*Fierce Noise

LATE OF THE PIER & THE WHIP LIVE

2009-04-08T13:58:00.019-04:00

THE WHIP

Brit-pop fever invaded New York City last week as two of the UK’s brightest young electro rock acts took the stage of The Bowery Ballroom both Wednesday and Friday night (coinciding with the much-awaited stateside opening of Topshop/Topman on Thursday – which The Whip also just so happened to deejay).

Opening for Nottingham’s Late of The Pier (who skyrocketed to prominence following a brief flirtation with former Dior Homme designer Hedi Slimane), Manchester four-piece The Whip had no difficulty stirring the growing crowd into a frenzy with their upbeat electronic symphony of tracks off their debut full-length, X Marks Destination (released this March via Razor & Tie).

THE WHIP, photo credit: Brooklyn Vegan

THE WHIP, Photo Credit: Brooklyn Vegan

Consisting of vocalist/guitarist Bruce Carter, co-songwriter/synth player Danny Saville, drummer Fiona Daniel and bassist Nathan Sudders, the band kept the energy alive and the crowd dancing like crazy throughout the set with their addictive tracks including the floor pounding anthem "Trash," the electro euphoria of "Sister Siam" and grinding instrumental funk of "Divebomb." After attracting the music industry's eyes and ears at SXSW and CMJ, The Whip are well on their way to becoming a well known name in the U.S.

LATE OF THE PIER

After the tedious 40 minute break between sets, Late of The Pier finally took the stage and proceeded to put on an incredible live performance of genre-defying material. With equal parts "new rave" dance rock, intergalactic electro synth, tribal jungle beat and god knows what else, Late of The Pier never ceased to keep the audience rocking. After haging over the balcony for most of the night, I've got the bruises on my elbows to prove it.

Consisting of vocalist Sam Eastgate, drummer Ross Dawson, bassist Andrew Phaley and electronic sampler player Sam Potter, the band's debut full-length, Fantasy Black Channel was already one of my favorite records of 2008 (re-released this January via Astralwerks), but I must admit they sound absolutely mind-blowing in live form. Eastgate's vocals were crystal clear, Dawson never missed a beat, and the band sounded very put together overall. In addition to hits like "Space And The Woods," "The Bears Are Coming," "Broken" and "Heartbeat," Late of The Pier unveiled several raw new tracks that the crowd really took to right away.

LATE OF THE PIER, Photo Credit: Brooklyn Vegan

LATE OF THE PIER, Photo Credit: Brooklyn Vegan

Great show from two great bands - keep on the lookout for more Late of The Pier and The Whip news in the future.

ALBUM RELEASES FOR APRIL 7TH

2009-04-07T10:00:00.000-04:00

ALL THE SAINTS Host/Washburn (Touch & Go)
ANTONY AND THE JOHNSONS Epilepsy Is Dancing (Secretly Canadian)
ARCADE FIRE Miroir Noir DVD (Merge)
ASSEMBLE HEAD IN SUNBURST SOUND When Sweet Sleep Returned (Tee Pee)
BAT FOR LASHES Two Suns (Astralwerks)
BIGGER LIGHTS Fiction Fever (Earshot)
BLACK DICE Repo (Paw Tracks)
BOB MOULD Life And Times (Anti)
BRITNEY SPEARS For The Record (Jive)
BURAKA SOM SISTEMA Black Diamond (Fabric)
CASIOTONE FOR THE PAINFULLY ALONE Vs. Children (Tomlab)
CHAIN AND THE GANG Down With Liberty... Up With Chains (K)
CHAINSAW Evilution (Metal Mind)
CHRIS VELAN Solidago (NewSong Recordings)
COATHANGERS Scramble (Suicide Squeeze)
THE COLOR OF VIOLENCE Youthanize (Epitaph)
CRYSTAL ANTLERS Tentacles (Touch & Go)
DARLING Burned By The Sun
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Faster (Burnside/Roam)
DESERT DWELLERS Down Temple Dub: Roots (White Swan)
DOVES Kingdom Of Rust CD/DVD (Astralwerks/Heavenly)
THE ETTES Danger Is (Take Root)
EULOGIES Here, Anonymous (Dangerbird)
THE FELICE BROTHERS Yonder Is The Clock (Team Love)
FICTION FEVER Bigger Lights (Doghouse)
FOREIGNER Live: Soundstage (Koch)
GOLDENROD Paintings For Prophets
HEALTH Die Slow (Lovepump United)
THE HOLD STEADY A Positive Rage CD/DVD (Vagrant)
HURT Goodbye To The Machine (Amusement)
MICACHU Jewellery (Rough Trade)
JOKER’S DAUGHTER The Last Laugh (Team Love)
JORIS VOORN Balance 014 (EQ)
JUNIOR BOYS Begone Dull Care (Domino)
LADY SOVEREIGN Jigsaw (Midget)
LEFT ALONE Left Alone (Hellcat)
MARIA TAYLOR Lady Luck (Nettwerk)
MARILYN MANSON We’re From America (Nothing)
MEXICAN INSTITUTE OF SOUND Soy Sauce (Nacional)
MIMS Guilt (Capitol)
MISC. Happiness Is Easy (Badman)
MY FAVORITE HIGHWAY How To Call A Bluff (Virgin)
NEIL YOUNG Fork In The Road CD/DVD (Reprise)
PELE A Scuttled Bender In A Watery Closet (Polyvinyl)
PONTIAK Maker (Thrill Jockey)
THE RED BARON My First Love (Blood & Ink)
RAMBLIN' JACK ELLIOTT A Stranger Here (Anti)
RICHARD SWIFT The Atlantic Ocean (Secretly Canadian/V2)
SARA WATKINS Sara Watkins (Nonesuch)
SINGLE FILE Common Struggles (Reprise/Sire)
SIOUXSIE AND THE BANSHEES Hyaena [Bonus Tracks] (Polydor UK)
SUPERCHUNK Leaves In The Gutter (Merge)
SUPER SATELLITE Super Satellite (Side Car)
TELEKINESS Telekinesis! (Merge)
TOM GOSS Back To Love
TRAGICALLY HIP We Are The Same (Rounder/Zoë)
VARIOUS ARTISTS Score! 20 Years of Merge Records (Merge)
THE VEILS Sun Gangs (Rough Trade)
YOUNG WIDOWS Young Widows Split Series, Vol. 1 (Temporary Residence)
YUKSEK Tonight [Remixes] (Interscope)

LATE OF THE PIER + THE WHIP TONIGHT

2009-04-01T10:40:00.013-04:00

Seeing Late of The Pier and The Whip tonight at Bowery Ballroom - stayed tuned for the live review, but in the meantime check out the vids below.

Late of The Pier North American Tour Dates:
Apr 1 - Bowery Ballroom New York* Apr 2 - Yale New Haven*
Apr 3 - Studio B Brooklyn*
Apr 7 - 930 Club Washington*
Apr 8 - Paradise Boston*
Apr 9 - Les Saintes Montreal*
Apr 10 - KoolHaus Toronto*
Apr 11 - Congress Chicago*
Apr 14 - Chop Suey Seattle*
Apr 15 - Dantes Portland*
Apr 16 - Popscene San Francisco*
Apr 19 - Empire Polo Grounds Indio
Aug 22 - Pstereo Festival Trondheim

* with The Whip

APRIL NEW YORK SHOWS

2009-03-30T19:17:00.001-04:00

4/1 Late of the Pier, The Whip @ Bowery Ballroom
4/1 Sebastien Tellier, Ne(x)tworks, Lemonade @ (le) poisson rouge
4/1 Brian Jonestown Massacre @ Terminal 5
4/1 The Devil Wears Prada, Emarosa @ The Fillmore at Irving Plaza
4/1 The Roots @ Highline Ballroom
4/2 Ariel Pink, Vivian Girls @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
4/2 Asobi Seksu, Tyvek @ Bowery Ballroom
4/2 Balkan Beat Box @ Webster Hall
4/2 The Cave Singers @ Mercury Lounge
4/2 Japanther, NinjaSonik @ The Shank
4/3 Langhorne Slim @ The Bell House
4/3 Gomez @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
4/3 Cold War Kids, Amazing Baby @ Terminal 5
4/3 The Presets, The Golden Filter @ Webster Hall (7 pm)
4/3 MSTRKRFT, The Bloody Beetroots @ Webster Hall (10 pm)
4/3 Young Love, Freezepop @ The Studio at Webster Hall
4/3 Rufus Wainwright @ City Winery
4/3-4 Bryan Adams @ Beacon Theatre
4/4 Bishop Allen, Team B @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
4/4 Ra Ra Riot, Cut Off Your Hands @ Webster Hall
4/4 The Damnwells, Slow Runner @ Mercury Lounge
4/4 "Change Begins Within" @ Radio City Music Hall feat. Paul McCartney, Ben Harper, Bettye LaVette, Donovan, Eddie Vedder, Jim James, Moby, Paul Horn, Ringo Starr, Sheryl Crow
4/4 Armin Van Buuren @ Roseland Ballroom
4/4 Conspiracy of Beards @ Highline Ballroom
4/5 Philip Glass, Patti Smith @ City Winery
4/5 Bishop Allen @ Bowery Ballroom
4/5 Mates of State, Black Kids @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
4/6 Mates of State, Black Kids @ Webster Hall
4/6-7-8 Katy Perry, The Daylights @ Fillmore New York @ Irving Plaza
4/6 Dan Hicks And The Hot Licks @ B.B. King Blues Club
4/6 The Rakes @ Bowery Ballroom
4/7 Craig Owens of Chiodos, The Color Fred @ Highline Ballroom
4/8 Angus & Julia Stone @ Mercury Lounge
4/8-9 Bob Mould @ Joe's Pub
4/9 Superdrag @ Bowery Ballroom
4/9 Telepathe @ Sullivan Hall
4/9-10 Rachael Yamagata, Dan Wilson @ City Winery
4/9 Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin @ Mercury Lounge
4/9 Cloud Cult, Margot and The Nuclear So & So's @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
4/10-11 Lotus @ Bowery Ballroom
4/10 Superdrag @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
4/10 Yacht @ The New Museum
4/10 Young Love @ Webster Hall
4/10-11 The Faint, Ladytron, Telepathe, Crookers @ Webster Hall
4/11 Napalm Death, Abigail Williams @ Blender Theatre at Gramercy
4/11 Lotus @ Bowery Ballroom
4/11 Robyn Hitchcock & the Venus 3 @ The Fillmore New York at Irving Plaza
4/12 Genghis Tron, Black Anvil, Tombs @ Public Assembly
4/13-14 Neko Case, Crooked Fingers @ Nokia Theatre
4/14 The Roots @ Highline Ballroom
4/14-15 Flight of the Conchords, Kristen Schaal @ Radio City Music Hall
4/15 Nada Surf, Holly Miranda ( of The Jealous Girlfriends) @ The Bell House
4/15 The Tallest Man On Earth @ Bowery Ballroom
4/15 Telepathe @ The Annex
4/15-17 Of Montreal @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
4/16 Throbbing Gristle @ Brooklyn Masonic Temple
4/16 The Walkmen @ Webster Hall
4/16 Beach House @ Webster Hall
4/16 Middle Distance Runner @ The Annex
4/16 Yann Tierson @ Fillmore New York at Irving Plaza
4/17 Paul Brill, The Juan McClean @ le poisson rouge
4/17 Great Lake Swimmers @ Bowery Ballroom
4/17 The Dead Milkmen @ Warsaw
4/17 The Felice Brothers @ Webster Hall
4/17 Plain White T’s, Danger Radio @ Blender Theatre at Gramercy
4/17 Stereo Total @ Fillmore New York at Irving Plaza
4/17 Appleseed Cast, An Horse @ Mercury Lounge
4/17 Lady Rizzo And The Assettes @ Highline Ballroom
4/17 Young Love @ The Studio at Webster Hall
4/18 Sleepytime Gorilla Museum @ Bowery Ballroom
4/18 The Appleseed Cast, An Horse @ Mercury Lounge
4/18 Lucero, Titus Andronicus @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
4/19 Dredg, Maps & Atlases, Torche @ Highline Ballroom
4/19 World Inferno Friendship Society @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
4/19 “The Atticus Metal Tour” feat. Terror, Shai Halud, Emmure @ Highline Ballroom
4/20 The Bronx @ Bowery Ballroom
4/20 Lily Allen, Natalie Portman’s Shaved Head @ Roseland Ballroom
4/20 The Bronx, Trash Talk @ Bowery Ballroom
4/21 The Roots @ Highline Ballroom
4/21 Ratatat @ Terminal 5
4/21 Starfucker @ Mercury Lounge
4/21 Riverboat Gamblers, Fake Problems @ The Knitting Factory
4/22 Jack’s Mannequin @ Fillmore New York at Irving Plaza
4/23 Simian Mobile Disco, JDH & Dave P @ Highline Ballroom
4/23 Shiny Toy Guns @ Webster Hall
4/24 Kevin Devine @ Bowery Ballroom
4/24-25 Matthew Dear @ Rebel
4/25 Handsome Family, Marissa Nadler @ Highline Ballroom
4/25 caUSE co-Motion, Jeremy Jay @ Silent Barn
4/25 Travis, Republic Tigers @ Webster Hall
4/26 Crystal Stilts, Mahogany @ Maxwell's
4/27-29 Mogwai @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
4/27 The Birthday Massacre, I Am Ghost @ Highline Ballroom
4/28 Alkaline Trio, Saves The Day @ Highline Ballroom
4/28 Alternative Press Tour with 3OH!3, The Maine, Hit The Lights, A Rocket To The Moon, Family Force 5 @ Fillmore New York at Irving Plaza
4/29 Peter Bjorn and John, Chairlift @ Webster Hall
4/29 Manchester Orchestra @ Bowery Ballroom
4/30 Bat For Lashes @ Bowery Ballroom
4/30 Peter Bjorn and John, Chairlift @ Music Hall of Williamsburg

BAND TO WATCH: PASSION PIT

2009-03-27T15:34:00.006-04:00

Passion Pit are an up-and-coming indie pop/electro group from Cambridge, Massachusetts. After stirring up a buzz last fall with their Chunk of Change EP, the band is gearing up to release their debut full-length on May 19th via Sony/French Kiss. Produced by Chris Zane (Les Savy Fav, The Walkmen), the record, titled Manners, is for fans of Animal Collective, MGMT, Hot Chip or Matt & Kim.

Check out the band's video for "Sleepyhead" below, as well as their upcoming tour dates and track listing.

Manners Track List
01 Make Light
02 Little Secrets
03 Moths Wings
04 The Reeling
05 Eyes As Candles
06 Swimming In The Flood
07 Folds In Your Hands
08 To Kingdom Come
09 Sleepyhead
10 Let Your Love Grow Tall
11 Seaweed Song

Tour Dates:
05-01 Amsterdam, Netherlands - Paradiso - London Calling Festival
05-04 Berlin, Germany - Knaak Klub
05-06 Brussels, Belgium - Botanique
05-07 Dublin, Ireland - Academy
05-11 Manchester, UK - Manchester Moho
05-12 Sheffield, UK - Leadmill
05-13 London, UK - Heaven
05-14 Southampton, UK - Southampton Orange Rooms
05-15 Brighton, UK - Great Escape Festival
05-16 Bristol, UK - O2 Academy
05-23 George, WA - Sasquatch! Music Festival
05-24 Portland, OR - Wonder Ballroom
05-26 San Francisco, CA - Bimbos
05-28 West Hollywood, CA - Troubadour
05-29 Los Angeles, CA - Echoplex
05-30 Pomona, CA - The Glass House
06-02 Dallas, TX - Granada Theatre
06-03 Austin, TX - Emos
06-04 Houston, TX - Warehouse Live
06-05 Baton Rouge, LA - Spanish Moon
06-06 Atlanta, GA - The Drunken Unicorn
06-08 Richmond, VA - The National
06-09 Washington, DC - Black Cat
06-11 Manchester, TN - Bonnaroo
06-13 Covington, KY - Mad Hatter
06-14 Pontiac, MI - Crofoot Ballroom
06-17 Buffalo, NY - Mohawk Place
06-18 Boston, MA - Paradise
06-19 New York, NY - Bowery Ballroom
06-20 New York, NY - Bowery Ballroom
07-04 Malsaucy, France - Eurockeennes
09-11 Isle of Wight, UK - Bestival

CURSIVE, I'M SWOLLEN + TOUR DATES

2009-03-18T12:24:00.017-04:00

Cursive's sixth studio full-length, Mama, I'm Swollen, is out now (via Saddle Creek) and begging for you to listen. The follow-up to 2006's Happy Hollow and 2003's The Ugly Organ is rife with the Omaha-based band's trademark sarcasm and wit, as well as rocking harder than ever before. Check out the rest of the band's spring tour dates below (including all SXSW Austin, TX shows).

Mama, I'm Swollen Tracklisting:
1. In The Now
2. From The Hips
3. I Couldn't Love You
4. Donkeys
5. Caveman
6. We're Going To Hell
7. Mama, I'm Satan
8. Let Me Up
9. Mama, I'm Swollen
10. What Have I Done?

TOUR DATES
MAR. 18 SAN ANTONIO, TX @ WHITE RABBIT W/ LADYFINGER (NE) AND LITTLE BRAZIL
Mar. 19 SXSW BROOKLYN VEGAN PARTY @ RADIO ROOM, 507 E. 6TH ST (3:30PM)
Mar. 19 SXSW OTHER MUSIC PARTY @ THE FRENCH LEGATION, 802 SAN MARCOS ST. (6PM)
Mar. 20 SXSW VILLAGE VOICE PARTY @ LA ZONA ROSA, 612 W. 4TH ST. (2:30PM)
Mar. 20 SXSW SADDLE CREEK SHOWCASE @ RADIO ROOM, 507 E. 6th ST. (1AM)
Mar. 21 SXSW MESS WITH TEXAS 3 @ WATERLOO PARK, 14TH ST. & TRINITY ST. (3:10PM)
Mar. 21 SXSW LOVITT/SLIP PARTY @ RADIO ROOM,507 E. 6TH ST. (5:15PM)
APR. 24 ST. LOUIS, MO @ THE FIREBIRD
APR. 25 MEMPHIS, TN @ HI TONE
APR. 26 NASHVILLE, TN @ MERCY LOUNGE W/ MAN MAN
APR. 27 BIRMINGHAM, AL @ BOTTLETREE W/ MAN MAN
APR. 28 PENSACOLA, FL @ SLUGGOS W/ MAN MAN
APR. 29 ORLANDO, FL @ THE SOCIAL W/ MAN MAN
APR. 30 ORLANDO, FL @ THE SOCIAL W/ MAN MAN
MAY 1 ATLANTA, GA @ VARIETY PLAYHOUSE W/ MAN MAN
MAY 2 CARRBORO, NC @ CAT'S CRADLE W/ MAN MAN
MAY 3 WASHINGTON, DC @ BLACK CAT W/ MAN MAN
MAY 5 PITTSBURGH, PA @ DIESEL W/ MAN MAN
MAY 6 DETROIT, MI @ MAGIC STICK W/ MAN MAN
MAY 7 MILWAUKEE, WI @ TURNER HALL
MAY 8 MINNEAPOLIS, MN @ FIRST AVENUE
MAY 9 CHICAGO, IL @ BOTTOM LOUNGE

DINOSAUR JR. SIGNS TO JAGJAGUWAR

2009-03-17T20:47:00.004-04:00

After recently signing to Jagjaguar, Dinosaur Jr. have announced an upcoming North American tour this April, where they'll be revealing some new material.

The heavyweight rockers will also be be giving out an exclusive limited-edition 7", which features two live tracks recorded during a Pitchfork.tv session at J Mascis' Bisquiteen Studios.

Check out the tour dates below:

03/20/09 Austin, TX - Cedar St. Courtyard w/ Cursive
03/21/09 Austin, TX - Halcycon Cofeeshop - SXSW
03/21/09 Austin, TX - The Parish - SXSW Merge Showcase
04/01/09 Milford, CT - Daniel Street w/ Awesome Color
04/02/09 Providence, RI - Club Hell w/ Awesome Color
04/03/09 Portland, ME - The Station w/ Awesome Color
04/04/09 South Burlington, VT - Higher Ground w/ Awesome Color
04/06/09 Buffalo, NY - The Town Ballroom w/ Awesome Color
04/07/09 State College, PA - Lulu's w/ Awesome Color
04/08/09 Akron, OH - Musica w/ Awesome Color
04/09/09 East Lansing, MI - The Small Planet w/ Awesome Color
04/10/09 Bloomington, IN - Bluebird Nightclub w/ Awesome Color
04/11/09 DeKalb, IL - Otto's Nightclub w/ Awesome Color
04/13/09 Chattanooga, TN - Rhythm and Brews w/ Dead Confederate
04/14/09 Memphis, TN - Minglewood Hall w/ Dead Confederate
04/15/09 Baton Rouge, LA - The Varsity Theatre w/ Dead Confederate
04/16/09 Little Rock, AR - Revolution Music Room w/ Dead Confederate
04/17/09 Fayetteville, AR - George's Majestic Lounge w/ Dead Confederate
04/18/09 Oxford, MS - Proud Larry's w/ Dead Confederate
04/20/09 Athens, GA - 40 Watt Club w/ Dead Confederate
04/21/09 Augusta, GA - Sky City w/ Dead Confederate
04/22/09 Gainesville, FL - Common Grounds w/ Dead Confederate
04/23/09 Tallahassee, FL - The Moon w/ Mike Watt and The Secondmen
04/24/09 Jacksonville Beach, FL - Freebird Live w/ Mike Watt and The Secondmen
04/25/09 Charleston, SC - The Music Farm w/ Mike Watt and The Secondmen
04/26/09 Asheville, NC - The Orange Peel w/ Mike Watt and The Secondmen
04/27/09 Carrboro, NC - Cat's Cradle w/ Mike Watt and The Secondmen
04/29/09 Charlotte, NC - Neighborhood Theatre w/ Mike Watt and The Secondmen
04/30/09 Richmond, VA - Toad's Place Richmond w/ Mike Watt and The Secondmen
05/01/09 Lancaster, PA - Chameleon Club w/ Mike Watt and The Secondmen
05/02/09 Baltimore, MD - Ottobar w/ Mike Watt and The Secondmen

ALBUM RELEASES FOR MARCH 3RD

2009-03-03T19:38:00.002-05:00

A PLEA FOR PURGING Depravity (Facedown)
ANAMANAGUCHI Dawn Metropolis (Normative)
ANGUS AND JULIA STONE A Book Like This (Nettwerk)
ANTIGAMA Warning (Relapse)
AUTUMN Altitude [Netherlands] (Metal Blade)
BALLAS HOUGH BAND BHB (Hollywood)
BLACK GOLD Rush (Red Bull)
BRIGHTEN PORT AUTHORITY I Think We're Gonna Need A Bigger Boat (Southern Fried)
BURIED INSIDE Spoils of Failure (Relapse)
CLOUD HYMN A Seed Buried In The Ground
DEFIBRILLATORS Corn Money (City Salvage)
DJEDJOTRONIC Dirty And Hard (Boys Noize)
FOUNTAINS OF WAYNE No Better Place: Live In Chicago (Shout! Factory)
THE GREEN PAJAMAS Hidden Minutes (Camera Obscura)
GREGORY DOUGLASS Battler (Emote)
JUSTIN TOWNES EARLE Midnight At The Movies (Bloodshot)
MARISSA NADLER Little Hells (Kemado)
MALEFICE Dawn of Reprisal (Metal Blade)
MARTY WILLSON-PIPER Nightjar (Second Motion)
NASHVILLE PUSSY From Hell To Texas (SPV)
NEKO CASE Middle Cyclone (Anti)
OF MACHINES As Is Everything Was Held In Place (Victory/Rise)
PRODIGY Invaders Must Die (Cooking Vinyl/Take Me To The Hospital)
RA RA RIOT Can You Tell (Barsuk)
SAY HI Oohs & Aahs (Barsuk)
SMOKE Routes (Echo Beach)
SOUNDTRACK OF OUR LIVES Communion (Yep Roc)
THE STRANGE BOYS The Strange Boys And Girls Club (In The Red)
THUNDERS The Sympathetic Oscillations EP (A Squared)
TRADITIONIST Season To Season (Banter Better Looking)
U2 No Line On The Horizon [CD/DVD] (Interscope)
WILD LIGHT Adult Nights (Columbia)
WRETCHED The Exodus of Autonomy (Victory)

MAD FOR RAD HOURANI A/W 2009

2009-02-25T10:59:00.018-05:00

Visit Dazed Digital to check out my interview with the self-taught Montreal born, Paris & New York-based fashion designer Rad Hourani. Androgynous is the new sexy.

THE DIG + MYSTERY JETS LIVE

2009-02-17T10:40:00.005-05:00

Young New York natives The Dig are playing their spacey, grungy indie rock tomorrow night (Feb. 18th) at Pianos with We.re All Broken, Kepi and Kevin Seconds (of Seven Seconds). On Tuesday, February 24th catch them at the Bowery Ballroom, where they'll be opening for London's Mystery Jets. They'll also be playing a number of east coast gigs throughout the rest of February and March (check below for the tour dates).

Visit The Dig's website to download their new three-song demo (and follow-up to 2007's Good Luck And Games EP). The band has previously opened for Girl Talk, Tapes n' Tapes and Longwave.

The Dig Tour Dates

Feb. 16 @ The Black Cat - Washington DC
Feb. 18 @ Pianos - New York, NY

Feb. 20 @ Radio Bean - Burlington, VT

Feb. 21 @ Iron Horse Music Hall- Northampton, MA

Feb. 22 @ TT the Bears - Cambridge, MA
Feb. 24 @ The Bowery Ballroom - New York, NY

Feb. 26 @ The Khyber - Philadelphia, PA

Feb. 28 @ Thunderbird Cafe - Pittsburg, PA

March 3 @ Double Door - Chicago, IL

March 5 @ Phoenix Hill - Louisville, KY

March 6 @ Sam's Saloon - Indianapolis, IN

March 7 @ Rumba Cafe - Columbus, OH

March 11 @ Preservation Pub - Knoxville, TN
March 12 @ The Garage - Asheville, NC

March 13 @ Elliot's Review - Winston - Salem, NC

March 14 @ The Mansion - Chapel Hill, NC

BAT FOR LASHES U.S. TOUR DATES

2009-02-04T11:05:00.004-05:00

The UK's Bat For Lashes has just announced a brief North American tour - click here to buy tickets (and expect some more U.S. dates to be added later in the year).

April 25th - The Mod Club, Toronto

April 27th - Paradise Rock Club, Boston, MA

April 30th - Bowery Ballroom, New York City

May 1st - First Unitarian Church, Philadelphia, PA

May 2nd - Music Hall of Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY

ALBUM RELEASES FOR FEBRUARY 3RD

2009-02-02T19:59:00.002-05:00

A DAY TO REMEMBER Homesick (Victory)
BEN KWELLER Changing Horses (ATO Records)
BLACK GOLD Rush (Red Bull/Rocket Science)
DANCA Speicher 63 (Kompakt Germany)
DENT MAY AND HIS MAGNIFICENT UKULELE The Good Feeling Music Of... (Paw Tracks)
FOL CHEN Part 1: John Shade, Your Fortune's Made (Asthmatic Kitty)
THE FRAY The Fray (Epic)
FREDDIE MCGREGOR Mr. McGregor (VP)
GENE DANTE AND THE FUTURE STARLETS The Romantic Lead (Omnirox)
HARMONIC 313 When Machines Exceed Human Intelligence (Warp)
JOSH REICHMANN ORACLE BAND Life Is Legal [EP] (Paper Bag)
LADYFINGER (NE) Dusk (Saddle Creek)
THE LOVED ONES Distractions (Fat Wreck Chords)
MARYKATE O'NEIL Underground (71/Nettwerk)
MIKE BONES A Fool For Everyone (The Social Registry/Vice)
NINEY THE EXPLORER Roots With Quality (VP)
NOUS NON PLUS Menagerie (Aeronaut)
THE PAINS OF BEING PURE AT HEART The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart (Slumberland)
POS Never Better (Rhymesayers)
THE RED JUMPSUIT APPARATUS Lonely Road (Virgin)
ROGER JOSEPH MANNING JR. Catnip Dynamite (Oglio)
SHINICHI OSAWA The One (Downtown)
THIS ENDING Dead Harvest (Metal Blade)
TWO TONGUES Two Tongues (Vagrant)
UNLEARN Places (Noise Order)
THE VON BONDIES Love, Hate, And Then There's You (Shout! Factory)
WILLIE NELSON AND ASLEEP AT THE WHEEL Willie And The Wheel (Bismeaux)
WOODPIGEON Treasury Library Canada/Houndstooth Europa (Boompa)
WOOLFY VS. PROJECTIONS On Missy [In Flagranti Mixes] (DFA)

LYKKE LI: SWEDISH SWAGGER

2009-01-28T17:52:00.008-05:00

Swedish pop chanteuse Lykke Li has quite a few words for her fans, and some exciting news of her upcoming North American tour:

"Hello my dearest people. I have returned from my internet exile and I am now sitting at my kitchen table with a cracked computer screen with an equally nostalgic feeling. It’s a new day, but also a new year since I talked to you last and oh woman what a year. I have the memory off a gold fish so I actually can't even remember everything that has happened this last year. Some things spring to my mind though....Like did I really duet with Q-Tip, did I actually go bush walking in Tasmania, did I actually take 2000 flights and survived them all? If I can come to any conclusion I have to say music is life but nature is vital and really, I know nothing at all, still. Okay enough of the Scientology...I have other news for you Americans!"

"I am coming back once more for an over the moon and sky tour. I couldn't believe it the last time and I can't believe it again. You got the fever and I am your soup! With me I bring my one and only band and also my amazingly talented friends Wildbirds & Peacedrums. If you're looking for some Swedish Swagger (shy and intimate) this is the place to be! Look at the schedule and get your tickets before it is toooooooo late."

"And yes another thing... You might have noticed I got the nature fever. So I felt a great need to peel of all that is unnecessary and live in the moment and take away the possibility to correct my mistakes. So here is a one take totally live “take it or leave it I will survive take” of my song “Tonight”. It might be gone tomorrow so if you like it spread it on the world wide web thing where you kids hang... Check it here. (Filmed by Christian Haag.)"

"Hope to see you at the shows and oh! Also check my My Space cause I’m giving away intimate confessions for free."

Times a wastin'

Times are a changin'

Love, love

LL

OVER THE MOON AND SKY TOUR DATES:

JANUARY
30 PHILADEPLHIA, PA First Unitarian Church
31 WASHINGTON, DC Sixth and I

FEBRUARY
2 NEW YORK, NY Webster Hall SOLD OUT!
3 BROOKLYN, NY Music Hall of Williamsburg SOLD OUT!
4 MONTREAL, PQ Club Soda
6 TORONTO, ON Phoenix
7 CHICAGO, IL Metro
8 MINNEAPOLIS, MN Varsity
11 VANCOUVER, BC Commodore
12 PORTLAND, OR Hawthorne
13 SEATTLE, WA Showbox
15 SAN FRANCISCO, CA Fillmore
17 POMONA, CA Glass House
18 DALLAS, TX Granada
19 AUSTIN, TX Antone's

ALBUM RELEASES FOR JANUARY 27TH

2009-01-27T10:00:00.001-05:00

A. ARMADA Anam Cara (Hello Sir)
BILL EVANS AND MEGAN LYNCH Let's Do Something...
BIRD AND THE BEE Ray Guns Are Not Just The Future (Blue Note)
CAN CAN As Hell (Stickfigure)
CASANATRA Death Ride (Blue Worm)
COTTON JONES Paranoid Cocoon (Suicide Squeeze)
DALEK Gutter Tactics (Ipacec)
DUNCAN SHEIK Whisper House (Victor/sony bmg)
ETHAN ROSE Oaks (Holocene)
FERRY CORSTEN Twice In A Blue Moon (Ultra)
GRAVE DIGGER Ballads Of A Hangman (Napalm)
IRON FIRE To The Grave (Napalm)
J.D. REAGER The Repechage (Migrant)
KYLIE MINOGUE Boombox: Remixes 2000-2008 (Astralwerks)
LEATHERMOUTH XO (Epitaph)
LORD INFAMOUS After Sics (Black Rain)
MASTER MUSICIANS OF JAJOUKA FEATURING BACHIR ATTAR Live Volume 1 (Jajouka)
NORTH TWIN Stronger At The Broken Places
PETER CINCOTTI East Of Angel Town (Warner Bros.)
PT WALKLEY Mr. Macy Wakes Alone (Frisbie)
SALLY CREWE AND THE SUDDEN MOVES Your Nearest Exit May Be Behind You (8-Track Mind)
TOO PURE TO DIE Confess (Trustkill)
TYRONE WELLS Remain (Universal Republic)
VARIOUS ARTISTS Just Like Heaven: A Tribute To The Cure (American Laundromat)
X-CLAN Mainstream Outlawz (Kerosene)
ZION-I The Takeover (Gold Dust)

YEAH YEAH YEAHS IN THE STUDIO

2009-01-21T19:22:00.003-05:00

Yeah Yeah Yeahs announced today that their third studio full-length (to be released this spring via Interscope) will be titled: It's Blitz.

HAPPY INAUGERATION!

2009-01-19T18:09:00.006-05:00

Celebrate the big day by having an equally big night out -- Santos Party House presents tonight's Inauguration Celebration featuring DJ Rashid Smith + special guests.

Santos Party House
96 Lafayette St.
10 p.m., $10, 21+

UPCOMING NEW YORK SHOWS

2009-01-18T22:38:00.005-05:00

JANUARY
1/19 Cursive, The Love Language @ Mercury Lounge
1/19 Department of Eagles, Here We Go Magic @ Bowery Ballroom
1/20 Anya Marina @ Mercury Lounge
1/20 MV & EE @ Cake Shop
1/20 Animal Collective, Blues Control @ Grand Ballroom at Manhattan Center
1/21 Lost Season 5 Party: 2 hour premier + Previously On Lost (live) @ The Bell House
1/21 Animal Collective @ Bowery Ballroom
1/21 Reel Big Fish, Streetlight Manifesto @ The Wellmont Theatre
1/22 Ra Ra Riot @ Bowery Ballroom
1/22 Hockey @ Santos Party House
1/22 Regina Spektor @ Bowery Ballroom
1/22 Matt & Kim @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
1/22 Funeral For A Friend, The Sleeping, This Is Hell, Emarosa @ Fillmore NY at Irving Plaza
1/23 Ponytail @ The Bell House
1/23 Vic Chesnutt, Elf Power @ Bowery Ballroom
1/24 Oxford Collapse, Real Estate, Suckers @ The Studio at Webster Hall
1/24 Bryan Scary & The Shredding Tears, The Picture @ Mercury Lounge
1/24 The Honey Brothers @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
1/24 DeVotchKa @ Webster Hall
1/24 M83, Telepathe @ Fillmore NY at Irving Plaza
1/25 The Killers, M83 @ Madison Square Garden
1/25 Gwen Stacy, In Fear And Faith, Vanna, Our Last Night @ Blender Theatre at Gramercy
1/26 Andrew Bird @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
1/27 Yo Majesty, Natalie "The Floacist" Stewart @ Highline Ballroom
1/28 Annuals, Jessica Lea Mayfield, What Laura Says @ Bowery Ballroom
1/28 Andrew Bird, Dosh @ Carnegie Hall
1/28 Cold War Kids @ Mercury Lounge
1/29 Kings of Leon, The Whigs @ Madison Square Garden
1/29 Lindstrom @ Studio B
1/29 N.A.S.A., Les Nubians @ (le) poisson rouge
1/30 Heather Greene The Golden Filter, Finger On The Pulse, Heartsrevolution, Lauren Flax @ (le) poisson rouge
1/30 Joseph Arthur, Harper Simon @ The Bell House
1/30 The Sword, Children @ Bowery Ballroom
1/30 Apes & Androids @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
1/30 Thurston Moore, Mats Gustafsson, Samara Lubeiski, White Out @ Rehab
1/30 Pink Skull @ (le) poisson rouge
1/31 Joseph Arthur & the Lonely Astronauts, Harper Simon & His Band @ The Bell House
1/31 They Might Be Giants, Sex Mob @ le poisson rouge
1/31 Stark, Grande, Knife Fight @ Rehab
1/31 Robbers On High Street, Jukebox the Ghost, Takka Takka @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
1/31 Lonely Dear @ Union Hall

FEBRUARY
2/1-2 The Devil Wears Prada, A Day To Remember, Emarosa, Sky Eats Airplanes @ Fillmore NY at Irving Plaza
2/2 Kid Sister @ Bowery Ballroom
2/2 Lykke Li, Wildbirds & Peacedrums @ Webster Hall
2/2 Frightened Rabbit, Gregory & The Hawk @ (le) poisson rouge
2/3 Lykke Li @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
2/3 "Tibet House Benefit Concert" feat. Patti Smith, Philip Glass, The National, Vampire Weekend, Steve Earle, Keb' Mo' @ Carnegie Hall
2/3 Jewel, Jed Hughes @ The Wellmont Theatre
2/4 Passion Pit, Paper Route @ Bowery Ballroom
2/4 Beirut @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
2/4 The Fray, Sondre Lerche @ Webster Hall
2/5 Coheed & Cambria, Trivium @ Madison Square Garden
2/5 John Legend, Estelle @ Radio City Music Hall
2/5 Big Head Todd & The Monsters @ Fillmore NY at Irving Plaza
2/6 Japanther, Totally Michael, NinjaSonik @ The Bell House
2/6 Murder By Death, Fake Problems, The Builders & The Butchers @ Bowery Ballroom
2/6 These Are Powers, Bird Names @ 92Y Tribeca
2/6-7 Cat Power @ Apollo Theater
2/6 Big D & The Kids Table, The English Beat, Bad Manners @ Fillmore NY at Irving Plaza
2/6 The Parlor Mob @ Mercury Lounge
2/6-7 The Black Keys, Heartless Bastards, Lucero @ Terminal 5
2/7 The Pains of Being Pure of Heart, Cause Co- Motion @ Mercury Lounge
2/7 Matthew Dear @ Rebel
2/8 The Black Keys @ The Wellmont Theatre
2/9 Lights, Nous Non Plus, The Sharp Things @Mercury Lounge
2/10 The Morning Benders, The Submarines, Dawn Landes @ Mercury Lounge
2/10 Razorlight @ Fillmore NY at Irving Plaza
2/11 The Submarines, The Morning Benders @ The Bell House
2/12 Lambchop @ Bowery Ballroom
2/12 Automatic Loveletter, A Cursive Memory, Friday Night Boys @ Highline Ballroom
2/13 Xavier de Rosnay @ Webster Hall
2/13 Easy Action, A Bunch of Girls, The Brought Low @ Rehab
1/13 Deer Tick, Thalia Zedek, The Weight @ Bowery Ballroom
2/14-15 Los Campesinos!, Titus Andronicus @ Bowery Ballroom
2/14 The Virgins @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
2/15 Flogging Molly, The Aggrolites @ Hammerstein Ballroom
2/16 The Mercury Lounge, Nico Vega @ Mercury Lounge
2/16 The Von Blondies @ Mercury Lounge
2/17 Fujiya & Miyagi @ le poisson rouge
2/18 Sam Roberts Band, Mother Mother @ Bowery Ballroom
2/18 "Take Action Tour" feat. Cute Is What We Aim For, Meg & Dia, Anarbor, Breathe Carolina, Every Avenue @ Fillmore NY at Irving Plaza
2/18-19 White Rabbits @ Mercury Lounge
2/19 M. Ward, Vivian Girls @ Apollo Theater
2/19 Demetri Martin @ Bowery Ballroom
2/19 Leonard Cohen @ Beacon Theatre
2/19 This Providence, Ludo, The Morning Light, Sing It Loud @ Fillmore NY at Irving Plaza
2/19 Meshuggag, Cynic, The Faceless @ Fillmore NY at Irving Plaza
2/20 "Three Girls and Their Buddy Tour" feat. Emmylou Harris, Patty Griffin, Shawn Colvin, Buddy Miller @ Beacon Theatre
2/20 Antony & The Johnsons @ Town Hall
2/20 Demetri Martin @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
2/21 Delta Spirit @ Bowery Ballroom
2/21 Noah and the Whale @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
2/21 Telepathe @ 92Y Tribeca
2/21 Delta Spirit, Dawes, Other Lives @ Bowery Ballroom
2/21 Escape The Fate, Attack Attack!, Black Tide, Burn Halo, William Control @ Fillmore NY at Irving Plaza
2/23 Jimmy Eat World, Reubens Accomplice @ Terminal 5
2/24 Mystery Jets @ Bowery Ballroom
2/25 tapes 'n tapes, Wild Light @ Bowery Ballroom
2/25-26 Thievery Corporation @ Terminal 5
2/25 Ben Kweller, The Watson Twins, Jones Street Station @ Town Hall
2/25 Tokyo Police Club, Born Ruffians @ Webster Hall
2/25-26 Fountains of Wayne @ Joe's Pub
2/26 tapes 'n tapes, Wild Light @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
2/26 Drug Rug, Viva Viva, The Subjects @ Mercury Lounge
2/27 Blitzen Trapper, Plants & Animals, Alela Diane @ Bowery Ballroom
2/27 ...And You Will Know Us By the Trail of Dead @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
2/27 Swirlies, Takka Takka, Autodrone, Gregory & The Hawk @ Mercury Lounge
2/27 David Byrne @ Radio City Music Hall
2/28 Final Fantasy, Grizzly Bear @ BAM
2/28 Ida, Elizabeth Mitchell @ Joe's Pub
2/28 ...And You Will Know Us By the Trail of Dead @ Bowery Ballroom
2/28 They Might Be Giants, Oppenheimer @ (le) poisson rouge
2/28 Blitzen Trapper, Plants & Animals, Alela Diane @ Music Hall of Williamsburg

ALBUM RELEASES FOR JANUARY 20TH

2009-01-18T19:01:00.004-05:00

A.C. NEWMAN Get Guilty (Matador)
ANTONY AND THE JOHNSONS The Crying Light (Secretly Canadian)
BEN NICHOLS The Last Pale Light In The West (Liberty And Lament)
CASH CASH Take It To The Floor (Universal/Republic)
CLUE TO KALO Lily Perdida (Mush)
COMBICHRIST Today We Are All Demons (Metropolis)
CUT OFF YOUR HANDS You And I (Frenchkiss)
HEARTLESS BASTARDS The Mountain (Fat Possum)
JAMES YORKSTON When The Haar Roles In (Domino)
JULIE CLARK (Change Your Mind)
KYLE ANDREWS Real Blasty (Elephant Lady)
LOGAN 5 AND THE RUNNERS (Featurette)
MAN ON EARTH The Time Spent Wondering (Forward Thinking)
MELANOID Asleep In The Wake (Early Beat)
MODERN SKIRTS All Of Us In Our Night (Self-Released)
PSYCHIC ILLS Mirror Eye (The Social Registry)
REEL BIG FISH Fame, Fortune, And Fornication (Rock Ridge)
ROGER O'DONNELL Songs From The Silver Box (Great Society)
SARA LOV The Young Eyes EP (Nettwerk)
SARAH RABDAU AND SELF-EMPLOYED ASSASSINS Self-Titled (Say It With Scissors)
TELEFON TEL AVIV Immolate Yourself (Bpitch Control)
TITUS ANDRONICUS The Airing Of Grievances (XL)
TONY FURTADO Deep Water (Funzalo)
VINNIE CUTRO AND NEW YORK CITY SOUNDSCAPE Sakura (Royal Music Ensembles)

ROMANTHONY TONIGHT AT CLUB LOVE

2009-01-17T11:33:00.006-05:00

Famous Friends present Romanthony (DJ/producer/ + the voice on Daft Punk's "One More Time" and "Too Long") with Pink Skull and Hugmode @ Club Love

179 Macdougal St., New York, NY. 11 p.m. doors, $10 advance tickets

CURSIVE ANNOUNCE MORE DATES

2009-01-15T20:24:00.007-05:00

Two nights into their latest tour, Cursive have added a bunch of new shows for March. The full list of dates is below. Grab your tix before they all sell out!

JAN. 14 MINNEAPOLIS, MN - TRIPLE ROCK
JAN. 15 MARQUETTE, MI - N. MICHIGAN U.
JAN. 16 CHICAGO, IL - SCHUBA'S TAVERN (SOLD-OUT)
JAN. 17 CLEVELAND, OH - GROG SHOP
JAN. 18 BROOKLYN, NY - UNION HALL (SOLD-OUT)
JAN. 19 NEW YORK, NY - MERCURY LOUNGE (SOLD-OUT)
JAN. 20 PHILADELPHIA, PA - THE BARBARY (SOLD-OUT)
JAN. 21 COLUMBUS, OH - THE SUMMIT
JAN. 22 COLUMBIA, MO - MOJO
JAN. 23 OMAHA, NE - SLOWDOWN
JAN. 24 OMAHA, NE - SLOWDOWN
MAR. 9 BROOKLYN, NY - MUSIC HALL of WILLIAMSBURG
MAR. 10 NEW YORK, NY - BOWERY BALLROOM
MAR. 13 LOS ANGELES, CA - THE TROUBADOUR
MAR. 14 SAN DIEGO, CA - THE CASBAH
MAR. 15 PHOENIX, AZ - RHYTHM ROOM
MAR. 16 ALBUQUERQUE, NM - THE LAUNCHPAD

WEEKEND EVENTS

2009-01-15T14:38:00.020-05:00

Stephen Sprouse: Rock On Mars Exhibition @ Deitch Projects (Through February 28th)

Friday, January 16th 2009

Ruff Club featuring guest DJs Louisahhh Jackson, Peter High (66Sick), residents Spencer Product, Danny Le Nimh and 24Court + Jake and Danzie. Hosted by Sophia Lamar & Guests: Cobra Kai, Evan Monster & Nicky Digital @ The Annex
11 p.m. doors

Free Blood w/ School of Seven Bells (live), The Juan Maclean (special live acid set) and Justin Miller (DJ set) @ (le) poisson rouge
11 p.m. doors, $10

The Rosebuds w/ The Love Language, Max Tundra @ Bowery Ballroom
8 p.m. doors, $15

The Soft Pack (formerly The Muslims) w/ Those Darlins, The Browns, Dinowalrus, New Rock Church of Fire @ Mercury Lounge
7:30 p.m. doors, $10

The Raveonettes w/ Nickel Eye, Zaza @ Webster Hall, Grand Ballroom
6:30 p.m. doors, $20
The Raveonettes Trash! Afterpary w/ guest DJ Sune @ Webster Hall, The Studio
11 p.m. doors

Saturday, January 17th 2009

Tall Black Girls (release party for new EP - upstairs) w/ The Bambi Killers, Fresh Kills, Crackula, Bad Brilliance, Narcissister - hosted by Andrew WK @ Santos Party House
Doors @ 7 PM, $10 adv / $12 doors

The premier of The Mister Saturday Night party hosted by DJs Eamon Harkin and Justin Carter @ Santos Party House (both floors). This week features Deep House Legend Kerri Chandler and Chicago's The Twilite Tone upstairs, as well as JD Twirch of Optimo spinning in the basement with James F!@.$%^Friedman.
Doors @ 10pm, $15 adv/$2o doors

"Saturday Social" with DJ Anthony Batista @ The Aspen Social Club (in The Stay Hotel)
10 p.m. doors

Frightened Rabbit, David Karsten Daniels, Right On Dynamite @ Bowery Ballroom
8 p.m. doors, $13 adv/$15 doors

Sunday, January 18th 2009

Cursive w/ Twin Thousands, McCarthy Trenching @ Union Hall
8 p.m. doors

Nightmare of You w/ Young Lords, US Royalty, Bottle Up And Go @ Music Hall of Williamsburg 7 p.m. doors, $10 adv/$12 doors

RECENT i-D CLIPS

2009-01-12T18:53:00.022-05:00

THE BEAUTIFUL ISSUE
NO. 295, JANUARY 2009

MUSIC

CAT POWER Dark End of The Street EP (Matador)
The sexy Southern crooner's unreleased covers from her Jukebox sessions are being put on vinyl for your listening pleasure. We wish she'd get back to writing her own songs, but this sweet little EP will tide you over in the meantime. CB

JUSTICE A Cross The Universe CD/DVD (Atlantic)
In collaboration with buddies Romain-Gavras and So-Me, the Parisian D.A.N.C.E. messiahs have documented their first North American tour de force. It's larger-than-life electro funk from two larger-than-life DJs, and absolute heaven for the ears. CB

PRINT

The Allure if Beauty: Women In Hollywood (Assouline)
From Marilyn Monroe to Marlene Dietrich, Anita Ekberg and Julia Roberts, Hollywood's leading ladies have set the beauty bar to incredible heights. Featuring seductive photography and narrative by Elle's Karen Durbin, this anthology of strong, talented and gorgeous women belongs on your shelf. CB

E Pluribus Venom (Gingko Press) Gingko Press sees Shepherd Fairey, the man behind OBEY, challenge the cracking foundations of the U.S. government with his iconic graphic prints. For those of you who missed the propaganda master's extensive show last summer, this graphic tome is an absolute must. CB

Romanticism (Steidl & Partners) "I think of the camera as my soul. Much like a guitar," says Lou Reed of his second passion. A follow-up to the urban photos of New York, the Velvet Undergrounder has compiled dazzling snaps of landscape and architecture from all over the globe. CB

Seen Behind the Scene (Phaidon) Marlon Brando, Catherine Deneuve, Jack Nicholson, Cate Blanchette and Johnny Depp are the stars captured behind the scenes in Mary Ellen Mark's new collection of celebrity portraiture. CB

ZOO MAGAZINE GERMANY: ANALOG MAN IN A DIGITAL WORLD

2008-12-09T18:53:00.010-05:00

I recently interviewed fashion photographer Michael Thompson, who is known for his fantastic cover shots and photo spreads for W, Allure and an endless list of other fashion glossies. Check out the article/interview and in the latest issue of the fabulous Zoo Magazine.

THE BLOODY BEETROOTS: "CORNELIUS"

2008-12-09T18:00:00.001-05:00

Italian electro crew The Bloody Beetroots have a new music video to share for their track "Cornelius." Their debut EP, Rombo, is out now on Dim Mak Records.

CORNELIUS from borntofilm on Vimeo.

ALBUM RELEASES FOR NOVEMBER 25TH

2008-11-25T18:06:00.005-05:00

ALA MUERTE Santa Elena (Public Guilt)
ARLISS PARKER Handsome Like A Lion (Dag!)
AUSTRIAN DEATH MACHINE A Very Brutal Christmas (Metal Blade)
BARBARA KING Perfect Timing (CCC Music Group)
BILL TUCKER AND FRIENDS Illusions Of Repetition (Thinker Thought)
BODIES OBTAINED From The Top Of My Tree (Finding You Attractive)
BOYS NOIZE I Love Techno 2008 (Music Man)
THE FLAMING LIPS Christmas On Mars [LP/DVD] (Warner Bros.)
DAN BARASZU AND JOSEPH PATRICK MOORE Christmas Time Is Here (Blue Canoe)
DEMON HUNTER 45 Days (Solid State)
GUNS N' ROSES Chinese Democracy (Geffen)
GONKEN Robot Vs. Zombie (Automation)
HOWLIES Trippin With Howlies (OverUnder)
INTERNATIONAL NOISE CONSPIRACY The Cross Of My Calling (Vagrant)
THE KILLERS Day And Age (Island)
LAURA BRANIGAN Life's Music (Sunset)
LIZA MINNELLI The Complete A&M Recordings (Collectors' Choice)
MAGAZINE The Complete John Peel Sessions (Virgin)
PRIMAL SCREAM Diamonds Furcoat Champagne/Ghostrider (Blast First Petite)
RAPTURE Tapes (!K7)
RIVERS CUOMO Alone II: The Home Recordings of Rivers Cuomo (Geffen)
SAN QUINN From A Boy To A Man (SMC)
SOFT TARGETS Soft Targets Must Be Destroyed (Rooster Cow)
SUPERSUCKERS Get It Together (Mid-Fi)
SUPERVILLAINS Massive (Law)
TYSON AND THE FRICTION Listen To The Braintrust (Thinker Thought)
VATICAN CHAINSAW MASSACRE Hazy Skies Over Martha's Vineyard (K7R)
WAREIKA Belonging (Eskimo)
WEATHER MACHINES Bones And Brains [EP] (Tigers Against Crime)
YELLE Ce Jeu (Astralwerks)

TELEPATHE IN THE SPOTLIGHT

2008-11-21T00:08:00.006-05:00

Tonight at the Mercury Lounge I caught a live set by Telepathe, a Bushwick-based duo whose edgy, hypnotic electro beats have been building a lot of buzz in Brooklyn and beyond. Their debut Dave Sitek produced full-length, Dance Mother, drops in early 2009. Look out for my article/interview in an upcoming issue of i-D!

UPCOMING NEW YORK SHOWS

2008-11-18T22:07:00.006-05:00

11/18 The Secret Machines, Dragons of Zynth @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
11/18 3OH!3, InnerPartySystem @ Blender Theatre at Gramercy
11/18 Brightblack Morning Light @ Southpaw
11/18 All-American Rejects @ Fillmore NY At Irving Plaza
11/18 Girl Talk, Prefuse 73 @ Terminal 5
11/18 Subtle, Pattern Is Movement @ Knitting Factory
11/19 Xiu Xiu @ (le) poisson rouge
11/20 Violens, Telepathe @ Mercury Lounge
11/20 Vampire Weekend @ Roseland Ballroom
11/20 The Rapture @ The Wired Store
11/20 Sondre Lerche @ Bowery Ballroom
11/20 Violens, Telepathe @ Mercury Lounge
11/21 Switch, Grandmaster Flash, The Asteroids @ Hiro Ballroom
11/21 Robot Rock with DJ Morsy, Alex English, Sujinho @ Le Royale
11/21 Ambulence LTD. @ The Bell House
11/21 Brian Wilson @ Hammerstein Ballroom
11/21 Frances (record release) @ Mercury Lounge
11/21 Bob Dylan @ United Palace Theatre
11/21 Jack's Mannequin, Treaty of Paris @ Blender Theatre At Gramercy
11/21 Amanda Palmer with the Danger Ensemble @ Webster Hall
11/21 Crystal Stilts, Cheap Time @ Less Artists, More Condos
11/21 Amanda Palmer, Switch @ Webster Hall
11/22 Artanker Convoy @ Cake Shop
11/22 We Are Scientists @ The Fillmore New York at Irving Plaza
11/22-23 Bishop Allen @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
11/22 Electic Six, Local H, The Golden Dogs @ Webster Hall
11/24 Kid Sister @ Bowery Ballroom
11/25 Jedi Mind Tricks @ Blender Theatre At Gramercy
11/25 The Color Fred @ Fillmore NY At Irving Plaza
11/25 Dragonforce @ Roseland Ballroom
11/25 Black Kids @ Santos Party House
11/26 Steel Train, Dear And The Headlights, Forgive Durden @ Bowery Ballroom
11/26 The Parlor Mob, The Gay Blades @ Mercury Lounge
11/26 The Castanets, Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson @ Union Hall
11/26 The Hush Sound, Augustana, The Spill Canvas @ Hammerstein Ballroom
11/26 Young Coyotes, The Gay Blades @ Mercury Lounge
11/28 Phosphorescent @ The Bell House
11/28 Gang Gang Dance @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
11/28 Gang Gang Dance @ Santos Party House
11/29 Lissy Trullie, Amazing Baby, Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson @ Mercury Lounge
11/29 Lotus @ Fillmore NY At Irving Plaza
11/29 They Might Be Giants, Prefuse 73, El Guincho @ (le) poisson rouge
11/29 The King Khan & BBQ Show @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
11/29 Gang Gang Dance, The 18th Dye @ Santos Party House
11/29 Anti-Flag @ Terminal 5
11/30 The King Khan & BBQ Show, The Vivian Girls @ Bowery Ballroom

i-D CLIPS

2008-11-05T19:46:00.005-05:00

Just a few tiny snippets of mine from the November issue of i-D Magazine featuring the gorgeous Lara Stone:

MUSIC: FUCKED UP Chemistry of Common Life (Matador) The Toronto punk rockers of Fucked Up have put forth a vicious sophomore full-length. It's packed with plenty of pounding anthems that will get your fist pumping. CB

ART: Other Voices, Other Rooms is a retrospective of Andy Warhol's most notorious films, screen tests and television programs on display at London's Hayward gallery. southbankcentre.co.uk CB

PRINT: Known for his unparalleled fashion photography, Richard Avedon: Portraits of Power (Steidle) celebrates the American lensman who's captured the changing faces of the world's political activists and political elite. richardavedon.com CB

"CHANGE HAS COME TO AMERICA"

2008-11-05T13:40:00.013-05:00

A time out from music news for a moment (though I've been m.i.a. again recently, sorry!) to salute Barack Obama as the next President of The United States of America...

CONGRATULATIONS MR. PRESIDENT ON YOUR HISTORIC WIN!

And remember... "The road ahead will be long. Our climb will be steep. We may not get there in one year or even one term, but America -- I have never been more hopeful than I am tonight that we will get there. I promise you -- we as a people will get there."

"...to those Americans whose support I have yet to earn -- I may not've won your vote, but I hear your voices, I need your help, and I will be your President too."

Don't you just feel all warm and fuzzy inside?

YES WE CAN AND YES WE DID!

CMJ MUSIC FEST KICKS OFF TODAY

2008-10-21T11:23:00.001-04:00

Well it's finally here... there's about 8 billions bands playing CMJ this week, and I've wittled the events down to the following list:

Tuesday, October 21

8:00pm Cool Kids @ Blender Theater at Gramercy, 127 E. 23rd St @ Lexington Ave.
8:00pm Young Lords @ Terminal 5, 610 W. 56th St @ 11th Ave.
8:30pm Cut Off Your Hands @ The Delancey, 168 Delancey St @ Clinton St.
9:00pm Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson @ Bowery Ballroom, 6 Delancey St. and Bowery
9:25pm Ponytail @ Music Hall of Williamsburg, 66 N. 6th St @ Wythe Ave, Brooklyn
9:30pm Shiny Toy Guns @ Santos Party House, 100 Lafayette St. and Walker St.
11:00pm Lykke Li @ Bowery Ballroom, 6 Delancey St. and Bowery
11:00pm DJ Jens Lekman @ Music Hall of Williamsburg, 66 N. 6th St and Wythe Ave., Brooklyn
11:00pm Vivian Girls @ Red Bull Space, 40 Thompson St. and Broome St.

Wednesday, October 22

8:00pm Coheed & Cambria @ Terminal 5, 610 W. 56th St @ 11th Ave
8:00pm The Teenagers @ Ben Sherman Store, 96 Spring St. and Mercer St.
8:30pm James Pants @ Gallery Bar, 120 Orchard St @ Delancy St.
9:00pm Free Blood @ Santos Party House, 100 Lafayette St. and Walker St.
9:00pm Fujiya & Miyagi @ Mercury Lounge, 217 E. Houston St. and Essex St.
10:10pm Holy Ghost! (DJ Set) @ Santos Party House, 100 Lafayette St. and Walker St.
10:30pm Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson @ The Studio at Webster Hall, 125 E. 11th St. and 3rd Ave.

Thursday, October 23

12:00am Bear Hands @ Mercury Lounge, 217 E. Houston St. and Essex St.
12:00am Heloise and the Savoir Faire @ Knitting Factory Main Space, 74 Leonard St. and Broadway
12:00am Late Of The Pier @ Music Hall of Williamsburg, 66 N. 6th St and Wythe Ave., Brooklyn
12:00am Margot and the Nuclear So-and-Sos @ Bowery Ballroom, 6 Delancey St. and Bowery
12:15am As Tall As Lions @ Canal Room, 285 W. Broadway and Canal St.
12:30am Beach House @ Le Poisson Rouge, 158 Bleecker St. and Thompson St.
8:00pm Coheed & Cambria @ Terminal 5, 610 W. 56th St. and 11th Ave.
8:30pm Fujiya & Miyagi @ Webster Hall, 125 E. 11th St. and 3rd Ave.
9:45pm Crystal Castles @ Webster Hall, 125 E. 11th St. and 3rd Ave.
10:00pm Oxford Collapse @ Red Bull Space, 40 Thompson St. and Broome St.
11:40pm Hercules & Love Affair (DJ Set) @ Hiro Ballroom, 118 9th Ave. and W. 17th St.

Friday, October 24

12:30am Noisettes @ Santos Party House, 100 Lafayette St. and Walker St.
2:15am Shout Out Out Out Out @ The Studio @ Webster Hall, 125 E. 11th St. and 3rd Ave.
6:30pm Chief @ The Annex, 152 Orchard St. and Allen St.
6:30pm Moneen @ Highline Ballroom, 431 W. 16th St. and 9th Ave.
8:15pm Saves the Day @ Highline Ballroom, 431 W. 16th St. and 9th Ave.
8:45pm The Coathangers @ Pianos, 158 Ludlow St. and Stanton St.
8:45pm Young Lords @ The Studio at Webster Hall, 125 E. 11th St. and 3rd Ave.
9:00pm DJ Alex English @ Le Royale, 21 7th Ave S. and Bedford St., Brooklyn
9:00pm Cut Off Your Hands @ Cake Shop, 152 Ludlow St. and Rivington St.
9:00pm Japanese Motors @ Bowery Ballroom, 6 Delancey St. and Bowery
9:15pm Broken Social Scene @ Brooklyn Masonic Temple, 317 Clermont Ave. and Lafayette Ave.
9:15pm Roisin Murphy @ Mansion Ultra Lounge, 530 W. 28 St. and 11th Ave.
9:30pm Lissy Trullie @ The Studio at Webster Hall, 125 E. 11th St. and 3rd Ave.
11:00pm Young Love @ The Studio at Webster Hall, 125 E. 11th St. and 3rd Ave.
11:30pm Oxford Collapse @ Pianos, 158 Ludlow St. and Stanton St.
11:45pm Aids Wolf @ Knitting Factory Tap Bar, 74 Leonard St. and Broadway

Saturday, October 25

12:00am Late Of The Pier @ Fillmore New York at Irving Plaza, 17 Irving Place and E. 15th St.
12:00am Ravens & Chimes @ 92nd St. Y Tribeca, 200 Hudson St.
12:00am The Ettes @ Arlene's Grocery, 95 Stanton St. and Ludlow St.
12:00am Vivian Girls @ Cake Shop, 152 Ludlow St. and Rivington St.
12:15am Ruby Suns @ Pianos, 158 Ludlow St. and Stanton St.
12:30am Gang Gang Dance @ Santos Party House, 100 Lafayette St @ Walker St
12:50am Bloody Social @ Webster Hall, 125 E. 11th St. and 3rd Ave.
1:00am The Virgins @ Mercury Lounge, 217 E. Houston St. and Essex St.
2:00am A Place To Bury Strangers @ Bowery Ballroom, 6 Delancey St. and Bowery
7:45pm Annuals @ Webster Hall, 125 E. 11th St. and 3rd Ave.
8:15pm Wetnurse @ Crash Mansion, 199 Bowery St. and Delancey St.
9:00pm Juiceboxxx @ Music Hall of Williamsburg, 66 N. 6th St. and Wythe Ave., Brooklyn
9:00pm Minus the Bear @ Webster Hall, 125 E. 11th St. and 3rd Ave.
9:45pm Shout Out Out Out Out @ Music Hall of Williamsburg, 66 N. 6th St. and Wythe Ave., Brooklyn
11:00pm Darkest Hour @Fontanas, 105 Eldridge St. and Grand St.
11:45pm HeartsRevolution @ Music Hall of Williamsburg, 66 N. 6th St. and Wythe Ave., Brooklyn

Sunday, October 26th

12:00am Vivian Girls @ Bowery Ballroom, 6 Delancey St. and Bowery St.
12:15am Designer Drugs @ Music Hall of Williamsburg, 66 N. 6th St. and Wythe Ave., Brooklyn
2:30am The Toxic Avenger @ Music Hall of Williamsburg, 66 N. 6th St. and Wythe Ave. Brooklyn
3:00am DJ Alex English @ Le Royale, 21 7th Ave. S. and Bedford St., Brooklyn

INTERVIEW WITH THE SHOES

2008-10-17T18:11:00.004-04:00

French electro duo with a bit of a footwear fetish and a lot of game.

France seems to have a monopoly on talented DJ crews these days, and Reims' The Shoes are no exception. After stumbling upon Guillaume Briere and Benjamin Lebeau's set one night at New York's Hiro Ballroom this summer (opening for a DJ set by The Midnight Juggernauts, naturally), these two Gallic fellows got the room a'rockin' with their electrifying tunes complete with strenuous live vocals and their head-pounding hit, "Knock-Out." The already sold-out limited edition "Knock-Out" seven inch came packaged with one-of-a-kind autographed Polaroids of shoes belonging to none other than some of the hottest artists in the music biz, including CSS, Does It Offend You, Yeah?, Busy P and Ben Bridwell of Band of Horses. The Shoes have also remixed Ladyhawke's "Dusk 'Till Dawn," Late of The Pier's "Focker" and many more - though an upcoming full-length of original songs is currently in the works.

Fierce Noise: How did the two of you meet and how did you first get into the electronic music scene?

Guillaume Briere: We met at school when we were 10 years old. We decided to make music very early. We were not good at school, and we wanted to get all the girls! ...and well, it worked! At the beginning we were playing in a punk rock band with my brother but I was a big hip hop fan so I bought (well my father bought ) an AKAI MPC 2000 when I was 15-years-old and it was like a revelation - I never gave it up.

FN: How did this obsession with taking photos of musicians' shoes develop?

GB: We met a lot of people because we are always on tour, so the idea came like that. It was obvious to us... some of them are famous, some of them are not. It's like a diary. We are going to print a huge poster with all the Pola's (it' s gonna be great!) on the wall of your room!

FN: What's your personal shoe preference?

GB: I'm a real shoe collector, it depends on my mood... sneakers or classy shoes, Chelsea boots, Vans authentic or Jordan 5, Classic Clark's... my last pair is a patent leather Christian Dior shoes. I love them!

FN: How far along are you in the recording process of your upcoming album? Do you have a title or track listing yet?

GB: We are always working on new songs... for us, every song is a potential single. We have a Japanese EP, two EP's in the UK on 50 Bones Records and very soon the "America EP" on a friend's brand new label called Green United Music. We do have something like 40 songs for the album... we just have to finish it... and choose.

FN: You're playing with Santogold on September 4th in London -- are you excited to be opening for such a huge artist?

GB: Yes, and very proud... always a bit anxious haha. We played last week at Leeds and the Reading Carling festival. We met a lot of great artists that we admire and had a big party with them! I can't remember everything but I think we did a good show...

FN: What are some of your favorite DJ's and bands?

GB: Well, my friends are my inspiration, they are my heroes. In Reims there are a lot great artists like Yuksek, Brodinski, Alb, Capataz and the best of all: The Bewitched Hands On The Top of Our Heads. It's a great band. I was playing with them before, and now I'm producing the album with Yuksek. We also listen to a lot of different kinds of music. Strangely, we don't listen to much electro music. We love '60s rock, folk, glam, pop etc., our new favorite band is a UK group called ESSER. They're brilliant! You have to check it out!

FN: When are you coming back to New York?!

GB: For our wedding, baby...

IHEARTCOMIX + CMJ PARTY HARDY

2008-10-14T17:37:00.008-04:00

Get ready for the CMJ Music Fest by hitting up the IHEARTCOMIX / CMJ Party this Saturday, October 25th. XLR8R Magazine & Scion are teaming up to present a line-up of smoking hot DJs and bands. Hosted by Matt of Matt & Kim, the night's events include sets by The Toxic Avenger, Ninjasonik, Heartsrevolution, Designer Drugs, Totally Michael, Juiceboxxx, Franki Chan, Lauren Flax plus live performances by Williamsburg's Team Robespierre and Canadian group Shout Out Out Out Out.

Saturday, October 25th @ 7 pm
IHEARTCOMIX / CMJ Party @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
66 N. 6th St., Brooklyn, NY
$12 advance / $14 doors
PRESALE
*First 100 CMJ badge holders get in for free*

ALBUM RELEASES FOR OCTOBER 14TH

2008-10-14T12:03:00.006-04:00

808 STATE 808:90 (ZTT)
AARON NEVILLE Christmas And Hits Duos (Universal)
ANDY BOPP This Guitar Kills Singer Songwriters (Rainbow Quartz)
ANE BRUN Changing Of The Seasons (Cheap Lullaby)
ARIZONA Glowing Bird (Echo Mountain)
ARMY NAVY Army Navy (The Fever Zone)
AUDRYE SESSIONS Audrye Sessions (Self-Released Black Seal)
BAMBOO SHOOTS Armour (Epic)
BETWEEN THE BURIED AND ME Colors Live (Victory)
BILL MADDEN Child Of The Same God (Madmuse)
BOO AND BOO TOO No Tempo (Ironpaw)
BOOK OF BLACK EARTH Horoskopus (Prosthetic)
BOOM BOOM SATELLITES Exposed (Sony Japan)
BOYZ II MEN Christmas And Hits Duos (Universal)
BRIAN CULBERTSON Christmas And Hits Duos (Universal)
BROTHER VON DOOM Relentless (Deathcote)
BURL IVES Christmas And Hits Duos (Universal)
CHANDELIERS The Thrush (Obey Your Brain)
CINEMATIC SUNRISE A Coloring Storybook And Long Playing Record (Equal Vision)
COMEBACK KID Through The Noise (Victory)
CONDO Best Of Luck (Rock Park)
COPELAND You Are My Sunshine (Tooth And Nail)
CRIME IN STEREO Selective Wreckage (B9R)
THE CURE 4:13 Dream Geffen)
DAVENPORT CABINET Nostalgia In Stereo (Equal Vision)
THE DEAD C Secret Earth (Ba Da Bing!)
DIANA KRALL Christmas And Hits Duos (Universal)
THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN Under The Running Board [Bonus Tracks] (Relapse)
DILLINGER FOUR Civil War (Fat Wreck Chords)
ELLA FITZGERALD Christmas And Hits Duos (Universal)
FAIRMONT Transcendence (Mint 400)
THE FLESHTONES Stocking Stuffer (Yep Roc)
FUCK BUTTONS Colours Move (Atp)
GENGHIS TRON Board Up The House Remixes 2 (Lovepump United)
GET HELP The End Of The New Country (Midriff)
HANK IV Refuge In Genre (Silt Breeze)
HASTE THE DAY Dreamer (Solid State)
HEARTS OF PALM UK For Life (Hypnote)
THE HERBALISER Can't Help This Feeling (K7R)
HOUSTON CALLS The End of An Error (Drive Thru)
HOWIE B VS CASINO ROYALE Not In The Face (Howie's)
I'M FROM BARCELONA Who Killed Harry Houdini? (EMD Int'l)
INGRID MICHAELSON Be Okay (Cabin 24)
J.D. SOUTHER If The World Was You (Slow Curve)
JARBOE Mahakali (The End)
JAY CROCKER Below The Ocean Over (Artunit)
JIMMY BUFFETT Christmas And Hits Duos (Universal)
JIMMY THACKERY Inside Tracks (Telarc)
KAISER CHIEFS Off With Their Heads (Universal)
KAMAL Whale Meditation (New Earth)
KILLROY Football Chants And Angry Rants (Mental)
LADYHAWKE Paris Is Burning EP (Modular)
LISTING SHIP A Hull Full Of Oil And Bone (Self-Released)
LOS LONELY BOYS Christmas Is Here (Epic)
LOQUAT Secrets Of The Sea (Talking House)
LORDS Fuck All Y'all Motherfuckers (Black Market/Metal Blade)
LOTUS Hammerstrike (SCI Fidelity)
LOUIS ARMSTRONG Christmas And Hits Duos (Universal)
LOVEDRUG The Sucker Punch Show (Razor & Tie)
LUCINDA WILLIAMS Little Honey (Lost Highway)
LYNYRD SKYNYRD Christmas And Hits Duos (Universal)
MARTIN SEXTON Solo (Kitchen Table)
MATTHEW DEAR Dog Days: The Robsoul Remixes (Spectral Sound)
MAX TUNDRA Parallax Error Beheads You (Domino)
MENAHAN STREET BAND Make The Road By Walking (Daptone Dunham)
MIKOTO We Are The Architects (Torque)
MOODY BLUES Christmas And Hits Duos (Universal)
NIK PAYTON Swinging The Changes (Arbors Jazz)
PARTIES Can't Come Down (Rainbow Quartz)
PATRICK THOMAS Build Me A City (Self-Released)
PILLARS AND TONGUES Protection (Contraphonic)
PINK WIDOWER The Enchanted Realm Of The Pink Windower (North Pole)
QUIETDRIVE Deliverance (Militia/Razor & Tie)
QUINTRON Too Thirsty 4 Love (Goner)
RADIOHEAD Logical Emotions [DVD] (United States)
RANDALL SHREVE The Entertainer (Self-Released)
REBA MCENTIRE Christmas And Hits Duos (Universal)
RELIGIOUS KNIVES The Door (Ecstatic Peace!)
SECRET MACHINES The Secret Machines (World's Fair)
SHERWOOD A Different Light (MySpace)
SISTER SIN Switchblade Serenades (Victory)
SIXPENCE NONE THE RICHER The Dawn Of Grace (Nettwerk)
SLEEPING IN THE AVIARY Expensive Vomit In A Cheap Hotel (Science of Sound)
SNOW PATROL "Take Back The City" [Single] (Polydor Fiction)
SONIC SYNDICATE Love And Other Disasters (Nuclear Blast)
SOUNDTRACK Awake, My Soul (Awake)
SPIRAL INTO THE STORM A Futile Veneer (Decibel Palace)
STEVIE WONDER Christmas And Hits Duos (Universal)
SUPREMES Christmas And Hits Duos (Universal)
T. RAUMSCHMIERE I Tank U (Shitkatapult)
TEITH Oak City [EP] (Thirty Ghosts)
TELEPATHE Chrome's On It (Bluhhamock)
TEMPTATIONS Christmas And Hits Duos (Universal)
TIGER STRIPES Blackroom Entertainment (Get Physical Music)
TOBY KEITH Christmas And Hits Duos (Universal)
UNEARTH The March (Metal Blade)
VARIOUS ARTISTS BNR Vol. 1 (Boys Noize)
VARIOUS ARTISTS Classic Rock Christmas (Universal)
VARIOUS ARTISTS Cosmic Balearic Beats Sampler, Vol 1, 2 & 3 (Eskimo)
VARIOUS ARTISTS Johnny Cash Remixed (Compadre)
VARIOUS ARTISTS Nublu Sound (Nublu)
VARIOUS ARTISTS Shambhala (New Earth)
VARIOUS ARTISTS Very Special Christmas: Playlist Plus (Universal)
VARIOUS ARTISTS We Wish You A Metal Xmas (Armoury)
VELOURIA Kiss It Better (Eskimo)
VIC CHESNUTT, ELF POWER AND THE AMORPHOUS STRUMS Dark Developments (Orange Twin)
VISITATIONS The Conundrum Tree (Orange Twin)
WAX FANG La La Land (Don't Panic!)
WILLIAM PARKER QUARTET Petit Oiseau (Aum Fidelity)
WINDY AND CARL Songs For The Broken Hearted (Kranky)
WINTERPILLS Central Chambers (Signature Sounds/Soft Alarm)
YO-YO MA Songs Of Joy And Peace (Sony)
ZOMBIE ZOMBIE Dog Walker (Versatile)

NEW AGAINST ME! VIDEO + GABEL GOES SOLO

2008-10-10T18:28:00.008-04:00

Against Me!'s new video for "Cowards Sing At Night" is now on Myspace, but you can check it out below:

Cowards Sing At Night

Frontman Tom Gabel will also be releasing his debut solo EP, Heart Burns, on October 28th. Catch him on the Revival Tour this November:

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 Cafe
11/15 Birmingham, AL, Workplay Theatre
11/16 W. Columbia, SC, New Brookland Tavern
Headlining:
11/20 NYC, NY - The Knitting Factory

KITSUNE MAISON 6: THE MELODIC ONE

2008-10-09T19:40:00.005-04:00

Parisian electro label Kitsune Maison is about to crank on their 6th compilation record, The Melodic One, due out October 27th - but if you're super impatient, you can pre-order online it now from Kitsune Shop, Rough Trade or Bonjour Records.

Volume 6 includes rare exclusive tracks from Digitalism, Lo-Fi-Fnk, Fischerspooner, A-Trak, Heartsrevolution, autoKratz, Etienne de Crecy, La Roux, Streetlife DJs, Beni, You Love Her Coz She's Dead, Appaloosa, David E. Sugar and even more tracks perfect for a killer night out.

OH MY FUCKING GOSSIP GIRL! LOLZ

2008-10-09T19:38:00.006-04:00

On October 28th, Gossip Girl - otherwise known as a "parent's worst nightmare" - is set to release its first official soundtrack featuring plenty of hits for both downtown hipsters and haughty upper east siders. Compiled by music supervisor, Alexandra Patsavas (The O.C, Chuck, Mad Men), OMFGG - Original Music Featured on Gossip Girl No. 1 (Atlantic Records) features tracks by The Ting Tings, The Kills, Crystal Castles, Junkie XL, The Kooks, Phantom Planet and much more - check out the complete track listing below.

Tracklisting:
1. The Kills – "Sour Cherry"
2. The Kooks – Do You Wanna"
3. Phantom Planet – "Do The Panic"
4. The Teenagers – "Feeling Better"
5. The Virgins – "One Week Of Danger (Demo Version)"
6. Nadia Oh – "Got Your Number"
7. Crystal Castles – "Crimewave"
8. The Republic Tigers – "Fight Song"
9. Junkie XL – "Cities In Dust"
10. The Ting Tings – "We Started Nothing"
11. Oppenheimer – "Breakfast In NYC"
12. The Pierces – "Three Wishes"
13. Albert Hammond Jr. – "Hard To Live In The City"

OUTBURN #46 REVIEW: MY AMERICA IS WATCHING TIGERS DIE, "STONE AGE"

2008-10-09T16:10:00.005-04:00

MY AMERICA IS WATCHING TIGERS DIE
Stone Age
[PLUTO]
Rating: 7 (out of 10)

EXPERIMENTAL HARDCORE: On their second studio full-length and follow-up to 2006's Narratives, Delaware based hardcore act My America Is Watching Tigers Die use some gargantuan riffage to channel their Neolithic rock hurling ancestors. Influenced by "life/death and volume," this band of raucous experimentalists play a brutal blend of technical hardcore and metal infused with enough arty twists and turns to keep the disc interesting. With recording duties helmed by Chris Owens of Lords, Stone Age sounds like a cross between hardcore heavyweights the Refused and Circle Takes The Square, with some Heavy Heavy Low Low and older Fear Before The March of Flames thrown in for good measure. The title track is a concise and brain rattling intro that plows full-throttle into the record's battle cry, "No Future." "Kid, you don't know shit," screams frontman Dave Rushman armed with a blood-curdling high pitched yowl. "You don't know all of life's misfortunes / and it's safe to say neither do I." With almost half its tracks clocking in at under three minutes, the record barrels along at with plenty of choppy, contorted riffing. My America Is Watching Tigers Die takes a minor breather from the violent thrashing during the somber bars of "6686," but ups the ante again with more teeth grinding tracks like "Send More Cops" and "Xanx Zombies." ~ Carolyn Brennan

OUTBURN #46 REVIEW: FUCKED UP, "YEAR OF THE PIG"

2008-10-09T16:01:00.004-04:00

FUCKED UP
Year of The Pig [EP]
[MATADOR]
Rating: 7 (out of 10)

PUNK ROCK SQUEAL: It's quite a feat when a group of deviant punk misfits from Toronto are able to penetrate the mainstream with their raucous hardcore anthems. Last year's critical success, Hidden World, has made Fucked Up the band on everybody's lips. To tide us over until their sophomore Matador full-length The Chemistry of Common Life, the group has packaged together their massive 18 minute plus anthem "Year of The Pig" along with its US, UK and Japanese edits, and three additional cuts. As the first eerie organ chords of the pivotal title track kicks in and a diaphanous female voice begins cooing, one might think for a split second they've put on the wrong record. That is, until the singer's thunderous roar cuts through the mounting tension like a butcher knife. "Pigs at the trough getting fat," he howls, "surfeit for the beast turning tricks for a feast." The song might start out pretty with its delicate female vocals and medieval organ chords - but it quickly turns ugly due to some seriously grotesque subject matter. While its clear that Fucked Up would like to terminate the meat packing industry, "Year of The Pig" is also a bitter diatribe against the cruel handling of sex workers in Canada, who are treated no better than squealing pigs waiting to be slaughtered. ~ Carolyn Brennan

ALBUM RELEASES FOR OCTOBER 7TH

2008-10-07T11:12:00.000-04:00

ALYSSA SUEDE Black And White In Color [EP] (Self-Released)
AQUALUNG Words And Music (Verve Forecast)
ARTAS The Healing (Napalm)
ATTACK! ATTACK! UK Attack! Attack! UK (Rock Ridge)
ATTICA RAGE Ruin Nation (Vanduara)
AUXES Sunshine (Lovitt)
BATTLELORE The Last Alliance (Napalm)
BELLA MORTE Beautiful Death (Self-Released)
BIGFELLAS Chubbed Up (Self-Released)
BOB DYLAN Tell Tale Signs (Legacy Columbia)
BORIS GARCIA Once More Into The Bliss (Digital Interactive)
CASTANETS City Of Refuge (Asthmatic Kitty)
CATFISH HAVEN Devastator (Secretly Canadian)
CHARLIE PICKETT Bar Band Americanus: The Best Of Charlie Pickett And... (Bloodshot)
DAMON AARON Highlands (Ubiquity)
DANIEL MARTIN MOORE Stray Age (Sub Pop)
DAVID DOOBININ The Birth Of Wonder (Self-Released)
DEERHOOF Offend Maggie (Kill Rock Stars)
DEPARTMENT OF EAGLES In Ear Park (4AD)
DOUG HOEKSTRA Blooming Roses (Folkwit Wingding)
EARTHLESS Live At Roadburn (Tee Pee)
ECCODEK Shivaboom (White Swan)
ED LAURIE Meanwhile In The Park (Dangerbird)
EZRA FURMAN AND THE HARPOONS Inside The Human Body (Minty Fresh)
FALL HORSIE Devil(e)durge (Youth Club)
GARY MOORE Bad For You Baby (Eagle)
GODHEAD At The Edge Of The World (Driven)
HOOBASTANK "My Turn" [Single] (Island)
HOT LAVA Lavalogy (Bar/None)
HOUR OF THE SHIPWRECK The Hour Is Upon Us (Self-Released)
ILL EASE Turn It Loose! (Ionik)
JARED MEES AND THE GROWN CHILDREN Caffeine, Alcohol, Sunshine, Money (Tender Loving Empire)
JAY NASH The Things You Think You Need (Self-Released)
JESSIE BAYLIN Firesight (Verve Forecast)
JOHN EICHLEAY John Eichleay (Copper Beech)
JUANA MOLINA Un Dia (Domino)
KAMPFAR Heimgang (Napalm)
LAND OF TALK Some Are Lakes (Saddle Creek)
LEGENDARY PINK DOTS Plutonium Blonde (ROIR)
MARNIE STERN This Is It... (Kill Rock Stars)
MICHNA Magic Monday (Ghostly International)
MIDWEST DILEMMA Timelines And Tragedies (Self-Released)
MONARETA Picotero (Nacional)
MOUNT EERIE WITH JULIE DOIRON AND FRED SQUIRE Lost Wisdom (P.W. Elverum And Sun)
NEW DUNCAN IMPERIALS End Of Phase One (PRAVDA)
OASIS Dig Out Your Soul (Reprise/Big Brother)
OF MONTREAL Skeletal Lamping (Polyvinyl)
PALE YOUNG GENTLEMEN Black Forest (Tra La La/Science Of Sound)
PANICS Cruel Guards (Dew Process)
PRETTY AND NICE Get Young (Hardly Art)
RAE SPOON Superioryouareinferior (Self-Released)
RALPH LALAMA QUARTET Energy Fields (Mighty Quinn)
REMATE Safe And Sound (Mushroom Pillow)
ROSEBUDS Life Like (Merge)
SANTIAGO LATORRE Orbita (ACCRETIONS)
SLARAFFENLAND Sunshine [EP] (Hometapes)
SPINTO BAND Moonwink (Park The Van)
STATUS So This Is Definitely Progress (Doghouse)
TEAM GENIUS Team Genius (Self-Released)
THE CLASH The Clash At Shea Stadium (Epic Legacy)
THESE ARMS ARE SNAKES Tail Swallower And Dove (Suicide Squeeze)
TWAN VON HOVI After A Year (Intervention Media)
VIVIAN GIRLS Vivian Girls (In The Red)
WINDUPDEADS On Your Way Out (One Eleven)

INTERVIEW WITH THE FAINT

2008-10-05T21:07:00.008-04:00

This past Friday I got to chat on the phone for a little with The Faint's resident synth player, Jacob Thiele. By now you've most definitely heard that the Omaha-based dance punk group is back with a new self-released record titled, Fasciinatiion. Read on for some insider info on the making of the record, the bands "fascination" with the future, plus Thiele's opinion of that gosh darn maverick Sarah Palin.

Fierce Noise: So it's been about four years since the band's last record, Wet From Birth. Why such a long gap of time?

Jacob Thiele: Well we toured for a long time after the last record - and when we finally got home to Omaha, we decided that we wanted to build a new studio. So that, as you can imagine, took a while because the project involved renovating a building into a new space and finding the right architect to help us.

FN: Why did the band opt to leave Saddle Creek and form its own label, blank.wav?

JT: We just wanted to do something different this time. Part of it was that we had already done four records with Saddle Creek, so each time the music was going out to the same people. This time, we wanted to utilize some different channels, see if we could get out music out to people who might not necessarily know about our band already. We thought about taking the major label route, you know, working with a big team of people to get our music heard - but ultimatley this is a sketchy world - and with the way things in the economy and the music industry are going right now, we realized that wouldn't be the best idea. We've friends who have tried the majors and it didn't work out well for them, so for the past four years we've been doing everything ourselves - we built the studio, wrote the music and produced the record together, though Joel (Peterson) acted as chief engineer. We also actually hired a manager who's been really helpful - he's very connected to the world of big labels and has worked in that environment for a long time so he was able to give us some good advice to get our music more out there.

FN: I actually heard one of your new songs playing on an episode of CSI last week..

JT: Oh really? I knew they had used one of our older tracks but I didn't know about one off the new record... in the past we've been kind of opposed to that sort of main stream thing. We wanted people to first see our live show or hear about us from a friend. But it's gotten to a certain point where we now feel sort of established so we want people to be able to experience the record in any way they can now. With the internet younger people have so many more outlets to experience new music, its not just about going to shows anymore.

FN: How did your most recent tour with Shy Child go?

JT: It went pretty well. A band called Anti-Pop Consortium played with us too, theyre on Warp Records. They're this electronic hip-hop group who play really innovative stuff, it's really cool. We want them to come back out with us in the Spring.

FN: Can you talk about the creative process behind Fasciinatiion? What inspired the making of this record?

JT: The record is sort of inspired by just where we are and where a lot of people in the world are today - especially with the election coming up. We're looking towards the future and how we can make it happen. We're looking at different ideas and how we can change what happens in the future. We're really interested in technology and where its taking us - it resulted in a lot of discussions about the capability of computers and also how computers have effected our ability to make new music. We're interested in how this technology will improve the future.

FN: But some of The Faint's songs off Fasciinatiion seem to have a more negative connotation about the future, would you agree?

JT: Yeah, I mean there's a couple of lines that show the darker side of things, but we want to be fair and to look at issues from both angles. To look at both possibilities and both extremes, but overall our hopes for the future are very positive. We're "fascinated" with technology and how it's advancing life. It's exciting to think that there might be an invention within our lifetime that could completely change the way we view the world. I mean it may have already happened with the CERN* Machine in France, for example. *[CERN stands for Conseil Européen pour la Recherche Nucléaire (European Council for Nuclear Research)]

FN: Oh yeah I read about that project in Scientific American - weren't people worried that once turned on it would form a black hole and destroy the earth?

JT: Not just a black hole though, there's been talk that it could create a worm hole that could lead to different dimensions or different periods in time. The band talked a lot about time travel and the "year zero" when we were making the record. For instance, what if people from the future found a wormhole which enabled them to enter our current time period? This is just one of the many things we were intrigued by.

FN: How did the band choose "The Geeks Were Right" as the single?

JT: It was basically a consensus that we arrived at based on the sound of the song and different people's responses to it. It's also the most guitar-oriented song on the album - so we wanted to put that foot forward and say, "hey we do more than just synths!"

FN: But you're the synth player!

JT: Yeah I know, it wasn't originally my first choice, but it was a democratic process.

FN: What was your choice for the first single?

JT: I wanted "Get Seduced" but I liked "Geeks" too.

FN: What is the band's process for writing songs?

JT: There isn't one exact process. A lot of times there will be a simple syth line and a drum beat and we add it all together - but sometimes it starts with guitar chords and then we try to inspire a melody from Todd - so yeah, there's really no one way for us to write a song.

FN: In The Faint's ten years as a band, you've pioneered the return of the new wave/dance punk trend that so many band's are doing now - are you flattered by this? Or just annoyed?

JT: I haven't heard any bands rip us off completley so I think it's been a good thing in general. We play music that we like, and the fact that there's now more music that sounds similar to what we like is definitley a positive. In general, I think there's so much better music out there than there was ten years ago - at least in this sort of genre. In 1998 there didn't seem to be too many interesting bands happening - to me anyway - but the last ten years has been a bit of a musical renaissance.

FN: Did you watch the debate last night? What do you think about Sarah Palin?

JT: I think she did a good job trying to learn now to handle the debate. You know they told her to act like Bush and to be straight shooter - but in general I don't like her or anything she stands for. I don't trust her and I don't think she deserves to be in the position that she is in right now. She is not very educated... it's like shes just been given a crash course in how politics works - and nothing good can come from that. I'm definitley voting for Obama.

FN: Omaha is known for its great music scene, as it was the birthplace of Bright Eyes' Conor Oberst, Cursive, your own band and countless others - but what new bands are cropping up in the scene now?

JT: Well there's Tilly And The Wall who've gotten pretty big. One of the guys from Tilly played on Fasciinatiion and he also has another band called Flowers Forever. And then a dude in that band also has another band called Baby Walrus. Another group caled Box Elders is really good, we wanted to take them on tour but they're too young. There's also Capgun Coup and Brimstone Howl.

FN: Is blank.wav going to sign any new bands soon?

JT: Since we started the label in order to put out our own record we don't have any plans to sign anybody else right now - but maybe that's something we could think about in the future.

FN: What music have you and other band members been listening to lately?

JT: I just got this Human League re-issue called The Golden Hour of The Future. I also like this British band called Late of The Pier who're really innovative. I've been told to check out a band called Jar Crew (which I still need to do) and there's a band called Future of The Left who I think are touring with Against Me!

FN: When you were growing up, what bands inspired you to want to play music?

JT: I was kind of a hardcore kid when I was in high school, listening to a lot of obscure stuff like bands on Gravity Records. I was into The Locust and somehow from there, since some of those kinds of bands began using keyboards - like Braniac and Fifth Finger Satellite - I became a lot more interested in that kind of sound and how they were able to make it work. Like I said earlier, about 10, 15 years ago there just didn't seem to be any good bands in the world of pop music. So everything I was listening to was either underground or older stuff like Depeche Mode and New Order, which I wasn't able to appreciate when I was even younger. I was also into Devo, Kraftwerk and old Human League - before they were a total pop band.

FN: Well that's about all the questions I have for you. Thanks for doing the interview - I know you've been doing a bunch of them today.

JT: Yeah, I've been in my interview mode today, it's no big deal (laughs).

THURSDAY SIGNS TO EPITAPH

2008-10-03T17:39:00.005-04:00

A message from the screamo stalwarts of Thursday:

"Many of you already know that we have had many difficulties with our record labels in the past, both "Independents" and "Majors", and have subsequently taken some time (a year and a half) to decide on a new situation. In this time, we've been meeting with labels from all over the country as well as discussing the possible alternatives to "signing" with a label. Some fascinating and intelligent people took the time to help us see what we were looking for (and some Record Execs inadvertently showed us what to avoid). From distribution deals, where we would be our own "label", to digital releases with suggested donations, we tried to educate ourselves to all the new and exciting ways that people can get their music out.

One of our biggest concerns was that we find a situation where we could be free to just be Thursday. In the past we've been asked to be the poster boys for a movement that we didn't wish to be a part of, pressured to write "The Big Single" and told to work on our "image." As much as we've always tried to remain true to our vision for the band and our belief in the basic power of music, it has been a struggle to constantly deflect the suggestions and advice of the people surrounding us. In this way, our story is an all-too-common one in today's music industry: We jumped in at the deep end and found ourselves trying to swim with the sharks; even when we were winning, we were losing ourselves. We feel very lucky to have outlasted these challenges and are grateful for the chance to finally do things our own way.

So why did we choose Epitaph? Of all the exciting and liberating options available to us, we found the idea of entering into a partnership with a label that we've always loved to be the most exciting idea. In this new era of music distribution we still see value in aligning ourselves with a company of dedicated and hard working people rather than trying to conduct all of the business ourselves. We want to keep our focus on music and touring. Epitaph have continually voiced their desire to help us become the band that WE have always wanted to be. It's a great feeling to have a label encourage you to be more socially conscious and politically active. It's a great feeling to have a label owner push you to explore the most experimental and challenging aspects of your band's music instead of dissuading you. It's a truly great feeling to be working with a label that all of our friends have had so many great experiences with. And it certainly doesn't hurt to work with a label that has put out many of our favorite records and is run by someone who's been in a touring band.

Brett G. was very clear that he wasn't looking to create any hype about a "return to form" for Thursday and he has never asked us to revisit the style of song writing that we used on Full Collapse (still our biggest selling album to date) but that we should continue to write with the firm intent of making our best record, our true "dream record" and that was especially informative in our decision to sign. We love our early records but the reason we still write music together, every single day, after ten years is that we believe our best records are still unwritten. We are very inspired by Bad Religion's post-Atlantic albums and look forward to our Epitaph years.

In short we've always believed that music has the power to change lives and that all of us who have been lucky enough to make music for a living have a responsibility to try and make the world a more compassionate and livable place in any small way that they can. We hope that with Epitaph's help and guidance we can do our part."

Thanks for listening,
Tim, Tom, Geoff, Andrew, Tucker and Steve (Thursday)

Thursday's Ten Favorite Epitaph Releases (in no order):
Refused "Shape of Punk to Come"
Hot Water Music "Caution"
The Bouncing Souls "Hopeless Romantic"
Bad Religion "Suffer"
Converge "No Heroes"
Tom Waits "Mule Variations"
NOFX "Punk In Drublic"
Rancid "Let's Go!"
Atmosphere "Seven's Travels"
Grinderman, "Grinderman"

Some Organizations That We Support (maybe you will too?):
Shirts For A Cure/SSE: www.shirtsforacure.com
Human Rights Campaign: www.hrc.org
Men Can Stop Rape: www.mencanstoprape.org

To all our friends in Canada we'll be out there with Rise Against soon. Here all the dates.
Canadian Tour dates w/Rise Against;
November 30 – Saskatoon – Prairieland
December 1 – Regina – Convention Hall
December 2 – Calgary – Round Up Centre
December 3 – Edmonton – Shaw Conference Centre
December 5 – Winnipeg – MTS Centre
December 8 – London – John Labbatt Centre
December 9 – Hamilton – Wentworth Room
December 10 –Ottawa – Civic Centre
December 11 – Montreal - CEPSUM

JUSTICE A CROSS THE UNIVERSE

2008-09-29T17:53:00.006-04:00

While the actual clothing at Kris Van Assche's S/S '09 Dior Homme fashion show wasn't too hot, the soundtrack was absolutely bangin'. And that's because the tunes were provided by les enfant terribles of the Parisian electro scene, the one and only JUSTICE. Stream the 4-part Planisphere EP on the DJs' MySpace page.

Xavier de Rosnay and Gaspard Auge will celebrate the release of their upcoming A Cross The Universe DVD with Romain Gavras and So Me by kicking off an international tour in Tokyo on October 18th. New Yorkers can catch the duo (if it's not already sold out) at Webster Hall on October 30th.

LADYHAWKE ROCKS THE POP

2008-09-29T12:05:00.008-04:00

Not to be confused with Jagjaguwar's Vancouver-based 5-piece, New Zealand's latest princess of pop, Ladyhawke (a.k.a. Philippa Brown) has been flying up the kiwi charts with her fiesty new wave hits in the vein of CSS, Santogold and Katy Perry.

Named after the 1985 Matthew Broderick & Michelle Pfieffer fantasy flick, Ladyhawke has plenty me-decade nostalgia: "It just sounded like everything meant so much more back then," she explained to the UK's i-D Magazine. Check out her Kinga Burza-directed video for "Back of The Van" below and be sure to pick up a copy of her new self-titled full-length, out now on Island.

Tracklisting:
1. Magic
2. Manipulating Woman
3. My Delirium
4. Better Than Sunday
5. Another Runaway
6. Love Don't Live Here
7. Back of The Van
8. Paris Is Burning
9. Professional Suicide
10. Dusk Till Dawn
11. Crazy World
12. Morning Dreams

Ladyhawke, "Back of The Van"

UPCOMING NEW YORK SHOWS

2008-09-25T19:27:00.005-04:00

I apologize for the lack of posts lately - I've been pretty busy the past few weeks with fashion week(s) and my 8 other jobs - but I am getting my shit back together for you lovely interweb people. Anyway here's a list of New York's best upcoming shows from now through the month of October:

9/28 Japanoodle Fest feat. Peelander-Z @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
9/28 Juno Reactor with Figo @ Blender Theater At Gramercy
9/28 Pinback @ Bowery Ballroom
9/28 Peelander-Z @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
9/29 Miss Kittin & The Hacker @ The Fillmore New York At Irving Plaza
9/29 The Dodos @ Spiegeltent
9/30 Laibach @ The Fillmore New York At Irving Plaza
9/30 Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson @ Mercury Lounge
9/30 Ben Folds @ Terminal 5

OCTOBER
10/1 The High Strung @ Highline Ballroom
10/1 Echo & the Bunnymen, Glasvegas @ Radio City Music Hall
10/1 Ben Folds @ Terminal 5
10/1 Black Kids, The Virgins, Magic Wands @ Webster Hall
10/1 Moby @ Zankel Hall at Carnegie Hall
10/2 Stereolab, Atlas Sound @ The Fillmore NY at Irving Plaza
10/2 Sam Champion (record release) @ Mercury Lounge
10/2 Say Hi, Jukebox the Ghost @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
10/2 Jessie Baylin, Matt Nathanson @ Nokia Theater
10/2 Shy Child, Team Robespierre @ Public Assembly
10/2 Chromeo, Peanut Butter Wolf, The Bloody Beetroots @ Webster Hall
10/2 Nightmare of You @ Highline Ballroom
10/3 Dark Meat, The Vivian Girls @ "Rocks Off Concert Cruise"
10/3 Stereolab, Anti-pop Consortium @ Fillmore NY at Irving Plaza
10/3-4 The Kills @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
10/3 Hot Chip, Drums of Death @ Terminal 5
10/3 Lucinda Williams @ WaMu Theater at Madison Square Garden
10/3 A-Trak, Boys Noize, Phantom Planet, The Rocket Summer @ Webster Hall
10/4 Jenny Lewis @ Apollo Theater
10/4 Common & N.E.R.D. with Chester French @ Roseland Ballroom
10/4 Fleet Foxes @ Grand Ballroom at Manhattan Center
10/4 Hot Chip @ Le Poisson Rouge
10/4 Glasvegas @ Mercury Lounge
10/4 The Kills, Magic Wands @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
10/4 Common, N.E.R.D @ Roseland Ballroom
10/4 Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds @ WaMu Theater at Madison Square Garden
10/4 Shudder to Think, The Jealous Girlfriends, Pattern is Movement @ Webster Hall
10/5-6 Tegan & Sara, City & Colour, Girl in a Coma @ Terminal 5
10/5 Fleet Foxes @ Webster Hall
10/5 Mickey Avalon @ Blender Theatre at Gramercy
10/6 Andrew Bird @ Hiro Ballroom at the Maritime Hotel
10/6 Death Cab For Cutie, St. Vincent @ Radio City Music Hall
10/6 Bloody Social, Deborah Harry, Lissy Trullie, Moby, Gina Girshon, Andrew Bird, Chi Chi Valenti, Jesse Malin @ Highline Ballroom
10/6-7 Madonna @ Madison Square Garden Arena
10/6-7 Okkervil River @ Webster Hall
10/7 Andrew Bird @ Hiro Ballroom at The Maritime Hotel
10/8 The Wedding Present @ Bowery Ballroom
10/9 Aqualung @ Joe's Pub
10/9 Times New Viking @ Fillmore NY At Irving Plaza
10/9 Luke Temple @ Union Hall
10/9 Between The Buried And Me, The Black Dahlia Murderer, Testament, Children of Bodom @ Hammerstein Ballroom
10/9 Danger Radio, Family Force 5, PlayRadioPlay @ Highline Ballroom
10/9 Freezepop @ Pyramid Club
10/9-10 Beck, MGMT @ United Palace
10/10 The National, Gizzly Bear @ Hammerstein Ballroom
10/10 The New Year, Dirty On Purpose @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
10/10 Of Montreal, Love is All @ Roseland Ballroom
10/10 Brazilian Girls @ Terminal 5
10/10 Beck, MGMT @ United Palace
10/10 MSTRKRFT, Felix Cartel, Congorock, Man Man @ Webster Hall
10/10 Langhorne Slim, Heartless Bastards, Those Darlins @ Bowery Ballroom
10/11 Killing Joke @ The Fillmore New York at Irving Plaza
10/11 Ray LaMontagne, Leona Naess @ Radio City Music Hall
10/11 Ted Leo & the Pharmacists, Against Me! @ Webster Hall
10/11 Cobra Starship, Forever The Sickest Kids, Hit The Lights @ Nokia Theater Times Square
10/12 Les Savy Fav @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
10/12 August Burns Red @ Blender Theatre At Gramercy
10/12 All Time Low, Mayday Parade, The Maine @ Roseland Ballroom
10/13 Atmosphere @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
10/13 The Notwist @ Webster Hall
10/13-14 Thrice, Alkaline Trio, Rise Against, The Gaslight Anthem @ Roseland Ballroom
10/14-16 TV on the Radio @ Brooklyn Masonic Temple
10/14 Ladyhawke, Bumblebeez @ Santos Party House
10/14 MaryKate O'Neil @ The Living Room
10/14 Yelle @ Webster Hall
10/15 Fucked Up, The Vivian Girls @ Bowery Ballroom
10/15 Danzig @ Roseland Ballroom
10/15 Cold War Kids @ Webster Hall
10/15-16 NOFX @ Fillmore NY At Irving Plaza
10/16 Antony & the Johnsons @ Apollo Theater
10/16 Ra Ra Riot, Walter Meego, The Morning Benders @ Bowery Ballroom
10/16 The Little Ones @ Mercury Lounge
10/16 Cold War Kids, AA Bondy @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
10/16 Diplo, Telepathe, Abe Vigoda @ Webster Hall
10/17 Ben Kweller @ Bowery Ballroom
10/17 Japanther @ Mercury Lounge
10/17 Ra Ra Riot, Walter Meego @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
10/18 Citizen Cope @ Apollo Theater
10/18 The Death Set, Dan Deacon @ (le) Poisson Rouge
10/18 The Juan Maclean, Chairlift @ Bowery Ballroom
10/18 The Spinto Band @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
10/18 Secret Machines @ Webster Hall
10/19 White Denim @ Mercury Lounge
10/19 Ra Ra Riot @ Sound Fix Records
10/19 Harry And The Potters @ Pier 17 At South Street Seaport
10/19 HorrorPops, Beat Unicorn @ Blender Theatre At Gramercy
10/20 Shearwater @ (le) poisson rouge
10/20 Lykke Li @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
10/20 White Denim @ Union Hall
10/20 Ludo, This Providence @ Knitting Factory
10/21 Lykke Li, Friendly Fires, Micauchu @ Bowery Ballroom
10/21 Shiny Toy Guns, Jonezetta, The Morning Benders @ Santos Party House
10/21 Magnetic Morning @ Southpaw
10/21 Cut Off Your Hands @ The Delancey
10/21 Deerhoof @ Spiegeltent
10/21 The Bronx @ Fillmore NY At Irving Plaza
10/21 CMJ Music Marathon featuring: Cool Calm Pete, Junk Science, Iller Than Theirs, Loer Velocity, Bisc1 @ Knitting Factory, Tap Bar
10/21 CMJ Showcase featuring: Ezekial Honigc, Gilles Vonsattel, Klimek, Simon Boyar @ (le) Poisson Rouge
10/22 CMJ Showcase featuring: Lady Dottie & The Diamonds @ Kenny's Castaways
10/22 Deerhoof @ Fillmore NY At Irving Plaza
10/22 Fujiya & Miyagi, Bear Hands @ Mercury Lounge
10/22-25 Coheed & Cambria @ Terminal 5
10/22 CMJ Music Marathon featuring: Dave Evans, Highbench, Jeff Stevens, Zach Weber @ Sullivan Hall
10/22 The Dears @ Maxwell's
10/22 Duffy @ Webster Hall
10/23 Anthony Green, 3OH!3 @ Highline Ballroom
10/23 Anthony Green, 3OH!3, Envy On The Coast @ Knitting Factory - Main Space
10/23 Heloise & The Savoir Faire, Drug Rug @ Knitting Factory
10/23 CMJ Music Marathon featuring: Biodiesel, Chris Nathan, Clay Parnell, Colin Smith, Johnny Rabb, Matt York @ Sullivan Hall
10/23 Panther, Teenage Bottlerocket @ Knitting Factory
10/23 The Dears, Eulogies @ Hiro Ballroom
10/23 The Magnetic Fields @ Landmark Loewes Theatre
10/23 Crystal Castles, Fujiya & Miyagi, Who Made Who @ Webster Hall
10/23 Oakley Hall @ 92nd St. Y
10/23 Bury Your Dead, Five Finger Death Punch @ Fillmore NY At Irving Plaza
10/24 Saves The Day, Moneen, Kevin Devine @ Highline Ballroom
10/24 Japanese Motors, Jay Reatard, White Lies @ Bowery Ballroom
10/24 Broken Social Scene @ Brooklyn Masonic Temple
10/24 An Albatross, Aids Wolf, Akimbo, Cat Call, Monotonix, Star Fucker, The Mae Shi, Dragging An Ox Through Water, Shellshag, Panther, The Apes, The Helio Sequence, Fiasco @ Knitting Factory
10/24 Kemado Showcase: Dungen, Muslims, Marissa Nadler, TK Webb & The Visions, Cheeseburger @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
10/24 CMJ Marathon featuring: School of Seven Bells @ Levi's Fader Fort
10/24 Cut Off Your Hands @ Cake Shop
10/24 Roisin Murphy @ Mansion Ultra Lounge
10/24 CMJ Showcase featuring: Death Vessel, Oxford Collapse, The Coathangers, The Cotton Jones Basket Ride, The Dutchess & The Duke, The Ruby Suns, sBACH @ Pianos
10/24 Gang Gang Dance @ Santos Party House
10/24 CMJ Music Marathon featuring: Black Clouds, Cloud Nine, Dellacane, Distraction, Mandred, Mike Falzone, Show Me Again @ Sullivan Hall
10/24 CMJ Music Marathon featuring: Laura Barrett, Lizzy Grant, Po'Girl, Rebecca Higgs, Sam Bisbee, Susanna Choffel @ The Living Room
10/25 Jay Reatard, King Khan & BBQ Show @ Glasslands
10/25 Genghis Tron, DMBQ, Monotonix, The Mae Shi, An Albatross @ Market Hotel
10/25 Yo Majesty @ Blender Theatre At Gramercy
10/25 A Place To Bury Strangers @ Bowery Ballroom
10/25 The Duke Spirit, Scars On Broadway @ Fillmore NY At Irving Plaza
10/25 CMJ Music Marathon featuring: They Might Be Giants, School of Seven Bells @ (le) Poisson Rouge
10/25 CMJ Music Marathon featuring: Bear Number 141, Chuck E. Costa, Clearview, Midfall Drive, Mike Castro, Roxbury, The Rustles, Under Your Bed @ Sullivan Hall
10/25 Oakley Hall @ Mercury Lounge
10/25 Cut Off Your Hands @ Public Assembly
10/25 The Whip, Holy Hail, The Muslims, Asobi Seksu, Shock Cinema @ Public Assembly
10/25 Minus the Bear, Annuals, The Crystal Method @ Webster Hall
10/26 Jay Reatard, Vivian Girls, Cola Freaks @ Santos Party House
10/26 Underoath, Saosin, The Devil Wears Prada, P.O.S. @ Terminal 5
10/27 Born Ruffians, Plants & Animals @ Mercury Lounge
10/27 k.d. lang @ Apollo Theater
10/27 Yael Naim @ Webster Hall
10/27 Copeland, Lovedrug, Lydia, Lights @ Bowery Ballroom
10/27 "Hedwig & The Angry Inch" @ Highline Ballroom
10/28 Born Ruffians, Plants & Animals @ Union Hall
10/28 Matthew Sweet, The Bridges @ Webster Hall
10/28 Estelle, The Roots, Gym Class Heroes @ Roseland Ballroom
10/29 Murs @ Bowery Ballroom
10/29 Uh Huh Her @ Fillmore NY at Irving Plaza
10/29 Apollo Sunshine @ Mercury Lounge
10/29 My Favorite Highway, Holiday Parade @ Knitting Factory, Tap Bar
10/29 Metro Station, Cash Cash @ Nokia Theater Times Square
10/29 Strayligh Run, Anberlin, Scary Kids Scaring Kids @ Webster Hall
10/30 Rachel Yamagata, Thao, Ngyuen, Meiko, Samantha Crain, Emily Wells @ Bowery Ballroom
10/30 The Last Shadow Puppets @ Grand Ballroom at Manhattan Center
10/30 O'Death @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
10/30 Justice (DJ set), Busy P, Sebastian, So Me @ Webster Hall
10/30-31 Patti Smith, The Black Crowes @ Hammerstein Ballroom
10/30 Unearth, Gwen Stacy, Protest The Hero, The Acacia Strain, Whitechapel @ Fillmore NY At Irving Plaza
10/31 The Misfits @ B.B. King's Blues Club
10/31 Portugal. The Man, Wintersleep, Earl Greyhound @ Bowery Ballroom
10/31 Matt & Kim, DMBQ, Ponytail, AIDS Wolf @ Danbro Brewery Warehouse
10/31 Jaguar Love, Polysics, Black Gold @ Mercury Lounge
10/31 Danger @ Webster Hall

ALBUM RELEASES FOR SEPTEMBER 16TH

2008-09-16T13:49:00.003-04:00

12 HORSE 12 Horse (Nightmare Blastzone)
ALL THAT REMAINS Overcome (Prosthetic Razor and Tie)
BEBO NORMAN Bebo Norman (BEC)
BETH ROWLEY Little Dreamer (Verve Forecast)
BRASS BED Midnight Matinee (Self-Released)
BREAK AND REPAIR METHOD Milk The Bee (Bluhammock)
CONIFER Crown Fire (Important)
DEAD CONFEDERATE Wrecking Ball (The Artists Organization)
EVERGREY Tom (SPV)
FEMBOTS Calling Out (Weewerk)
FUJIYA AND MIYAGI Lightbulbs (Deaf Dumb And Blind)
GARY LOURIS AND MARK OLSON Ready For The Flood (Hacktone)
HACIENDA Loud Is The Night (Alive)
HAUNT The Deep North (Nine Mile)
JASON DANIELEY Jason Danieley And The Frontier Heroes (PS Classics)
JEM Down To Earth (ATO Records)
JESSICA LEA MAYFIELD With Blasphemy, So Heartfelt (Polymer)
JONEZETTA Cruel To Be Young (Tooth And Nail)
KELLER WILLIAMS Live (SCI Fidelity)
KIMYA DAWSON Alphabutt (K)
KINO Map Of The Universe (Man Eating Seas)
LARGE PROFESSOR Main Source (Gold Dust)
LIGHT YOURSELF ON FIRE Intimacy (Seventh Rule)
LINDSEY BUCKINGHAM Gift Of Screws (Reprise)
LOSERS BEAT WINNERS New Vaccine (Spat!)
MARK GEARY Opium (sonaBLAST!)
MARROW Quiet Desperation (Marrowcell)
MATT WERTZ Under Summer Sun Universal Republic
MIRROR MIRROR The Society Of The Advancement Of Inflammatory Consciousness (Cochon)
MOTHER MOTHER O My Heart (Last Gang)
NOODLE MUFFIN Long Live The Spin (FYOOG STATE)
PORTUGAL. THE MAN Censored Colors (Equal Vision/Approaching AIRballoons)
RAGLANI Of Sirens Born (Kranky)
SADIKI Morning's Come (Skinny Bwoy)
SCHOOL OF SEVEN BELLS Half Asleep/Caldo [7-Inch] (Ghostly International)
SECKOU KEITA QUINTET The Silimbo Passage (World ArtVentures)
SLANTS Slanted Eyes, Slanted Hearts (In Music We Trust)
SON OF SAM Into The Night (Horror High)
SORTA Sorta (Self-Released)
SOWETO GOSPEL CHOIR Live At The Nelson Mandela Theatre (Shanachie)
TALKDEMONIC Eyes At Half Mast (Arena Rock)
TINDERSTICKS The Hungry Saw (Constellation)
UNNATURAL HELPERS Singles Club #2 [7-Inch] (SUB POP)
UNWRITTEN LAW Live And Lawless (Suburban Noize)
VARIOUS ARTISTS Fabriclive 41: Simian Mobile Disco (Fabric)
VERONICAS Hook Me Up (Sire)
VOLCANO! Paperwork (Leaf)
WALKMEN You And Me (Gigantic)
WAR TAPES War Tapes (Sarathan)

Y-E-L-L-E SPELLS YELLE!

2008-09-16T11:21:00.007-04:00

French new wave mistress Yelle is bringing her electro party Stateside come October for her most extensive U.S. tour yet (featuring support from Funeral Party and Passion Pit). New Yorker's can catch her sassy act at Webster Hall on the 14th, and as for the rest of you, check out the dates listed below. Yelle's debut full-length Pop-Up is out now via Astralwerks.

Oct 7 2008

8:00P

House of blues

Dallas

Oct 8 2008

8:00P

The Mohawk

Austin

Oct 10 2008

8:00P

Polish American Legion

Miami

Oct 11 2008

8:00P

Social

Orlando

Oct 13 2008

8:00P

9:30 Club

Washington

Oct 14 2008

8:00P

Webster Hall

New York

Oct 15 2008

8:00P

Roxy theather

Boston

Oct 18 2008

8:00P

Airwaves festival

Reykjavik

Oct 21 2008

8:00P

Logan Square Auditorium

Chicago

Oct 22 2008

8:00P

Turner hall

Milwaukee

Oct 24 2008

8:00P

Ogden theater

Denver

Oct 25 2008

8:00P

Urban lounge

Salt Lake City

Oct 27 2008

8:00P

Neumo’s

Seattle

Oct 28 2008

8:00P

Commodore ballroom

Vancouver

Oct 29 2008

8:00P

Berbati’s

Portland

Oct 31 2008

8:00P

Mezzanine

San Francisco

Nov 1 2008

8:00P

Henry Fonda theater

Los Angeles

Nov 2 2008

8:00P

Beauty bar

San Diego

FOALS FLYS OLYMPIC AIRWAYs

2008-09-12T14:10:00.004-04:00

Plenty of Foals news to share: On October 6th, Transgressive Records is releasing Foals' new single "Olympic Airways" via digital download, CD and 7" - and each with the addition of a never heard before B-Side titled "Glaciers." Pre-order either version by clicking here or visit the band's MySpace to hear "Glaciers" for yourself.

"Olympic Airways" has also been remixed by Ewan Pearson's Return To The Villa of Joy, Supermayer and Diskjokke, and are available on iTunes.

And finally, check out what Yannis has to say about Foals' upcoming record, due out in 2009.

FEAR BEFORE MINUS THE MARCH OF FLAMES

2008-09-10T20:30:00.004-04:00

Denver, CO's Fear Before The March of Flames has officially shortened their name to Fear Before, and will (commemorate) the change by releasing their third effort (and followup to 2006's The Always Open Mouth) on October 28th. The record was produced by Casey Bates (Gatsbys American Dream, Chiodos, Forgive Durden) this past summer in Seattle, WA. A press release from the band:

Regarding the name change, guitarist Adam Fisher jokes, "It gets so tiring repeating 'Fear Before The March of Flames' over and over again to old lady gas station attendants in Nebraska" but adds, "Mostly because in so many ways, we're a new band." Bassist Mike Madruga explains the long version of the name was a personal challenge to the members. Now that they feel they've met the challenge, it's time to get down to the roots of the band. "The long version of the name was good for us in the beginning because it was interesting and stood out. It paralleled our mentality of playing the music we were writing because we told ourselves, 'If we can pull off having this name, we had better be able to pull off the music we were writing.' The new album is 10 strong songs, no fillers or tag-ons... and we want the band name to replicate that."

The decision for a self-titled album seemed like a no-brainer. "It is essentially the same reasons as the name change. We want it to be identified by its songs," says Madruga. The songs certainly do reflect the new Fear Before. "Lyrically, this record is the most positive material we have done. It is a written history of all the emotions we have experienced through the course of the band's 6 years." Fisher adds, "A lot of it has to do with sticking around through all the hard times we've endured as a band. It's about growth and making mistakes but dealing with them instead of dwelling on them." Musically, Fear Before stays to their claim that they will never make the same record twice. "It's more concise, a hard hitter. It's still dark like Mouth... and cynical like Art Damage but it takes different elements from both and expands on them." One of the most noticeable differences on Fear Before is the vocals. "I don't know how it happened or when he decided he can sing, but he can and quite well," Fisher jokes of vocalist, David Marion. However, Marion's voice isn't the only one on the record: guest vocals include The Fall Of Troy, Heavy Heavy Low Low and Portugal. The Man.

The band has posted a video from their time in the studio where fans can hear two clips of new music on their website, www.fearbefore.net.

Track List:
1. Treeman
2. I'm Fine Today
3. Fear Before Doesn't Listen To People Who Don't Like Them
4. Get Your Life Together
5. Jabberwocky
6. Everything's Not Shitty
7. Tycho
8. Bad Days
9. Stay Weird
10. Review Our Lives (Epic)

Tour Dates w/ Damiera, I Am The Ocean
09/09 Minot, ND - The Red Carpet
09/10 Fargo, ND - The Aquarium
09/11 Sioux Falls, SX - Nutty's North
09/12 Omaha, NE - Saddle Creek Bar
09/13 Lawrence, KS - Jackpot
09/14 Springfield, MO - The Vault
09/15 Iowa City, IA - Picador
09/16 Milwaukee, WI - The Rave
09/17 La Crosse, WI - The Warehouse
09/18 Chicago, IL - Beat Kitchen
09/19 Pontiac, MI - The Eagle Theatre
09/20 Cleveland, OH - The Agora
09/21 Covington, KY - Mad Hatter
09/22 Buffalo, NY - The SoundLab
09/24 Danbury, CT - Heirloom Arts Theatre
09/25 Allston, MA - ICC Church
09/26 Maplewood, NJ - Garden State Music Factory
09/27 Watertown, NY - Velocity
09/29 Lancaster, PA - Chameleon Club
09/30 Richmond, VA - The Canal Club w/ I Am The Ocean, Exotic Animal Petting Zoo
10/01 Charlestown, SC - Oasis
10/02 Atlanta, GA - TBA
10/03 Little Rock, AR - The Village
10/04 Tulsa, OK - The Marquee
10/05 Houston, TX - Walters
10/06 Austin, TX - Red 7
10/07 Dallas, TX - The Door
10/08 Amarillo, TX - The War Legion Hall
10/09 Albuquerque, NM - Telos House
10/10 Tucson, AZ - The Rock
10/11 Tempe, AZ - The Sets
10/13 Victorville, CA - Karma
10/15 Anaheim, CA - Chain Reaction
10/16 Bakersfield, CA - Studio 99
10/17 Santa Cruz, CA - 418 Project
10/18 Modesto, CA - Sidelines
10/20 Roseburg, OR - Riversdale Grange
10/21 Portland, OR - Satyricon
10/22 Longview, WA - Reid's Pit Stop
10/23 Seattle, WA - King Cobra
10/24 Richland, WA - Ray's Golden Lion
10/25 Spokane, WA - Big Dipper
10/26 Missoula, MT - Union Hall
10/27 Bozeman, MT - The Underground
10/28 Salt Lake City, UT - In The Venue

DAZEDDIGITAL NY FASHION WEEK COVERAGE

2008-09-09T18:46:00.012-04:00

RAD HOURANI S/S '09
The Montreal-based designer continues to show his signature asexual, aseasonal clothes.
Photo credit: Dark

TIM HAMILTON S/S '09
A rooftop presentation complete with a soundtrack by LCD Soundsystem's Tim Murphy.
Photo credit Shawn Brackbill

JOLIBE BY JOEL DIAZ S/S '09
Joel Diaz puts on a minimal presentation that lets the clothes do the talking.
Photo credit: Shawn Brackbill

SAVANT S/S '09
Feng Feng Yeh gives a first taster of what to expect of her "Savant-Garde" designs at New York Fashion Week.
Photo Credit: Zandy Mangold

MICHAEL ANGEL S/S '09
New York Fashion Week kicks off with a psychedelic kaleidoscope of bleeding colors.
Photo credit: Mark Reay

LYKKE LI KICKS IT @ (LE) POISSON ROUGE

2008-09-07T17:38:00.003-04:00

Lykke Li has remarked in a number of interviews that she doesn't want people to focus on the fact that she's Swedish -- she's more interested in making a statement as a woman in the music industry. But when your homeland is one of the raddest nations with the hippest most fashion-forward youth -- not to mention some of the richest offerings in contemporary indie rock and pop (Peter Bjorn and John, The Knife, Jens Lekman, Jose Gonzalez, El Perro Del Mar, Shout Out Louds -- and the list goes on and on), it makes me desperately wish I had more than a "little bit" of Swedish in me too.

But this is merely one of the myriad aspects that make this indie pop sensation truly rock harder than Amy Winehouse and her minions of impersonators. Though Li doesn't sound like an fifty-year-old black blues musician, this Olsen twin look-alike truly is a unique voice to be reckoned with. Li (full name Li Lykke Timotej Zachrisson)'s got her own groove going on, with a gorgeous breathy accented voice that sends tingles down the spine. What's amazing is how this dewey-faced Swede can sound ten times better live in concert when she already sounds unreal on her debut self-released record, Youth Novels.

So when I got the chance to attend out Lykke's show on Thursday August 28th at New York's very recently opened (le) Poisson Rouge venue, I was simply jumping for joy. I had already been listening to Youth Novels on repeat all summer long and copping Li's high-knotted hairstyle and penchant for voluminous shirts coupled with body-conscious catsuits -- so this was my chance to experience what was undeniably one of the best concerts of 2008.

On a raised circular platform surrounded by jubilant fans, Lykke Li, her trusty megaphone and backing band held nothing back throughout the hour long set. She danced. danced. danced her quirky trademark dances all while singing, cooing and seductively murmuring her way through her short but amazingly sweet back-catalog, including everybody's favorites, "Little Bit," "I'm Good, I'm Gone" and "Breaking It Up" - but throwing in some fun covers as well, including Vampire Weekend's "Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa" and a rousing rendition of A Tribe Called Quest's "Can I Kick It?" - which received plenty riotous bouts of "Yes you can!" from the animated audience. It was an intimate affair between concert goers and a rising young Swedish sprite, and it was certainly a night to remember. I was simply blown away.

Youth Novels is out now on Atlantic Records in the U.S.

Visit Nicky Digital to view Li performing "Little Bit" or click below for her cover of "Can I Kick It?"

S/S '09 FASHION WEEK MAYHEM

2008-09-04T11:52:00.014-04:00

Fashion week is finally here, which means lots of fashion shows plus lots of parties!

I'm attending several shows courtesy of the awesome folks over at Dazed & Confused Magazine in the UK:

Friday Sept. 5th: Michael Angel @ The Tent – Byant Park, 9 a.m.

Savant @ Midtown Lumber Building, 276 West 25th Street, 8 p.m.

Sunday Sept, 7th: Jolibe by Joel Diaz @ Hosfelt Gallery, 531 West 36th Street, 1 p.m.

Tim Hamilton (with set by LCD Soundsystem) @ Milk Studio Penthouse, 415 West 15th Street & 10th Avenue, 5 p.m.

Friday Sept. 12th: Rad Hourani @ 201 Mulberry Street, 5 p.m.

Look for my runway recaps to be posted on Dazeddigital.com!
_________________________________________________

And on the party front, here are just a few of the many events going on this week (more to be posted soon!):

Thursday, Sept. 4th: The Young & The Banging Opening Night @ 255 Elizabeth St., 8 p.m.

Kitsune Maison Night @ Ete D'Amour, Santos Party House with Fischerspooner (with Jon Kane), Guns N Bombs, Gildas & Masaya and a live set by HeartsRevolution. 100 Lafayette St., 10 p.m.

Friday, Sept. 5th: Ruff Club + Spencer Product Release Party @ The Annex with The Death Set, The Misshapes, Obesity & Speed, Mat (A.R.E. Weapons), Japanster and Gerard. 152 Orchard St., 11 p.m.

"Gothic: Dark Glamour" Exhibition opens at FIT Museaum featuring designs by Yohji Yamamoto, Alexander McQueen, Ann Demeulmeester, Rick Owens, Gareth Pugh, John Galliano of Christian Dior, Anna Sui, Olivier Theyskens, Ricardo Tischi of Givenchy, and Jun Takashi of Undercover. Seventh Ave. and 27th St. Through Feb. 21st 2009.

Saturday, Sept. 6th: Le Night @ 205 Club with Resident DJs Brown, KidIndie and Peter High. 205 Christie St., 10 p.m.

Sunday, Sept. 7th: Totally Rad: New York In The '80s Exhibit @ Paul Kasmin Gallery with artwork by Julian Schnabel, Basquiat, Warhol, Cindy Sherman, Frank Stella and many others. 293 Tenth Ave., 7 p.m.

Monday, Sept. 8th: The Pull-Out Method: Annual Fashion Week Blowout @ Beauty Bar featuring DJ VDRK, Bradley D and Bad Decision. 231 E. 14th St., 10 p.m.

Tuesday, Sept. 9th: Fashion Week Party @ R Bar with Dana Distortion and special guests TBA, 218 Bowery, 9 p.m.

Thursday, Sept. 11th: WAD/KLUB NYC Fashion Week Party @ Hiro Ballroom with Fashion Performance by PA:NUU , DJ Feadz of Ed Banger crew/Paris, Kesh, Dee Nice, Alex English and Kilowatt. 371 W. 16th St., 10 p.m.

Friday, Sept. 12th: Digitalism DJ-set @ "Fixed" at Santos Party House. 100 Lafayette St., 11 p.m.

HEARTSREVOLUTION'S SWITCHBLADE

2008-09-03T22:27:00.008-04:00

Heartsrevolution's long-awaited Switchblade EP will be released on October 21st via IHEARTCOMIX.

Tracklisting:
1. Switchblade
2. Wolves + libertines
3. Dance til dawn
4. Digital suicide
5. Take it or leave it

New Yorkers can catch this crazy electrothrash duo tomorrow night (Thursday the 4th) for Kitsune Maison Night at Santos Party House or on Friday the 5th at Death By Audio in Williamsburg. Hit it up!

NEW MUSIC FROM PORTUGAL. THE MAN

2008-09-03T22:06:00.006-04:00

Portugal. The Man is releasing their new record, Censored Colors on September 16th through a collaboration between their personal label Approaching AIRballoons and Equal Vision Records.

Visit the band's MySpace page to hear four new songs from the record or click here to pre-order.

Tracklisting:
(the colors)
1. Lay Me Back Down
2. Colors
3. And I
4. Salt
5. Created
6. Out and In In and Out
7. INTERMISSION
(the twenty-five)
8.New Orleans
9. Never PLeased
10. Sit Back and Dream
11. Hard Times
12. Our Times
13. All Mine
14. 1989
15. Our way

Portugal. The Man will be touring through Germany from September 10th to October 4th, and will kick off their U.S. leg on October 14th in Fresno, California. Visit MySpace to view the full list of dates.

FOB DON'T CARE

2008-09-03T21:09:00.003-04:00

Wooooooo Fall Out Boy has a new single out called "I Don't Care" ....you know you love it! Click here to listen.

The single is from the band's upcoming record, Folie A Deux, due out November 4th, which just so happens to be election day as well.

THE CHEMICAL BROTHERS OFFEND US, YEAH AT HIRO BALLROOM

2008-08-28T14:48:00.008-04:00

While cruising through the plethora of events listed on going.com, I quickly found an awesome freebie night that you can't miss: Cheeky Bastard presents and The Chemical Brothers' CD release party plus a live dj set by Does It Offend You, Yeah? (for free with RSVP, of course: visit gbh.tv). It's all going down at New York's Hiro Ballroom on September 4th at 10 p.m.

The Chemical Brothers' new record Brotherhood drops two days earlier on Tuesday, September 2nd via Astralwerks/Virgin while Does It Offend You, Yeah?'s debut self-titled full-length is out now on Virgin Records.

CATCH LYKKE LI ON CONAN TONGIHT

2008-08-28T13:47:00.003-04:00

Please excuse my incessant urge to post about and fawn over Lykke Li - but if you were unable to score tickets to her show tonight at Le Possion Rouge, you can still catch her act on Late Night with Conan O'brien! [12:35 a.m. EST on NBC]