by BBG

Elks at Le Poisson Rouge (more by Greg Cristman)

The knowledge that they have signed to Tee Pee, recent shows with Pentagram, and some of the band member's decidedly 70s look would indicate that Elks is another retro-leaning band hell-bent on reliving the golden-age of guitar rock. But you'd be wrong, Elks mixes the big bang of early Mastodon-ian riffs with Iron Maiden's melodic gallop and a host of others on their new EP Destined for the Sun due via the label on 9/13. Stream "White Fang Learns to Hate" and "Two Moons of Mars" below. The latter makes its first appearance here. Learn more about the first track in a recent interview with Revolver Magazine.

Elks will play Union Pool on September 16th as part of their Record Release party for the new EP. The band will also play the upcoming Tee Pee CMJ showcase at Union Pool on 10/21 with Hull and The Fucking Wrath. Full tour schedule is below.

In other news, Hull has released a new track from their forthcoming Beyond The Lightless Sky. And Hull will play a FREE show at Union Pool on 9/10 as part of the venue's Summer Thunder series, teaming the Brooklyn five piece with Wizardry. Stream that alongside the new Elks tracks and all tour dates below...

Continue reading "Elks releasing EP (song premiere), playing Tee Pee CMJ show w/ Hull (who play a free show even sooner)"

by BBG

After expansive releases like Of Sound Mind lit up the critical press in 2009 (we posted a track back then), Ancestors retreated back into their riff cave to further their progressive vision for their new release. The result is the Invisible White EP, a 29 minute progressive odyssey that borrows elements from 70s fuzz, Pink Floyd, Yes, and plays like a pensive soundtrack in a room full of ganja smoke. Check out the epic EP closer "Epilogue" which makes its debut in this post, streaming below. Look for the release on Tuesday (6/21) via Tee Pee.

Ancestors currently have just one day on their calendar, and that's tonight (6/17) at Three of Clubs in LA. Sister band Night Horse have no dates at all. We'll let you know if that changes.

Meanwhile Night Horse vocalist Sam Van Velde will see the release of the three album discography from his prior pastime, Bluebird. The LA band will see the reissue of said material via Tee Pee on August 13th. The triple album, entitled Saguaro (1995-2003), will feature 2003's Hot Blood, 2000's The Two and 1999's High Atmosphere EP along with "various singles and compilation tracks".

Song stream, and some video is below.

Continue reading "Ancestors releasing new EP (song premiere)"

Nick Bassett from Whirr/Deafheaven at Lovejoys (more by Samantha Marble)

Congrats go out to Nick Bassett of Deafheaven, whose side project Whirr (formerly Whirl) has signed to Tee Pee Records. The band will begin recording the new LP in August for a release soon thereafter. Their current LP of shoegazey gorgeousness is called Distressor. Stream that LP in full below and get an e-copy via their bandcamp.

I haven't seen Whirr live, but I do know that Deafheaven wowed me at SXSW and will definitely do so when they play Cake Shop on June 17th with the also awesome Gholas.

Listen to "Violet" (we premiered the edit of "Violet" early this year) off Deafheaven's new LP Roads To Judah, and the album stream, below...

Continue reading "Deafheaven sideproject Whirr signs to Tee Pee, first LP streaming now (listen)"

by BBG

DOWNLOAD: The Atomic Bitchwax - "The Local Fuzz" EDIT (MP3)

Black Skies has cancelled their appearance at Acheron, but will double up on Brooklyn shows TONIGHT (5/20) as part of a larger tour. First up is their appearance at Saint Vitus where the band will open a Tee Pee Records show featuring appearances from The Atomic Bitchwax, Mirror Queen, Weird Owl, and Heliotropes. Black Skies goes on at the early hour of 7:30PM, so get your Happy Hour on and party with the band.

Alternatively, if you can't make it to catch Black Skies at Saint Vitus, the North Carolinians will headline Union Pool later tonight on a lineup that also includes Syphilitic Lust, Company Corvette, and Gondola. The show kicks off at 9PM.

Black Skies has a new LP, On The Wings Of Time, currently available on their Bandcamp (stream it below). Produced by Kyle Spence of Harvey Milk, the thundering record is anchored by bluesy southern doom that touches into punk rock, and features dueling male/female vocals.

Both The Atomic Bitchwax and Weird Owl (not to be confused with Weird Al, who played New Brunswick yesterday) have new albums on deck too, with the former releasing The Local Fuzz on 6/21 and the latter releasing Build Your Beast A Fire on 7/26. Check out an edit of the 42 minute jam "The Local Fuzz" above.

The Union Pool show isn't the only date scheduled for Syphilitic Lust either, as the sleaze-rock locals will also support thrashers Nocturnal on May 25th at Bowery Electric with Witchaven and Villains. Nocturnal are currently touring the East Coast on their way to Maryland Deathfest (which is now back at Sonar). Speaking of Villains, if you missed it, their new album Road To Ruin is out now via Nuclear War Now.

All tour dates, the album stream, some video of Black skies performing the new material and The Atomic Bitchwax at Roadburn is below.

Continue reading "Black Skies released an LP, on tour, playing NY twice tonight, once w/ the Atomic Bitchwax (whose LP is coming soon)"

Nebula @ a BV CMJ show (more by Paul Birman)

Though we otherwise had an amazing day party at Emo's on Wednesday, I was hit with some unfortunate news around 2pm. GZA wasn't making it due to "issues at Newark Airport". Scheduled to go on at 4:30pm after The Black Angels and before Fucked Up, we scrambled to come up with a solution. Not sure we could pull off a hip hop replacement, BV-SXSW veterans Deer Tick seemed like they might rush in and fill the slot, but that ended up not being a reality so, partially due to the advice of the venue, we decided to just extend the sets of the other bands including Titus Andronicus. I then got a text that Wu-Tang affiliates Killah Priest and 9th Prince were in town to perform with Gza and could still make it over. Too late to really do their own full set, Damian from Fucked Up was more than happy to let the two rappers on stage a few minutes into Fucked Up's set (with Fucked Up as their backing band). Paying tribute to ODB, the mini surprise performance was great and quickly made me forget that we had to tell a packed house that one of the headliners wasn't playing after all. Check out a video clip from it below.

In other cancellation news, Human Eye still lists four Austin shows on his MySpace, but I'm told they are all cancelled including the one scheduled for the BrooklynVegan Anso Presents show happening at Spider House Cafe today (3/18). Turbo Fruits will take their place. See you there at noon!

When you have 91 bands playing shows at a festival as hectic as SXSW (and that doesn't count Monday's NYC gig where we had five four more), I guess cancellations are somewhat to be expected. And there's more. I found out this morning that Beast didn't make it out of Canada. The good news? Crystal Antlers, who we also hosted two CMJs in a row, will take their place on our BV/M For Montreal bill.

Not done yet. Tee Pee band Nebula broke up, thus changing their plan to head to Austin to play five shows. Naturally one of those shows was a BV (Attitude Adjustment at Red 7). Replacement still TBA, and assuming the break up sticks, full tour (March 27th at Pianos included) cancellation still TBA too

Get to BrooklynVegan.com/SXSW to see our entire schedule. Killah Priest video below...

Continue reading "Gza got stuck in the airport, Killah Priest played (video), Human Eye cancelled, Beast stuck at border, Nebula broke up "

DOWNLOAD: Sweet Apple - Do You Remember (MP3)

Thurston w/ Sonic Youth @ MHOW in November (more by Lori Baily)

Society's Ills: In 1994 Society's Ills (Moore, Cadena, Watt, Markey) made their world premier with the now coveted "Skins, Brains, and Guts" release - a slab that managed to cram (9) 7 seconds covers onto one 7". In 2010, the band is back and once again fronted by Thurston but he brings with him a new crue of slayers to launch the hardcore fury:

Thurston Moore: Vocals
J Mascis: Guitar
Don Fleming: Guitar [SY producer & Velvet Monkeys/Gumball frontman]
Andrew W.K.: Bass
Awesome Allison: Drums [from Awesome Color]

This set is their first, but don't worry if you miss it cause I'm sure we can put this together again in another 15 years! [Ecstatic Peace]

J Mascis will also be playing at SXSW with Sweet Apple, who are playing Mercury Lounge on April 20th. One of their SXSW sets will be at the showcase for TeePee Records, who are putting out the Sweet Apple debut, Love & Desperation, a track from which is above. That show is Thursday, March 18th at Habana Calle 6, and also on the bill are Priestess, Iron Age, Nebula, Naam, Imaad Wasif and more. Full details and a poster are below. Tee Pee Records has also teamed up with BrooklynVegan and Chronic Youth for another day party taking place on Saturday, March 20th in Austin. This is the first we've mentioned it. Stay tuned for more info.

Lou Barlow will also be at SXSW (backed again by The Missingmen) - one of his shows will be the Merge Records showcase at Cedar Street Courtyard on March 18th also featuring Let's Wrestle, She & Him, and others. Full lineup below. For She & Him it's one of two official SXSW shows. They also play Saturday night (March 20th) at Auditorium Shores (with Justin Townes Earle & TBA). Cheap Trick play the same slot at Auditorium Shores one night earlier.

Merge's showcase mentions that one slot will be filled by "Special Guest". We don't know who that is, but we'd have to guess Superchunk is a strong possibility since Mac & Laura have a speaking engagement (in a bookstore) on March 17th, and another one (official SXSW) at the convention center on March 19th (with Michael Azerrad), and the band is on the bill of the Village Voice day party happening at La Zona Rosa the afternoon of March 19th (with the xx, the Pains of Being Pure at Heart, and Surfer Blood). It's definitely not Spoon who play the NPR show at Stubb's on March 17th with Deerhunter (their tour-mates) and The Walkmen.

Society's Ills Bassist Andrew W.K. will also be performing separately (and speaking) at SXSW (and at MtyMx in Mexico).

Kim and Thurston are playing with the Plastic Ono Band in their two-night Brooklyn Academy of Music run. They were at the dress rehearsal (aka the first night) last night (2/16). BV photographer Greg Cristman was in the audience and told us, "One definite highlight was Thurston and Kim played with Yoko as a trio and did a killer version of Mulberry from Unfinished Music No. 2 while the film Fly was projected on a huge screen behind them!" - a (poor quality) video clip of one of the other songs is below.

Full lineups for the showcases and videos are below...

Continue reading "Thurston Moore (& Kim) rehearsed w/ Yoko @ BAM, recreating Society's Ills (w/ Mascis, WK), appearing @ SXSW (like She & Him, Merge Records, Tee Pee...) "

by BBG

DOWNLOAD: Nebula - "The Perfect Rapture" (MP3)

Nebula at BV-BBG Day Party during CMJ (more by Paul Birman)

After passing through customs on their return from a European trek, Nebula will take a few weeks away from the road before heading back out in middle March for a string of dates that'll take the band through SXSW, on to Pianos in NYC on 3/27, and out to the West Coast by the middle of April. The Pianos date is just one of a few that the band have lined up with their Tee Pee compadres Quest for Fire after SXSW. Then in Chicago on April 1st they team up with The Willowz and Clutch side project Lionize for the remainder of the west-heading tour. All dates below.

The Willowz meanwhile are in the midst of a tour with Delta Spirit that brings them to Pianos in NYC TONIGHT (2/4) (and to Union Hall Friday, 2/5) (and then to the same two venues a week after that).

Nebula's tour dates include the Tee Pee showcase at SXSW on Thursday, March 18th at Habana Calle 6. The two stage affair will feature appearances from Priestess, Iron Age, Nebula, Naam, Quest For Fire, Kreisor, The Atomic Bitchwax, Sweet Apple (featuring J Mascis), Imaad Wasif, Spindrift, Hopewell, Jason Simon (of Dead Meadow), and The Main Street Gospel.

Sweet Apple will play their first NYC show on April 20th.

Nebula and tourmates Quest for Fire are on the verge of going half on a 7". The release, due March 23rd, will feature artwork by Andre Ethier (The Deadly Snakes) and be limited to 1000 copies. Download Nebula's contribution to that split, "The Perfect Rapture", above.

All dates and some videos below...

Continue reading "Nebula touring w/ Quest for Fire, Willowz & Lionize - 2010 tour dates (include Tee Pee showcase @ SXSW) ++ new MP3"

DOWNLOAD: Sweet Apple - Do You Remember (MP3)

Sweet Apple is a new group that features J. Mascis (drums/guitar/vocals), Cobra Verde's Tim Parnin (guitar) and John Petkovic (vocals/guitar), and Witch's Dave Sweetapple (bass/vocals).

Their debut album, a 12-song disc called Love & Desperation - mixed by John Agnello (Dinosaur Jr., Sonic Youth, The Hold Steady) and Don Depew (Guided By Voices, Cobra Verde) - comes out April 20th on Tee Pee Records. That's the same day the band plays NYC's Mercury Lounge. Tickets go on sale Friday, January 29th at noon. It's currently their only confirmed show, though a spring tour and SXSW plans are expected.

"Do You Remember," the hard rocking first song from the band, is posted above. The full story behind their formation is below...

Continue reading "Sweet Apple (new band featuring J Mascis & others) releasing Tee Pee Records album (MP3), announce NYC show"

by BBG

DOWNLOAD: Priestess - "Ladykiller" (MP3)

Priestess at Webster Hall, opening for Pentagram (more by Toby Tenenbaum)

Priestess are prior to, um, Prior to The Fire, their NEW LP for their new home, Tee Pee Records. The band released Hello Master in 2005, and are prepping the new joint for a 2/2/10 release, though the record was completed more than a year ago:

The record was completed in the fall of 2008... and we were extremely proud, everyone involved, of what we've done and checked it in the label and it was the same story again. 'Well look guys, we can see that you love this and it's a great new direction and you guys have matured, but we still don't hear a song that we want that we can use as a single. Can you guys continue to write more songs?'

And we were basically like, 'Uhh... No. This is it. We've got a good record here and we don't want to do anything forced.'

You can't force write a single, it's impossible to do that. At least it's impossible for us. We're not Tin Pan Ally songwriters; we're a rock band.

Priestess and RCA Records decided to go their separate ways. But unlike the long and nasty splits between band and label you always here about, the break between Priestess and RCA was actually peaceful.

Priestess will join Early Man and Naam at The Charleston on Saturday, 12/12. It's one of a few remaining dates before the end of the year.

Naam recently posted part one of their ongoing tour diary from the road with Priestess and Early Man. Dig on that here. Remaining Priestess dates and the show flyer are below...

Continue reading "Priestess leave RCA for Tee Pee - album set for 2010 release (MP3), on tour now w/ Naam & Early Man (NYC Saturday)"

by BBG

DOWNLOAD: Quest For Fire - "Bison Eyes" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Quest For Fire - "Strange Waves" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Quest For Fire - "The Hawk That Hunts The Walking" (MP3)

Naam at a BV-CMJ Day Party (more by Paul Birman)

Toronto's Quest For Fire have announced a short stint of dates which include NYC with Weird Owl, Chyld and BV CMJ alums Naam at Pianos on 12/4. Full tour dates are below. Quest For Fire, which features former members of The Deadly Snakes & Cursed, recently dropped their self-titled full length on Tee Pee Records. Dig on some tracks above.

Word has it that another band on Tee Pee Records has scheduled a show in NYC on 11/20 with Tournament at The Charleston as part of the Chronic Youth series of shows. We have no confirmation on the "who", but the show will feature 20+ minute jams and will sound "out of this world".

Baroness kicks off their tour with Earthless in Washington DC on Wednesday. Tickets are still on sale for the NYC show at Bowery Ballroom on Friday (11/20).

Tournament is also scheduled to play NYC as part of the BV-Sponsored Coalesce + A Storm of Light + Coliseum show at Europa on 12/30. Tickets are still available. Coalesce recently played a show in Austin. Check out the pics and some free MP3s from their new EP.

Chronic Youth and BV have teamed up to present Javelina, Black Tusk, Batillus and a Special Guest at The Charleston on 11/18. The flyer for that show and a list of more killer shows this week, and all tour dates, below....

Continue reading "Quest for Fire tour dates, another secret show at The Charleston, Baroness & Earthless tour kicking off & more "

by BBG

DOWNLOAD: Imaad Wasif - "Priestess" (MP3)

Imaad Wasif and Jack Lawrence, keepin' it gangsta

It's not just David Pajo. More than one artist has done time as a live member of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, and much like Pajo, Imaad Wasif has also recorded with a few different bands (Lou Barlow, Folk Implosion, in addition to YYY's newest LP) and has a catalog of music of his own. The latest entry in the Wasif canon is his new solo LP, The Voidist, out NOW via Tee Pee Records and featuring "Priestess" (like the band) downloadable above. The LP, which was recorded with his supporting band Two Part Beast, features appearances from Dale Crover (Melvins) and Greg Burns (Red Sparowes) and was laid to tape by Chad Bamford (Weezer).

Imaad Wasif, who was picked by Jack White to open for The Raconteurs and Dead Weather based on his live show, will be in NYC to perform at three CMJ shows: an RSVP-only day party at Pianos on 10/23, the Tee Pee Records 2009 CMJ Showcase at Union Pool with Priestess (like the song), Nebula, Naam, Quest For Fire, Kreisor, Hopewell, Imaad Wasif with Two Part Beast and Weird Owl ($12, or use your CMJ badge), and the third is the showcase with Rain Machine, Sharon Van Etten, Violens, Threes And Nines and Stricken City at Bowery on 10/24 (tix here, or CMJ badges). The Tee Pee showcase is second Tee Pee event happening during CMJ, the first being their day party at Cake Shop on 10/22.

Besides his new solo LP, Waasif can also be found on the soundtrack to the Where The Wild Things Are as one of "the Kids" that make up Karen O & The Kids. Joining Karen O (YYYs), is the rest of her current band, Wasif, Bradford Cox (Atlas Sound, who is playing CMJ) Aaron Hemphill (Liars), Dean Fertita (The Dead Weather), and Jack Lawrence (The Raconteurs). Want a copy? I have TWO UP FOR GRABS as well as a pair of Vice mini-magazines with 24 artists' renditions of Where The Wild Things Are. More on how to win at the botton of this post. For some behind the scenes videos from the movie (which opens TONIGHT, check VBS.TV.

Nebula and Naam are scheduled to play the BrooklynVegan day party at Fontana's on 10/23 with Goes Cube, Ume, and Crystal Antlers (more on those additions later). The night show at the same venue on the same day will be done in conjunction with Relapse Records, and will feature Misery Index, Salome, Revocation, Black Anvil, Complete Failure, Howl, and Gloominous Doom.

Imaad Wasif is also scheduled to play the Fog Rising festival on 11/7 in San Francisco with Witch, Ancestors, Red Fang, Black Math Horseman, and many others. More and that show, including tickets, are here.

Tee Pee showcase flyer, Imaad Wasif and Nebula dates, and a NSFW video for Imaad Wasif's "Redeemer" are below...

Continue reading "Imaad Wasif - new album, MP3, tour dates (CMJ) & Where The Wild Things Are (movie out today, win a soundtrack)"

by Black Bubblegum

DOWNLOAD: Naam - "Skyling Slip" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Naam - "Kingdom" (MP3, from EP)
DOWNLOAD: Lullabye Arkestra - "We Fuck The Night" (MP3)

Naam ist griim.

The name "Naam" doesn't denote a typist with a particularly itchy left pinky, but a Brooklyn based psychedelic trio that is prepping their self-titled debut for release on 10/20.

Since the release of their Kingdom EP, Naam has gigged quite a bit around our fair city, logging dates with Nebula, Cable, Violent Bullshit, and many others. Don't let that diverse list confuse you though! Much like their Tee Pee Records compatriots or like-minded hallucinogen explorers in The Black Angels or Black Mountain, the band plays a grim electric blues that recalls a more spacey Black Sabbath. The band isn't afraid to explore different territory though, as Naam even briefly visits black metal blast beats for the album closer "Black Ice". Versions of "Skyling Slip" and "Kingdom" (above), can be found on that LP as well as the Kingdom EP, though only "Skyling Slip" above comes from the new joint (double-entendre).

Naam has a few dates laid out in the coming months including supporting Om/Six Organs of Admittance at Europa on 10/11 (tix), the official Tee Pee CMJ showcase at Union Pool on Oct 23rd with Nebula, Quest For Fire, Weird Owl and more, as well as another curious bill on 9/10 at the Charleston that features a "special guest" headliner. The band can't officially be announced, but I do have a riddle... see if you can figure it out!

What bong-totin' riff-smokin' cross-eyed Southern Lord sons o' bitches happen to have a night off on September 10th?

Having trouble guessing? Well God Luck & Good Speed.

Continue reading "Naam releasing LP (MP3), playing w/ Om, the Tee Pee CMJ showcase & The Charleston w/ a secret guest headliner"

by Black Bubblegum

Night Horse, in the chill station

TK Webb & The Visions have unfortunately dropped off of the previously announced Night Horse show at Pianos on 8/13 (Thursday), but have been replaced by a "special guest" headliner. No official word on who said guest is, but I would bet that you can make an educated guess based on Night Horse's current label, and the other band in town that night (and what is written on Pianos' website).

Night Horse also play NYC again a few days later (8/16) - at Union Pool with Tournament and Orphan. All dates HERE.

Night Horse and Graveyard's Tee Pee Records label-mates Nebula are on tour with The Entrance Band. Their NYC show is August 22nd @ Santos Party House. Tickets are still on sale.

Ancestors, which features members of Night Horse, have a new album on the way.

Continue reading "special guest playing w/ Night Horse @ Pianos & other stuff"

by Black Bubblegum

DOWNLOAD: Ancestors - The Ambrose Law" (MP3)

People use the word "epic" too often nowadays.

Whether for good reasons: "@ahj Yup! Chlamydia free. EPIC WIN!" [holymolydotcom]

Or for bad: "Free lunch at work = win. No sweets served with said lunch = EPIC FAIL." [strangedesign]

Does anyone really know the meaning of epic? I'm pretty sure that Ancestors (or anyone that has seen them play) do, and during SXSW I experienced that first hand. Anyone can riff like the 70's through a haze of ganja smoke, but Ancestors do it particularly well. The proggy-yet-surprisingly-heavy crew ripped through some epic material during their set at Room 710 in Austin, with one then-unreleased song leaving a specific impression. That song proved to be the 13+ minute "The Ambrose Law", which the band laid to tape for their upcoming LP Of Sound Mind (out Oct 2nd via Tee Pee Records). Download that track above. Full tracklist below.

Of Sound Mind features contributions by cellist Ramiro Zapata, Sera Timms of another SXSW 2009 fave, Black Math Horseman, as well as solo artist/contributor-extraordinaire David Scott Stone (Melvins, Unwound, Lavender Diamond, Joe Lally). The LP was recorded by Pete Lyman, the guilty party behind LPs for The Mars Volta, Qui and No Age.

As discussed before, Ancestors (not to be confused with the black metal band) members Brandon Pierce and Justin Maranga (not to be confused with Jonah Matranga who plays Southpaw Monday 8/10) are also doing time in Night Horse, a project which surfaces in NYC twice in the next couple weeks, Aug 13th @ Piano's and Aug 16th @ Union Pool. More dates HERE. Check out a video of that band performing at SXSW below....

Continue reading "Ancestors - new MP3 from new album 'Of Sound Mind'"

by Black Bubblegum

DOWNLOAD: Assemble Head In Sunburst Sound - "By The Ripping Green" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Assemble Head In Sunburst Sound - "The Slumbering Ones" (MP3)

Assemble Head In Sunburst Sound

After the Autolux trek, not to mention ATP NY, Sleepy Sun will hit the road with Assemble Head in Sunburst Sound for a US tour that kicks off on 9/17 in Providence, just two days after they wrap up shows at Bowery (9/14, tix) and MHOW (9/15, tix).

Meanwhile, AHISS will get into first gear by playing a show at Union Pool on the night before their jaunt with Sleepy Sun, Sept 16th. Look for the SF psychedelics to join forces with Brooklynites and fellow Tee Pee-ers Weird Owl, as well as a "special guest". Oddly, Sleepy Sun are taking that night off...

Assemble Head in Sunburst Sound recently dropped their new LP, When Sweet Sleep Returns via Tee Pee Records in April. Recorded in October 2009 by Tim Green, who also manned the boards for Howlin' Rain, Comets on Fire, Six Organs of Admittance, and Earthless, check out "By The Ripping Green" and "The Slumbering Ones" available for download above.

Speaking of Six Organs of Admittance, the band is scheduled to play NYC TWICE with Om in September.

All dates below...

Continue reading "Assemble Head in Suburst Sound (Tee Pee) & Sleepy Sun (ATP) - 2009 tour (after Autolux dates) ++ MP3s"

by Black Bubblegum

DOWNLOAD: Nebula - "Pulse" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Nebula - "The Dagger" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Night Horse - "Good Bye Gone" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: The Entrance Band - "Grim Reaper Blues" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Naam - "Kingdom" (MP3)

Nebula, inna black-metal stylee

Call it the unofficial Tee-Pee-clusterfuck week if you want, but for nine days this August, four separate tours featuring bands on their label will pound NYC with a barrage of shows, with a few shows falling on the same day.... sigh.

First up, the psychedelic LA band Nebula have announced a US tour with The Entrance Band. That includes a stop at Santos Party House on August 22nd with Naam. Tickets are on sale. Nebula are touring to promote their Heavy Psych (the LP name and in practice), which will pounce on an unsuspecting public on July 7th via Tee Pee. Check out "Pulse" and The Dagger" from that LP, both of which are downloadable above.

The Entrance Band (an Ecstatic Peace-signed band who are sometimes just called "Entrance") are also touring with Sonic Youth even sooner. In fact they are playing United Palace in NYC with them on July 3rd (tickets are still available).

The Entrance Band is one of a few openers that are scheduled for the Sonic Youth tour which has Sonic Youth taking July 4th and 5th off. The Entrance Band aren't taking as long of a vacation though. You can catch them headline Southpaw in Brooklyn on the 5th (this Sunday) with TK Webb & the Visions. Tickets are on sale.

Meanwhile, another Tee Pee band from the westside is hitting the eastern shores within a week of Nebula's show at Santos AND have a release coming on the same day as Heavy Psych. Night Horse, who share guitarist Justin Maranga and drummer Brandon Pierce with the mighty Ancestors (not the black metal band), have scheduled a pair of NYC area dates for the second week in August. They play Pianos on August 13th with TK Webb & The Visions and Union Pool on August 16th with Tournament and Orphan. Night Horse will release the first of a three part split 7" series planned for this summer with Dirty Sweet. Look for that 7" on July 7 and check out the first track, "Good Bye Gone", available above.

Next up, Swedish doom-proto types (or is that doom-prototype types?) Graveyard are scheduled to tour the US with CKY (yes, the one with Bam Margera's brother) which includes a NYC date at Gramercy Theater on 8/13, same night as Night Horse at Pianos. Tickets are on sale.

Oh, and did I mention The Warlocks shows at Bowery Ballroom and Maxwell's on August 14th & 15th respectively? Tickets are still available (BB here, Maxwell's here).

Although Ancestors are NOT on the road in any significant fashion, they recently announced their new album, the massively epic Of Sound Mind. Featuring contributions from David Scott Stone (Unwound, Melvins) and Sera Timms (Black Math Horseman), look for Of Sound Mind to hit stores on Oct 6th via Tee Pee Records. MUCH more on this record to come... highly recommended.

Full tour dates for Nebula, Night Horse, The Entrance Band, and Graveyard are below.

Continue reading "Nebula, Graveyard & Night Horse & the Entrance Band tour (not together) - 2009 dates (Sonic Youth, TK Webb too)"

by Black Bubblegum

DOWNLOAD: Iron Age - "Dispossessed" (new MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Iron Age - "The Way Is Narrow" (MP3)

With a maladjusted hardcore assault that's part galloping Motorhead and Clevo Hardcore's Ringworm but with the strength of High On Fire, Iron Age have announced that their new album will be released by Tee Pee Records. The Sleeping Eye, which was completed late last year, is currently available on 2LP (in limited numbers) via Cyclopean Records, but look for Tee Pee to release the CD and LP on August 4th. In the meantime, check out "Dispossessed" from the album available for download above!

Iron Age's last release, The Way Is Narrow 7" has just been repressed by Painkiller Records. Pick that up here, and dig on the title track (another version appears on The Sleeping Eye) also downloadable above.

Iron Age, along with many others involved in Chaos In Tejas next weekend, will be playing other dates before and after the show. Look for Iron age to join hardcore faves Sex/Vid and Mind Eraser on a short Northeastern tour that includes two NYC shows in one day, June 6th... Cake Shop early and Death By Audio late.

Alex Hughes, guitarist for Iron Age and ex-member of Insect Warfare, will also be busy with his other projects in the coming months. Look for Hatred Surge and fellow Texans Mammoth Grinder (who we profiled here) to tour the east coast as part of a cam-pain through NYC on July 17th at The Charleston with Defeatist (mems Anodyne) and Disnihil.

I caught Iron Age and Hatred Surge in their hometown of Austin during SXSW. All tour dates are below...

Continue reading "Iron Age signs to Tee Pee - first MP3 & 2009 Tour Dates"

by Black Bubblegum

DOWNLOAD: Pink Mountaintops - "Vampire" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Pink Mountaintops - "While We Were Dreaming" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Quest For Fire - "Bison Eyes" (MP3)

Come to McBean country......

Is Stephen McBean, to quote P. Diddy, "preserving his sexy"? Stephen McBean and Pink Mountaintops are currently touring the EU on the heels of the recent release of the new album Outside Love (out now on Jagjaguwar). A month after those dates, which include the damnit-everyone-awesome-is-playing-this ATP festival in Minehead, the also-Black Mountain-er will be back on his native continent, ready to hit the road for a string of US dates including a pair in NYC: The Bell House on June 5 (tickets here) and Mercury Lounge on June 6th (tickets here).

Quest For Fire and their psyche-fuzz-rock will do the honors supporting McBean & Co, drawing from their upcoming (6/9) self-titled LP for Tee Pee Records. Made up of ex-members of The Deadly Snakes and Cursed (!), Chad Ross (guitar, vocals) and Mike Maxymuik (drums) will also pull double duty serving as members of Pink Mountaintops on the trek. Noice!

Check out new tracks from both Pink Mountaintops and Quest For Fire's latest efforts, available above, and the videos for "While We Were Dreaming" by Pink Mountaintops and "Ive Been Trying To Leave" by Quest For Fire, along with all dates, below....

Continue reading "Pink Mountaintops & Quest For Fire - tour dates, MP3s, video"

words & photos by Black Bubblegum

Ancestors @ Room 710 in Austin - March 19, 2009

My SXSW adventure began Wednesday morning at the airport. Talk about starting things off on the wrong foot! A woman fell into a diabetic coma (she was ok later that morning) on my 6:30AM flight. That led to an unplanned stop in NOLA which was followed by a layover in a fogged up Houston Airport... to say I was a little late to our own day show at Emo's was an understatement. Unfortunately, Trash Talk were wheeling their amps out the door when I got there (which meant I also missed Garotas Suecas and Psychedelic Horseshit), but I managed to catch Trash Talk vocalist Lee cruising around, with a microphone grill imprinted on his forehead. His pain, our pleasure...

Continue reading "Black Bubblegum's SXSW-metal recap - part 1 "

by Black Bubblegum

DOWNLOAD: Weird Owl - "Mind Mountain" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Weird Owl - "Skeletelepathic" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Naam - "Kingdom" (MP3)

Weird Owl, stone cold lampin' at the pearly gates.

Its retro-psychedelia night at Union Pool as Weird Owl, Naam, and Heavy Hands will team up for a show at TONIGHT (2/20) to celebrate the release of Weird Owl's Tee Pee debut, Ever The Silver Cord be Loosed out NOW... pick it up here. NSFW show flyer is below.

With Tee Pee Records debut, Ever the Silver Cord Be Loosed, the Brooklyn-based band has figured out how to make their alt-country psych rock work for them. Sure, there's plenty of "Heart of Gold" twang to tracks like "13 Arrows, 13 Stars" and "Phases of the Moon," but this time around, Weird Owl doesn't sound so indebted to the Crazy Horse frontman's body of work (okay, maybe parts of "In the Secrecy of Oceans" are very reminiscent of "Ohio").

The band's best on "Mind Mountain," "Do What th' Owl Wilt," and "Flying Low Through the Air After Thunder," numbers where they up the psych quotient while still maintaining strong songwriting focus. -[Stoner Rock]

Naam, who recently signed on with Tee Pee Records, are currently working on their full-length long-player, due in late 2009. Heavy Hands' debut, Smoke Signals, dropped in November of last year. Julian Cope had some kind words to say about it.

Continue reading "Weird Owl - 2 NYC shows (1 tonight), new album & MP3's"

by Black Bubblegum

Witch

Witch and Earthless will team up for a short tour in February 2009. That includes a show at Music Hall of Williamsburg on the 25th. Tickets go on sale 12/23 at noon.

Witch dropped Paralyzed in March, and it was recently named as one of the best heavy albums of the year by Decibel.... check out that full list below. Look for a few of those to repeat on my own top metal list, coming very soon.

We knew that Witch counts J. Mascis as a member, but the band also contains (or, rather attempts to contain) Kyle Thomas, AKA King Tuff. King Tuff recently dropped his debut Was Dead on October 7th via Tee Pee which is also Witch's label.

J Mascis also recently released an album of his own, and on his own label... Baked Goods. Out now, J + Friends Sing + Chant for Amma is a "collection of devotional songs dedicated to the living Indian Saint, Sri Mata Amritanandamayi Devi (Amma)" with all of the proceeds going towards "a vast range of humanitarian projects, including orphanages, charitable hospitals and free homes for the homeless". For more on Amma, head here.

Earthless (mem of Rocket From The Crypt, Hot Snakes, Black Heart Procession) recently dropped their live album Live at Roadburn, captured at the ridiculawesome festival that will include Saint Vitus, Amon Duul II, Neurosis, and many other greats in 2009.

All lists and dates below...

Continue reading "Witch & Earthless tour dates, a new J Mascis charity album, Decibel's top 2008 albums"

by Black Bubblegum

DOWNLOAD: Night Horse - "The Dark Can't Hide You" (MP3)

Saviours Live at Europa (Mindy)

Titan will play the Charleston in Brooklyn on Oct 16th with Villains and a "special guest" from Oakland who is on Kemado Records. Hmmm... they might as well just come out and say that it's Saviours, who we already know are in town with Iced Earth and Into Eternity at the Nokia Theater that night (tickets are still available).

Meanwhile, Titan's labelmates and Californians Night Horse, are doing QUINTUPLE (thats 5x) duty out on the East Coast, playing three CMJ shows as well as celebrating the release of their new record The Dark Won't Hide You on Tee Pee (check out the title track above). First up for Night Horse is a show at The Charleston (that album release party) on Oct 21st with Pollution and Acid Tiger and Said Fury. Second and third, a loft party on Oct 24th with It Lives & Mythical Beast followed by a late night show at The Studio @ Webster Hall with Monotonix. Numero four, a Tee Pee day Party on Oct 25th with Weird Owl and It Lives.

Night Horse

At a fifth show, Night Horse will link up with Titan to pummel Europa with King Tuff (mem Witch), The Weight, Weird Owl, and Hopewell as part of Tee Pee's CMJ showcase at Europa on Oct 22nd. Tickets are on sale.

Later this month Steve Moore of Titan (and also Zombi) will play Unsound at Fontana's on Halloween with Nadja, Black Sun, and Menace Ruine.

Aidan Baker of Nadja recently dropped Fantasma Parastasie with Tim Hecker on Alien 8.

All dates below...

Continue reading "Saviours surprise show, Titan, Night Horse & Tee Pee CMJ"

by Black Bubblegum

DOWNLOAD: Annihilation Time - "Splashback" (MP3)

There are alot of bands who name drop the legendary Black Flag as an inspiration... Hell, I read once that even My Chem-meh-cal Romance consider Black Flag an influence on their sound. (Can't you tell?)

Then you have Annihilation Time, a monstrous five-piece unit out of Oakland who's brand of hardcore punk is a direct decendent of early Black Flag/ 80s hardcore but with a ratcheted up 70s rock spin. Greg Ginn's guitar work has always had an element of Thin Lizzy, 70s Aerosmith, and Black Sabbath in it, but Annihilation Time take that to the next level: think of Black Flag's "Jealous Again" with two Greg Ginns hammering out dual leads and you get the idea. (!!!)
Annihilation Time's new monument to raunchy beer-soaked punk, Annihilation Time III: Tales of The Ancient Age, hits the streets on May 20th via Tee Pee and as recently described to a friend of mine via IM, "it smooooookes". Seriously, III is NAILS. Check out the track "Splashback" above.

Also check out an interview the guys did with Thrasher Magazine.

Oh, it is absolutely mandatory that you check out their tour bus, which I am nominating as the world's most punk tour bus ever. Here's a pic of the outside. And the inside (both taken by Surgery at SXSW this year).

Video from two FULL shows, and their European (no U.S. at the moment yet...boo!) tour dates below....

Continue reading "Annihilation Time - a new album ++ MP3/videos/tour dates"

by Black Bubblegum

DOWNLOAD: Graveyard - Thin Line from their self-titled LP (mp3)

Witch

J.Mascis's other other band, the doom-inspired Witch, will do a short stint of dates this month, opening their tour at the aforementioned Tee Pee Records showcase on March 12 and concluding on March 20, two days after the release of their killer record Paralyzed. Check them out at Luna Lounge in Brooklyn on March 19 (tickets here). Swedish 70s throwback rockers (NOT Witchcraft) Graveyard will open the show, playing tunes off of their grand self-titled effort. DEFINITELY a recommended album for fans of that other swedish 70s doom band or fans of Pentagram. Video and tour dates below....

Continue reading "Witch (J Mascis) & Graveyard - 2008 Tour Dates (SXSW)"

by BrooklynVegan Mike

DOWNLOAD The Warlocks - Baby Blue (MP3)

I'm always surprised by which bands are able to make a name for themselves and which others toil away under the shadows. A lot of it, of course, is due to the political machinations of the music industry, but even in the ultra-hyper blog celebrity (of which I am contributing to this very moment), some bands still fail to get their due notice. I believe The Warlocks are one of those bands.

They came out of the late 90s neo-psychedelic scene, along with awesome bands Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, Brian Jonestown Massacre, and the sometimes good (but not lately) Dandy Warhols. Each of their albums are different in sound and approach (due to their lineup, which fluctuates from as few as four to as many as ten), while at the same time maintaining a singular sound that is uniquely their own. Their new album Heavy Deavy Skull Lover is practically an instrumental album, with long, repetitive drones, swirling guitar symphonies, and the slow, steady release of a morphine drip. It's possibly their best album, though Phoenix definitely has its moments.

They'll be playing three shows in NYC this week - including the Tee Pee records showcase at Luna Lounge. All tour dates, and some videos, below....

Continue reading "The Warlocks (CMJ spotlight) - 2007 Tour Dates"