Well, we’re halfway through April which brings both good and bad news. The bad news is that today is tax day but the good news is record store day is tomorrow. Good news for music fans is that festival season is in full bloom. Bad news for Mets fans is that it’s baseball season again.
As far as new releases go, we'll start with the bad news-- people actually like Brad Paisley and people still want to hear John Oates? Enough of that, on to the good news. TV On The Radio, Foo Fighters, Elbow, Panda Bear, Meat Puppets and The Feelies… yes, The Feelies released new music this week. Check out some samples here.
The 2011 edition of the Coachella Festival kicks off today at Empire Polo Grounds in Indio, California. If you're already there and wondering what you should be doing or decided to stay home where it's not as crowded or nearly as aromatic, you should keep a bookmark on the Coachella Website.
After you've e-filed your taxes, updated your social media accounts stating how much you had to pay the government and if you'd known you'd still be broke in 2011 you never would have voted for Barack Obama back in '08, don't drown your sorrows on the iTunes website charging all sorts of music to your already high credit card bill. Instead, head down to your local record store and celebrate Record Store Day with some friends, a 12 pack and some crisp American cash. If you don't remember where your local record store is because you haven't bothered to show up there since last record store day, here's a good place find out where to go and what you can buy.
Wilco, Neko Case, Elvis Costello, and more celebrateNeil Young on a live tribute DVD.
Radioheadsays that there will be no sequel to King Of Limbs.
The White Stripes will release a live album, DVD and a 7" Single.
Interpol are releasing a Limited Edition 12” Vinyl-only Remix EP on April 16th as a celebration of Record Store Day in Europe.
Superchunk’s Here’s Where the Strings Come In has been out of print for years, and in celebration of Record Store Day, Merge will reissue it on CD and LP.
Peelander-Z has been added to to the upcoming Vans Warped Tour.
You can stream new music from The Felice Brothers, Sonny and the Sunsets, and Bass Drum of Death over at Spinner.
The Dirtbombs have announced tour dates. They'll kick it all off in Detroit on May 30.
Jessica Lea Mayfield will be hitting the road with The Avett Brothers this summer.
Saves The Day and The Get Up Kids are planning a co-headline tour.
Friday Feature - The Week That Was (Sort of..)
Apr 8 2011 10:00AM
Posted 304 days 6 hrs 42 mins ago
April 8, 2011
Since our last update, much has gone on in the world of music. The Strokes and LCD Soundsystem played Madison Square Garden on back to back nights. Elvis Costello joined the The Strokes on stage while Arcade Fire made a cameo for the LCD show. That’s more action in two days then the Garden has seen in about 10 years with the Knicks and Rangers.
This week saw new releases from The Ravonettes, Ha Ha Tonka, The Kills, The Cute Lepers and the debut album from Cold Cave. Follow the link to preview music from those bands plus Alela Diane, Ezra Furman & The Harpoons, Glasvegas and others.
Mumford and Sons, Billy Corgan & Black Francis are just a few artists who collaborated with Ray Davies to put a new spin on some old favorites on See My Friends. Also this week, Island/Mercury reissued Rush'sMoving Pictures. You know, the one with Tom Sawyer on it.
The Smith Westerns are the focus of Ray Concepcion's Die With Your Chin Up. The 9-minute piece serves as a documentary that follows the making of their latest record Dye It Blonde.
The Rosebuds will release their new album Loud Planes Fly Low on June 7, and have announced a long list of tour dates with more still to come.
The Beastie Boys will release their first album since 2007′s The Mix-Up later this year. The first single from Hot Sauce Committee Part Two is Make Some Noise and you can hear it here. The album will be released May 3 on Capitol.
Death Cab For Cutie recorded and broadcasted the making of You Are A Tourist from their release Codes and Keys live and in one take. Don't Believe us? Click here to see it. They have also released the song Home Is A Fire.The album will be released in its entirety on May 31, three days after they perform at this year's sold out Sasquatch Festival.
The fourth album from TheAnimal Collective frontman Panda Bear entitled Tomboy will stream at NPR in its entirety until April 12.
If you can't wait until TV on the Radio‘s new album Nine Types of Light is released next Tuesday you can listen to the entire album over at Rhapsody.
And, in other gross news that we are thankful to not have to expand on, Britney Spears’ Femme Fatale hits this week’s charts at #1 and Mariah Carey is pregnant and on on the cover of Lifestyle Magazine.
--Derek Rinaldi
Friday Feature - The Week That Was (Sort of..)
Apr 1 2011 10:00AM
Posted 311 days 6 hrs 42 mins ago
April 1, 2011
Yesterday marked the start of baseball season and for those who don’t have an interest in the sport, there’s plenty of controversy and drama surrounding baseball that you could catch up with it you really want to sound relevant at your workplace water cooler or in its smoking chamber. For example, the perjury case(s) against Roger Clemens and/or Barry Bonds, Frank McCourt’s (LA Dodgers) divorce, The Wilpon’s (Mets) financial woes, or even just the Mets (Who?) in general.
This week in rock history, The Beatles tuned out and the Ramones plugged in. In more recent news that you can’t seem to escape, Radiohead’s King of Limbs was released online and in record stores on Tuesday after most of the free world and parts of the not so free world had been streaming and downloading its songs for weeks. They even released a Radiohead Newspaper. Oddly enough, with no sports page. Had enough of sports references? Well, this week the NBA said they will investigate rapper, mogul and New Jersey Nets part owner Jay-Z over a locker room visit after the Kentucky Wildcats won their regional final over North Carolina.
In other music new The Strokes will start work on their follow-up to Angles this month. Amazonunveiled their new Cloud Player, Jay Reatard'sTeenage Hate will be rereleased on May 17th, Danger Mouse and Jack Whitelinked up and Bruce Springsteenwrote a letter to the Asbury Park Press. Yuckannounced tour plans and threw up a new song for you to digest. The Felice Brothersinvite you to join them in their quest to make the weirdest/artiest/sexiest sign for their new record, Celebration, Florida. The Rosebuds will releaseLoud Planes Fly Low in June.
Finally, one last sports note. For all you final four fans/gamblers, does this man's name lend any clues as to who will win this year's NCAA National Championship? Does his recent string of awards have you betting heavy that anything he touches turns to money? Place your bets.
Friday Feature - The Week That Was (Sort of..)
Mar 25 2011 10:04AM
Posted 318 days 6 hrs 38 mins ago
March 25, 2011
Well, SXSW 2011 is officially a wrap and by the looks of things everyone had a great time. Maybe with the exception of these folks who were just outside of the tented stage at the Beauty Bar during Death From Above 1979’s surprise set. More on this from Vice.
In less violent news, this week didn't really overwhelm us with many new releases, however we did get new music from Richard Ashcroft, Soundgarden, BOAT, The Lonely Forest, Big Sandy & His Fly-Rite BoysandAgnostic Front. Those were about the the most interesting ones we could find. Unless you have interest in the latest from Cunninlynguists, Georgian Skull or Earth Monkey. In which case, you have far more problems than your therapist can help you with.
Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit are set to release Here We Rest on April 12th. Bon Iver has completed a new ten-song album that will be available in June. Thrill Jockey Records will release The Moonlight Butterfly, a new mini-album from TheSea and Cake. Chan Marshall will make an appearance on Eddie Vedder's solo album Ukulele Songs when it hits the shelves late May. Also in May, The Melvins will be releasing Sugar Daddy, a live album recorded during the Nude With Boots tour.
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Road Trippin'
The bands listed below have either announced that they are hitting the road soon or that they are staying on the road longer. Click through to find our where and when.
Best Coast, Wavves, Washed Out to play free Adult Swim shows.
Lou Barlow is planning new Sebadoh, DinosaurJr. music.
Generationals adds dates with Ra Ra Riot, stream full album now.
Rise Against release new video for Help Is On The Way.
-Derek Rinaldi
Friday Feature - The Week That Was (Sort of..)
Mar 18 2011 10:33AM
Posted 325 days 6 hrs 9 mins ago
March 18, 2011
Tragedy struck the music world this week with passing of Nathaniel Dwayne Hale (aka Nate D.O.G.G.) and Owsley Stanley (aka Dr. LSD). Nate Dogg got his start with Death Row Records making his debut on Dr. Dre’s “The Chronic” and Stanley was known for making the purest form of LSD ever to hit the street.
Speaking of strange trips, we're not too sure if it was the liquid shots of Five Hour Energy or the powdered version of 168 hour energy but the reports from this week's SXSW Festival seemed to pour in around the clock. For as much planning that goes into an event like SXSW it's always fun to see things you didn't completely expect. Like reading this headline "World Premiere of The Beaver- Jodie Foster to Attend" or seeing the shockingly yellow Third Man Records Rolling Record Store pull into the parking lot to be followed by an impromptu performance from Jack White and Seasick Steve.
NPR has already recorded and posted full live sessions from bands like Raphael Saadiq, Smith Westerns, James Blake,Yuck, The Antlers, The Joy Formidable and Colin Stetson. On Saturday you can tune in to see more live performances from Bright Eyes, The Felice Brothers, Middle Brother, Man Man and Kurt Vile. Check the schedule for more info.
This week's brought us new music from The Dodos(With Help From Neko Case), Noah & The Whale,Does It Offend You, Yeah!, J. Mascis, and solo efforts from The Fiery Furnaces' Matthew Friedberger and Arctic Monkey's Alex Turner's soundtrack recording. Speaking of soundtracks, Frank Black performed an original score at the Castro Theatre in San Francisco for 1920 German silent film "The Golem." The box is now finally available at Francis's website. The box, priced at $90, contains two discs each of the original live performance and a studio recording, as well as a DVD of the film. Also out his week was a reissue of Rilo Kiley‘s 2001 full-length debut, Take Offs and Landings, and new records from World Inferno Friendship Society, Rise Against and J. Mascis. -- Follow the links to music samples.
One Hitters
Ryan Adams is currently working on a new studio album with producer Glyn Johns and will soon head out for a European Tour. The Mountain Goats Auction Song for Japan. The next performance of Big Star'sThird/Sister Lovers will be on Saturday, March 26, at Mason Hall in NYC. Iowa City's Mission Creek Festival kicks off on March 28. Arcade Fire gearing up to film a new DVD with local musicians in Haiti. --Derek Rinaldi
Not Quite Friday Feature - Breaking News!!!
Mar 17 2011 11:00AM
Posted 326 days 5 hrs 42 mins ago
March 18, 2011
Well, it's not quite Friday but when Jim Norton asks you for a favor you better act swiftly.
Ladies: Tired of traipsing around from one hipster bar to another in search of Prince Charming but continually finding the same 12 dudes grasping their cans of PBR like a Shake Weight with remnants of lunch still in their beards?
Fellas- Having trouble finding a girl who hasn’t slept with one, if not all, of your buddies? Going broke trying to convince the one who hasn't that you are different then those dudes and how horrible you feel that they passed her roommate around like a bowl of meatballs at Sunday Supper?
Here’s a chance for a clean slate. This Saturday, March 19 DJ Values and Gentleman Jim Norton will host Bachelors and Bachelorettes. It's all the fun of your favorite dating gameshow from the 60's, 70's, and 80's, but unleashed and uncensored. Join them as they help daring, outgoing singles find love and romance in front of a live audienceAsbury Lanesin Asbury Park.
If you thought that you couldn’t find true love in a bowling alley, look at it this way. You’ve struck out at every other bar in town, why not give it a go at a place where strikes actually count for something.
Interested in participating? Shoot them an email! BachelorsAndBachelorettes@gmail.com. The man or woman of your dreams could be waiting for you!
--Derek RInaldi
Friday Feature - The Week That Was (Sort of..)
Mar 11 2011 1:25PM
Posted 332 days 2 hrs 17 mins ago
March 11, 2011
Welcome to another edition of the Friday Feature. This is far from the most comprehensive wrap up of news on the interweb but, let's face it, you have ADD and I don't have a lot of spare time. So let's cut the crap & hook up later on tonight. (Marah fans?) Oh nevermind...
In celebration of the tenth anniversary of Michael Azerrad'sclassic history of the '80s indie underground, Our Band Could Be Your Life, some of this era's most iconic indie bands will perform songs by each of the 13 bands in the book at Manhattan's Bowery Ballroom on May 22nd. Those attending should expect to hear Ted Leo playing Minor Threat, Tune-Yards playing Sonic Youth, St. Vincent doing Big Black, Wye Oak's take on Dinosaur Jrand Titus Andronicus playing TheReplacements.
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As fate would have it, Titus Andronicus, or at least frontman Patrick Stickles, will be linked with The Replacements once again in an upcoming documentary entitled Color Me Obsessed. The film is the first documentary about the other greatest band in Rock n’ Roll, The Replacements. Told through the eyes of fans, friends, and contemporaries, the documentarybreaks from the traditional music documentary format of music and performances. Not looking to make a VH1/where-are-they-now style documentary Bechard took a unique approach, “I decided to present the band in a more iconic way,” he explains. “I thought, people believe in God without seeing or hearing him but rather through the passion, faith, and stories of others. After watching the film, I’m pretty sure music fans will believe in The Replacements in much the same way.” Those appearing on film to recount their memories of The 'Mats include Colin Meloy, Jesse Malin, Brian Fallon, Tommy Ramone and a host of other music luminaries. Hollywood folk Dave Foley,Tom Arnold, and George Wendt chime in as well.
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In this week in rock history, the Sex Pistols were signed to A&M, Quiet Riot put heavy metal, or at least something like it, on the map and U2 released The Joshua Tree. In this ACTUAL week we saw new releases from Richard Ashcroft (The Verve), Buffalo Tom (Remember Us?), Exene Cervenka (X), Kurt Vile (Yo, Philly) and R.E.M. (oh yeah?) among others. Check out a selection of these artists and more here.
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Also released this week was a piano tribute to Mumford and Sons and a new solo record from Phil Manzanera (Roxy Music). Someone actually had the nerve to release a Best of collection from Scritti Politti. We can only hope that person has to pay for this mistake with forced, hard labor on an Arizona chain gang (paging Joe Arpaio). In other related questionable releases, Legacy Records has issued The Bang Years, a collection of Neil Diamond's music from 1966-1968. For those of you who can't seem to recall when Jewish Elvis' bang years were, ask your mom.
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This week the music world turns its attention to Austin, Texas for another edition of the South By Southwest Festival. In order to keep up with the approxiamately 1900 artists appearing throughout the week you can search out the bands out in a number of ways:
Like clockwork, you can count on a few sites to provide us with the best, most relevant free streams, live recordings and unique studio performances. This week you can listen to the upcoming release from The Dodos entitled No Color as well as Welsh rockers The Joy Formidable'sThe Big Roar at NPR until March 15th.
Thursday's edition of My Old Kentucky Blog featured music from Of Montreal, Ra Ra Riot, Here We Go Magic as a well as multiple selections from Port O'Brien and Portugal, The Man.
Former Moldy Peaches guitarist Jack Dishel is streaming his second album under the moniker Only Son entitled Searchlight over at his site. Guest musicians include members of The Strokes, Little Joy, Of Montreal, Robbers On High Street and Regina Spektor.
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Randoms
Alice In Chains bassist Mike Starr died on Tuesday from unknown causes. He was 44. Thurston Moore announces Demolished Thoughts, produced by Beck. Mumford & Sons reveal what to expect from Railroad Revival Tour. Gorillaz to release The Fall for Record Store Day. Face To Face to release first new album since 2002, announce first headlining tour since 2003.
Friday Feature - The Week That Was (Sort of..)
Feb 11 2011 12:00PM
Posted 360 days 3 hrs 42 mins ago
February 11, 2011
This has arguably been one of the more miserable winters on the East Coast in a long time. The good news is that we’ve turned the corner on winter and are now staring right in the face of the summer music festival season. This year’s Sasquatch Festival has completed it’s lineup. Check out the trailer here. Pack your bags.
Yesterday fans of The Strokes were able to download new single 'Under Cover of Darkness' for free. The free music is only available for 48 hours. That means you still have some time left. So..... Click here to download your copy!
Jim James and M. Ward have started a new blog focused soley on one of the few positive things to come of France called The Cremebrulog.
The new Stanton Moore solo album that was to be called 'Benediction' will now be titled 'Demolished Thoughts". It still however features guest vocals by Beck, who also produced the album, and will still be released by Matador later this year.
Next week Bright Eyes, will release the much anticipated album, 'The People’s Key'.Conor Oberst recently talked with Lizzy Goodman of New York Magazine, about the new album. Read the interview here. Pitchfork has another track from the upcoming album from J. Mascis entitled 'Several Shades of Why' up featuring Ben Bridwell of Band of Horses on backing vocals. You can listen to it here.
PJ Harvey has announced that she will be performing her new album 'Let England Shake' in its entirety in a live webcast from Paris on Monday at 8 p.m. Greenwich Mean time. The webcast will be streamed at her website.
Danger Mouse's new album, which will be out on May 16th, will feature Jack White and Norah Jones.
Steaming & Free
Daytrotter revealed a ton of new studio recordings this week from Sarah Jaffe, Sun Airway, Tapes n' Tapes, Guster and many more. Check it out here.
NPR continues to stream 'The People's Key' from Bright Eyes but it will probably be taken down just before the February 15th release date. They have also added Adele's '21' and PJ Harvey's'Let England Shake' . Catch them all here.
