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A true working musician, Andrew Belle, plays a weekly gig at the famed Rockit club in Chicago.
Playing a mix of covers and original songs (to occasionally less-than-captive ears)
Andrew finds his own unique voice in the songs.

Check out this truly lovely cover of Bright Eyes' "First Day of My Life," HERE, with more original and re-interpreted covers to come with the upcoming release of Sundays at Rockit.

Andrew Belle: In His Own Words

"Since I was a child, I've always been around music; taught to appreciate the art form but only at a reasonable distance. My parents never let me listen to the radio or any kind of secular music until I was well into High-school. Before that, in Junior high, I recall making mix tapes from local radio stations during the day, and then lying in bed at night listening to all the pop hits of that time through a small, plastic walkman that I had received a few Christmases earlier. Third Eye Blind, the Counting Crows, the Verve Pipe...these were the artists that first welcomed me into the world of meaningful pop-music. The first album that I ever bought for myself was the Counting Crow's 'August and Everything After' when I was a sophomore in High-school. It had already been out for several years at that point, but I can still remember sneaking it up to my room and listening to it very softly out of the dusty Sony boom-box in my bedroom; pouring over every melody and marveling over the lyrical genious in Adam Duritz; thinking, 'maybe I can do this someday?' Not that I think of myself now as important to music as Adam Duritz or the Counting Crows have been, nor do I even dare to compare myself to such talent, but thinking back on my earliest experiences with music, there is no doubt that those quiet moments spent alone in my bedroom shaped my desires and passions and gave me the hope to make my small mark on this world, one song at a time."

Andrew Belle is now completing his debut LP, The Ladder, with Grammy award winning mixing engineer Vance Powell (The Raconteurs).

Labels: andrew belle

The Next Big Nashville music festival and conference runs from Wednesday, October 7th through Saturday night, October 10th. NBN Kickoff Night will feature the Nashville Music Awards Opening Night Reception on Wed. Oct. 7 at Cannery Ballroom followed immediately the Nashville Debut of the new Ten Out of Tenn lineup presented by Brite Revolution with opening performances by Los Angeles groundbreaking vocal group SONOS, Andy Davis and others as well as performances in the Mercy Lounge.

This year the Second Annual NBN Creative Conference will be held at The Martha Rivers Ingram Center for the Performing Arts at Vanderbilt University's Blair School of Music. There will be daily Conference VIP events as well including the Third Annual BMI/Guitar Center VIP Brunch at Cabana.

Tickets for individual nights as well as Wristbands and VIP badges are currently on sale at www.nextbignashville.net.

Labels: next big nashville

Last week, KISS announced that "Sonic Boom," the first new KISS studio album since 1998's "Psycho Circus," will be sold in the US and Canada exclusively at Walmart, Walmart.com and Sam's Club stores.

The first single from the set, "Modern Day Delilah," reached radio airwaves earlier this month. The track is the band's first single since 1999's "You Wanted the Best."

The new album will be part of a three-disc set scheduled for release October 6, 2009.

KISS has also revealed tour dates for the band's fall US tour in support of "Sonic Boom," the venerable rockers' first new studio album in 11 years.

According to Live Daily, tickets are on sale for the show's opener at "Detroit Rock City" Michigan.

Labels: KISS

Phil and the Osophers announce new shows, including a date with Miike Snow and Jack Penate, as well as one with new Kanine signees Princeton. The band recently recorded 2 obscure Michael Jackson covers ("Childhood" and "Cinderella Stay Awhile") for Butter X Face's tribute comp CHUM ONAH! Parallelo is out now on Cassette (oh, and CD) from Factual Fabrications.

The album finds the Brooklyn 3 piece developing into a jingly and jangly artistic indie rock while retaining carefully crafted and philosophical lyrics. The band has a catalog of over 100 songs, and this new album is their most impressive work to date.

So, um, who has a cassette player I can borrow?

Upcoming New York Shows
August 21 @ Shea Stadium, Brooklyn NY w/ Real Estate and Pill Wonder (Underwater Peoples)
September 9 @ Union Hall, Brooklyn NY w/ Princeton
September 16 @ Mercury Lounge, New York NY w/ Miike Snow and Jack Penate
September 29 @ Monkeytown, Brooklyn NY

Listen:

Phil and the Osophers - "Cheap Livin'" (mp3)

Enjoy!

Labels: Phil and the Osophers

While I won't be writing too much on The Bye Byes (because I hope to be able to ask them some questions) I do just want to let you know they are a hot band. My brother told me to give them a listen and so I looked them up on MySpace of course. And even with the downgraded quality of MySpace tracks I really like their sound.

The Bye Byes have a fresh vibe with a classic 70s twist. I love it. This is perfect Friday music, it's upbeat and cheery.

With that said, hopefully I'll hear back from them and get a chance to ask them some questions.

If you're in the Philadelphia area tonight PLEASE get over to Johnny Brenda's and hear The Bye Byes live. I so wish I could have planned a stop at their show in advance, but with short notice it's too hard to get up there tonight. I do hope they get a full house of fans though!

*The photo is from their page with Home Tone Records.

Labels: the bye byes

The inimitable Decoder Ring's much lauded fourth album, They Blind the Stars, and the Wild Team is digitally released today via iTunes.

The album produced by Scott Coburn, who has recently worked with such artists as Animal Collective, Arcade Fire and Yeasayer is a multi-layered affair, heavy with soaring soundscapes and melodic crescendos.

Critics far and wide cannot say enough about the album. Seminal music magazine, Mojo recently described the album as, "Mazzy Star and Virginia Astley go on a stoner picnic only to find Yo La Tengo in the next Field!" while Rolling Stone gave the album a four star review.

They Blind the Stars, and the Wild Team, a double album, was more than two years in the making and Decoder Ring's first since 2006's critically acclaimed, Somersault (OTS).

For a limited time, the first single, Beat The Twilight, is available for you to offer as an MP3 download.

Tracklisting:

Disc 1

1. Beat The Twilight
2. They Blind The Stars And The Wild Team
3. Charlotte Rampling
4. And Grass Will Grow Over Your Cities
5. Happy Place
6. 100 Suns
7. Point No Point
8. Let A Thousand Flowers Bloom
9. Astronaut Farewell Blues

Disc 2

1. Same Old Paradise
2. The Horse And The Hand Grenade
3. All The Streams Have Little Glitches In Them
4. The Inland Sea

Labels: decoder ring

What do you think of their classics?

I'm not sure I'd call any of them classics, but I would wear all of them as t-shirts.

And with that said...has image become too big of a deal in terms of indie bands? Or any band really? Shouldn't the MUSIC matter more.

*sigh*

Make sure to pick up a shirt or poster!!!

The Insound 10 Classic is a visual narrative of 20 years (1977-1997) of punk, new wave and indie rock, designed by Mike Perry. All shirts are American Apparel and all items are limited edition. Posters are signed and numbered by Mike.

Labels: insound, mike perry

Loomis & the Lust aren't just riding waves in their home town of Santa Barbara - they're making their own. The quartet creates catchy, buoyant rock n' roll with flourishes of funk and dance. Noah Babcock's bass bounces through deep rhythms from drummer Jeremy Berisha, while Thomas Masker bolts down the riffs. At the center of the sound stands vocalist and guitarist Will Loomis, who propels the band into the pop rock stratosphere with his combination of vocal bravado and guitar gusto.

Labels: Loomis and the Lust, videos

Exiles is meant to be an over-the-top listening experience, sonically, lyrically and thematically propulsive, bombastic and windblown, conjuring the desert's dunes, mirages and holy mountains as well as the outlaws, escape artists, searchers, wanderers, drifters, pariahs, prophets, misfits, mystics, miscreants and all the Sorry Suckers who've called the dusty road home. As dark as it may all sound, it was a hell of a lot of fun to make—and, we hope, an enjoyable listen.

The album comes out September 8th on St. Ives records which is yet another offshoot of the vast empire of Secretly Canadian. On that very, the Race embarks on a month long tour of the US with Telefon Tel Aviv and it's going to be an amazing little co-tour for fans of the darker, thinking man's electro sound.

The Race is sharing "Black Boat" and "Ride The High Country" as a digital single on their blog.

Visit "The Race" band site >>

Labels: the race

Montreal's Yellow Bird Project is partnering with like-minded non-profit organization Housing Works for a special event of music and charity. On Wednesday, September 2nd from 7-9 pm, Yellow Bird Project will present a performance by Elvis Perkins as well as a DJ set by members of Ra Ra Riot to take place at the Housing Works Bookstore Cafe at 126 Crosby Street, NY, NY in celebration of the release of their Indie Rock Coloring Book.

Tickets to the event are $15 with all proceeds to benefit Yellow Bird Project and its network of charities, and Housing Works, the nation's largest community-based AIDS services organization. Tickets go on sale officially on Thursday, August 13th at 10 am. Go to www.yellowbirdproject.com for information on buying tickets. The first 25 people who attend the show wearing a Yellow Bird Project t-shirt will get a free copy of YBP's Indie Rock Coloring Book due out in September on Chronicle Books.

Elvis Perkins is a New York-based recording artist who is currently on tour with his band Elvis Perkins in Dearland. Their eponymous album was released this spring, and will be followed by 'The Doomsday EP' on October 20th. He has been a huge supporter of the Yellow Bird Project including designing a t-shirt for them, with all of the proceeds going to the World Wildlife Fund. He has also made a contribution to The Indie Rock Coloring Book. Ra Ra Riot released their debut, 'The Rhumb Line,' last summer to great critical acclaim. They are currently on tour and are working on a T-shirt design for Yellow Bird Project due out in fall.

Listen to A Field of Birds - "The Tallest Man On Earth" (Yellow Bird Theme Song)

Enjoy!

Labels: elvis perkins, housing works, yellow bird project

Taking the US press by storm, Randolph Chabot aka Deastro is a brand new epic space-shoegaze sensation. Causing a stir on Pitchfork (Paste, Spin), the stunning debut album was released back in July via Ghostly International (School of Seven Bells).

Listen:

Deastro - "Orange Swimmer" (mp3)

Labels: Deastro

Decoder Ring, long revered for their uniquely sublime soundscapes, will digitally release their new album They Blind the Stars, and the Wild Team on August 18th via iTunes.

They Blind the Stars, and the Wild Team, a double album, was more than two years in the making and Decoder Ring's first since 2006's critically acclaimed, Somersault (OTS). To aid them in refining some of the many sounds they had amassed in the lead up to the recording, Decoder Ring enlisted the production skills of Scott Colburn (Arcade Fire, Animal Collective, Yeasayer).

Decoder Ring wash away many conventional songwriting norms by stripping out vocals, verses, choruses and bridges. What is left is a seamlessly linked group of strikingly textured and emotive pieces that allow the listener to fully immerse themselves into the vast sonic playground they build.

Listen:

Decoder Ring - "Beat the Twilight" (mp3)

Rock on!

Labels: decoder ring, press release