William Fitzsimmons

The Wedding Present, Built To Spill's Doug Martsch, Tanya Donelly, Telekinesis, Stars, Katy Goodman, Kitten, William Fitzsimmons, and many others appear on "please, please, please," a new Smiths tribute album that will see the light of day in December via American Laundromat.

Meanwhile Morrissey is about to kick off a North American tour in Chicago on 11/10.

William Fitzsimmons' soft-spoken folk/rock is currently breaking hearts across the EU, a treak that will continue until just before the holidays. After a month off in January, he'll embark on another US tour in support of his recent LP Gold In The Shadow that will include dates from coast to coast and a stop at Bowery Ballroom on 2/18. Tickets for all US dates are currently on fan presale, with regular sale starting today for the Bowery Ballroom date.

All tour dates and some videos below...

Continue reading "William Fitzsimmons on new Smiths tribute album, announces tour (dates)"

DOWNLOAD: a North Carolina mix by Stuart McLamb of Love Language (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Telekinesis - Car Crash (MP3)

The Love Language @ Bowery Ballroom (more by Jessica Amaya)

BJ Burton of The Love Language's Favorite Albums of 2010

Birds of Avalon - "Birds of Avalon"
Not sure if this has been released yet, but this record slays in just about every angle.

War on Drugs - "Future Weather EP"
Probably played this guy a dozen times on the drive from Austin to LA this year. Can not wait for their next one.

Wye Oak - "My Neighbor/My Creator"
So glad to meet these guys this year and be introduced to their brilliance. A couple of shredders for sure. This record gives me chills at times.

Gayngs - "Relayted"
A super group of good friends who party harder than you do, and made one smooth ass record.

Tallest Man on Earth - "The Wild Hunt"
If you can get on board with Kristian's beast of an incredible voice, he'll take you to some pretty sweet places with his music.

Sharon Van Etten - "Epic"
Dark, beautiful and intimate. I'm a sucker for harmonium as well.

Here We Go Magic - "Pigeons"
Jen Turner is one hell of an engineer, and I love these songs.

Local Natives - "Gorilla Manor"
Justin and Jordan played Sun Hands waaayy too many times in the van this year. But I'm not complaining

Telekinesis have a new LP on the way. 12 Desperate Straight Lines is due on 2/15 via Merge Records (preorder it). Download "Car Crash" from that album above. The heart of Telekinesis is singer/songwriter Michael Benjamin Lerner and his band now consists of a pair of fresh faces: Jason Narducy (of the Robert Pollard band and Verbow) on bass and Cody Votolato (from Jaguar Love and The Blood Brothers) on guitar.

The Love Language are still supporting their 2010 release, and speaking of 2010 releases, you can see which ones BJ Burton enjoyed from his list above. Also above: a mixtape by BJ's band-mate Stuart of all fellow North Carolina bands. The tracklist for that is below along with all tour dates and KEXP video sessions by both bands, and more...

Continue reading "The Love Language & Telekinesis -- 2011 Tour Dates & stuff"

by Andrew Sacher

DOWNLOAD: Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin - Banned (By The Man) (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin - Sink/Let It Sway (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: The Mommyheads - Box (MP3)

Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin released their third full length studio album, Let It Sway, through Polyvinyl Records today, August 17th. The album was produced by Chris Walla of Death Cab For Cutie, who adds a bigger sound to the strong pop sensibilities that Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin has been creating since the release of their first album. Two songs off of the album, "Banned (By The Man)" and "Sink/Let It Sway", are available for download above. Also check out a video of the making of "Let It Sway" below.

Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin is going out on a North American Tour for much of the rest of the year to support the release of the album. Part of that trip is with Merge Records recording artist Telekinesis, and that part of the trek includes NYC on September 8 at Bowery Ballroom with third opening act, The Mommyheads, who have been named in the past by Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin as one of their favorite groups. Tickets for the NYC show are still available now.

The Mommyheads recently re-released their classic album, Flying Suit, on Dromedary Records with three bonus tracks, one of which (Box) is available for download above. The album was originally released in 1995 to excellent reviews and widespread college radio airplay, but The Mommyheads disbanded three years later. Since reuniting in 2008, there has been renewed interest in the band. The Mommyheads have just returned from a Swedish tour and a live video of the song "Jaded" is available below.

Can't wait until September? The Mommyheads are playing The Rock Shop with Conversion Party, Sarin McHugh, and The Everymen on August 19. Tickets are on sale. They're also at the Living Room on October 2nd.

All tour dates and videos below...

Continue reading "new Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin album & 2010 tour dates, NYC w/ the Mommyheads (who have other shows too)"

DOWNLOAD: Dean & Britta - Making Me Smile (MP3)

"Sing Me To Sleep" is a really fun compilation of lullabies and popular songs re-imagined as lullabies by some of today's best indie artists including: Dean & Britta, Tanya Donelly, The Leisure Society, The Rest, Telekinesis, Jenny Owen Youngs, The Real Tuesday Weld, Snowbird, Neil Halstead, and many more. All proceeds from this wonderful album are donated to The Valerie Fund, a 501(c)(3) non-profit charitable organization that provides support for the comprehensive health care of children with cancer and blood disorders. It's a beautifully produced album for indie-hipsters young and old.

Coming up, Joe's Pub will be hosting a June 13th show for the album with contributors Tanya Donelly, backed by a jazz ensemble, Jenny Owen Youngs and Julie Peel. This all-ages, kid-friendly (with face painting, free souvenirs and door prizes) starts at noon. Tickets are on sale.

Songs from the record (including Stars cover of the Smith's "Asleep") are streaming, and the Dean & Britta track is available above. Tracklist for the CD and show flyer are below...

Continue reading "Sing Me to Sleep - indie lullabies out now + an MP3 & NY show"

by Andrew Frisicano

Mac and Britt embrace (Triangle Music)

The much anticipated XX Merge Festival took place last week in North Carolina with a five-day (July 22-July 26), Wednesday to Sunday run of shows. Last night (Sunday)'s show with She & Him, American Music Club and Wye Oak was the only fully announced lineup. The other four nights (and one day) were a grab bag of any number of Merge bands past and present. Did you go? What were the highlights?

Conor Oberst & the Mystic Valley Band, who recently played a pair of big NY shows, headlined the fest's first night (which also included Magnetic Fields). Superchunk, which features Merge founders Laura Ballance and Mac McCaughan, topped the bill of the second night. The third night included the reformed/reunited lineups of Spent, Polvo and Pipe.

Mac McCaughan came out on stage before [Pipe] instead of the night's emcee and announced that there was a lone protester outside. He invited him up on stage and it was Jon Wurster decked out in Phillies gear as Philly Boy Roy. He was holding a sign that said "Boycot MERGE." He complained that Merge didn't have any Philly bands on their roster and Mac said that they have bands from Jersey, which is close to Philly. You never compare Jersey to Philly in front of Philly Boy Roy. It was hilarious.

All of this led to the introduction of New Jersey punks Pipe. As soon as they kicked into their first song, beer cans and plastic bottles started flying. Frontman Ron Liberti ate it up and even put himself in the line of fire, headbutting some of the cans while kicking some back into the crowd. Liberti bounded around the stage, essentially taunting the crowd. The crowd loved the band's antics as did I (but that may have been different if I hadn't managed to stay dry). [triangle music]

In addition to the Cat's Cradle shows (the venue for 4/5 of the night shows), Saturday featured a day show that included Julian Koster solo as Music Tapes and Mac McCaughan with violin accompaniment as Portastatic. A few videos from that set, below.

M. Ward, who's playing the Central Park Summerstage this Saturday (August 1st), played at the fest's Saturday night showcase. Zooey Deschanel joined him for a cover of the Beatles' "Birthday." Not too big of a surprise considering She & Him headlined the Sunday night show.

Other XX Merge artists who recently stopped in NYC include The Clientele and Richard Buckner (they played Music Hall of Williamsburg last Sunday), Versus and Superchunk (they played South Street Seaport last Friday), and Spent (they played Coco 66). Spoon didn't play a NYC show, but they were spotted in the audience of Paul McCartney's third of three shows at Citi Field in Queens. Destroyer is on his way up. He plays Bowery Ballroom on Thursday. Mark Eitzel (as American Music Club) played Le Poisson Rouge and Maxwell's before XX Merge, and now he's on his way back for a show at The Bell House.

Lineups for each night of XX Merge, with videos, and a bunch of setlists, below...

Continue reading "Merge celebrated their 20th w/ 5 days of shows in North Carolina (lineups, reviews, pics, video setlists...)"

by Bill Pearis

DOWNLOAD: Fol Chen - No Wedding Cake (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Fol Chen - Cable TV (Liars remix) (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: An Horse - Camp Out (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: An Horse Postcards (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Telekenisis - Coast of Carolina (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Esser - Headlock (MP3)

The Meat Puppets

While for many area music fans (especially ones, like me, who live in Williamsburg or Greenpoint) the Northside Festival is going to be the main attraction (by guide to Day One, HERE), there are a lot of other things going on. Even other festival type things.

You may already know about Todd P's Unamplified Acoustic BBQ 2009 which happens on Sunday (6/14) at Fort Tilden Beach, featuring somewhere in the neighborhood of 50 performers. As the weather's supposed to be partly sunny, high of 80, this could be a great way to spend the afternoon... and you could still make it back to catch some Northside Performances.

On Saturday (6/13) there's the Exit 44 Festival which will be held at Wonderland in Astoria, Queens. Headlined by Tigercity and Project Jenny, Project Jan, the fest also features Action Painters, My Teenage Stride, Schwervon!, The Specific Heats and more. (See the flyer below for a full list of bands. Tickets are $10 in advance or $13 at the door.

The Meat Puppets are at Mercury Lounge this week - Thursday (still tickets available) and Friday. Their new album Sewn Together is the mellowest thing the band have ever released, but it's unmistakably a Meat Puppets album, with Curt Kirkwood guitar style, those distinctive harmonies and some really nice songs. (To be fair, the Meat Puppets have been pretty mellow since 1985's Up on the Sun.) And you know they're going to lean heavy on their classics -- Meat Puppets II, Up on the Sun, "Backwater." And getting to see them somewhere small like Mercury Lounge will be a real treat.

Fol Chen

L.A.'s Fol Chen are playing their first-ever NYC show this Sunday (6/14) at Mercury Lounge. If you haven't heard them, there are a couple MP3s at the top of this post. There's a little bit of Grizzly Bear/Animal Collective density in their sound, but Fol Chen are poppier, sunnier, befitting a West Coast disposition. (They sorta remind me of Psapp if you know them.) Their debut, Part I: John Shade, Your Fortune's Made, came out back in February on Asthmatic Kitty without much of a splash but the band have recently started to get more attention, especially in the UK, where the band are currently on a whirlwind, 6-day/7-show visit to London. The Mercury Lounge show will be them barely off the plane. Hope they won't be too jetlagged. Tickets are on sale.

That Mercury Lounge show is solid all around. Headlining are Brisbane, Australia's An Horse who recently released their debut, Rearrange Beds. It's one of those unassuming records that isn't particularly groundbreaking and doesn't hit you at first, but then you find yourself coming back to it a lot, or saying "oh what's this?" when it comes up on shuffle. Sort of the same reaction I had with Wye Oak, another seemingly unassuming duo. The sound is so simple you have a feeling they're going to be pretty good live.

An Horse are on tour with recent Merge signees Telekinesis whose self-titled record I also like a lot. Produced by Chris Walla, the album kind of feels like Merge's greatest hits all in one band: a little New Zealand pop, a little of Superchunk's anthemecism, solid pop hooks (take your pick of their roster)... it's good stuff. I didn't catch them the last time they were in town but may have to this time. In addition to the Mercury Lounge show, Telekinesis and An Horse also play Union Hall on Saturday (6/13).

An Horse

A couple good shows at the Bell House this weekend. Friday night (6/12) is that Posies show where they're doing their classic 1993 album Frosting on the Beater in its entirety. New Zealand's lovely The Brunettes open and tickets are still available. The Posies will do it again at the Gramercy Theater on Saturday.

Speaking of The Brunettes, they were also just added to a Thursday Northside Festival show at Pete's Candy Store.

Then Saturday (6/13) at the Bell House is Columbus, OH-based webzine The Agit Reader's One Year Anniversary Party. Columbus, OH's Times New Viking are the official headliners, but the real draw of the show is their '90s lo-fi punk elders The Thomas Jefferson Slave Apartments, who began playing again a couple years ago after nearly a decade of inactivity. This will be thier first non-Columbus show since getting back together. In case you don't remember them, I defer again to The Trouser Press:

Most of the bands operating under the Luddite doctrine that's been dubbed "lo-fi" are quiet...sweet-tempered...pussycats even. This Columbus-spawned quartet -- the brainchild of former Great Plains frontman Ron House -- makes like that same pussycat injected with a goodly dose of the rabies virus, tearing apart the shabby confines of its 4-track studio with glee. The Slave Apartments (to use the shorthand preferred by the band) spent a few years releasing limited-edition singles -- including one that never went on sale at all; you had to write House directly with a good reason for him to send you one for free. The edition "sold" out quickly, and from the exhausting rush of Bait and Switch, it's easy to see why. House's high-pitched whine gives an oddly vulnerable edge to self-deflating tracks like "My Mysterious Death (Turn It Up)" and a reprise of the prior EP's "You Can't Kill Stupid" (which addresses the singer's early-'90s battle with cancer), while Bob Petric's splatter-punk guitar riffs action-paint the margins of pieces like the spot-on cover of "Cyclotron" (from the catalogue of Cleveland proto-punks Electric Eels) with unremittingly chaotic abandon. The topper, however, is the revolutionary screed "RnR Hall of Fame," which tosses verbal firebombs at the very concept of the Cleveland rock hall, advocating that someone "blow it up...before Paul Westerberg gets in." Bait and switch? Duck and cover is more like it.

As mentioned before, So Cow is swinging back through NYC before heading home to Ireland. In addition to the Monday show at Union Hall we already posted about, he's playing Sunday night at Brooklyn's newest DIY venue, Shea Stadium, along with Knight School, The Specific Heats and The Gusties.

Esser

And finally, moving slightly into next week, UK artist Esser makes his NYC debut at Le Royale on Monday (6/15). Those who follow the NME scene closely (very very closely) might remember Ben Esser as one third of short-lived group LadyFuzz. Looking like he stepped out of 1982, Esser mixes bubbly synthpop, 2-Tone ska, Lord Kitchener style calypso with a hint of '90s Britpop. He's been releasing a string of downloadable singles since last year, many of them were very good and one of which, "Headlock," made my Top Ten Singles of 2009. You can download it at the top of this post. All of those singles, and about four other songs, are on his debut album, Braveface, which is out now in the UK. I caught him at SXSW and despite some technical difficulties and playing under less than ideal conditions, he was pretty good. And the show at Le Royale is free with RSVP.

Videos, flyers, and tour dates after the jump...

Continue reading "This Week in Indie - NON-Northside edition (Esser, Meat Puppets, Fol Chen, Telekenisis, An Horse, Thomas Jefferson Slave Apartments, So Cow, Exit 44 Fest & more)"

Telekinesis at Home Slice Pizza in Austin - March 20, 2009 (lindseykron)

Seattle's Telekinesis have an album coming out on Merge Records in April. This weekend they're in NYC on a tour with Say Hi that hit The Bell House in Brooklyn last night (3/28) and visits Mercury Lounge in Manhattan tonight (3/29). Last week they were in Austin for SXSW...

"The showcased songs came from Telekinesis's upcoming self-titled debut, which was produced by Death Cab for Cutie's Chris Walla, and the similarities between the two artists were apparent. Songs like "Coast of Carolina," with its jutted blasts of guitar, could almost pass for a Walla solo song or early Death Cab tune if its more famous counterparts were given an adrenaline boost." [Austin 360]

And speaking of Merge and tonight (3/29), The Broken West are opening for AC Newman at the Bell House.

The Merge / Barsuk showcase that Telekinesis played at SXSW was held at the Parish on Saturday, March 21st. The Wooden Birds, Ra Ra Riot, Say Hi, Lou Barlow and The Rosebuds were also on that bill.

The Rosebuds have some shows scheduled in April, two of which are in NYC. The first is at the Bell House on April 16th with Megafaun. The show is open to the general public and tickets are on sale. The second is three days later - Earth Day - at 92YTribeca, and is only open to kids and their parents (Ages 3-13 recommended. Adults must be accompanied by a kid and vice versa). More info and tickets HERE. All dates below...

Continue reading "Telekinesis are here, The Rosebuds will be soon (tour dates)"

today in NYC
* DANCE
* Bettye LaVette @ Joe's Pub
* Alice Russell @ Le Poisson Rouge
* OK Go, Longwave & Oppenheimer @ MHOW
* The So So Glos & others @ Death By Audio
* Dr. Lonnie Smith Quartet @ Jazz Standard
* Apache Beat, Mixel Pixel, Night Owl & more @ Cake Shop
* Reigning Sound, Davilla 666 & The Turbo Fruits @ Maxwell's
* The Homosexuals, Pterodactyl & Unsacred Hearts @ Mercury Lounge
* Airborne Toxic Event, Henry Clay People & Alberta Cross @ Bowery
* Drawlings, Nite Jewel, Predator Vision & Jacques Detergent @ Monster Island Basement
* Foreign Exchange (Phonte of Little Brother + Nicolay) featuring Yahzar @ Highline Ballroom

Apache Beat is listed under a fake name at Cake Shop tonight.

"Chromeo Fights Crappy Music w/ Playboy Rock the Rabbit" in the video below...

The debut video by the Merge-signed Telekinesis below...

Continue reading "What's going on Sunday?"

DOWNLOAD: Telekenisis - Coast of Carolina (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Cut Off Your Hands - Turn Cold (MP3)

Telekinesis

"On April 7, 2009, Merge Records will release the debut album from Seattle's Telekinesis entitled Telekinesis!. Telekinesis is the project of Michael Benjamin Lerner. Michael recorded Telekinesis! at Two Sticks Audio in Seattle with producer Chris Walla (Death Cab for Cutie, The Decemberists, Tegan and Sara). Michael wrote and sang all of the songs and played nearly all of the instruments on the album, but tours with a full band that includes David Broecker (guitar), Jonie Broecker (bass, keyboards), and Chris Staples (guitar)."

Ra Ra Riot also have a bunch of shows lined up without Telekenisis. For NYC, it's just January 22nd at Bowery Ballroom which is the Planned Parenthood Benefit with Regina Spektor that sold out before it was even announced that they were also playing the show. They're also playing Noise Pop, and SXSW, and a bunch of dates with both Passion Pit and Cut Off Your Hands.

Cut Off Your Hands officially release their debut LP, You & I, via Frenchkiss Records on January 20th. Download the first single for free above. They're also playing SXSW (as are their labelmates Passion Pit).

All tour dates below...

Continue reading "Merge signs Telekinesis, Ra Ra Riot tour dates, Planned Parenthood, Cut Off Your Hands, SXSW, some MP3's"