• Home
• Music
• Entertainment
• Design
• Books
• Technology
• Help/Environment
• Wellness
• Life Banter

Economy is where the LA melody-mavens of The Tender Box score all their points. Specialized in rock music with a dark undercurrent, expertly equipped to do as much as it can with as little as possible. Some guitar, a throbbing bass line, an insistent drum pound, a touch of sampling and synth when it fits, and a perfect vocal melody or two – there's not much else these guys have use for, and it's a recipe that suits both the concert hall and the dance floor.

Joey Medina (vocals, guitar), Ric Moon (guitar), Steve Mungarro (bass, vocals) and Chuck Gil (drums)

Every track is a multi-layered tapestry of melody, harmony and post-punk dissonance.

Listen:

The Tender Box - "Beautiful Sin" (mp3)

Enjoy!

Labels: The Tender Box

Reverie Sound Revue formed in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, in 2002. The distinctive coo of vocalist Lisa Lobsinger matched with the pulsing rhythm section of John Marcel de Waal and Bryce Gracey, and the catchy guitar interplay of Marc De Pape and Patrick Walls made for an immediately recognizable sound that turned heads across Canada. However, the band had other callings and separated in 2004, leaving Canada and the world to wonder what could have been.

Simultaneously dancing between the enthusiasm of new wave and the earnestness of moody Britpop, Reverie Sound Revue's new eponymous album is equally sophisticated and playful, picking up where its 2003 indie darling EP left off. Reverie Sound Revue is an otherworldly exploration of pop music, drenched in reverb, a soundtrack for zero-gravity.

The result is Reverie Sound Revue, a cohesive collection of 11 songs filled with guitars that chime and reflect one another in curious play, and innocent keyboard lines that tumble over a propulsive rhythm section, all tied together by Lobsinger's haunting vocals.

Listen:

Reverie Sound Revue - "Arrows" (mp3)

Tracklisting
01. An Anniversary Away*
02. We Are The Opposite of Thieves*
03 Prelude To A Debut
04. Pretty One Play
05. Arrows*
06. In Hotel Homes
07. Off Rooftops
08. I Could Be Dangerous*
09. You Don’t Exist If I Don’t See You*
10. May Be First, May Be Second
11. The Leisure Lost

Labels: Reverie Sound Revue

When brother/sister duo Chris and Kate Farstad asked friends Micky Alfano and Mark Ritsema to join them in musical harmonic formation, jaded observers in the already-crowded Minneapolis indie rock scene were quick to skepticism.

The six-piece group's first album, "The End," received hype from the likes of City Pages and The Star Tribune. Their newer material is some of the best from 2009 to date. Mouthful of Bees create emotional modern folk music that is just beautifully arranged even if unhinged at times. There music gets better with every listen.

Do you have any rituals before or while playing music?

Katelyn: [Making music] is a ritual in itself.

Patrick: Does tuning up count?

Chris: Actually, yes! We make sure to have a guy in the same room playing World of Warcraft the entire time. He's a female Dark Elf Death Knight.

Listen:

Mouthful of Bees - "Thomas Aquinas"

Enjoy!

Labels: mouthful of bees

Asobi Seksu is releasing a limited edition 10" with four songs on August 25th. Two of the songs are unreleased tracks from the Hush recording sessions. The lead track "Transparence" is taken from Hush - but is given a new introduction, and there's also a remix of the song by the hypnotic percussive band Aa (aka BIG A little a).

The 10" comes in clear vinyl and is limited to 1,000 copies. You can pre-order it now and it will ship August 14 from Polyvinyl Record Co. Also included is a code for a free digital download of all songs in MP3 format.

US TOUR DATES
Sep 16 - Joe’s Pub (special acoustic performance) - New York, NY
Sep 23 - Local 506 - Chapel Hill, NC
Sep 24 - The Earl - Atlanta, GA
Sep 26 - The Mohawk - Austin, TX
Sep 27 - Hailey’s - Denton, TX
Sep 29 - Plush - Tucson, AZ
Sep 30 - Casbah - San Diego, CA*
Oct 1 - Troubador - Los Angeles, CA*
Oct 2 - Slims - San Francisco, CA*
Oct 3 - Doug Fir Lounge - Portland, OR*
Oct 4 - Chop Suey - Seattle, WA*
Oct 6 - Biltmore Cabaret - Vancouver BC*
Oct 9 - 7th Street Entry - Minneapolis, MN*
Oct 10 - Bottom Lounge - Chicago, IL*
Oct 11 - Grog Shop - Cleveland, OH*
Oct 12 - Horseshoe Tavern - Toronto ON*
Oct 13 - Il Motore - Montreal QC*
Oct 14 - Great Scott - Boston, MA*
Oct 15 - Maxwells - Hoboken, NJ*
Oct 16 - Bowery Ballroom - New York, NY*
Oct 17 - Johnny Brendas - Philadelphia, PA*

*w/Loney Dear

Labels: Asobi Seksu

ATO Records is pleased to announce that Ben Kweller will perform a song off of his latest release, the country leaning Changing Horses, on The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson on June 19th. Kweller is also in LA to perform at the El Rey Theatre. He and his band are in the middle of a June tour that started in Denver, CO, and finishes in his new hometown of Austin, TX.

Changing Horses conjures imagery of lazy days and raucous nights. "His dusted-off roots more than shine through now," proclaims Alternative Press. Spin also praises the release, claiming, "Kweller's boyish charm and quirky songwriting keep it more promising than predictable."

Kweller says, "Country music was the soundtrack to my life. It's a big part of who I am." Fans that missed out on seeing Kweller on this multi-leg Changing Horses tour, still have a chance to see the him perform the great new songs as well as the classics in this new setting, complete with acoustic guitars, pedal steel and three-part harmonies.

Listen:

Ben Kweller - "On Her Own" (mp3)

Ben Kweller Tour Dates:

06/12/09 Denver, CO Bluebird Theater
06/13/09 Salt Lake City, UT Avalon Theater
06/15/09 Seattle, WA Chop Suey
06/16/09 Portland, OR Doug Fir Lounge
06/17/09 San Francisco, CA Slim's
06/19/09 Los Angeles, CA El Rey Theatre
06/20/09 San Diego, CA House of Blues
06/22/09 Tucson, AZ Club Congress
06/24/09 San Antonio, TX White Rabbit
06/25/09 Houston, TX House of Blues
06/26/09 Dallas, TX Granada Theatre
06/27/09 Austin, TX Emo's Alternative Lounging

Labels: ben kweller

New York legend Johnny Thunders raised the bar for how low you could go to find rock and roll inspiration. His licks sounded caked in dirt and shit, the grimiest, nastiest stuff six strings were capable of mustering. The Norwegian nightmares in Pirate Love know better than most – hell, they named their band after one of the beloved Dolls' songs. It's a fitting homage, though, considering Pirate Love's reputation as untamed 60s throwbacks and some of the wildest Scandinavians this side of Turbonegro. Not a distinction to be taken lightly.

They invented a genre to which they belong (more on that in a bit). But to those of us that don't speak Norwegian Rock Alien dialect, they're basically a mind-bending commingling of 60's garage, rockabilly and psychadelic-flavored awesomeness. Forging their sound since forming in Oslo in 2003, the band waited four years before unveiling their first record, a 7-inch vinyl featuring MTV Europe mainstay "Laughing Gas."

Listen:

The Pirate Love - "Laughing Gas" (mp3)

06-18 Toronto, ON – NXNE The MuseBox showcase - El Mocambo at 9pm
06-20 Toronto, ON – Neutral at 2am
06-21 New York, NY – Fontana's at 11pm
06-23 Brooklyn, NY – Glasslands 11pm
06-25 New York, NY – Piano's 9pm

Labels: pirate love, press release

The legendary Yoko Ono won the lifetime achievement award at this year's Mojo Magazine awards, held in London on June 11.

The award was the final award of the night and saw an emotional speech from Ono in response to a tribute film shown at the awards and a speech by Mojo editor Phil Alexander, who commented: "Yoko Ono helped change music as we know it...first by introducing avant-garde sensibilities to her husband and secondly, just as significantly, by continuing to push the boundaries of what was deemed the normal way after that. She is a huge influence on modern music and this award recognizes her inspirational qualities and ongoing questing. Yoko Ono is unique and we are thrilled to commemorate her lifetime on the frontline".

The Mojo award comes in a week when Ono topped the US club charts for the fifth time, this time with her song "I'm Not Getting Enough", and also received the prestigious Golden Lion award for lifetime achievement at the Venice Biennale.

On accepting the Mojo award, Ono said: "Thank you very much for this incredible accolade. I feel blessed that, after so many years and decades, my work is getting recognition in such a diverse way. John would have been very proud of me tonight. Thank you!"

Yoko Ono Plastic Ono Band's new studio album "BETWEEN MY HEAD AND THE SKY" is released on September 21. Four songs are now available digitally on an EP titled "Don't Stop Me".

DON'T STOP ME! EP Featured In iTunes "What's Hot" Section

Labels: press release, Yoko Ono Plastic Ono Band

Musician Reed KD is an enthusiastic proponent of the DIY ethic. Not only did he engineer, produce and record his album 'In Case The Comet Comes,' he's also releasing the album today on his own Dirty Laundry label. Reed KD wrote the new album while living off the grid and out of a VW van in 2007 and 2008.

With the help of his cousin (a videographer), Reed KD has also created two homemade music videos for his songs "Winding Roads," an intimate song about living out of his van, and the rowdy, bluegrassy "Cactus Garden," featuring hand-sewn puppets.

Listen:

Reed KD - "If The Tide Swings" (mp3)

Labels: Reed KD

Kitty, Daisy & Lewis are very excited to make their US debut this summer with their international critically acclaimed self-titled debut, set for a US release on August 11th via DH Records / Mercer Street Records. This multi-instrumental family trio, are a thoroughbred sensation, playing 40's/50's rockabilly and swing, country and western, Hawaiian and rock 'n' roll with a verve, skill and energy that connects them back to the far past and the future. Beginning July 10th in Portland, Oregon, the teen siblings will join Coldplay for a 6-week North American tour that includes impressive venues such as Washington State's Gorge Amphitheatre and a slot at this year's All Points West Festival in New York, NY.

"Kitty, Daisy & Lewis" swings with the passion, intensity and sheer exuberant joie de vivre that has made their live performances one of the most talked about shows within the UK gig and festival circuit. The trio's irresistible music, energy and charm has caught the attention of many including the NME, Artrocker and The Guardian UK who rave KD&L "gleefully rummages through the 1940s and 50s with such joy that both aficionados and those who wouldn't know boogie-woogie from rockabilly should be equally entertained." Dazed and Confused goes on to say "inciting riots à la Johnny Cash one moment and prompting heartbreak over a bottle of whiskey the next, they do what country musicians have been unrivalled for decades, taking a classic and branding it their own."

The love Kitty, Daisy & Lewis have for legendary artists like Louis Jordan, Louis Prima, Johnny Cash and Roy Brown, among many others, has led to a series of glorious, utterly digital-free analogue recordings, one that was even released as a limited edition 78rpm 10" vinyl album, the first of its kind in over 50 years. "Kitty, Daisy & Lewis" was cut in the siblings' home made studio, inspired by legendary studios like Sun, Chess and Motown, during school holidays, and features their mom and dad as their backing band.

"Kitty, Daisy & Lewis" will be licensed for US release by Sunday Best Recordings, the label A&Red by BBC Radio 1 DJ, Rob da Bank.

Listen:

Kitty Daisy & Lewis - "Honolulu Rock-A-Roll-A" (mp3)

Enjoy!

Labels: coldplay, Daisy and Lewis, Kitty

"For Our Elegant Caste" (aka "Softcore") is the third single from of Montreal's most polarizing album to date, Skeletal Lamping. The song debuted at Pitchfork Festival 2007 and has been a highlight of the band's live show ever since.

Limited to 2000 copies. Includes digital download code and bonus video. Pre-order it.

AND

Pre-Order Owen Seaside CDEP & Owen/The Rutabega Split 12"

In preparation for the new Owen album (yes, there's a new one out this fall!) Polyvinyl is releasing The Rutabega EP for the first time ever on vinyl as well as the Seaside EP, a new collection of rare tracks.

Seaside CDEP

* Seven songs - over 35 minutes of previously hard-to-find music.
* Artwork by acclaimed UK illustrator David Blanco.
* Limited edition of 3000.

Owen/The Rutabega Split 12"

* Available for the first time ever on vinyl.
* Deluxe 180 gram vinyl includes digital download code.

AND

Flowers, the 10th studio album from Joan of Arc, hits stores this Tuesday.

Orders are shipping now from the Polyvinyl E-Store.

Listen:

Joan of Arc - "Explain Yourselves #2" (mp3)

Enjoy!

Labels: joan of arc, of Montreal, owen, Polyvinyl Record

New York's exuberant "new wave folk" group The Honey Brothers are ready to release their 'Demonstration' EP digitally June 16th. It's a 4-song mini soundtrack to the summer that "infuses true lyrical poetry into massive melodies" (ARTISTdirect).

The EP kicks off with the joyful indie-rock jam "Demonstration," followed by the Tropicalia-inflected ukulele sing-a-long "Moonlight." The Honey Brothers pay homage to The Cure's new-wave pop on the synth-heavy "Won't Last Long" and close the EP with the Gang of Four inspired dance-rock anthem "Perfect Parent."

Josh Baron of Relix Magazine observed that "the secret to the band's success... is that they know how to write catchy tunes that are unabashedly indebted to pop-rock royalty while making them entirely their own."

The Honey Brothers are:
Dory Honey (Andrew Vladeck) - Banjo / Vocals
Honey DuContra (Adrian Grenier) - Drums /Vocals
H. Huckleberry Honey (Ari Gold) - Ukulele / Vocals
Dr. J Carl Honey (D.S. Posner) - Guitar / Vocals

Listen:

The Honey Brothers - "Demonstration" (mp3)

Enjoy!

Labels: The Honey Brothers

The Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival is proud to announce that it will donate $240,000 to a variety of New Orleans non-profit groups. In their continuing effort to promote continued awareness of the rebuilding of New Orleans, festival organizers Superfly Presents and A.C. Entertainment created the "Somethin' Else - New Orleans" tent at the 2008 event. It was modelled after some of the city's most distinctive music venues and featured some of its greatest musical talent. Fans were asked to make a donation upon entering "Somethin' Else - New Orleans" throughout the weekend. The money raised from these donations will be part of the gift that the festival is making.

"The city of New Orleans and it's amazing culture continues to be a major inspiration for us in everything that we do, not just Bonnaroo (whose very name is Crescent City Creole slang for 'good stuff')," says Paul Peck of Superfly Productions who produce annual events in New Orleans including the "Superfly During Jazzfest Concert Series." Additional money for the donation was raised from the benefit concert "From the Big Apple to the Big Easy" at Radio City Music Hall, which was produced by Radio City Entertainment, Superfly Productions and Red Light management. The concert featured Dave Matthews, Trey Anastasio, Tom Waits, The Neville Brothers, John Mayer, Joss Stone and many others.

The groups that will be supported by the donation are below:

New Orleans Habitat Musicians' Village / Ellis Marsalis Center for Music
New Orleans Musicians Clinic
NOCCA - New Orleans Center for the Creative Arts

and

Tipitina's Foundation

Labels: bonnaroo, news