by BBG

Total Control at Fun Fun Fun Fest (more by BBG)

Total Control's Henge Beat was a favorite around these parts, and now the band recently released a split 12" with Thee Oh Sees. Check out a video for Total Control's "For Lease" from that split below and order your copy via Castle Face.

Total Control currently have no US dates scheduled. Thee Oh Sees, on the other hand, will spend their summer abroad and have a handful of appearances in the US. The band, who recently played Austin Psych Fest, will play a gang of festival dates including the previously discussed Pitchfork, Outside Lands, Hopscotch, ATP I'll Be Your Mirror and the sold-out Woodsist Festival in Big Sur.

In addition, the band just signed on to be a part of the Capitol Hill Block Party in Seattle WA, joining names like Neko Case, Major Lazer, Fitz And The Tantrums, Phantogram, The Lumineers, Grimes, Aesop Rock w/ Rob Sonic & DJ Big Wiz, Youth Lagoon, Diplo, Cloud Nothings, The Psychic Paramount, Twin Shadow, Dam-Funk and so many more across six-stages and as many city blocks during three days in July (7/20-7/22). Current lineup is below and tickets are on sale.

All tour dates, the Capitol Hill Block Party lineup and that "For Lease" video is below.

Continue reading "Total Control release video from split with Thee Oh Sees; Seattle's Capitol Hill Block Party announces lineup"

photos by Josh Darr

Wilco / Guided By Voices

"Wilco never makes the second record twice, which makes it doubly remarkable that so many of them are tremendous. As formidable as frontman Jeff Tweedy's catalog is, the sonically inventive rock band really stands out on stage -- the place where extreme technical skill meets the chemistry and rousing showmanship of passionate rock veterans. Of course, it helps that the group has the luxury of drawing highlights from seven very different records when it performs. To see Wilco on stage is to hear the best of the best."

And with this post, our 2011 Sasquatch basically concludes. Previous posts contain The Decembersts, Noah and the Whale, Rebecca Gates, Day 3 pictures, Archers of Loaf, Day 2 pictures, and more Day 2 pics with Day 1 too. The rest of the pictures from Day 4, below...

Continue reading "Sasquatch 2011 - the rest of Day 4 in pics (Wilco, Guided by Voices, Sharon Jones, Deerhunter, Chromeo & more)"

Big names and regulars aside, there are a few bands I want to highlight on the just-announced Sasquatch lineup: Wolf Parade ("indefinite hiatus" rumors be damned), The Flaming Lips (performing "The Soft Bulletin"), Death From Above 1979 (now three reunion shows total), Guided By Voices (they're not done yet), and... Archers of Loaf (!). The full lineup of the fest that goes down in Gorge, Washington in May (Memorial Day Weekend), is below...

Continue reading "Sasquatch 2011 lineup announced (Archers of Loaf, Guided By Voices, Wolf Parade, DFA 1979 & "The Soft Bulletin" included)"

DOWNLOAD: Obits - You Gotta Lose (MP3)

Obits at Knitting Factory (more by Andrew St. Clair)

Obits will release their new LP Moody, Standard and Poor via Sub Pop on March 29th. Listen to a track from that record above and check out the full tracklist and cover art below.

Meanwhile the band will be priming that release with a gang of dates across the country. They're currently down south for another week with Gentleman Jesse and His Men, and will get on the road again in early March for some dates with their labelmate Jaill. That second run terminates in Dallas on March 15th (SXSW anyone?). The band will then make it home in time to play a record release show at The Bell House on April 2nd with The Sundelles and Tijuana Panthers. Tickets are on sale.

Speaking of Sub Pop, the band that Michael Cera is sometimes in, Mister Heavenly, will be in NYC this Sunday (1/16). Michael Cera may not be there though, but his bandmates Nick Diamonds (Islands/Unicorns), Honus Honus (Man Man) and Joe Plummer (Modest Mouse) definitely will be.

All Obits dates and some videos below.

Continue reading "Obits releasing new LP, touring (MP3 & 2011 dates)"

Pete's Candy Store photos by Amanda Hatfield, Crash Mansion photos by Jessica Amaya, Pianos & Mercury Lounge photos by Chris La Putt, words by Rachel Kowal

Oh Land @ Rebel NYC (more by David Andrako)

You've been following the CMJ adventures of multiple BV contributors for two weeks now, including the day by day reviews from Rachel Kowal. Before too much more time passes, here is the conclusion of Rachel's week (with the end of day four and all of day five), and assorted pictures from four other shows all rolled into one big post. Check it all out, below....

Continue reading "Rachel's CMJ 2010 recap conclusion w/ lots of pics (Lia Ices, Sarah Jaffe, Ume, Robbers on High Street, Buke & Gass, more) "

by Bill Pearis

DOWNLOAD: Jaill - Everyone's Hip (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Jaill - The Stroller (MP3)

Milwaukee's Jaill are touring and will be in town for the CMJ Music Marathon, playing The Studio at Webster Hall on Thursday, October 21 with Keepaway, French Horn Rebellion, Dale Earnhardt Jr Jr and Viernes. They'll also play Popgun's unofficial party at Glasslands on Saturday, October 23 that also features Baths, Dominant Legs, Teen Daze, Porcelain Raft, Mon Khmer. The Glasslands show is only $5 if you RSVP.

Sub Pop doesn't have a CMJ showcase this year or else they'd probably be playing that too. Sub Pop sister label Hardly Art has a show though (but Jaill aren't playing it).

Jaill's second album, That's How We Burn, came out on Sub Pop over the summer and didn't get a whole lot of attention, but is a nice little platter of melodic indie rock. Their sound is a little surfy, like if The Hoodoo Gurus had come into existence in the '90s instead of the '80s. You can download two tracks from That's How We Burn at the top of this post. They were good when I saw them at the Sub Pop SXSW showcase this year.

Somewhat interesting trivia: This is the second band signed to Sub Pop that is pronounced "jail." The first was Jale, who were part of the mid-'90s Halifax, NS scene that also spawned Sloan and Thrush Hermit.

The video for "The Stroller" and all Jaill tour dates are below.

Continue reading "Jaill are on Sub Pop, touring, playing CMJ (dates & MP3s) "