It's been five years since Greg Cartwright's Reigning Sound dropped their last full-length studio album, Too Much Guitar. Not that Cartwright has been resting on his laurels. The Reigning Sound backed Shangri-La Mary Weiss on her critically acclaimed comeback album, Dangerous Game, which was produced and largely written by Cartwright. The band performed with Weiss on tour, including an appearance on Late Night with Conan O'Brien. Cartwright also produced, penned songs for, and played in The Detroit Cobras for a spell. All the while, the Reigning Sound toured the US on and off and released a couple of live albums, yet never managed to get into the studio to record. All the while, Cartwright stockpiled loads of new tunes.

Finally, late last year, the band entered Ardent Studios in Memphis and laid down a bunch of songs. Some months later, they went into Echo Mountain Studios in North Carolina and recorded a bunch more. In the end, the band had more than enough for two albums, and carefully whittled it down to the cream of the musical crop.

Love and Curses (title comes from Memphis TV horror host Sivad) is a return to the sound and style of the Reigning Sound's incredible Time Bomb High School. The band once again features a full-time keyboardist, Dave Amels, and has jettisoned the lo-fi approach used on Too Much Guitar in favor of a bigger, warmer studio sound. As with Time Bomb High School, Love and Curses strikes a balance between soulful rockers and beautiful ballads. The results are a rock 'n' roll album as near to perfection as any one is likely to hear this year. [Midhaven Mailorder]

Love and Curses came out on In the Red Records in August. I also recommend you pick up their new disc "LIVE AT GONER RECORDS" which is also out now. As Goner Records put it includes a "Blastophonic run through some great covers, some great originals from Greg Cartwright!". Greg Cartwright also just put out a live solo record, Live At The Circle A, on September 15th on Dusty Medical Records.

And the group is finally getting around to touring behind these new releases. They play Goner Fest in Memphis this weekend (9/24-9/26), then hit the road in November. They'll be at Maxwell's on November 19th and Southpaw on Nov. 20th. Tickets to both Maxwell's and Southpaw are on sale.

A teaser for the new record, with album art and tracklist, and all tour dates are below..

Continue reading "Reigning Sound - new albums out & Tour Dates announced!"

Sunday, Sept. 28th, 2008 - 11am to 6pm along Washington St. in Hoboken - Observer Highway to 7th St. Featuring three stages of live music & over 300 artists, sculptors, photographers & craftspeople

Mary Weiss and the rest of the lineup below...

Continue reading "2008 Hoboken Arts & Music Festival - full lineup & schedule"

photos by Chris La Putt

The Nouvellas

Photos from this past Friday's free show at South Street Seaport...

Continue reading "Mary Weiss, The Nouvellas & The Lost Crusaders @ South Street Seaport, NYC - pics"

Mary Weiss & the Shangri-Las (1960's)

Mary Weiss & the Yo La-Tengos (2000's)

River to River wants you to know:

The Seaport Music show featuring Mary Weiss of the Shangri-Las with Nouvellas and The Lost Crusaders tomorrow, July 18, will start a touch earlier (6:30pm) than originally planned to make sure that we can fit all this musical goodness in. Thanks for understanding!

"Mary was fifteen years old when she and her sister Elizabeth (Betty) began singing with identical twins Margie and Mary Ann Ganser in their neighborhood of Queens, NY. They soon shot into the charts with massive hits including Remember (Walking In The Sand), Leader Of The Pack, and Give Him A Great Big Kiss. Mary put out a new album recently and has been tearing it up ever since."

That show is today and is free. Last week's free show at the Seaport featured Abe Vigoda, Telepathe and finally No Age. Finally the No Age pics, below...

Continue reading "South Street Seaport - Mary Weiss early tonight, No Age pics "

Richard Reinhardt (a.k.a Richie Beau, Richie Ramone) (born August 11, 1957) is an American drummer best known for his work with the punk rock group the Ramones.

Before working with the Ramones he drummed with Velveteen, and is also reported to have drummed with Annie Golden's band The Shirts. He joined the Ramones on February 13, 1983, at a show at Utica, New York, after second drummer Marky Ramone was fired. He took part in the Subterranean Jungle tour of 1983, where he signed autographs as "Richie Beau", which was the name he went under whilst drumming with Velveteen. [Wikipedia]

Richie recently lost a copyright infringement lawsuit against Wal-Mart, Apple, and Real Networks. Richie will NOT be appearing at the upcoming Joey Ramone birthday bash. Those who will are listed below....

Continue reading "Joey Ramone's 2008 birthday lineup, Richie Ramone's lawsuit "

The initial 2008 lineup of free summer concerts at South Street Seaport in NYC has been announced. It includes King Khan and the Shrines who just signed to VICE and who may also be playing McCarren Pool with Deerhunter who are playing somewhere this week with Atlas Sound who are also playing the Seaport......

Continue reading "South Street Seaport 2008: Atlas Sound, King Khan, A Place to Bury Strangers, No Age, Mary Weiss, El Guincho & more"

DOWNLOAD: Crystal Castles - Air War (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Uffie - Make it Hott (vs Crystal Castles) (MP3)

Mary Weiss & Eric Davidson @ Magnetic Field last night (more by Bryuan Bruchman)

* Living Room
* Magnetic Field
* Mr. Scruff @ Studio B
* Brian Posehn @ Comix
* Rutlemania @ Blender Theater
* Excepter is playing Glasslands
* Japanther is playing Market Hotel
* Lez Zeppelin is playing Irving Plaza
* Langhorne Slim & Deer Tick are @ Maxwell's
* Tristan Perich is playing Zombieville @ Southpaw
* Die! Die! Die!, Bear Hands & Titus Andronicus Music Hall
* The Heavenly States, Richard Davies, and The Shake @ Pianos
* Blitzen Trapper, Fleet Foxes & Ola Podrida are @ Bowery Ballroom

Crystal Castles is coming back to play NYU soon.

What else?

photos by Bryan Bruchman

Magnetic Field in Brooklyn is closing down, and this is sadly their final week of shows. Last night's show featured The A-Bones and special guests the Condo Fucks. Bryan Bruchman (aka Subinev) was there to document the action....

Continue reading "the A-Bones & the Condo Fucks (Yo La Tengo) @ Magnetic Field's final Friday night of shows, Brooklyn, NY - pics"