Marissa Nadler in Chicago in 2011 (more by Ben Rodig)

As mentioned, lutenist Jozef Van Wissem and guitarist/film director Jim Jarmusch, who put out two albums in 2012, followed by Apokatastasis and a contribution to the Sacred Bones RSD comp this year, are playing a show at Mercury Lounge on May 7 with drone guitarist Noveller (who also plays the Drone Activity In Progress show tonight [5/2]). Tickets for the Mercury Lounge show are still available.

Before Jozef heads over to Europe for a tour there, he'll squeeze in a solo gig happening in NYC at Brooklyn's Saint Vitus Bar on May 12 with a great lineup of dream folk singer Marissa Nadler and Entrance Band frontman Guy Blakeslee (who sang on Jozef & Jim's contribution to the Sacred Bones comp). Tickets for that show are on sale now. The Saint Vitus show is Marissa Nadler's only currently announced date other than Canadian festival MoSoFest, which she plays this June.

Jozef also has a new record out this year, Nihil Obstat. Though this one's a solo record, Jim Jarmusch does appear on it. You can stream the track "Where You Lived And What You Lived For" from the album over at NPR. Jozef will celebrate the album in NYC after his European tour with a release show on June 30 at Union Pool. No advance tickets for that show at the moment.

All dates are listed, along with Jozef Van Wissem & Jim Jarmusch and Marissa Nadler videos, below...

Continue reading "Jozef Van Wissem has a new LP, playing more shows (one with Marissa Nadler)"

The Men at Bowery Ballroom in March (more by David Andrako)

We just told you about a bunch of Record Store Day releases that we're excited for, and here's one more that should be pretty great. Sacred Bones is releasing the third installment of their Todo Muere series, and this one features tracks from The Men, Moon Duo, a Psychic Ills remix of Follakzoid, Jozef Van Wissem & Jim Jarmusch, Zola Jesus, The Holydrug Couple, Wymond Miles, and Case Studies. Check out the album art and stream The Men's contribution, "B Minor," a track from their New Moon sessions, below.

The Men are on tour now and will be back in NYC for a Northside Festival show on June 14 at Warsaw with the Greg Ginn/Ron Reyes incarnation of Black Flag, Ginn's other project Good For You, and Netherlands (sold out). They're also playing 4Knots Festival at the South Street Seaport on June 29, though that lineup has not been announced in full yet. Stay tuned.

Jozef Van Wissem and Jim Jarmusch also have a NYC show coming up which happens at Mercury Lounge on May 7 with drone guitar great Noveller. Tickets for that show go on sale today (4/12) at noon. It's Jozef & Jim's only US date before heading overseas for Primavera Sound and other shows.

All Jozef Van Wissem and The Men dates are listed, along with The Men song stream, below...

Continue reading "Sacred Bones releasing RSD comp; The Men playing 4Knots; a new Jozef Van Wissem & Jim Jarmusch show (dates/stream)"

Pharmakon will release Abandon, Margaret Chardiet's debut effort with Sacred Bones and first long-player overall. Look for it on May 14th via the label, but first check out the new track "Crawling On Bruised Knees" available for streaming below..

Chardiet's noisy, confrontational and abrasive live show is a must see, and you can catch her at a trio of upcoming NYC shows including, most imminently, the previously discussed April 7th date at 285 Kent with Jason Lescalleet and Spencer Yeh Trio (tickets) and at another show at 285 Kent on June 15th with Marshstepper, Body of Light, Lust For Youth and Foreplay as part of the Northside Festival. Ticketing info for that one is on the way, or get in with your Northside Festival badge.

Pharmakon also has one other NYC date, as part of the upcoming Red Bull Music Academy series of events, and it's a whopper:

On May 2, the Red Bull Music Academy will turn the spectacular Knockdown Center into a temple of thundering noise with some of today's most daring sound artists for Drone Activity In Progress. The night will see performances from sixteen solo artists and duos on three stages, where the sound bleed between stages is entirely intentional.

Continue reading "Pharmakon readies 'Abandon' (stream a track), adds dates, playing big RBMA show full of experimental artists (dates)"

Thomas Meluch will release his fourth album under his musical alias Benoît Pioulard, Hymnal, on March 4 via Kranky. The record was made in England and Europe while on a year abroad, taking inspiration from the continent's many ornate cathedrals. Benoît just released the video for album track "Margin" and you can watch that below.

You may remember that Benoît just released a split with Foxes in Fiction, with whom he'll share a few dates on his upcoming March tour, though not at either of FiF's NYC shows this month. He will, however, play The Studio @ Webster Hall on March 26 with Noveller and tickets are on sale now. All tour dates are listed below.

Continue reading "Benoit Pioulard readies new LP, playing shows (dates, stream)"

Tickets for the Os Mutantes shows at LPR went on sale today at noon.

Tickets for the Junip show at LPR went on sale today at noon.

Tickets for the Perfume Genius and Dusted show at LPR go on sale Monday (8/6) at 10 AM. Tickets for their MHOW show go on sale Friday, August 10 at noon.

Jozef Van Wissem and Noveller are playing Le Poisson Rouge on September 10. Tickets for that show are on sale now.

Tickets for the Mono shows at LPR and Glasslands are on sale now.

Tickets for the Mount Eerie show at LPR are on sale now.

Tickets are still available for John Talabot (DJ) and Jamie xx's LPR show on Saturday (8/4). Tickets are also still available for John Talabot's live show at the same venue, which happens on September 27.

Langhorne Slim plays Brooklyn Bowl on October 25. Tickets for that show are on sale now.

The Circa Survive tour which Touche Amore is supporting on, has been expanded and now includes a second NYC area show, which happens on October 27 at Starland Ballroom in Sayreville, NJ. Tickets for that show went on sale today at noon.

Missy Higgins, one day before she opens for Gotye in Camden, three days after she opens for him at Radio City, and one day after Gotye plays Williamsburg Park (which she does not open), plays her own NYC show at The Bell House on September 28 with Butterfly Boucher. Tickets for that show are on sale now.

Those Darlins (who recently opened for Best Coast) and Heavy Cream play Glasslands on October 26. Tickets for that show are on sale now.

As mentioned, Sonny & the Sunsets are touring with Magic Trick and hitting NYC for three area shows this month. We're giving away a pair of tickets for the Maxwell's show (8/15). Details on how to enter are below.

Hospitality are playing Brooklyn Bowl on August 31. It's FREE with RSVP or $5 at the door. The show is right in the middle of a tour that Hospitality is going on with TEEN.

Sonny & the Sunsets contest details are below.

Continue reading "tickets on sale: Os Mutantes, Junip, Perfume Genius, Noveller, Missy Higgins, Those Darlins, Hospitality, Sonny and the Sunsets, Langhorne Slim & more"

by Andrew Sacher

In the past, Laurel Halo has made production based dance music -- like on her Hour Logic EP and the Spring EP released under her King Felix moniker -- but on her new album, Quarantine, she crafts atmospheric art pop led most heavily by her own vocals. At her show at Public Assembly on Saturday (7/21), the mix of these two sounds came across really well. She began her set turning knobs at her boards, creating layers of ambience and head knocking bass drums, and almost never took a breather. But in between her passages of psychedelic dance, she would pick up her microphone to deliver songs from Quarantine like "Thaw," "Years," "MK Ultra," and "Carcass." If you went in expecting to hear Laurel with a piano playing the bulk of Quarantine, you may have left a little disappointed, but blending the sounds of her diverse bodies of work is what makes Laurel Halo the distinct musician she is.

The show began with a set from Burning Star Core (aka C. Spencer Yeh) who rotated between the weird and the weirder, building rhythmic (but rarely melodic) sound collages of what could pass for film sound effects and tying in his frantic, off-kilter violin playing. He was followed by Noveller (aka Sarah Lipstate), who with no more than a guitar and a series of effect pedals, creates compelling melodic passages. As Sarah would close her eyes and rear her head back, she sent both herself and the crowd into a drifting state of intoxication. Then, right before Laurel Halo took the stage to close out the night, we got a set from Pete Swanson (ex-Yellow Swans) who played on the floor almost completely in the dark. He had an analog reel-to-reel tape spinning as he flicked switches and plugs, gradually turning what began as a rather straightforward four-four loop into a thick wall of noise.

As mentioned, you have many more chances to catch Laurel Halo in her hometown of NYC, including Cameo (8/2), Littlefield (8/8), and 285 Kent (9/21). Noveller will next play Secret Project Robot (8/4) as part of The Maze.

Some of you may remember art installation The Maze which took over Death by Audio back in Fall 2009 and at at Chashama's Visual Arts Space in 2009. Well it's back, as the You Are Here Festival has returned for a month-long residency at Secret Project Robot Gallery in Bushwick (389 Melrose St) from July 12 - Aug 4.

Just like in previous years, the festival will include a "gigantic life size maze", and will host a grip of performers on Thursday - Saturday during their stay at the space. Thursday's kickoff event (7/12) features Miho Hatori's New Optimism, ZS, Bachanalia, Ann Liv Young and DJ JG Thirlwell of various Foetus incarnations. Other performers throughout the month include Xeno and Oaklander, Hubble, Mick Barr, Dan Friel, Zs, VAZ, Amen Dunes, Extra Life, Diamond Terrifier and many many more. Full schedule for "You are Here" is below including details on the art exhibitions at the space.

The festival is also readying a limited mixtape, featuring unheard/rare tracks from many of the performers scheduled for the event. Get a copy at the shows and at the You Are Here site, and check out "Hubble Potatoes" by Hubble which appears on said comp below.

In related news, both Diamond Terrifier and Hubble will perform at Zebulon tonight (7/10), joining Excepter and Hagfish & Poet Lounge. The show is part of a month-long residency durated by Diamond Terrifier (Sam Hillmer of Zs) on Tuesdays at the venue. The remainder of shows will feature a Patrick Higgins electro-acoustic set with Sleng Teng, and Tetryl Red on 7/17, ATM, with Psychic Reality, and Chuck Bettis on 7/24, and the final show on 7/31 with Talibam!, Violet Raid, Sun Watchers, and GADDFJXR.

Full details on the fest are below. The group is currently seeking funding for a Berlin edition in September 2012, contribute if you can.

Continue reading "The You Are Here Festival (aka The Maze) is coming to Secret Project Robot"

by Andrew Sacher

Laurel Halo

Brooklyn's Laurel Halo released her excellent new album, Quarantine, earlier this month and recently finished up a European tour in support of it. Now that she's back home, she's already begun scheduling local shows, including a Quarantine release party at 285 Kent on June 30 with Gatekeeper, Slava, Anenon, Wish, and DJ sets by Brenmar and Teengirl Fantasy, whose new album Laurel guests on. Tickets for that show are available.

Laurel Halo has another Brooklyn show set to take place on July 21 on Public Assembly with a great local bill of Pete Swanson, Noveller, and Burning Star Core (aka C. Spencer Yeh). As usual, New Yorkers will get plenty of more chances to catch Noveller, like at Entwine on Thursday (6/28) and at Secret Project Robot on August 4, but for Pete Swanson (ex-Yellow Swans), he's saying the Public Assembly show is likely his last NYC show for 2012. If you've yet to hear his new album, Man With Potential, you can stream it below.

Speaking of Gatekeeper, who play the 285 Kent show, they'll release their debut full length, Exo, on July 17 via Hippos in Tanks, along with an accompanying video game. Gatekeeper will celebrate Exo with a record release show in Brooklyn at Public Assembly on July 27. Thunder Horse FX will be doing visuals for their set and the bill also includes Total Freedom, James Ferraro, Yen Tech and Arca. Tickets for that show are on sale now. The show flier and Exo cover art/tracklist are below.

Continue reading "Laurel Halo playing shows; 1 w/ Gatekeeper who also have a record release show"

The Psychic Paramount have filled in some holes surrounding their previously discussed US dates at Pitchfork and the Capital Hill Block Party and have turned that into a US tour, kicking things off with a show at Cameo on July 8th and looping back to NYC for a final show on the tour at Union Pool on August 9th. All dates are listed below. Any other remaining holes are filled with smoke.

Noveller recently came off of a tour with The Psychic Paramount and, as discussed, will return to play Glasslands tommorrow (6/20) with Nadja (tickets).

Dates and song below...

Continue reading "The Psychic Paramount announce summer tour (dates)"

The Psychic Paramount at Cake Shop (more by BBG)

Brooklyn prog-kraut-acid rock trio The Psychic Paramount have already announced appearances at Pitchfork and Capitol Hill Block Party. Before that they'll head out for a string of dates on the East Coast. Kicking off in Quebec City, the band will head back south for dates in Providence, Boston, and Burlington before eventually ending the short tour with a show at Le Poisson Rouge on May 19th with Noveller. Tickets are on sale.

The Psychic Paramount are currently working on their new LP, so it wouldn't be too far-fetched to expect some new jams at the dates listed below.

Noveller is also on board for a show just a little more than a month later, when Sarah Lipstate will support Nadja with Lazurite at Glasslands on June 20th. Tickets are on sale for the show, one of only two US dates scheduled at the moment.

In related news, you can stream the spankin new Aidan Baker (of Nadja) and Richard Baker collaborative release Variations On A Loop (Rhythms) below alongside the recent Nadja release Excision.

All streams and dates are below.

Continue reading "The Psychic Paramount writing & touring the East Coast; Nadja adds Glasslands show with Noveller (and other dates)"

by Andrew Sacher

Lockett Pundt with Deerhunter in 2011 (more by Jessica Amaya)

Deerhunter guitarist Lockett Pundt, who records solo material under the moniker Lotus Plaza, released his second LP for the project, Spooky Action at a Distance, earlier this month via Kranky. It's a huge step up from his 2009 debut, The Floodlight Collective, and shows how vital his songwriting contributions to Deerhunter have become, strongly echoing the dream pop leanings of Deerhunter's latest album, Halcyon Digest. Any of these tracks would feel right at home on Halcyon Digest, but rather than feeling redundant, they come as a refreshing reminder that Bradford Cox isn't the only member of Deerhunter with a library of songs in him.

The songs are driven by looping beats that either seemingly or literally don't falter throughout the entirety of each song, notably popping out with the drum rolls of "Strangers" or the krautpunk backbone of "Remember Our Days." The album sounds largest with its centerpiece, "Monoliths," which gives "Desire Lines" a run for its money as Lockett's best song yet. It opens with two quick verses and then spends more than half the song with crashing cymbals and the repeated line, "And one of these days, I hope I come around," ending in "One of these days, I'll come around." The album's most surprising moment comes on its closing track, "Black Buzz," an acoustic ballad with Lockett's vocals intimately foregrounded, and the one track on the album that makes Lotus Plaza actually seem like a solo project. You can stream "Strangers" and "Monoliths" below. Also below is the album's artwork and tracklist.

Lotus Plaza is about to kick off a tour with Disappears, who also released an album earlier this year on Kranky. As mentioned, that tour hits NYC on April 19 at Glasslands with Noveller. Tickets are still available.

Updated dates, streams, album art and tracklist below...

Continue reading "Lotus Plaza released 'Spooky Action at a Distance', about to tour w/ Disappears (updated dates & song streams)"

photos by David Andrako

Sxip Shirey & Angelica Negron @ Merkin Concert Hall - 2/7/2012

"The “mesmerizing” (New Yorker) multi-instrumentalist and composer Sxip Shirey (pictured) teams up with Angélica Negrón, composer of “wistfully idiosyncratic and contemplative” (WQXR) music for an evening of fabulously eclectic and sonically wide-ranging collaboration. In addition to working together, they will be joined by a slate of special guests, including violinist/composer/Ableton master Todd Reynolds, guitar sound-architect Noveller (“simultaneously soothing and mind-wrecking,” NY Press), the wine-glass/guitar marvel Jonny Rodgers (“beautiful, fragile and consistently challenging,” New Haven Register). The teen alt-classical sensations Face the Music (“stunning,” “polished, exuberant,” New York Times) will give the world premiere of Angélica Negrón’s El Gran Caleidoscopio."

The festival continues tonight (2/8) at the same venue with the Arcade Fire's Richard Reed Parry along with Son Lux and yMusic. Bryce and Aaron Dessner of the National have also been announced as special guests on the show. Tickets are still available, and we're giving away a pair on Facebook.

Tickets are also still available for Thursday's show with This Will Destroy You (who are on tour).

More pictures from Tuesday's show, below...

Continue reading "Ecstatic Music Fest 2012 -- show 2 in pics (Sxip Shirey, Angelica Negron, Noveller, more); Dessners play tonight"

words & photos by Keith Marlowe

Scratch Acid @ Webster Hall

In lieu of a review of Monday night's Scratch Acid show at Webster Hall, their first NYC show in many, many years, writer/photographer Keith Marlowe presents this open letter to the band's frontman:

===================

Dear David Yow,

I love you. I've always loved you. I've never felt about other singers the way I feel about you. You gave me "HEAD" with the Jesus Lizard, and I want to return the favor. I want to marry you and have your babies. We both hit the sauce hard, so they would probably be all crazy and hideous, with foreheads so huge we could attach windshield wipers. If we ever got bored with our deformed skull babies, we could give them to some shitty no-talent shock-rock band like Slipknot to use as stage props. Or NAMBLA. I don't care, really. Do you think any of the dudes in NAMBLA have fetal-alcohol-syndrome fetishes? Let's find out together.

I wouldn't expect you to be monogamous, because I figure you treat lovers like you do bands. You've been in long-term relationships with Scratch Acid, the Jesus Lizard, Qui, and had one night-stands with the Melvins, Helmet, Shellac and Cop Shoot Cop, among others. I've caught you numerous times when you've flung your body violently into the audience, so you can trust me to catch you during tough emotional times too. I'll always be there for you, no matter what kind of project you're involved with, even that western you acted in starring the Insane Clown Posse.

It's not just about your music either. I'm very physically attracted to you. I've seen your dick a bunch of times over the years, and I think it's super hot. You make great art too, and if the money ever ran out we could live off all the free booze and cheese at your openings, like the one you just had at the Fuse Gallery right here in NYC.

I love you David, and I hope that someday, you'll love me back. Because that would be the "Greatest Gift" of all.

Yours truly,
Keith

===================

Noveller, who has opened for Jesus Lizard in the past, was added as a last minute opener to the NYC show. More pictures and the setlist, below...

Continue reading "Scratch Acid played Webster Hall (pics, setlist & an open letter to David Yow)"

Mirah with Thao & Mirah at MHOW in June (more by Amanda Hatfield)

Mirah plays Dead Herring tonight (8/19) with two fellow female songwriters. She'll be joined by the anti-folk-leaning K Records labelmate and sometimes-collaborator Tara Jane Oneil, who will be playing guitar in Mirah's band, and the guitar drone of Noveller (aka Sarah Lipstate). According to Tara's website, she'll be playing a singer songwriter style solo set with just her and a guitar.

The show is the first Dead Herring show to have advance tickets on sale. To reserve tickets:

1. send $10 per ticket via paypal to brett@mladysrecords.com
2. make yr subject heading "mirah tickets"
3. yr name will be on the door the night of the show - if you bought more than one ticket, it'll say yr name + 1 or more
4. any questions, write brett@mladysrecords.com for clarity and harmony

Mirah recently released a new song, "Low Self Control," featuring Tender Forever. You can stream the track at her website and download it on iTunes.

Mirah's partner in crime Thao Nguyen also has a bunch of shows coming up.

All Mirah/Noveller dates and Littlefield flier below...

Continue reading "Mirah, Noveller & Tara Jane O'Neil playing Dead Herring & other shows"

Forma

If you've noticed that The Stone has been putting on some pretty great shows this month like Laurel Halo and Metalux, among others, that's because August 2011 is being curated by noise master Carlos Giffoni (of No Fun Fest) and Pi Recordings founder Seth Rosner. (not that any month at the Stone is ever bad.)

Their curation continues throughout the month and includes Spectre Folk and Forma TONIGHT (8/6) after Forma plays Warm Up with Simian Mobile Disco during the day.

Other artists playing throughout the month include White Out with Ikue Mori, Noveller, Oneohtrix Point Never, C. Spencer Yeh and Meg Clixby, Fieldwork, Sickness, Driphouse, Nautical Almanac, and others. Check The Stone's Calender for full show lineups throughout the month.

Some Forma song streams below...

Continue reading "Carlos Giffoni & Seth Rosner curated the Stone (Forma play after PS1 tonight)"

by Andrew Frisicano

Tonight (7/6) is the first of three chances you'll have to check out Noveller, the guitar-based soundscapes project of Sarah Lipstate, over the next two weeks. The show is at Public Assembly, where she's on a bill with JACK Quartet (who've been playing around town quite a bit, including a set at the BoaC marathon) and Zs (performing as a trio). After that, Noveller plays Thursday at Coco 66 and next Tuesday (7/15) at Shea Stadiumwith Zs-related Diamond Terrifier (video below).

Noveller recently released a new record, Glacial Glow, which you can hear-- along with the rest of the Noveller catalog--on Bandcamp. The disc takes a different approach than 2010's stellar Desert Fires, swapping its broad, meaty textures for a more spare, melodic sound. That same approach carries over into Matt Kleiner's video for new song "Alone Star," which captures the urban landscapes of Sydney and Melbourne in stark black & white. That video and all tour dares are below....

Continue reading "Noveller released 'Glacial Glow' (stream), playing shows (dates at Public Assembly, Coco66 & Shea Stadium)"

Noveller @ Irving Plaza in 2009 (more by Lori Baily)

Brooklyn based guitarist Sarah Lipstate, better known as Noveller, is performing a "special solo set + birthday celebration" at The Stone tonight, Wednesday, 3/16. In June, she's going on tour with U.S. Girls, including a show at Bruar Falls on June 26. All dates and a video below...

Continue reading "Noveller playing the Stone (tonight) & other shows"

by Andrew Frisicano

DOWNLOAD: Noveller - Almost Alright (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Noveller - Fades (live on WKCR) (MP3)

That's the retina-popping cover of Desert Fires, the second album from Noveller - Brooklyn guitarist Sarah Lipstate - which came out in June. The two tracks above are the beginning and end of the warm, shimmering record (though the latter is a live cut rather than the album version).

Noveller plays Littlefield tonight (7/20) with Alan Licht, Fair Use (Luke Dubois, Zach Layton and Matty Ostrowski) and pianist Kathleen Supové. Tickets are still on sale.

Coming up, Licht performs with Text of Light, a group that features him, Lee Ranaldo, Uli Krieger, and Christian Marclay, at (Le) Poisson Rouge on September 2nd. Tickets are on sale. They also play ATP NY.

Noveller tours in August and September with unFact, the project of David Wm. Sims of Jesus Lizard (who Noveller opened for at Irving Plaza in November). Noveller returns to Littlefield for a September 9th with Balmorhea and Julianna Barwick (tickets).

The video for "Almost Alright," directed by Chris Habib with hand-drawn film by Sarah, live clips and all tour dates are posted below...

Continue reading "Noveller released an album, touring w/ unFact, playing today"

by Bill Pearis

DOWNLOAD: Dum Dum Girls - Jail La La (Mp3)
DOWNLOAD: Happy Birthday - Girls FM (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: The Bloodsugars - Light at the End of the Tunnel (Mp3)

Bear Hands

It's another jam-packed week of shows. In addition to Taken By Trees, El Perro Del Mar and The Soundtrack of our Lives, here's some of the ones I'm excited about.

tonight (2/16): New Cantora Records signees Bear Hands play The Studio at Webster Hall. You can download the band's percussion-heavy new single "What a Drag" for free from their website if you're willing to give them your email address. You can also watch the video at the bottom of this post.

Also tonight (2/16), Beast kick off what is now a run of three NYC shows. As we pointed out earlier today, "Beast are at the Living Room tonight. They play the Cameo tomorrow night late...and they've added an early set at the Mercury Lounge on Wednesday, where the show is with Fight Like Apes, Honor By August, Stationary Set and Tryptics."

The Bloodsugars

This week is last of Savoir Adore's February Thursdays residency at Cake Shop and we've got a pair of tickets up for grabs. Just email BVCONTESTS@HOTMAIL.COM and we'll pick a winner at random. In addition to Savoir Adore (have I mentioned their album made my Best of 2009 list?),  it's another good group of openers. The Bloodsugars make '80s-inspired widescreen pop that at times sounds uncannily like Prefab Sprout -- and good Prefab Sprout, not "hot dog jumping frog Albequerque" Prefab Sprout. Which is to say these folks know their way around big pop hooks, and are kind of a perfect match with Savoir Adore. You can download "Light at the End of the Tunnel" from last year's underrated I Can't Go On, I'll Go On at the top of this post.

Also on the bill: Pittsburgh's chilled-out Ennui and Brooklyn's synth-heavy Red Wire Black Wire with between-sets DJing from Nora of blog I Rock I Roll.

Also on Thursday (2/18), Dan Black is in town at Mercury Lounge. There's a new version of Dan's single "Symphonies" that features Kid Cudi, and you can watch the new video for it at the bottom of this post.

Bear in Heaven @ Mercury Lounge in January (more by Kyle Dean Reinford)

A few more shows. Bear in Heaven, who were just great at Mercury Lounge a couple weeks back, play Glasslands on Friday night (2/19) with Secret Machines. What I like about them live is that you can tell they all really enjoying being in Bear in Heaven and playing these songs. They're just a lot of fun to watch, and they're pretty tight too with a drummer beats the shit out of his instrument.

Secret Machines are headlining, a band I haven't seen play in some time but have always liked. They've got a trippy, string-heavy new single, "Like I Can," that you can listen to on their website. Also playing what sounds like a full evening are electro rock quintet Mon Khmer, Noveller and Papa.

Saturday (2/20) marks the end of The Beets/Beach Fossils/Christmas Island tour where they'll play Music Hall of Williamsburg along with German Measels and headliners Crystal Stilts who I still haven't managed to catch since Frankie Rose left the drummer's chair.

Dum Dum Girls

Speaking of Frankie, she'll be pulling double duty Sunday night at Mercury Lounge where her own bandThe Outs will open for Dum Dum Girls (she's their drummer). DDG's debut album for Sub Pop is about six weeks away but you can download the album's first single, "Jail La La," at the top of this post. (It's out on 7" today with a nice cover of the Stones' "Play With Fire" on the flip.) I'm usually not one for re-recording songs that have already been released, but I actually think this recording is spruces things up just enough without unraveling their reverby gauze. After heading to London for a few shows, Dum Dum Girls will be back for SXSW and then will go on tour with Girls in April. All dates are at the bottom of this post.

Frankie & the Outs are really coming along as a band too, and thought they were fantastic at Monster Island this past weekend. The vocal harmonies in particular are the band's strong point, with a bit of soul in there too actually, kind of like some late-'60s girl rockers. I'd love to hear them cover The Kelly Affair/Carry Nation's "Sweet Talking Candy Man" from Beyond the Valley of the Dolls. But maybe that's just me.

Also playing are Dum Dum Girls' Sub Pop labelmates Happy Birthday, whose super-catchy song "Girls FM" is downloadable at the top of this post. It's power pop, but kind of gritty/garagy and makes me anxious to hear more.

That's it for this week. Flyers, videos and tour dates after the jump...

Continue reading "Bear Hands, Dum Dum Girls, Happy Birthday, Bloodsugars, Bear in Heaven, Beast & more in This Week in Indie"

DOWNLOAD: Bisco Smith - "Broadcast Live" (Remix of TV On The Radio's "Wear You Out") (MP3)

Rain Machine @ BAM Opera House (more by Vincent Cornelli)

As pointed out in the comments, Noveller's Brooklyn Valentine's Day show at Glasslands will be happening instead at Coco 66. The lineup for that includes Bad Credit No Credit, The Shivers, comic Caroline Contillo and DJ Ropstyle .

Instead, Glasslands (before its Neon Indian/French Horn Rebellion/Cubic Zirconia DJ party) will be hosting a Valentine's Day show with TV on the Radio's Kyp Malone & friends. There'll be sets by Rain Machine (Kyp's band), Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson (Kyp is a huge fan, a friend, and appears on his album), Iran (also Kyp's band) (sometimes) and Candles of Paradise.

Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson's backing band shares members with Holly Miranda's (its a night off from her Tegan & Sara-supporting tour) and Holly's forthcoming album, The Magician's Private Library, was produced by TVotR's Dave Sitek who also produced Iran's Dissolver (which came out last year). In related Sitek news, Dave also has a remix on the new 12" from DOOM (who plays NYC with Mos Def on February 26th).

Miles Benjamin is also playing a show at Le Poisson Rouge on March 10th with Shilpa Ray and Suckers. Tickets just went on sale.

And to complete the TVotR roundup, we should mention that Tunde is one of the guest vocalists on the new Massive Attack record, and TVotR's "Wear You Out" was recently remixed by Brooklyn MC Bisco Smith, re-linked above.

Some classic TV on the Radio videos (and others you'd probably rather not see) are posted below...

Continue reading "Noveller moves to Coco66, Kyp Malone & friends playing Glasslands, Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson also at LPR"

Freelance Whales @ Bell House Haiti benefit, Jan 27 (more by Jonny Leather)

Freelance Whales have added another NYC show to their upcoming schedule. The newly announced show is the farthest away - they'll play Bowery Ballroom on Tuesday, April 13th. Tickets are on sale.

Before then they open for Mumford & Sons and Shout Out Louds (separately), and go on tour with Cymbals Eat Guitars and Bear In Heaven. That trip goes around North America and includes SXSW. Those two bands, minus Freelance Whales, finish the tour at Music Hall of Williamsburg on April 9th. tickets are still on sale.

Before then you can catch Bear in Heaven at Glasslands on February 19th, when they play with Secret Machines, Mon Khmer (who also play a show at Union Pool with Midnight Masses), Noveller (who plays Coco66 on V-Day; all shows are below) and PAPA. Ticket info is here.

Video from Freelance Whales' recent NYC show and all tour dates are below...

Continue reading "Noveller touring (dates), Valentine's Day show w/ Secret Machines, Bear in Heaven ++ Freelance Whales add NY show"

by Bill Pearis

DOWNLOAD: Sisters - Accolades (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Sisters - Street Cars (MP3)

Sisters @ Above the Auto Parts Store (more by Leia Jospe)

While they have yet to release an album, Brooklyn duo Sisters have been busy releasing split 7"s with JEFF: the Brotherhood and helping run Death by Audio the venue. Death by Audio, the label, will release their full-length debut in the spring of 2010. The guys don't have any local shows till February (when they'll open for Atlas Sound and Neon Indian) but they play Toronto on January 15 with Little Girls. Singer-guitarist Aaron Pfannnebecker, and drummer/keyboardist Matt Conboy sum up their 2009, and explain why two people need so much volume...

Continue reading "an end of 2009 interview w/ Sisters"

Dr. Dog @ Prospect Park in the Summer (more by Tim Griffin)

tonight in NYC
* Shadowbox @ Coco66
* Dr. Dog @ Brooklyn Bowl
* Mucky Pup @ Mexicali Live
* .357 Lover, Sxip Shirey @ Galapagos
* Glen Matlock of the Sex Pistols @ Nublu
* Sebastien Schuller, The Present @ Sycamore
* The Gaslight Anthem @ Wellmont Theater
* Mountain Man & Alex Beeker @ Lutheran Church
* Arctic Monkeys, Screaming Females @ Terminal 5
* Das Racist, Popo, Gordon Voidwell @ Glasslands
* The Whigs, The Features, Mean Creek @ Irving Plaza
* forgetters, Humanbeast, Chastity Wig @ Market Hotel
* The Cliks, Hunter Valentine @ Knitting Factory Brookln
* The Beets, The Wowz, Great Lakes @ Brooklyn Tea Party
* Tyvek, Yellow Fever, Air Waves, Noveller @ Bruar Falls
* Knight School, Old Books, Order, Alphabet @ Silent Barn
* Curtis Harvey, The Glorytellers, Chris Brokaw @ Cake Shop
* A Prairie Home Companion with Garrison Keillor @ Town Hall
* The Woes, Previously on Lost, Zongo Junction, Height @ Death By Audio
* Holly Golightly & The Broke-Offs, T Model Ford, Tough Shits @ Maxwell's
* The Phenomenal Handclap Band, Javelin, The Eclectic Method @ Bowery Ballroom
* Gunfight, Bottle Up & Go, Beach Fossils, The Toothaches, The Vultures @ Live at the Pyramids
* The Fiery Furnaces, Shilpa Ray & Her Happy Hookers, Private Income @ Music Hall of Williamsburg

Nice Jewish Girls Gone Bad are at Bleeker Street Theater.

Arctic Monkeys play with Screaming Females again at Terminal 5. Pictures from last night HERE.

Dr. Dog plays Brooklyn Bowl tonight and will be back later to play Terminal 5.

Glen Matlock of the Sex Pistols plays Sex Pistols songs acoustic at Nublu tonight. Flyer below.

Shilpa Ray opens for the Fiery Furnaces tonight at MHOW and then again tomorrow at Bowery Ballroom.

Yellow Fever play with Tyvek tonight and then with Vivian Girls and Happy Birthday tomorrow. Noveller is also on the Bruar Falls bill tonight. Check out a live video below...

Bonnie Baxter is Shadowbox

forgetters featuring Blake from Jawbreaker is at Market Hotel tonight.

Glorytellers featuring Geoff Farina from Karate is at Cake Shop tonight.

Small Black play Cake Shop Saturday (with Tickley Feather).

Gwar is in the area and touches down in NYC on Sunday.

Yo La Tengo is not playing playing a show tonight.

What else?

Continue reading "Whats going on Friday? (Hanukkah night 1) "

Dan Friel @ Cake Shop NYE 2008 (more by Lori Baily)

Parts & Labor have a short string of shows coming up: one in Massachusetts on December 5th, one in Connecticut on December 6th, then a free show at Brooklyn Bowl on Tuesday, December 8th with The Tony Castles. Flyer for the latter and more details below.

Before that, P&L member Dan Friel plays a solo set at Union Pool on December 3rd. Also on the bill are Knyfe Hyts 81, Dinowalrus and Electric Tickle Machine.

Another Parts & Labor affiliate, their former guitar player Sarah Lipstate (she left the band in July to focus on her solo project after being a member for only 14 months), who plays as Noveller, will perform at Bruar Falls on December 11th with Yellow Fever and Air Waves (who are also playing December 5th with Talk Normal, US Girls and Total Slackers at Secret Project Robot).

That's also another show for Austin's Yellow Fever, who are already lined up to play a December 12th show at Death By Audio with Vivian Girls. Yellow Fever's self-titled LP is available now through Wild World, a label run by Vivian Girls, and the show is a release party for that record. Happy Birthday is also on the bill. Yellow Fever also lists a TBA NYC show on December 13th.

Happy Birthday member Ruth Garbus plays a show with her sister Merrill Garbus at The Stone in December too.

As of now, it's the last scheduled Vivian Girls show for '09 before they tour the UK in January.

All tour dates and a poster for the Parts & Labor BK Bowl show are below...

Continue reading "upcoming shows for Parts & Labor, member Dan Friel & EX-MEMBER Sarah Lipstate (Noveller) - 2009 dates"

photos by Lori Baily

"How can it be that in the wake of the ten year absence of this band, there's really yet to be a front man as captivating, ferocious, unnerving and entertaining? Sure there's Matt Korvette of PISSED JEANS and Eugene from OXBOW as current torch bearers, and I'm not sure that the world needs another GG Allin. Actually, scratch that...I am sure we don't need another GG. But those bands can't hold a 5W bulb to the music of the Jesus Lizard, and Yow's the propellant that gets it all going. He spent probably as much time in/on the crowd as on stage, and never missed a note while singing propped up by the hands of strangers. Highlights? Truly, there were no lulls. How can there be when you've got the mutated hybrid of "Chrome" coming at you, or the manic "Bloody Mary," or the insistent throbbing of "Gladiator"?" [Big Takeover]

Continue reading "Jesus Lizard & Noveller @ Irving Plaza (night 2) in NYC - pics "