by Bill Pearis

DOWNLOAD: Datarock - Catcher in the Rye (MP3)

Norway's kitschy electro combo Datarock are back in the U.S. for a tour that starts with a March 7 stop at Santos and then winds its way down to SXSW. The band are also set to release "Catcher in the Rye" on March 21 which has been dubbed "The Most Extravagant Single in History." How extravagant is that exactly? Says the press release:

The single will come as a designer toy with a USB stick that features 110 tracks, 1500 photos taken at their shows in 33 countries, 20 music videos, and Never Say Die, a brand new hour-long concert film. The single will also be released as a digital 5 track EP. The USB features the EP, the new album Music For Synchronization, both of their previous albums with bonus tracks, the new Lost and Found b-sides and rarities compilation, 15 new instrumentals, and the 40 track remix album Mixed Up. The toy was created by Brian Flynn at Hybrid Design and San Francisco based pioneer company SUPER7.

The Santos show sounds pretty good, with Dinowalrus and The Suzan opening. All Datarock North American tour dates, some of which are with Dirty Ghosts, are below as well...

Continue reading "Datarock releasing USB thing, touring (dates, MP3, new video)"

photos by Brook Bobbins

As you can tell in the above picture, Chromeo's Friday night show at Terminal 5 was in fact sold out. They now continue on tour until 2/19 with both MNDR and The Suzan, who both also opened the NYC show. Then in March Chromeo will head to Austin for SXSW. They play Coachella in April, and Sasquatch in May. All dates and a bunch more pictures from the Terminal 5 show, below...

Continue reading "Chromeo played Terminal w/ MNDR & the Suzan (pics), playing SXSW (and Sasquatch & Coachella)"

Alt-bros Dave 1 and A-Trak (more by Brook Bobbins)

Miike Snow/Major Lazer/Santigold/etc. at Terminal 5 on March 5th (on sale now) isn't the only birthday party Downtown Records is throwing for itself. They're also hosting A-Trak, Art Brut, White Denim, Lissy Trullie, and The Suzan at Webster Hall on March 4th. Tickets for that first part of the two-day celebration go on sale Saturday (1/29).

A-Trak is also on board for this year's sold-out Cochella Fest, playing not only as A-Trak, but also two days later as part of Duck Sauce (his project with Armand Van Helden).

The Suzan is hitting the road with Chromeo (also are playing Coachella this year) and MNDR for US dates next week. The tour hits a sold-out Terminal 5 on Feb 4th (the afterparty is at Webster Hall). The Fool's Gold-signed Suzan recently dropped a pair of releases in Japan, a live iTunes only LP and a CD+DVD combo of Golden Week For The Poco Poco Beat.

No more Art Brut dates to report at the moment. All A-Trak and Suzan tour dates and some videos below.

Continue reading "A-Trak playing Coachella & another Downtown Records Party (w/ the Suzan, Lissy Trullie, White Denim & ART BRUT)"

by Bill Pearis

DOWNLOAD: Oh No Oh My - Walking Into Me (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: The Suzan - Home (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Bettie Serveert - Deny All (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Elk City - Jerks on Ice (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: The Intelligence - Like Like Like Like Like Like Like (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: JEFF the Brotherhood - Diamond Way (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Crystal Stilts - Shake the Shackles (MP3)

The Suzan @ Brooklyn Bowl for the Fool's Gold party (more by Brook Bobbins)

Unlike last year, I managed to make it through CMJ week without getting sick. Normally I try and do a sonic detox and not see any music after CMJ for at least a week. But that's not gonna happen as there's some seriously good stuff rolling through town in the next five days. Early next week too (Clinic/Fresh & Onlys), but let's not get ahead of ourselves too much.

Hey, remember Oh No Oh My? No? Oh. Well, people were going apeshit about them a few years ago. I kinda forgot about them, to the point where when I saw they were playing this week I thought it was Danish band Oh No Ono (editor's note: SAME). Anyway, Oh No Oh My are back!... and will release a new album of pleasant acousticy pop, People Problems, in early 2011. And they're here in NYC for a couple shows: tonight at the Rock Shop, and tomorrow (10/28) at Pianos.

More interesting to me are the bands they are playing with. Tonight at the Rock Shop, it's with Japanese bandThe Suzan whose new album Golden Week For The Poco Poco Beat was just released this week. It was produced by Bjorn Yttling of PB&J and you can definitely hear his touch on clever, catchy tracks like "Home" which you can download at the top of this post. Also playing are New Zealand's The Family Cactus.

The Pianos show has another New Zealand band,Street Chant, who were one of the funniest bands, stage-banter wise, I saw at CMJ. One memorable song intro: "We're the biggest rock band in New Zealand and this next song was Number One for nine months in a row!" Street Chant are pretty punk rock and definitely worth catching. Also playing the Pianos show: Boats (not Seattle's BOAT) and Estranged Estates.

The Intelligence @ Market Hotel in 2009 (more by Tim Griffin)

The Intelligence are visiting this weekend, playing Cake Shop on Saturday (10/30) and then the Todd P/Panache Halloween extravaganza on Sunday (10/31)at Ridgewood Masonic Temple . When it comes to surfy garage rock, The Intelligence are in the 99th percentile and if you haven't picked up the band's new album, Males, it's one of my favorites of the year. You can download a track from it above.

Further reading: Front dude Lars Finberg is keeping a tour diary for The Stranger and so far (one entry) it's a very entertaining read:

It's a 14-hour-plus drive to Fargo (basically 20 after my bathroom stops). We've learned to do this at the beginning of the tour as it can be so depressingly boring that all you can do is listen to Erik Satie and stare into the void. We finally stop around 2 am in Dickenson, North Dakota, and every hotel is booked for hunting season. I thought that the whole point of hunting was to drink the deer's blood and sleep under the stars in its carcass. It doesn't seem right to bag a deer and have a Rooty Tooty Fresh and Fruity breakfast and watch Becker in a warm bed at the Comfort Inn, so we drive on. Wait, there's a vacany sign--a true dump glowing like a beacon! "One room left," the clerk says. Highlights include two towels for five people (I am answered with a blank stare followed by a shrug when I ask if we can get more), a hornet in the room, and a shower curtain that emits such a powerful cigarette smell that I want to steal it to impress others.

Bettie Serveert

Visa issues kept Dutch band Bettie Serveert from playing Maxwell's and Southpaw earlier this month, but the band are here now, in the middle their North American tour that hits Bowery Ballroom on Friday (10/29), and Maxwell's a few days later. Their 1990 debut, Palomine, is one of my favorite Matador albums ever and they've consistently performed ever since. Pharmacy of Love is the band's ninth album and a little more rockin' than we've heard from the band over the last few LPs. Check out "Deny All" at the top of this post. Carol van Dyk's voice is still smoky cool, and catchy songs abound. And surely they'll play "Tomboy" and "Kid's Alright."

Opening are Elk City whose new album House of Tongues was kind of overlooked. Smart, well-arranged pop, with ex-Luna guitarist Sean Eden providing some shimmery flair. Download album track "Jerks on Ice" at the top of this post.

And finally, Austin's YellowFever are in town this weekend for a string of shows. Hopefully Jennifer made it through Airport security ok this time. They play tonight (10/27) at the Showpaper 42nd St. Gallery with The Babies, Sewn Leather and more. Then they play The Mug at Vassar College tomorrow (10/28), Dead Herring on Friday with Coasting, Julianna Barwick and more; and Saturday (10/30) at 171 Lombardy forThe Pelly Twins Halloween Party with DOM, Smith Westerns, Total Slacker and Sweet Bulbs.

Also, just in time for halloween, the spooky video for Total Slacker's "Crystal Necklace" which you can watch below.

That's the big stuff. A few more shows, day-by-day, not covered above.

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 27

'90s electronic superstars Underworld play Roseland Ballroom tonight. Lager, lager lager!

continued below...

Continue reading "The Suzan, Street Chant, Intelligence, Bettie Serveert, Yellow Fever, Sunny Day in Glasgow & more in This Week in Indie "

DOWNLOAD: Oh No Oh My - Walking Into Me (MP3)

Blog buzz band of yesteryear Oh No Oh My (not to be confused with Oh No Ono) are back....

"Oh No Oh My describe their music as "sexy indie." That's what you might expect from an Austin-based foursome who cite Serge Gainsbourg's 'Histoire De Melody Nelson,' Spiritualized's 'Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating In Space' and Nico's 'Chelsea Girls' as influences on their second full-length album 'People Problems,' out January 11th (Koenig Records)." [press release]

And they're on tour, and that tour hits NYC today:

Oct 27 @ Rock Shop w/ the Suzan, the Family Cactus
Oct 28 @ Pianos w/ Boats, Estranged Estates, Street Chant

Continue reading "Oh No Oh My releasing new album, touring (MP3 & dates) "

photos by Brook Bobbins

"Last night at BK Bowl. Stuff of legends. Kanye x DipSet x GZA x Donnis x CyHi x The Suzan x Treasure Fingers x Kindgom. FOOOOOL'S GOOOOOLD!" - Chromeo

"It was a rumor the whole night-- first a whisper, then a text, then a Tweet, then a blog post. It seemed too improbable to be true. Kanye West performing at Williamsburg's 600-capacity Brooklyn Bowl?! No way. But then, around 2 a.m., the man showed up on Pitchfork's #Offline Festival stage with his Horus chain and pyramid ring to celebrate the third anniversary of his friend and collaborator A-Trak's Fool's Gold imprint. He would go onto perform an all-killer five-song set of nothing but 2010 Internet smashes: "So Appalled", "Monster", "Devil in a New Dress", "Power", and "Runaway".

While Kanye was naturally the star of the evening, he was not the only surprise. GZA rolled through after Kanye's set to lead a "Shimmy Shimmy Ya" sing-a-long and do "Liquid Swords" and Chromeo (led by singer Dave 1, who is also A-Trak's brother) stopped by deep in the night. Other performers for the anniversary blowout included G.O.O.D. Music up-and-comer CyHi Da Prynce, Japanese rockers the Suzan, MPC freak araabMUZIK, and Atlanta DJ and producer Treasure Fingers." [Pitchfork]

Continue reading "Kanye West, GZA, Chromeo & more @ Fool's Gold's Anniversary @ Brooklyn Bowl (pics & video) "

Matthew Dear @ MHOW in 2008 (more by Bao Nguyen)

As mentioned, Pitchfork will be hosting three days of shows at Brooklyn Bowl during, but-it-looks-like/probably completely unaffiliated with, CMJ this year (Thursday/Friday/Saturday CMJ week). "Brooklyn Bowl is located at 61 Wythe Avenue between N. 11th and N. 12th streets. The festival starts at 2 p.m. each day, with doors opening at 1 p.m. Tickets are $10, both in advance and day of the show." They're calling it the #OFFLINE Festival.

Based on the lineups and start time, it looks like each #OFFLINE day will be about a 12 hour show. No set times yet though, but the full lineups and ticket links are below...

Matthew Dear is one of the biggest names on the list (he plays Saturday), and it will be one of three CMJ week shows for Matthew. His first is Friday night at Webster Hall with Jamaica and Dominique Young Unique. His third is later on Saturday at Public Assembly for the FIXED/Making Time Party with Matthew Dear, Crocodiles, Holy Ghost!, Javelin, Gold Panda, Jamaica, and Kisses.

The FIXED/Making Time party starts after the BrooklynVegan party which is also happening at Public Assembly that same day. Just to be clear:

SATURDAY OCTOBER 23RD
* BrooklynVegan @ Public Assembly 12-6pm (free - more details TBA)
* FIXED/Making Time @ Public Assembly 9pm-late (tickets)
* Pitchfork @ Brooklyn Bowl 2pm-late (tickets)
* BrooklynVegan metal @ Union Pool 7pm-late ($5.00 or CMJ badge at the door)

We (BrooklynVegan) will also be at Public Assembly all day on Friday, October 22nd (details TBA), and at Music Hall of Williamsburg on the Thursday night.

All Matthew Dear tour dates (many of which we previously posted including a November show at MHoW), and the Pitchfork #OFFLINE Fest info, below...

Continue reading "Pitchfork announces #OFFLINE not-CMJ parties, Matthew Dear also playing Making Time & Girls & Boys parties (lineups) "

DOWNLOAD: Elks - "Destined For The Sun" (MP3)

photos by Andrew St. Clair

Heavy Suzan Cream

Liquor Store will team up with Heavy Cream, Grooms, and Hunters for a show at Death By Audio TONIGHT (9/7). It's one of a few shows that Heavy Cream have/had scheduled in the NYC area. They played Union Pool and Cake Shop last week and Rock Shop last night. Pics from the Cake Shop show, which featured a headlining set from Unnatural Helpers (who played a bunch of shows in town too) and support from The Suzan (ditto), are in this post.

Heavy Cream are on the road surpporing their new LP Danny which was just released on Infinity Cat Recordings. Dig on what's left of their tour sked below.

Meanwhile, the headliners at Death by Audio tonight, Liquor Store, will also play Music Hall of Wiliiamsburg on 10/28, alongside Elks, Ninjasonik, and "hosts" Jeff The Brotherhood (who are very good friends of Heavy Cream). Tickets are still on sale.

Elks also played Rock Shop last night with Heavy Cream, and are prepping to release their new six-song EP Elks In Space produced by Brendan Tobin of Made Out of Babies. No word on when/who will release the effort, but until then, download one of the tracks above.

More pictures from the Cake Shop show (which doubled as Heavy Cream guitarist Mimi's 23rd birthday party), and UH's setlist, and tour dates, below...

Continue reading "Heavy Cream played Cake Shop w/ Unnatural Helpers & the Suzan (pics), play DbA tonight w/ Liquor Store & other dates"

photos by Bao Nguyen & Chris Gersbeck

"Chromeo + Williamsburg Waterfront + Dance Party x Torrential Downpour = best summer show ever" - Diego

"chromeo killed it at the waterfront yesterday. who knew that umbrellas could be a dancing accessory?" - marc koz

"Chromeo was RIDICULOUS!!! Dancing in the rain at Brooklyn waterfront. Never had a better Sunday" - Ali

Despite the rain and potential lightning (Jelly can't catch a break), all four acts scheduled to play the free Pool Party at the Williamsburg Waterfront on Sunday got to play their sets. The bands, chosen by A-Trak and Nick Catchdubs' label Fool's Gold, were Telephoned, The Suzan, Kid Sister and Chromeo.

Senator Chuck Schumer, who earlier that day announced he helped restore the final Pool Party which is happening this coming Sunday (8/29) (Gucci Mane rumored to be one of the special guests), also made another appearance.

Pictures continue below...

Continue reading "Chromeo, Kid Sister, The Suzan & Telephoned played the Pool in the rain (Williamsburg Waterfront pics) "

Kid Sister @ Summerstage 2008 (more by Ryan Muir)

Still no word on who the two special guests were supposed to be on the August 29th cancelled Pool Party (or where Delorean will end up playing), but Kid Sister has been revealed as the special guest opener for Chromeo this Sunday at Williamsburg Waterfront:

August 22nd - Curated by Fools Gold
Chromeo
Kid Sister
The Suzan
Telephoned

PREVIOUSLY: Jelly responds to OSA, says thanks to everyone else

@ a 2009 Pool Party (more by Tim Griffin)

I don't know what Veoba is either. The press release explains it though...

For the past 4 years, JELLY has hosted over 200,000 people for what has become one of the most groundbreaking FREE concert series in New York. Summer Sundays in Brooklyn have become synonymous with The Pool Parties and in the series' 5th Anniversary year, Pool Parties promises not to disappoint.

This year, The Pool Parties are again on the Williamsburg Waterfront for 7 dates from July 11th--August 29th. Due to scheduling conflicts, our August 1st date will be moved to a "Block Party" in and around Brooklyn Bowl making it 8 total "FREE Pool Party Sundays".

In celebrating our 5th Year Anniversary, JELLY also would like to give a big thanks to Senator Chuck Schumer and Phillip Goldfeder from the Senator's office for all of their support ensuring JELLY'S return to the Williamsburg Waterfront. JELLY owners Alexander Kane and Sarah Hooper state that, "It has been a long hard road this year to bring this series back to Williamsburg and it 100% could not have been done without Senator Schumer's efforts. "

The Pool Parties will be co-presented by VEOBA, an online resource for artists, managers, and record labels. Based in Chicago, but with global reach, VEOBA provides the music community with select services to progress and maintain their livelihood. VEOBA launched in May 2010 as a collective made up of music industry veterans, writers, managers, artists, and cartoon characters. From co-founder Jay Parkin, "More often than not, musicians rely on others to take their careers to the next level. We're here for those who care enough to do it themselves." Sharing Jelly's values of creativity and innovation, the people at VEOBA are thrilled to be involved in this summer's production. Parkin concludes, "For the independent and the like- minded, VEOBA facilitates the next step."

JELLY as well wants to give a shout out to all of their partners this summer from the new faces to old friends. Special thanks to AllSaints and Vans. As well as Amp Energy, vitaminwater®, SESAC, ZICO Pure Premium Coconut Water, ZYNC from American Express^(SM), Spin Magazine, KEXP, and Main Drag. Along with OSA sponsors: Time Out New York, Brooklyn Brewery, and Heineken.

Now onto our official Pool Parties 5th Year Anniversary lineup! Check back soon for surprise guests we cant announce yet, the official DJ lineup for The Pool Parties 2010, and more fun things that are SURE to make the 5th Year Anniversary series one you will never forget!

The Official After-Pool Parties, presented by Sailor Jerry Spiced Rum, will be held at Brooklyn Bowl following every Sunday's Pool Party!

The only difference between the leaked lineup and the official lineup is the addition of another "SECRET SPECIAL GUEST" and the listing of some curators. You can see the full list of confirmed free shows, below...

Continue reading "Jelly & Veoba confirm Williamsburg Waterfront 'Pool Party' lineups ('Secret Special Guests', Brooklyn Bowl afterparties)"

Doveman in an apartment in October (more by Ezra Caldwell)

tonight in NYC
* Imogen Heap @ Webster Hall
* Phish @ Madison Square Garden
* McCoy Tyner Trio @ Blue Note
* Happy Ending Music w/ Doveman @ Joe's Pub
* David Thomas w/ Greil Marcus @ The New School
* The Mountain Goats, Final Fantasy @ The Bell House
* The Shaky Hands, Takka Takka, US Royalty @ Knitting Factory Brooklyn
* Titus Andronicus, The Beets, Algernon Cadwallader @ NYU Kimmel Center
* Jaguar Love, The King Left, Yes Giantess, Violent Soho @ Mercury Lounge
* Terra Nova: Sinfonia Antarctica w/ DJ Spooky & ICE @ BAM Howard Gilman Opera
* Phoenix, Passion Pit, Jack's Mannequin, Manchester Orchestra @ Hammerstein

Jaguar Love is a band that includes members of Blood Brothers and Pretty Girls Make Graves. Tickets are still available for their gig at Mercury Lounge tonight.

The Mountain Goats are in town for two sold-out shows with Final Fantasy. Last night was at Webster Hall. Tonight they're at the Bell House. John Darnielle also showed up to play a few songs at UCB Monday night. A video of John covering The Hold Steady in Minneapolis, below.

DJ Spooky's collaboration with the International Contemporary Ensemble (ICE), the multimedia work Terra Nova: Sinfonia Antarctica, runs tonight, Friday and Saturday at BAM Howard Gilman Opera House. Video below.

Bjorn from Peter Bjorn and John is DJing at Cake Shop tonight. It's a free show with a performance by The Suzan who recently opened for the band at Terminal 5.

Doveman's appearance at Joe's Pub is one of many in their future. "Doveman and friends" at Mercury Lounge on January 12th is on sale.

Titus Andronicus also has a show coming up at Mercury Lounge, it's one of many New Years Eve shows in NYC this/next year.

Amazon is giving away a different free holiday song each day until Christmas.

If someone asks you for a miracle while you're walking by MSG this evening, it's because Phish is back. They covered TV on the Radio the other day in Albany. Video below...

Ann from Breakfast at Sulimays interviewed Neon Indian. Video below.

What else?

Continue reading "What's going on Wednesday?"

Peter Bjorn and John @ Webster Hall in April (more by Tim Griffin)


Oops! Peter Bjorn and John's November 10th Terminal 5 show has been moved down to the smaller Webster Hall one day earlier (November 9th). El Perro Del Mar and Brooklyn (via Japan)'s The Suzan open the show. All T5 tix will be honored, and some are still on sale too.

El Perro Del Mar was supposed to play Joe's Pub on November 9th, so that was also canceled with this change.

The Suzan...

"was formed by two Japanese girls, RIE(Guitar) and SAORI(Vocal) in the summer of 2003. They had been sicking and tired of recent Japanese POP idol music. So they decided to produce their own songs and bring the movement and revolution to the music scene of not only Japan but also the world by their sound."

Continue reading "Peter Bjorn & John's Terminal 5 show moved to Webster Hall -- The Suzan opening, playing Fool's Gold CMJ (flyer)"