It's An Aeroplane Pageant

On the heels of completing their "Invisible Tour", New York City's indie surrealists Aeroplane Pageant are preparing the release of their sophomore full-length Even The Kids Don't Believe Me, out June 9 on Stormy Ice Records.

Sounding like an indie pop dream come true, the band's latest single "Stars Still Pretty," sounds a bit like Modest Mouse if they dressed up in outfits like Of Montreal and came from New York. Confused? You should be because Aeroplane Pageant are a grandiose mixture of all sorts of influences that sound like a pixie stick induced sugar rush. It's sweeping pop that's quirky and even has a beat you can dance to. Summer anthem? Could very well be.

As for the album, Even The Kids Don't Believe Me, it's American-made, barely punk, with some last-minute domestic surrealism. Even the Kids Don't Believe Me was initiated in a winter-rental beach house on Long Island. From there the compiled audio and other non-musical elements were transferred over to Treefort Studio in Dumbo, Brooklyn where Shane Patrick Stoneback (Vampire Weekend, Jim Jarmusch, White Stripes) could gloss, pry, and/or add to the standing material. With the release of Even the Kids Don't Believe Me this summer, the group continues their march towards obvious superstardom and all are encouraged to sing along the way.

Help them on their quest and pick up the album when it comes out in two weeks (June 9th). In the meantime download the single and skip to the beat!

Download: Stars Still Pretty

The Tortoise or The Hare

If you read this blog regularly you sort of know my feelings about post-rock. I'm not the biggest fan in the world but whenever I say that some band comes along and makes me think twice about my assessment. There are a few bands that I do like and Tortoise happens to be one of them.

Strangely enough, I was talking about them the other day with a friend when (insert drum roll here) Thrill Jockey dropped a bomb last night in the form of new album from post-rock gods Tortoise! Going by the name of Beacons of Ancestorship, the album will be the sixth full-length album by Tortoise and first release of new material in five years! Let the revival start here!

The band has once again recast the mold and crafted an album that defies categorization and expectations and yet remains definitively the work of Tortoise. It is out June 23rd and will be admired and adored by musicians everywhere.

They're also headed out on the road...so start thinking about road trips...

May 29 Buffalo, NY Tralf Music Hall
May 30 Brooklyn, NY The Bell House
May 31 New York, NY World Financial Center Winter
Jun 11 Athens, Greece Synch Festival
Jul 11 Los Angeles, CA Troubadour
Jul 13 San Francisco, CA Great American Music Hall
Jul 15 Austin, TX The Mohawk
Jul 17 Chicago, IL Pitchfork Music Festival
Jul 19 Washington, DC Black Cat
Jul 20 Philadelphia, PA First Unitarian Church
Jul 24 Tokyo, Japan Fuji Rock Festival
Aug 14 St. Malo, France La Route Du Rock
Aug 22 Hasselt, Belgium Pukkelpop

Download: Prepare Your Coffin

Watch:

Pete Fowler Has A Magic Morning

Lo Recordings and Welsh psych-illustrator Pete Fowler are offering a free mp3 download from Brazilian DJs/producers Monsters at Work aka Dinho and Renata Poletto for "Magic Morning," off Fowler's forthcoming release, A Psychedelic Guide To Monsterism Island.

"Magic Morning," is the sound of the monsters under your bed following you to Hawaii. It's a laid-back, lush, heavy breathing sort of thing whose instrumental beauty might just scare the heck out of you while carrying you away on an ocean breeze. It only seems appropriate then that we post this the day after a three day weekend. UGH.

Well-known for designing the artwork for the Super Furry Animals, Fowler's A Psychedelic Guide to... surrounds his animated Monsterism Island series and contains original compositions, ranging from monstrous rock fry ups to electronic exotica via psychedelic folk and spooky krautrock. The album features Gruff Rhys (Super Furry Animals), Jerry Dammers, The Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain (Peter Brooke-Turner), The Future Sound of London (Brian Dougans, Gary Cobain), Luke Vibert, Circulus, The Advisory Circle and Wolf People to name but a few.

Download: Magic Morning

Watch an extract of Monsterism Island:

Sonic Youth Return!

What more really needs to be said. One of the most important and influential bands EVER are about to release yet another record. The Eternal comes out June 9th on Matador and as per usual it's pretty damn decent.

Upon release the band will then head out on an eternal tour covering just about everywhere in the States (except Florida). Checkout the dates below...
Sat-Jun-27 Chicago, IL Vic Theatre
Sun-Jun-28 Chicago, IL Vic Theatre
Mon-Jun-29 Royal Oak, MI Royal Oak Music Theatre
Tue-Jun-30 Toronto, ONT Massey Hall
Thu-Jul-02 Philadelphia, PA Electric Factory
Fri-Jul-03 New York, NY United Palace
Mon-Jul-06 Washington, DC 9:30 Club
Tue-Jul-07 Washington, DC 9:30 Club
Wed-Jul-08 Richmond, VA The National
Fri-Jul-10 Knoxville, TN Bijou Theatre
Sat-Jul-11 Nashville, TN War Memorial
Sun-Jul-12 Birmingham, AL Sloss Furnace
Mon-Jul-13 Atlanta, GA Variety Playhouse
Wed-Jul-15 Dallas, TX House of Blues
Thu-Jul-16 Tulsa, OK Cain's Ballroom
Fri-Jul-17 St. Louis, MO Live on the Levee (FREE)
Sat-Jul-18 Kansas City, MO Uptown Theatre
Mon-Jul-20 Milwaukee, WI Turner Hall
Tue-Jul-21 Minneapolis, MN First Avenue
Thu-Jul-23 Boise, ID Knitting Factory
Sat-Jul-25 Seattle, WA Capitol Hill Block Party
Tue-Jul-28 Portland, OR Roseland Theatre
Thu-Jul-30 Salt Lake City, UT Twilight Concert Series (FREE)
Fri-Jul-31 Denver, CO Ogden Theatre
Sun-Aug-02 Oakland, CA Fox Theatre
Sun-Oct-04 Austin, TX Austin City Limits

Entrance Supports 6/27, 6/29-7/3, 7/7-7/13
White/Light Support 6/28
Endless Boogie Support 7/6
Awesome Color Support 7/15-7/24, 7/28-8/2

Download: Sacred Trickster

Watch:

Kennedy Knows Life Is A Party

Singer/songwriter and Sliverlake native Kennedy is an artist who dances to the reflection of his own disco ball. He is pure pop goodness that will have you throwing your hands up in saccharine pop glee. This is a guy that has no problem making pop songs that sound like the Soup Dragons on a sugar high and hooks bigger than life itself and then slowing things down to sound something like Jamiroquai lost in a disco.

Following a brief stint in the band The Silversun Pickups, Kennedy went on to develop a uniquely eclectic type of pop music and has created a persona that’s been coined as the purveyor of “electro trash”. His last single “Karate” was featured in Nick and Nora’s Infinite Playlist and will soon be heard in the upcoming indie film, Saint John Of Las Vegas, starring Steve Buscemi and Sarah Silverman.

Kennedy’s latest release is Life Is A Party and features the standout track, "John and Yoko," where our pop hero is joined by the guest vocals of the French and adorably hip Yelle. Check out the track below and revel in it's sugary perfection.

After listening to these tracks it's hard to believe that this guy was ever associated with the Silversun Pickups as his material is exactly the opposite of everything they're about. Shoegazing revivalism this is not...glittery, dance-tastic pop it is. Kennedy has that magic in that Camelot traditional Kennedy family sort of way. Related or not, he clearly has the knack for big tunes and after listening to these tracks I have no doubt that Life Is a Party!

Download: John and Yoko
Download: Karate

Eyedea and Abilities Have You By The Throat

A duo thoroughly steeped in hip-hop accolades, the Minnesota-based duo Eyedea and Abilities have returned with their brand new album By The Throat, out July 21st on Rhymesayers Entertainment. Their first album since the breakout 2004 release E&A, By The Throat’s songs range from intensely personal topics to the more esoteric (quantum mechanics). The end result is leaps and bounds beyond what MC Eyedea is perhaps best known for, his prowess as a battle rapper (winner of HBO’s Blaze Battle, Scribble Jam and several others). DJ Abilities, also a well-known battle vet and contributor to El-P’s now-classic Fantastic Damage, adds heavily to the sonic soundscape of this album, which advances beyond boom-bap hip-hop into rock-fueled guitar riffs, gritty production and melodic songwriting.

Eyedea and Abilities were instrumental in the wave of independent hip-hop that includes Atmosphere, El-P, Aesop Rock, Living Legends and several other seminal acts. By The Throat is their most progressive and refined effort to date.

E & A will be performing at Rhymesayers’ Soundset ’09 on May 24th and will be headlining a tour in the fall of 2009. They have also been confirmed for the following Rock the Bells dates this summer where they'll play alongside Nas, The Roots, Ice Cube, Reflection Eternal, Common, Busta Rhymes, RZA, GZA, Sage Francis and more.

Rock The Bells Tour Dates:
06.27 - Chicago, IL @ First Midwest Bank Amphitheater
06.28 - Detroit, MI @ DTE Energy Music Theatre
07.05 - Toronto, ON @ Molson Amphitheater
07.12 - Washington DC @ Merriweather Post Pavilion
07.18 - Boston, MA @ Comcast Center
07.19 - New York, NY @ Jones Beach Amphitheater
08.01 - Vancouver, BC @ Deer Lake Park
08.06 - Denver, CO @ Red Rocks Amphitheater
08.08 - Los Angeles, CA @ San Manuel Amphitheater
08.09 - San Francisco, CA @ Shoreline Amphitheater

Download: This Story

I'm A Sucker For A Good Tune...

Having released their EP about a month ago I'm a little late jumping on the Suckers bandwagon, but I'm on it now!

Picked up by the ever impressive IAMSOUND label, the band is the latest group to meld just about everything they can find into some sort of pop that's melodic and alluring without sounding too New York. Perhaps sounding a bit like MGMT meeting a gospel choir in the church of the Cold War Kids, Suckers are anything but suckers as they don't fall for being just another indie rock band. Weaving a hypnotising blend of orchestral pop that's lush, swirling, and slightly psychedelic the four songs that make up Suckers are a spacey affair that rejoices at the fact that pop music can be so much more than just guitars, drums, and vocals.

At just four songs, Suckers is a tempting invitation in to the world of this Brooklyn band. An invitation that's hard to deny because of their dramatic ethereal pop that shoots for the stars and just about gets there. This is a great band in the making and here's hoping that a debut album is behind this short tease of a record.

In the month since the release of the EP, they've been busy getting ready to head out on the road and starting on June they'll be trekking across the country! Check them out at the following venues...

Tue. June 2 Brooklyn, NY @ Bell House w/ Rock Plaza Central
Wed. June 3 Washington, DC @ Black Cat w/ Rock Plaza Central
Thu. June 4 Philadelphia, PA @ M Room w/ Rock Plaza Central
Wed. June 10 Chicago, IL @ Empty Bottle
Thu. June 11 Chicago, IL @ Beat Kitchen
Fri. June 12 Pontiac, MI @ Pike Room w/ Rock Plaza Central, Manna and Quail
Sat. June 13 Toronto, ON @ Lee's Palace w/ Rock Plaza Central
Wed. July 1 Brooklyn, NY @ Prospect Park w/ MGMT
Thu. July 9 New York, NY @ Piano's
Thu. July 16 New York, NY @ Piano's
Thu. July 23 New York, NY @ Piano's
Thu. July 30 New York, NY @ Piano's
Fri. Oct. 2 - Sun. Oct. 4 Austin, TX @ Austin City Limits - Zilker Park

Watch the video for, "Easy Chairs."


Download: It Gets Your Body Movin

British Sea Power Return To The Sea

British Sea Power have written and recorded a new soundtrack for the legendary 1934 film Man Of Aran. The BSP Man Of Aran package includes two discs - the re-scored Man Of Aran DVD, plus the soundtrack by itself on CD, out June 9th on Rough Trade.

Man Of Aran is a powerful and provocative dramatised documentary from the late American filmmaker Robert J Flaherty. In a series of startling black-and-white sequences the film presents daily life on the inhospitable Aran islands on the west coast of Ireland. The film was both celebrated and controversial on its release and remains relevant today with topics of man and his connection to nature, and the self sufficiency essential to insure the connection.

The film was created from half a million feet of film shot by Flaherty while living closely with the islanders. But Man Of Aran isn't a straightforward documentary. The 'family' at the centre of the film weren't related, rather a group of islanders cast as the family unit by Flaherty. The fishing expedition for basking sharks which forms the film's dramatic heart was based around methods that hadn't been employed on the Aran Islands for decades. Blending reality and staged elements, Flaherty arrived at a compelling document that captures the elemental power of the island's past and present. The film won the Grand Prix at the 1935 Venice Film Festival and the eminent film critic Pauline Kael described it as, "The greatest film tribute to man's struggle against a hostile nature."

"It's a wonderful film," says BSP guitarist Noble. "The images vary between huge drama and a brilliant kind of ridiculousness - check out the amazing foot-wide bobbled berets that the fishermen wear. It's a great look, like a 1930s Irish version of Jack White or Kraftwerk. It's a film that's also relevant to the current era - a time when the idea of living a simpler life is in the air. The film shows something I'd like to think I could do, but know I never will."

Download: Come Wander With Me

That's All Faux Hoax

Not much is known about Faux Hoax. Are they a band? Is it a studio project? And adding to the mystery, will these be the only songs the group ever records?

Faux Hoax (pronounced "Folks") consists of Danny Seim (Menomena), Dave Allen (Gang of Four), John Askew (Tracker), and features Joe Haege of 31Knots and Adam Gnade of Asthmatic Kitty. The debut 7" titled Your Friends Will Carry You Home relies heavily on exactly that - friends. The goal, according to Seim, is to focus on a new project that involves all sorts of collaborators contributing to songs written by core Faux Hoax members. Intended to be experimental and unique, Faux Hoax will surely leave listeners surprised.

The Portland based trio will release Your Friends Will Carry You Home May 19, 2009 on Polyvinyl Record Co..

Download: Foxworthy

Nothing Says Summer Like Alligators

When you think about Kitsap County, Washington and “the other side of Puget sound” (and you MUST think about that a lot!), not much comes to mind but small towns and the naval shipyard. But now, you’ll think of Alligators. This Northwest-based band has recently taken its locally released album Piggy & Cups national, and thank goodness for that.

While they like to say they're influenced by Radiohead, The Beach Boys, and The Zombies it's amazing at how much they sound like older Delays or even The Thrills. This is a band that clearly has the West Coast pop sound down and just about every song on Piggy and Cups illustrates this mastery. When you throw in a bit of Phoenix like vocal stylings you have a group that's truly on to something special; harmonic gold.

Throughout, Piggy and Cups melodies and just a bit of falsetto vocals bounce around you like a Super Ball that's out of control. The result of all this is an album that's easy, breezy, a bit lazy and the soundtrack to your next trip to the beach. Piggy and Cups is a record that's filled with sunsets and warm summer nights and is so easy to latch onto that you'll wonder why you waited until now to make them part of your life.

Download: Where Does It Hide
Download: If You Want To
Download: Conqueror

Deastro Releases Grower For Free!

Randolph Chabot has been making albums since he was 12 years old -- now, at 22, the Detroit-based musician known as Deastro is ready for his close-up.

"Vermillion Plaza" the second single from Deastro's upcoming full-length debut Moondagger, miniaturizes the album's best assets and shoots them out of a cannon. Plucky synth arpeggios, end-of-the-world choruses, joyously careening melody lines--it's all there, squashed into a life-affirming three minutes and 50 seconds. When Chabot pleads for contact, singing, "Would you be my son / 'cause all of mine have died?," it's less a cry of self-pity than an exhilarating salute to the power of human connection.

Deastro's full-band debut, Moondagger, arrives on June 23rd, and his "Vermillion Plaza" single -- along with its B-side, a squelchy, lumbering remix by Ghostly Swim featured artist Mux Mool -- drops May 12th on Ghostly International.

If all that wasn't enough, Deastro has outdone himself and decided to give you, the public, a taste of what he's all about for free. Say hello to your new best friend...the Grower EP. This six song slice of brilliance will lure you into the world of Deastro and never let you go. It's a seductive little slice of pop that will have you salivating for Moondagger for the next month.

Apparently, releasing all this music was just a kick in the bucket as he's somehow found some time in his ridiculously busy schedule to tour. Here are the dates...
05.23 Detroit, MI @ Ghostly 10 Year Anniversary: Detroit
06.10 New York City, NY @ Mercury Lounge
06.12 Brooklyn, NY @ Studio B
06.13 Montreal, QC @ Le Divan Orange
06.15 Cleveland, OH @ Bside Liquor Lounge
06.17 Chicago, IL @ Double Door
06.18 Minneapolis, MN @ 7th Avenue Entry
06.21 Vancouver, BC @ Media Club
06.23 Portland, OR @ Holocene
06.24 San Francisco, CA @ Bottom of the Hill
06.25 Los Angeles, CA @ Spaceland

Download: Grower EP

To the Buffet!

The Buffetlibre DJ's do it again! Far from being usual DJ’s, Buffetlibre DJ’s focus their efforts on the creation of original projects to promote new interesting bands. This collective of artists/DJ's known primarily for their incredible effort of 70's 80's and 90's covers known as Rewind have gone and done something rather crazy. They've put together the mother of all mixtapes.

Clocking in at over 50 tracks The Hit Collection brings together Hit and Hit 2 and has just about everyone and their mother on it. Rather than just going on and on about I will just say this, the collection is awesome and while it'll take a few minutes to download it's worth every minute of it. The sheer number of big name artists just put this thing over the top.

Here's the tracklisting...

Hit! Tracklist:
1. Sintonia Buffetlibre
2. 2 Unlimited – Get Ready For This (Orchestral Version)
3. Gossip – Standing In The Way Of Control (Soulwax Remix)
4. Snap – Rhythm Is A Dancer
5. Daft Punk feat. Romanthony – One More Time
6. Eric Prydz – Call On Me
7. Justice vs Simian– We Are Your Friends
8. And One – Metal Hammer
9. Les Rhythmes Digitales – (Hey You) What's That Sound?
10. Stardust – Music Sounds Better With You
11. Simian Mobile Disco – Hustler
12. Gala – Freed From Desire
13. Wildchild - Renegade Master (Fatboy Slim Old Skool remix)
14. Armand Van Helden – You Don’t Know Me
15. Soulwax – Ny Lipps
16. Whigfield – Saturday Night
17. Mylo vs. Miami Sound Machine - Doctor Pressure
18. Modjo – Lady
19. Justice – D.A.N.C.E. (MSTRKRFT Remix)
20. Run DMC – It’s Like That
21. Ann Lee – Two Times
22. The Chemical Brothers – Hey Boy Hey Girl
23. Alter Ego – Rocker
24. Tomcraft – Loneliness
25. Basement Jaxx – Red Alert
26. Cassius - Feeling For You (Les Rhythmes Digitales remix)
27. Tiga & Zyntherius – Sunglasses At Night
28. MGMT – Kids (Soulwax Remix)
29. Josh Wink – Higher State Of Consciousness
30. Scatman John - Scatman
31. Digitalism – Pogo (Shinichi Osawa Remix)
32. Vitalic – La Rock 01

Hit! 2 Tracklist:
00. Sintonia Buffetlibre
01. Sub Sub – Space Face
02. Rob Base & DJ E-Z Rock – It Takes Two
03. Happy Mondays – Hallelujah (Club Mix)
04. Bassheads – Is There Anybody Out There?
05. Daft Punk – Around The World vs. Technologic
06. Robin S – Show Me Love
07. M/A/R/R/S - Pump Up the Volume
08. Junior Senior – Move Your Feet
09. Junior Jack - E-Samba
10. Tim Deluxe Feat. Sam Obernik - It Just Won't Do
11. Armand Van Helden – My My My (Club Mix)
12. Larry Tee feat. Princess Superstar - Licky (Herve Goes Low remix)
13. Switch - A Bit Patchy
14. Kaoma – Lambada
15. Mousse T – Horny (Mousse T's Extended Mix)
16. Kid Cudi - Day 'N' Nite (Crookers Remix)
17. Rozalla - Everybody's Free
18. Thomas Andersson - Washing Up (Tiga Na Na Na Remix)
19. LCD Soundsystem – Tribulations
20. Fred Falke & Alan Braxe – Intro
21. Thomas Bangalter & DJ Falcon (Together) - So Much Love To Give
22. Superfunk – The Young MC
23. Supermode - Tell Me Why (Axwell & Steve Angello Remix)
24. Outlander - The Vamp
25. Kidda - Under The Sun (Herve Remix)
26. Lady GaGa - Just Dance (Make u Deff Remix)
27. Fake Blood – Mars
28. Black Box - Ride on Time
29. Bomfunk MC’s - B-Boys & Flygirls
30. Alexander Kowalski feat. Raz OHara - Hot Spot (girls outside
the window)

Download: The Hit Collection

The Honeymoon Is Over

Post Honeymoon is a duo made up of Rachel Shindelman and Nick Kraska who used to both be in synth nutters Bang! Bang! After leaving the band and then taking three years to decide on whether or not to make music again and then another three years to get married, it seems as though they've come up with the perfect band name for their not so new band. Six years and a honeymoon later they've taken matters into their own hands and decided to make music that's a bit creepy, dark, and might just scare the heck out of you. That's where Post Honeymoon comes in.

Their debut album is a stripped down affair that comes off sounding like a goth influenced Yeah Yeah Yeahs with very early Siouxsie and the Banshees or maybe even a less synthy I Am Spoonbender. Post Honeymoon attack songs with an angular approach that relies on heavy fuzzed out basslines, bashed drums and Rachel Shindelman's eerie voice. When it all comes together it's a distorted slightly evil sounding wall of noise that's as powerful as an M1 Abrams tank.

"First World Problems," is a perfect glimpse of what Post Honeymoon's debut is all about. This bassline driven track marches along with an added organ line that sounds straight out of Phantom of the Opera and Rachel's seductively evil vocals makes this danceable tale of woe like the best goth song you've ever pulled rope to. It's a classic in the making and mixes all the best elements of the dark with the light to come up with something irresistibly charming in an almost perverted way. Other songs to check out include "Fakes," and "The Night Before."

Post Honeymoon isn't the feel good album of the summer. Post Honeymoon, however, is a great dark and deceiving record that hides it's hooks and lures amongst the dreary imagery and moody sounds that surround them. If you find those hooks or they find you they won't let go until they have you under their spell and that's not necessarily a bad thing. Really. Post Honeymoon is for the children of the night and those who follow them.

Download: Night Guard
Download: First World Problems

Head to the Great Northern!

2009 In celebration of Great Northern finding themselves atop the Amazon.com most popular MP3's charts, Eenie Meenie is releasing a new song for free, "Story", from the new album, Remind Me Where The Light Is.

Eenie Meenie is also hosting a contest every week as Great Northern tours with The Dears and Eulogies. Fans simply need to snap a few pictures at the show in their city and email their favorite photo to contest@eeniemeenie.com. Each week, 3 fans will win Remind Me Where The Light Is on 180 gram vinyl, a limited edition 7" featuring an unreleased track, and a canvas tote bag.

The tour dates...
MAY
07 Washington, DC @ Black Cat w/ The Dears, Eulogies
09 Cleveland, OH @ Grog Shop w/ The Dears, Eulogies
10 Columbus, Oh @ Skully's w/ The Dears, Eulogies
11 Detroit, MI @ Magic Stick w/ The Dears, Eulogies
13 Chicago, IL @ Lakeshore Theatre w/ The Dears, Eulogies
14 Columbia, MO @ Mojo's w/ The Dears, Eulogies
16 Denton, TX @ Hailey's w/ The Dears, Eulogies
17 Houston, TX @ Warehouse w/ The Dears, Eulogies
18 Austin, TX @ Parish w/ The Dears, Eulogies
21 Phoenix, AZ @ Rhythm Room w/ The Dears, Eulogies
22 San Diego, CA @ Casbah w/ The Dears, Eulogies
23 Los Angeles, CA @ Echoplex w/ The Dears, Eulogies
24 San Francisco, CA @ Indepedent w/ The Dears, Eulogies
26 Portland, OR @ Douglas Fir Lounge w/ The Dears, Eulogies
27 Seattle, WA @ Crocodile Cafe w/ The Dears, Eulogies

JUNE
11 Pomona, CA @ The Glass House w/ She Wants Revenge
13 Reno, NV @ 210 North w/ She Wants Revenge

JULY
08 London, UK @ Water Rats
10 London, UK @ Koko (Club NME)

Download: Story
Download: Houses

I'm Totally Trashed on Fiction

Influenced by the roots-rock of Creedence Clearwater Revival, Neil Young, The Band, the early country rock of Gram Parsons and their latter-day disciples Wilco, as well as the Midwest alt-rock of The Replacements, Trashed on Fiction play indie rock in that old fashioned way that so few people remember nowadays (hell, they even look like old indie rockers).

They write noisy and raw songs that sound as if they're going to fall apart in the middle. The songs that make up Words Trails Maps are all a bit chaotic even at their most downtrodden. It's uncompromising stuff that's held together with duct tape and a prayer and that's why it's ridiculously good. Trashed on Fiction play music the way it's meant to be played...with honesty and tons of heart.

Two years in the making, Words Trails Maps is an album not just about growing older, or leaving home, the surreal characters we call friends, or the cavalier hearts of youth. But rather, the contemplative silence between these experiences, and the jubilant debauchery afterward.

Download: January
Download: Safety Net
Download: Killing Grounds

A Wave Of Their Magic Wands

Magic Wands formed in 2007. While living in Nashville, Chris found a song on Myspace that he listened to repeatedly, day and night. Soon he discovered it was a song by Dexy, called ‘Teenage Love’. During the course of the summer 2007 Chris and Dexy started talking on the phone until dawn, writing songs for each other and mailing gifts such as toy lions, old records, handwritten poems and one glowing heart lamp. Though 2000 miles apart, they decided they were destined to be. Two weeks later Chris was back in L.A. helping Dexy pack up her old Mercedes Benz for a trip across the country.

Magic Wands have spent the last 6 months touring relentlessly, and writing and recording the tracks that will make up their debut album. Until then they're preparing to release the Magic, Love and Dreams EP recorded with John Hill (Santogold, Lykke Li, Nas) to be released through Bright Antenna (US, Japan) and Young and Lost Club (UK). Recorded in John Hill’s New York Studio - and using the same drum machine as Prince’s Purple Rain - Magic, Love and Dreams is cosmic pop of the highest order.

In anticipation of the EP release through Bright Antenna, the band tour with The Kills and The Horrors in the US through April and May.

Tour Dates...
05/06/09 - Montreal, QUE - La Tulipe
05/07/09 - Toronto, ONT - Phoenix Concert Theatre
05/08/09 - Detroit, MI - Magic Stick
05/09/09 - Chicago, IL - Metro
05/11/09 - Minneapolis, MN - First Avenue
05/15/09 - Seattle, WA - Neumo's
05/16/09 - Vancouver, BC - Commodore Ballroom
05/17/09 - Portland, OR - Wonder Ballroom
05/19/09 - San Francisco, CA - The Fillmore
05/21/09 - Pomona, CA - Glass House
05/22/09 - Los Angeles, CA - Henry Fonda Theatre

Download: Black Magic

It's Like I'm A Telepathe

Telepathe evolved out of Melissa Livaudais and Busy Gangnes wishing to do something more than the jam band aesthetic that they were used to in their previous groups. They decided that the best path was to head in the complete opposite direction of what they were used to. Armed with enough computers and electronics to start a small war, Telepathe began recording and exploring the world of electronic experimentation. After getting the hang of it and recording two EP's/singles (Farewell Forest & Chromes On It) Telepathe have recently released their debut, Dance Mother.

The first thing that strikes you about Dance Mother is just how far they have come from their past efforts. This is a cool, clinical, detached record that while stark and glitchy is melodic, hooky, and haunting. Telepathe clearly build their songs with ideas coming from every direction; there are extraneous guitar riffs, broken beats, busted synths, moody bass lines, off center vocals and more all with in the course of their songs. What's fascinating about all this, is rather then letting those ideas and sounds get away from them they round them up and harness them into something that doesn't lose it's originality. As a result Telepathe are a cross-genre hopping group who masterfully piece their influences into something whose sum is greater than their parts.

Dance Mother might be avant garde, slightly gothic, unusual and maybe a bit like Kate Bush on hallucinogens, but that doesn't mean this record isn't listenable. Quite the opposite, actually. Dance Mother is filled with plenty of poppy moments, it's just that they are tucked away like a diamond in the rough waiting to be discovered. When you do find those moments it's awesome because it's at that point that Telepathe's ideas all slide into place and make sense. "Chromes On It, " is a perfect example of how this happens. As an off center song that sounds Bjorkian in it's aspirations it uses sounds like the Cocteau Twins to weave a blurry, wispy haze that's supplemented with a well placed bass drum and a chorus that's easier to remember than your name. Can someone say...hit?

Telepathe might hover in the shadows and write pop that is about as far from the mainstream as the earth is from the sun, but they excel at what they do. For just two people, this is a group that creates a full, rich tapestry sheet of sound that's as spooky as it is spectacular ans as if it was almost second nature to them. Dance Mother is a unearthly effort whose slightly off putting and strange songs are stupefyingly good. This is a record that may not hit you at first as being something worth returning to repeatedly, but if you do you'll find yourself wanting to listen Dance Mother again and again.

See Telepathe live throughout June as they trek across the States to the following cities...
6/2 Cambridge, MA @ Middle East Upstairs
6/3 Montreal, QC @ Il Motore
6/4 Toronto, ON @ El Mocambo
6/5 Chicago, IL @ Empty Bottle
6/6 Minneapolis, MN @ 7th Street Entry
6/9 Vancouver, BC @ Biltmore Cabaret
06/10 Seattle, WA @ Chop Suey
06/11 Portland, OR @ Holocene
6/12 San Francisco, CA @ Bottom of the Hill
6/13 Los Angeles, CA @ The Smell
6/16 Costa Mesa, CA @ Detroit Bar
6/17 Phoenix, AZ @ Modified Arts
6/19 Austin, TX @ Emos Jr.
6/20 Denton, TX @ Hailey's
6/22 Baton Rouge, LA @ Spanish Moon
6/23 Atlanta, GA @ 529
6/24 Chapel Hill, NC @ Local 506
6/25 Washington, DC @ Rock and Roll Hotel
6/26 Philadelphia, PA @ Johnny Brendas

Download: Lights go Down
Download: So Fine (Chairlift Mix)

Jarvis Cocker Awaits Further Complications

As you may or may not know, Jarvis Cocker is kind of a big deal. He was in this little band called Pulp that started out small and eventually became ginormous. Sometime after Pulp and his other project Relaxed Muscle were put to bed, Jarvis began a lucrative solo career. His first single as a solo artist, Cunts Are Running the World was a smashing success and wasn't to far from the truth. He then released his debut album to much acclaim and did the usual rock and roll stuff only to retreat to his quiet surroundings to begin plotting album number two. A year or so on, Jarv has returned with his sophomore effort, Further Complications and as per usual it's quite good stuff.

Jarvis being the smashing guy that he is, asked himself a few questions and then took the time to answer them...here they are.

Question 1 - WHY CHICAGO? WHY STEVE ALBINI?
Last year we were invited to play at the Pitchfork festival in Chicago during July. Steve Mackey (he plays the bass, you know) suggested that we try recording some songs with Steve Albini whilst we were in town. This made sense on many levels - to go all that way just to play one show seemed a bit wasteful (eco-awareness) Plus, I had already decided that I wanted this record to be more of a group effort than the last one. So we had worked songs out in rehearsal rather than me delivering them fully-written & now I wanted to record them in an environment where we could all play at the same time & hopefully capture something of the spirit of a band all working together, all aiming in the same direction ( though at what I really couldn't say). Electrical Audio (Albini's studio) is specifically designed to record bands in that way. Plus, it was very cheap (until the pound collapse against the dollar).

Question 2 - WHO DOES WHAT?
The core band is:
Jarvis sings & plays various bits & pieces.
Steve Mackey plays the bass
Ross Orton plays the drums
Simon Stafford plays keyboards & sings backing vocals
Tim McCall plays the guitar in the right-hand speaker
Martin Craft plays the guitar in the left-hand speaker + occasional keyboards & backing vocals

Question 3 - HAS JARVIS GONE ROCK?
No - but during the course of touring his last record he discovered that , with this band, he COULD rock & so he'd be a fool not to. (When the situation demanded it).

Question 4 - WHAT ABOUT THE SONGS ON THE ALBUM?
I'll tell you a bit about some of the other songs we recorded. SLUSH is a song I wrote whilst aboard a ship that was sailing up the west coast of Greenland last year. I guess that slush will be the ultimate outcome of global warming. CAUCASIAN BLUES is an attempt to understand the pain of a man whose Honda Goldwing has run out of petrol. I NEVER SAID I WAS DEEP is the phrase that I would like carved on my tombstone & HOMEWRECKER! is an absolute racket featuring saxophone from Steve Mackay (he played on The Stooges' "Funhouse", you know).

Question 5 - WHAT'S WITH THE BEARD?
I grew it to keep my face warm in the Arctic & then I kind of got attached to it. (The amount of grey in it horrified me at first but now I think it acts as a handy reminder of my own mortality.)

Download: Angela

I Always Watch Deleted Scenes

What would happen if the Shins did a lot of hallucinogens? I'm not too sure, but something tells me that DC's Deleted Scenes might know. You see, this four piece play laid back, uber hazy pop that will remind you of Oh Inverted World if it were an even lazier moodier classic.

Their album, Birdseed Shirt, complete with a crazy title, is filled with songs that will remind you of days spent on Allegra. In other words, it's packed to the rafters with spring filled happy/sad tunes that are quirky, lethargic, and a little drugged out. It's quite good stuff that's perfect for driving to and from your allergist or just hanging out.

Deleted Scenes will embark on a series of a dozen or so dates throughout May and June in support of Birdseed Shirt. And guess what...we here in Jacksonville will be lucky enough to see them live in June.

Check out the dates...
04/26 College Park, MD @ WMUC In-Studio Performance
05/05 Baltimore, MD @ The Talking Head
05/18 New York, NY @ Piano’s
05/21 Washington, DC @ Black Cat
05/29 Baltimore, MD @ Hexagon
06/02 Nashville, TN @ The End
06/04 Atlanta, GA @ Star Bar
06/06 Jacksonville, FL @ Eclipse
06/11 Dallas, TX @ The Lounge
06/12 Houston, TX @ Notsuoh
06/13 Austin, TX @ Club de Ville
06/15 Phoenix, AZ @ Trunk Space
06/17 Los Angeles, CA @ Silverlake/Fold
07/04 Montreal, PQ @ Divan Orange

Download: Fake ID's
Download: Ithaca
Download: Ithaca (Auto Rock Remix)
Download: One Long Country Song