As mentioned, '90s-era SoCal shoegazers Medicine are back in action, releasing their first full-band album in 18 years, To the Happy Few, via Captured Tracks on August 6. While there's been no word of a full tour, Medecine have announced a NYC record release show which happens on August 16 at Music Hall of Williamsburg. Tickets for that show go on AmEx presale on Wednesday (5/1) at noon, and the general on-sale happens Friday (5/3) at noon.

There's also a LA release show happening at The Echo on August 11. You can stream the first track released from To the Happy Few, "Long as the Sun," below.

Continue reading "Medicine playing NYC record release show in August"

by Bill Pearis

DOWNLOAD: Medicine - Long As the Sun (MP3)

Last year, Captured Tracks reissued the '90s output of SoCal shoegazers Medicine whose ability to meld the eardrum-shattering noise with beautiful melodies was unequaled in America at the time. (Especially on 1992's Shot Forth Self Living and 1993's The Buried Life.) Now comes word that Brad Laner has reformed Medicine and will release To the Happy Few, their first full-band record in 18 years, on Captured Tracks in August. That's the cover art above. The first single is "Long As the Sun" and finds the tightrope act between the sweet and the shrill completely intact. You can download it above or stream it below.

Continue reading "'90s shoegazers Medicine reformed, new album in August (stream a track)"

BEAUTIFUL NOISE is an in-depth exploration of a music movement in the late 20th century, a fascinating period when some innovative musicians mixed guitar noise into conventional pop song structures while maintaining a philosophy of letting the music speak for itself.

Although many of the people interviewed are notoriously press shy they have opened up about their music and experiences from over 20 years ago; how they defied the rules and became sonic innovators that have inspired so many.

Currently the documentary is in the final stages for worldwide release, and we need your help to raise the $75,000 to pay for limited run licensing and finishing costs to distribute in Film Festivals and on DVD/Blu-Ray.

This documentary will finally be released only if the fans of this music believe in this project and contribute.

Legendary shoegaze/dream pop bands My Bloody Valentine, Cocteau Twins, and The Jesus and Mary Chain are subject of new documentary, Beautiful Noise, who have launched a Kickstarter campaign to raise enough money for the film to be distributed in film festivals and released on DVD/Blu-Ray (via Pitchfork). In addition to those three bands, the film will feature interviews with/appearances by members of other shoegaze pioneers like Ride, Slowdive, Lush, Curve, Swervedriver, Medicine, Pale Saints, and more, plus appearances by Wayne Coyne, Trent Reznor, Billy Corgan, and Robert Smith, and performance videos (and some interviews) with current bands like Sigur Ros, M83, A Place to Bury Strangers, Grouper, Serena Maneesh, and others. The Kickstarter campaign has reached just over $17,000 of its $75,000 goal as of this post, and is open until December 15. More info and rewards details at the documentary's Kickstarter project page.

This comes shortly after the news that My Bloody Valentine plans to release an album by the end of the year.

Campaign video below...

Continue reading "My Bloody Valentine, JAMC, Cocteau Twins, Ride and more feature in shoegaze doc that launched Kickstarter campaign"

by Andrew Sacher

DOWNLOAD: Mac DeMarco - "Baby's Wearin Blue Jeans (MP3)

Blouse

Brooklyn label Captured Tracks is presenting a show at 285 Kent on January 31 with Blouse, Cosmetics, The New Lines, Beige, and Mosaics. More details on this show are below.

Blouse, who we said to check out when they made their NYC debut this past September, released their excellent self-titled debut LP this past November on Captured Tracks (you can buy it on eMusic). The 285 Kent show is Blouse's last North American show before heading out on a European tour in February. All dates are listed below.

In other Captured Tracks news, they launched The Shoegaze Archives in late November, a new series where the label will reissue some of the more obscure releases of the '90s shoegaze era. So far, they've reissued releases by Should, deardarkhead, and Grabbel and The Final Cut. Reissues by Medicine and Half String are on the way. All of these releases are/will be available at the Captured Tracks webstore.

Mac DeMarco

In more Captured Tracks news, last week, they announced their most recent signing; Mac DeMarco, who previously recorded under the moniker Makeout Videotapes. He'll release his debut EP under his own name for the label, Rock and Roll Night Club, on March 20. Mac's guitar has a real '60s garage rock feel to it but he sings with a seductive baritone that recalls '80s new romanticism as much as it does a '50s rockabilly croon. Grab the track, "Baby's Wearin Blue Jeans," from the EP above, and stream two more tracks at bandcamp. You can also stream the track below.

All dates, 285 Kent show details and song stream below...

Continue reading "Captured Tracks signed Mac DeMarco, releasing 90s shoegaze, hosting show in Brooklyn with Blouse & more"