Friday, October 30, 2009

Polka Dot Dot Dot Bring Tin Pan Folk To West Coast Nov-Dec, New Album 'Syzygy' Nov. 9th

Olympia's POLKA DOT DOT DOT
Close Out 2009 With New Album,
Bring "Tin Pan Folk" to the West Coast
'Syzygy' Out In Nov. 9th on Bicycle Records, Tour Dates Below!



Three people. One adventure. Cosmic alignment? Polka Dot Dot Dot, based in Olympia, WA, formed when three travelers (Jordan O'Jordan, Onyx of Olympia, and Colleen Johnson or Twig Palace) met on the treefern-speckled shores of New Zealand. Combining their solo sets for a last-minute spot at the Camp A Low Hum Music Festival, the Dots charmed crowds with their refreshing blend of folk, tin pan alley, and a cappella styles. Their first album, "Love Letter to New Zealand" reflected this impromptu musical spirit.

On their 2nd full-length release, "Syzygy" (a term that refers to planetary alignment), the Dots deliver a record that is unique, beautiful, and more patient than their last. Written after two US tours and a return trip to New Zealand, these songs deal with the fleeting nature of movement, friendship, and infatuation. While still full of their characteristic 3 part harmonies and instrumentation (guitar, banjo, ukulele, musical saw, harp, and hand-clap percussion), "Syzygy" expands the Dots' sound with more orchestration and vocal arrangement.

Yet, despite the fairly existential themes of this new record, Polka Dot Dot Dot have crafted an album that floats and bobs on a cosmic sea, and is neither too heavy nor too light. Here, gravity has a gentle touch and allows us along on this trip, leaving us star-speckled and beaming at the end.

Nov. 12 (TH): Olympia, WA @ The Northern w/CHURCH, and LETTERS
Nov. 13 (FR): Seattle, WA @ Healthy Times Fun Club w/FANCIE
Nov. 14 (SA): Tacoma, WA@ Bob's Java Jive w/CHURCH, $2000 PUMA, and the SUGAR BEATS
Nov. 15 (SU): Portland, OR @ Rontom's w/CHURCH
Nov. 16 (MO): Corvallis, OR @ The Beanery w/BRIAN SMITH
Nov. 17 (TU): Arcata, CA @ The Green House w/THE CULLENS
Nov. 18 (WE): Sacramento, CA@ the HUB
Nov. 19 (TH): Davis, CA @ Elisa's House w/RICKY BERGER and HOT DAMN
Nov. 20 (FR): Bay Area @ TBA
Nov. 21 (SA): Santa Cruz, CA @ the Crystal Palace w/MAPLE RABBIT
Nov. 22 (SU): Isla Vista, CA @ the Biko CO-OP Garage w/BROTHER MITYA and WHITMORE
Nov. 23 (MO): LA, CA @ Historical Marker 157
Nov. 24 (TU): Phoenix, AZ @ The Trunk Space w/ANDREW JACKSON JIHADd
Nov. 25 (WE): Tucson, AZ @ The Dry River Collective w/GREAT JOB!
Nov. 28 (SA): Albuquerque, NM @ Winnings Coffee Co.
Nov. 29 (SU): Santa Fe, NM @ Meow Wolf Collective
Nov. 30 (MO): Lubbock, TX @ Bash's
Dec. 3 (TH): Austin, TX @ Annie Street
Arts Collective w/SOME SAY LELAND
Dec. 4 (FR): Denton, TX @ ArtSix Coffee
Dec. 5 (SA): Norman, OK @ Universe City
Dec. 6 (SU): Oklahoma City, OK @ Scissortail Social Space
Dec. 7 (MO): Lawrence, KS @ TBA
Dec. 10 (TH): Denver, CO @ Hi-Dive w/IAN COOKE and LITTLES PAIA
Dec. 11 (FR): Provo, UT @ Muse Music w/DREW DANBURRY, THE AWFUL TRUTH, and OKAY OKAY
Dec. 12 (SA): Boise, ID @ Pengilly's
Dec. 13 (SU): Portland, OR @ TBA
Dec. 14 (MO): Langley, WA @ TBA

www.myspace.com/thepolkadotdotdot

Megafaun unveils new video, announces European tour dates and European label, Crammed Discs.



Video: Megafaun -- "Impressions of the Past"

"Megafaun don't just just catalogue American musical languages, they breed them." Brian Howe -- Pitchfork

2009 continues to be a banner year for Megafaun. Brothers Brad and Phil Cook and fellow Eau Claire, Wisconsin native Joe Westerlund have toured North America extensively in support of the group's Hometapes-released and critically-acclaimed second album, Gather, Form & Fly. Having shared the stage and road this year with likeminded groups such as Bowerbirds, Bon Iver, and The Dodos, Megafaun is poised to bring its album and live show to Europe (tour dates and details below).

Megafaun is also unveiling a video for the song "Impressions of the Past", an audio and visual document of the band's 2009 North American Tour.

Thousands of miles, thousands of images. On tour with its new album Gather, Form & Fly, Megafaun was captured, piece by piece, by the photographer Tim Lytvinenko. Part-documentary, part-sense memory, Tim's images took on a life of their own as he traveled across the west with the band, the music, the landscape, and everything in between. He set his first magical trademark sequences to the album's epic and beautiful "Impressions of the Past" --- and a video was born. Further shaped across the plains, the mountains, the coast, and the desert of North America, the video became a daily experience for the band on tour. Tim's memories became everyone's, almost just as real as the moments they documented. This seemed to be the perfect expression of this song --- one that came by surprise, and one that conjures up the collective nostalgia of Summer 2009, and perhaps all those bygone seasons before.

So enjoy. Put yourself in it. Fill in the blanks.

Megafaun 2009 European Tour

11/13/09 - Paris, France - Point Ephemere *
11/14/09 - Evreux, France - Abordage *
11/15/09 - London, UK - Scala ∆
11/17/09 - Lille, France - Le Grand Mix ∆
11/18/09 - Nantes, France - Olympic ∆
11/19/09 - Strasbourg, France - La Laiterie ∆
11/21/09 - Amtwerp. Belgium - Trix ∆
11/22/09 - Groningen, Holland - Vera ∆
11/24/09 - Copenhagen, Denmark - Loppen ∆
11/25/09 - Dresden, Germany - Beatpol ∆
11/27/09 - Amsterdam, Holland - Paradiso
11/28/09 - Utrecht, Holland - Le Guess Who Festival
11/29/09 - Cologne, Germany - Studio 672 ∆
12/01/09 - London, UK - Borderline †
12/02/09 - Aldershot, UK - West End Centre
12/03/09 - Manchester, UK - Dulcimer
12/04/09 - York Moors, UK - The Band Room
12/05/09 - Cork, Ireland - Opera House Festival
12/06/09 - Dublin, Ireland - Wheelans

* with Akron/Family
∆ with The Dodos
† with Deer Tick

Praise for Gather, Form & Fly:

“…Gather, Form & Fly has a psychedelic mind and a Pentecostal heart, applying raggedly strummed banjos and woozy acoustic guitars to harmonies that swell heavenward like ghostly dust clouds.” Steve Hyden - The Onion A/V Club

“Megafaun’s roots are familiar; the bloom is uniquely theirs” David Fricke - Rolling Stone

“All the sounds and ideas emanate from the same sources and desires, and the prismatic contrasts between them illuminate this intriguing and heartfelt album.” Stephen Deusner - Pitchfork

Gather, Form & Fly is a monument to a band that thousands have experienced on stages, under trees, in galleries, on floors, in headphones, and through radios-with-the-windows-down over the past three years. All the hints they’ve given us -- from songs Stereogum described as “mournful, slow-blooming banjo-and-white-noise-laced epics” to tours with The Rosebuds, Arnold Dreyblatt, and Akron/Family -- have culminated in a record that is an ode to death, love, musical history (from blues to musique-concréte), community, tradition, and experimentation. In all, it’s an ode to the listener.

Based in Durham, North Carolina, Megafaun was built by brothers Brad and Phil Cook and fellow Eau Claire, Wisconsin native Joe Westerlund. The trio, plus longtime friend Justin Vernon (a.k.a. Bon Iver), made the cross country move together from WI to NC as the band DeYarmond Edison, ultimately splitting in 2006. Megafaun was born from those ashes and proceeded to record the remarkable album Bury the Square in 2007. The band found a home on the road, collaborating with friends (they also joined Akron/Family and Dreyblatt as backing band) and developing an American musical language that is exquisitely translated by 2009’s Gather, Form & Fly.

Brad, Phil, and Joe have been playing in bands together since 1997, after meeting at jazz camp in Wisconsin as teenagers. With the end of DeYarmond Edison, a paradigm-shift was imminent. "Brad and I left our primary instruments behind and picked up secondary ones. We booked a seven day tour without having written any songs," said Phil, revealing the seeds of the improvisational spirit that both Megafaun and their fans now cherish and exalt. "We've become song writers collectively and individually through the birth of this band," added Joe, "and Gather, Form & Fly marks a huge growth and change in our thinking about time and song form."

Megafaun’s past three years ripple with the power of varied experience usually reserved for a lengthy decade: 250 shows over the past two years, supporting tours doing double-duty as backing band/collaborator with nearly every notable and diverse tourmate, and musical exploration spanning albums, generations of musical history, and fathoms of personal exploration. That self-survey daringly brings itself to the stage: “We thrive on situations that allow us to expose our nuances, our imperfections, and our spontaneity. We are not afraid of the imperfect set, but are afraid to limit ourselves to the non-spontaneous nature of recitation,” said Joe. That same spirit informed the album, which was self-recorded in three bedrooms, a kitchen, a yoga studio, a living room, a basement, and in a forbidden university piano studio that they had to break into to find an in-tune piano. In act of further embracing the new, Megafaun brought in Chris Stamey (the dBs, Holsapple-Stamey, et al) to help mix and guide Gather, Form & Fly, adding another dimension to the exquisite result.

Gather, Form & Fly rings out in its honesty to its makers and, thus, to its listeners —- both on wax and on stage. Phil, Brad, and Joe move with awareness of their every move, acknowledging in near-unison that this album shares Bury the Square’s broad stylistic and emotional palettes —- group percussion, cacophony, drone, and folky narration will not disappoint —- but also reveals sounds and words that have been, somewhat silently, with them all along. There are the moments, present in every song, that will turn heads toward speakers, turn eyes toward the sky, and turn all notions of music on their sides, if just for one shimmering and genuine moment.

Netherfriends Share Another Single and Announce Even More Tour Dates!

On the heels of a stunning Daytrotter session,
Netherfriends present for your listening pleasure, "Mom Cop"
from the Emergency Umbrella Records release Calling You Out.

Netherfriends are on tour now!
Through the remainder of 09, the band is traveling through the
south, midwest and NYC -
including a handful of dates with Jams Dean,
with whom Netherfriends will be collaborating on a limited edition cassette
in which Jams Dean will make beats out of Netherfriends songs.



Check out the Netherfriends' Daytrotter session HERE!

Fall-Winter Tour Dates
Nov 5 - Ottoman Empire - Chicago, IL
Nov 13 - Beauty Shop - Fairfield, IA
Nov 14 - The Progressive - Ames, IA
Nov 16 - 8th St. Taproom - Lawrence, KS
Nov 18 - Sonny's Vintage - Austin, TX
Nov 18 - Hole In the Wall - Austin, TX
Nov 20 - The Smoke & Barrel - Fayetteville, AR
Nov 26 - Skully's - Columbus, OH
Dec 11 - Weirder Park - Chicago, IL
Dec 12 - Fort Pie - Columbus, OH
Dec 13 - The OX - Philadelphia, PA
Dec 14 - Cake Shop - NY, NY
Dec 15 - Glass Door - Brooklyn, NY
Dec 21 - Empty Bottle - Chicago, IL
with Jams Dean

With more national dates to come!

Daytrotter raves
Shawn Rosenblatt, the lone constant in the Chicago band Netherfriends, is some kind of a mastermind. The young man has such an expert way with indie rock arrangement and with the tricky business of sounding both unfamiliar and like something that we've been intimate with time and again. It's as if we could recall his songs by closing our eyes and checking in with our olfactory sensibilities and we should be able to arrive at a clear picture - like a demented circus train, or a hammer hitting a bullet sending a gorgeous distress signal up from a life raft to explode over a vast and terrifying ocean. He seems to have gone out with a net and corralled all of the tails of every comet that's come close enough to Earth to nab, bundled them and then shocked them into weird motions and dance maneuvers.

With an EP and a 7" on Apollo Sunshine’s Black and Greene Records,
Netherfriends hit the road with never-before heard tunes
and an eye on winning hearts at every stop on the tour.

What the Press has to say

Wander into bar. Buy cheap beer. Discover greatness. Banging out
sweetly distorted sing-along melodies on guitar, keyboard and drums,
Chicago trio Netherfriends delivered the thrill of the unknown.
Blender

"Netherfriends have a bunch of toe-tappers in their repertoire, and I
definitely wouldn't mind this band leading my crew in a round of
campfire songs (if campfires weren't so creepy when you and all your
friends are 30-something).
Oh My Rockness

Chicago's Netherfriends allow their songs to define the band, not
their fashion sense or peers. Rare as it may be, Netherfriends are at
the forefront of a new crop of artists focused on great songwriting
and performance. This group is the amalgamation of experimental field
recordings, solid pop melody, and vocal harmonies. Netherfriends make
some of the most likeable music. It's fun, poppy, catchy as all get
out, and smart as a whip.
RCRDLBL

“TAC TAC” is some wicked smart pop music that’s bone simple with a
fantastic melody. I guess… if pressed, I’d say the production is
closest to Man Man performing at their happiest and youngest.
You Ain't No Picasso

Chicago’s Netherfriends caught my attention with their Feather & Dots
3 track 7″. It was overflowing with layered (but not heavy and dense)
experimental folk-ish pop rock.
Pasta Primavera

Playing in all those dark corners, this trio of Chicagoans emerged
from the depths to play as the Netherfriends. With haunting wails
scattered amongst the vocals and heavy keys dauntily looming over from
the background, Netherfriends play a maniac, mad brand of rock.
Fear not though, these guys are here to shed a bit of light from the
darkness and tame their demons. What you have left with Netherfriends
is a delightfully obscured, deviously dark set of distortion.
Both Sides of the Mouth
.
Who are the Netherfriends?
Shawn Rosenblatt recognizes that originality in a saturated market is somewhat of a commodity these days. In this post Napster - digitally obsessed generation, authenticity is often sacrificed for unsustainable popularity. Chicago's Netherfriends, takes song composition to a whole new stage of innovation, allowing their songs to define the band, not their fashion sense, or peers. Rare as that may be, Netherfriends is at the forefront of a new crop of artists who are focused on great songwriting and performance.

Looking into Netherfriends, one discovers a world of truth and talent that stands tall when compared to such legends of aptitude as The Zombies. Formed in 2007 in Chicago, Illinois, Netherfriends has come a long way since self-releasing two previous EP’s as well as a 7 inch on Apollo Sunshine’s Black and Greene Records.

Netherfriends is the amalgamation of experimental field recordings, solid pop melody, and vocal harmonies, or as You Ain’t No Picasso said, “…wicked smart pop music that’s bone simple with a fantastic melody.”

With extensive touring planned, a new EP, Calling You Out, as well as an recent Daytrotter Session, Netherfriends is poised to be the band you wish you could say you heard first.

http://www.myspace.com/netherfriends

Alaska in Winter returns to the states JUST in time to play FUN FUN FUN Fest on 11.8! Download DJ Set from Icelandic Airwaves!

Hot on the heels of a stellar performance at this years Icelandic Airwaves,
Brandon Bethancourt is to perform as Alaska In Winter at Fun Fun Fun Fest in Austin
Sunday, Nov. 8th on the Blue Stage at 3:05PM
This will be the first Alaska in Winter performance in the US since this years SXSW

Check out his live DJ Set from Icelandic Airwaves HERE!



Press HEARTS Holiday!
Pitchfork - 7.8
“Holiday would be a fine album at any moment, but it seems especially timely right now. Let's take a quick inventory: The contours are stark and sleek, and it burns with a weirdly cold heat. The production is elaborate in a streamlined way, the melodies infectious. A sentimental digi-crooner is orbited by hums and blips, as if rendering your voice and music robotic gives you carte blanche to be messily human, even maudlin. Sound familiar? Suddenly, and just in time for the holidays, it's as if indie pop fans immune to the charms of Kanye West have an 808's and Heartbreak of their very own.

Spin - Artist of the Day
“Globetrotting, laptop-totting electro-nerd melds experiences on excellent new album...”
:What? Not only is Alaska in Winter more deserving of the title "maverick" than its eponymous state's governor, the electronic project is also far more versed in foreign policy. Dance Party in the Balkans, the group's 2007 debut, married robotic cadence with traditional Eastern European tones, fleshed out by dramatic strings and emotive vocals from frontman/Grand Poobah Brandon Bethancourt. This month's follow-up, Holiday, takes a trip to Berlin -- and in AIW's Germany, life is a cabaret.”

All Music Guide:
“An artist who uses autotune, cheap-sounding rhythm machines, and multi-part song formats as profligately as {Brandon Bethancourt} does is just begging you to hate him. So it's pleasantly frustrating, on the second {Alaska in Winter} album, to find it so utterly impossible to do so.”

Pitchfork:
"....far-flung variety of forms into chilly, beat-oriented, downtempo hymns: amorous Balkan strings, the melismatic vocal tapestries of classical Arabian music (often so gently vocoder-kissed as to sound more spectral than robotic), icily splintered piano loops (which are actually played live), skittering hip-hop percussion (ditto), and soaringly simple indie pop melodies obscured in an atmospheric haze."

URB:
"Sounds like: Ratatat meets robotic Balkan natives.

Who is Alaska in Winter!
Alaska In Winter began when art student, Brandon Bethancourt spent a semester writing and recording music in an isolated cabin on the south coast of Alaska. Upon arrival back in New Mexico, he teamed up with Zach Condon of Beirut, Heather Trost of A Hawk And A Hacksaw and other friends, and thus began work on the album Dance Party In The Balkans. This debut release was released by Milan Records in July 2007 in the US after a release in the UK by Regular Beat a few months earlier.

After his critically acclaimed debut release, Bethancourt decided to quit his job, move out of his house and relocate to Berlin, Germany – a city he had been to before and had always dreamed of living in. He has spent the past 6 months writing and recording this upcoming release Holiday and begins his tour of Europe in late September.
Holiday was released on Milan Records on November 18, 2008.

Bethancourt takes much of his influence from his early years of growing up in the American South West, immersed in the musical low-rider culture of Santa Fe, New Mexico, as well as a slight Arabian influence on the part of his parents and their Byzantine church music. He combines these traditional sounds with programmed beats and use of the vocoder among other new technologies and techniques.

Because Bethancourt is the sole member of Alaska in Winter and does not read or write music, he uses multi-track recording to build his musical layers, using a variety of techniques. “For Holiday, I recorded everything in my living room on a laptop and an old micro cassette tape recorder and used a German ghetto blaster as my monitor speakers. The only things I brought with me to Europe were my Powerbook laptop, an effects processor, a small midi keyboard, a microphone, and the hand held micro cassette tape recorder,” he explains. “Because I didn't actually have any instruments with me (aside from the elements I recorded before I came to Europe), the album turned out very electronic, very synthy as those were the only tools I had.”

In comparing how Holiday differs from Dance Party in the Balkans, Bethancourt explains, “I've definitely been influenced by Berlin on this album - much more electronic than the last, heavily based on synths, bass, and dancier drums and with hints of minimal house elements creeping in ever so slightly. Even within the album itself I can hear a progression of the Berlin electronic music scene influencing me more and more with the amount of time I spent here. The Berlin techno parties and all night dance marathons were big inspirations for me.


www.myspace.com/alaskainwinter

Frightened Rabbit Returns With Highly Anticipated Third LP



FRIGHTENED RABBIT ANNOUNCES THE WINTER OF MIXED DRINKS; HIGHLY ANTICIPATED THIRD LP DUE MARCH 2010
ON FATCAT RECORDS

FIRST SINGLE, "SWIM UNTIL YOU CAN'T SEE LAND," OUT DIGITALLY IN NORTH
AMERICA ON NOV. 17, FOLLOWED BY 7" ON DEC. 8

LOS ANGELES, October 29, 2009 - Having topped myriad "Best Of" lists in 2008 with their widely acclaimed sophomore album, The Midnight Organ Fight, Glasgow's Frightened Rabbit returns with their anticipated third album, The Winter Of Mixed Drinks. The follow-up to their breakthrough LP will be released worldwide in March 2010 on FatCat Records. The record's first taste, "Swim Until You Can't See Land," is streaming now via FatCat's website and will be digitally released November 17, followed by a 7-inch b/w "Fun Stuff" on December 8.

The Rabbit's jangly, anthemic sophomore album earned them critical adoration; among those bestowing it with best-of-the-year laurels were Village Voice's Pazz & Jop Poll, The Onion, Magnet, and Pitchfork, who also designated album opener, "The Modern Leper," one of "The Best Tracks of 2008" as well as one of its "Top 500 Tracks of the 2000s." Upon its unveiling, the foursome's newest offering, "Swim Until You Can't See Land," made instant waves online, with RollingStone.com gushing: "We suggest you find a quiet spot this afternoon, turn your desk speakers up and drink it all in."

Following an exciting but exhausting year, lead Rabbit Scott Hutchison retreated to the harbor town of Crail, along Scotland's Fyfe coastline, and was inspired to pen "Swim," an undeniably catchy song about "losing your mind in order to rest the mind and the body." The track, buoyed by chiming guitars and a shuffling beat, builds and swells as it progresses, bolstered by a sweeping string arrangement courtesy of fellow FatCat artist Hauschka.

According to Hutchison, "Swim" is the natural lead-in to the album: "It's the one that sort of sums up the record for me," he reveals. "I had the song's title in my mind before I even started writing the album; I was becoming more and more interested in the idea of a rejection of the habits and behavior most people see as normal, and in turn embracing a certain madness. This is not necessarily a geographical journey, as the 'swim' can involve any activity in which you can lose yourself. It's a good introduction to the record as the theme unravels therein."

Nautical references continue throughout the album, interwoven among recurring themes of wearied endurance, recaptured freedom, and redemption. "Thematically, this record had to be different from the last," explains Hutchison. "Nobody wanted to hear more break-up songs, and thankfully, I no longer had any in me."

While a failed relationship may not be the centerpiece of this new collection, the songs retain some of the solemnity of previous efforts. "I think even the most upbeat moments on the record are conveyed in somewhat dark language," Hutchison admits.

Frightened Rabbit will be touring the UK through the end of the year, with a string of headlining gigs followed by a weeklong run in Ireland and England with Modest Mouse.

A full North American tour is planned for the album's release.

ARMS RELEASES US DEBUT, KIDS AFLAME, OUT NOW ON GIGANTIC MUSIC!

OFFERS NEW "TIGER TAMER" MP3 FOR FREE DOWNLOAD



Gigantic Music (The Walkmen, Harlem Shakes) is pleased to announce the long-awaited release of ARMS (Todd Goldstein, guitarist for Harlem Shakes)' full-length debut, Kids Aflame, in the US! Previously only available on import through Melodic Records in the UK, the US version of Kids Aflame, complete with bonus tracks, is out this week digitally through Gigantic Music! In celebration of Kids Aflame's release, Todd is giving away a free mp3 Download for the song "Tiger Tamer" off the record (linked above.) After several perfomances at CMJ last week, ARMS will also be playing a CD release show in NYC at Pianos on Thursday, November 12th.

To people with a passing interest in such things, Todd Goldstein is the guitarist in the Brooklyn indie-pop band Harlem Shakes. To those who listen closely, though, Todd Goldstein is ARMS, a persona he's been crafting since 2004. As ARMS, Goldstein takes up a decidedly slower, sweeter, sloppier endeavor, working alone and singing in a sad, idiosyncratic baritone. By most definitions of the well-worn term, Kids Aflame is a lo-fi album-Goldstein cobbled the record together over three years, holing up with a single microphone and a laptop in a series of rickety bedroom recording spaces. And yet, the songs speak to something grander than lo-fi's usual emotional vocabulary, harnessing elements of shoegaze and classic country,

For all of the labels that could apply to ARMS, Goldstein's mission is simple: to build music that keeps lonely listeners company and guides them safely through the night.

"A wild and refreshingly noisy ride." -NME

"Bedroom-crafted gems that range from Juno-ready ukulele jams to spazzy freak outs." - SPIN.com "25 Must-Hear Artists from the CMJ Festival"

"a one-man pop confectionary machine created by Todd Goldstein... ARMS' debut has already been warmly embraced in the UK, but now those in need of swoon-appropriate melancholy-pop can finally get their paws on this little gem." - Interview Magazine

"...quite impressive" - Huffington Post

"A fine debut album matching both the romantic streak of Conor Oberst and multi-instrumental sophistication of Sufjan Stevens" --Q Magazine (**** 'Recommended')

"...understated and intricately crafted folk bound by unpretentious harmonies, tambourines and a chorus of finger-snapping. Over the course of the album Goldstein develops his deeply textured landscape, adding handclaps, palm pats and other unorthodox percussion to his homegrown sonics while creating a signature sound that should launch his solo career." - CMJ

"New York indie rock vet Todd Goldstein pops out a solo project that... refuses to settle on one sound...an effervescent affair with a proper dose of gravity...to which we say: Amen." - Black Book

"You could dig through a whole month's worth of fuzzy, home-recorded pop and not find a record as sweetly weird, as intelligently eccentric as this one. (Some of us have.) 'Kids Aflame' is the good stuff, as loosely played as it is meticulously plotted." --Dusted Magazine

http://www.armsarms.com
http://www.myspace.com/armsongs

RX Bandits Announce West Coast Dates w/ Glassjaw



If there's a single idea that's existed within the Bandits' ranks since those early days, it's evolution. If there's a second, it's a ferocity that follows the ensemble from its searing live show into the studio. - The Decider/The Onion

RX Bandits are the best band to come out of Orange County in the past 10 years. They had to undergo serious evolutionary changes to reach this apex. In the process, though, RX have inspired a rabid following. - OC Weekly

Progressive Rock outfit RX Bandits who have recently released their latest effort, Mandala, via Sargent House, to massive critical acclaim, and now, on the heels of their Sold Out South American Tour, have just been tapped to play the only three California dates of Glassjaw's tour. The shows will be just the two bands with RX Bandits playing a full hour set. The shows will be the last for the band in 2009. They will head over to Australia to play Soundwave Festival in February 2010 and will then headline a full US Tour in March / April.

* RX Bandits Live *

w/ Glassjaw
Nov 11 - The Mayan Theater - Los Angeles, CA
Nov 12 - The Glasshouse - Pomona, CA
Nov 13 - The Regency Theater - San Francisco, CA

www.rxbandits.com
www.myspace.com/rxbandits.com

SFH (Star Fucking Hipsters) Kickoff West Coast Tour w/ Citizen Fish!

Kickoff West Coast Tour w/ Citizen Fish * Play Cracktober Fest and Alternative Tentacles 30-Year Anniversary in Support of New Album, "Never Rest In Peace," Out Now on Alternative Tentacles!



Despite a potentially deal-breaker name, Star Fucking Hipsters are one of the sickest acts to emerge from the Bay Area's Alternative Tentacles imprint in quite some time. Featuring members of Leftover Crack and Ensign, and guests from bands like Bouncing Souls, Citizen Fish and The Degenerics to name a few, the band's newest long-player Never Rest In Peace is as tricky as its contributors' respective histories. Long and short, SFH cranks out heavy as fuck pop-punk with a distinctive metal, and even crust-esque influence. “Severance Pay” is one of the album's most stand-out tracks. Fans of Pretty Girls Make Graves, Lifetime, Nausea and Strike Anywhere, take a long note. - ChronicYouth.com

Their new album, Never Rest In Peace, jumps from fast-paced dirty punk songs to skank-worthy tunes, to bouncy pop-punk, while still sticking to their strong political lyrics. It begins with a speedy intro of thrash beats and transitions into “3,000 Miles Away,” which is a catchy song against brutality. “Star Fucking Hipsters Theme” will easily become a sing-along anthem at live shows with its chanting vocals and militant drumming. - The Aquarian

“Never Rest In Peace” is the stellar second album and Alternative Tentacles debut by the smoking-hot punk supergroup featuring Sturg “Stza” Crack (Leftover Crack, Choking Victim), Frank Piegaro (The Degenerics), and Nico de Gallo (Casa de Chihuahua), as well as members of Hold Steady, Ensign, Big Attack!, Awkward Thought, and Aloke.

STAR FUCKING HIPSTERS returns this time for a much fiercer round of sonic glory, combining insanely catchy melodic punk and metal, with the token ska tune. The band has clearly grown since their first album, 2008's Fat Wreck Chords release "Until We're Dead.” A year's worth of star fucking live shows, writing, and off-the-map creativity from central STAR FUCKING HIPSTER, Sturg, pays off with rock-solid songwriting and a sharper edge. Songs with an aggressive political slant take on topics like Native American issues (“Banned From the Land”), and a woman's right to choose (“Church & Rape”). “Never Rest In Peace” is Sturg's most heartfelt and emotional album to date.

Recorded almost entirely in the band members' bedrooms at the world famous C-Squat on Manhattan's Lower East Side, the thirteen songs on "Never Rest In Peace" leap out of the stereo and club your not-so-friendly neighborhood cop with blunt songs of rebellion and revolution. Recorded by up and coming production wizard Ryan D. Jones and mastered by Howie Weinberg (Beastie Boys, Metallica, Ramones, Rancid, Nirvana, Slayer), this is the best sounding record Stza's done since Choking Victim's classic "No Gods/No Managers."

The record includes cameos from Dick Lucas (Subhumans U.K., Citizen Fish, Culture Shock), Jasper Pattison (Citizen Fish, Culture Shock), and Bryan Kienlen (Bouncing Souls). It includes art by famed DIY artists Fly (“PEOPs,” Dog Dayz) and Paul Barron. SFH have toured the U.S. and U.K., and are kicking off a West Coast Tour this week with Citizen Fish (dubbed "Cracktoberfest") including a performance at the Alternative Tentacles 30th Anniversary Festival.

Star Fucking Hipsters tackle a range of social and political issues on “Never Rest In Peace” and they do so head on. Opening track “3000 Miles Away” might sound sweet thanks to vocalist Nico de Gallo but she's actually sticking it to the government while the quick-moving reggae/ska call to arms of “The Civilization Show” jumps out as startlingly different than the rest of the tracks on the album. The “Dreams Are Dead” is a slow, noisy free-fall like Jane's Addiction's “Mountain Song” while the squealing metal guitar riffs of “S.F.H. Theme” help to build the intensity as they announce that “tortured death is the new disease.” - PlugInMusic

Star Fucking Hipsters Live!

w/ Citizen Fish and Molotov Compromise
Oct 30 2009 The Northern Olympia, Washington * no Citizen Fish
Oct 31 2009 Cracktoberfest! @ Satyricon Portland, Oregon
Nov 1 2009 Chop Suey Seattle
Nov 2 2009 WOW Hall Eugene, Oregon
Nov 3 2009 Ruggles Warehouse Sacramento, California
Nov 4 2009 Vixens Sparks, Nevada
Nov 5 2009 A.T.s 30th @ Great American Music Hall San Francisco, California * no Molotov Compromise
Nov 6 2009 924 Gilman St. N. Berkeley, California
Nov 7 2009 Echoplex (matinee) L.A., California
Nov 8 2009 Glasshouse Pamona, California

Leftover Crack will also be touring Australia following SFH West Coast dates, tourdates can be found here!

www.myspace.com/starfuckinghipsters
MTV's Discover & Download Featured Artist, P.O.S., has had quite the year. If you slept on Never Better back when it was released in February, don't sweat it. You still have time to get hip to one of the year's best releases before the year is over. Never Better combines a unique, powerful blend of rock, punk and hip hop that may just be one of the best records of the year; don't be surprised to see it popping up on year end lists.

Today, "Never Better" the single off of the album of the same name premieres on MTV2 Unleashed

with Saosin, Innerpartysystem, EyeAlaska
11/6/09 - Hollywood, CA - House of Blues Hollywood
11/7/09 - Chico, CA - Senator Theater
11/8/09 - San Francisco, CA - Fillmore
11/10/09 - Portland, OR - Hawthorne Theatre
11/11/09 - Seattle, WA - El Corazon
11/13/09 - Salt Lake City, UT - Murray Theatre
11/14/09 - Englewood, CO - Gothic Theatre
11/15/09 - Kansas City, MO - Beaumont Club
11/17/09 - Des Moines, IA - Peoples Court
11/18/09 - Milwaukee, WI - The Rave
11/19/09 - Chicago, IL - House Of Blues
11/20/09 - Grand Rapids, MI - Orbit Room
11/21/09 - Detroit, MI - St. Andrews Hall
11/22/09 - Columbus, OH - Newport Music Hall
11/24/09 - New York, NY - The Fillmore New York at Irving Plaza
11/25/09 - Philadelphia, PA - Trocadero
11/27/09 - Sayreville, NJ - Starland Ballroom
11/28/09 - New Haven, CT - Toad’s Place
11/29/09 - Pittsburgh, PA - The Altar Bar
12/1/09 - Boston, MA - House Of Blues
12/2/09 - University Park, PA - Center for the Performing Arts at Penn State
12/3/09 - Allentown, PA - Crocodile Rock Cafe
12/4/09 - Washginton, DC - 9:30 Club
12/5/09 - Minneapolis, MN - First Avenue** (Doomtree Blowout feat. P.O.S.)
12/6/09 - Atlanta, GA - Masquerade
12/8/09 - Fort Lauderdale, FL - Culture Room
12/9/09 - Saint Petersburg, FL - State Theatre
12/10/09 - Lake Buena Vista, FL - House of Blues Orlando
12/12/09 - Dallas, TX - The Door
12/13/09 - Houston, TX - Meridian
12/14/09 - Mission, TX - Las Palmas Race Park
12/15/09 - San Antonio, TX - White Rabbit
12/17/09 - Tucson, AZ - The Rock
12/18/09 - Tempe, AZ - Marquee Theatre
12/19/09 - San Diego, CA - SOMA
12/20/09 - Anaheim, CA - House of Blues Anaheim

"A big-hearted rapper with skills" NY Times

"“Never Better,” is an early candidate for best hip-hop album of 2009. P.O.S. has bona fide star quality; it’s easy to imagine him achieving the same level of mainstream success as Mos Def or Common." - Metromix

"Minneapolis's P.O.S.{is} a double threat: a fluid rapper incensed at the state of the nation and a riveting performer." - Boston Globe

"P.O.S. has saved hip hop. Never Better is amazing and likely to be the best hip-hop album of 2009." - Alarm

MySpace: www.myspace.com/pos
Rhymesayers: http://rhymesayers.com/

Little Dragon Kick Off US Tour TODAY!

Don't Miss Little Dragon on Tour!



Machine Dreams Out Now! - Check out Blinking Pigs mp3.

“...an intoxicating sauce of synthpop bounce"
- San Francisco Bay Guardian

“…an atmospheric slice of gothic 80s synths, with Yukimi Nagano's disaffected vocals floating by in an smoky haze…”
–Pitchfork

Following the success of their 2007 self-titled record, Little Dragon have returned with the spectacular Machine Dreams, a poppy electronic epic that has already captivated Europe, and is poised to do the same here in the U.S. this fall, kicking off their very own headlining tour after a successful tour in May supporting TV On The Radio!

Hailing from the burgeoning electro-pop scene in Gothenburg, Sweeden, Little Dragon’s carefully crafted sophomore effort walks the line between experimental electro and giddy synth pop, with enough infectious hooks to push the band from quiet underground sensations into the mainstream. Recorded in their home city of Gothenburg, Machine Dreams is a gigantic leap on from previous material, but still maintains a distinct Little Dragon sound, straddling different denres touching on R&B, Soul, Jazz and Dancehall.

10/30: Costa Mesa, CA @ Detroit Bar
10/31: Los Angeles, CA @ Park Plaza
11/02: Pomona, CA @ Glasshouse
11/03: Santa Barbara, CA @ Soho
11/04: San Francisco, CA @ The Independent
11/05: Fresno, CA @ Audie’s Olympic
11/06: Santa Cruz, CA @ Rio Theatre
11/08: Portland, OR @ Holocene
11/09: Vancouver, BC @ Media Club
11/10: Seattle, WA @ Nectar Lounge
11/13: Minneapolis, MN @ 400 Bar
11/14: Chicago, IL @ Double Door
11/16: Lexington, KY @ Al’s Bar
11/17: Detroit. MI @ Cliff Bells
11/18: Toronto, ON @ Wrongbar
11/19: Montreal, PQ @ Il Motore
11/20: Syracuse, NY @ Westcott Theater
11/21: New York, NY @ Le Poisson Rouge
11/22: Washington, DC @ Liv
11/23: Charlottesville, VA @ Outback Lodge
11/24: Charlotte, NC @ The Milestone
11/25: Chapel Hill, NC @ Local 506
11/27: Birmingham, AL @ Bottletree
11/28: Baton Rouge, LA @ Spanish Moon
11/29: Dallas, TX @ House of Blues - Pontiac Garage
11/30: Austin, TX @ Emo’s Jr.
12/02: Phoenix, AZ @ Rhythm Room
12/03: San Diego, CA @ Casbah

Thursday, October 29, 2009

Boston faves Mean Creek announce a string of tour dates with the Whigs!

Boston faves Mean Creek announce a new string of tour dates with
everyone's favorite Southern ass-kickers the Whigs!
Hot on the heels of the release of their second album The Sky (or the Underground)
on Old Flame Records,
this tour will feature old faves and brand new tunes - these are shows not to miss!



Mean Creek Tour Dates with the Whigs & the Features
Dec 5 - Rhythm & Brews - Chattanooga, TN
Dec 6 - Farm 255 - Athens, GA**
Dec 8 - Visulite - Charlotte, NC
Dec 10 - Black Cat - Washington, DC
Dec 11 - The Fillmore - NY, NY
Dec 12 - North Star - Philadelphia, PA
Dec 14 - Local 506 - Chapel Hill, NC
Dec 15 - Pour House - Charleston, SC

**without the Whigs

If you haven't listened to Mean Creek
Check out the video for "Light Into Dark" HERE!
Check out In Studio Outtakes on their You Tube HERE!

Mean Creek have recently played shows with Mew, Cotton Jones, Buffalo Tom, and the Everyday Visuals.

Press Hearts Mean Creek
Under the Radar
“Last month we debuted the first single from Boston indie rock quintet Mean Creek. Now the upstart group have an official video to share with you all for the '90s-esque "Light Into Dark." In the slick montage, shots of the band playing live are interspersed alongside meticulous birthday cake making from vocalist/guitarist Chris Keene. I won't spoil the ending but I'll say this: it gets a tad messy. Baking has never been cooler.”

Popmatters
“Mean Creek shows an awful lot of poise on its second album, The Sky (or the Underground).... Let’s hope the rest of the country discovers what those crowds in Boston already know: Mean Creek is the genuine article.”

The Racket
The quartet, known as Mean Creek aren’t exactly pussies....Then again, most bands don’t put out an album like this.”

The Chicagoist
And it's when the group is in "epic" mode that they are most successful.... It's nice to hear a band reaching upward without resorting to overwrought clichés.”

Live4Ever
“An amalgamation of genres spanning from New Wave to 60s Americana to Stoner Rock all in the space of 10 tracks... An understated, lyrically complex, genre filled triumph”

Amie Street
“After garnering some attention at this year's SXSW for their inspiring sound and pleasing harmonies, Boston folk-rockers Mean Creek bring us their second release for Old Flame Records. On The Sky (Or The Underground) the quartet tempers their hard rock with an earnest folk sensibility, harnessing that familiar American musicality to say something meaningful while making you want to bang your head at the same time”

The Boston Globe raves
“The Sky (or the Underground)’’ is destined to be one of the best local releases of the year. It’s an album of pathos and heartbreak, of big questions about life and mortality that go largely unanswered and unresolved. The title track, for instance, can be heard as a meditation on the order of things both natural and cosmic; hope and futility bundled into a four-minute format.

Ryan's Smashing Life chimes in
The very definition of a great cross-over band, Mean Creek are capable of rocking you to a restful sleep and rocking the ever loving hell of out you. Easily one of the most talented bands we have come across in the last few years...one of our favorite acts right now!

Spin.com
"Mean Creek commence a sharp blend of country-core"

The Boston Globe
"And with a clutch of splendid, heart-tugging melodies, Mean Creek, a striking foursome from Boston that opened the night, had a touch of the epic."

Boston Phoenix
“a local folksy, roots-leaning rock four-piece named after the award-winning indie film —
meld sartorially as well as musically...”

Improper Bostonian
"One of the top 10 bands you must hear right now!"

The Boston Herald
"A melodic tour de force"

The Boston Globe
Mean Creek's folksy Simon & Garfunkel harmonies anchor a sound that alternates between jangling and overdriven guitars. This could be the best lineup in Boston."

More about Mean Creek
Mean Creek's new release,The Sky (Or The Underground), is a valiant, dynamic effort to resurrect Boston's relevance back to a time when bands like the Pixies, Throwing Muses, the Lemonheads, and Buffalo Tom reigned supreme. Founded in May 2006 by singers/guitarists Chris Keene and Aurore Ounjian, who'd been preforming as a folk duo for a few years, Mean Creek's debut album Around The Bend earned them critical praise throughout Boston and New England, and landed them on a UK tour with the Ting Tings and Straylight Run. When ex-Tulsa (Park the Van) members Mikey Holland and Erik Wormwood joined in the fall of 2008, the revolving rhythm section was laid to rest. "When Mikey & Erik joined, it felt like the band was finally complete. The four of us see eye to eye on the important things. We also have enough divergent musical tastes to each bring our own thing to the table, and in the process, make the band better and more interesting." says Keene.

Over the course of the past three years, Mean Creek have shared stages with diverse national and international recording artists including Mew, Buffalo Tom, Margot & The Nuclear So & So's, Bishop Allen, Dead Confederate, Black Lips, and they made their first trip to South By Southwest this past spring.

On October 13, 2009, Mean Creek released their second album, The Sky (Or The Underground), on Old Flame Records. Recorded by Chris McLaughlin (Aberdeen City) at 1867 Recording Studio in Chelsea, Massachusetts, the album combines the gritty, blue collar-rock of bands like The Replacements and Husker Du, the sonically adventurous aspects of the Pixies and Mission Of Burma, with boy-girl harmonies reminiscent of the Arcade Fire and New Pornographers. "We're very proud of the new album. We put 100% of ourselves into it, exhausting ourselves physically, emotionally, and monetarily. We think that desperate sort of struggle shows through in the songs and makes them more powerful, and we hope people will feel the same way." says Keene. Mean Creek are ready to make you notice Boston once again. Catch them on tour this Fall.

Mean Creek's "The Sky (Or The Underground)" available on Old Flame Records NOW!

www.myspace.com/meancreek

KARNIVOOL to release full-length "Sound Awake" on Feb 16, 2010

ALREADY GOLD IN AUSTRALIA AND MAKING ITS WAY THROUGH THE UK

New York, NY – KARNIVOOL have built a devoted army of fervent fans over the years through their captivating music, incessant touring and extraordinary live performances. After baiting us with the digital-only Set Fire To The Hive EP, KARNIVOOL prepare to award the States with the full-length that has already taken Australia and the UK by storm with the release of Sound Awake on February 16, 2010 via SIN/SonyMusic Independent Network.

Four years since their last album in their homeland of Australia, Sound Awake debuted at #2 on the national ARIA albums chart, eclipsed only by global mega-brand the Black Eyed Peas. The album has already gone GOLD in Oz and expresses Karnivool’s reputation as the sharp end of the cutting edge of heavy rock in the country.

Produced by Forrester Savell (The Butterfly Effect, Mammal, Dead Letter Circus), Sound Awake is kaleidoscopic & multi-dimensional. It delivers the band’s trademark sound and takes the listener to new heights as it ventures into innovative exploratory territory.

Critical praise of Sound Awake has already started rolling in from overseas. Rolling Stone Australia awarded the album 4 STARS calling it "A sprawling work of melody, mood, tempo and musicianship... Intricacy, pedantry and perfection." Dan Slessor of KERRANG! exclaims, “Their sound is a fine one indeed – exploratory and spacious, heavy, truly epic, and gorgeously melodic.”

The lead track on the album, “Set Fire To The Hive,” with its distorted vocals, up-tempo vibe, raw prog-punk feel and vocalist Ian Kenny’s venomous delivery, sounds nothing like Karnivool have attempted before and takes the band into uncharted sonic territory.

The prog-heavy rockers decimated Los Angeles and New York City last month with mind-blowing intimate performances witnessed by fans that traveled from Seattle, Arizona, Vegas, Boston, Virginia and even Australia!

Christa Titus of Billboard and Blistering raves about the performance, “Geography won't prevent Australian band Karnivool from achieving stardom in America----the group's dynamic of propulsive rhythms, dramatic ambience, uncompromising intensity and lyrics that speak of heightened consciousness transcend all borders.”

Karnivool just completed a UK tour with Skindred and are heading back to Australia in Nov to for the “Sine Waves & Mirrors” tour with Dredg. Jan 2010 sees the band hitting BIG DAY OUT with Muse, Mars Volta and Mastodon before coming back to the U.S. in March for SXSW and a national tour.

Karnivool release Sound Awake on February 16, 2010 via SIN/SonyMusic Independent Network, distributed by RED. SIN is a division of Sony Music International and releases international repertoire in the United States.

http://www.myspace.com/karnivool
http://www.karnivool.com.au/

IHSAHN New Album; American Release Date Confirmed

Candlelight Records today confirmed January 26th as the American release date for After, the new album from former Emperor vocalist/guitarist IHSAHN. Recorded during the first half of 2009, After completes the musician’s planned trilogy of initial recordings. The album showcases the Norwegian icon with drummer Asgeir Mickelson (Spiral Architect), bassist Lars K. Norberg (Spiral Architect), and saxophonist Jorgen Munkeby (Shining).

"This is my first album written with 8-string guitars as basis which has been both challenging and inspiring,” he comments when discussing the creative process. “I also decided early on that I wanted to mix this album with Jens Bogren (Opeth, Katatonia) and recorded the album with that in mind. Asgeir and Lars have again delivered superb performances. I've always wanted to implement the saxophone in my music; Jorgen’s contributions truly added a silver lining to the album."

Again working at his own Symphonique Studio, with additional work at Toproom Studio (co-engineered by Borge Finstad), After was meticulously laid out over an eight month period. The intensity of the project has more than paid off with early listenings already proclaiming it to be the most poignant creations of his solo efforts. “I have felt more confident and more at ease with the material,” relays IHSAHN. “In letting the songs themselves lead the way I just followed the natural impulses."

After the demise of Emperor in 2001, IHSAHN continued his work with Peccatum, the band he formed in 1998 with life-partner Ihriel (Heidi Solberg Tveitan). After the release of 2005’s mini-album, The Moribund People, his first writings of solo material began. IHSAHN’s first recording,The Adversary, found the musician composing and performing all instruments and immediately struck a chord with his hordes of fans worldwide. The album afforded IHSAHN the opportunity to embrace more expansive sonic textures previously untouched in Emperor. The album also saw a return of his various lyrical muses. "Icaros, Lucifer, Prometheus, Zarathustra are all persons of history who challenged commonly accepted, most often enforced 'truths,' despite civilization's persecution of them and their followers,” he comments. “Their stories are inspirational. AngL would follow in 2008. Metal Maniacs said, ““whereas The Adversary was a sonic coping mechanism - all aspects of the album were tightly controlled - AngL finds the visionary widening and deepening the canvas.” Decibel Magazine called the album, "as compelling as Emperor's best; IHSAHN sounds as fresh as he did fifteen years ago, but with the hindsight of a grown man." AngL featured a musical collaboration with Opeth’s Mikael Akerfeldt for the song “The Unhealer.”

Spellemann (Norwegian Grammy) Award Nominee IHSAHN (born Vegard Tveitan) began playing music at a very early age. As a teenager, his friendship with Tomas Haugen (a.k.a. Samoth) would trigger the start of his music career - one that to date includes over fifty individual recordings, five high-profile Emperor European tours (the band reaching US shores on only three occasions) and the respect of fans and peers worldwide. "Emperor is still one of my favorite bands. I count their compositions among some of the finest and most inspired that metal has ever produced,” says Teeth of the Divine (formerly Digital Metal).

In mid-2009, IHSAHN gave his first live performance selecting material from his first two solo albums; the performance in Oslo supporting Opeth. Early discussions in regards to After are indicating more live activities but where and when currently remains a secret.

http://www.ihsahn.com
http://www.myspace.com/ihsahnmusic

LILITH 2010 ALERT! BRAND NEW WEBSITE LAUNCHES REVEALING FIRST ROUND OF CITIES!

October 27, 2009 (New York, NY) – Nearly 6 months ago, Nettwerk CEO and Lilith Fair co-founder Terry McBride announced via Twitter that the all-female festival would make its return in 2010. Today, the official Lilith 2010 website launches, not only revealing the new look and feel of Lilith a decade later, but also the first set of cities that the traveling festival will be hitting--New York, Los Angeles, Vancouver, Toronto, London and more. Check out www.lilithfair.com for the complete list.

“I can’t reveal anything further now,” says McBride, “but I can assure fans that we have some exciting announcements over the course of the following weeks, from confirmed artists to additional cities to innovative social initiatives. Lilith 2010 is very much upon us.”

Lilith 2010 promises to be a much bigger summer festival than it was in the past, traveling for the first time overseas and celebrating a mix of international artists and local up-and-comers. To capture the new energy of Lilith, Vancouver’s Traction Creative was brought on board to reinvigorate the Lilith brand—the new look is revealed today for the first time with the launch of the website.

From 1997 through 1999, Lilith Fair was one of the highest grossing touring festivals in the world, with over 1.5 million fans in attendance and raising over $10 million dollars for national and local charities. Founded by Grammy-award winning artist Sarah McLachlan along with Dan Fraser, Marty Diamond and Terry McBride, Lilith Fair was the only tour of its kind—a celebration of women in music featuring artists like Sheryl Crow, Christina Aguilera, Erykah Badu, The Dixie Chicks, Missy Elliot, The Pretenders, Nelly Furtado, Jewel, Queen Latifah, Indigo Girls, Tegan and Sara and of course, Sarah McLachlan.

Follow @lilithfair on Twitter for the most up to date information.

www.lilithfair.com
www.facebook.com/lilithfairtour
www.myspace.com/lilithfairtour
http://twitter.com/lilithfair

Stephen Brodsky Announces US Tour Dates w/ Annuals and The Dear Hunter!



The songs have hooks aplenty, and the vocal melodies are simply gorgeous, but many times they are buried under a layer of sludgy, bottom-heavy guitars. This creates an interesting dynamic between the strange, often delicate vocals and the doom metal guitars driving the music along. - Absolutepunk

Like hits of LSD manufactured to pass for Easter candy, the tracks on Stephen Brodsky's third solo album are all big, bright, sweet, and highly hallucinogenic. - Decibel Magazine

Stephen Brodsky, also known to as: Stove Bredsky, the brains behind Pet Genius, the Stephen Brodsky in Stephen Brodsky's Octave Museum and lead of the groundbreaking metal core/space rock outfit Cave In, is (maybe) coming to a town near you! Please check the dates below to see if the aforementioned statement applies to you, believe me, its worth looking into!

Stephen Brodsky's solo exploits are a slice of fried gold! One of the most under-recognized overachievers in contemporary indie music. For most, its an undertaking on first listen because one cannot contain this gentleman's creations in any sort of six sided receptacle, however a discerning listener immediately recognizes the mastery Stephen possesses over his craft.

Stephen Brodsky Live!

w/ Annuals and The Dear Hunter
10/27 Baltimore, MD @ Ottobar
10/28 New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom
10/29 Philadelphia, PA @ First Unitarian Church
10/30 Rochester, NY @ Water Street Music Hall
10/31 Hamden, CT @ The Space
11/1 Boston, MA @ The Paradise

Cave In Live!

w/ Trap Them and Narrows
November 19th The Knitting Factory Brooklyn, NY
November 20 First Unitarian Church Philadelphia, PA
November 21 Club Hell Providence, RI
November 22 The Middle East Downstairs Cambridge, MA

www.myspace.com/stevebrodsky

BRIAN BONZ & THE DOT HONGS ANNOUNCE TWO NATIONAL TOURS

Brian Bonz and The Dot Hongs are very excited to announce two upcoming national tours in support of their Triple Crown / Favorite Gentlemen Records debut, From Sumi To Japan. Beginning October 26th in Dallas, TX, these Sunset Park, Brooklyn natives will join Straylight Run for a two week run before joining Person L and John Nolan (Taking Back Sunday) for a 5 week trek that will begin in Cleveland, OH on November 10th. In addition, Brian will perform a solo acoustic set at Nassau Coliseum on November 28th with Brand New and others. A band KEXP praised as "the best of Brooklyn's experimental rock scene," has been winning over fans and critics with what Alternative Press praises as "concepts that are immersed in an entirely refreshing context, producing delicately experimental ornate indie pop."

Filled with stories of escape and the value of youth, From Sumi To Japan, draws from a variety of genres that Beyond Race Magazine praises as an intelligent "collection of nostalgic songwriting and dreamy music that will make you feel light years away from New York." The band's enchanting pop, dreamy ballads and experimental rock have also been called "meaningful music and downright fun, two things that have rarely come together on any single 2009 album to date" by Stereo Subversion. Jeremiah Edmond from Manchester Orchestra simply calls Bonz "one of his favorite new musicians" and an "incredible artist" while The Orlando Weekly says, "expect great things from this fledging indie breeze that could easily become a monsoon."

Over the last year, Brian Bonz and The Dot Hongs have toured with Manchester Orchestra, Kevin Devine, Brand New, Nightmare of You and Roger Miller (Mission of Burma), to name a few.

http://www.myspace.com/brianbonz

With Straylight Run

October 26 The Door Dallas, TX
October 27 Emo's Austin, TX
October 28 The Conservatory Oklahoma City, OK
October 29 Revolution Music Room Little Rock, AK
November 1 Mixtape Café Grand Rapids MI
November 3 Diesel Pittsburgh, PA
November 4 The Space Hamden, CT
November 5 Higher Ground Burlington, VT
November 6 Club Hell Providence, RI
November 7 The Loft Poughkeepsie, NY
November 8 Studio @ Webster Hall New York, NY

With Person L and John Nolan

November 10 Grog Shop Cleveland, OH
November 11 Mac's Bar East Lansing, MI
November 12 The Bishop Bar Bloomington, IN
November 13 The Firebird St. Louis, MO
November 14 The Record Bar Kansas City, MO
November 15 Vaudeville Mews Des Moines, IA
November 19 Schubas Tavern Chicago, IL
November 20 The Basement Columbus, OH
November 21 Eleanor Rigby's Jermyn, PA
November 22 Maxwell's Hoboken, NJ

November 28th Nassau Coliseum Uniondale, NY **

December 2 TT The Bear's Boston, MA
December 3 MUB Stafford Room Durham, NH
December 4 Southpaw Brooklyn, NY
December 5 Jammin Java Vienna, VA
December 6 Greene Street Club Greensboro, NC
December 8 Drunken Unicorn Atlanta, GA
December 9 Rocketown Nashville, TN
December 11 Diesel Pittsburgh, PA
December 12 The Khyber Philadelphia, PA

December 17 Rockwood Music Hall New York, NY ***

** With Brand New (it makes me sad that they still haven't topped "Deja Entendu." I always get so excited for their new albums, and they're just nowhere near as satisfying.) & Glassjaw
*** Solo show

Themselves Unleash themselvesRADIO Podcast + Themselves TV Episodes 3 + 4!!

Also gear up for tour w/ Eyedea and Abilities!



themselvesRADIO Podcast:
iTunes
MP3

Themselves TV Pt. 3 from anticon. on Vimeo.

Themselves TV Pt. 4 from anticon. on Vimeo.

THEMSELVES TOUR

11/19 Austin, TX Highball #
11/20 Denton, TX Hailey's #
11/21 Baton Rouge, LA Spanish Moon #
11/22 New Orleans, LA The Parish Room - HOB #
11/23 Atlanta, GA 529 #
11/24 Chapel Hill, NC Local 506 #
11/25 Washington, DC Rock and Roll Hotel #
11/27 Brooklyn, NY Knitting Factory #
11/28 Cambridge, MA Middle East Downstairs #
11/29 Providence, RI Jerky's Live Music Hall #
12/01 Toronto, ONT El Mocambo #
12/02 Ann Arbor, MI Blind Pig #
12/03 Chicago, IL Reggie's #
12/04 Minneapolis, MN Varsity #
12/05 Milwaukee, WI Cactus Club #
12/11 Salt Lake City, UT Kilby Court
12/12 Salt Lake City, UT Urban Lounge

# = w/ Eyedea & Abilities

www.myspace.com/themselves

ROB ZOMBIE UNEXPECTEDLY SWITCHES LABELS

MOVES TO ROADRUNNER RECORDS' LOUD & PROUD IMPRINT TO RELEASE HELLBILLY DELUXE 2 IN EARLY 2010

In a sudden and unexpected move, multi-platinum hard rock artist Rob Zombie has inked a new worldwide deal with leading rock label Roadrunner Records through its Loud & Proud imprint.

This shocking announcement comes as Zombie exits his former label of eighteen years, where he sold fifteen million records as a solo artist and with his former band White Zombie. Zombie’s new album, Hellbilly Deluxe 2, previously set for release on 11/17 will now be released by Roadrunner / Loud & Proud Records in early 2010.

“It certainly wasn’t an easy decision to make after all this time, but it had to be done,” states Zombie. “I love this new record and wanted to surround myself with an excited new group of people who can reignite my enthusiasm for working within a hard rock record label. Roadrunner seems to be the perfect place.”

“Roadrunner is thrilled to be involved with Rob Zombie on a worldwide basis as he is a multiple-threat artist whom we’ve admired for many years,” said Roadrunner president Jonas Nachsin.

Tom Lipsky, founder and president of Loud & Proud echoed Nachsin’s sentiment, “Rob Zombie hits hard on Hellbilly Deluxe 2 and the fans expect nothing less. We are excited about the monster mayhem that he is certain to create!”

The first single from the new album, “What?” recently launched at all rock radio formats and is quickly climbing the charts. This latest album marks the follow-up to 1998’s triple platinum Hellbilly Deluxe.

In support of this release Zombie, will kick off his first headline tour since 2007 in Phoenix, AZ on October 29th. Shows in Las Vegas, NV on the 30th, and a very special Halloween event on October 31st in Hollywood, CA are set to follow. Zombie will be accompanied by his longtime band mates - guitarist John 5, bassist Piggy D and drummer Tommy Clufetos.

Visit www.RobZombie.com for Hellbilly Deluxe 2 World Tour updates, including the official blog, Twitter feed, photos, and videos directly from the road. Hellbilly Deluxe 2 World Tour tickets are on sale now; tour dates are as follows:

Oct 29 Dodge Theater Phoenix, Arizona
Oct 30 The Pearl - Palms Concert Theater Las Vegas, Nevada
Oct 31 Hollywood Palladium Los Angeles, California
Nov 1 The Grove Anaheim, California
Nov 3 San Jose Events Center San Jose, California
Nov 5 The Great Salt Air Magna, Utah
Nov 6 The Fillmore Auditorium Denver, Colorado
Nov 8 The Brady Theater Tulsa, Oklahoma
Nov 10 Austin Music Hall Austin, Texas
Nov 11 Verizon Wireless Theater Houston, Texas
Nov 13 Palladium Ballroom Dallas, Texas
Nov 14 Uptown Theatre Kansas City, Missouri
Nov 15 The Pageant St. Louis, Missouri
Nov 16 Murat Theater Indianapolis, Indiana
Nov 17 Akron Civic Center Akron, Ohio
Nov 19 Eagles Ballroom Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Nov 20 Roy Wilkins Auditorium St. Paul, Minnesota
Nov 21 Val Air Ballroom Des Moines, Iowa
Nov 22 Aragon Ballroom Chicago, Illinois
Nov 24 Broadbent Arena Louisville, Kentucky
Nov 25 The LC Pavilion Columbus, Ohio
Nov 27 The Fillmore Detroit Detroit, Michigan
Nov 28 The Sound Academy Toronto, Ontario
Nov 29 Metropolis Montreal, Quebec
Dec 1 Hammerstein Ballroom New York, New York
Dec 2 House Of Blues Boston, Massachusetts
Dec 3 Mohegan Sun Arena Uncasville, Connecticut
Dec 4 Electric Factory Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Dec 5 9:30 Club Washington, DC

In addition to his illustrious recording career, Zombie has also written and directed five feature length films. Most recently was the animated cult favorite The Haunted World Of El Superbeasto based on his successful comic series. This season’s Halloween 2 (August 2009) followed up Zombie’s record breaking blockbuster re-imagining of Halloween in 2007. In 2005, Zombie assaulted the film world with the critically-acclaimed The Devil’s Rejects (Lionsgate), the follow-up to his already cult classic House of 1000 Corpses (Lionsgate 2004).

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Dead Leaf Echo announce special Monkeytown show, get love from the Deli post-CMJ

Brooklyn-based Nouveau Romantics Dead Leaf Echo announce a very special new date at Monkeytown
featuring an experimental, ambient set with remixes unlike any show they've played before.

Dead Leaf Echo NYC Date
Nov 13 - Monkeytown - Brooklyn, NY
More national dates to be annouced soon!

Of their CMJ set at Fontanas, the Deli said:
Dead Leaf Echo followed with a nice transition into shoegaze bliss. Lit only by a screen projector, the shadowed musicians produced a beautiful, intricate atmosphere that echoes 4AD bands. I regret not being able to see the band’s full set as I immensely enjoy their swooning, gorgeously engineered songs.



Only months after their last experiments in high-art on Pale Fire,
featuring the epic title track mixed by Ulrich Schnass,
Dead Leaf Echo has teamed up with John Fryer of 4AD fame
to mix their latest evocative release Truth.

On Truth, Dead Leaf Echo reaches new heights,
exploring greater depths with 7 songs of pure devotion.

Truth will come to the people through German label 2&1 Records (Ex-Alison Records).
Vinyl comes from Custom Made Music with digital distribution from Apollo Audio.


What the press had to say about Dead Leaf Echo

Time Out NY
Some of the best live music in the city.

The DeliNYC
A post-Romantic approach to music, fashion, even New York City itself...is the kind of wisdom Robert Smith masterfully conjured in his prime...

The Huffington Post
Resonates like a glass of old-school absinthe.

The L Magazine
We like Dead Leaf Echo's dreamy, shoegazing, indie-pop.

The Sound of Indie
Is every bit as good as any of the other currently hyped shoegaze bands like Film School or Amusement Parks on Fire.

Losing Today
A bliss driven slice of ethereal elegance.

Surfing on Steam
Reminisces in Cocteau Twins etherealism.

Beat Crave
Creates a sinful surrealism.

Resonator Mag
These songs swirl, swell and cohere together in a foggy mist.

Here Comes the Flood
For those still craving the glory days of 4AD.

First Coast News
The band makes songs that are so ethereal and delicately noisy that human comprehension just might be too much to ask for.

Jenky.com
I bet Phil Spector in all his deranged glory never imagined a wall of sound quite as massive and tidal as the one that these guys construct.

www.deadleafechonyc.com
www.myspace.com/deadleafecho
www.twitter.com/deadleafecho

Juliana Hatfield announces new CD, Peace and Love, on February 16th, 2010

Peace And Love, Juliana Hatfield's latest album, will be released on February 16, 2010 on Ye Olde Records. Hatfield, of course, has a long history of DIY endeavors - from her trailblazing days with Boston indie band the Blake Babies to her recent releases on Ye Olde Records, the label she founded in 2005 - but with Peace And Love she reaches a new level of independence. She produced and engineered the album herself and played all the instruments, including acoustic and electric guitars, piano, harmonica and drum machine.

"I've produced records before but I was always in a studio with professional engineers. So it was definitely a learning process for me," says Hatfield, who was ready to strip things down after her critically acclaimed 2008 album, How To Walk Away, which was a full studio production. "I always like to try things I've never done before and I'd been yearning to record myself."

Hatfield had just purchased her brother's eight-track digital recorder and moved into a Cambridge apartment with a back room that had excellent natural acoustics, so the time was right. "I was able to follow every instinct without worrying that anyone was going to think it was a kooky idea," she recalls. "I just wanted to do something simple."

The result is an incredibly intimate collection of songs, expertly capturing the loneliness and collateral damage borne of broken relationships yet adamantly refusing to remain broken. In the liner notes, Boston Phoenix music editor James Parker gives it a name: "Survivor-music - because even at their most palpitatingly fragile, your songs have always been built to last. Well-made, strong-boned, fit to be played on streetcorners and station platforms."

Just as Hatfield stripped down the recording process, the characters that populate Peace And Love are ready to shed their convoluted lives. The lilting "Why Can't We Love Each Other" answers its own question by acknowledging that love is a choice: "we can make our lives a song/will it be a blues or a hymn/a dirge or a psalm/it could be so simple." But there's the rub, of course: it could be so simple...if it weren't for our propensity to muck things up.

From the plucked Elizabethan chords that introduce the opening "Peace And Love" and the feedback-drenched "What Is Wrong" to "Unsung," Hatfield's first-ever instrumental, and the closing "Dear Anonymous," written from the point of view of a victim who finds empathy for her stalker, the collection is both compelling and surprising. "Faith In Our Friends" celebrates those who "think you're just right the way you are" while Hatfield gains fresh perspective on her complex relationship with longtime friend Evan Dando on the exquisite, ethereal "Evan."

Peace And Love is Hatfield's 11th solo album and follows last year's How To Walk Away, which was hailed as "rueful and gorgeous," by Entertainment Weekly, which gave the album an A-. "After 20 years, the songstress still packs a wallop on her 10th album, featuring edgy tales of heartbreak sung with that classic sweetness," said Newsweek, naming it a "Checklist" pick of the week upon its release while Spin pronounced it "vital," awarding it three out of four stars. Her autobiography, entitled When I Grow Up, was published by Wiley & Sons in September 2008.

Hatfield first came to prominence in her teens as a founding member of the Blake Babies. After four independent albums with the group, she signed to Atlantic as a solo artist and had a string of modern-rock hits (including "My Sister," "Spin The Bottle" and "Universal Heartbeat"). She left the label in 1998, signing to Zoe Records (a Rounder Records imprint) and releasing four well-regarded albums, including 2004's In Exile Deo, named as one of that year's 10 best albums by The New York Times' Jon Pareles. In 2005, Hatfield came full circle, returning to her independent roots and founding Ye Olde Records.

http://www.julianahatfield.com/
http://www.myspace.com/julianahatfield

Sunset to release "Gold Dissolves To Gray" November 24, On tour now!



Sunset, the indie-pop recording project for Austin, TX native Bill Baird, will release it's fourth full-length, Gold Dissolves To Gray, on November 24, 2009, via Autobus Records. Baird first came into the spotlight as a founding member of Sound Team, the once on-the-verge group signed to Capitol Records and opening for the Arcade Fire. But when 2006 saw the band going their separate ways, Baird switched his focus to the solo work he’d been pursuing on the side. After self-releasing {{SUNSET}} and its instrumental companion, Silence!, in December ‘06 – and with the help of some friends – his once-side project began to take shape as a new band, taking its name from his early LP.

Releasing three albums in 2008 (Pink Clouds, Bright Blue Dream and The Glowing City), the project has gradually earned a reputation for its beautifully crafted lo-fi tracks, its ambitious dance between genres and styles, and its transcendence of earthly perspective. Praised as modern psychedelia at its finest, somewhere at the crossroads of “melodic pop bliss and twisted backwoods folk” (Exclaim!), Baird’s recent work is the kind which stops you in your tracks, blindfolds you, spins you around, turns you inside out and then strips the blindfold away to reveal a new world around you. Or rather, the same world, except now you’re seeing it through a prism of sound and light in which nothing looks quite the same. Baird’s DIY ethics and stripped down take on modern life make for a refreshingly clean feel, the kind of music which longs for headphone listening and live performance and leaves you feeling a little closer to the ground by the time you’re done – in the best way possible.

Baird is on tour right now testing out the new material. Check him in the fine cities below.

10/28 -- The Khyber, Philadelphia, PA
10/29 -- Skull Alley, Louisville, KY
11/12 -- Johnny Brenda's, Philadelphia, PA



Following-up the ltd. edition April 2009 Loveshines II 7", which Dusted's Still Single column dubbed "HUGE", is Sunset's fourth full length in two years, Gold Dissolves to Gray. The album is most similar in spirit to Bill Baird's eponymous solo debut {{{SUNSET}}} and the early Sound Team material, with a natural touch for blending analog electronics with folk song. Yet, it is the clearest and most matured display of Bill Baird's talents to date. Subtle and poetic beauty permeate songs like "Our Dreams Did Weave a Shade" and "Gold Dissolves to Gray." Baird's ability to tackle the "job" aspect of a songwriter in the tradition of greats like Woody Guthrie is as surprising as ever in the cleverly penned and wise "Garden of Eden" and "Civil War". "Fishtown", recorded for the Philadelphia recording-grant organization Weathervane, is like the the sort of Beach Boys Americana that might have happened if Van Dyke Parks had written to appeal to fans of Ralph Emerson rather than beach bums on acid trips. Yet Baird's love of aesthetically beautiful, shoegazey tracks and his ability to make wordless music sing a song as sweet as with words is not left behind on Gold Dissolves to Gray.

It comes as no surprise that Baird describes Sunset as a project “still very much in its formative stages, [which] will probably remain that way for the duration of the project.” The dynamic nature of his approach to songwriting leads to an always-evolving sound, one constantly reaching for its true shape yet never settling in one form.

NYC's Pablo announces new tour dates, including a trek out to the West Coast!



Nov 3 - Glasslands - Brooklyn, NY
Nov 12 - Langosta Lounge - Asbury, NJ
Nov 19 - The Space - Hamden, CT
Nov 22 - Hotel Cafe - LA, CA
Nov 23 - Valentine's - Portland, OR
Nov 24 - High Dive - Seattle, WA
Nov 25 - Cranes Hollywood Tavern - LA, CA

Pablo's "Morning" was named a KEXP
Song of the Day last month -
“A brand new toe-tapper from one of KEXP’s favorites: Pablo”- KEXP
Check it out HERE on the KEXP Blog!

Pablo has announced the long awaited follow up to his beloved debut Half The Time.
“Long nights will come along, I’ve gotten to give in a bit”
are lyrics that help to sum up Pablo’s second album There’s Rope To Leave
Due out on November 3rd.

“In 2009, “Hey Luci” finds Pablo moving in a slightly different direction, though longtime fans won’t be disappointed. Gone are the whispered vocals that build up to a yowl and the soulful, strumming guitar; replacing them is an uptempo rhythm right out of the gate and more assured lyrics. The great acoustic guitar work is still here, but when Shalda tears through his vocal lines in the harmonies, we’re reminded more of the Pixies than the oft-compared Replacements. Whoever this “Luci” is and whatever she might have done, she’s certainly done wonders with our band Pablo!”- KEXP

NPR loved Half The Time
"New York band Pablo's release is one of the most honest and personal albums of 2006. Led by Paul Schalda, this album is an auto-biographical view of the world that could be just about anyone's experience dealing with every-day worries and routines. Schalda's distinct and heart aching voice bring out the kind of emotion you immediately identify with and can't ignore."

More about Pablo + Half the Time
The album leads the listener down a wooded path of cutthroat songwriting loaded with wonderful gems of piano, bass and drum fills, a myriad of astute lyricism and vocal melodies, as a dark current of mystery and optimism washes over the listener.

Talking a year and a half to complete, There's Rope to Leave began as an 8 track bedroom recording in Pablo front man Paul Schalda's home but ended at Levon Helm’s upstate New York recording studio. After a brief parting from the band during some tumultuous times Will Schalda was back on board with his brother and ready to lend his piano wizardry to the sketches that Paul had been working on in his apartment.

Enter Justin Guip long time friend and collaborator. Still hot from his recent Grammy award for sound engineering on Levon Helm’s 2008 “Dirt Farmer”. Justin’s enormous drum sound and colossal fills were the third link to the opening sessions behind “There’s Rope To Leave”. Rounding out the players is Dan Foder on Bass, the backbone to the highly regarded and well-revered group, The Budos Band, dropping some skull ringed-black waves of bass bombs.

Having toured with Kevin Devine, Jennifer Oconner, and Koufax,Straylight Run, The Hush Sound, and Spitalfield all across America, Pablo and crew are ready to hit the road again. Check out local NYC area dates being added alllll the time.

Much like the landscape of the current day American terrain, it has been a thunderous road full of volatile peeks and valleys for Pablo since the release of his first album “Half the Time” in October of 2006. The road to his second album “There’s Rope To Leave” has been littered with a variety of emotional whirlwinds, melting polar ice caps, a lack of health insurance, and a dash of manic depression brought on by the brief falling out between Pablo and his brother Will that brought the most turmoil and chaos to Paul’s world.

http://www.myspace.com/pablomusic
http://pabloband.com/

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Switchfoot Launch New CD on November 10th with Headlining Tour, Performance on “Jimmy Kimmel Live,” and Verizon Campaign

SWITCHFOOT LAUNCHES NEW ALBUM WITH HEADLINING TOUR
AND PERFORMANCE ON "JIMMY KIMMEL LIVE"

BAND WILL COLLECT GOODS FOR LOCAL FOOD BANKS ALONG TOUR ROUTE

HELLO HURRICANE, THE BAND'S SEVENTH FULL-LENGTH ALBUM, DUE OUT NOVEMBER 10th
ON ATLANTIC RECORDS; PRE-ORDER UNDERWAY

SWITCHFOOT TAPPED
BY VERIZON WIRELESS FOR
NATIONAL ADVERTISING CAMPAIGN

SWITCHFOOT will kick off its fall headlining tour in San Diego on November 8 for 94.9's Anniversary Bash. The band will then appear on "Jimmy Kimmel Live," performing on the outside stage on November 12th.

The tour will feature SWITCHFOOT playing Hello Hurricane in its entirety, followed by fan favorites from its previous records. The band will be collecting donations for local food banks along the tour route, so fans are encouraged to bring non-perishable items to the shows. (See below for tour itinerary and a list of food banks that will receive donations.)

SWITCHFOOT is also launching a new website, http://www.theworldyouwant.com, which will spotlight goodness, beauty, and truth in everyday life. Fans are invited to contribute stories about people they know who are making this world a better place and the band will read some of these contributions from stage during the tour.

Recorded with producer/bassist Mike Elizondo (Rilo Kiley, Eminem, and Pink), Hello Hurricane is the group's seventh full-length and its first on Atlantic Records. Lead single "Mess of Me" is getting airplay at Modern and Active Rock radio stations and is climbing the Modern Rock radio chart. "The Sound," another track from the album, has been tapped by Verizon Wireless for its national ad campaign for the BlackBerry® Storm™ 2.

Fans who pre-order Hello Hurricane will immediately receive a free download of "Mess of Me" and four videos. They have five pre-order options to choose from: the standard CD edition; deluxe CD/DVD edition with approximately 60 minutes of behind-the-scenes footage and studio performances; vinyl with CD; the Collector's edition (Hello Hurricane CD, deluxe DVD, an additional CD with studio outtakes and more, limited edition poster and 84-page hardcover book); and the digital download edition. For additional information or to pre-order, visit ITunes or the band's web site http://www.switchfoot.com.

At the end of October, SWITCHFOOT - comprising of Jon Foreman (vocals/guitar), Tim Foreman (bass), Chad Butler (drums), Jerome Fontamillas (keys/guitar) and Drew Shirley (guitar) - will take the stage for Yahoo! Music's new live concert program, "Maximum Performance Guitar Hero 5." Jon and Chad will be featured in an upcoming episode of "Road Trip Nation" airing on PBS stations in November. Check local listings or watch the episode at http://www.roadtripnation.com/watch/ anytime after its November 5th debut on KLCS TV in Los Angeles and Orange County. MySpace will premiere Hello Hurricane the week before its release and the band will be interviewed on "The MySpace Music Feed" on Monday, November 9th.

SWITCHFOOT is the subject of an upcoming Rolling Stone "In the Studio" feature and will be on the cover of Relevant Magazine's November/ December issue. Jon has also penned two articles recently: his piece on charity in your own backyard will be in the November issue of Alternative Press and he's written on the nature of heroism for The Huffington Post.

He also recently participated in filming an innovative online game called "The Climate Challenge," for Oxfam (http://www.oxfamamerica.org/music). "When you play the game, you will feel the urgency. We have to start acting now on climate change. There is literally no time to waste," says Foreman. The game will launch in late October at http://www.theclimatechallenge.org.

Hello Hurricane, SWITCHFOOT's first studio album since 2006's Oh! Gravity, which debuted at No. 18 on The Billboard 200, acknowledges life's storms while managing to find an element of hope in them. The band tracked more than 80 songs at its self-built home studio before narrowing it down to the 12 that appear on the new album. (Fans can check out the four-minute trailer, "The Making of Hello Hurricane," at http://www.switchfoot.com.)

THE HELLO HURRICANE TOUR:

Date City/State Venue Food Bank
11/8 San Diego, CA E.C Performing Arts Center N/A
11/11 Los Angeles, CA The Roxy Theatre L.A Regional FB
11/13 Scottsdale, AZ Martini Ranch St Mary's FB Alliance
11/14 Tucson, AZ The Rock Community FB of Tucson
11/16 Oklahoma City, OK Diamond Ballroom Regional FB of Oklahoma
11/17 Dallas, TX House of Blues North Texas Food Bank
11/18 Austin, TX The Parish Capital Area Food Bank
11/20 Houston, TX Warehouse Live TBA
11/21 New Orleans, LA The Parish Second Harvest FB
11/22 Nashville, TX Exit In Second Harvest FB
11/24 Atlanta, GA The Loft Atlanta Community FB
11/27 Anaheim, CA House of Blues Second Harvest FB
11/28 Ventura, CA The Majestic Food Share
12/3 Charlotte, NC Amos' Southend TBA
12/5 Richmond, VA The National - WDYL Snowball N/A
12/7 Baltimore, MD Rams Head Live TBA
12/8 New York, NY The Fillmore @ Irving Plaza Bowery Mission
12/9 Boston, MA Paradise Rock Club TBA

Boondock Saints 2 Opening Scene

via IGN.com (Click that. There you go. Don't you feel better now?)

Be excited!

Cymbals Eat Guitars Receive RAVE CMJ Reviews, Et Cetera...

Cymbals Eat Guitars Receive RAVE CMJ Reviews
Release Ice Cream Truck LIVE Session / Exclusive Live Tripwire TV Performance (Neutral Milk Hotel Cover)
Play Sound Fix Instore (10/29) & Brooklyn Halloween Party (10/31)
European Dates With Flaming Lips & Wilco
Why There Are Mountains Out NOW On Sister's Den Records



New York Times (CMJ) Oct. 26th - http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/26/arts/music/26cmj.html

New York Times (CMJ) Oct. 22nd - http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/10/22/dynamic-upheavals-from-cymbals-eat-guitars/

Village Voice : "Jarring solos and bloodletting dives...But CEG ain't just all show; their woozy riffs rival the Flaming Lips, the priapic yawps a direct rebuttal to Modest Mouse."

Click Here to View Cymbals Eat Guitars as "Best New Brooklyn Band" by Village Voice

Pitchfork: "they never lose their volubility, but seemed always poised to pounce at any moment. More often than not, they did. Cymbals weren't just loud, they sounded monumental."

Click Here To Read The Full Pitchfork Cymbals Eat Guitars CMJ Review

Click Here To View Cymbals Eat Guitars's Icecream Man Session

Click To View Tripwire TV Performance of "Two-Headed Boy" (Neutral Milk Hotel Cover)

Pitchfork Premieres New Single : http://pitchfork.com/news/35675-premiere-cymbals-eat-guitars-tunguska-stream/

Click Here To Download Tunguska : http://www.myspace.com/cymbalseatguitars

Brooklyn Vegan: http://www.brooklynvegan.com/archives/2009/08/cymbals_eat_gui_1.html

Anthem Magazine: http://www.anthemmagazine.com/story/1632

"You could blame it on so many bands being from autophobic NYC, or that the Pacific Northwest gods of indie are still going too strong to already be a primary influence, but neither would explain New York's Cymbals Eat Guitars' Why There Are Mountains. While there's plenty of geographical signifiers on their debut, it's almost topographic in its approach, without hooks and choruses so much as map-like layouts of mountains and sloping valleys." -- Pitchfork [Best New Music]

"The most obvious thing​ about ​Cymbals Eat Guitars is that their ​epic, widescreen​ indie ​rock bears ​a striking resemblance to that of Built ​To Spill​ and early​ Modest Mouse​." - Fluxblog

"Why There Are Mountains may be one of the best 'indie' (the album is self-released, so, y'know, actually 'indie') albums of the year. And with the major label skyline being obliterated like something out of Independence Day, it's time to batten down the hatches." - NME

"Staten Island quartet Cymbals Eat Guitars came out of seemingly nowhere when, a little under a month ago, their debut album, Why There Are Mountains, was bestowed Pitchfork's "Best New Music" honor. Who were these guys? Staten Island, seriously? They were, of course, four hustling musicians who'd struck gold on the songwriting front, crafting a beastly, obtuse album that sounds a lot like Built To Spill, if Built To Spill actually had some youth on their side and could still throw down in a street fight or get upset over a girl." - RCRD LBL

"“The band’s sound is hugely ambitious, explosively energetic force of nature that is clearly influenced by a multitude of 90’s indie rock classics from Pavement to Built to Spill
to Modest Mouse while still achieving something that is forward-looking and unpredictable.” - MTVU

"I’ll be the first to go on record saying that Cymbals Eat Guitars/Joseph Ferocious will end up indie famous within the year." - Charles Bissel, The Wrens


Special New York Shows
10/29 - Sound Fix Free Instore performance (6 PM)
Sound Fix Records
44 Berry Street
Brooklyn, NY 11211

10/31- Cymbals Halloween Party With Myster Roar & Teletextile
$10 - Includes Free Beer
14 Steuben Street
Brooklyn, NY

Dates With Wilco
11/7 - Rolling Stone Weekender With Wilco - Lubeck, Hamburg

Dates With Flaming Lips
11/10 – The Troxy - London , UK (W/ The Flaming Lips)
11/11 – The Troxy – London, UK (W/ The Flaming Lips)

www.myspace.com/cymbalseatguitars