As mentioned, Brooklyn's Empress Of are going on a tour this year which includes SXSW and many dates supporting Jamie Lidell. Since we last spoke, that tour has been expanded and now includes another NYC show, which BrooklynVegan and Gorilla vs. Bear are proudly presenting. That show happens on March 5 at Pianos with Brazos, who share a member with Empress Of's live band. Tickets for the show are on sale now. Show flyer below.

Gorilla vs. Bear also just premiered a new track from Empress Of's upcoming Systems EP, which is due out this April via Terrible Records in the US and Double Denim internationally. The new track is called "Hat Trick" and you can stream it below. That's the cover art above.

Empress Of's upcoming shows also include a BrooklynVegan day party and a Gorilla vs. Bear party at SXSW. After the Jamie Lidell tour, Empress Of plays another NYC show on May 11 at Silent Barn with Twin Sister. All dates are listed, along with the song stream and flyer for the Pianos show, below...

Continue reading "Empress Of signed to Terrible Records, releases song, expands tour, playing Pianos on Tuesday (BV & GvsB presents!)"

Seattle psychedelic septet Rose Windows, who we've written about before, have signed with Sub Pop who will release their debut, The Sun Dogs, on June 25. We've got the premiere of the album's first single, "Native Dreams," and you can can stream it below or download for the price of your email address.

The band will be touring around their appearance at SXSW -- no dates in NYC unfortunately -- but do try and catch them amongst the mayhem in Austin that starts in less than two weeks. All tour dates are listed below.

Continue reading "Rose Windows sign to Sub Pop, releasing debut album in June (stream a track), touring around SXSW"

DOWNLOAD: Moon King - Appel (MP3)

Moon King are set to release the second EP in their Obsession series. It will be out April 20 via One Big Silence, the label run by Fucked Up's Mike Haliechuk. You can download "Appel" from Obession II above and stream it below. With heavily effected guitars and some majorly late-'80s booming snare, it falls somewhere between Lush and JAMC (which is A-OK by me) with a big, anthemic chorus. Nice.

As mentioned, Moon King play Shea Stadium on Tuesday (3/6) with Ava Luna, Leapling and The Can't Tells (tickets). The band will then head to -- you guessed it -- Austin for SXSW and soon after hook up with fellow Canadians Born Ruffians for a tour that will bring them back to NYC on April 16 at Bowery Ballroom (tickets) and April 18 at Maxwell's (tickets). All upcoming Moon King tour dates are below.

Continue reading "Moon King releasing new EP, playing SXSW, touring with Born Ruffians (dates, MP3)"

UPDATE: RSVP NOW

As usual, we're not getting much sleep right around now because we're crazy busy preparing to represent down at SXSW with four full days of two-stage parties, in addition to a couple of nighttime showcases. And though SXSW is just two weeks away, we can't announce our lineups yet. Meanwhile, follow @bvSXSW on Twitter, sign up for our brand new BrooklynVegan SXSW Email Newsletter, pray for us and SAVE THE DATES....

As the flyer above says, BrooklynVegan Day Parties will be at the 6th & Red River location formerly known as Emo's. We couldn't be more excited to be back in one of our favorite old Austin venues (even if it no longer carries the "Emo's" name). The two stage club has been closed for two years but is reopening for the week of SXSW as "The Main" and "The Jr". We'll have the daytime portion on both stages (noon-6pm each day, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday --- March 13-16, 2013). All FREE. Complimentary beverage and food options to be announced as well. Stay tuuuuned.

P.S. We did announce one band.

The Orwells @ BVCMJ 2012 (more by Chris La Putt)

Chicago-area punks (in all senses of the term) The Orwells start their tour tonight (2/27) in Boston. As mentioned, that tour includes an all-ages show on Friday (3/1) at Santos Party House, where they'll play with The So So Glos and Radkey. If you caught one of The Orwells' many wild CMJ 2012 performances (like at one of our day parties) you know their live show is not to be missed. And if you did miss it, here's your chance. Tickets are still available and we also have a pair you can win. Details are below.

This tour has the band careening towards SXSW, where they'll be playing a bunch of parties including a BrooklynVegan Party. All tour dates are listed below...

Continue reading "The Orwells heading out on tour to SXSW; win tickets to the NYC show"

by Bill Pearis

Icelandic artist Sóley, who was last through town while on tour with Of Monsters and Men, is back visiting North America and will be playing shows on her way down to Austin for SXSW. The dates include two in NYC: tonight (2/26) at Union Hall with Prairie Empire (tickets) and Friday (3/1) at Rockwood Music Hall (tickets). All tour dates are listed below.

If you haven't heard Sóley's delicate, lovely new album, We Sink, you can stream it below.

Continue reading "Icelandic singer Soley touring North America, including two NYC shows and SXSW"

YYYs @ Union Pool, 12/08/2012 (more by Greg Cristman)

As mentioned a couple times, Yeah Yeah Yeah's new album, Mosquito, is due out April 16 on Interscope. If you haven't checked out the LP's gospel-inflected single, "Sacrilege," yet you can stream that below.

While YYYs haven't announced a full tour, they will be playing a record release show in NYC at Webster Hall on April 7. Tickets for that show go on sale Friday (3/1) at noon.

If you're headed to Austin for SXSW, you can also catch the band at NPR's SXSW showcase on March 13 at Stubb's with Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds. All dates are listed below...

Continue reading "Yeah Yeah Yeahs playing NYC record release show at Webster Hall, SXSW and other dates"

Parisian duo Isaac Delusion release their Early Morning EP this week on Cracki Records, which shows off their likeable, effervescent glitchpop style. You can stream the whole thing below and we've got the premiere of the EP's single, "Supernova," below which puts a Warholian twist on the old Mister Chinagain gag.

Isaac Delusion are here for a handful on North American shows leading up to SXSW. Thier tour kicks off with two shows in NYC this week: Glasslands on Tuesday (2/26) with Hess is More (tickets); and Wednesday (2/27) at Mercury Lounge with Doe Paoro (tickets). If you'd like to go to the Mercury Lounge show for free, we've got a pair of tickets to give away. Details are below.

All tour dates are listed below...

Continue reading "French group Isaac Delusion released an EP & new video; touring US, including 2 NYC shows this week (win tix) + SXSW"

by Andrew Sacher

DOWNLOAD: Dune Rats - "Red Light, Green Light" (MP3)

Speaking of Australia, Brisbane fuzz rock duo Dune Rats (aka Danny Beus and BC Michaels), who were one of Andy from Cake Shop's "21 Amazing Experience of 2012", surfaced with two EPs in 2011, Sexy Beach and Social Atoms, and they're planning to follow that with another EP, titled Smile, and eventually a debut full length at some point this year. No exact details on those releases exist, but the band recently released a single, "Red Light, Green Light," which you can download for free at the top of this post. It's of the Wavves-y stoner/beach rock variety and you can watch the video below, which consists entirely of both members smoking a variety of bongs (and I'm pretty sure they're actually doing it).

Dune Rats will be coming to the US for a tour surrounding SXSW this March which hits NYC on March 20 at Cake Shop (other bands TBA), March 21 at Shea Stadium with The Beets, Hard Nips, Juniper Rising, and Heeney, and March 24 at Sons of Essex. A list of all dates and the tour flyer below.

Their SXSW shows include the annual Aussie BBQ, and Dune Rats are only one of many Aussie bands coming over to Austin for SXSW, including Alpine, Flume, Kirin J Callinan, WIM, and others. The full list of Australian bands that will be at SXSW is below.

Continue reading "Dune Rats working on new EP, coming to the US for tour (download a song & watch them smoke weed in its video)"

Onetime Austinites who now call NYC home, Brazos, will release their second album, Saltwater, on May 28 via Dead Oceans. You can watch the video for first single, "How the Ranks Was Won," below. Main man Martin Crane directed the collage-y clip himself. Album art and tracklist is below too.

Brazos play tonight (2/22) in NYC at Mercury Lounge; an aforementioned show with The Spinto Band and ARMS (tickets). The band will then head to Austin for SXSW (perhaps playing one of the many clubs on Brazos St.). Upon their return, Brazos will do a four-week residency at Williamsburg club Cameo, playing every Tuesday from April 16 - May 7. No word on openers or advance tickets just yet. All tour dates are listed below

Continue reading "Brazos releasing 'Saltwater,' made a new video, playing NYC tonight, SXSW and upcoming Brooklyn residency"

by Andrew Sacher

Australian producer Flume (aka Harley Streten) was last in the US in October for CMJ and a few other shows afterwards, and back in December, it was announced that he'd be returning for SXSW. Now, a full tour surrounding SXSW has been announced, including a NYC date on April 2 at Music Hall of Williamsburg. Tickets for that show go on sale Friday (2/22) at noon with an AmEx presale starting Wednesday (2/20) at noon. All dates are listed below.

Flume released his self titled debut album in Australia last November, but it finally got a US release yesterday (2/19) via Mom + Pop. The album's beats pull from hip hop and R&B, and it's led by chopped and pitch-shifted vocal samples, and some live singers/rappers as well. You can stream the entire album and listen to a remixes of album cut "Left Alone" by Bobby Tank and by Chrome Sparks, along with all dates, below.

Continue reading "Australian producer Flume released his self titled debut in the US (stream it and some remixes too), going on tour (dates)"

by Andrew Sacher

San Francisco producer Giraffage (aka Charlie Yin) released his sophomore album, Needs, last week via Alpha Pup. It's the kind of album that chops and pitch-shifts R&B samples over electronic beats and ends up somewhere between chillwave, glitch pop, and the California beat scene. According to Charlie, "I went through the worst time of my life and also the best time of my life while writing the songs for this album," and you can download it (name your price) at bandcamp. "All purchases go straight towards funding [his] future musical endeavors," so if you drop a few bucks you know it'll go to a good cause. The album can also be streamed below.

Giraffage will be touring this year around the time of SXSW, and right before he heads to Austin for that, he'll stop in NYC for a show on March 9 at 88 Palace. At that show, he'll be supporting JETS (aka Jimmy Edgar and Machinedrum), for whom the show is part of their expanding tour. Tickets for that show are on sale now.

Streams and lists of all dates for both Giraffage and JETS below...

Continue reading "Giraffage released an LP, touring, playing NYC w/ JETS (aka Machinedrum & Jimmy Edgar) (dates & streams)"

by Bill Pearis

Slow Magic @ Pianos, CMJ 2012 (more by Amanda Hatfield)

Enigmatic artist Slow Magic was one our pleasant discoveries at CMJ 2012. We caught him at a day party set at Pianos and his laptop-and-drum setup (while wearing a big mask) was more alluring that we expected. His recorded music is pretty enticing too, especially if you still have a place in your heart for the genre formerly known as chillwave, though if his most recent single, the slinky "On Yr Side," is any indication, he's moved past that as well. Slow Magic is working on a new album as we speak but you can stream "On Yr Side" and other previoulsy-released tracks below.

Slow Magic will be leaving his mysterious mountain home to tour this spring, which will kick off in Austin for SXSW and will eventually make its way to NYC for a show at Glasslands on April 24. Tickets for that show go on sale Friday (2/22) at 7 AM. So, um, set your alarm. All tour dates are listed below.

Continue reading "Slow Magic working on new LP, going on tour including SXSW and NYC (dates and streams)"

by Andrew Sacher

Shlohmo - 'Laid Out'

LA producer Shlohmo, who released the impressive Vacation EP last year, will be following that with a new EP, Laid Out, on March 5 via Friends of Friends/Wedidit. He just released the opening track, "Don't Say No," which features guest lead vocals from How to Dress Well. It sees HTDW returning to the cracked recording style of his debut LP over Shlohmo's sensual R&B beats. You can stream that and the warped hip hop of another Laid Out cut, "Later," below. That's the cover art above.

Shlohmo will be supporting the new EP with a tour that kicks off in Canada at the end of this month and makes its way to Brooklyn on March 7 at Output (74 Wythe Ave) before hitting Austin for SXSW. The Brooklyn date and a few others on the tour are with D33J.

Tour flyer, a list of all dates, those two song streams, and EP tracklist below...

Continue reading "Shlohmo announces tour, releasing a new EP (listen to a new song w/ How To Dress Well)"

Seattle trio Deep Sea Diver released their debut album, History Speaks, last year and you can stream the whole thing below. While heavy on rhythm, the record is a showcase for frontperson Jessica Dobson's songwriting and strong voice. She has spent time as Beck's touring guitarist, and is currently a member of The Shins. Perhaps you recognize her from there.

Much of the country will have a chance to check out Deep Sea Diver when they head out on tour with their Pacific Northwest neighbors Telekinesis. That tour makes a stop in NYC on May 9 at Bowery Ballroom. Tickets are still available. The band will also be heading to SXSW so look for them if you'll be in Austin that week. All tour dates are listed below.

Continue reading "Seattle's Deep Sea Diver going on tour, including SXSW and opening on Telekinesis tour (dates, stream)"

by Andrew Sacher

Ab-Soul at Terminal 5 in 2012 (more by Julie Schabel)

Ab-Soul, who released the excellent Control System and toured with fellow Black Hippy members Kendrick Lamar and Jay Rock last year, is gearing up for a few shows this year. He was recently announced for Washington State festival Sasquatch! and was just confirmed for Austin's SXSW as well. Before SXSW, he'll do a few club dates, including one in NYC on February 27 at SOB's. Tickets for that show are on sale now. All Ab-Soul dates are listed below.

Though Ab-Soul is the only Black Hippy member confirmed for SXSW, we wouldn't be surprised to see the other three guys there too. We already mentioned that Kendrick Lamar is rumored to be there, and Schoolboy Q (who like Ab-Soul, plays Sasquatch) and Jay Rock are free during that time as well.

UPDATE: It's confirmed: Kendrick Lamar, Schoolboy Q, and Jay Rock will all be at SXSW 2013.

Kendrick Lamar took things in the Black Hippy camp to the next level last year with his major label debut, good kid, m.A.A.d city, and at some point this year, Schoolboy Q will become the second Black Hippy member to release a major label album, Oxymoron, which he's in the studio recording now. Somebody tell Jay Rock to get an album out soon too!

Ab-Soul is also working on a collaborative album with producer/singer JMSN, who contributed vocals to good kid, m.A.A.d. city, called Unit 6, which will be out at some point this year. The first single from that album, "You're Gone," is a wacked-out cut which sounds pretty good, and has a chorus which sounds a lot like Ab-Soul is saying he roofied a girl but RapGenius says he's talking about lean. You can listen to it and check out a list of all upcoming dates below...

Continue reading "Ab-Soul playing shows; all of Black Hippy coming to SXSW?"

Empress Of @ Glasslands, 2012 (more by Robert Altman)

The indie pop sound of Brooklyn's own Empress Of (aka Lorely Rodriguez) has been featured on Stereogum, Gorilla vs Bear, and FADER, and can be experienced live tonight (2/16) at the new Silent Barn, at SXSW in March and on tour with Jamie Lidell throughout April (Music Hall of Williamsburg included). Dates, songs and videos, below...

Continue reading "Empress Of touring with Jamie Lidell, playing SXSW & Silent Barn tonight (dates, videos & stream)"

Let's start with the NY-specific press release:

Red Bull Sound Select Presents: New York is a new monthly live music showcase that highlights some of the city's most exciting new artists. The event series, curated in partnership with East Village Radio, Afropunk, Brooklyn Bodega, and BrooklynVegan, will feature one headliner and three local artists on the rise. Each month, the showcase will rotate to a different iconic venue in New York and will introduce an exciting new line up of artists.

The first installment of Red Bull Sound Select Presents: New York will be hosted on Tuesday, February 19th at Bowery Electric [327 Bowery] featuring headliner Hunters and [other] local artists: Justin Dean Thomas, Sky Picnic, and Heliotropes. The 21+ show starts at 8PM. Tickets are $3 and can be purchased at the door.

Meanwhile, you can actually catch Heliotropes (who also shared a bill with Hunters on a BrooklynVegan bill once), at the Converse presented free gig going down at Music Hall of Williamsburg tonight (2/15).

Red Bull Sound Select is also doing shows like this, with local partners, in four other cities: Chicago, LA, Nashville and Austin. Austin is also where RBSS will present a series of mid-March events that will feature some of the same local bands playing each city, especially bands that get voted in. Justin Dean Thomas, Sky Picnic, and Heliotropes are all currently competing for free plane tickets from NYC to Austin. More info including how to vote and RSVP, HERE.

by Bill Pearis

Finnish trio K-X-P released their second album, succinctly titled II, this week on UK label Melodic and Manimal Records in North America. The self-described "anti-band" employ elements of Krautrock, early '80s minimal synth as well as the club sounds of big beat and acid house, with some diversions into almost madrigal folk. (I have a feeling they like metal too.) Frontman Timo Kaukolampi spent time for Euro pop factory Xenomania writing songs for Annie (who guests on II) and others. Somehow all these disparate elements work together. It's a cool record and you can stream the whole thing below and check out the video for the bizzarely entertaining "Magnetic North" single below.

We've also got the premiere of a remix of K-X-P's "Easy" by French artist Remain and you can stream that below as well.

K-X-P are plotting their first trip to North America next month, playing SXSW in Austin, and will hit NYC on the way back at Pianos on March 23 with Irish band The Funeral Suits. No advance tickets just yet. The band may line up more NYC shows, so stay tuned. Meanwhile, check out the album stream and videos below.

Continue reading "Finland's K-X-P released 'II' (stream it and a new remix), playing NYC after SXSW"

by Bill Pearis

Some of you may remember Sound Team, who caused a mid-'00s music blog stir with their 2006 album, Movie Monster. The Austin band broke up a year later but but bassist Bill Baird kept busy with his Sunset project who have released five albums. He's set to release a new solo album, Spring Break of the Soul, on March 5 via Pau Wau Records. Two years in the making, the 17-track opus is a weird, inventive and frequently catchy-as-hall trip through Baird's creative mind. Plus, an ethereal cover of Christopher Cross' soft rock staple, "Sailing."

You can get taste of Spring Break of the Soul via the album's title track which we've got the premiere of its music video in this post which goes nuts with old-school green screen video effects, all in low-def 480p. You can watch it below.

Baird has a few shows on the horizon, including one here in NYC at Secret Project Robot on February 23 with Ava Luna and Fox/Crane/Bear. He's playing SXSW so look out for him there if you're going. All tour dates are listed below.

Continue reading "Bill Baird (ex-Sound Team) releasing solo album, playing shows (dates, video)"

London resident Lyla Foy records under the name Wall and makes intimate, delicate songs like "Shoestring," which is the title track from her first EP, out April 2 on Big Picnic. You can stream it below.

Wall will be crossing the Atlantic next month for SXSW and will stop in NYC on the way home, playing Rockwood Music Hal on March 20. No advance tickets for that just yet. Before her visit to America, Wall will be on tour with Local Natives in Europe, and all upcoming dates are listed below.

Continue reading "London singer Wall releasing debut EP, touring Europe with Local Natives, playing SXSW and NYC (dates, stream)"

As mentioned, New Orleans' Generationals have a new album, Heza, coming out April 2, their first for Polyvinyl. If you haven't heard lead track "Spinoza" yet you can stream that below. The band are gearing up for a tour around the same time, including a trip to Austin for SXSW and the band's biggest headlining show in NYC yet: Bowery Ballroom on April 22 with Splashh. Tickets for that show go on AmEx presale today at noon with the regular on-sale happening Friday (2/15) at noon.

All known Generationals dates are listed below.

Continue reading "Generationals announce 2013 tour, including SXSW and NYC at Bowery Ballroom (dates)"

by Bill Pearis

As a member of Ty Segall's band, Mikal Cronin stays busy, what with all the record releasing and constant touring. (Ty's tour just ripped through NYC.) But somewhere in that whirlwind of activity he managed to write and record. He'll be releasing his second solo album, MCII, on May 7 which will be his first album for Merge. That's the cover art above. "Shout it Out" is the first track from the record to be released and, Like his great 2011 Trouble in Mind album, it shows off Mikal's talent as a pop songwriter. But he's not afraid to stomp on the fuzz pedal, either. You can stream it below along with the LP's track list.

Not much in the way of touring for Mikal just yet, but he will be playing a few West Coast dates and SXSW in Austin so look for him there and his current schedule is below. Meanwhile, In the Red just reissued the split LP between Mikal and Ty called Reverse Shark Attack and you can stream that below.

Continue reading "Mikal Cronin announces first album for Merge (stream a track)"

still from "UFO" video

Absolutely Free, the band formed from 4/5ths of DD/MM/YYYY, released their debut EP last fall and have just released a video for one of its tracks, "UFO." It's powered by a very Can-like beat, and you can watch its video below. A stream of the entire EP is below as well.

The band, who were here for CMJ, have a few tour dates lined up this week, including a stop in NYC on Friday (2/8) at Big Snow Buffalo Lodge with Alan Watts, Yvette, Breeding Program and DJ Porkchop. $7 at the door and more info is here. They'll be at SXSW too. All tour dates are listed below...

Continue reading "Absolutely Free made a new video, playing shows (dates)"

From March 12-17, thousands of musicians, music industry professionals and fans will descend upon Austin for a week of non-stop live music, networking, education and partying. As always, BrooklynVegan will be there with our own series of events in addition to photographers and reporters to cover the action. Hopefully you can make it this year too. If not, here's a chance to change that.

We've teamed up with Cricket Wireless to help them find a Muve Music correspondent for 2013. The pop, rock & indie music correspondent will get the opportunity to attend music festivals and other events with free exclusive access while reporting back to the world via Muve's social media. To start, Muve Music will send the chosen correspondent on an all-expense paid trip to the Austin Music Festival where the winner will get a Muve Music phone and gain access to artist interviews, events and more.

How it works: For two weeks, you can enter via the entry form below (note: your info won't be used for anything outside of this contest). At the end of the two weeks we'll help Cricket Wireless and Muve Music narrow down the top three candidates that we feel embody the ethos of Muve Music and BrooklynVegan best. The three finalists will then compete for votes on Cricket's Facebook page through a series of challenges, including submitting album reviews, generating a playlist and creating video content. Eventually, through fan votes, a 2013 Muve Music correspondent will be crowned (and shipped off to Austin).

What is Muve Music? To quote them, "Cricket Wireless's Muve Music service is the only digital music service built exclusively for a cell phone." and "Cricket is celebrating its fans' love for music and the total access Muve Music subscribers have to their favorite music through unlimited music downloads included in their Cricket rate plan." Billboard recently reported that Muve, though not as well known around these parts as similar services, recently surpassed 1.1 million subscribers in the U.S.

Enter below...

Continue reading "Win A Chance To Go to Austin With Muve Music"