photos by Amanda Hatfield

"Maria Taylor and Orenda Fink had gone their separate ways musically speaking in the last couple of years, so to see them again as Azure Ray onstage Saturday night at the Mercury Lounge was certainly a special occasion. With a trio of multi-instrumentalists, the duo brought their intimate and hauntingly beautiful music to a pretty sizable crow. Safe to say Azure Ray did not disappoint. Their set list that covered all of their studio albums from their 2001 self-titled debut through their new album Drawing Down the Moon such as "Displaced" "Raining in Athens," "Safe and Sound," and the new songs, the lovely "Don't Leave My Mind" and the somber and moody "Signs in the Leaves." Taylor and Fink traded on the lead vocals and their harmony singing together was lush and ethereal. Their encore consisted of "The Drinks We Drink Last Night" and "Rise," the latter song featuring background vocals by two lucky audience members invited on the stage." -[David Chiu]

James Husband opened the show and later played as a member of Azure Ray's band at both Mercury Lounge (review above) and Knitting Factory (pictures in this post). Tim Fite also opened both shows and continues on tour with Azure Ray & James Husband through the DC show tonight.

Pictures from Brooklyn and videos from both NYC shows below...

Continue reading "Azure Ray played Knitting Factory & Mercury Lounge w/ Tim Fite & James Husband (pics & video)"

Azure Ray's latest offering is Drawing Down the Moon, released in the middle of September via Saddle Creek Records. It's their first LP in seven years. Get an e-copy from Amazon for a whopping five bones. This duo, aka Maria Taylor and Orenda Fink, is currently on tour promoting the LP and will be in NYC to play Mercury Lounge on Saturday (11/13, tickets) and Knitting Factory on Sunday (11/14,tickets). All dates are with James Husband. Tim Fite is also on the tour and supports on both NYC shows, but leaves after the DC show and is replaced by Dead Fingers for the remaing three.

The Knitting Factory show has a special poster designed by Two Arms Inc, You can see a picture of it below, buy one for $10 at the merch table the night of the show, and WIN ONE along with A PAIR OF TICKETS to the show. Details below.

James Husband is the alter ego of James Huggins, former Of Montreal multi-instrumentalist. His old band is currently on tour, and recently released a new video for "Famine Affair" which is the same song they're currently holding a remix contest for. Check it out below.

All Azure Ray and Of Montreal dates, videos, the poster and contest details, below...

Continue reading "Azure Ray has a new album -on tour w/ Tim Fite & James Husband (2010 dates & a contest) ++ Of Montreal stuff"

DOWNLOAD: James Husband - A Grave in the Gravel (MP3)

Of Montreal @ Lollapalooza 2009 (more by Paul Birman)

The anticipated new of Montreal album may or may not be complete. Kevin Barnes says it all depends on how some upcoming sessions with Jon Brion work out. Barnes, who's always worked at home, alone, will meet up with Brion in early spring to work on the 16 songs that will likely make the new record. "If I wasn't going to go out there with Jon then they'd basically be done. They could be done. If I go out there with Jon and we both decide it's not working or whatever, I'll still have an album. And if I go out there and figure this is really great, then I'll have a different album," he says. Either way, the album won't be Skeletal Lamping over again. Barnes says the band is using this break to rethink their live performances, and have made an album that accommodates that. His plans are ambitious: he'd like to get rid of of Montreal's pre-recorded backing tracks, and round out the band line-up to ten or so musicians. "We're going to try to do something closer to the kind of bands that Curtis Mayfield or Stevie Wonder had in the '70s," says Barnes. [Stereogum]

Of Montreal's follow-up to Skeletal Lamping will include "cameos from Solange Knowles, Janelle Monae and "one or two other people..."

More importantly, Of Montreal is launching a last minute tour in Baltimore on January 25th. They hit NYC's Highline Ballroom the very next day (1/26). Tickets go on sale at noon. All dates are with James Husband "which features longtime of Montreal band members Husband, alongside Dottie Alexander, and Davey Pierce". All dates below...

Continue reading "Of Montreal working on new album, touring w/ James Husband, playing Highline Ballroom THIS MONTH"

by Bill Pearis

Fake Male Voice @ Glasslands in February (more by Jacob Blickenstaff)

Thanks to everyone who came out to our day party at Pianos yesterday. There were almost too many highlights to count. We've got four more parties still to come, three of which are today/tonight. Lots of great options all around today (10/23). I'm trying to highlight some of the ones you may not know about.

DAYTIME:

BrooklynVegan has another free day party today, this one on the harder-edged tip with Los Angeles' Nebula, Brooklyn's Naam, BV day party veterans Crystal Antlers, Goes Cube (read our interview with the band) and Austin's awesome Ume at Fontana's (105 Eldridge, NY, NY) today from 1 - 7. First band on at 2. Set times and flyer below. Free Miller beer and Vitamin water.

Over at Crash Mansion, there's a cool mid-day party (4 - 7) put on by the folks at Beyond Race with the lovely and mellow Helado Negro, Kiss Kiss, L.A. power poppers Army Navy and London's awesome Pete & the Pirates. who played a great set at the Bell House on Wednesday Night. Don't forget, Pete & the Pirates also play the Brooklyn Vegan Bowery Presents day party Saturday (10/24) at Pianos.

There's a lot going on in Brooklyn today too. The new Kemado Studios called The Co-Op (87 Guernsey St, Brooklyn) (which I hear is a pretty cool space) has Harlem, Viva L'American Death Ray Music, and Smith Westerns.

The Village Voice is putting on a day party at Knitting Factory with Javelin, Portland's Shaky Hands, Headlights and Orba Squara.

And then at Bruar Falls there's a kind of potentially amazing line-up, including Fake Male Voice (Tunde of TV on the Radio), mi-gu (Yuko of Cornelius and Plastic Ono Band) with Sean Lennon and Yuko Honda, as well as Ladybug Transistor, James Husband (Jamie of Of Montreal) and Hard Nips. This one is not free, $8 admission. Starts at noon.

Night stuff HERE. Fliers and set times below....

Continue reading "CMJ 2009 - Bill's Friday daytime picks"

Future of the Left @ Siren Fest (more by Chris La Putt)

"The only bad part about the [Future of the Left] set [in San Francisco] was how quickly it was over; each opening act played for roughly 40 minutes and it seemed like that FOTL played for maybe five or ten more. There was easily enough time for another song or two (I would have liked to hear "The Lord Hates a Coward" or "I Am Civil Service"), but the last song ended in the bassist jumping off the stage, giving his bass to someone in the crowd, and doing push-ups while feedback kept coming through the guitar amp, the drum set was taken apart on stage while still being played and the whole thing was a myriad of confusion and awesomeness." [PunkNews]

Get ready for more push-ups and feedback when Future Of The Left return to NYC for a show at Music Hall of Williamsburg on Friday, October 30th. Tickets go on sale Friday, August 28th at noon.

The band's last NYC show was at Siren Fest on July 18th, where they shared a bill with Japandroids. Japandroids are coming back soon too - they play September 24th at the Mercury Lounge with Mt. St. Helen's Vietnam Band. Tickets are still available.

And for CMJ, which is quickly coming up, Japandroids will play an October 22nd Death+Taxes Party at Glasslands, and a Polyvinyl Records CMJ show on October 23rd at the Bell House (and more dates TBA). Joining them at the latter will be Headlights, the currently-on-tour Cale Parks and James Husband. Tickets are on sale now.

FotL will be touring the US and Canada this October with Trail of Dead (who didn't get to play their Pool Party show due to lightning, but did get to play a set at All Points Wet). Trail of Dead's next NYC shows are September 18th and 19th at Webster Hall and Music Hall of Williamsburg with Secret Machines.

All tour dates below...

Continue reading "Future of the Left touring in October, Japandroids too - Polyvinyl @ CMJ, Trail of Dead & other 2009 tour dates"

August 25th, 2009 (Austin, TX) - Transmission Entertainment is pleased to announce the lineup for the 2009 Fun Fun Fun Fest, taking place on November 7th and 8th at Waterloo Park in Austin. Fun Fun Fun Fest made its first appearance on a cold Friday evening in 2006, offering a unique approach to festival booking, filling stages with talent bubbling from the underground: what sounded great, and what was making an impact, regardless of what mainstream media said was cool. What started out as a show for a few touring acts and local favorites has become a movement -- a festival that fans and bands alike realize needs to be experienced year after year.

Now in its fourth year, Fun Fun Fun Fest has made a significant impact on the country's winter calendar, successfully combining the vast worlds of indie, punk, rap, electronica and comedy while showcasing some of the city's most unique local businesses.

Greatest. Festival. Ever...

Continue reading "Fun Fun Fun Fest 2009 lineup (Jesus Lizard, Of Montreal, Gorilla Biscuits, LSF, 7 Seconds, D.R.I. & DANZIG!! & more)"