the whole crowd chant "Kim G" over and over ("kimchee, kimchee").

Brooklyn's Talk Normal and SanFran's Grass Widow opened. The latter will be back in September for two TBA shows (both still listed without venues by Todd P). Sonic Youth were minus bassist Mark Ibold, who was/is touring with his old band, Pavement (who played Osheaga that weekend). SY's set list is posted below.

Sonic Youth's, and Lee Ranaldo's Text of Light's, upcoming shows include ATP NY over Labor Day weekend. Now that's true for Thurston solo too:

"Today we're happy to announce a few last minute additions to the ATP New York line-up.

First of all Sonic Youth frontman Thurston Moore will play a solo set on Sunday as chosen by Jim Jarmusch.

Second we have a fourth comedian to add to Friday's line-up as chosen by Syd Butler; Matt McCarthy." [ATP]

Comedian Todd Barry (who performs at MHOW tonight) was also recently added to the fest. The rest of the ATP NY lineup is HERE. More pictures and the set list from the SY show are below...

Continue reading "Sonic Youth played Prospect Park this summer (belated pics), Thurston Moore added to ATP NY "

by Bill Pearis

DOWNLOAD: Avi Buffalo - What's In It For? (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: CFCF - Big Love (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Grass Widow - Shadow (MP3)

This weekend is The Big Takeover's 30th Anniversary celebration: two nights of shows at the Bell House put together by Jack Rabid who has been publishing the 'zine since 1980. Jack's one of the most passionate, informed music fans I've ever met and he's put together a pretty stellar line-up of artists, most of which will be familiar to regular BT readers.

Friday night (7/30) is headlined by San Francisco punk legends The Avengers, and Seattle's Visqueen, and the first performance in 16 years by Flower (Ed and James Balyut's pre-Versus band). Plus the L.A. punks Channel 3, the Libertines U.S. (from Cincinnati) playing their first-ever Big Apple show, and Jack Rabid's band Springhouse.

For Against

Saturday night (7/31) is even more action packed. Former Chameleons frontman Mark Burgess headlines, performing acoustic and with a full band; legendary Lincoln, NE post-punk shoegazers For Against, playing their first East Coast show in 15 years; and Springhouse performs again, this time doing their 1993 album Postcards from the Arctic in full. Also: Former Nerves/Beat singer Paul Collins, a rare U.S. appearance by ex-Mutton Birds frontman Don McGlashan, onetime Newtown Neurotics singer Steve Drewitt (first-ever U.S. show), and the Posies' Jon Auer. Also also: The Sharp Things, The Sleepover Disaster (first-ever East Coast shows) and The Curtain Society.

You can still buy two-day passes for $40 as well. (Individual tickets are $25.) If you've never read The Big Takeover, well you should really recitify that. Each phone book sized issue (twice yearly) is packed with in-depth interviews, reviews and essays, the bulk of which is still written by Jack. The magazine's slogan is "Music with Heart" and he means it, man. The 30th Anniversary issue (#66 if you're keeping track) is just out with Spoon on the cover. Like always, it's a great read.

Avi Buffalo

Avi Buffalo play the Seaport Music Festival on Friday, their only New York appearance this go-around. Their self-titled Sub Pop debut is an impressive collection of shimmery, folky guitar pop that has stayed in constant rotation on my stereo since March. Live, Avi Buffalo put a little more muscle into the tunes. Front man Avigdor Zahner-Isenberg is a Doug Martsch in the making. (You get a sense of it on the LP's seven-minute jam "Remember the Last Time.") Dude uses like 15 pedals and is a pretty serious shredder. I thought they were great at South by Southwest. Yes they are barely old enough to buy cigarettes (not that they should be smoking!) but that just means Avi Buffalo haven't even hit their stride -- which is exciting.

Opening is Canadian multi-hyphenate wunderkind (and Sub Pop labelmate) Chad Van Gaalen who hasn't made a new record of his own in two years but has probably stayed busy being an illustrator, animator, and producer of Women. Unlike last Friday, weather looks to be idyllic Friday (sunny, high of 84) -- should be a lovely early evening on the pier.

CFCF

Despite the preponderance of reverbed garage, twee indiepop and '90s era slackerdom in this column, I do listen to a fair amount of dance music though I'm not really a club-goer. One of my favorite albums of 2009 was Continent, the full-length debut from CFCF, aka Vancouver beat-maker Michael Silver. It's an ambitious disc of instrumental, yet highly melodic dance music without even a trace of chillwave. (Though there's definitely some Balearic in there.) It's ridiculously catchy, and you may find yourself singing overtop tracks, making up your own lyrics (Well I do anyway.) Annie, Roisin, Robyn, etc... may I present your new collaborator?

You can download CFCF's great cover of Fleetwood Mac's "Big Love" at the top of this post -- the only vocal track on Continent. Silver, who is also an in-demand remixer (on the new HEALTH album for instance), is in town this weekend for a bunch of DJ gigs. You can hear him spin Friday night (7/30) at Cameo Gallery with Jacques Renault and Lovefingers, and then the PS1 Warm Up on Saturday (8/31), where Animal Collective also DJ, plus live performances from Prince Rama and Blondes.

Grass Widow

If you're going to Prospect Park for Sonic Youth on Saturday, do get there early and catch Grass Widow as it's their only NYC show for now. The San Francisco trio's new album, Past Time, is out August 24 on Kill Rock Stars. It could use a few more choruses but gets by on the band's very distinctive sound. You can download "Shadows" from the new album at the top of this post and watch its lovely animated video at the bottom of this post. Grass Widow are teriffic live -- it will be interesting to see them on such a big stage. If you can't make it, they'll be back in September for two shows (Sept. 27 -28, venues still TBD). All tour dates at the bottom of this post.

---

And some daily picks of things not otherwise covered above:

THURSDAY, JULY 29

The Music Slut has been blogging away for five years and they're celebrating on a boat! Specifically, the Rocks Off Concert Cruise ship and they've put Javelin, Keepaway and I Love Monsters aboard it. Boat leaves at 7pm, don't be late. Happy birthday, guys.

Coco 66 has a night of bliss-out drone, noise, old synthesizers, psychedelic freakouts, and tribal chanting all in celebration of the release of Amen Dunes' new album, Murder Dull Mind, which is out on Sacred Bones. Also playing Gary War, recent Paw Tracks signees Prince Rama (who are at PS 1 Saturday), and Coconuts. Open vodka bar at 9PM till it runs out.

Over at Silent Barn, you can catch locals Sisters whose debut album, Ghost Fits, is out in September on Narnack Records. Also playing: Knight School, Nude Beach, Giant Peach.

Meanwhile at Union Pool, there's CYHSY offshoot Radical Dads, Rope and The New Colossus.

continued below....

Continue reading "The Big Takeover, Avi Buffalo, CFCF, Amen Dunes, Grass Widow, Ducktails & more in This Week in Indie "

Sonic Youth @ MHOW in 2009 (more by Lori Baily)

"What I'm aiming for all the time when we play live is a balance between the high energy of loud music, and a calm meditational energy you sometimes find at its core. Recording tends to restrict too much experimentation, 'cause when you're making a record it's a part of you, for that time it's your whole fabric. But when we tour the songs, they tend to get more and more expansive, and actually evolve over time until they are something quite different. For this reason I never go back and listen to the recorded document. The thrill, instead of listening to our cds, comes when the balance I was talking about can be attained. Everyone in the room can have a shared, communal rock experience. I'm only too happy to be the conduit of it, after all rock'n'roll saved my soul." [Thurston Moore]

On Saturday (7/24), Thurston Moore will be opening for Bill Orcutt (of '90s noise band Harry Pussy) at Glasslands. Opening up are Weasel Walter's Cellular Chaos (who play the Charleston the next night and have lots more shows coming up) and Family Battle Snake.

Another member of Sonic Youth, Lee Ranaldo will join Leah Singer and Nick Zinner at the New Museum to "offer multimedia tributes to the Dreamachine," its new exhibit, on July 30th Tickets are on sale.

Lee Ranaldo plays with Text of Light at ATP NY (where Sonic Youth are also playing) and (Le) Poisson Rouge in September.

Sonic Youth are at Prospect Park on July 31st with Talk Normal and Grass Widow (who return to NYC at the end of September).

Bill Orcutt videos and all Sonic Youth and Grass Window dates are below...

Continue reading "Thurston Moore playing w/ Bill Orcutt, Lee Ranaldo @ New Museum & other Sonic Youth-related & Grass Widow dates "

Celebrate Brooklyn '09 (more by Chris La Putt)

The Celebrate Brooklyn series' 2010 schedule is out. Check out the free (or $3 suggested donation) shows that will be happening at Prospect Park this summer below.

There's the previously mentioned shows with Norah Jones, Konono No. 1, Sonic Youth (who have Talk Normal and Grass Widow opening for them), Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings with Budos Band, Swell Season and the Low Anthem, Metric, The Roots and Allen Toussaint, all for free. The ticketed benefit shows are Rufus Wainwright on July 20th, Dead Weather on August 3rd, and already-sold-out shows with Passion Pit and The National.

The full schedule is below...

Continue reading "Celebrate Brooklyn's 2010 Prospect Park concert lineup"

by BBG

Rorschach at The Charleston (more by Ryan Muir)

Last year's jaw-dropping lineup at Chaos In Tejas was sick, and 2010 is proving to be no different. For four days across four different Austin venues, May 27th to the 30th at Emo's, Mohawk, Red 7 and Beerland, the festival will offer some of the most impressive names in the independent/underground scene including the indestructible Rorschach, the first ever US appearance from Australian punk greats X, a one-time reunion of Japanese crust-core band Bastard, the quirky cutesy indie pop-punk of Grass Widow, Gehenna (who just played A389), Subhumans, Bastard Noise (who have a new record), Bone Awl, BV faves Jeff The Brotherhood, The Spits, Psychedelic Horseshit, Ty Segall, The Ponys, Iron Lung (who recently played Cake Shop), Poison Idea, Inquisition, and many many many others.

In addition to the obvious mayhem that will ensue over the four days, Chaos in Tejas will also showcase art from some of the scene's most interesting names including Tim Kerr (of Big Boys), Winston Smith (responsible for tons of collage work, including the Dead Kennedys best album art), and Bryan Ray Turcotte (best known for his book Fucked Up and Photocopied).

The full (and intimidating) list is below...

Continue reading "Chaos in Tejas 2010 (May 27-30) - intial lineup (Rorschach, Bastard reunion, Spits, Bone Awl, Ty Segall, much more)"

by Bill Pearis

DOWNLOAD: Frankie Rose - "Thee Only One" (MP3)

Frankie & The Outs @ The Bell House (more by Tim Griffin)

Having spent time on the drumkit for both Vivian Girls and Crystal Stilts, Frankie Rose went solo this year with her debut single on Slumberland, "Thee Only One," (downloadable above) and her new band, The Outs. And just when she thought she was off the drums for good, she went and joined Dum Dum Girls whose debut for Sub Pop is due early next year.

You can see Frankie and the Outs on New Year's Eve at Cameo Gallery along with Beach Fossils, We Are Country Mice, Lemonade and Surfer Blood -- a pretty hot line-up for such a tiny club (Advance tickets now available). It's one of three upcoming shows for Frankie including a house party with Screaming Females and Talk Normal on New Years Day and a February gig in Brooklyn with Austin's Harlem (two days after they play Mercury Lounge)

Those dates and Frankie's answers to a few questions, below...

Continue reading "an end of 2009 interview w/ Frankie Rose (who has 3 upcoming shows including New Years Eve w/ TIX ON SALE) "

Heartless Bastards @ APW (more by Chris La Putt)

tonight in NYC
* Rev. Vince Anderson @ Union Pool
* Olof Arnalds @ Rockwood Music Hall
* Steve Miller & the Les Paul Trio @ Iridium
* Ben Perowsky's Moodswing Orchestra @ Nublu
* Ray Lamontagne, Dave Gutter @ Beacon Theater
* Cass McCombs, Acrylics, The Bad Girlfriends @ Bowery Ballroom
* Peter Bjorn & John, El Perro del Mar, The Suzan @ Webster Hall
* The Wowz, Jason Anderson, Schwervon!, Jeffrey Lewis @ Cake Shop
* The Answering Machine, Simone Tomassini, Drew Holcombe @ Pianos
* Wolfmother, The Heartless Bastards, Thenewno2 @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
* Small Beast w/ Paul Wallfisch, Stephen Rappaport, Norden Bombasight @ The Delancey

Les Paul passed away earlier this year, but the Les Paul Trio continues to perform on Monday nights at Iridium. Tonight their guest is Steve Miller

A video of Grass Widow playing the Brooklyn Museum on Saturday, below...

What else?

Continue reading "What's going on Monday?"

by Bill Pearis

DOWNLOAD: Grass Widow - To Where (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Frankie Rose - Thee Only One (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: The Mary Onettes - Puzzles (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: The Mary Onettes - Dare (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Carsick Cars - You Can Listen You Can Talk (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Carsick Cars - Zhong Nan Hai (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: PK-14 - Behind All Ruptures (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Xiao He - MTV (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: The Answering Machine - Another City, Another Sorry (MP3)

Frankie & the Outs - debut show @ The Woods on Halloween

I'm barely recovered from post-CMJ cold and we've got a week that is so packed with good shows it feels like another festival is in town.

Mercury Prize nominees The Invisible are playing their first U.S. shows this week, starting with a free one tonight at Brooklyn Bowl. Their lauded debut album doesn't fit into one easy category, which befits a band on Matthew Herbert's label. It's all fairly warm and soulful, but with forays into funk, sparse ballads, electro and Krautrock. There's a lot going on and I'll be curious to see how a three-piece can pull it off live. The Invisible also play Santos tomorrow (11/5) opening for Dragonette, and then on Friday at Pianos (11/6) where they'll be on the same bill as Freelance Whales.

The Mary Onettes, here from Sweden, play their first NYC show this year, tonight (11/4) at Union Hall where they'll play with Blacklist. As I said before, like a lot of the bands on Labrador, The Mary Onettes love the '80s and wear those influences on their black-clad sleeves. But their second album, Islands, wears them a little more subtly, though they are still writing reach-for-the-stars chorus -- now with strings. I like them a lot. They also play Friday (11/6) at Studio @ Webster Hall and then Sunday (11/8) at Mercury Lounge.

Grass Widow

San Francisco's awesome Grass Widow are also in town this weekend for a string of dates, starting tomorrow (11/5) at The Woodser with Frankie & the Outs, Air Waves and Hot Box. (There was to be a second show tomorrow, late at Monster Island, but that has been cancelled.) There are more than a few all-girl trios out there playing vaguely C-86 style indie (including fellow San Franciscans Brilliant Colors), but Grass Widow write better songs than most, and I really like both 12" EPs they've released this year.

The Woodser show was to be notable as the live debut of Frankie & the Outs, but then they went and played Halloween night at similarly named Willliamsburg bar The Woods (picture above). Frankie's debut single, "Thee Only One," is out now and is worth picking up -- though I think more for the dreamy b-side "Hollow Life" than the A-side (good as it is, and downloadable above) which is a little more of what you'd expect from someone who spent time in Vivian Girls and Crystal Stilts. Frankie's got a way with harmonies, and the less that gets in the way of them, the better. There were a couple of songs The Outs did Saturday which were similarly laid back, and the best songs of the night.

The Bitters

Grass Widow also play Market Hotel on Friday night (11/6) along with Vivian Girls, The Bitters and Stupid Party. If you haven't heard The Bitters, the Toronto duo feature Ben Cook of Fucked Up (who play Thursday at Masonic Temple) and Aerin Fogel. They've got a single and an EP on Captured Tracks, the latter of which I dig (haven't heard the single yet). While definitely on the "low" end of the "fi" scale, Bitters are different from anything else on Captured Tracks with an early-'60s rock n' roll vibe (or early '80s West Coast punk), and Ben and Aerin's harmonies front-and-center.|

Grass Widow also play Saturday (11/7) afternoon at the Brooklyn Museum with Crystal Stilts and the Beets, a show which finally today was officially announced by the museum...

"Inspired by Gail's idea, and because we love Brooklyn photographers, on First Saturday we are inviting local photographers to come and shoot the bands that are playing and post their photos to the Brooklyn Museum's flickr group. Afterwards, Bob Gruen, a rock photography legend who is featured in the exhibition and has shot the likes of Bob Dylan, John Lennon, and The Clash, will look at the photos and blog about his favorites here!" [Brooklyn Museum]

Grass Window then play again at Market Hotel that night, for a show with Small Black, Pictureplane, Girls at Dawn and Cale Parks (formerly of Aloha). They're also going to play somewhere on Sunday (11/8)... venue TBA. Go see them if you can.

Carsick Cars

There's also the China Underground Invasion tour this weekend, with three of Beijing's best indie rock bands: Carsick Cars, PK-14 and Xiao He. In particular, I'm excited about Carsick Cars who I've actually heard of prior to this tour thanks to a friend who is living in Beijing and occasionally sends me music. They're definitely of the Sonic Youth/Dinosaur Jr school of noise n' drone. I only just got their new album, You Can Listen, You Can Talk, but have been listening to their 2008 debut a lot, and am told that its "Zhong Nan Hai" is like the Beijing indie anthem. The tour hits PowerHouse Arena tomorrow (11/5), Glasslands on Friday (11/6) and Santos on Saturday (11/7).

Tonight (11/4) is also the second week of The Answering Machine's three-week residency at Coco 66. The band has also added three more NYC dates while they're here: Nov. 9 at Pianos, Nov. 11 at Bruar Falls and Nov. 12 at Cake Shop.

Tahiti 80

And finally, Saturday night (11/7) French pop band Tahiti 80 play Mercury Lounge (tickets). When it comes to Franco-pop, Phoenix get the lion's share of the attention, but Tahiti 80 have been at it almost as long (if not just as long) and have made four danceable, hook-filled albums. The most recent of which, Activity Center, came out last year in France but is just now getting an American release. The band have retreated a bit from the full-on disco that was 2005's Fosbury, and gone back to the '60s sunshine of 2002's Wallpaper for the Soul which definitely suits them better. I haven't seen them play in ages, but they were always a good live band. Opening is Brookville, the other band from Ivy's Andy Chase -- who also produced Tahiti 80's first two albums.

Videos, tour dates and flyers are after the jump...

Continue reading "The Bitters, Grass Widow, Tahiti 80, The Mary Onettes, Frankie Rose, The Invisible & more in This Week in Indie "

by Bill Pearis

DOWNLOAD: Diehard - Karaoke King (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Small Black - Despicable Dogs (MP3)

Free Energy

Philadelphia's nostalgic party rockers Free Energy are playing The Bell House next Tuesday (11/10). This is the band's first NYC show since a pretty successful CMJ run:

This group's laser-guided desire to be the go-to Dazed and Confused house band makes their ultimate intent curious. Considering the caveman riffs, boogie bass, and lyrics like, "you can do what you want to do," the question is: Are these guys kidding? The answer is (basically), "no."

Because when Sprangers sings, "you can do what you want to do," or, "never give up," or even, "bang pop pop," he means it-- possibly more than a grown man should. So this is seriously fun music, the type of thing Weezer have attempted for the last few years except not as creepy or cloying. [Pitchfork]

After the Bell House show, Free Energy are hitting the road for a string of South West dates that were supposed to be with UK band The Rakes who instead decided to break up instead. (They announced it during CMJ, which somewhat explains why we're only mentioning it now.) The Rakes will be missed, but here's hoping singer Alan Donahoe finds a new band soon. He'll need to do something with that nervous energy. The affected NYC date is November 12th at Highline Ballroom ("refunds available at all points of purchase").

Free Energy are also playing Santos Party House on November 28 with Glint opening.

Back to the Bell House show though. Also playing are another band who had a good CMJ, Brooklyn's Small Black. While they seem a little more song-based than most of the bands lumped in with this chillwave/glo-fi thing, there is a Washed Out remix of their (very good) current single "Despicable Dogs" So let's just lump them in there too and make it easy on ourselves for now. Unlike Washed Out though, Small Black have already figured out how to make their live show interesting. So if you missed them during CMJ, here's another chance. They play Market Hotel on November 7th too, with Pictureplane, Cale Parks, Grass Widow, and The Girls at Dawn. All dates below.

Also on the Bell House line-up are relatively new band Diehard who seem to be actively channeling mid-'90s American indie rock like Superchunk, Archers of Loaf and Pavement, and they do it very well. Check out their song "Karaoke King" at the top of this post, and if you like that they've got two more downloadable MP3s at their website.

Live videos of Free Energy and Small Black from CMJ, plus all tour dates are below.

Continue reading "Free Energy tour dates without the Rakes who broke up, a show w/ Small Black who play Brooklyn w/ Pictureplane too"

by Bill Pearis

As I just mentioned, the November 7th Frankie Rose and The Outs show at the Woodser will be with San Francisco's Grass Widow who will be in town for a week's worth of shows. Frankie was in a band with most of them, called Shitstorm, who basically became Grass Widow after Frankie moved to NYC.

Grass Widow have put out two records this year -- an LP on Make a Mess records which came out over the summer, and a new EP on Captured Tracks. They're both worth picking up, especially for fans of Brilliant Colors, Vivian Girls (with whom they'll play at Market Hotel on Nov. 6) and Liechtenstein. There's also a free afternoon show at Brooklyn Museum on Nov. 7 with Crystal Stilts and The Beets.

The November 7th date coincides with the museum's Who Shot Rock: Photographers of Rock and Roll exhibition which opens at the end of October.

All upcoming Grass Widow and Crystal Stilts dates, and a video, below...

Continue reading "Grass Widow is coming -- Brooklyn Museum w/ Crystal Stilts, Market Hotel w/ Vivian Girls, Woodser w/ Frankie Rose"

by Bill Pearis

Frankie Rose is mainly known as a drummer, having played in Vivian Girls, Crystal Stilts, and Dum Dum Girls, but she's also a songwriter (she wrote VG's "Where Do You Run To?") and will be releasing her debut single, "Thee Only One," on Slumberland Records on October 27. She's also got a new band, Frankie and the Outs, who will make their live debut November 7th at The Woodser which will be the first show in a longtime for that South Williamsburg spot. Grass Widow is also on that bill.

With the new band, Frankie is sadly no longer drumming for Crystal Stilts. The split was amicable, guitarist JB plays guitar on her single. I'm told Crystal Stilts have a new drummer already, and the new Stilts lineup will even share a bill with Frankie and the Outs at two east coast Slumberland 20th Anniversary parties -- November 13th at the Black Cat and November 14 at the Bell House. (More on those further down the post.)

The Outs are a five piece, all girls, with whom Frankie will move from the drum kit to guitar (and vocals). The single's A-side is a two-and-a-half minute wall-of-sound pop that is what you might expect from someone who spent time in Vivian Girls and Crystal Stilts. (It could be the sister of CS's "Love is a Wave.") The B-side, "Hollow Life," is more unexpected -- organ-driven, harmony-laden, dreamy and drum-free, owing a lot to Spacemen 3.

Neither the A-side or the B-side of Frankie Rose's single has made it onto her MySpace page, but you can listen to her demo of "Where Do You Run To," a track the Vivian Girls only played once live. However, Frankie says it will be part of the The Outs live repertoire.

Frankie will be behind the drum kit, though, for the Dum Dum Girls upcoming CMJ shows. This will be an all-girl line-up, apparently, unlike DDG's live debut at the Woodsist/Captured Tracks Festival this summer that included Crocodiles' Brandon Welchez on guitar and Captured Tracks major domo Mike Sniper on bass. But that's only for these shows.

As mentioned above, Frankie and the Outs will play the two Slumberland Records 20th Anniversary shows at the Bell House and Black Cat. The full line-up for both shows is : Crystal Stilts, Brown Recluse, Pants Yell!, Frankie and the Outs; plus some reunions of classic Slumberland bands The Ropers, Nord Express, and Lorelei. It will be the first Ropers and Nord Express shows in ten years. Additionally, the Bell House show features a "special guest headliner." And as D.C. was the original home of the label, I wouldn't be surprised if some different special guests played that one too.

I think that is enough for one post. Tour dates and some videos below...

Continue reading "Frankie Rose leaves Crystal Stilts, starts band, playing Slumberland Anniversary parties - full lineups & MUCH MORE "

HEY WE ARE PLAYING OUR ENTIRE CHEMCOM ALBUM ON NOV 5 IN BROOKLYN WITH SOME COOL SPECIAL GUESTS. OR ARE WE? -Fucked Up

Fucked Up @ Pool Party in July (more by Bao Nguyen)

Yesterday in our FYF Fest post we wrote that hopefully Fucked Up would be playing an NYC show sometime soon. Then we noticed the above message. Are they playing 2008's The Chemistry Of Common Life on November 5th? If so, where? Todd P currently has a "venue tba" show happening on that date with the band Grass Widow (who will be in town for a few days that week). Brooklyn Bowl is occupied on that date, but Music Hall of Williamsburg is clear.

UPDATE: It looks like it's Brooklyn Masonic Temple.

F'd Up recently played a set of European (and other summer) festivals. Their set at Glastonbury, as captured on YouTube, had a number of highlights - Damian crowdsurfing, Damian climbing the scaffolding...the songs. Clips are posted below...

Continue reading "Fucked Up playing full album in Brooklyn on Nov 5th"