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Brian and I went away for the weekend and now I am back to work feeling VERY groggy. So for the morning at least I'm just going to throw you some tid bits of musical goodness until I can climb out of this delicious fog.

Straylight Run has posted "Wait And Watch" on MySpace, taken from their forthcoming "Un Mas Dos" EP.

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The Deer Tracks is David Lehnberg & Elin Lindfors, both children of the Swedish town of Gavle. You can catch their full album preview at their MySpace today and while you're at it catch their new video to the first single "Slow Collision".

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The Mississippi Kings have released their first single "Sailing On The Ocean" from their upcoming album Long Time Comin'.

The single is available for free download at their website.

The album will be released in Fall 2008.

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Imperial Vipers, is said to be one of the most exciting and authentic rock bands to emerge from Britain recently. The band burst onto the music scene in 2005 with a sound described as somewhere between Soundgarden and the Clash. They've toured with the legendary Hanoi Rocks and can name Iron Maiden front man, Bruce Dickinson, as a fan!

After completing a crazy festival tour circuit, the band finished recording their second album The Sickness, with legendary producer Steve Power (Robbie Williams, Feeder, Charlatans, Blur, Bon Jovi) for Eminence Records. The Sickness comes out on October 6th and the new single "Check This" drops September 22nd.

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And, Alex Greenwald of Phantom Planet performs an acoustic version of their song "Ship Lost At Sea" in Asbury Park, New Jersey while on The Final Riot! Summer Tour with Paramore and Jack's Mannequin. You can check it out on YouTube!

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Your free download for the day is from Clare & The Reasons and was performed in support of Barack Obama for President.

Listen: "Obama Over the Rainbow" (mp3)

"Because at this defining moment in our history - with our nation at war, and our economy in recession - we know that the American people cannot afford four more years of the same failed policies and the same old politics in Washington. We know that the time for change has come."

Labels: Imperial Vipers, Straylight Run, The Mississippi Kings

Matt Wertz is from Liberty, Missouri, but has called Nashville, Tennessee, home for the last seven years. It seems fitting that he would be writing his own biography on the cusp of his first major label release, just as he did eight years ago before releasing his first independent album. This time, though, he's not trying to play it off like he didn't write it.

Matt goes on to say "The record that will be released on Universal Republic is called "Under Summer Sun" and it is a combination of my favorite songs from my first few independent releases, like "5:19" and "Everything's Right," as well as four new songs.

Listen:
Matt Wertz - "5:19" (mp3)

Catch Matt Wertz On Tour!

With Gavin Degraw

Aug. 21 Rochester, NY Nola's
Aug. 23 Wantagh, NY Mulchany's
Aug. 24 Wilmington, DE Grand Opera House
Aug. 26 Asheville, NC Orange Peel
Aug. 27 Knoxville, TN Tenessee Theater
Aug. 28 Nashville, TN City Hall
Aug. 29 Memphis, TN Memphis Agricenter
Sept. 01 Pontiac, MI Clutch Cargo's
Sept. 03 New York, NY Terminal 5
Sept. 04 Boston, MA Wilbur Theater
Sept. 07 Dewey Beach, DE Bottle & Cork
Sept. 08 Baltimore, MD Ram's Head Live

With O.A.R.

Sept. 15 Ryman Auditorium Nashville, TN
Sept. 17 Louisville Palace Louisville, KY
Sept. 18 Knoxville Civic Auditorium Knoxville, TN
Sept. 20 Family Circle Magazine Stadium Charleston, SC
Sept. 23 Charlottesville Pavilion Charlottesville, VA
Sept. 24 Cricket Arena Charlotte, NC
Sept. 26 Koka Booth Ampitheatre Cary, NC
Sept. 27 Verizon Wireless Amiptheatre Alpharetta, GA

Labels: Matt Wertz

Since there wasn't really anyone special at the Delaware State Fair this year we didn't go to see any of the concerts. What I want to know is how Minnesota ended up with such fantastic bands on their State Fair Concert List...

Aug. 26: Paramore with Jack's Mannequin, Phantom Planet and Paper Route, $30.

Are you freaking kidding me!!! Can you imagine that set!?

Of course they have The Backstreet Boys playing on another night, but I'd say their August 26th showing makes up for it whole heartedly.

And then I found out...Paramore visited Philadelphia on Friday, August 15th for its summer 2008 tour with Jack's Mannequin, Phantom Planet and Paper Route. The groups performed on the Festival Pier at Penn's Landing. Holy mackenzie that is an amazing line up. The whole B, B & C crew would have rocked out! One of Braeden's favorite songs of all-time (his whole four years hehe) is Jack's song "Dark Blue." Man oh man, he would love to see them live, I just know it!

And so on Jack's MySpace page there is a message from their fan club.

The release of The Glass Passenger is rapidly approaching. Jack's Mannequin is turning to their faithful friends, The Messengers, to help them get ready for their upcoming tour and the release of their new album, The Glass Passenger. That's why The Messengers have just launched, "The Glass Passenger Adventure."

As a Messenger you'll be helping to let the world know about Jack's Mannequin, but you'll also be working towards winning the Grand Prize. We don't want to give too much away, but it involves hand-written lyrics, a flyaway and a couple more things. Did we mention that the winner will be hand-selected by Andrew himself? Want in? Signup To The Messengers!

Listen:
Jack's Mannequin - "Resolution" (mp3)

Labels: Jacks Mannequin

Indie band Straylight Run has recently announced the release of their 2nd EP, Un Mas Dos. The EP will feature the first new material recorded by the band since the departure of former singer/pianist Michelle DaRosa.

The official release date for Un Mas Dos is set for September 16th and will be released through The Record Collective rather than their former label, Universal Records, who moronically dropped them last year.

Tracks
1. Wait and Watch
2. Listen to - "Try" (mp3)
3. Ten Ton Shoes

Labels: Straylight Run

Once I hit the fourth song on Trapt's new album I realized I should stop trying to hate it, because it's actually a great album. There is a lot of growth in, Only Through the Pain, musically if not lyrically. Track six, "Forget About the Rain" reminds me a little bit of 311 or Sublime whereas the first couple tracks are more like Atari or a high energy Matchbox 20. All I can say is for a third studio album it ended up awfully diverse and very pumped up.

Lyrically the content is bitter, resentful and in many cases depressing, but for me at least, all something which I could relate to in one way or another. The only track I really didn't like was "Cover Up" because it was something I imagine a high school garage band could cover too easily.

Chris Taylor Brown is the singer and guitarist for Trapt. He wrote the music and the lyrics for this album, which released on August 5, 2008. Trapt had been dropped by Warner Brothers and his girlfriend broke up with him. Hence the bitterness in many of the lyrics. But there is a glimmer of hope throughout some of the tracks and I believe that might be due to being picked up by a new label and meeting a new girl.

Eleven Seven Music, founded by Motley Crue bassist Nikki Sixx picked up Trapt out of the ashes and gave them their second chance. I think they are trying to figure out what kind of genre they want to be, but the point is they ARE rising above and hoping to earn some fan love. =o)

For those of you interested please leave a comment with a way to contact you, because I have THREE albums to giveaway! Three of Trapt's new albums are available to Bring Me Up's readers courtesy of Eleven Seven Music!!! This giveaway will end at 12 p.m. EST on August 22, 2008.

Listen:
Trapt - "Black Rose" (mp3 - * BMU fave)

Buy the new album, Only Through the Pain!!!

Labels: contest, Trapt

Gentleman Auction House has gradually blossomed into a seven-piece ensemble, providing a sonically saturated accompaniment featuring a variety of instrumental textures - from piano, organ, and auxiliary percussion, to flute, trumpet, and xylophone.

May 2008 welcomed The Book of Matches EP, which served as the thematic and sonic precursor to the band's new full-length Alphabet Graveyard.

Alphabet Graveyard is a record that documents the maturation of a band who has shed the weight of its comparisons and forged a direction all their own to a very new place where solemn folk ballads, epic mood pieces and infectiously danceable pop very naturally find themselves on common ground.

Listen:
Gentleman Auction House - "ABCDEFGraveyard" (mp3)

Tour Dates:
08.16 St Louis, MO - Full Moon Festival
09.19 Champaign, IL - Pygmalion Music Festival w/ Yo La Tengo, Black Mountain, etc.
09.20 Madison, WI - Forward Music Fest w/ Neko Case, Bob Mould, etc.
09.21 Chicago, IL - Abbey Pub w/ Yea Big + Kid Static
09.22 Ft Wayne, IN - Mid City Grill w/ Yea Big + Kid Static
09.23 Pontiac, MI - Pike Room w/ Yea Big + Kid Static
09.24 Ypsilanti, MI - Elbow Room w/ Yea Big + Kid Static
09.25 Columbus, OH - High Five w/ Yea Big + Kid Static
09.27 Dekalb, IL - The House w/ Yea Big + Kid Static
11.08 Richmond, IN - Earlham College w/ Ponytail
11.14 Columbia, MO - Mojo's Bluebird Music & Arts Festival
11.29 St Louis, MO - 3rd Degree Glass Factory Rock n Roll Craft Show

Labels: Gentleman Auction House

The Late Greats says she will be a smashing success in 2009 and I agree.

Listen:
Leslie Mendelson - "Easy Love" (mp3)

But that's really all I have about her at the moment, so listen enjoy and make sure to venture back here in the future for more Leslie Mendelson news.

So let's talk about Steel Train. Silly boys who thought a plain jane band name would ever help them rise above in search engines...no seriously, it took forever to find anymore news about these guys.

But this is who they are:
Jack Antonoff - lead vocals, guitar
Evan Winiker - bass, vocals
Daniel Silbert - guitar, vocals
Jon Shiffman - drums, vocals

Their album is titled Trampoline. Antonoff recorded demo after demo in his New Jersey home to make sure that the new songs were ready for the studio.

In May 2007, the group entered the studio in Eagle Rock, California with producer Mark Trombino (Jimmy Eat World, Rilo Kiley) who helped transfer their demos to something more presentable. Two months after they began, the record was completely tracked.

What they ended up with was something excellent, though perhaps a bit too drama and philosophy oriented. But it worked, now they are part of Drive-Thru Records and are gathering an even larger fan base by the minute!

They played Lollapalooza and are now touring supporting "The Hush Sound." (Not to be confused with an earlier post about "The Hush Now")

Listen:
Steel Train - "I Feel Weird" (mp3)
Steel Train - "Alone on the Sea" (mp3) * BMU fave

Buy their music!

Labels: Leslie Mendelson, Steel Train

Boston based indie-pop-shoegazers, "The Hush Now," are releasing their debut self-titled album in late October.

I wish I knew more about them but their website is, shall we say, lacking in any valuable information. Everything I knew is from a brief release and some research on other music blogs.

Listen, for something spirited and robust:

The Hush Now - "Traditions" (mp3)

Labels: The Hush Now