DOWNLOAD: Father John Misty & Phosphorescent - "I Would Love You" (MP3)

Father John Misty aka J. Tillman
with Fleet Foxes on an ACL Episode (more by Tim Griffin)

Farewell Fleet Fans and Friends. Back into the gaping maw of obscurity I go. Tokyo is my last show with the Foxes. Sorry if I was distant and obtuse if we ever met. Have fun.

The above message is a post that Fleet Foxes drummer Josh Tillman posted to his tumblr last month, announcing his departure from the band that he joined in 2008. He also tweeted, "@fleetfoxes, the best and last band that would ever have me."

Both before and during his time in Fleet Foxes, he had been recording solo material as J. Tillman. Since leaving Fleet Foxes, he's announced that he has signed to Sub Pop under the name Father John Misty and will release his first album under that moniker, Fear Fun, on the label on May 1. The album was recorded with Jonathan Wilson and was produced by Phil Ek, who also produced both Fleet Foxes albums, in addition to albums by The Shins, Band of Horses, and others. He's got a few west coast dates announced, which are listed below.

Our first taste of Father John Misty was a collaboration with fellow rural folkie Phosphorescent called "I Would Love You" (via Aquarium Drunkard). Grab an MP3 of that song at the top of this post. You can read the song's lyrics on the Father John Misty tumblr. He's since revealed a song from Fear Fun called "Hollywood Forever Cemetery Sings," which you can download via a widget below. You can also watch the video for it, which stars Aubrey Plaza of NBC's Parks and Recreation, at Entertainment Weekly.

All dates and widget below...

Continue reading "J. Tillman left Fleet Foxes, became 'Father John Misty', signed to Sub Pop (listen to two songs, 1 w/ Phosphorescent)"

by Andrew Frisicano

"...opening act, Zach Tillman, began playing. He immediatley filled the space with melodic finger-picking, deep-voiced Leonard Cohen-like tunes. He sang about a girl named Lola as well sarcasticly driven songs about Jesus to set up the night for his older brother's band, in which Zach plays bass." [fend magazine]

Zach Tillman is Pearly Gate Music - he's also the brother of solo artist & Fleet Fox J. Tillman, who he toured to NYC with last fall.

His full-length, self-titled debut is due May 18th on Barsuk - a 7" single off that is available now. Three songs off the album are streaming on his MySpace. He also visited Daytrotter in early February.

Pearly Gate Music will be at SXSW this year, and one of his shows will be the brooklynVegan Friday (3/19) day party at Club DeVille, where he'll play alongside Twin Sister, Centro-matic, Lucero, The Antlers and more (full lineup TBA very soon).

Album info & artwork, live videos (including a cover of Pavement's "Shoot the Singer") and all tour dates are below...

Continue reading "Zach Tillman is Pearly Gate Music - on Barsuk, playing SXSW"

DOWNLOAD: Bonnie Prince Billy - Play, Guitar, Play (MP3)

Bonnie Prince Billy & the Cairo Gang will be in NYC to play three shows over two nights at Monster Island Basement. They play early and late shows on Thursday, April 1st, and one show on Friday, April 2nd. Lichens open all three.

Tickets for the shows won't be available online - only in person at Record Grouch Records/Old Made Vintage (open 11am-7pm daily; 441 Metropolitan Ave @ Meeker St, Williamsburg, Brooklyn; 908-246-1512) starting Tuesday, March 9th at 5pm.

Bonnie Prince Billy And The Cairo Gang are releasing a new record, The Wonder Show of the World, on March 23rd on Drag City (Mar. 22nd on Domino in the UK). The song "Play, Guitar, Play," above, a Conway Twitty cover, is a free preview that won't be on the ten-song album.

In related new, Will Oldham is a guest on the new Coliseum record.

BPB & The Cairo Gang put out a NFSW teaser for the record. That, all tour dates and venue info are below...

Continue reading "Bonnie Prince Billy & The Cairo Gang releasing an album, playing shows (including 3 @ Monster Island) "

by Andrew Frisicano

DOWNLOAD: J Tillman - Though I Have Wronged You (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: J Tillman - Earthly Bodies (MP3)

J Tillman, drummer and backing vocalist for Fleet Foxes, is six records (and two EPs) in on his own eponymous album-making venture. The sixth LP, Year In The Kingdom, came out this September on Western Vinyl. Two restrained folk takes from that are above.

Tillman is currently on a tour across North America with Pearly Gate Music, a band led by his brother Zach that was recently signed to Barsuk Records. The bands come to Brooklyn's Bell House on Monday, November 16th. Tickets are on sale now.

The songs above are certainly worth checking out, but the clincher here is the video for "Though I Have Wronged You," posted below. The existential, Internet-age tale of two dots is perfectly unsuited to the song itself, which is ethereal, stark and decidedly not (at first glance) concerned with the Internet. Its broad, rooted scope is reflected in other songs as well.

Consequence of Sound: "There is no Good in Me" is a great story song. What inspired that one?

Tillman: It's kind of Zoroastrian narrative, good and evil existing outside of our perceived moral duality. Or the idea that someone with influence enough can just dictate what "good" and "evil" are.

Fleet Foxes last hit the NYC area at All Points West on July 31st.

Videos, album info and tour dates for J Tillman are posted below...

Continue reading "J Tillman (from Fleet Foxes) - new album (MP3s), video, & 2009 Tour Dates w/ Pearly Gate Music (Bell House)"

DOWNLOAD: Black Lips - Short Fuse (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Noel Heroux (Hooray For Earth) & DJ Die Young - With Every Heartbeat (Robyn Cover) (MP3)

School of Seven Bells @ LPR in January (more by Natasha Ryan)

today in NYC
* DANCE
* Thenewno2 @ Mercury Lounge
* The Bad Plus w/ Wendy Lewis @ Bowery Ballroom
* Medeski, Martin & Wood (acoustic) @ 92Y Tribeca
* Ben Harper & The Relentless 7 @ Highline Ballroom
* Fujiya & Miyagi & School of Seven Bells @ (Le) Poisson Rouge
* Anamanaguchi, Familytime & Valley Lodge (w/ Dave Hill) @ Union Hall

One MP3 there is off the new Black Lips album, 200 Million Thousand, out February 24th on VICE. Black Lips are going on tour includes a March 10th stop at Music Hall of Williamsburg with Let's Wrestle.

Another MP3 up there is a cover of Robyn, not to be confused with Robyn Hitchcock whose new album came out today.

More new albums that came out today HERE. Plus don't forget Dark Was the Night.

Look our for Daptone Records' stuff.

Neil Halstead is going on tour.

Marissa Nadler is going on tour.

Iron & Wine are going on tour.

Wavves is going on tour.

Gang Gang Dance are not still on tour.

J Tillman of Fleet Foxes' new video for "Firstborn" below..

What else?

Continue reading "What's going on Tuesday?"

Fleet Foxes @ Union Hall (more by Kyle Reinford)

Tickets go on sale Wednesday for an October 5th Fleet Foxes show at Webster Hall in NYC. No tickets necessary to watch Fleet Foxes perform on the David Letterman show tonight (August 4, 2008). In related news, J. Tillman's discography is now available digitally. All tour dates below....

Continue reading "Fleet Foxes - 2008 Tour Dates (Webster Hall, on TV tonight)"