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Australia's Alternative Rockers Children Collide Nearing End of First U.S. Tour

Australian rock band Children Collide. (photo from LifeLounge)

Every once and a while a band blasts out of Australia and lands on U.S. soil to make their mark on the rock scene. Melbourne's Children Collide first blazed a smoking trail on rock radio Down Under that is still smoldering. Now, as they wrap up their first-ever, and from all accounts, successful, U.S. tour this month, the band is gearing up for next month's Australian tour with Jane's Addiction.

The band's new album, The Long Way, was released last month in the U.S. Children Collide got their first real exposure in the U.S. at 2007's South By Southwest conference in Austin. The band has been compared to Nirvana, Fugazi, Sonic Youth and The Vines, among other popular rock bands.

The Long Way was produced by Dave Sardy (Dandy Warhols, Oasis, Wolfmother, Jet) and so far its lead single, "Social Currency", has been played more than 125,000 times on the band's MySpace page. Children Collide's publicist describes the "disco-political" track as "a slap in the face to the pseudo-cool club kids with a dose of rock-n-roll reality." Other notable songs on the album include the riveting "Chosen Armies", the catchy "Brave Robot" and the dark appeal of "Skeleton Dance". The album was originally released in Australia last fall.

While alternative rock has suffered a setback in recent years - partly due to the saturation of indie pop - band members Johnny MacKay (vocals/guitar), Heath Crawley (bass) and Ryan Caesar (drums) are doing their part to keep it alive and kicking.

"Social Currency" - Children Collide from The Long Way (2009)

"Chosen Armies" - Children Collide from The Long Way (2009)

Check out Children Collide on MySpace and a new 'how-you-want-to-see-it' video of "Chosen Armies" from the official website for Children Collide.

The band's upcoming shows:

June 26 - Philadelphia, PA - Khyber
June 27 - Allston, MA - Harpers Ferry
June 28 - New York, NY - Mercury Bar
June 29 - Washington, DC - DC9

Children Collide - 'Social Currency'

Note: Yes, it is true, according to the band's MySpace page, that they are signed with a major label. As I have made clear in the past, sometimes there are great bands and musicians who are a product of, or a purchase of, a major label. It is not logical to simply toss away a great band for that reason alone (yet it's still like 'ah, duuuuuude.'). Now that the major label's are creating or funding dozens of smaller, "independent" labels, it will become harder and harder to make this distinction.

That said, at the end of the day, the best music, in my opinion, is created by independent labels and unsigned musicians and bands. Rarely do they does it stay that way once outsiders start meddling and dictating. Part of this blame goes to the bands and artists themselves; for example, The Decemberists. So, again, it's a complicated issue all around. Few things in life are ever "all good".

Labels: Alternative Rock, Indie Artist/Group Profiles

6:12 PM June 23, 2009 1 Comments

In Dee Mail: Ireland's Herm Releases Quirky, Dark Album 'Monsters'

Herm might not be the best moniker for a relatively unknown but talented musician, but the one man band comprised of Dubliner Kevin Connolly has already made his mark with a debut album of contemporary, in-your-face indie pop that includes some sweet indie gems.

Herm's debut album, Monsters, features a collection of crafty songs that are as diverse in sound as they are brilliant in production. The opening track, "That Way", sounds like a song that belongs in a modern western film with its choruses of "bah-ooh" that sounds like Johnny Cash wrangling with Built To Spill.

Just when you think the cavalry might come galloping in to save the day, the next song, "Heads" the first UK radio single from the album, delivers a cheerful and bouncy contrast. But the bopping sound of "Heads" cleverly disguises its otherwise odd lyrics that seem to suggest cannibalism. It even seems as if the subject himself finds solace in his own demise, if that's what this is all about:

“Step one rub me down with grease
step two cook me in the fire
Step three; cut me into pieces
eat me when I’m done”

With its nearly irresistible charm enhanced by the music video (below), "Heads" manages to have a quirky appeal that makes it memorable and refreshing.

Monsters, which was recorded over several months in various abodes around Ireland, takes the listener on a journey through changing landscapes of styles, from quirky pop to saddle-slapping blues, and emotions, from anger to gloom.

In April, the track, "Year Of The Horse" received an honorable mention in the prestigious International Song Competition. That's an impressive accomplishment considering the judges themselves included rock legends Ray Davies of The Kinks, Robert Smith of The Cure and Tom Waits.

The track "Rosemary" is a bright, upbeat song, but like "Heads" apparently masks
a more disturbing and confused message. At once he's talking about some girl that "never looked so good" as when she is "screwing someone else" but it "makes me so mad." While Herm's music can be infectious at times, the content of his messages are dark. Other times it's hard to know what he's trying to say. Are these metaphors we have here or just muddled lyrics?

Some of the songs were recorded with The Hermanos, a band Connolly still performs with at live shows. Apparently, when Connolly went solo, he shortened Hermanos (which means brothers in Spanish) to Herm.

Monsters, while it has its faults (mostly a lack of an overall concept), is still an excellent debut album, especially considering it was written, performed and produced by a relatively new and unknown singer-songwriter. It'll be interesting to see where Herm's journey takes him next.

"Heads" - Herm from Monsters (2009)

"Year Of The Horse" - Herm (with Nina Hynes) from Monsters (2009)

"The Way" - Herm from Monsters (2009)

Influences: Tom Waits, Pavement, White Stripes, Beck, Radiohead
Favorite albums: Tom Waits' Bone Machine, The Beatles' Abbey Road, Pavement's Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain.

Labels: Indie Artist/Group Profiles

1:00 AM June 21, 2009 4 Comments

In Dee Mail: Greek Singer in Nashville Turns Down Record Deal To Offer His Music For Free

Niko is not your stereotypical Nashville recording artist. He's from Greece, doesn't really play country music and he recently rejected a major record label offer so that he could make his music available online for free.

"My vision has always been to make a positive difference in the world through music," Niko said. "I decided to remove the biggest obstacle that was keeping the world from hearing my songs - money."

The Greek artist, and Nashville resident, amassed a loyal following of fans over the past few years, mostly in Europe and Asia. Niko's sound is generally pop oriented infused with influences of rock, R&B, jazz and soul. But what stands out immediately, and with lasting effect, is his splendid - some say angelic - voice. While many of Niko's songs are well produced and executed, it is undoubtably his soothing, soulful voice that most people will remember.

Take as an example his current single, “Fly Away", with its seductive and breath-taking qualities or "The Sun The Moon The Stars", infused with all of the elements that make a pop hit. No wonder he was offered a major label deal. And the fact that he turned it down to instead distribute his music for free makes his music just that much more special. Most people would have taken the money and never looked back.

"Fly Away" - Niko

"The Sun The Moon The Stars" - Niko

Get 20 songs from Niko for free. Also check out his MySpace page.

Labels: Indie Artist/Group Profiles

1:16 AM June 16, 2009 1 Comments

Band to Watch: Cleveland Alternative Rock Band This Is A Shakedown! Has Got It Down

One reason Cleveland Rocks is because of the alternative rock band This Is A Shakedown! Clearly the band is one of Cleveland's best relatively new rock bands, and that's no short order in the home of the Rock and Rock Hall of Fame.

This Is A Shakedown! are on a tear thanks to the release of their debut full-length album, Love Kills, and and a hot new video (below) filmed using Photoboth on 21 Macbooks with built-in cameras positioned at various angles. The results are interesting.

After listening to Love Kills, jammed with excellent, blistering rock songs, a number of times and seeing the big thumbs-up from others, This Is A Shakedown! is a 'band to watch' for alternative rock fans.

This Is A Shakedown! sites musical influences as "anything that is dark and makes you shake your ass." But, more specially, lead singer and guitarist Brandon Zano names Soulwax, Brazilian Girls, The Presets and Black Rebel Motorcycle Club.

The band's talented line-up also includes bassist Daniel Lee, drummer Stephen Nicholsen and Justin Jyilas on synthesizers and 'programming'. These two other songs sound like alternative rock radio hits to me.

"Come And Cut My Heart Out" - This Is A Shakedown! from Love Kills (2009)

"Radio" - This Is A Shakedown! from Love Kills (2009)

Love Kills is available from Reversed Image Unlimited

This Is A Shakedown on MySpace

Labels: Bands to Watch 2009, Indie Artist/Group Profiles

4:29 PM June 7, 2009 1 Comments

In Dee Mail: New Songs from ProXima and The Long Afternoon

Based on the great response from all of you to the In Dee Mail playlist series, we decided to make it a permanent series on IRC. The number of music submissions we get each week is overwhelming, so hang in there if you submitted some music we haven't gotten around to yet.

First up in this installment of the In Dee Mail playlist series is a band out of Paris called ProXima who are currently recording their second album Music for Pleasure and have recorded songs for short films by French film director Olivier Benel.

This new single, "My Little Princess", was sent to me by email and has been "selected to be the music for a new upcoming TV series," according to the band, who assert they cannot say any more about the TV series, such as, whether it is an American or French show.

"Hey Little Princess" (Radio Edit) - ProXima, new single
ProXima on MySpace

The second track from the mailbox is from a Pennsylvania indie rock band that originally formed in 1985 (I know!) called The Long Afternoon. Intentionally obscure for many years, the only remaining band member, guitarist and vocalist Eston Martz, is back with some new members - Greg Elliott and Jeff Edmunds - and a new album titled Signifying Nothing.

"Signifying Nothing" - The Long Afternoon from Signifying Nothing (2009)
The Long Afternoon on MySpace

Labels: In Dee Mail, Indie Artist/Group Profiles

12:15 PM May 28, 2009 0 Comments

State of Music: Filling A Void of Geo-Songs While Waiting for Sufjan's Concept to Flower

Following a string of brilliant thematic album releases, numerous outtakes, singles, demos, collaborations and the four LP Songs for Christmas boxset - arguably the best indie-alternative Christmas song collection ever - it seemed Sufjan Stevens was unstoppable.

But over the past couple of years, there hasn't been really any new, original material from Sufjan. This is disappointing because he had suggested that he was going to write and record an album unique the character, reputation, history, culture and so on of ever state in the union. I, like many other fans, was thrilled and anxious to hear the next release. Ohio? Wisconsin?

A big part of the believability factor, and the anticipation, was that Sufjan had already recorded two brilliant albums that were, in concept, full of songs relishing in the character of two states, on 2003's Greetings From Michigan and 2005's Come On Feel The Illinoise!

With songs like "Pittsfield" (Michigan; not the other Pittsfield, where I grew up), "Chicago", "Decatur", "Jacksonville", "The Man of Metropolis Steals Our Hearts", "The Seer's Tower", "Flint", "Say Yes! to M!ch!gan!", it looked like Sufjan was serious by his unique and exciting question. At the time it was questionable - can this guy really write 48 additional albums, each about a different state?

It appears it might not happen. If any indie artists and bands are reading this, think about it. Even if Sufjan is not going to pursue the path he set down, I really hope other indie and alt artists will, while preserving the story-telling quality and superb musicianship that are found on Illinoise and Michigan LPs.

In all fairness to Sufjan, he has been busy with other music projects, running a record company, babies and what have you, so it's not that easy. I think it's brilliant, and who doesn't love songs about their state; you know, like peaches in Georgia, lighthouses in Maine, the Alamo in Texas, great weather and surfing in California, bison in Wyoming, the cowboy life of Montana and so on.

Therefore, I decided to start a playlist series about each state in the country featuring songs from a whole range of artists and bands, from indie to alternative and folk to pop and spanning the history of music, starting with the 1950's right up to today.

To get our toes wet, so to speak, for what will be an ongoing playlist series all about the states of this vast country, I decided an introductory playlist that is not specific to one state, but all of the states, and to give you an idea of what the state-by-state playlists will be like as they are published throughout 2009 and 2010. This playlist of course includes some of the geo-thematic songs of Sufjan Stevens.

Most of all I just hope you will enjoy this new playlist series and give some well deserved attention to bands, artists, songs and albums that are worthy.

"Decatur" - Sufjan Stevens from Come On Feel The Illinoise

"Chicago" - The Uglysuit from The Uglysuit

"Hard Times in America" - Willie Nile from Live From The Streets of New York (2008)

"We Can Win Missouri!" - Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin from Grace & Gwyn EP (2008)

"Washington DC" - Magnetic Fields from 69 Love Songs (1999)

"Revelation Big Sur" - Red House Painters from Songs For a Blue (2000)

"Cape Fear" - The Rosebuds from Life Like (2008)

"So Long Savannah" - Eric Bachmann from To The Races (2006)

"Fasting in San Francisco" - Y La Bamba from GypsyPop (2009)

The first real State of Music Playlist series will launch sometime soon. I'm trying to decide what state to start with first and there'd have to be at least six songs to make a playlist.

Taking your suggestions for songs about states - any indie, rock, folk, pop, electronic song about anything to do with a specific state. This will be a playlist series that will happen slowly over time because it takes time to create something so specialized.

A little background: I've actually been creating dozens and dozens of specific, thematic playlists - or music categorization addiction - for years, so I'm excited to share them with you.

These playlists are theme-based, like songs about colors, numbers, people's names, weather conditions, food, moods, days of the week, seasons of the year, home sweet home, and various genres and styles. Of course, all of the songs for any specific playlist must be good songs, not just some so-so indie rock or filler music.

Labels: Indie Artist/Group Profiles, Indie Playlists, State of Music Playlist

8:47 PM April 29, 2009 5 Comments

Organizers Literally Pulled the Plug on The Cure to End Coachella 2009

Rosie meet Edward Scissorhands (aka Robert Smith - photo: cure-concerts.com)

Classic rockers The Cure played and played a marathon performance Sunday night-Monday morning in what has already become one of the most memorable sets at Coachella ever.

Whether you were watching the show at Coachella in Indio, California, in the dripping heat of the desert night, or watching in the comfort of your home via the web, it was a rare and special treat. That's until Coachella organizers pulled the plug at 12:34 am, 33 minutes past the 12:01 am curfew.

Beatle Paul McCartney played some 50 minutes past curfew on the opening night of Coachella. Indio police said the organizers are charged $1,000 per minute after the curfew time.

The Cure, led by front man Robert Smith, played mainly slow jam rock for the first hour with songs like "Underneath the Stars" and "A Strange Day." Almost as if it were perfect timing, the band broke out into a nearly two-hour long, blissful and frequently 'jam-like' set of songs including "Love Song", "Pictures of You", "Lullaby", "In Between Days," "Just Like Heaven" and on and on.

On their third encore performance, past 12:30 am Monday, The Cure played "Grinding Halt" until the main speakers and video screens were shut off (notice the irony in the song title). Even when the field lights went up, and the main amp was cut off, the band kept playing "Boys Don't Cry" with just the sound from their onstage monitor speakers. See The Cure's full set list, including three encores, at Cure-Concerts.

There is little doubt that The Cure's epic two and a half hour set will go down as one of the longest, most memorable, perhaps 'best', performances in Coachella history. The Cure did accomplish one major feat at Coachella - they proved to their cynics, critics, and even loyal fans, that the band is not washed up as chatter of late has implied.

In past years, AT&T (who edited out Eddie Vedder's comments about Bush at Lollapalooza 2007) has made many Coachella sets available in video archival format after the festival. If so, you'll definitely want to see The Cure set. A few questions remain. One is, how many fans missed the band because they had to be at work in the morning. Someone else mentioned that Robbie might want to tap Perez Hilton for some makeup advice. Either way, The Cure threw it down!

"Friday (I'm in Love)" - The Cure from Wish (1992)

"Just Like Heaven" - The Cure from Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me (1987)

"A Forest" - The Cure, live in concert (1984)

"A Forest" (The Cure) - Bat For Lashes cover

My Bloody Valentine Screams Bloody Earshot

Right before The Cure set, My Bloody Valentine 'played'. Some described it more as an 'assault' complaining that the gigantic amps were cranked up way too high.

So, for all you who had to literally leave during My Bloody Valentine's set because the volume was essentially bursting your eardrums (including people wearing ear plugs!), you might be interested in seeing the band's performance on the AT&T video archives (if it's posted) where you control the volume.

Loud music at a rock concert is nothing new, but people standing one hundred feet away were blocking their ears or heading for the other end of the venue or to leave altogether when My Bloody Valentine came on. Even hard core rockers were running for cover. Still, for those who braved the amplitudinous wall of noise, MBV did not disappoint. The ringing should stop in a week.

All joking aside: If you experience persistent ringing in your ears, for whatever reason, please see a doctor - it could be serious. Many people, including the greatest rockers, have permanent hearing loss. Speaking from personal experience, I lost 30% hearing in one ear because I was stupid and young enough to stand by a towers of amps at a U2 concert without ear plugs. The organization H.E.A.R., co-founded in 1988 by Dr. Flash Gordon - really that's his name - has tons of information to read about hearing loss and prevention.

"Only Shallow" - My Bloody Valentine from Loveless

"Only Shallow" (My Bloody Valentine) - Japancakes, cover version

Labels: Coahcella 2009, Indie Artist/Group Profiles, The Cure

6:44 PM April 21, 2009 1 Comments

More Great Indie Albums of 2008: 'Bring The Lions Out' by Melpo Mene

His name is proudly not a marketer's dream, but Sweden's Erik Mattiason, better known as the man behind the band Melpo Mene, is a dream of a songwriter and musician.

Melpo Mene enjoyed a spike of indie blog love last year with the release of the gorgeous and delightful love song titled "I Adore You." Although many people know the song because it was featured on a popular Volvo TV commercial last year, most of them could not tell you who sang it. Nevertheless, the commercial helped fuel Mene's brush with fame. The song reminds me very much of another gorgeous song, "Such Great Heights" by Iron & Wine (one of my favorite artists).

While some indie purists might cast Mene's music aside simply because it was featured in a popular television commercial, the fact is that Melpo Mene is one of the best indie singer and songwriters of our time. The proof is in the pudding.

With rich, soothing vocal arrangements, Paul Westerburg-style melodies, pop, country and rock infusions, Melpo Mene created one of the best under-rated releases of 2008. His songs are sad, introspective, heart wrenching and purely delightful from start to finish.

While "I Adore You" is a magnificent, even addictive, song that will likely be played years from now at high school reunions, it's surprising that the album which hosted the track - Bring The Lions Out - received such little praise, making it clearly one of the most overlooked albums of 2008. In fact, it could be one of the most under rated albums of the past decade.

The album is a breath-taking accomplishment of magnificently composed and produced songs featuring piano, guitar, flutes and perfect percussions on songs like the endearing "We Were Kids" and the alt-indie psychopop of the dreamlike "Snakes and Lions".

Melpo Mene's music oozes with rich choruses, breath-taking musicianship and tinges of electronica throughout. One intoxicating track after another easily makes Bring The Lions Out one of those must-have albums I sometimes recommend strongly.

The song "Klick Klack Clock" sets out on a musical journey lush with layers of instruments and a driving melody reminiscent of chamber pop mixed with folk rock. On songs like "Under The Moon", Mene turns to a lo-fi country rock ballad with near-whisper vocals - think of Mojave 3.
In 2007, Mene released his stellar debut LP titled Holes (listen to featured songs below), a potent example of an artist that would become heard, if not by name, around the world.

Fans of Sufjan Stevens, M. Ward, Bill Ricchini, Andrew Bird and other comparable contemporaries, are most likely to enjoy Melpo Mene's music. And, if you're like me, you'll find yourself going back to it again and again.

It's frustrating when music this good doesn't receive the huge buzz it so much deserves. However, on the other hand, it's good, as alluded to above, because it's kind of like our little secret. But this is a secret we don't mind sharing with others: Melpo Mene is simply brilliant!

"I Adore You" - Melpo Mene from Bring The Lions Out
"Jedi" - Melpo Mene from Bring The Lions Out
"Snakes and Lions" - Melpo Mene from Bring The Lions Out
"Don't Save Me" - Melpo Mene from Holes (2007)
"Wait Up" - Melpo Mene from Holes

Lyrics to "I Adore You"

Lost in a daydream of blue
And I feel so free
And then It's like I fall from the sky
Everything that I see is you
And you should know that I'm
Thinking about what you said
When you held my hand

Oh I adore you

Now we are older and
Things disappeared somehow
And I was thinking that maybe
We'd stand a better chance If we met today
I find myself talking to sharks
On my way to an island and still

I adore you
I adore you
I adore you

I was young I was old
And we were in we were out
I wanna see I wanna see it all
I wanna die I wanna die
Sweetheart sweetheart
I thought I saw I thought I saw a light
See it now see it now

Melpo Mene on MySpace
Buy Melpo Mene's music

Labels: Best Indie Albums 2008, Indie Artist/Group Profiles, Melpo Mene

5:06 PM April 6, 2009 0 Comments

Bands to Watch in 2009: Klum

A band that sent me their music a couple of months ago makes seductive music that has grown on me during this time. They are called Klum from the Los Angeles area town of Monrovia, California.

Their new release We Carelessly Turned Amazingly Into Nothing is bound to be a big deal if the right people pay attention. Mixing lush layers of horns, keyboards, accordions, guitars, drums, bass and memorable vocals, Klum pumps out masterfully celebratory tunes with clear overtures to bands like Arcade Fire, Beirut and others. But no matter how many comparisons are made, Klum's musicianship, it still will not do justice to their potential impact on the 'indie scene.'

How is it possible that Klum isn't occupying major space on blogs and mainstream music sites? From the first listening to now my tenth or so listening of Carelessly, I and others at the cafe are baffled how these cats slip under the indie radar (for the most part).

Imagine: take all the most amazing sonic experiences you can think of and roll them up into one fat 'on-repeat' album. It's a musical adventure, a tour de musica, a trip of a lifetime. Tune in to these sample tracks from Klum's fresh release We Carelessly Turned Amazingly Into Nothing. This is good stuff.

As they say in their own profile: "Klum is constantly compared to many indie bands, but there has never been one distinction of who or what they sound like." Yup.

"Bashing For The Kids" - Klum
"Give Em Something To Die For" - Klum
"NonBeliever" - Klum

Labels: Bands to Watch 2009, Indie Artist/Group Profiles

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Cursive's New Album 'Mama, I'm Swollen' Already One of 09's Best Releases

The new release from Cursive proves to become one of the best album releases of the spring, and likely to also be among IRC's favorites albums of 2009 come the end of the year.

Last week, Cursive performed the song "From The Hips" on The David Letterman Show and it reminded me how fricking good they are. So, I got the new album right away. Verdict: Mom, I'm swollen with affection for the band's new release Mama, I'm Swollen. Except in this case, it's a good kind of swollen. Swollen with loving music juice.

It must have been tough for the band to pick one song to play on Letterman but "From The Hips" was definitely a good choice. Just a few of the other killer tracks include the title track "Mama I'm Swollen", "What Have I Done?", "Donkeys". It might just be me, but sometimes these guys really sound like The Cure.

"From The Hips" - Cursive from Mama, I'm Swollen
"Mama, I'm Swollen" - Cursive from Mama, I'm Swollen

Get the new album from the band's label Saddle Creek Records and check out the Cursive MySpace page.

Labels: Cursive, Indie Artist/Group Profiles

9:23 AM April 2, 2009 1 Comments

Songs In Dee Mail: Nashville Duo Pinstripe 45s Serve Up Indie Pop

A bit of a bizarre name for a modern pop rock duo, Pinstripes 45's (sounds more like some kind of barber shop quartet, huh?) from Nashville have a catchy melodic sound woven in layers of harmonies, hand clapping, acoustic guitar and accomplished vocal arrangements that lend influences to bands like Neutral Milk Hotel and artists like Bob Dylan.

The duo, comprised of multi-instrumentalist singer/songwriter Marshall Hanbury Jr. and stand-up bassist Gina Black had the good fortune to work with producer Jacquire King whose resume includes Kings of Leon, Modest Mouse and Tom Waits. Songs from their forthcoming (date not provided) release include the pop ballad "I Don't Know What Hit Me", and the Neil Finn-sounding track "Living Times Like These."

"I Don't Know What Hit Me" - Pinstripe 45s
"Living Time Like These" - Pinstripe 45s

Pinstripe 45s on MySpace

Labels: 2009 Indie Songs, Indie Artist/Group Profiles

3:45 AM March 27, 2009 0 Comments

Bands to Watch in 2009: Caddywhompus

There is an exciting, new two-man indie band from New Orleans named Caddywhompus (which means, basically, ass-backwards, broken and uneven) that officially released their debut "EPs" this week.

My first taste of the band came earlier this month when they sent an email with a couple of songs attached. I was going to write about them weeks ago, but things have been backlogged here at the cafe. Nevertheless, after listening to their music for a few weeks now, Caddywhompus is officially an IRC band to watch in 09.

Caddywhompus' sound comes at you with in-your-face exuberance of raucous noise pop hipsters. There are rave-like romps, driving drum beats, psychedelic infusions, and fuzzy, dreamy harmonies. Songs like "This is Where We Blaze the Nuggz"' and "Fun Times at Whiskey Bay" are perfect examples. Noise pop lovers will probably enjoy these songs and others including the interestingly-named track "Eat Chest" and the "...But Not Before A Show".

There's one problem: There is another band that they sound like so much and I cannot think of that band's name. And yet I know if someone says it, I'll be like, "Dude! That's fricking it!" If you know, tell, please, tell. :-p

"This is Where We Blaze the Nuggz" - Caddywhompus from "EPs"
"Fun Times at Whiskey Bar" - Caddywhompus from "EPs"
"Eat Chest" - Caddywhompus from "EPs"

Caddywhompus on MySpace . Buy "EPs" from the band's official website.

Here's an interview with the guys from Static Television

Labels: Bands to Watch 2009, Caddywhompus, Indie Artist/Group Profiles

12:25 PM March 25, 2009 1 Comments

In Dee Mail - New Songs from Alexis Babini, Fuzzy & Blue and King Black Acid

Alexis Babini at Summerfest 2008. Photo by Laura Burton

With all that has been going on with South by Southwest there hasn't been much time to catch up on music submissions. The quantity of music that comes into IRC is reaching unmanageable proportions. The backlog is getting out of control but I know there are some nugs in those emails and CD cases.

The following are just a few of the best artists and songs that have come in the mail in the past month or so - essentially, part of the back-logged. This installment has a different spin on it with a focus on artists from cities around the United States.

Bean Town Artist Gets Noticed

Alexis Babini is a singer/songwriter from Boston who has made waves in the past year by selling out venues in the northeast and winning the Berklee Performer Songwriter Contest. His debut album was released on March 3.

"Sometimes" - Alexis Babini from Breaking It In
Alexis on MySpace

NYC Radio Producer Releases New Free Tracks

Fuzzy & Blue is a music project by Jonathan Mitchell, a composer and radio producer living in New York City. These songs explore a period of misfortune set to the sounds of powerpop and 1980's new wave music.

"Rubber Porcupine" - Fuzzy & Blue (aka Jonathan Mitchell) from s/t EP

Listen to and download free tracks from Fuzzy & Blue

Portland Has an Edgier Side, Too

King Black Acid are a Portland, Oregon alt rock-techno band whose song "Let's Burn" was is featured on the film soundtrack for Underworld: Rise Of The Lycans.

They wrote: "We just made a music video for "Let's Burn" in our garage using bed sheets and gaffers tape. Our friend Jeremiah Scott did the camera work and editing."

"Let's Burn" - King Black Acid from Underworld: Rise of the Lycans soundtrack

Labels: In Dee Mail, Indie Artist/Group Profiles

4:52 PM March 21, 2009 0 Comments

SXSW Song Sampler: Playlist of Artists and Bands from A to M

This is another stellar year for South by Southwest. Even though the world's most famous music conference doesn't officially kick off until tomorrow, there is so much going on that even a team of 15 reporters (like some media outlets have) cannot possible cover it all.

The following playlist is just a sample of the many artists and bands performing at SXSW 09; out of necessity, I parred down the full list of artists to those which I like the most. Enjoy.

"Stay Son" - A Classic Education from Bologna, Italy

"Dimmer" - Bishop Allen from Brooklyn NY

"Around Your Neck" - Annuals from Raleigh NC

"Gila" - Beach House from Baltimore MD

"Oh Katrina" - Black Lips from Atlanta GA

"Old Home Movies" - The Botticellis from San Francisco CA

"24 Hour Heartbreak" - The Cloud Room Brooklyn NY

"Crystal Stilts" - Crystal Stilts from New York NY

"Turn Cold" - Cut Off Your Hands Auckland NZ

"Fa-Fa-Fa" - Datarock from Bergen, Norway

"All The Money I Had is Gone" - The Deep Dark Woods from Saskatoon SK

"Longtime" - Deer Tick from Providence RI

"Capture and Develop" - The Details from Winnipeg MB

"The Hangmen" - Dirtblonde from Liverpool UK

"Seasickness Pills" - Drink Up Buttercup from Horsham PA

"Face Down in the Right Town" - Earlimart from Los Angeles CA

"Welcome Ghosts" - Explosions in the Sky from Austin TX

"Red Gun" - The Forms from New York NY

"Two Sinners in the Garden" - David Garza from Austin TX

"Spirited" - Laura Gibson from Portland OR

"Pharmacy" - Golden Boys from Austin TX

"Deep Sea Diver" - Grizzly Bear Brooklyn NY

"OK Goodbye" - Adam Heldring from Stockholm, Sweden

"Robin" - Little Black Dress from Houston TX

"Let It Rain" - Living Things from Salt Lake City UT

"Ordinary Song" - The Little Ones from Los Angeles CA

"Year of the Dog" - The Lovely Sparrows from Austin TX

"Ignorant Boy" - Loney Dear from Jonkoping Sweden

"Hey Boy" - The Magic Kids from Memphis TX

"At the Mountains of Madness" - Magic Lantern from Long Beach CA

"Sleepy Lion" - Magic Magic from Boston MA

"Wake the Sun" - The Matches from Oakland CA

"Meet Me in the Garden" - Dent May & His Magnificent Ukulele from Oxford MS

"The Cannibal Queen" - Miniature Tigers from Phoenix AZ

"Bus Stop Lovers" - My Federation from Hove UK

Artists and bands N-Z will be published tomorrow for the official first day of SXSW 2009.

Cool SXSW Links

SXSW Official Website - Check official show times and venues

Free South by Southwest Sampler from NPR

SXSW 2009 Twitter Visualizer

Labels: Indie Artist/Group Profiles, SXSW 2009, SXSW Performers

1:22 AM March 17, 2009 0 Comments

More Great Indie Albums of 2008: Vampire Weekend's Smash Debut

We covered Vampire Weekend quite a bit since they burst onto the indie scene last year at this time. So, in the on-going series, More Best Indie Albums of 2008, here's to Vampire Weekend's wildly, and sometimes over-hyped, debut album.

It is rare for a new band to get so much coverage - from Rolling Stone to New York Times - from a debut album. Vampire Weekend came up with a fresh sound, some call it gimmicky (not I), that caught on. Within a few months they were the buzz band of early 2008. They've even been on Saturday Night Live which just propelled VW into another sphere of musical success.

The band's album debut is full of fun, upbeat songs with an underlying swasi-indie pop sound they are so known for. Songs like "A Punk", "Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa" and "Oxford Comma" made the album a big hit in 2008.

There is no doubt that we loved this album and the band's sound - even went to one of their shows in San Francisco - but over the year it became mundane. Now the pressure is really on these fellows from Brooklyn to come out with a solid follow-up to their popular break through debut.

"Ottoman" - Vampire Weekend available as a single only while awaiting word on when a new album is set for release. Interesting single and definitely a new sound.

So far as we can tell, there is only one relatively new song called "Ottoman" and is available for streaming on Vampire Weekend's MySpace page.

Listen to Vampire Weekend's DayTrotter Session from as early as October 2007, just a few months before their name and music exploded on the college radio and indie blogs.

Labels: Best Indie Albums 2008, Indie Artist/Group Profiles, San Francisco, Vampire Weekend

3:20 AM February 27, 2009 2 Comments

Looking Back At Person Pitch by Panda Bear

Album cover of Panda Bear's 2008 Person Pitch

(My bad: This album came out in 2007, not 2008. Oops).

One 2008 release that cannot be emphasized enough is the last release from Animal Collective's Noah Lennox. As one of the many characters that make up the wildly popular psychedelic pop rock outfit, Lennox, better known by his moniker Panda Bear, released his third solo album last year. The more I listen to it - even now - the more it becomes apparent just what an awesome release it was.

Combining the high chorus, echo pop sounds of Brian Wilson and The Beach Boys with his own brand of songs lush with sampling and electro-pop influences, a significant departure from Lennox's previous acoustic-centric release Young Prayer.

His record label, Paw-Tracks Records, wrote of Lennox's 2008 release: "Person Pitch is suffused with the kind of feel good modern toe-tapping pop that seems harder and harder to find these days." Indeed.

"Comfy in Nautica" - Panda Bear from Person Pitch

For those of you who missed it, here's an amazing remix from Panda Bear of a great Notwist song. Enjoy.

"Boneless" (The Notwist) - Panda Bear Remix

MySpace: Panda Bear

Labels: Best Independent Music, Best Indie Rock Songs, Free Indie MP3s, Indie Artist/Group Profiles, The Great Unknowns

9:44 AM February 19, 2009 2 Comments

San Francisco Noise Pop Festival Artist Showcase: Telekinesis

Telekinesis recorded the songs below on this 1970's 8-track recorder

IRC is launching a series of showcases featuring bands performing at the annual San Francisco Noise Pop Festival later this month, and South by Southwest in Austin next month.

First up, we want to let you know about this exciting pop band from Seattle called Telekinesis. They are set to play at the Noise Pop Festival on February 27 along with Ra Ra Riot and Cut Off Your Hands.

Telekinesis also has four sets scheduled at South by Southwest (SXSW) in March. After that, the band will tour with fellow Merge Records' artists Say Hi through the first week in April.

Telekinesis is Michael Benjamin Lerner (drums, guitar & vocals) with Chris Staples (guitar), David Broecker (electric, acoustic & bass guitar), and Jonie Broecker (bass guitar & keyboards) joining him on tour. Walla and Lerner mixed each song to analog tape a day at a time, "with the ambitious goal of never over-thinking or sabotaging the spontaneous enthusiasm of the music."

Even Ben Gibbard and the other Death Cabbies tagged Telekinesis as a "Band to Watch" in 2009 during a guest appearance on Stereogum. We second that, and for damn good reasons.

"Coast Carolina" - Telekinesis from their upcoming, self-title debut release

"February 5th 2008" - Telekinesis from their upcoming, self-title debut release

Telekinesis MySpace page

Labels: Bands to Watch 2009, Death Cab For Cutie, Indie Artist/Group Profiles, Merge Records, Noise Pop Festival 2009, SXSW 2009, Telekinesis

10:19 AM February 10, 2009 0 Comments

IRC Artist of the Month: Joseph Denney, aka Spirit Spine

Spirit Spine self portrait
New musicians popping up in recent weeks are beginning to make 2009 look like a promising year for indie rock, electronica and pop.

Yet another relatively unknown talent has caught our attention, and we think his sound will appeal to many people who have reacted so positively to Blind Man's Colours' post a couple of weeks ago.

Joseph Denney, aka, Spirit Spine, is a freshmen at Indiana University in Bloomington, who began a "music project" last fall that friends encouraged. His friends were right to encourage him. The result is a collection of sprawling, dreamy, psychedelic and pop-oriented songs that we keep playing again and again.

"My new album," Denney wrote in an email to IRC, "is self-titled and has been compared to "Panda Bear + MGMT + New Order" and 'The Beach Boys fronted by Lou Reed high on Nyquil and Redbull' I was greatly influenced by Phil Spector's "Wall of Sound" Technique as well as Surf Rock and 80's Pop."

That's an excellent comparison. You can hear more of his other influences - like Joy Division and Beck, in Denney's music as well, not to mention the obvious Animal Collective influences.

Denney says he created all of the music using the the computer software program Garageband on the Mac and some 8-tracking. This is an amazing example of how one talented young musician in the technological age can write, record, manufacture, distribute and market his own music for the rest of us to enjoy.

Highlights from Spirit Spine's debut include "Trickledown", "Crashers (Highs and Lows)", "Heart Races", "Raptures" and "Faustian Vice".

Spirit Spine is a force to be reckoned with in 2009, and hopefully many of you will agree. The album Spirit Spine is available on iTunes through Lovegiffrae Records.

"Trickledown" - Spirit Spine from s/t
"Crashers (Highs and Lows)" - Spirit Spine from s/t

Spirit Spine MySpace page

Check back for a follow-up review on this amazing indiest of indie releases for 2009.

Labels: Animal Collective, Artists to Watch, Indie Artist/Group Profiles, Joseph Denney, New Indie 2009, Spirit Spine

7:13 AM February 7, 2009 0 Comments

Better Late Than Never: Cut Off Your Hand's 08 Release You and I

Alright, so I always hated the name of this band.

That said, Cut Off Your Hands makes some great music and they've really gained a following of loyal fans. Like many others, I completely missed their 2008 release, You and I, which is strangely similar to one of the most acclaimed albums, You and Me by The Walkmen.

So if you missed it to, it's definitely worth checking out. A late recommendation yes, but if you like their previous releases, you're almost sure to like You and I.

"Happy As Can Be" has a driving new wave type of beat rounded out with soaring choruses and shimmering keyboards. The band's sound is definitely pop rock that is somewhat reminiscent of Kaiser Chiefs, especially on the song "Expectations", which also has a mean electronica riff and definitely a song to get the girls dancing. Yet it also has a predominant rock feel to it. Check out the music video.

One of the album's best tracks "Oh Girl" has a catchy, jangle pop sound around a story about a guy obviously in love with a girl. I must be getting in the Valentine's spirit.

"Oh Girl" - Cut Off Your Hands from You and I

"Happy As Can Be" - Cut Off Your Hands from You and I

Did you know you can get IRC delivered to your iTunes or your favorite feed reader?

Labels: Best Indie 2008, Cut Off Your Hands, Indie Artist/Group Profiles

10:58 AM January 25, 2009 0 Comments

Animal Collective Releases Stunning New Video for "My Girls"

The wild popularity of Animal Collective's newest release, Merriweather Post Pavilion, has fans and music critics already calling it one of the best albums of the year. Hello? It's only January.

Under usual circumstances, this would be enough to hold off for a while before making such a proclamation. But after listening to Merriweather over and again, it's hard to believe that it will fizzle out or lose its appeal coming later this year. It's just amazing!

Right now the band has an awesome Flash-created music video unlike anything we've ever seen. Yet best of all it's for the amazing, sweeping and sparkly song, "My Girls". Click the photo above to start the video, sit back and soak it up. Chances are you'll watch it more than once, especially if you are an Animal Collective fan. :)

Even if you're not an Animal Collective fan, there's something magical about Merriweather, and if you're new to their work, check out Merriweather first. Animal Collective kicked off an extensive 2009 world tour last evening at New York's Grand Ballroom.

"My Girls" - Animal Collective

Stream Merriweather Post Pavilion uninterrupted in its entirety.

Animal Collective's MySpace page
Animal Collective official website
Animal Collective label website

Labels: Animal Collective, Animal Collective Music Video, Indie Artist/Group Profiles

9:02 PM January 21, 2009 1 Comments

The Best Indie Albums of 2008, Vol. IV: Why's Alopecia

Brooklyn's indie rock eclectic elective Why? is definitely one of the most original and versatile artists to to receive well deserved attention in 2008.

With the release of their refreshing collage of songs on Alopecia, Why has etched themselves a place in modern indie rock. Many of Why?'s songs are completely different from one another that in a blind test it would be hard to say definitively that they are a set of songs from the same group. Electric eclectic is an appropriate tag.

Why? are very creative and accomplished musicians with a knack for eccentricity. This is part of what makes Alopecia so enjoyable, and definitely one of the best indie releases of 2008.

Whether they lay down - quite successfully we say - the rap in hip hop lo-fi tracks like "By Torpedo or Crohn's" and "A Sky For Shoeing Horses Under" or engage in quirky musical experimentalism with songs like "Simeon's Dilemma" - evoking comparisons to the glimmer psychedelic folk sound of The Flaming Lips.

The song "Fatalist Palmistry" is a memorable chorus-soaked pop song very much in the tradition of 1960s folk rock. Somehow Why? once again manages to pull off what most artists simply could not.

Other songs like "Song of the Sad Assassin", featuring overtures to Billy The Kid and Lee Harvey Oswald, make it even harder to pigeon hole Why?'s sound more than any other band we've heard in quite a while. Next thing you know you're listening to the song "The Hollows" with its Cure-like underpinnings.

Next, bubble gummy pop and drum machines predominate "These Few Presidents", yet another original song that somehow manages to be kind of cool. Nevertheless, the album is not without its weaknesses. The short songs on Alopecia, like opener "Exegesis" and "Twenty Eight" (44 seconds in length) are forgettable.

The over-riding theme of Alopecia is one of constant surprises. Just when you think the band had out done itself, another track spins and proves you wrong. I've haven't heard a record in a while from a relatively unknown band that instead sounds like an awesome compilation of the great songs from a line-up of talented artists.

What strikes me is that a creative writer could probably write an amazing story based on songs on Alopecia. It has all the elements of a great movie, in addition to being a spectacular album. In fact, Alopecia may turn out to be in the years to come must-have in any reputable indie rock music collection.

Why?'s MySpace page

"The Vowels, Part 2" - Why? from Alopecia

Labels: Best Indie Albums 2008, Indie Artist/Group Profiles, Why?

8:45 AM January 16, 2009 0 Comments

IRC Artist of the Month: Headlights

When we first heard the opening tracks to Champaign, Illinois indie pop band Headlights, we thought, 'wow, this is great stuff.' The more we play it here in the cafe, the more we like it. And so do many other people.

We are guilty of not knowing about Headlights prior to their latest 2008 release, Some Racing, Some Stopping, the follow-up to their 2006 debut Kill Them With Kindness.

But it wasn’t really until this year’s album that the band got on serious mojo from not just the blogs, but the mainstream music press as well. SPIN magazine recently hailed the band's new album: ""Calling Headlights "nice" sounds like a backhanded compliment, but Some Racing wears the tag proudly: It's charming, but never boring.”

That’s so true. Headlights are definitely one of the ‘break-through’ bands of 2008. There's not much of an argument to be made here that Headlights is one of the best 'new' bands of 2008, even though they’ve been around for a few years. Their inspired sound is full of blissful choruses that lift and pop jams that drive. The talented band members include Erin Fein (vocals and keyboards), Brett Sanderson (drums) and Tristan Wraight (vocals, guitar and bass).

Headlight’s sound is unquestionably pop. But there are variances of interwoven elements that add extra layers of flavor and richness to their songs. The songs feature all kinds of instruments, including organs, keyboards, bells, tambourines and an array of strings, as represented on tracks such as “Towers” and “Get Your Head Around It,” the latter song having been featured in the thirteenth installment of this blog’s Best Indie Rock Songs of 2008 series.

The song "School Boys" exemplifies indie pop in a celebratory orchestra-infused fashion, moving along merrily while maintaining a discipline that ultimately makes it one of the best songs on the album. The pace livens even more in the next upbeat song, and one of their standout tracks, "Cherry Tulips” (watch video below).

Some people have said that Headlights is comparable to bands like Arcade Fire, Stars, Rilo Kiley and Belle and Sebastian. While true in some respects, it is still far from pinning the essence of a sound that is pretty much original.

An example of this would be the tracks "Get Year Head Around It” and has a driving, jangly feel that you want to keep going on and on. "Catch Them All" is one of the album's best tracks (listen below). If there is one downfall it is that the songs could be longer. Headlights makes awesome pop tunes full of personality, excitement and hooks that we find ourselves wishing would keep parading for five or six minutes.

You know that feeling, when you’re listening to a great song and it winds down sooner than you want it to and you are like, "no man, keep that shit going." And if you are like that when you listen to Headlights, there’s a remedy. The band has released a clever album of remixes, oddly titled Remixes, a few months ago featuring some of their best songs from their latest album and previous releases.

Headlights is the real deal, especially for fans of indie pop who enjoy the 'feel good', dreamy type of sprawling and enthusiastic music that has become so popular
in recent years.

Music critic Tim Sendra of the All Music Guide put Headlights up near the top, writing recently: “There are a lot of bands playing indie pop in 2008, but very few do it as well as Headlights do on Some Racing, Some Stopping.”

There are albums that get spun over and over again at the café. Some Racing, Some Stopping is definitely one of them. Even more, it is likely to become a must-have release for indie pop music enthusiasts in the years to come.

Listen to Headlights music:

"Get Your Head Around It" - Headlights

"Catch Them All" - Headlights

Visit Headlights' MySpace page

Buy Headlights' records and merchandise from their label site at http://www.polyvinylrecords.com/store/

Labels: Artist of the Month, Best Indie Albums 2008, Headlights, Indie Artist/Group Profiles

2:15 PM December 10, 2008 2 Comments

IRC Artist of the Month: Goh Nakamura

Goh Nakamura is not only our pick for Artist of the Month, but also one of our favorite 'surprise artists' of 2008.

Nakamura, a San Francisco native born singer/songwriter, describes his music "Dreamsicle pop " as "ditties about parking tickets, impossible crushes and faraway dreamlands."

Although Nakamura has had a loyal following for a few years now, his popularity is picking up momentum in the past six months or so. Nakamura's music video for "Embarcadero Blues" has been viewed over a million times on YouTube:

Nakamura's sound is catchy, wonderfully produced acoustic pop. Music lovers who enjoy artists like Matt Pond PA, Matthew Sweet, Elliot Smith and Neil Finn are likely to have Nakamura's music playing again and again.

That said, it's fair to say that Nakamura can easily appeal to a larger segment of music lovers. His music is the kind that you will probably find yourself liking the more you listen to it.

His 2004 debut Daylight Savings was received well by the indie music press. Yet it is the release of Ulysses - not to mention the fact that it's available for free - is a contender for one of 2008's best 'under the radar' singer/songwriter releases of 2008.

Here are two MP3s from Nakamura's Ulysses:

Suitcase - Goh Nakamura
Hangman - Goh Nakamura

You can Download Ulysses for free or purchase the CD extra edition.

All downloads/purchases of Ulysses includes a specially selected collection of songs by some of Goh's favorite bands:Odessa Chen, The Invisible Cities, Scrabbel, Michelle Amador, Adam Shulman, Nyles Lannon, Grand Hallway, the Botticellis, Picture Atlantic, Annie Lin, Love is Chemicals, The Lofty Pillars, Lucien Lamotte, David Rhodes.

Labels: Goh Nakamura, Indie Artist/Group Profiles

11:53 AM November 8, 2008 4 Comments

The Laureates Debut Album Out Nov. 11th

With praise from the music mainstream press and bloggers worldwide, Chicago-based indie rock band The Laureates are set to release their debut full-length album There Are No More Gentlemen on November 11th.

A writer for the popular music site 3Hive said of the new album: "Laureates fans beat me to some apt descriptions like 'equal parts paisley and punk' and 'Interpol produced by Phil Spector.' Absolutely right up my alley." The Chicagoist called it "60s inspired pop with a new millennial sensibility."

MP3: "A Novel Approach" from the forthcoming debut album by The Laureates.

The Laureates have become one of Chicago's most popular indie rock bands over the past couple of years and were successful in creating the all-important "blogger buzz" by opening for indie artists like Frightened Rabbit and The Spinto Band.

The band formed, and reformed, during a two-year process between 2005 and 2007, drawing on musicians from states like Iowa, Illinois and Kentucky. The Laureates is the brain-child of Chad Preston. Preston had written a collection of songs, his PR firm says, "that was exciting enough to inspire him to go out and find the right team to perform the songs."

Preston assembled bassist Crawfie Ward, drummer Peter Gray and guitarist Adam Penly, and together with Mike Lust from Phantom Manor Recording in Chicago, recorded all 13 songs, during a time that spanned from December 2007 through March 2008.

The resulting songs contained on There Are No More Gentlemen feature a blend of influences from bands like The Kinks, Spoon, The Creation, The Replacements and Guided by Voices, drawing off "the spirits of '60s freakbeat, pop, garage, indie rock, psychedelia, and post-punk."

Fans and interested music listeners can download The Laureate's 7" EP for free.

The band's official record release show will be held at Chicago's Empty Bottle club on November 19, 2008.

New feature: Halloween indie playlists to get you in the mood for Halloween week.

Labels: Free Indie Albums, Indie Artist/Group Profiles, The Laureates

2:48 PM October 23, 2008 0 Comments

Against Me!'s Tom Gabel Goes Solo with EP and Tour

Against Me! singer Tom Gabel will hit the road for a solo tour at the end of October accompanied by Chuck Ragan (Hot Water Music), Ben Nichols (Lucero), and Tim Barry (Avail) on the Revival Tour.

MP3: "Thrash Unreal" by Against Me!

The frontmen will trade off playing solo sets of their own songs as well as collaborating on each others material, according to a press release from Earshot Media. Gabel is launching the tour in support of his upcoming seven-song solo EP, entitled Heart Burns (see track listing below), which will be released on CD, digitally and on vinyl by Sire Records on October 28th.

The centerpiece of the EP is "Anna Is A Stool Pigeon," which Gabel wrote after reading about environmental activist Eric McDavid who was convicted in 2007 of conspiring to use explosives to damage corporate and government property after being implicated by an undercover FBI informant who posed as an activist. McDavid's defense has argued that he was the victim of entrapment. He currently faces a sentence of up to 20 years in prison.

"What struck me most about the story was a sense of familiarity," Gabel says. "I know the scene he was a part of, I used to be a part of it myself. I've thought the same thoughts, talked the same talk. I've hung out with the same people, gone to similar protests. If Eric could have become the target of an FBI sting operation, then so could I. This could have been me."

The EP was recorded late August in Los Angeles on a short two week break in between Against Me! tours. Gabel co-produced the EP along with Billy Bush, while Butch Vig executive produced. The EP contains several guest appearances including Chuck Ragan and Matt Skiba (Alkaline Trio).

Gabel's solo tour will begin once Against Me! complete their upcoming U.S. tour with Ted Leo and the Pharmacists, which begins on October 1st. Against Me! have been touring non-stop in support of their current album, the Butch Vig-produced New Wave, which was released by Sire Records in July 2007.

Called "the most invigorating, zeitgeist-capturing rock album in years" by Spin Magazine, New Wave was named the magazine's "Album of the Year," and also appeared in the Top 10 on Rolling Stone, Blender, and MTV.com's year-end "Best Album" lists. New Wave has spawned two singles, "White People for Peace" and "Thrash Unreal," which became the band's first single to chart in the U.S. when it climbed to No. 11 on the Modern Rock chart.

Gabel has announced plans to post every Wednesday on his MySpace page, a video for each song on Heart Burns. These videos will not feature the album audio, but rather exclusive live audio of Gabel singing on camera.

The first (for the song "100 Years of War") is already up. View it at http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=43422974.

He is also keeping a blog at http://www.ifeelsicktomystomach.blogspot.com where fans can check in to get the latest info about the upcoming tour and EP.

Track-listing for Heart Burns:

"Random Hearts"
"Conceptual Paths"
"Cowards Sing at Night"
"Amputations"
"Anna Is A Stool Pigeon"
"Harsh Realms"
"100 Years of War"

Tom Gabel's upcoming solo dates on the Revival Tour:

10/31 Pomona, CA, The Glass House
11/01 Hollywood, CA, The Knitting Factory
11/02 San Diego, CA, The Casbah
11/04 Las Vegas, NV, The Beauty Bar
11/05 Tempe, AZ, The Clubhouse
11/07 Lubbock, TX, Tequila Jungle
11/08 Dallas, TX, The Door - Prophet Bar
11/09 Austin, TX, Waterloo Park
11/10 Houston, TX, Walter's on Washington
11/13 Little Rock, AR, Juanita's
11/14 Memphis, TN, Hi Tone Café
11/15 Birmingham, AL, Workplay Theatre
11/16 W. Columbia, SC, New Brookland Tavern

Headlining:

11/20 NYC, NY - The Knitting Factory

Tom Gabel's MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/tomgabelmusic

Labels: Against Me, Indie Artist/Group Profiles, Indie Rock Tours, Indie Solo Artists, Tom Gabel

7:10 PM September 29, 2008 0 Comments

Indie Band of the Month: The Spinto Band

I've always been a sucker for indie bands that have great web sites, especially those that are built with Flash, despite it's limitations (such as embedded audio tracks - MP3, please). But The Spinto Band's new website is something to behold.

The site has a starry-midnight-moon-glow theme going on, which is appropriate as Halloween is only two months away. Right now, the content is a bit thin, but the band plans to offer new material each Tuesday up to the October 7 release of their new album release, MoonWink.

MP3: "Summer Grof" - The Spinto Band from the forthcoming new album release MoonWink, due out on October 7.

Bonus Tracks (MP3 can expire at anytime)

MP3: "Vivian, Don't" - The Spinto Band
MP3: "Needlepoint" - The Spinto Band

The site design and navigation in Flash is awesome, so check it out if you a fan, or are curious about the band.

There are no official MP3s from MoonWink available, but there is a Flash stream for some songs on the album including "Summer Grof".

The band's new UK label calls the album "11 tracks of bendy indie pop behaviour that very occasionally sounds like ELO being played backwards." We shall see, fluff masters.

Last week, The Spinto Band signed with Fierce Panda Records after what the label calls "months of intense negotiations." The band exploded onto the indie rock scene in 2005 after their song "Oh Mandy" became an unexpected hit record.

Soon, the latest spring chickens of indie rock were opening for established rockers like The Arctic Monkeys, The Strokes, Art Brut and Rilo Kiley.

To up the ante for their latest release, The Spinto Band signed on producer/engineer Dave Trumfio (Wilco, Built To Spill, Billy Bragg, Mates of State) and mixing engineer Tchad Blake (Tom Waits, Los Lobos, Cibo Matto, Paul Simon).

+ The Spinto Band MySpace Page

Labels: Indie Artist/Group Profiles, New Indie Rock, New Releases, The Spinto Band

11:58 AM August 30, 2008 0 Comments

Download Free MP3 Album, The Slip, From Nine Inch Nails

After writing about Nine Inch Nails a few weeks ago, a number of you have written to me pointing out that I did not include the link to NIN's new album free download.

Oops! You're right, I did, and now after having listened The Slip by NIN's for a few weeks, I'm convinced it's worth downloading, especially for free.

There are few 'big name' indie and alternative bands out nowadays willing to offer their music for free, but if you think about it, the strategy is a smart one. Not only do you create loyalty with long-time fans, but it's also a great way to attract new fans. And thus, sell more concert tickets and merchandise.

Let's face it, the give-our-music-out-for-free approach is working, as bands like NIN have shown. Now it's up to many other music artists and bands to follow their lead, and in return, grow their base.

The record industry made windfall profits off CD sales for decades; but the formula has changed and the sooner they embrace it, the better off they will be in the long haul.

If you're a Nine Inch Nails fan, you probably already know that the band will be performing tomorrow, August 10th, at the Virgin Mobile Festival in Baltimore. Check back later for YouTube and other videos from the 2008 Virgin Festival lineup.

Download The Slip for free at NIN official website.

The following is the official NIN's music video for the track "Lights in the Sky" from their latest free release, The Slip:

Labels: Free Music Downloads, Indie Artist/Group Profiles, Nine Inch Nails, The Slip Free Download

8:59 PM August 9, 2008 1 Comments

Artist of the Month: Black Kids

Black Kids is set to release a new, full-length album (albeit for Columbia Records) called Partie Traumatic on July 22.

With danceable, catchy songs reminiscent of a mix between The Cure and Arcade Fire, Jacksonville, Florida's indie outfit Black Kids have received a heavy dose of critical acclaim, blogger buzz, and the inevitable backlash over the past year.

The band, who made it on to the indie music map with the singles "I'm Not Gonna Teach Your Boyfriend How to Dance With You" and "Hurricane Jane" (see link below) is now under enormous pressure with the upcoming release of their debut album, and fans and critics will be expecting more than just a hurried release containing a set of mediocre songs.

However, it is important to note that the band's 'debut' only contains three new songs. That is not something that works in the band's favor or will necessarily sell more records than an album that contains a full set of new songs.

It's always amusing, and somehow pretentious, for the naysayers of indie rock 'sensations' - as Black Kids have become - to conveniently praise a talented new band and then turn around and bash them for becoming popular, which is sort of what I'm doing here, but not really, because overall, their music speaks for itself - and does a fine job at that.

If they were pretentious and in-your-face about their indie stardom, as some musicians are, that would be a different story. So far, all indications point to an amazingly creative and exciting band with catchy sound and name.

If you are not familiar with Black Kids, you can listen to this free MP3 from Black Kids and also following some of the music links to stream their music, get more information about the band and access their playlists on various social networking sites.

MP3: Hurricane Jane by Black Kids from the upcoming debut album, Partie Traumatic

The following is the song and video - "I Don't Want To Teach Your Boyfriend How to Dance With You" - that put the band into the spotlight (especially in the U.K., where the band has a large, loyal following):

Black Kids Links

Black Kids MySpace page

Black Kids official website

Black Kids profile on AllMusic.com

Black Kids on Imeem, Last.fm and MTV

You can pre-order Partie Traumatic now.

(Disclaimer: IRC has no affiliation with any of the links provided above; links are provided as additional resource for our readers)

Black Kids' 2008 Tour Dates:

Jun 28 2008

2:30P

Glastonbury Festival

Glastonbury, England

Jun 29 2008

8:00P

Wakestock Festival

Oxford, England

Jul 1 2008

8:00P

Nouveau Casino

Paris, France

Jul 2 2008

8:00P

The Rescue Rooms [SOLD OUT]

Nottingham, England

Jul 3 2008

8:00P

The Cockpit [SOLD OUT]

Leeds, England

Jul 4 2008

8:00P

O2 Wireless Festival

London, England

Jul 5 2008

8:00P

Barfly

Liverpool, England

Jul 7 2008

8:00P

iTunes Live Festival at KOKO w/Foals

London, England

Jul 10 2008

8:00P

Concorde 2 [SOLD OUT]

Brighton, England

Jul 11 2008

8:00P

Lounge On The Farm Festival

Canterbury, England

Jul 12 2008

8:00P

Oxegen Festival

Naas, Ireland

Jul 13 2008

8:00P

T in the Park Festival

Kinross-shire, Scotland

Jul 18 2008

2:00P

Latitude Festival

Southwold, England

Jul 19 2008

6:00P

Camp Bestival

Dorset, England

Jul 25 2008

8:00P

Santo’s Party House

New York, New York

Jul 29 2008

8:00P

El Rey Theatre

Los Angeles, California

Aug 1 2008

8:00P

Lollapalooza Festival

Chicago, Illinois

Aug 14 2008

8:00P

Frequency Festival

Salzburg, Austria

Aug 15 2008

8:00P

Highfield Festival

Erfurt-Hohenfelden, Germany

Aug 16 2008

2:00P

Pukkelpop Festival

Hasselt, Belgium

Aug 17 2008

2:00P

Lowlands Festival

Biddinghuizen, Netherlands

Aug 20 2008

8:00P

Carling Academy [SOLD OUT]

Newcastle, England

Aug 21 2008

8:00P

Thekla

Bristol, England

Aug 23 2008

12:00P

Reading Festival

Reading, England

Aug 24 2008

12:00P

Leeds Festival

Leeds, England

Aug 25 2008

12:00P

Last Days Of Summer Festival

Buckingham, England

Aug 29 2008

2:00P

Rock en Seine Festival

Paris, France

Aug 31 2008

2:00P

Jersey Live Festival

Jersey, England

Sep 5 2008

2:00P

Bestival

Isle of Wight, England

Sep 19 2008

8:00P

Freebird Live

Jacksonville, Florida

Sep 20 2008

8:00P

The Social

Orlando, Florida

Sep 21 2008

8:00P

Crowbar

Tampa, Florida

Sep 23 2008

8:00P

The Earl

Atlanta, Georgia

Sep 24 2008

8:00P

40 Watt Club

Athens, Georgia

Sep 25 2008

8:00P

Cat’s Cradle

Carrboro, North Carolina

Sep 26 2008

8:00P

Ottobar

Baltimore, Maryland

Sep 26 2008

8:00P

Black Cat

Washington, DC

Sep 29 2008

8:00P

First Unitarian Church

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Oct 2 2008

8:00P

Paradise

Boston, Massachusetts

Oct 4 2008

8:00P

Cabaret Musee Juste Pour Rire

Montreal, Quebec

Oct 5 2008

8:00P

The Mod Club

Toronto, Ontario

Oct 6 2008

8:00P

Metro

Chicago, Illinois

Oct 7 2008

8:00P

7th Street Entry

Minneapolis, Minnesota

Oct 10 2008

8:00P

Neumo’s

Seattle, Washington

Oct 11 2008

8:00P

Richards on Richards

Vancouver, British Columbia

Oct 12 2008

8:00P

Hawthorne Theater

Portland, Oregon

Oct 13 2008

8:00P

The Fillmore Auditorium

San Francisco, California

Labels: 2008 Indie Rock, Black Kids, Indie Artist/Group Profiles

9:55 PM June 28, 2008 0 Comments

The Fleet Foxes Mix Indie Pop, Acoustic, Folk and Harmonic Vocals For Entralling Sounds

I must admit that there are many indie artists and bands that fly under my radar for months after they've received the so-called "blogger buzz". This is no more so the case than with the Washington state band The Fleet Foxes.

Drawing strongly off influences from The Beach Boys, Crosby, Stills and Nash, Simon and Garfunkel, Neil Young and The Zombies, The Fleet Foxes are one of the most exciting new indie bands of 2008.

Fleet Foxes' debut, self-titled album is nothing less than a masterpiece woven with carefully-crafted songs about longing and lost love lavishly laden with pop harmonies and melodies.

"They are, for lack of an imminently more marketable descriptor, a group trafficking in baroque harmonic pop," the band's profile on Sub Pop reads, highlighting "traditions of folk music, pop, choral music and gospel, sacred harp singing, West Coast music, traditional music from Ireland to Japan, film scores."

Heather Phares wrote in the All Music Guide: "[Fleet Foxes] mix and match British and American folk and rock from the far and not too distant past that makes the band's music so refreshing.

While this mix could be contrived or indulgent, Fleet Foxes use restraint, structuring their flourishes into three- and four-minute pop songs full of chiming melodies and harmonies that sound like they've been summoned from centuries of traditional songs and are full of vivid, universal imagery: mountains, birds, family, death. "

The band comprises Skyler Skjelset on guitar, Bryn Lumsden on bass, Nicholas Peterson on drums, and Casey Wescott on keyboards. Following some solid shows in Seattle, the band was was contacted by producer Phil Ek, who produced The Shins and Built to Spill.

Ek produced the bands spring 2008 EP release, Sun Giant, and the band's debut full-length album for Sub Pop Records.

MP3: "White Winter Hymna" by The Fleet Foxes off the self-titled album on Sub Pop Records, released in June 2008.

Sub Pop also has in its lineup of artists many great indie bands and artists like Grand Archives, Iron & Wine, Foals, The Go! Team, Bands of Horses, The Postal Service, Sleater-Kinney, CSS, Mudhoney, The Rapture, Wolf Parade, Low, Rogue Wave and dozens more.

Seattle is etched in rock history as the birthplace of alternative rock, most especially in respect to "grunge" - a musical genre that captivated a generation for half of a decade thanks in large part to the explosive success of Nirvana.

For the baby boom generation, The Beatles were band that defined a generation. For the mislabeled "Generation X" there is no other band that can compare to the enormous influence and success of The Beatles except for Kurt Cobain and Nirvana.

But in recent years, the caffeinated city of Seattle, has been the breeding ground for new, more mellow indie rock and pop that draws heavily off musical trends established during the baby boomers heydays. The Fleet Foxes definitely appeal to a wide audience because of their amazing range in styles and sounds and introspective lyrics.

Upcoming Fleet Foxes shows from their 2008 concert tour:

Thursday, June 26 - Bottom of the Hill, San Francisco CA
Friday, June 27 - Casbah, San Diego CA
Saturday, June 28 - Echo, Los Angeles CA
Sunday, June 29 - Spaceland, Los Angeles CA
Monday, June 30 - Solar Culture, Tucson AZ
Wednesday, July 2 - Mohawk, Austin TX
Thursday, July 3 - Loft, Dallas TX
Saturday, July 5 - Drunken Unicorn, Atlanta GA
Sunday, July 6 - Local 506, Chapel Hill NC
Monday, July 7 - Black Cat, Washington DC
Tuesday, July 8 - First Unitarian Church, Philadelphia PA
Wednesday, July 9 - Bowery Ballroom, The, New York City NY
Monday, July 14 - Middle East, Cambridge MA upstairs
Tuesday, July 15 - Le Divan Orange, Montreal Canada
Friday, July 18 - Terrace, Madison WI
Saturday, July 19 - Pitchfork Music Festival, Chicago IL
Sunday, July 20 - 7th St Entry, Minneapolis MN
Tuesday, July 22 - Hi-Dive, Denver CO
Wednesday, July 23 - Kilby Court, Salt Lake City UT
Friday, July 25 - Doug Fir Lounge, Portland OR

View the MySpace page for The Fleet Foxes and listen to their studio session on National Public Radio.

Labels: Fleet Foxes, Indie Artist/Group Profiles, Seattle Bands, Subpop Records

9:46 AM June 26, 2008 0 Comments

Firewater's The Golden Hour Features Music Genres Mixed with International Influences

Firewater's April 2008 release, The Golden Hour, has been widely hailed as its best album to date, rich with instruments (some played by native musicians), stories and sounds reflecting an adventurous trek across the Middle East and Asia.

The careful weaving of sitars and trumpets with bongos and a heavy bass line provides for a collection of mostly original, festive and danceable songs. Sprickled across the album are many additional instruments that date hundreds of years, like the tumba, chimta, and dholki.

MP3: "Some Kind of Kindness" by Firewater from The Golden Hour
MP3: "6:45 (So This Is How It Feels)" by Firewater from The Golden Hour

MySpace: Firewater

The Golden Hour is very much founding member Tom A.'s musical travelogue featuring influences from journeys across Turkey, Indonesia, Pakistan and India. Tod A. chronicled his travels in the blog Postcards From the Edge of the World. Having recently divorced and disgusted by the re-election of President Bush in 2004, decided to leave the U.S.

The album contains some stand out tracks, including "Hey Clown", "Borneo", "Feels Like The End of the World" and "Some Kind of Kindness".

Firewater: Founded, 1995

Firewater is a continuously morphing, work-in-progress indie collaborative outfit from New York that has actually been around since 1995, when grunge was all the rage.

Firewater's 1995 debut album, Get Off The Cross (We Need The Wood For The Fire), was not well received by critics and the band failed to gain a notable following.

Three years later, the band returned with the same formula and line-up, including Soul Coughing drummer Yuval Gabay and Jesus Lizard guitarist Duane Denison, to release its sophomore effort - The Ponzi Scheme. The album contained a few worthy songs, but for the most part was largely dismissed.

It wasn't until 2001's pop-heavy Psychopharmacology, featuring saxophonist Ori Kaplan and sitar player Oren Bloedow, that the band made a breakthrough, receiving wide praise, including a 3.5 star rating from the All Music Guide.

"Psychopharmacology contains the requisite disgruntlement of a Firewater album, and all of angst-ridden underpinnings of testosterone-laced pop."

The band took another hiatus, but pumped out two respectable albums in less than a year - 2003's "stripped-down, razor-wire-wrapped effort" The Man on the Burning Tightrope, followed by Songs We Should Have Written in 2004.

With the release of The Golden Hour, and an impressive performance South by Southwest, plus plenty of the all important 'blogger love', 2008 may be Firewater's biggest ever.

It doesn't hurt that over the past couple of years indie rock music featuring sounds from other cultures and instruments has gained popularity, evidenced by popular indie artists like Beirut, The Decemberists and Vampire Weekend, to name a few.

The downside of Firewater's collective music catalogue is that much of it sounds too much like the Squirrel Nut Zippers, and at times conjures up images of a drunken Uncle Bob attempting to dance in the backyard after an outdoor barbecue, when most of the guests have already left.

Labels: Best Indie Artists, Firewater, Indie Artist/Group Profiles

6:53 PM June 21, 2008 0 Comments

NYC's Vampire Weekend Continue Relentless Touring

With a catchy name and unique sound that combines indie rock-pop and Afro influences, New York's collegiate 'indie' sensation Vampire Weekend have managed to become one of the the hottest bands during the past two years, selling out shows, performing on Saturday Night Live and garnering a massive amount of buzz in the mainstream press and on countless music blogs.

But there are disadvantages of being so popular; there are music fans who absolutely love the band, and there are others who declare VW are vastly over-rated.

Live MP3: Vampire Weekend performing "M79" at SxSW 2008

Yet the soaring popularity of the band appears to be unabated. That can be a good and a bad thing, as we’ve seen so many times before. Nonetheless, I’d bet my Cadillac that many record labels are in a bidding war for these guys right now.

The band has toured relentlessly since early 2007, and there is no sign that they intend to take a break. In fact, VW are booked solid through the end of September when they will play at the famous Austin City Limits festival.

Here's Vampire Weekend's tour dates for the next four months. It seems as if they are playing nearly every music festival this summer, not just in the U.S., but worldwide:

May 13 2008 - 8:00P
Electric Ballroom (SOLD OUT)
London, UK
May 15 2008 - 1:00P
Great Escape Festival @ Concorde 2
Brighton, UK
May 17 2008 - 8:00P
Orangerie
Brussels, Belgium
May 18 2008 - 8:00P
Luxor
Koln, Germany
May 19 2008 - 8:00P
Le Trabendo
Paris, France
May 20 2008 - 8:00P
Melkweg
Amsterdam, Holland
May 21 2008 - 8:00P
Knust
Hamburg, Germany
May 22 2008 - 8:00P
Maria
Berlin, Germany
May 23 2008 - 8:00P
Kleine Elserhalle
Munich, Germany
May 26 2008 - 8:00P
Circolo degli Artisti
Rome, Italy
May 27 2008 - 8:00P
Bologna Rocker Festival
Bologna, Italy
May 28 2008 - 8:00P
Mascotte
Zurich, Switzerland
May 29 2008
Primavera Sound Festival
Barcelona, Spain
May 30 2008 - 8:00P
Porto Casa da Musica
Porto, Portugal
Jun 7 2008 - 4:30P
Park Ave CDs
Orlando, Florida
Jun 7 2008 - 8:00P
Club Firestone
Orlando, Florida
Jun 8 2008 - 8:00P
Cafe Eleven
St. Augustine, Florida
Jun 9 2008 - 8:00P
The Fillmore at the Jackie Gleason
Miami, Florida
Jun 11 2008 - 8:00P
The Variety Playhouse
Atlanta, Georgia
Jun 12 2008 - 1:00P
Bonnaroo
Manchester, Tennessee
Jun 13 2008 - 1:00P
Monolith Festival - Red Rocks
Denver, Colorado
Jun 14 2008 - 1:00P
Central Park Summer Stage
New York, New York
Jun 21 2008
Popped! Music Festival - Drexel University
Philadelphia, PA
Jun 24 2008 - 1:00P
Hove Festival
Arendal, Norway
Jun 25 2008
Accelerator
Stockholm, Sweden
Jun 27-28 2008
Glastonbury Festival
Glastonbury, UK
Jul 1 2008
Tivoli
Utrecht, Holland
Jul 3 2008
Werchter Festival
Werchter, Belgium
Jul 4 2008
Solidays Festival
Paris, France
Jul 5 2008
Les Eurockeennes Festival
Belfort, France
Jul 6 2008
Main Square Festival
Roubaix, France
Jul 8 2008
Turin Spaziale Festival w/The Raconteurs
Turin, Italy
Jul 10 2008
Alive Festival
Lisbon, Portugal
Jul 12 2008
Oxegen Festival
Naas, Ireland
Jul 13 2008
T in the Park
Kinross, Scotland
Jul 19 2008
Pitchfork Festival @ Union Park
Chicago, IL
Jul 25 2008
Capital Hill Block Party
Seattle, WA
Jul 27 2008
Pemberton Festival
Pemberton, BC
Aug 9 2008 - 8:00P
Summer Sonic - Tokyo
Tokyo, Japan
Aug 10 2008 - 8:00P
Summer Sonic - Osaka
Osaka, Japan
Aug 22 2008
Reading Festival
Reading, UK
Aug 23 2008
Leeds Festival
Leeds, UK
Sep 24 2008 - 8:00P
Marquee Theatre
Tempe, AZ
Sep 27 2008
Austin City Limits - Zilker Park
Austin, TX

If you'd like to see the band live, it is strongly recommended to get tickets once they go on sale, since tickets have regularly gone for double and triple the price on eBay and other third-party ticket auction sites.

One of the most interesting things about a band from New York City is that they have a number of songs about Massachusetts in their limited music repertoire ("Boston", "Ladies of Cambridge" and "Cape Cod Kawasa Kawasa")

The band describes their sound as “Upper West Side Soweto” - a reference to their early gigs playing at frat and literary parties for NYC social elites where people began to take notice of their unique blend of joyous indie rock infused with melodic Afro-beat rhythms.

Vampire Weekend's band members are Ezra Koenig, Chris Baio, Rostam Batmanglij, and Chris Tomson. The group derived their name from a college film project shortly after forming in 2006.

Their first release, the EP Mansford Roof, caught the attention of music critics, including The New York Times. Word spread quickly about Vampire Weekend's unique sound and lyrics (the track "Oxford Comma" refers to a comma use in a list of three items), buoyed by the band's self-released EPs, which they recorded in locations spanning their Columbia dorm rooms to a family barn.

The buzz around Vampire Weekend reached a feverish peak in 2007; that summer, the band embarked on a seemingly endless tour in 2007, made several appearances at that year's CMJ Music Marathon, and eventually signed with XL Records that fall.

Since then, Vampire Weekend has continued to grow in popularity, evidenced by the fact that most of their shows for this spring and summer have already been sold out.

Some worthwhile VW links, including audio and video performances:

Vampire Weekend: Fresh blood on campus - UK Telegraph

See more Vampire Weekend on IRC including a special and exclusive video performance shot at San Francisco's Rickshaw Stop show on Easter Sunday.

Streaming Video Session: Vampire Weekend live on KCRW

Webs: Vampire Weekend's official website and MySpace page.

Labels: Indie Artist/Group Profiles, Indie Buzz Bands, New York, Vampire Weekend

1:05 AM May 15, 2008 0 Comments

Indie Artist of the Week: Canada's The Weakerthans

The Weakerthans, a Canadian indie band from Winnipeg, put themselves on the music map back in the late 1990's, and have been impressing critics and fans with subsequent, yet limited, releases ever since.

The band's latest album, Reunion Tour, released last fall, has received wide praise by the music press, bloggers and fans, making many top album lists for 2007.

Comprising an exciting mix of punk revival and melodic indie rock, Paste magazine hailed Reunion Tour as a collection of "songs of brutal beauty, little rock n roll vignettes that perfectly capture the malaise of the peculiar, disorienting times in which we live."

Here is the hit single music video "Civil Twilight" from The Weakerthans' Reunion Tour CD:

Propagandhi member John K. Samson left his former band and joined Red Fisher drummer Jason Tait and bassist John Sutton to create The Weakerthans in 1997. Later guitarist Steve Carroll and bassist Greg Smith joined the lineup.

The band, especially founder, John Samson, doesn't just record and play music; they are actively involved in promoting the fight against poverty and advocating for environmental conservation. Samson's 'day job' includes his publishing company, Arbeiter Ring Publishing.

Reunion Tour was, in a sense, aptly named since the band's last release before that, Reconstruction Site, was issued back in 2003 on Epitaph Records.

MP3: The Weakerthans - "Plea From A Cat Named Virtue" from Reconstruction Site

MP3: The Weakerthans - "Aside" from Last and Leaving

You can listen to and download more music, plus watch various music videos, from The Weakerthans on their official web site. Also, check out The Weakerthan's MySpace page and Facebook profile to social network with the band, get tour information, connect with fans and stream songs.

The Weakerthans were the first band in the CBC Radio 3's R3-30 chart history to hit the No. 1 spot with two different songs in the same year - a cover of Rheostatics "Bad Time to Be Poor" during the week of June 21, 2007, followed up in November 2007 by another No. 1 song, "Civil Twilight", their hit single from Reunion Tour.

The band released their debut album, Fallow, to wide praise from music critics and fans in 1998, on the indie label cooperative, G7& Welcoming Records. In 2000, The Weakerthans issued their sophomore record Left and Leaving, followed a year later by the EP Watermark.

Left and Leaving was eventually named one of the ten best Canadian albums of all time in a Chart magazine readers' poll last year. Epitaph re-released Fallow and Left and Leaving in Canada on November 6, 2007.

Labels: Canadian Indie Bands, Indie Artist/Group Profiles, The Weakerthans

1:11 PM May 4, 2008 0 Comments

Chan Marshall Powers Down Vocals on Doc's Orders; Tour Dates Canceled

Catpower Photograph by Anton Corbijn

According to the official website of Matador Records, Cat Power, aka Chan Marshall, has announced the cancellation of part of her 2008 spring tour.

The famous "Nora Jones of indie", Marshall, has canceled her next five shows, reportedly. The announcement, sure to let down hundreds, if not thousands, of ticket holders, comes after the cancellation of Cat Power's concert Thursday night in Tempe, Arizona. Marshall will not be performing tonight in Dallas as scheduled.

Matador Records has said that Cat Power's next five shows will also be canceled, per doctor's orders that a strain on her vocal chords must be meet with rest and no singing.

From what we can gather, the following upcoming shows, including a performance at the Beale Street Music Festival in Memphis on May 3, 2008, will not go on.

Saturday, April 19 - Dallas, TX at the Palladium Ballroom (canceled)
Sunday, April 20 - Austin, TX at Stubb's - Outside (canceled)
Tuesday, April 22 - Houston, TX at the Warehouse (canceled)
Saturday, May 3 - Memphis, TN Beale Street Music Festival (canceled)

The following dates have not been confirmed as being canceled yet:

Monday, May 26 - Lisbon, Portugal at Lisbon Coliseum
Wednesday, May 28 - Porto, Portugal at Porto Coliseum

See more concert dates for Cat Power's 2008 tour schedule.

MP3: Cat Power - The Greatest

The following is a YouTube video of Cat Power playing "Lived in Bars":

Labels: Canceled Shows, Cat Power, Cat Power Tour Dates, Chan Marshall, Indie Artist/Group Profiles, Indie Rock Artists, Matador Records

4:19 PM April 19, 2008 0 Comments

Steve Malkmus Manages To Be A Jick By His Own Definition

Former Pavement frontman and one of the original trailblazers that delivered 'indie' music to the masses during the 1990s, Stephen Malkmus, appeared on FOX News' (WTF4?!?!) program "RedEye" last Friday (at 3 am - when every one's watching) and, well, disappointed some fans, including yours truly, with his apparent snooty and less-than-dignified persona.

Maybe I'm over-reacting, but the interview (watch the video segment) speaks for itself. It's a good educated guess that many Pavement/Malkmus fans may get a different opinion of the 'indie rock sensation' after seeing this clip. Maybe it's just me (although other bloggers were left with a luke warm feeling as well). Is Malkmus a FOX News type of 'thinker'? If so, what a let down.

Not only did Malkmus actually agree to do an interview on FOX News, but he also made what some consider a semi-racist remark, not surprising for a guest on FOX News, but this guy is a representative of indie rock. In another interview, Malkmus compares his music more to the 'underground' than the 'indie fashion.' What?!

Steve, you're not underground at all; you're a multi-millionaire preppy rock star - hardly an 'underground' musician. Even if Malkmus means 'underground' in an artistic sense - that is "holding unorthodox views in an environment where conventional ideas dominate" - he's the one that went on FOX News and acted like a pompous ass.

In response to the question from the always annoying (maybe that's why he's on when no one's watching) Greg Gutfeld about the origin of the word 'jick' (Malkmus' band name is the Jicks), Malkmus said: "I don't know what ghetto that comes from" and went on to elaborate that he believes it means someone who is "between a dick and a jerk." Irony?

Fame often kills the 'indie' in a musician, and yeah Malkmus has made some of the greatest grunge and indie rock ever, but watching this interview left me with a stomach ache. This is the guy who was the force behind Pavement and he's doing a stupid, 'I'm-all-that' interview on FOX News with Greg Gutfeld, who asked one stupid question after another.

It is just head-scratching and disappointing that one of indie rock's most celebrated frontmen would go on FOX News channel and make such an ass of himself with the help of Gutfeld. I wish I'd never seen the damn interview, so if you're a die-hard Pavement fan, you might want to save yourself the trouble and skip it - not 'underground' or true to grunge/indie ideals at all.

The bitch-fest about Malkmus on FOX didn't start here; check out what others had to say:

Stereogum
Pitchfork
Prefix

Just in case you are curious about the debut album Real Emotional Trash, here's a free, legal track off the new album:

MP3: Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks - Baltimore from the new album Real Emotional Trash

* Maybe Malkmus should go to a 'ghetto' somewhere and ask around what 'jick' means and come back to us and explain to us what he meant by the "I-don't-know-what-ghetto-that-comes-from" remark. And perhaps, he could clarify that whether he really thinks he's in the same league as Bach and if he endorses FOX News distorted agenda of blatant support and advocacy of the right-wing agenda. (Ugh)

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Labels: 2008 Indie Rock, Albums: Real Emotional Trash, Indie Artist/Group Profiles, Indie Rock Legends, Pavement, Stephen Malkmus, Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks

9:55 AM April 2, 2008 1 Comments

Vampire Weekend's Free 40 Minute Studio Session on KCRW

(photo, courtesy of CrackersUnited)

Even before their 'big time' appearance on Saturday Night Live earlier this month, Vampire Weekend was one of the biggest new bands of 2008, if not the biggest new band of the year, at least as far as the 'buzz factor' goes.

Weeks leading up to the February release of their debut self-titled album on Beggar's Banquet, VW had captured the attention of bloggers, music critics and 'indie' fans, mostly due to their performances last year in concert, at music festivals and their Feb. 1st U.S. network debut on the David Letterman Show.

Vampire Weekend - Boston

Vampire Weekend - Walcott

Vampire Weekend - A-Punk

(Watch and listen to Vampire Weekend play a 40-minute session clicking the video further down the page)

Many fans were disappointed by VW's performance on SNL (the string section wasn't synced with the band). Even the full-length clips of Vampire Weekend performing on SNL have been removed from YouTube; however, they have reappeared on Stereogum.

But, really, you can forget about the SNL show. Without question, it is the band's 40-minute studio session on KCRW's Morning Becomes Eclectic this past Valentine's Day that shows Vampire Weekend at their best. Not only that, but everyone watch it. This is one of the best things about the Internet.

Die-hard fans all around the world who have been unable to see Vampire Weekend in concert should really enjoy this session. It may be the closest many come to see the band in concert, and in some cases, even better.

During the 40-minute studio performance, Vampire Weekend's band members play almost every song from their debut album. The video and audio quality, and camera work, are superb (unlike most videos on YouTube) - no screaming, background noise or shakiness. See the set list below and some lyrics.

The first set of VW's KCRW February 14, 2008 studio session features, in order played, Mansun Roof, Oxford Comma, A-Punk, Cape Cod Kawassa Kawassa and Boston

Following the first set, there is a brief and wonderfully conducted interview with the band.

During the second set the guys play Bryn, Campus, I Stand Corrected, The Kids Don't Stand and M79.

View more Vampire Weekend lyrics at their official website.

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Labels: 2008 Indie Releases, Best Indie 2008, Best Indie Artists, Indie Artist/Group Profiles, Music Sessions, Vampire Weekend

6:58 PM March 18, 2008 1 Comments

Mark Kozelek and Sun Kil Moon's New Album, Book and Tour

Pained and hauntingly beautiful, Mark Kozelek's music as a solo artist and with Red House Painters and Sun Kil Moon has gained him great respect in the music community, especially among indie folk rock fans.

Kozelek's record label, Caldo Verde Records, announced this week the pre-order sales for both Sun Kil Moon's new album April and the re-issue of Kozelek's 2002 book Nights of Passed Over, a compendium of his lyrics and other writings through the years.

The limited edition (only 2,500 copies) re-issue of the hard-cover book will come along with a 12 song CD titled Nights LP, featuring live and rare versions of Kozelek's music from 1996 through 2007. The limited edition will be available for pre-order on March 17 on Caldo Verde Records website only.

The first 2,800 copies of April are autographed and numbered by Mark Kozekel and available for pre-order ($15.99) beginning March 12, 2008.

The release of April will mark the first original recording from Mark Kozelek since Tiny Cities (an album of Modest Mouse covers) in 2005 and Sun Kil Moon's 2003 debut classic Ghosts of the Great Highway, which was recently re-issued.

During the past decade, Kozelek's sombre acoustic sound, tender vocals and guilt-ridden and troubled lyrics propelled the otherwise shy and Kozelek in to the emerging indie rock 'blogosphere' where fans gobbled up his music and bloggers hailed the arrival of yet another brilliant songwriter. He has been compared to artists like Nick Drake and Elliot Smith.

Mark Kozelek's Music and Videos:

MP3 - "Ocean Breathes Salty" - Mark Kozelek/Sun Kil Moon
Stream - "Heron Blue" and "Drop" from Sun Kil Moon's upcoming release April.

The songs for April were recorded between March and August 2007 in San Francisco and Seattle. Contributors include other well-known artists like vocalists Bonnie Prince Billy, Eric Pollard and Ben Gibbard (Death Cab and Postal Service), plus drummer Anthony Koutsos (Red House Painters), bassist Geoff Stanfield (Black Lab), violist Michi Aceret and percussionist David Revelli.

April contains 11 songs that play for 74 minutes. On March 16, 2008, the album will be available as a digital download on the record label's site for $7.99 with album art included.

The following video is an interview with Mark Kozelek in which he performs "Bubble".

- Check the concert tours for Sun Kil Moon and Mark Kozelek
- Sun Kil Moon's MySpace page
- Sun Kil Moon's official website from their label Caldo Verde

Paste magazine's review of April:

“Kozelek’s work has proven over the years that it reveals itself slowly,” O’Connor writes about April. “What grabs you at first is the simple, gorgeous hook, which turns out to be a gateway drug to the deeper mysteries that power his music.”

Jonathan Cohen, Billboard

"From 10-minute, three-guitar jams to heartbreaking acoustic ballads, April shines with the most evocative music of Kozelek 's career."

Labels: 2008 Indie Releases, Anthony Koutsos, Ben Gibbard, Caldo Verde Records, Indie Artist/Group Profiles, Mark Kozekel, Sun Kil Moon

11:48 AM March 12, 2008 0 Comments

Angels and Airways Help Keep 'OC-Style' Pop Rock Alive

They are not necessarily 'indie' (whatever that is), because they are signed with Universal, but Angels and Airwaves are starting to get plenty of blog buzz.

The Adventure - Angels and Airwaves

Clearly, they are talented and make some catchy songs, but A&A may be a bit too polished by the record exces for their own good.

For example, this A&A video clip and the song could be straight outta OC.

Still, I have to admit I sometimes like the "OC style" - the corporate polished pop rock from heavily promoted artists and groups 'owned' by one of the Big Four.

While "OC style" branded pop rock is cool sometimes, my heart and soul are always with the indie bands, signed and unsigned, that keep amazing me each time I spin a new virtually unknown track or play catch-up and groove on songs that hit the Net six or more months ago.

It's hard to keep up with all the great music out there nowadays, but I'm doing my best. :-

Angel and Airwaves 2008 Concert Tour Listings:

Mar 7 2008
8:00P
Roseland Theatre
Portland, Oregon

Mar 8 2008
5:00P
Silver Platters
Seattle, Washington

Mar 8 2008
8:00P
SOLD OUT: ShowBox
Seattle, Washington

Mar 10 2008
8:00P
Warfield
San Francisco, California

Mar 12 2008
5:00P
Virgin Megastore-The Block at Orange- In Store Signing
Orange, California

Mar 12 2008
8:00P
SOLD OUT: House of Blues
Anaheim, California

Mar 13 2008
8:00P
Soma
San Diego, California

Mar 14 2008
8:00P
SOLD OUT: House of Blues
Anaheim, California

Mar 15 2008
8:00P
Wiltern
Los Angeles, California

Apr 2 2008
8:00P
Duo Music Exchange
Tokyo

Apr 3 2008
8:00P
Club Quattro
Nagoya

Apr 4 2008
8:00P
Zepp
Osaka

Apr 6 2008
8:00P
Makuhari Messe
Tokyo

Apr 10 2008
8:00P
Academy
Manchester

Apr 11 2008
8:00P
Academy
Glasgow

Apr 12 2008
8:00P
Academy
Birmingham

Apr 14 2008
8:00P
Guildhall
Southampton

Apr 15 2008
8:00P
Academy
Bristol

Apr 16 2008
8:00P
SOLD OUT: Astoria
London

Apr 17 2008
8:00P
2nd SHOW ADDED: ASTORIA
London

Apr 19 2008
8:00P
Polsslag Festival
Hasselt

Apr 20 2008
8:00P
Melkweg
Amsterdam

Apr 21 2008
8:00P
Bataclan
Paris

MySpace - Angels and Airwaves

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Labels: 2008 Indie Songs, Angels and Airwaves, Indie Artist/Group Profiles, Indie Pop, OC Rock, The Big Four, Universal Records

5:06 PM March 6, 2008 0 Comments

Watch STS9, Gov't Mule, REM, Modest Mouse, Built to Spill and Others at Langerado Festival

Indie music fans in south Florida are already arriving in south Florida for this weekend's Langerado Festival.

The 2008 Langerado Festival has a hot lineup for a relatively little-known music fest (compared to Lollapalooza, Coachella and Bonnaroo). During the next few days, IRC will highlight some of the headlining aritsts for Langerado 2008, including links and embeds of videos from the 08 festival performances as soon as they are available.

Today's featured Langerado artist is Sound Tribe Sector 9 (STS9). While they haven't released a new album in nearly three years (Artifact, 2005), the band has toured so much in recent years that fresh material doesn't seem to matter.

STS9, the dub-happy jam band from Georgia that has had a loyal following for a decade now, but only really broke through with Artifact (and relentless concerts and fest appearances) will take the stage on Friday, March 7, 2008 from 1 am to 4am (I double-checked it and that's what the schedule says).

The website iClips.net will stream the STS9 set and many other sets from all four days of the festival according to its website. So, you can bet there will be updates about that as more information and times come in. If you can't make it to Langerado, you might be able to get a lot closer with the continued advances in Internet technology!

In the meantime, here's a YouTube clip of STS9 performing "Aimlessly" at Langerado 2007:

Here's a popular video of STS9's David Phipps using the DIY 8x16 monome controller of "Be Nice". (monome.org).

MP3 - Sound Tribe Sector 9 - Be Nice

For anyone who was, or was not, at Red Rocks 2007 in Colorado, here's a great video performance that represents the band at its best performing a six-minute jam session.

The band also played at ACL Fest 2007 (in searing heat and dripping humidity) - here's a short, but excellent quality video of the band jamming at ACL 07 (not sure what the tune is though; some of STS9 music is improvised or spin-offs of songs in their catalog - which is surprisingly small).

Stay tuned to IRC for artist profiles, YouTube video performances from Langerado 2008, MP3s, blog reviews, photo galleries and more.

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Labels: Festivals, Indie Artist/Group Profiles, Langerado Festival, Langerado Lineup, Sound Tribe Sector 9, STS9

5:58 PM March 4, 2008 0 Comments

Artist of the Week: Vicious Vicious (Well Not Really, But Dang Good Music)

With a new album out and an eclectic and exciting discography behind them - albeit it's only a few dozen songs over six years - IRC's artist of the week is Minneapolis band Vicious Vicious. (photo above: the band looking really vicious.)

Originally a solo project and moniker of musician Erik Applewick, who recorded a set of songs on a four-track 2002 self released album titled Blood and Clover, Vicious Vicious sparked a passionate reaction from their hometown Minneapolis indie community, thanks to the additions of band members Darren Jackson, Alex Oa, and Martin Dosh, who helped provide the musical talent that made Applewick's songs even more impossible to ignore.

Since then, Vicious Vicious, an unlikely name for a band that is about as vicious as a poodle, has released only two additional albums. Nevertheless, the wait paid off with each release demonstrating a maturing, exciting and eclectic mix of pop, funk, psychedelic and rock influences that essentially make the band's sound stand out among so many other indie groups that are praised but really aren't half as good as Vicious Vicious are.

Parade was released in September of 2007 to rave reviews - even making the 2007 best album lists of many popular blogs and music sites.

You can stream many of the songs from Parade, and their other releases, on the band's official website. Don't be surprised if you find yourself listening to the entire stream of songs more than once - they are just that good.

Vicious Vicious first caught the attention of the indie underground fan base and bloggers in a significant way with the release of their 2005 album Don't Look So Surprised, which contains a number of memorable songs, not the least being the catchy, 'play that again' song "2 Much Time on My Hands" (not a cover of the 70's band Styx's song by the same name).

Vicious Vicious - 2 Much Time on My Hands

Since the release of their latest album Parade in September 2007, songs like "Rain Parade", "Ho Baby" and other well-produced indie pop songs have increased the band's popularity.

According to Vicious Vicious' official website, Applewick and the others are working on new material for yet another album to possibly be released in 2008. Let's hope so, because these guys are on a serious roll.

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Labels: Darren Jackson, Erik Applewick, Indie Artist/Group Profiles, Indie Songs 2008, Martin Dosh, Minneapolis Indie Bands, MP3s, pplewick, Vicious ViciousAlex Oa

11:44 PM February 24, 2008 0 Comments

Cat Power's Newest Release "Jukebox", MP3s, Concert Dates and Videos

Have Cat Power fans been let down by the band’s newest release, Jukebox? Some have been, but the honest music critic has to appreciate the bold step, especially since, in my opinion, the final result is that it's another step-up in the career of the mysterious Chan Marshall (aka Cat Power).

For starters, Jukebox, officially released on Jan. 28, 2008, is a bland title for such an inspiration work, but it makes sense in the end because the tracks represent a cross-section and blend of music genres from blues to jazz and soul to country.

The feel of the album is much more like a tour de musique of Americana than the hauntingly anguished sound that made Chan (pronounced "Shawn") so beloved in the alternative and indie music community. Moreso, Jukebox demonstrates Chan's maturation musically, lyrically and spiritually.

With a set of songs ready to go, Chan marshaled together some of the finest musicians in soul, blues, jazz and country music, coralling folks like Jim White, drummer for The Dirty Dozen, Matt Sweeney of Chavez, Judah Bauer of Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, members of the Dirty Delta Blues Band, and others.

The biggest question of all may have been answered when Gregg Foreman, who played piano and organ on Jukebox with Chan, and is currently on tour with Cat Power, was asked by the Philadelphia City Paper to shed some light on the “grittiness” of the sound on Jukebox compared to their previous works.

Foreman acknowledged a shift in sound from the brilliant release MoonPix - an album filled with hearting-wrenching, melancholic songs of failed love - and put it this way:

Yeah, well, we've had a few complaints from fans that want to hear [more of the sound found on Moon Pix]…It'll take time.”

As for Chan’s feelings about the “new” sound, Foreman said:

“She's happy. There hasn't been one show where she's left the stage. She's smiling. The "old sad Chan" is nowhere to be found. And this album's the biggest-selling CD in Matador history. She's blessed.”

Download, listen and upload to any MP3 player the following free and legal MP3s off of Jukebox, curiousity of the great Matador Records:

MP3: Cat Power – "Song to Bobby"
MP3: Cat Power – "Metal Heart"

- Cat Power's official website (I think this is the official site)
- Matador Record's Cat Power profile
- All Music Guide's profile of Cat Power

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Labels: 2008 Concert Tours, 2008 Indie Releases, Album Reviews, Cat Power, Chan Marshall, Dirty Delta Blues Band, Free Indie MP3s, Indie Artist/Group Profiles, Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, Matador Records

4:01 PM February 10, 2008 0 Comments

2006 New Indie Artist Contest

IRC is sponsoring an indie artist contest!!

OK (Computer) so check this out:

Send us your own music MP3 song or MP3 from your band. We'll then post a chart on our web site and let the visitors to our site decide who the winner is.

The winner will get free promotions, free search engine listings and will be featured on IRC as the New Indie Artist for 2006!! Plus, an Amazon gift card.

In addition, you will be featured on IRC's IndieStore Artist of the Year page.

Send your MP3 as attachment only with a brief description of your music, your name, location, age and any other relevant details. Please make the subject line of your email "IRC 2006 New Indie Artist Award" to help us sort the submissions.
Send submissions to indierockcafe.com@gmail.com

Thanks and good luck!!

Labels: Acoustic, Alternative, Free MP3s, Indie Artist Promotions, Indie Artist/Group Profiles, Indie Music Contest, Indie Rock, New Indie Artist of the Year Award

10:20 PM December 16, 2006 0 Comments

Of Montreal Offers Free MP3s, Stream of New CD

The talented indie rock band Of Montreal are handing out some earlier Christmas gifts.

The five-piecehave uploaded MP3s from their upcoming record, Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer?

The band decided to upload MP3s of songs from their yet to be released CD to their My Space page.

If that's not enough, fans can listen to a free music stream for Of Montreal's new CD album, set for release in February on Polyvinyl. The band's front man, Kevin Barnes, has also provided free MP3s of of album tracks.

Labels: i, Indie Artist/Group Profiles, Indie Bands, Indie MP3s, Of Montreal, Of Montreal MP3s, Of Montreal Music. Hissing Fauna Are You the Destroyer?, Of Montreal Songs

12:04 PM December 6, 2006 0 Comments

IRC's Highlighted Indie Artist of the Week - Nov. 26

Each week, in addition to our Top 20 Indie Countdown, IRC will highlight artists that we like and want to share with the world. (We are always amazed by how many wonderful artists who make simply great music are under appreciated.)

This is the first installment of IRC's Highlighted Indie Artists of the Week series.

Note: Highlighted artists in this series are not necessarily new on the scene, and some have gone on to sign with big labels and enjoy success that some indie fans claim makes them no longer "indie" (the never-ending debate).

Nevertheless, Indie Rock Cafe endeavors to showcase the best "up and coming" artists, and those that have been around but have been under appreciated. Please leave comments or send us email about new artists.

IRC needs contributors to send artist and group profiles for this feature. Eventually you could take over this IRC service, which we'd like to become a Podcast radio show. Send an email expressing your interests for more information.

Enjoy.

The Starting Line - They are not exactly unknown, but it's hard not to get drawn in by The Starting Line's catchy, polished, high-octane pop rock songs. And there has to be something said for the dynamics of such a young band. In fact, lead singer, Ken Vasoli, was only 15 (he said at the time he was 16) when they were signed to their first record deal in 2003.

The band's sound is potentially commercial radio level - tight and well engineered, but they also offer songs that are more free and dominated by acoustic baselines, musical shifts and right-on-key choruses.

This is one of the best "indie" bands we've heard and to some their songs could easily turn up on a soundtrack for "Grey's Anatomy" or "The OC". The best comparison of their sound would be Blink 182. And still The Starting Line stands out on their own as one of the best rock/pop bands on the scene.

Related: Interesting story about the band's formation.

Check out some of the group's music.

Labels: Blink 182, Indie Artist/Group Profiles, Indie Bands, The Starting Line

10:44 PM November 27, 2006 0 Comments

Of Montreal Publishes 2007 Tour Dates

The wildly popular and remarkably talented band Of Montreal have posted their complete tour dates with cities and links to venues and ticket sales.

From January until the first week of April, Of Montreal will tour all over the United States (with a few dates in Canada) starting out in the South moving across the Southwest, into California, up through the Pacific Northwest, back down South, across the Midwest, the Northeast and back down South again.

Wow, they're going to be exhausted. There are more than 35 dates booked into four months.

Of Montreal 2007 Tour Dates from their official web site.

Labels: Indie Artist/Group Profiles, Indie Rock, Of Montreal, Tour Dates

11:55 PM November 23, 2006 0 Comments

Snow Patrol: Um, They're OK...At Least on Emusic

Here's a posting I published on Emusic.com about Snow Patrol and the large number of folks who rank the band's albums (those that are available on Emusic) highly:

Honestly, I don't get it. Why is this group so popular? There music is not even that good, especially when you consider that there are so many other artists out there that are fabulous and don't get a fraction of the attention Snow Patrol has for some years now.

There's no question that they have some great songs, but other artists like Architecture of Helsinki, Badly Drawn Boy, Deerhoof, Animal Collective and Bill Richinni get little or no attention for making amazing music.

Maybe if eMusic had their two more widely acclaimed releases - "Final Straw" and "Eyes Wide Open" - I might like them more, but so far, in comparison, I would not recommend them. Yet again, if they were playing around the Santa Cruz area, I might go see them. I guess I need to make sure I hear those other two albums.

Labels: Album Reviews, Animal Collective, Architecture of Helsinki, Badly Drawn Boy, Bill Richinni, Deerhoof, Emuisc, Indie Artist/Group Profiles, Snow Patrol

5:05 PM November 22, 2006 0 Comments

Spoon Highlights Stranger Than Fiction Soundtrack

Spoon has just risen to a new level of recognition - for better or worse - supplying multiple tracks for the soundtrack of the new movie starring Will Farrel, Stranger Than Fiction.

Other notables appearing on the soundtrack include Wreckless Eric, Delta 5 and Califone.

Labels: Indie Artist/Group Profiles, Indie Rock, Spoon

11:38 PM November 19, 2006 1 Comments

The Decemberists - Too Big To Be Indie?

You'd notice these folks if they were walking down Main Street in your town with their stuffy 1880's attire, Japanese hand fans and, well, make-up, but would you know that they are The Decemberists?

Like their name, The Decemberists' music is unconventional. But that didn't stopped the group from rocketing upward - at warp speed compared to many other artists - to become one of the top indie bands of the past few years.

However, some of the group's first and most loyal fans were, let's say, less than happy when the band "crossed the line" and went big-time, signing on with Capitol Records this year to record The Crane Wife.

The group's founder, singer and songwriter, Colin Meloy, told The Boston Globe that signing with Capitol had not interfered with his work because the contract stipulates that "the label would stay out of the creative process."

Nevertheless, the talented indie quintet has wooed fans with their experimental, infectious music that combines pop and rock with contemporary and British folk influences infused with theatrical transitions, catchy melodies, melancholic bass lines, and crafty, often quirky, lyrics and subject matter.

Hints of Cake, Belle & Sebastian, They Might Be Giants and Tom Waits are sprinkled throughout their music. There are definitely other artists The Decemberists can be compared with simply because the diversity and depth of their music makes it hard to categorize them.

Meloy's music is described, on The Decemberists' official web site, as "an infallible melodic knack with a venturesome lyrical palette equally suitable for painting fantastical songs full of sea captains, legionnaires, chimney sweeps and seekers of all kinds."

The Missoulian spotlights the rise in popularity of The Decemberists - from the buzz initially created by a few indie bloggers and college radio disc jockeys, to their uncanny inability to be labeled by mainstream music journalism, and their frequent play volume on radio stations across the country and around the world.

Decemberists' Video Contest
Contribute your animation to a Decemberists' music video of "O Valencia" and win a computer. A green-screen contest? Hmmm, Didn't Steven Colbert do that first?

Go to MTV for more details. Deadline is December 15, 2006! You can also sample and download Decemberists' songs for less than .30 cents each (with monthly subscription).

Labels: Album Reviews, College Radio, Green-Screen Scandal, Indie Artist/Group Profiles, Indie Rock, Steven Colbet Report, The Decemberists