photos by Graeme Flegenheimer

"To try and characterize Toro Y Moi's live set in a few words is a difficult task, to say the least. The band manages to simultaneously embody a number of genres, while at the same time defying all of them. There's an unquestionable poppy melody element, but it's balanced by rock solid dance beets. Then there's the wide swath of atmospheric synth sounds, overlaying instrumental parts that verge on jazz at it's best. A comparison to Stevie Wonder at the height of his powers would be apt, but still not really embody everything that's going on." [Hippes Are Dead]

Preceeded by Philip Seymour Hoffman (not the actor), Toro Y Moi played in the second slot at Mercury Lounge (on 1/19) with Cloud Nothings and Indian Rebound despite a pair of much larger NYC shows scheduled as part of a tour in April at Music Hall of Williamsburg and Bowery Ballroom. Tickets are still avail for both 4/10 at MHoW and 4/11 at BB.

Cloud Nothings have a new self-titled LP out today (January 25th), and you can stream all of it at Fader.

If you missed Philip Seymour Hoffman, like our photographer did, then maybe you caught them on Saturday (1/22) with Dan Friel at the 42nd Street Showpaper Space with Happy New Year and Attached Hands. If you missed both of them, there's still February 4th with Megafortress, Family Portrait and Headless Horseman at Pianos.

More pictures from Mercury Lounge and tour dates and a video from the show below...

Continue reading "Toro Y Moi, Cloud Nothings & Indian Rebound (and Philip Seymour Hoffman) played Mercury Lounge (pics & video)"

DOWNLOAD: Toro Y Moi - "Still Sound" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Cloud Nothings - Understand At All (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Oberhofer - "Should Have Taken Acid With You" (MP3, Neon Indian Cover)

Toro Y Moi at MHOW (more by Chris Doss)

Labelmates Cloud Nothings and Toro Y Moi (who just DJ'd MHOW) will team up at Mercury Lounge on 1/19, one date on a week-long tour for the former, but the only upcoming date for the latter. Tickets are on sale. Both are welcoming new releases from Car Park in the new year, with Cloud Nothings's self-titled LP hitting on January 25th and Toro Y Moi's Underneath The Pine impacting on February 22nd. Check out tracks from their respective releases, either streaming below, or in downloadable MP3 form above.

Oberhofer @ Monster Island (more by Erez Avissar)

On the non-NYC dates, Cloud Nothings will be joined by Oberhofer. Though Oberhofer isn't on the Mercury Lounge show, you'll have a few chances to catch them in the area in January: two shows are with The Vaccines (Bowery on 1/20 tickets, Glasslands on 1/22 tickets) and the third date will see Oberhofer will play a Kidrockers event at the Living Room on 1/9 (you can go if you have a kid with you). Brad Oberhofer is also taking part that Rock Lottery at Knitting Factory on 12/18. A week after those Vaccines dates, Oberhofer will hop on tour with Tapes N Tapes, though Oberhofer are currently not scheduled to appear with them at Music Hall of Williamsburg on 2/4. Full Oberhofer schedule is below.

Philip Seymour Hoffman is also scheduled to appear at the Cloud Nothings/Toro Y Moi Mercury Lounge show, though probably not the PSH you are thinking of. The Mercury Lounge show is the LA band's lone East Coast date, but they are scheduled to play a few shows in their hometown including the FMLY Fest on 12/26 & 12/27 with Truman Peyote, Vacation Dad, Nicole Kidman (not that one), Kevin Costner Saves the World, Back to the Future The Ride, Insects vs. Robots, Halloween Swim Team, and many many others. Flyer for FMLY Fest and all PSH dates are below.

All tour dates, as well as the Cloud Nothings & Toro Y Moi tracklistings and song streams are below.

Continue reading "new Toro y Moi & Cloud Nothings MP3s & albums & dates ++ Oberhofer & Philip Seymour Hoffman too"

words by Andrew Frisicano, photos by Erez Avissar

DOWNLOAD: Christmas Island - Bed Island (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Beach Fossils - Time (MP3)

Beach Fossils @ Shea Stadium

Tickets are still on sale for the Crystal Stilts MHOW show on Saturday, February 20th. Opening up for that show are The Beets, Christmas Island, Beach Fossils and The German Measles (who have a gig with Bishop Allen coming up, more on that soon).

Leading up to that show, Christmas Island (whose debut came out this October on In the Red), The Beets and Beach Fossils are all on tour together this February. The MHOW show is the last of three separate NYC dates for the tour. The other two come February 9th at the Cake Shop and February 13th at Death by Audio.

The Beets have already had a pretty busy December as far as NYC shows go. And the month isn't over for Beach Fossils, who'll ring in the New Year with Frankie and the Outs, Surfer Blood and We Are Country Mice at the Cameo. Beach Fossils (aka Dustin Payseur) has a full-length on the way from Woodsist/Captured Tracks in March, and the song above is from a forthcoming Woodsist 7".

Looking ahead to SXSW, Christmas Island also lists an In the Red showcase at Austin's Beerland on March 19th. The song "Bed Island," a tuneful love song, is above.

All tour dates along with the rest of the pictures from the show at Shea Stadium last Wednesday (12/9), below...

Continue reading "Beach Fossils played Shea Stadium (pics), touring w/ Christmas Island & The Beets (dates) ++ MP3s"