by Bill Pearis

Pitchfork just posted their much anticipated list of the top 100 tracks of 2012. The #1 slot went to... Grimes! Whether you thought the whole of her album Visions was good or not, it was hard to deny the charms of "Oblivion." (Having that great video didn't hurt either.) Do you think it deserved to top the list? If not then what song should've?

You can check out P4K's entire hot 100 of 2012 below.

Continue reading "Pitchfork's Top 100 Tracks of 2012 (Grimes' "Oblivion" is #1)"

by Bill Pearis

DOWNLOAD: Ex Cops - Wonderful Christmas Time (MP3)

photo by Nanci Sarrouf

Admission. Paul McCartney's "Wonderful Christmas Time" is easily my most-hated holiday pop song. Repetive, grating, plodding, and seemingly recorded by accident, the song makes me want to suck a candycane into a point and gouge out my eardrums. (Unlike, say, The Waitresses' "Christmas Wrapping" which I can listen to ad infinitum.) So it's a Christmas miracle that Ex Cops have taken this unfortunate Macca yuletide perennial and sped it up, turned it up and transformed it into a rough-hewn little indiepop charmer. We've got the premiere of the song right here in the post to download above or stream below. Merry Ex-mas.

Another present you're going to have to wait a bit for is Ex Cops terrific debut album, True Hallucinations, which hits January 22 via Other Music Recording Company. The band are playing a record release show at Glasslands that same day with Hunters also on the bill (tickets). After that, Ex Cops play Mercury Lounge on February 15 and tickets to that show are on sale at noon. You can see them sooner than that, though, as they were just added to tonight's Paul Banks show at Webster Hall (12/14) and tickets are still available.

Meanwhile Ex Cops' Brian Harding and Amalie Bruun have each submitted lists of their favorite songs from 2012. In a bit of daring, they both include their own single "You Are a Lion, I Am a Lamb" on their respective lists. Check them out below.

Continue reading "Ex Cops cover Paul McCartney, list Top 10 Songs of 2012, opening for Paul Banks + more NYC shows (dates, streams)"

Jack White @ Roseland Ballroom 5/22/12

So far we've seen Dominick Mastrangelo, Dana (distortion) Yavin, Amanda Hatfield and Fred Pessaro // BBG's favorite photos that they took in 2012, and now comes a set from the great David Andrako.

The photos are not in any particular order. Jack White above. More below...

Continue reading "David Andrako's favorite Live Music Photos of 2012 -------------- (that he took) "

Blue Hawaii @ CMJ 2012 (more by Amanda Hatfield)

Montreal resident Raphaelle Standell-Preston fronts both Braids and Blue Hawaii, but the bands are separate entities with their own musical personalities. Both groups like Mac Demarco, Burial, Majical Cloudz and Born Gold, though, which show up on each group's Top 10 of 2012 list which we have for you here in this post. Like the bands themselves, BRAIDS's list is a little more band-oriented and Blue Hawaii skews more electronic. (Guess which one has Grimes on it?) Both lists are below.

Look out for Blue Hawaii's sophomore album, Untogether (definitely one of my favorite 2013 LPs that I've managed to hear already - Bill), via Arbutus Records on January 22. Braids will have a new album next year too. Both were here for CMJ.

Braids and Blue Hawaii's respective 2012 Top 10 lists are below.

Continue reading "Braids and Blue Hawaii list their Top 10 LPs of 2012"

Long-running UK music weekly NME has just published their Year-End issue and have named Tame Impala's Lonerism as album of the year, with Grimes, Frank Ocean, Crystal Castles and Alt-J rounding out the Top 5. Tame Impala offshoot Pond comes in at #7. Check out the entire Top 50 list below.

As mentioned before, Tame Impala just announced a 2013 tour, and will play Terminal 5 in NYC on February 19. Tickets for that show go on sale Friday (11/30) at noon.

NME's Top 50 LPs of 2012 are listed below.

Continue reading "NME Top 50 Albums of 2012; Tame Impala 'Lonerism' gets #1"

Long-running UK music weekly NME has just published their Year-End issue and have named Tame Impala's Lonerism as album of the year, with Grimes, Frank Ocean, Crystal Castles and Alt-J rounding out the Top 5. Tame Impala offshoot Pond comes in at #7. Check out the entire Top 50 list below.

As mentioned before, Tame Impala just announced a 2013 tour, and will play Terminal 5 in NYC on February 19. Tickets for that show go on sale Friday (11/30) at noon.

NME's Top 50 LPs of 2012 are listed below.

Continue reading "NME Top 50 Albums of 2012; Tame Impala 'Lonerism' gets #1"

Neil Young & Crazy Horse @ ACL Fest 2012 (more by Glen Brown)

Eyehategod at MDF 2012 (more by Fred Pessaro // BBG)

today in NYC
* Leni Stern @ Barbes
* Sabir Mateen @ The Stone
* Nicole Henry @ Joe's Pub
* Neako @ Santos Party House
* Diamond Terrifier @ Zebulon
* Sweet @ The Slipper Room
* Paloma Faith @ Mercury Lounge
* Fatal Film, Pre War @ Cake Shop
* ZZZ's, Mustafina @ The Rock Shop
* Pre War, Plates of Cake @ Cake Shop
* Franz Nicolay, Barbez @ Le Poisson Rouge
* Heaven, Our Mountain, Dead Stars @ Pianos
* Dead Leaf Echo, Heaven, Our Mountain, Dead Stars
* Japanther, Ninjasonik, Slam Donahue @ Cameo Gallery
* Delta Spirit, JEFF The Brotherhood, Fidlar @ Irving Plaza
* SSION, House of Ladosha, Physical Therapy @ Brooklyn Bowl
* Sergei Tcherepnin: Massage Performance @ Issue Project Room
* Valley Lodge, States & Kingdoms, Geoffrey Rickly @ Saint Vitus
* Neil Young & Crazy Horse, Patti Smith @ Madison Square Garden
* Future of the Left, Roomrunner @ Knitting Factory
* Jozef Van Wissem, Jim Jarmusch, Marissa Nadler @ Le Poisson Rouge
* Tony Castles, We Can't Enjoy Ourselves, Kissing Is A Crime @ Glasslands
* Don Fleming, Gibby Haynes, Junzo Suzuki, Rhyton, Eidetic Seeing @ Union Pool
* Eyehategod, Magrudergrind, Clean Teeth, The Communion @ Saint Vitus

Grace Potter, who recently played two nights at Beacon Theatre, is helping kick of the holiday season in NYC by performing tonight (11/27) in Bryant Park as part of the tree lighting at Citi Pond which happens from 6:30 - 8 PM. In addition to Grace, there will also be performances from Broadway stars, skating performances and more. The free event is rain or shine, which is looking like it will be the former right now.

Follow @BrooklynVegan on Twitter.
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Eugene Mirman, Dave Hill & more appear at Sweet at the Slipper Room tonight.

Mac DeMarco recently released a video for "Ode to Viceroy" from his newish second album and you can watch it below.

What else?

Continue reading "What's going on Tuesday?"

by Bill Pearis

Mac DeMarco @ Sala Rossa, 11/15/2012

"Nobody look up my girlfriend's skirt, okay?" Mac DeMarco asked the audience at Sala Rossa as he began his final song. His girlfriend, Kiki, was riding piggyback. She'd was dragged onstage a song earlier to play a game of "catch" where they held onto each other as Mac tipped them into the audience for a double crowd-surf.

So goes a Mac DeMarco show these days, where the onstage antics almost threaten to upstage the music. But, despite all the belch talking and other things, it never does. Mac and his band have toured most of 2012 and all that playing has done wonders for them -- they are tight but lythe around the groove. Songs off the new album ("Viceroy," "Cooking Up Someting Good") sound great and ones of his first album have a life to them than you don't hear on the recordings. And, like at CMJ last month, the Salla Rossa crowd loves him.

PS I Love You @ Sala Rossa, 11/15/2012

Mac was the unintentional headliner of night 2 of M for Montreal which, like the first night, took place at Sala Rossa, a club perched above a tapas restaurant (both of which are owned by some of the Godspeed guys). He got stuck in traffic and PS I Love You, nice guys that they are, switched into undercard slot. After spending half the year trying out a trio version of the group, they are back to their original duo arrangement of Paul Saulnier on vocals/guitar/bass pedals and Benjamin Nelson on drums. Playing most of the show with a double-neck guitar, Saulnier yelped and shredded through their 25-minute set of the catchiest material from the band's two albums, plus a couple new ones (I think). Nelson is a machine behind the kit and the way he hammers on the hi-hat gives the band a New Order-ish backbone which offsets Saulnier's more rock instincts. While I enjoyed seeing them as a trio, it's clear the chemistry is between these two.

continued below...

Continue reading "M for Montreal 2012: day 2 review (Mac Demarco, PS I Love You, Young Galaxy, No Joy + more)"

by Bill Pearis

The seventh annual M for Montreal festival happens next week (November 14 - 17) in its namesake Canadian city. Previous years, M4M has featured mainly Montreal (and other parts of Canada) artists, being showcased to a group of "international delgates" (talent buyers, journalists, music supervisors, tour agenents and other industry types) in a tightly controlled set of shows, this year's fest expands its scope with nearly 100 performer at 16 venues, giving it more of an actual festival feel than an industry conference that has music showcases the public could by tickets to.

The line-up is much more global this year as well, with musicians from France, Iceland and, for the first time, the United States playing alongside bands from all over Canada. Artists playing the 2012 edition include Death Grips, Of Monsters and Men, Mac DeMarco, Suuns, Mykki Blanco, Sun Airway, A Place To Bury Strangers, Cadence Weapon, Memoryhouse, Yamantaka // Sonic Titan, Bleeding Rainbow and Blue Hawaii. Full list of performers is below and daily schedule is here and advance tickets to shows and panel discussions are available.

Like in years past (2011, 2010, 2009, 2008), I'll be heading up for the M fest, and will be reporting the goings-on.

If you want a taste of Montreal this week in NYC, beyond the snow we're currently experiencing, Montreal rapper Cadence Weapon plays Glasslands on Friday (11/9) with Fat Tony. Tickets are still available. Cadence Weapon tour dates are listed below.

Continue reading "2012 M for Montreal Festival: full line-up (Death Grips, A Place to Bury Strangers, Of Monsters & Men, Mac DeMarco + more)"

photos by Tracy Allison

Dent May / Mac DeMarco

On Friday night (10/19) during CMJ, Panache Booking threw their showcase at Public Assembly and we stopped by to catch some of their roster, specifically Dent May, Mac DeMarco, Turbo Fruits, (three of the more consistently entertaining acts who played constantly this year) plus the sweet retro-fueled rock of The Paperhead and Gap Dream.

Post CMJ: Gap Dream will soon be out with King Tuff; Turbo Fruits will soon join up with White Lung; and Dent May has a tour of Florida in December. No NYC dates for any of them on the known horizon, so hopefully you caught them last week. All tour dates for those three are listed below, along with more pictures from Public Assembly.

Continue reading "Dent May, Mac DeMarco, Turbo Fruits, The Paperhead & Gap Dream @ Public Assembly (pics)"

photos by Amanda Hatfield; words by Bill Pearis

Mac DeMarco / Thieves Like Us @ MHOW, 10/24/2012

Mac DeMarco was one of this year's CMJ's more entertaining players, his shows a mix of solid musicianship, and gleefully anarchic humor. No place was this more on display than the Captured Tracks official CMJ showcase at Music Hall of Williamsburg on Thursday (10/18) where he made jokes about his anatomy, flung himself into the crowd and made out with a (random?) girl near the stage. And some great songs too (his Mac DeMarco II had come out that week), with a backing band that could actually, y'know, play.

Less of an impression was made with the two previous bands. Dance outfit Thieves Like Us had it together but mostly lacked that certain something to make it special, though "Drugs in My Body" sounded great and the've come a long way from when I saw them open for New Young Pony Club in 2006. Openers Dignan Porch, making their first trip from the UK, were fine but not the most engaging live act.

We missed headliners DIIV (we've seen them a few times this year already) but there are more pics from DeMarco, Thieves Like Us and Dignan Porch (who are in Austin tonight [10/24]) below.

Continue reading "Mac DeMarco, Thieves Like Us and Dignan Porch @ Captured Tracks CMJ showcase at Music Hall of Williamsburg (pics)"

Pictureplane at MoMA PS1 in 2011 (more by Erez Avissar)

Braids in Austin in 2011 (more by Tim Griffin)

Mac DeMarco at NXNE Bruise Cruise in June (more by David Andrako)

today in NYC
* Icona Pop, JJAMZ, Matt Sucich, Kate Earl @ Jet Blue's Terminal 5 (JFK)
* 12 Dirty Bullets, Dogbite, Denise Barbarita, Oh! My Blackbird @ Spike Hill (FREE)
* Dee Dee of Dum Dum Girls 'Meet the Musician' discussion @ Apple Store SoHo (2 PM)
* Dent May, Mac DeMarco, Teen Suicide, Poor Lily, The Deloreans, Attic @ Public Assembly (FREE)
* Friend Roulette, Kate Earl, Christopher Paul Stelling, Zach Williams (& the Bellow) @ Living Room (FREE)
* Daughter, High Highs, Cody Chestnutt, & Paul Banks @ CMJ Union (FREE w/ RSVP)
* Antigone Rising, Rachel Sage, A Fragile Tomorrow, Seth Glier, Julia Hatigan @ Rockwood Music Hall (FREE w/ RSVP)
* Conveyor, Sean Rowe, Pretty & Nice, Mean Creek, Generationals, Daniel Ellsworth & The Great Lakes @ Fontana's (FREE)
* Pictureplane, Prince Rama, Myyki Blanco, Jerome LOL, Flume, Michna, Win Win, Eraas, Wild International @ Cake Shop (FREE)
* Psychobuildings, Dynasty Electric, GHXST, Magmana, The Tall Pines, Clementine & the Galaxy, Wojcik @ The Bowery Electric (FREE)
* Braids, Maus Haus, Blackbird Blackbird, Team Spirit, Solid Gold, Filligar, Triple Hex, Zulu Pearls, The Bowery Riots, Jon Derosa, Wooden Indian Burial Ground, Correatown @ Pianos (FREE)
* The Click Clack Boom, Avan Lava, Filligar, The Suzan, Generationals, Lazyeyes, Local H, The Hounds Below, The Life & Times, Turf War, Country Mice, American Royalty, Luke Rathborne, Joywave, The Danvilles, Wild International, Edelweiss, Cultfever @ The Studio at Webster Hall

It's CMJ week in NYC and, in addition to all of the showcases at night, that means venues will be hosting day parties, almost of all of which are totally free to the public, with or without a CMJ badge. Those parties are listed above, and we've pointed out which are free and when RSVP is required. Most start at or around noon, some a bit later. Another What's Going On post with tonight's shows will be posted later today.

Follow @bvcmj on Twitter for more CMJ coverage.

Braids, who play the Tell All Your Friends party at Pianos today, also headline the free BrooklynVegan day party on Friday (10/19).

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.

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What else?

DIIV at River Rocks, August 2012 (more by Amanda Hatfield)

DIIV already revealed they'll be headlining the Captured Tracks CMJ show at Music Hall of Williamsburg on Thursday (10/18) and will also play the KEXP CMJ day show at Union Square Ballroom on Thursday and also at Fader Fort (RSVP) that same day too, not to mention the Pitchfork party on Friday (10/19).

The band will also be the secret guest at the Life or Death PR CMJ show Saturday night (10/20) at 92YTribeca that also includes Twerps, Slug Guts, Mac DeMarco and more (though no 2nd secret guest as originally announced). $10 at the door, or get in with your CMJ badge. More info here.

Full line-up for the 92YTribeca show, set times and the flyer, and DIIV tour dates, below...

Continue reading "DIIV revealed as secret guest at another CMJ show (updated dates & Life or Death showcase set times)"

Murals at Pianos, July 2012 (more by Eric Townsend)

Louisville's Murals are visiting NYC this week for CMJ and are certainly contenders for the Most Shows award, playing nine times between now and Saturday, including the BrooklynVegan day party on Friday (10/19) at Public Assembly. Full line-up is still forthcoming but Murals play at 1 PM right before Deap Vally. If you haven't heard Murals's On a Passing Cloud LP, you can stream it below. The band were last here over the summer.

The band's run of shows begins tonight (10/15) with a Oh My Rockness Kickoff Party at Pianos, that also features Scott & Charlene's Wedding, Infinity Shred, Life Size Maps and Noxious Foxes. $8 at the door.

Other shows this week include Aquarium Drunkard's showcase at Mercury Lounge on Tuesday (10/16, 8 PM) with Rafiq Bhatia, Tashaki Miyaki and more, and then Pianos upstairs shortly after (9:30 PM, free) that same night that also features Team Spirit, Slam Donahue and more.

On Thursday (10/18), Murals play two shows: Pianos (1:30 PM, free) for the I Guess I'm Floating day party with Chad Valley, Hundred Waters and more, then the Bird Dog/Golden Ratio party (6:45 PM, being relocated from Deliquency, venue TBD, free) with Ava Luna, Royal Canoe and more.

On Friday (10/19) in addition to our day party, they'll play Pianos/The Deli's official CMJ showcase (9:30) with Young Magic, Mac Demarco and more. Then two shows on Saturday (10/20): the Bowery Presents Day Party at Pianos (3:30, free) with Savages, the Orwells and more; and finally Cake Shop that night (10 PM) with Francisco the Man, Field Mouse and more.

All Murals CMJ week dates are listed below, along with their album stream and show flyers.

Continue reading "Murals are in NYC for CMJ, playing 9 shows including kickoff party at Pianos tonight & BV day party on Friday (dates)"

Heliotropes at 480 Pixels party in August, one of many bands who had shows at Delinquency this week, (more by Chris La Putt)

To all Delinquency family, friends, performers, and promoters: We regret to inform that we have been forced to close temporarily and relocate all CMJ shows:(((( Please stay tuned for new show locations. We are supper bummed but will be back in a few weeks to continue spreading the loving party vibes and good times we have all shared this amazing summer. - [Delinquency Facebook]

Tonight's Sleepies, Mr. Dream, Yvette, Alan Watts and Fasano show has been moved to XPO 929 (more info here).

Tuesday's Permanent Wave/Greenpointers Blog/Campers' Rule Records showcase (10/16) with Heliotropes, Leda, Beach Day, Backwords, The Suzan and Easy Lover has been relocated to Public Assembly.

Wednesday's We Listen for You / The Needle Drop / Beats Per Minute day party (10/17) with Dent May, Mac Demarco, Teen Suicide, Poor Lily, The Deloreans, Attic and Abasement has also been moved to Public Assembly

No word yet on where Wednesday night's Mobil party (10/17 with Heems, Sasha Go Hard, Kitty Pryde + more) will end up, or Bird Dog day party on Thursday (10/18 with Ava Luna, Royal Canoe, Fegrus and Geronimo, Murals and more), or the Old Flame Records / Heist or Hit Record day party on Friday (10/19 w/ Caged Animals, Your Youth, Gross Relations and more) but Delinquency has been posting updates on their Facebook.

Andrew WK at Webster Hall, April 2012 (more by Dana (distortion) Yavin)

We already told you that Andrew WK is hosting The Syndicate's annual pre-CMJ "Conflict of Interest" party at Rebel NYC on Monday (10/15, free with RSVP) but he'll also be making some other appearances next week, though none of them are him playing live.

He'll DJ between bands at the RockStar Motel Showcase at Santos on October 19 with performances from Enemy Planes, bloodnstuff and more TBA. Then on Saturday, October 20 he'll be one of the guest judges at New York Night Train's Soul Clap Dance-Off at Brooklyn Bowl. Other judges include Alexei Perry Cox (Handsome Furs), Daughn Gibson, Mac Demarco, Taraka Larson (Prince Rama), Ultramantis Black (Chikara Pro Wrestling), Cassie Ramone (Vivian Girls). Soul Clap starts late (11:30 PM) and tickets are available.

And if you have a CMJ badge you can see Andrew WK speak on the "Turning The Spotlight: The Power Of Motivated Fans" panel which happens at the Kimmel Center (NYU, Room 905/907) on October 18 at 12:30 PM.

Did you go see Andrew WK play "1,000,000 volts of party music" through David Blaine's body?

Speaking of New York Night Train, Jonathan Toubin has some other NYC appearances coming up. He'll DJ with Kid Congo Powers at Home Sweet Home on October 19 for the "Shakin' All Over" party. Then on Saturday, October 27 he'll host "Haunted Hop" costume party at Brooklyn Bowl which in addition to playing cool spooky 45s will feature horror-themed Burt Bacharach cover band Dionne Werewolf (!) and more. Tickets are on sale now. All upcoming Jonathan Toubin appearances are listed below, along with party flyers.

Continue reading "Andrew WK DJing during CMJ, one of many guest judges at Soul Clap ++ Jonathan Toubin throwing "Haunted Hop""

Jozef Van Wissem & Jim Jarmusch

As mentioned, Jozef Van Wissem and Jim Jarmusch are releasing their second album of 2012, The Mystery of Heaven, on November 13 via Sacred Bones. We've already posted the video for "The Sun of the Natural World is Pure Fire," off of that album, and the duo have since revealed a stream of another track, "Etimasia." You can listen to that below.

Jozef Van Wissem has some solo shows scheduled, including the previously mentioned show at Issue Project Room TONIGHT (10/4) with guitar great Loren Connors and Clint Heidorn. At that show, Loren will be performing duets with both Jozef and Clint.

Jozef also plays the Life or Death CMJ showcase at 92YTribeca on October 20 with Twerps, Mac DeMarco, Prince Rama, Slug Guts, Maria Minerva, Sky Ferreira, DJs Poolside and Disco Phantom and special surprise guests. Tickets for that show are on sale now or you can try to get in with your CMJ badge.

About a month after CMJ, Jozef and Jim will team up for a show in NYC at Le Poisson Rouge on November 27 with Marissa Nadler. Tickets for that show are on sale now. It's the only announced date for Marissa Nadler at the moment.

A list of all dates, video, and song stream below.

Continue reading "Jozef Van Wissem & Jim Jarmusch playing show in NYC (plus Jozef solo dates & song stream)"

DIIV at Terminal 5 in July (more by Chris La Putt)

As mentioned, Japandroids will kick off the North American portion of their tour in November, which hits NYC on December 4 and 5 at Webster Hall. We already knew that Bleached will be supporting on the first leg, and Swearin' on the second, and it's now been revealed that the third portion, which includes both NYC shows, will be supported by DIIV. Tickets for both Webster Hall shows are still available. An updated list of dates is below.

You won't have to wait that long to catch DIIV in their hometown of NYC though (you never really have to wait very long to do that anyway), because as mentioned, they'll headline the Captured Tracks CMJ showcase at Music Hall of Williamsburg on October 18 with Mac DeMarco, Thieves Like Us, and Dignan Porch. Tickets for that show are still available.

Mac DeMarco has other CMJ shows scheduled too, including the Panache showcase at Public Assembly (10/19), the My Social List showcase at the Martin Room in Webster Hall (10/16), the post-CMJ show at Bowery Ballroom (10/21) with Wild Nothing and Merchandise, and the just announced free Hype Machine party at Brooklyn Bowl on October 18 with Hundred Waters (who also play these shows). That bill also includes a secret headliner, Hooray For Earth, Bloksberg, and DJ sets by Jensen Sportag and YVYNL. Hype Machine is also doing a party at the same venue one day earlier (10/17) with The Virgins, The Neighbourhood, Indians, a secret artist and DJ Goldroom. Both parties are free but RSVP is required.

The flier for the Hype Machine shows, a video, and a list of all dates are below.

Continue reading "DIIV opening on Japandroids tour; Mac DeMarco playing free CMJ show with Hundred Waters and more (dates)"

by Bill Pearis

DOWNLOAD: Gap Dream - A Little Past Midnight (MP3)

In this writer's opinion, Gap Dream's self-titled debut is one of 2012's most underrated albums, a mix of '60s paisley pop and druggy drone that has ambitions beyond home-recorded origins. Originaly released just on cassette, Burger Records has wisely pressed it on vinyl too. It's available digitally as well and you can stream it below.

The Cleveland band (mainly Gabe Fulvimar on record) are following up the LP with a new single, "Generator," which comes out next week via Suicide Squeeze. We've got the debut of its b-side, an organ-fueled groover called "A Little Past Midnight" which you can download above or stream below.

Gap Dream are hitting the rood soon and will be in NYC for CMJ, including the previously-mentioned Panache showcase at Public Assembly on October 19 with Twerps, Turbo fruits, Violent Bullshit, Xray Eyeballs, Levek, Dent May, Dignan Porch, Mac Demarco, and Vockah Redu (tickets). They'll also play Big Snow on 10/20 w/ MV & EE, Paperhead, Herbcraft.

All tour dates are listed below along with the aformentioned streams.

Continue reading "Gap Dream released a new single, going on tour, here for CMJ (dates, streams)"

Delicate Steve at 4Knots Festival 2012 (more by Chris La Putt)

Popgun Booking is turning four years old and they're celebrating with an anniversary party at their homebase of Glasslands on Saturday (9/29) featuring performances by 8-bit partiers Anamanaguchi and instrumental wonderkind Delicate Steve and DJ sets by True Womanhood and Friendly Ghost. (They also list Mitt Romney as DJing which is probably a joke, but his schedule is open that day.) The show is FREE but you do need to RSVP.

Delicate Steve, who spent most of the summer touring his new album, will be here for CMJ too. He's playing a just-announced My Social List showcase at the Martin Room in Webster Hall on October 16 with Teen Daze, Dent May, Heavenly Beat, Mac Demarco, Bleeding Rainbow, The Young Evils and Grand Resort. Tickets are on sale now.

Anamanaguchi, meanwhile, will be touring in October and November with Fun Fun Fun Fest in Austin being the trek's midpoint. All tour dates, as well as a flyer for the Popgun Anniversary party, are below.

Continue reading "Delicate Steve playing CMJ after free show at Glasslands with Anamanaguchi who are touring this fall (dates)"

DOWNLOAD: Naomi Punk - "Burned Body" (MP3)

Wild Nothing at Pier 84 in August (more by Amanda Hatfield)

Captured Tracks labelmates Wild Nothing and DIIV are currently wrapping up their tour together, which kicked off about a month after both bands supported Grimes (who plays Basilica tonight) at her River Rocks show. Upon returning home, as mentioned, DIIV will be headlining the Captured Tracks CMJ showcase at Music Hall of Williamsburg on October 18 with Mac DeMarco, Thieves Like Us, and Dignan Porch (tickets).

Wild Nothing isn't on that show, but they'll play their own NYC show just after CMJ ends at Bowery Ballroom on October 21. Like he's doing at DIIV's MHOW show, Captured Tracks glam star Mac DeMarco will open this show, as will killer Tampa post-punks Merchandise, who just played three NYC shows. The show was just announced at noon and tickets went right on sale. All Wild Nothing dates are listed below.

Naomi Punk

Speaking of Captured Tracks, the label just signed Olympia, WA trio Naomi Punk, who shared a bill with Nude Beach in NYC last month. The label will re-release their debut LP, The Feeling, digitally on October 16 and physically on November 20. You can download that album's single, "Burned Body," above or watch its video below.

That video and an updated list of Wild Nothing dates are below.

Continue reading "Wild Nothing, Merchandise, & Mac DeMarco playing post-CMJ show in NYC (dates); Captured Tracks signed Naomi Punk "

by Bill Pearis

DIIV at River Rocks, August 2012 (more by Amanda Hatfield)

DIIV will headline the Captured Tracks CMJ showcase which is happening at Music Hall of Williamsburg on October 18 with Mac DeMarco, Thieves Like Us, and Dignan Porch rounding out the bill. Tickets for that show go on sale Friday (9/21) at noon with an AmEx presale beginning Wednesday (9/19) at noon.

DIIV are currently on tour with their labelmates Wild Nothing, while Mac DeMarco's tour has him making his way across the South and Southwest. Mac Demarco's new album, Mac Demarco 2, will be out October 16 and you can stream a track from it below.

Meanwhile, this will be the first-ever tour for London's Dignan Porch whose second album, Nothing Bad Will Ever Happen, came out earlier this month. Melodic and jangly, the album should appeal to fans of early Go-Betweens and Flying Nun (as well as Jay Reatard's less vitriolic side). You can stream the whole album at Spotify. In addition to the Captured Tracks showcase, both Dignan Porch and Mac DeMarco will play the Panache CMJ showcase on October 19 at Public Assembly with Twerps, Turbofruits and more.

And not to be left out, multinational dance combo Thieves Like Us (yes, named after New Order's song which was named after a movie) will be playing a few North American dates in October beginning at Glasslands on 10/11 with Heavenly Beat and New Myths. (Tickets are on sale.) If you haven't checked out the group's album, Bleed Bleed Bleed, from earlier this year it blends aloof Italo cool with a little more of a beating heart than you might get with that scene. You can stream it at Spotify.

Chances are all four of these bands will add additional CMJ-week shows to their schedule so keep your eyes peeled as the fest gets closer. Tour dates are listed, along with streams and videos, below.

Continue reading "DIIV, Mac DeMarco, Dignan Porch and Thieves Like Us playing Captured Tracks CMJ Showcase and other dates"

Australia's Twerps will be heading back to North America for a tour this fall. Their tour kicks off in NYC on October 12 at Cake Shop with The Memories and more TBA, and then they'll be back in the city a week later for CMJ where they'll play Public Assembly on October 19 for the Panache showcase with Turbo fruits, Dent May, Dignan Porch, Mac Demarco, and Vockah Redu. Look for more CMJ to be added as we get closer to the fest.

Before the tour starts, Twerps will release a new single, "Work it Out," which is out September 17 via Chapter Music/Underwater Peoples. You can stream the b-side, "He's in Stock," below where you'll also find a list of all tour dates.

Continue reading "Twerps ready new 7", touring North America (dates & streams)"

The full list of artists confirmed for the 2012 CMJ Music Marathon so far is below...

Continue reading "CMJ 2012 initial lineup announced"

Mac DeMarco and band at NXNE 2012 (more by David Andrako)

Rock & roll crooner Mac DeMarco will kick off a short Canadian tour this week, and after it ends he'll take about a month off before heading to the US for a tour here surrounding his appearance at MusicFestNW. That tour hits NYC on August 30 at Death by Audio. The full lineup for that show (or anything else at DbA from mid-late August) has not yet been revealed, but according to the venue's website, the rest of August will be posted soon.

Meanwhile, this fall Mac will release his full-length debut for Captured Tracks, simply titled Mac Demarco 2. You can check out the record's cover art below, along with a list of all dates and the video for "She's All I Really Need" off Mac's Rock & Roll Night Club EP which came out earlier this year.

Continue reading "Mac DeMarco going on tour, playing Death by Audio (dates), releasing new album this fall"