The Decemberists @ Radio City in June (more by Tim Griffin)

tonight in NYC
* DANCE
* Eugene Mirman Comedy Fest
* Lotus, DJ DB @ Mercury Lounge
* Nadja, Mick Barr @ Union Pool
* Damon & Naomi @ Sound Fix Records
* Miike Snow, Jack Penate @ Maxwell's
* Division Day, Bad Veins @ Union Hall
* Lupe Fiasco @ Beach at Governors Island
* Miho Hatori's New Still Life @ Monkey Town
* Tift Merritt, Teddy Thompson @ City Winery
* Boz Scaggs & Michael McDonald @ Beacon Theatre
* Digital Leather, Jemina Pearl, Beluga @ Pianos
* Kuroma, Gift Horse, Traveling Circle @ The Cameo
* Juliette Lewis, American Bang, The Ettes @ Irving Plaza
* Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson, Sir Frog @ Bruar Falls
* A Hawk and a Hacksaw, Damon & Naomi @ (Le) Poisson Rouge
* Youth Brigade, The Casualties, Off With Their Heads @ Europa
* The Decemberists, Laura Veirs, The Hall of Flames @ Terminal 5
* The Cave Singers, Lightning Dust, Motel Motel @ Bowery Ballroom
* The Renaldo the Ensemble, Gary Lucas' Gods & Monsters @ The Living Room
* Rosh Hashanah Party w/ Dream Diary, Big Troubles, The Kezners @ Silent Barn
* Brooklyn Country Music Fest w/ Alex Battles & Whisky Rebellion @ Southpaw
* Alexis Gideon, Hi Red Center, Make A Rising, Ribbons, Shelley Short @ DBA
* Rhett Miller & The Serial Lady Killers, Nicole Atkins, Jim Ward @ Webster Hall
* New Languages Fest w/ Jessica 6, The Bill McHenry Quintet, Brandon Ross's Natural Name @ McCarren Hall
* ...And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead, Secret Machines, Freshkills, Sleigh Bells @ Music Hall of Williamsburg

A Hawk and a Hacksaw play with Damon & Naomi at (Le) Poisson Rouge. Before that, Damon & Naomi broke in the new location of Sound Fix Records with an in-store performance this afternoon.

Miike Snow and Jack Penate swing back into the NYC-area for a show at Maxwell's.

Jemina Pearl, Digital Leather and Beluga play Pianos.

The Decemberists play a "by lottery" show with Laura Veirs and The Hall of Flames at Terminal 5.

The traveling punk tour of Youth Brigade, The Casualties and Off With Their Heads plays Europa.

Lightning Dust (Amber & Ashley Webber) played on The Cave Singers latest record, which came out in August, and tonight they're tour together stop at Bowery Ballroom.

Silent Barn hosts a Rosh Hashanah show with Dream Diary, Big Troubles and The Kezners.

Brooklyn Country Music Fest goes into its last night, headlined by Alex Battles & The Whisky Rebellion, at Southpaw.

New Languages Fest brings Jessica 6 (featuring ex-Hercules & Love Affair singer Nomi), The Bill McHenry Quintet and Brandon Ross's Natural Name to McCarren Hall.

The Trail Of Dead/Secret Machines tour comes to Music Hall of Williamsburg for a show with Freshkills and Sleigh Bells.

Michael McDonald (of the Doobie Bros. and in the news of late) and Boz Scaggs play at the Beacon Theatre tonight.

Nadja, who are on tour, play with Mick Barr at part Union Pool as part of the Blackened Music Series.

Sally Shapiro's new video for 'Miracle', below...

What else?

Continue reading "What's going on Saturday?"

By Andrew Frisicano

DOWNLOAD: Le Loup - "Shenandoah" (MP3) (on Amnesty comp)
DOWNLOAD: Joan Jett & the Blackhearts & guests - Silent Night (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: The Deer Tracks - Christmas Fire (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Twiggy Frostbite - Bells & Chimes (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: The Emotron - Santa Claus (I Still Believe In You) (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: (Savanteous Q Malmsteen) - What Do You Get A Wookie for Christmas
DOWNLOAD: The Revelations - It's That Time Of Year (MP3)

With holiday mixes in the air, Amnesty International has released I'll Stay 'Til After Christmas, a benefit comp featuring No Kids, Blitzen Trapper, Parentheitcal Girls, Sally Shapiro, and more (full tracklist below).

Then there's the free all-Swedish Xmas mix up at Swedes Please. Among the songs posted is the new duet between The Hives and Cyndi Lauper, "A Christmas Duel," video below (or buy the song on iTunes).

Speaking of Cyndi and good causes, True Colors is auctioning off a chance to hang out with the Best Electronic/Dance Album nominee as part of its first annual online charity auction to benefit GLBT equality groups the True Colors Fund, CenterLink, and Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG).

The package includes "1-hour voice lesson, plus lunch, with Cyndi Lauper, in NYC. 2 roundtrip domestic coach tickets on American Airlines and a 2-night stay at Hotel on Rivington included." It's currently going for $4,000. Full list of items on auction here.

And speaking of Christmas music and female 80's icons that have toured for True Colors...

"Blackheart Records, the rock label Joan Jett started over 25 years ago, has released its holiday compilation record, and it's available at the iTunes store. The 11-song digital album features rocked-out holiday standards and originals recorded by Jett and Blackheart bands including Girl in a Coma, The Dollyrots, The Cute Lepers and more."

Also for download up there is a selection of holiday MP3's from the inbox.

Other Christmas album options this year include new ones by Sufjan's friend Rosie Thomas and Neutral Milk Hotel's Julian Koster, and one by The Raveonettes. For a Christmas show, check out the always fun McGarrigle Christmas Hour this Wednesday night at Carnegie Hall. Guests this year include Lou Reed, Laurie Anderson, Emmylou Harris and Justin Bond.

Videos (including one by Glasvegas) and tracklists below...

Continue reading "more Christmas songs & comps & charities - the Hives, Joan Jett, Cyndi Lauper, Sweden, No Kids, Glasvegas & more"

DOWNLOAD: Sally Shapiro - "Jackie Junior" (The Junior Boys remix) (MP3)

Continue reading "Sally Shapiro remix CD - download the Junior Boys one (MP3)"

DOWNLOAD: Colin Meloy - We Both Go Down Together (live MP3 from new album)

Sally Shapiro at Wrongbar (CRED)

* MSTRKRFT at Studio B
* The Hives at Terminal 5
* Levon Helm at the Beacon
* Nadja & Bloody Panda @ Europa
* Todd Barry is headlining Comix
* The Stills are playing Maxwell's
* Sally Shapiro DJ's Mercury Lounge
* Hey Hey My My is playing Southpaw
* Ra Ra Riot are at Bowery Ballroom
* The Indelicates are playing Don Hill's
* Alice Smith is playing Highline Ballroom
* Takka Takka & The Coast are playing the Annex
* Faux Punk returns - tonight at Music Hall of Williamsburg

SXSW preparation has been driving me insane. Five more days 'till Austin. Ten more days until things are back to normal. What else?

Tickets for the Plug Awards/Nick Cave show go on sale Friday @ noon. Also appearing at this March 6th show: Sally Shapiro (but just as a DJ).

DOWNLOAD: Sally Shapiro - I'll Be By Your Side (Rude 66 808 Remix) (MP3)

I got excited at first when I read this. I thought, "First Robyn, and now Sally Shapiro", but in fact the tour dates Sally Shapiro has just announced (Mercury Lounge on March 7th) are in fact JUST DJ DATES....

Acclaimed and ever-elusive Swedish pop princess Sally Shapiro, and her producer Johan Agebjörn, are very excited to announce their first-ever DJ Tour of the US and Canada in March of 2008. This rare set of live appearances by the winsome twosome comes in the wake of Sally's critically-lauded debut release of Disco Romance in the US, on Paper Bag Records. A remix album for Sally Shapiro, titled Remix Romance, is scheduled for release in Spring of 2008 on Paper Bag Records with contributions from the Junior Boys, and renowned Norwegian producer Lindstrøm, among others.

Continue reading "Sally Shapiro DJ Tour Dates & remix album"

Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings backstage @ The Apollo (CRED/MORE)

They all have new videos. Tour dates & videos below....

Continue reading "Spice Girls, Sharon Jones, St Vincent, Sally Shapiro"

DOWNLOAD: Sally Shapiro - He Keeps Me Alive (MP3)

editor's note: My favorite release this week is Sally Shapiro. Also, I guess it comes out this week in the U.S. - not two weeks ago (that was Canada). Largehearted Boy....

Of all the week's releases I have heard so far, the soundtrack to the Bob Dylan biopic I'm Not There has held the most appeal. Featuring indie artists from Sonic Youth to Yo La Tengo to Jeff Tweedy, this could be my favorite compilation of the year.

The soundtrack to the Joy Division biopic Control is also out tomorrow, along with US releases of three of the band's remastered albums with bonus material, Closer, Still, and Unknown Pleasures.

Other notable reissues include two Tegan and Sara discs, If It Was You and So Jealous.

Of the remaining discs, I can strongly recommend Nicole Atkins' debut album, Neptune City and Who Goes There by Ian Ball (of Gomez).

Have I left anything noteworthy off the list? What new music releases can you recommend this week? What should I avoid? What are you picking up?

Continue reading "Largehearted Boy's Interesting CD Releases This Week"

DOWNLOAD: Lykke Li - Tonight (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Shugo Tokumaru - Young Folks (PB&J Cover) (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Shout Out Louds - Tonight I Have To Leave It (MP3)

Peter Bjorn and John, Shout Out Louds, and Lykke Li are all from Sweden. Shout Out Louds play Bowery Ballroom in NYC tonight (Oct 25), Music Hall of Williamsburg tomorrow, Maxwell's on Saturday, and then they continue their North American tour (with Johnossi - also from Sweden). Björn Yttling (Bjorn) produced Our Ill Wills - the new Shout Out Louds record out on Merge. 21-year old Lykke Li (real name = Lykke Zahrisson) sings the girl parts on that record. Lykke Li just came out with her own EP as well. It was also produced by Bjorn. Bjorn and Lykke are here in NYC working on her full length album - which also explains part of the reason Peter and Bjorn have been around town. Lykke Li was the girl singing the the girl part on "Young Folks" at the CMJ show at Galapagos. Lykke Li is playing her own two shows - a free one at Knitting Factory on October 29th, and a not-free one at Mercury Lounge the next day. Bjorn will probably be at those shows to help her out. Maybe Bjorn and Lykke will also both be at the three NYC-area Shout Out Louds shows to help them out too. Lykke and the Shout Out Louds tour Europe together in November and December. One further connection all these artists have: Bud Fox manages Shout Out Louds, Johnossi, Lykke Li, El Perro Del Mar, and Bjorn. Peter plays Joe's Pub on November 19th. Who knows where the hell John is.

In related news, Sweden's Jens Lekman is also playing two shows this weekend.

Sweden in NYC, 2007'
Oct 25 - DJ Bjorn @ Hiro Ballroom (info)
Oct 25 - Shout Out Louds @ Bowery Ballroom
Oct 25 - SOL @ afterparty @ Lolita Bar
Oct 26 - Shout Out Louds @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
Oct 26 - SOL afterparty @ Union Pool (w/ DJ Bjorn)
Oct 27 - Shout Out Louds @ Maxwell's of Hoboken
Oct 27 - Jens Lekman @ Webster Hall
Oct 28 - Jens Lekman @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
Oct 29 - Lykke Li @ Knitting Factory
Oct 30 - Lykke Li @ Mercury Lounge
Nov 19 - Peter @ Joe's Pub

Lykke Li may be the new Annie or Sally Shapiro or Robyn (who Bjorn has also produced and who Bud Fox also works with), or something 'Swedish pop star' like that. All tour dates, and Lykke's video for "Little Bit", below.......

Continue reading "Lykke Li (from Sweden) Bjorn (without Peter & John) Shout Out Louds (tonight) --- Tour Dates, MP3, Video"

DOWNLOAD: Yip Yip - Sprinkle Council (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Bon Iver - Blindsided (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Bon Iver - For Emma (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Sally Shapiro - He Keeps Me Alive (MP3) (new album out today!)

* CMJ kicks off
* My first-ever official CMJ showcase is happening @ Bowery Ballroom

6pm - Bon Iver ("recommended")
7pm - The Shaky Hands (not to be confused with...)
8pm - Miracle Fortress (those crazy Canadians)
9pm - Most Serene Republic (those crazy not actually Canadians)
10pm - Dean & Britta (Luna)
11pm - The Rosebuds (a dance party)
12am - Voxtrot

Chris Corner (born 1974 in England) is an English musician and songwriter best known for his work with Electropop band Sneaker Pimps (of which he was a founding member), and his own solo project, which he records with under the name IAMX. He also makes music with Sue Denim, under the name The Siblings. [Wikipedia]

Yip Yip (via)

What else?