by Andrew Sacher

DOWNLOAD: Two Inch Astronaut - "Blood From A Loyal Hound" (MP3)

Two Inch Astronaut live in 2011 (photo by Ann Amrine)

Maryland rockers Two Inch Astronaut are set to release their debut full length, Bad Brother, on June 18 via Exploding In Sound Records, the label that gave us Speedy Ortiz (before they signed to Carpark), Pile, and more. And if you liked those bands, Two Inch Astronaut will be right up your alley as well. On the album's two singles, "Swol" and "Blood From a Loyal Hound," Two Inch Astronaut embrace similar stop-start dynamics to '90s post-hardcore wizards Shudder to Think, but they also have a knack for bashing out crunchy power pop melodies. "Blood From a Loyal Hound" is downloadable above, "Swol" is downloadable at bandcamp, and both tracks can be streamed below, along with the album art and tracklist.

Two Inch Astronaut are playing some shows this month and next ahead of the album's release date, including the previously announced Exploding In Sound showcase in Brooklyn during Northside (it's an unofficial show though) on June 15 at Big Snow with Speedy Ortiz, Pile, Grass Is Green, Fat History Month, and just about the rest of the Exploding In Sound roster.

Speedy Ortiz play a bunch of other shows too.

All dates are listed, along with those song streams, below...

Continue reading "Two Inch Astronaut releasing LP, playing shows (dates/MP3s)"

by Andrew Sacher

Speedy Ortiz at WBAR-B-Q in April (more by Amanda Hatfield)

As mentioned, Northampton, MA's Speedy Ortiz have signed to Carpark Records and will release their debut album, Major Arcana, on June 9 via their new label. The album perfects the formula Speedy Ortiz had on the Sports EP and "Ka-Prow!" 7" and tops both of those releases. That's immediately evident from the album's first single, "Tiger Tank," which starts out like the Speedy Ortiz we're familiar with, but by the chorus is bringing in melodic left-turns and powerful crashes that show how big of a force this band can really be. Listen to the song over at NPR.

As mentioned, Speedy Ortiz have a number of upcoming shows, including a few previously discussed NYC shows on May 17 at Silent Barn with Island Twins, Advaeta, Idiot Genes, and Lunchbox; Cake Shop on May 31 with two great Brooklyn bands Sleepies and Bennio Qwerty; and an unofficial Northside show on June 15 at Big Snow Buffalo Lodge.

The rest of the lineup for that Big Snow show has been announced and it includes Pile and Fat History Month (who just played NYC together), in addition to Two Inch Astronaut, Grass Is Green, Ovlov, Porches., and Hive Bent. The show is being presented by Exploding In Sound Records and Gimme Tinnitus.

Speedy were also since announced for a NYC Popfest show happening on June 1 at Public Assembly with Ringo Deathstarr, Sua, and Advaeta. Advance tickets for that show are on sale now. Popfest was supposed to be on both stages at Public Assembly, but with renovations all the other bands originally booked except Ringo Deathstarr were moved to The Bell House (more on that in a Popfest-specific post coming soon). Festival passes are still accepted.

Updated dates are listed below...

Continue reading "Speedy Ortiz release a song from new LP, playing w/ Ringo Deathstarr, Northside Fest w/ Pile & more (updated dates)"

photos by Amanda Hatfield

Waxahatchee / Speedy Ortiz

Barnard College's 20th annual free WBAR-B-B-Q day-long festival went down this past Saturday (4/27) on the Lehman Lawn. The show included sets by Twin Sister, Roomrunner, Waxahatchee (who had the biggest crowd of the day), Speedy Ortiz, and others. It was an outdoor show, and a pretty relaxing one, with much of the crowd lounging on the grass for a lot of the show. But riff rockers Speedy Ortiz and Roomrunner did manage to get people on their feet. And if you were there early on, they had free vegan food. Pictures from WBAR-B-Q are in this post.

You'll have other chances to catch Speedy Ortiz in NYC when their tour brings them to Silent Barn on May 17, Cake Shop on May 31 with Sleepies, and June 15 at Big Snow.

Roomrunner has other upcoming dates too, including a show on JUne 20 at Bowery Ballroom with Shannon and the Clams and Mikal Cronin (whose new album is streaming on NPR). Tickets for that show are still on sale.

And Waxahatchee's next NYC show is a free one, opening for Generationals and Sallie Ford & the Sound Outside on July 11 on Pier 84 as part of the River Rocks series.

More pictures from WBAR-B-Q below...

Continue reading "Waxahatchee, Speedy Ortiz, Twin Sister, Roomrunner & others played the WBAR-B-Q (pics)"

Waxahatchee at 285 Kent earlier this month (more by Amanda Hatfield)

As you may know, Waxahatchee will be playing two shows in NYC this Saturday (4/27). One of those is at Glasslands with The Babies and Harlem-related band Las Rosas, which is now sold out.

Before that she also plays the free, all ages WBAR-B-Q at Barnard College in Morningside Heights. In addition to Waxahatchee, the lineup includes some great bands like Twin Sister, Speedy Ortiz, Roomrunner, Scott & Charlene's Wedding, Krill (who just replaced Swearin'), and others. It runs from noon to 8 PM, and as the flyer points out, is open to the public:

You can also catch Waxahatchee for free in NYC again this summer. She was added to the previously announced Generationals/Sallie Ford show happening on July 11 on Pier 84 as part of the free, all ages RIver Rocks series.

In related news, we recently mentioned it in a What's Going On? post, but in case you missed it, Waxahatchee's Katie Crutchfield and Swearin's Keith Spencer released a new EP for their Great Thunder project. It's called Strange Kicks and you can stream it in full below.

Waxahatchee isn't the only band playing WBAR-B-Q who also plays a NYC show that night. Speedy Ortiz, who just signed to Carpark for their debut album, are playing a previously discussed release show for their new 7" at Shea Stadium (4/27) with Aye Nako, Butter the Children, and Advaeta. Admission is $8 at the door. You've already heard the a-side from Speedy Ortiz's new 7", and you can now stream the b-side, "Hexxy," below. They have other upcoming shows too.

All Waxahatchee dates are listed, along with all song streams, below...

Continue reading "WBAR-B-Q is this Saturday; Waxahatchee also playing River Rocks; Speedy Ortiz released a new song"

One of the most eclectic lineups in the US, Hopscotch Festival in Raleigh, NC, will be back for 2013 on September 5 -7. Pulling from all genres, this year's line-up includes names like Big Boi (who plays NYC tonight), Spiritualized, Sleep, Wolf Eyes (who have a new video), The Breeders (performing Last Splash), John Cale, Kurt Vile & the Violators, Gorguts, Inter Arma (who play NYC on Saturday), Double Negative (who played NYC this past weekend), Swearin' (them too), Pissed Jeans, Dan Friel, Waxahatchee and many many others. Three-day wristbands are on sale now with individual day tickets going on sale in June. Full lineup is below.

Continue reading "Hopscotch announces 2013 lineup (Big Boi, Sleep, Spiritualized, Kurt Vile, Wolf Eyes, John Cale, more)"

Speedy Ortiz

Northampton, MA rockers Speedy Ortiz, who we profiled back in January, and who will have a new 7" out next week (4/30), have just announced that they've signed to Carpark Records (Cloud Nothings, Toro y Moi) for their debut album (congrats guys!). The album is called Major Arcana, and it will be out July 9. Check out the album art and tracklist for the new album below.

Speedy Ortiz have a number of upcoming dates, including previously announced NYC shows on April 27 at Shea Stadium with Aye Nako, Butter the Children, and Advaeta, plus WBAR-B-Q that same day, Silent Barn on May 17, and Cake Shop on May 31 with Sleepies. They've also just added another show happening on June 15 at Big Snow Buffalo Lodge.

The WBAR-B-Q happens at Barnard College (4/27) and is free, all ages, and open to the public. As mentioned, the lineup also includes Waxahatchee, Twin Sister, Roomrunner, Scott & Charlene's Wedding, and more. And though Swearin' were initially on the lineup, they've since dropped off and have been replaced by Krill. Krill are releasing their new album, Lucky Leaves, which was recorded by Carlos and Julian from Ava Luna at the Silent Barn, on June 25. You can stream a track from that album, "Never A Joke," below.

All Speedy Ortiz dates are listed, along with album art, tracklist, and song streams, below...

Continue reading "Speedy Ortiz sign to Carpark, announce debut album, schedule more shows; Krill replaces Swearin' on WBAR-B-Q lineup"

by Andrew Sacher

Speedy Ortiz @ Music Hall of Williamsburg - 4/11/13

Northampton, MA's Speedy Ortiz, who we profiled earlier this year after the release of their very solid Sports EP, are following that with a new 7" on April 30 via Inflated Records. The two tracks on the 7" -- "Ka-Prow!" and "Hexxy" -- were produced by Justin Pizzoferrato who also just produced the Chelsea Light Moving album (Speedy Ortiz have also toured with CLM and currently reside in the same city as Thurston), and their sound works really well with the type of guitar tones that Justin got on the CLM album. You can stream "Ka-Prow!" below and pre-order the 7".

I caught Speedy Ortiz in NYC last night (4/11) at Music Hall of Williamsburg, where they were opening for Marnie Stern and Talk Normal. They're the real deal live, and for a band that you'll usually see in more DIY venues (though maybe not for much longer), they sounded great in a room like MHOW. They do a lot of the loud-quiet-loud thing, and when it's loud, it's loud, with guitarist Matt Robidoux usually attacking his guitar or rubbing the fretboard against whatever he can find on stage. And from the little math rock tendencies they sometimes work in, it's clear that they're all great players too.

Speedy Ortiz have a number of other shows coming up, including some in NYC like the W-BAR-B-Q at Barnard College on April 27 with Waxahatchee, Swearin', Roomrunner, Twin Sister, and others (free). That same day, they'll play a Brooklyn's Shea Stadium with Aye Nako (whose new album comes out soon) and Big Ups (who L Magazine says you need to hear). They also play Silent Barn on May 17, Cake Shop on May 31 with Sleepies, and will be in NYC for Northside Festival.

All dates are listed, along with the song stream, below...

Continue reading "Speedy Ortiz releasing a new 7", played Music Hall of Williamsburg, playing more shows (dates & song stream)"

Waxahatchee @ Permanent Records in Chicago (more by Zach Pollack)

Waxahatchee @ SXSW in Austin (more by Amanda Hatfield)

Brooklyn resident Waxahatchee, who we recently caught in Austin and Chicago, has previously announced shows coming up in Brooklyn (TONIGHT, 4/3, at 285 Kent), Austin, and Chicago. Today we found out about a fourth concert on her/their schedule, and that's the WBAR Barnard College Radio's 20th Annual FREE WBAR-B-Q in NYC with Wax, Twin Sister, Roomrunner, Swearin', Speedy Ortiz, and more. Full lineup and dates below...

Continue reading "WBAR-B-Q 2013 lineup includes Twin Sister, Roomrunner, Swearin' & Waxahatchee (who plays 285 Kent tonight)"

Computer Magic @ Bowery Ballroom, 9/8/12 (more by Erik Erikson)

The Aputumpu Festival is a musical showcase featuring more than two dozen rising Brooklyn-based bands comprising the backbone of the burgeoning Brooklyn music scene.

For New York City, Aputumpu is a celebration of the best new talent in the city, an amalgam of creative and artistic forces which seem to be as much a part of the air as the weather. In a city overflowing with musical talent, these bands rise above with distinctive sounds and unforgettable performances.

Friday (3/29) is the big night for Aputumpu with a folk/world show at Joe's Pub with Azania, Derrick N. Ashong & Soulfege and more; Computer Magic, Friend Roulette and more at Studio at Webster Hall; and both stages at Public Assembly, with EDM in the front (Rubber Ross, iBeat, more), and punk in the back room (KNTRLR, Religious Girls, Cinema Cinema, more).

The festival closes out on Saturday (3/30) at Ran Tea House, with Eula, Speedy Ortiz, Bambara and more.

Aputumpu Festival passes are $30 and tickets to individual shows are $10. Passes and tickest to Cameo, Public Assembly and Ran Tea House can be purchased here, Joe's Pub tickets are here and Studio @ Webster Hall here.

Festival flyer and full line-ups for all Aputumpu shows below...

Continue reading "NYC's Aputumpu Festival starts tonight (Computer Magic, Eula, KNTRLR, Dickpic, Speedy Ortiz & more)"

by Andrew Sacher

Talk Normal at Maxwell's last week (more by PSquared Photography)

As mentioned, Marnie Stern is going on a tour this year which hits NYC on April 11 at Music Hall of Williamsburg. Though many shows on that tour are with Roomrunner, they won't be in NYC until two days later to open for Pissed Jeans, but the openers for Marnie's MHOW show have just been announced, and they're pretty great too. The show will be supported by Talk Normal (who are currently on tour with Chelsea Light Moving) and Speedy Ortiz. Tickets for the show are still available. Marnie's tour also hits Austin for SXSW, where she plays a BrooklynVegan day party on Wednesday (3/13).

The tour is in support of Marnie's upcoming album, The Chronicles of Marnia. That album's not due out until March 19 via Kill Rock Stars but you can now hear the whole thing ahead of its release on NPR. Like the early singles have hinted, it's less spastic than her previous work, but the songs are strong on their own, noodling or not.

Meanwhile, you can catch Speedy Ortiz in NYC even sooner when they play Big Snow Buffalo Lodge on March 29 with Schwervon!, The Due Diligence, and Thomas Patrick Macguire; and another show a day later (3/30) as part of Aputumpu Festival at Loft 594 (594 Bushwick Ave) with Eula, Life Size Maps, and more. They also have another NYC show happening on April 27 at Shea Stadium.

All dates for all three bands are listed below...

Continue reading "Marnie Stern streaming new album; Talk Normal and Speedy Ortiz opening her NYC show (and playing other dates)"

by Andrew Sacher

Roomrunner at The Bell House in 2012 (more by Tracy Allison)

Baltimore punks Roomrunner wrapped up a very promising 2012 with the release of their noisy, punchy Super Vague EP, and they're finally ready to release their debut full length, Ideal Cities, which will be out on May 14 via Fan Death. It's first single, "Weird," kicks off with huge riffs and culminates in a chorus which finds Roomrunner at their catchiest but with only more power than we've heard from them before. You can stream that track and check out the album artwork below.

Roomrunner play NYC on Thursday (2/28) at FUZZ NYC with Speedy Ortiz, STATS, and Sea Monsters.

Roomrunner also have a few upcoming shows with Marnie Stern, and though they won't be at her Brooklyn show at Music Hall of Williamsburg (4/11), they will end up in NYC two days after that to open for Pissed Jeans, whose tour hits Bowery Ballroom on April 13. Yi is on that bill as well and tickets for that show are still available.

All Roomrunner dates are listed, along with that song stream and album art, below...

Continue reading "Roomrunner announce debut album, playing NYC this week, opening for Pissed Jeans"

by Andrew Sacher

DOWNLOAD: Speedy Ortiz - "Silver Spring" (MP3)

As I've said before, new music releases start calming down around mid-December and it's a great time to check out stuff that went overlooked throughout the year. One release that dropped over the summer that I've been spinning a lot this past month is Speedy Ortiz's EP, Sports, which came out via Exploding In Sound Records. They hail from the growing Northampton/Amherst scene (which has also given us California X, Potty Mouth, and other great bands) and play the type of rock that pulls equally from punk and indie rock that's made a great comeback in 2012. Think The Breeders meets The Thermals with some noodley guitar and their own personal attitude thrown in and you've got a pretty good idea. The EP's a quick listen and it's got a very fully realized sound for a band that formed just over a year ago. You can stream the whole thing below and download the track "Silver Spring" for free at the top of this post.

Maybe you caught Speedy Ortiz when they toured through NYC last month? (They played two shows including one with Thurston Moore and John Moloney.) They've got a few shows scheduled for 2013 too including a NYC date which happens on February 23 at Cameo Gallery with Sleeping Bag and Shark?. Tickets for that show are on sale now.

A list of all dates and the EP stream are below...

Continue reading "check out Speedy Ortiz, who released an EP and are playing shows (streams, MP3, dates)"

Roomrunner at Mercury Lounge in September (more by Tracy Allison)

Baltimore grunge bearers Roomrunner have two solid EPs under their belt -- 2011's self titled EP and 2012's Super Vague EP -- and they're in the process of recording their debut full length. No word on when that will come out, but presumably some time in 2013. The band are playing a few shows this January, including one in Brooklyn on January 18 at Shea Stadium with Bambara, Advaeta (who recently announced a show with with Hilly Eye and Sleepies), and Young Adults. Most of the dates on that run are with Northampton's Speedy Ortiz (who recently played NYC with Thurston Moore) but they're not on the NYC date.

Speaking of Shea Stadium and the Baltimore scene, Dope Body will be playing a show at the Brooklyn venue on December 28 with PC Worship, Osekre & the Lucky Bastards, Kntrlr, and Beach Cops.

That's one day before another Baltimore band, Ed Schrader's Music Beat (who topped Dan Deacon's Best LPs of 2012 list) plays Shea (12/29) with AMi DAng, Eola, and Psychobuildings. Ed Schrader's Music Beat also plays a Brooklyn show on January 26 at Death by Audio with Bambara and more TBA.

Streams/videos and lists of dates for all three bands below...

Continue reading "Baltimore bands Roomrunner, Dope Body, & Ed Schrader's Music Beat playing Bklyn shows (separately) (dates/streams)"

Thurston & John on stage w/ Sharon Van Etten in Nov. (more by Chris La Putt)

Thurston Moore and his Chelsea Light Moving bandmate John Moloney, who released the collaborative Caught On Tape earlier this year, are teaming up for a NYC show at Union Pool on December 11 with Speedy Ortiz and Lone Wolf (aka Ryan Sawyer, who also appears at Union Pool a few days earlier with Yeah Yeah Yeahs for a Sandy benefit). Admission is $10 at the door.

For Northampton's Speedy Ortiz, the show is part of a short December tour which also includes another Brooklyn show happening on December 13 at Shea Stadium with Grooms, Lushes, and Eartheater. After that tour, they plan to head out with Roomrunner in January but the dates for that tour have not been announced yet. Roomrunner meanwhile open for Future of the Left at Knitting Factory tonight (11/27).

As mentioned, Thurston Moore's ex-Sonic Youth bandmate/wife Kim Gordon will appear at the Dinosaur Jr. You're Living All Over Me show at Terminal 5 (12/1), along with Al Cisneros (Om, Sleep) and Johnny Marr. Kurt Vile opens the show and tickets are still available.

A list of all Speedy Ortiz dates and an excerpt of Thurston & John's Caught On Tape release, below...

Continue reading "Thurston Moore & John Moloney playing collaborative set; Speedy Ortiz touring (dates, stream)"

Merchandise at Mousetrap in Chicago, April 2012 (more by Jimmy Farabi)

You may have noticed the announcements of CMJ artists trickling out as of late (like Sub Pop's lineup), but now comes the official word from the fest on another batch of bands. Highilights include AraabMUZIK, UK acts Savages and Everything Eveything, Mr. Muthafuckin' eXquire, Cities Aviv, Ken Mode (playing with Pig Destroyer), Daughn Gibson (playing with Pissed Jeans), Local H, Slug Guts, Dune Rats, Royal Canoe, and Sleepies among many many others. A full listing of the second round of CMJ artists is below.

One of said surprises is Merchandise, who plays NYC tonight at WIERD (9/12). The show is first of THREE NYC dates for the band, who will also play 538 Johnson tomorrow (9/13) before hitting Saint Vitus on Friday (9/14, tickets).

A list of the second round of CMJ artists is below, along with updated Merchandise dates and a recent video.

Continue reading "CMJ announces second round of artists; Merchandise is here, catch them three times this week (tonight at WIERD)"