by Bill Pearis

Cardinal's debut LP from 1994

Cardinal have added an additional NYC show -- Tuesday, June 26 at Mercury Lounge the show has been moved to Monday, July 2 -- in addition to the previously announced show at Littlefield happening next Friday (May 11). The Mercury Lounge show goes on sale Friday (5/4) at noon. While not featuring co-founder Eric Matthews (who doesn't tour), Richard Davies has assembled a nine-piece ensemble to bring Cardinal's songs to their orchestral grandeur fullest. That band includes members of Inner Banks who are also opening on the East Coast tour.

As we mentioned before, Cardinal's new album, Hymns, is the duo's first since 1994's eponymous debut. You can listen to them both at Spotify. Updated Cardinal tour dates are listed below...

Continue reading "Cardinal add 2nd NYC show to tour with the Inner Banks"

by Bill Pearis

DOWNLOAD: Cardinal - Love Like Rain (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Cardinal - Carbolic Smoke Ball (MP3)

Baroque pop duo Cardinal (Richard Davies and Eric Matthews) released their long-awaited (18 years!) second album, Hymns, earlier this year. Now Cardinal are going on their first-ever tour, six East Coast dates that include a stop at Littlefield on Friday, May 11. It's an early show (7:30PM) and tickets are on sale now.

Mind you, Eric Matthews doesn't tour and won't be doing so for this either. Says Matthews:

"It's hard for me to contemplate a live version that doesn't involve eight of me running around playing multiple instruments. Even then, playing live has never really been something that interests me in the way that it does Richard. So, while I will look forward to our intense creative partnership continuing on the recording side, I support the decision to play these songs for our fans, even if I won't be there on stage to do so."

In Matthews' abscence, Davies has assembled a nine-piece band to ably bring Cardinal's orch-pop to symphonic fruition. If you haven't checked out Hymns yet, you can download two songs from the album at the top of this post. Picking up where their 1994 debut left off, it's a little more indie rock and a little less harpsichord and trumpets, but it's recognizably Cardinal. You can listen to Hymns in its entirety on Spotify, which also has their classic first album as well.

Opening all dates are The Inner Banks who are also part of the Cardinal touring band. The Inner Banks is the new project from Caroline Schuzt who some of you may remember from Folks Songs of the Afterlife. Their new album, Wild, is out in June.

For those who don't live on the East Coast, Davies promises more Cardinal dates later this year with an even bigger version of the band. All currently announced Cardinal dates are listed below.

Continue reading "Cardinal going on 1st-ever tour behind new LP (dates & MP3)"

by Bill Pearis

DOWNLOAD: Sophia Knapp - Close to Me (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Sophia Knapp - Into the Waves (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Cardinal - Love Like Rain (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Cardinal - Carbolic Smoke Ball (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Savoir Adore - Dreamers (Golden Pony remix) (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Savoir Adore - Dreamers (MP3)

Del Fuegos in the '80s

Things are beginning to heat up, show-wise, as SXSW gets closer so if you're going to Austin you might do the smart thing and stay home and rest. But if you're dumb like me, there's lots of good music this weekend. To wit:

Dan Zanes these days is best known for his highly successful career as a maker of children's music, but in the '80s he fronted Boston's Del Fuegos, whose brand of no-nonsense roots rock was a college radio staple in the Reagan years. Dan and his brother Warren, plus other original members Tom Lloyd and Woody Giessmann have gotten the old band back together so 40-somethings can call the sitter and go hear him sing songs for grown ups. They play Bowery Ballroom tonight (2/23) and The Bell House on March 3.

In addition to records like 1984's The Longest Day and 1985's Boston, Mass, The Del Fuegos were one of the first "cool" bands to be accused of selling out, appearing in a Budweiser Miller commercial (which you can watch at the bottom of this post) that, if nothing else, inspired the classic Young Fresh Fellows song "Beer Money." Seems kind of silly today, and I'm sure Del Fuegos singles like "Don't Run Wild" and "I Still Want You" have held up pretty well.

The band have recorded a new EP, Silver Star, and you can stream one of its songs at the bottom of this post, where you'll find all Del Fuegos 2012 tour dates.

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Sophia Knapp

Another option tonight, over at Union Pool, is Sophia Knapp who you may know from Lights or Cliffie Swan but will release her solo debut on Drag City next week. The press release for Into the Waves offers up "melodic psych pop of the 60's, Tropicalia ballads, chilly '80s New York dance records, and the seduction of Stevie Nicks or Françoise Hardy" as influences but I think it sounds uncannily like the soft-focus pop of late-'70s Olivia Newton John.

You can download two tracks from her album at the top of this post and watch the video for "Nothing to Lose" further down. In addition to tonight's show at Union Pool, Sophia plays a free record release show at Sway on Wednesday, Feb 29 (leap day), and opens for Nite Jewel at Bowery Ballroom on April 24.

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Cardinal (Richard Davies on the right)

There are a lot of good shows Friday night (2/24) and we'll start with Richard Davies at Cake Shop. The Australian-born singer fronted cult band The Moles in the late '80s, and whose 1994 album with Eric Matthews, Cardinal, is a baroque pop classic. Improbably, Davies and Matthews made a second Cardinal album, Hymns, that came out last month and basically picks up where the first one left off. It's a little more indie rock and a little less harpsichord and trumpets, but it's recognizably Cardinal. You can download two tracks from Hymns at the top of this post.

Davies will also be playing SXSW next month. He can be hit-or-miss live, but is a legend and worth going to see. Also playing are What Next?, the new band from onetime Cause Co-Motion dude David Klein that also features members of The Beets and Beachniks, so expect some scratchy shambolic (maybe charming) indiepop. Check out one song at their Bandcamp page. Also playing: The Pharmacy and Intuitions.

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Pat Jordache

Montreal's Pat Jordache play Glasslands Friday night (2/24). Pat was in Sister Suvi with Merrill Garbus and though his music is a little more trad-indie than tUnE-yArDs, it's still rather weird. When I saw them at CMJ, they reminded me of '80s goth but their album that dark side isn't quite as pronounced. Maybe it was the two drummer thing. Anyway, Pat Jordache make a cool racket and know how to play to a crowd. They're opening for Javellin which I realize is why most people are going to go to this show, but do get there early for Pat.

Savoir Adore

Over at Cameo on Friday, Savoir Adore are having a record release party for their Dreamers EP. The single "Dreamers" came out on Neon Gold late last year and expands on their heartfelt, big pop sound. The EP expands that 7" with a bunch of remixes, one of which you can download at the top of this post. The band are going out with fellow Neon Gold acts The Knocks and St. Lucia, touring their way to SXSW and all dates are at the bottom of this post. Savoir Adore are putting the finishing touches on their new album, Our Nature, which will be out later this year.

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Spanish Prisoners

And finally, Spanish Prisoners are playing Knitting Factory Friday (2/24) with fellow locals Clouder. Spanish Prisoners album from last year, Gold Fools, is still a pay-what-you-want download from their Bandcamp page and is a terrific album if you haven't heard it yet. The band just released a video for "Know No Violence" which you can watch at the bottom of this post. Like pretty much every band in America, they're going on tour next month, stopping in Austin for SXSW, and all tour dates are below.

And that's the main stuff for this week's TWII. A few more day-by-day picks for shows not mentioned already are below

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 23

We haven't heard from Acrylics in a while. See what they're up to at Cameo, with Kuroma, Tezeo, and Bright Moments.

Get trippy at Glasslands with Prince Rama, Gary War, Future Shuttle, ^w0rm b1n^, plus a DJ set from Gang Gang Dance.

Snowmine wrap up their Pianos residency tonight, playing with Tiny Victories, Decades, and Awning.

continued below...

Continue reading "Del Fuegos, Sophia Knapp, Richard Davies, Savoir Adore, Pat Jordache, Spanish Prisoners & more in This Week in Indie"

by Bill Pearis

DOWNLOAD: The Crayon Fields - All the Pleasures of the World (MP3)

Crayon Fields

One of my favorite albums of 2009 was the baroque pop gem All the Pleasures of the World from Melbourne, Australia's Crayon Fields. It's ten swoony epics in miniature, recalling The Zombies and The Left Banke without ever directly ripping them off. You can download the album's title track at the top of this post. The band are making their first trip to the U.S. to play SXSW but then are heading to New York for four shows: Bruar Falls on March 23, The Sycamore on March 24, The Bell House on March 25, and Pianos on March 26.

The Bruar Falls show is especially noteworthy and pretty unmissable in my opinion. Also playing is singer Kath Bloom who is something of a cult hero in folk circles. You might know her song "Come Here" which was used prominently in Richard Linklater's film Before Sunrise. (Crayon Fields covered the song as a b-side last year too.) Chapter Music, which is Crayon Fields' label, has been a champion of her for some time, reissuing much of her impossible-to-find '70s/'80s catalog, as well as new material, including 2008's Terror, her first official new album since 1984.

Last year, Chapter Music released Loving Takes This Course, a two-CD set that featured one disc of covers by the likes of Devendra Banhart, Bill Callahan and The Dodos, and a second disc of the original Kath Bloom songs that were covered on the first disc. Kath's brand new album, Thin Thin Line, which got an 8.0 on Pitchfork. She doesn't play very many shows and I'd imagine her alone would be enough to get people out to the show.

But there's more. Also on the Bruar Falls bill is Australian indie legend Richard Davies, who in the early '90s fronted The Moles (get their essential, out-of-print debut, Untune the Sky, any way you can) and then went on to form chamber pop group Cardinal with Eric Matthews (their 1994 debut is equally amazing ), and then a three album solo career that ended when he gave up rock for a law degree in 2000. But Davies has become active in music again as of last year. First came Cosmos, a collaboration with uber-prolific Robert Pollard, that is worth picking up. This year will see a new Davies solo record and the long-rumored second Cardinal album, both of which will be released by Chapter Music.

Fouth performer on the Bruar Falls line-up is Guy Blackman, who writes "sensitive piano ballads that aim to make straight white men feel slightly uncomfortable by confronting them with my renegade sexuality" and who has also run Chapter Music since starting the label in 1992. Chapter Music releases a lot of great stuff: Pikelett, The Twerps and Tenniscoats among them.

The Bell House show The Crayon Fields are playing is the second-annual Aussie BBQ that features 12 (!) bands from down under: The Chevelles, Love of Diagrams, Pets with Pets, Paul Dempsey, Sherlock's Daughter, Children Collide, Oh Mercy, City Riots, Beaches, Bliss N Eso, and The Goons of Doom. As the name implies, there will also be Australian BBQ and beer. Sounds like fun. Maybe you went last year?

All Crayon Fields tour dates, plus three of their music videos are below.

Continue reading "Crayon Fields playing SXSW & NYC, Australian BBQ in Brooklyn & a show w/ Kath Bloom & Richard Davies (dates) "

DOWNLOAD: The Purrs - Stay With Me (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Pete & the Pirates - Jennifer (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Let's Wrestle - Tanks (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Surf City - Records of a Flagpole Skater (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Surf City - Kudos (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: A Classic Education - We Can Always Run to Hawaii (MP3)

A Classic Education

DAYTIME:

Again today (10/21) I suggest you just stay on the Lower East Side for your free day party action. At Cake Shop is the Terrorbird Digital party with the mod-ish Black Hollies, dark and dreamy Zaza, Nashville's fun Turbofruits, LA all-girl trio Warpaint, Montreal's Silver Starling and San Francisco's Tempo No Tempo. Plus: free cupcakes while they last.

Up the street at Pianos is the Force Field PR party which has Real Estate, Kentucky's These United States, CMJ overachievers Surfer Blood (who were good yesterday at Cake Shop), San Francisco's good time party pals Still Flyin', noisy locals Grooms (who were also good at Cake Shop yesterday), Sub Pop band Holopaw, UK act Stricken City and L.A.'s Seven Saturdays.

And you might even wander down to Santos Party House for the Hype Machine/Babelgum party that has a nice lineup of dance acts: Australia's Midnight Juggernauts, retrofuturist VEGA, Brooklyn duo Sleigh Bells, smooth and soulful sounds of Theophilus London, and Norway's Alan Wilkis who puts his own spin on early '80s new wave funk. This one starts a bit later than the other day parties, at a civilized 3PM.

If you're in Williamsburg this afternoon (maybe to pick up your Vice Late Nights info at American Apparel) you might want to swing by Bruar Falls where they'll be a low key day show featuring Bologna, Italy's A Classic Education (who will also be playing the Brooklyn Vegan day party tomorrow [10/21] at Pianos). They were one of my favorites from SXSW. Also on the Bruar bill are three Brooklyn bands: My Teenage Stride, Knight School and Palomar. 2 - 6PM. Free!

NIGHTTIME:

Personally, this is my most conflicted night with at least three shows in completely different places that I feel I could stay at the whole night. If you're downtown at the day parties, you might want to head over to the M for Montreal showcase which starts with a 5PM performance from Parlovr. I was talking to a friend yesterday who was raving about their recent Pop Montreal performance and said they might be the next MTL band to break out. The rest of the M4M bill is solid, including Think About Life who were just fantastic last night at the official BrooklynVegan showcase at Music Hall of Williamsburg. Also dont' miss BEASTand Duchess Says, the latter of whom will also play our free day party Thursday at Pianos.

Then there's also the great show at The Bell House with personal faves Pete & the Pirates and excellent New Zealanders Surf City -- both of whom are also playing the free BrooklynVegan/Bowery Presents day party on Saturday at Pianos. Also on the bill are Pete & the Pirates' Stolen Recordings labelmates Let's Wrestle, as well as North Carolina's The Love Language, the latter of whom will be playing our Friday night loft party. The Bell House show is $14 without a CMJ badge.

There's also a great lineup of bands at Santos tonight on two floors, including Cymbals Eat Guitars and DEASTRO (who both play our Saturday party), Free Energy, Real Estate, and Beach Fossils, plus a couple awesome bands from Norway: Ungdomskullen and I Was a King. It's $15 if you don't have a badge.

Richard Davies

And I'd like to highlight a couple artists who play their only CMJ shows tonight, at the same timeslot (9pm) in different Bleeker Street venues. (I know.) At Kenny's Castaways is Richard Davies who fronted the great Australian band The Moles in the late '80s/early '90s, and then moved to the U.S. where he formed chamber pop duo Cardinal with Eric Matthews, and their sole 1994 album remains one of the best things Sub Pop has ever released. After Cardinal, he put out three very good solo albums (1998's Telegraph is pretty great, actually), and then in 2000 or so, he decided to go to law school and has had his own practice since. But he's started playing again recently and, according to this interview, he and Matthews have restarted Cardinal, which is kind of exciting. But tonight here he'll play as a trio with a new band. Glad to have him back.

The Purrs

And down the street at Wicked Willy's are The Purrs who hail from Seattle and have just released their very good second album Amused, Confused and More Bad News. Mix a little '80s Paisley Underground with '90s Britpop and you're in the ballpark of their sound. You can download their song "Stay Here With Me" at the top of this post. 9PM at Wicked Willy's (149 Bleeker).

What else is good today? Hip Hop recommendations HERE. Flyers and day party set times, and all Classic Education dates, below.

Continue reading "CMJ 2009 - Bill's Wednesday picks & stuff (day, night parties, A Classic Education, Richard Davies, The Purrs, more)"