Wednesday, June 29, 2011

TX psych-pop band Sundress release EP 8/16

Young Denton, TX psych-pop band Sundress release new EP August 16, 2011

MP3: Sundress - "Derelict"




“Sundress has emerged from deep Texas with a very big shoegazing sound which takes a 90s British export (think blissed out spiritualized or a spaced out radiohead) and does it with such panache it's absurd that they're so young….at times howling guitar psychedelia and at others heartfelt songsmithery, 'fever' is a harbringer of future greatness.” – Rough Trade

“…Sundress really do appear to be on the verge of blowing up. … The Flaming Lips' Wayne Coyne is a fan—he accosted the band about potential opening slots for the Lips after catching the band perform recently at The Loft—and the band has also scored choice gigs for later on this year at various festivals around the state. Considering how alluring and hypnotizing a sound this band boasts, though, none of this should come as a surprise.” – Dallas Observer

Sundress is an American psychedelic-pop band, formed in Denton, Texas in 2010.

Sundress was created by principle members Ryan McAdams, bassist Drew McCary and guitarist Kennon Talley. After several names (This Old House, ODYSSEY), due to legal matters and band member changes, keyboardist Jim Harrington and drummer Brack Cantrell were brought into the mix to make up today’s present lineup known as Sundress.


Sundress has been described as having an ethereal shoegaze and dream pop sound, while nodding at classic influences Pink Floyd, Sparklehorse, Slowdive Spacemen 3 and The Beatles.

Within one year, Sundress was nominated for a Dallas Observer Music Award for Best New Band, opened for larger acts like, Washed Out, The Pains of Being Pure at Heart, Mister Heavenly, The Clientele, Vetiver, Tame Impala, Sleepy Sun and Stardeath and White Dwarfs, and made appearances at festivals like SXSW, 35 in Denton and Free Press Fest in Houston.

After one year under their belts and promising futures, it appears the young men of Sundress have found their legs.

Upcoming Shows:

7/23 - Denton, TX - Hailey's w/ Stardeath & White Dwarves
10/7 - New York, NY - Cameo Gallery w/ No Man, No Eyes

Sundress will be touring late summer/early fall to support this EP.



sundressnation.com
twitter.com/sundressnation
facebook.com/sundressnation

Radiation City Announces Forthcoming Debut LP, "The Hands That Take You" with Tender Loving Empire, First Single "The Color of Industry"

Radiation City Announces Forthcoming Debut LP
The Hands That Take You with Tender Loving Empire

"pure magic..." - WOXY Future Sounds

"'The Hands That Take You' is a gem; subtle and beautiful and strange..." - The Deli Magazine

"easy to place, impossible to ignore." - Refinery29.com

Download First Single "The Color of Industry"




Portland-based dream-pop outfit Radiation City are proud to announce their debut album, The Hands That Take You, set for a September 27th release with Tender Loving Empire (Typhoon, Loch Lomond).

Founding members Cameron Spies and Lizzy Ellison first put their heads together when they founded DIY cassette tape label, Apes Tapes, among a wellspring of other projects. Running a record label put the duo in a position of musical saturation, and after participating in multiple bands and side-projects, they decided to sit down and do it right. The Hands That Take You, first surfaced in February 2011 on Apes Tapes, and after only a few live performances, the band was being lauded as "one of Portland's more polished and promising young acts...(Willamette Week)." Following the local and national attention they've received from these recordings, they've now signed with Tender Loving Empire to release the album nationally on CD and vinyl.

Influenced by 60's bossa nova and Chicago jazz, their version of this classical sound developed dynamically with the addition of irresistible pop vocal hooks and their minimal electronics that implement rhythm but leave plenty of space. Ellison leads both vocally and with the driving warmth of her Wurlitzer. Spies' telecaster and vocal harmonies accompany Ellison's hooks, rounded out by bassist Matt Rafferty and drummer Randy Bemrose. Radiation City is preparing for an extensive national tour starting in August in support of The Hands That Take You. Dates to be announced shortly.

Upcoming Tour Dates

June 30 - Seattle, WA- Hi-Dive
July 14 - Portland, OR- Holocene "Into The Woods Quarterly"
July 24 - Portland, OR- PDX POP NOW!
July 29 - Portland, OR- Doug Fir w/ Tu Fawning
Sept 24 - Portland, OR- Doug Fir (CD Release Show)

All Tomorrow's Parties presents I'll Be Your Mirror curated by ATP Friday September 30 and curated by Portishead Saturday October 1 & Sunday October 2

All Tomorrow's Parties presents I'll Be Your Mirror curated by ATP Friday September 30 and curated by Portishead Saturday October 1 & Sunday October 2 Asbury Park, N.J.

Download Portishead ATP MixTape here: http://illbeyourmirror.com/mixtape




THINKING FELLERS UNION LOCAL 282, MARC RIBOT, COLIN STETSON, COMEDY,
SHEPARD FAIREY EXHIBITION and more newly confirmed
+ JEFF MANGUM TO PLAY EXTRA SHOW - NEW TICKETS ON SALE TODAY

All Tomorrow's Parties returns to the USA this September in the new location of Asbury Park, N.J. bringing an I'll Be Your Mirror event to the iconic waterfront. For the inaugural U.S. I'll Be Your Mirror, Portishead will curate and headline their first East Coast shows since 1998 on the Saturday & Sunday.

As well as Day Tickets, ATP have to date been selling two types of weekend pass - 'Three Day Jeff Mangum' passes that include Jeff Mangum's Friday show and guarantee access to one of the Portishead shows (as well as everything else at the festival) and 'Three Day Portishead' passes that do not give access to Jeff's Friday show but give guaranteed access to both Portishead shows as well as the rest of the festival. Today we announce a third type of weekend pass...

Due to how fast the Jeff Mangum passes sold out and the very high and unreasonable prices at which shows on his tour are selling on the secondary markets, Portishead have invited Jeff to play an extra show on the Sunday night of the festival. Therefore this week we release new 'Three Day Jeff Mangum Sunday Passes' - these give access to all three days of the festival to passholders who will see Jeff Mangum on the Sunday night and are guaranteed to see one of the two Portishead shows. The original Three Day passes for the event are now called Three Day Jeff Mangum Friday Passes.

Three Day Jeff Mangum Sunday Passes are on sale now via ATPFestival.com

We have also been able to release a small number of extra tickets
for Jeff Mangum's stand-alone Monday show - also on sale now.

Today we can also confirm more of the amazing line-up for Friday and Saturday...

Friday September 30 - We can confirm the long awaited and very exciting live return of cult indie rock group THINKING FELLERS UNION LOCAL 282. We can add the sensational and much talked about London based trio FACTORY FLOOR who will be making their first U.S. live trip, and also the renowned musical archeologists AWESOME TAPES FROM AFRICA DJs. We will again bring a comedy stage to the Friday of the event - this year featuring REGGIE WATTS, HANNIBAL BURESS and RORY SCOVEL. They join the previously announced bill of Jeff Mangum (performing for Three Day Jeff Mangum Friday Passholders only), Bonnie Prince Billy, Shellac, Chavez, A Hawk And A Hacksaw, The Album Leaf and Cults.

Saturday October 1 - Headlined by Portishead, we can confirm the addition of the legendary MARC RIBOT who will bring his group CERAMIC DOG to Asbury Park. Marc Ribot is of course well known for his incredible work with Tom Waits, Laurie Anderson, John Zorn and many many more. We're also very excited to present COLIN STETSON - one of the most stunning live performers around and whose recent LP is receiving much deserved acclaim. They join the previously confirmed Ultramagnetic MC's, Battles, Swans, The Horrors, The Pop Group, Oneida presents The Ocropolis III, Silver Qluster, Beak>, Foot Village and DJ Peanut Butter Wolf.

Sunday October 2 - Headlined by Portishead and featuring Mogwai, Thee Silver Mt Zion Memorial Orchestra, Earth, Deerhoof, J.G. Thirlwell's Manorexia, People Of The North, Anika, DD/MM/YYYY and DJ Shepard Fairey with more to be confirmed. As stated above Jeff Mangum will now play a second show on this night for the new Three Day Jeff Mangum Sunday Passholders only.

Today we are also very pleased to announce that in conjunction with The Jonathan Levine Gallery, renowned artist SHEPARD FAIREY (who has created the art for this event and will also DJ) will be presenting an exhibition of his art over the weekend entitled Revolutions: The Album Cover Art of Shepard Fairey. More details of the exhibition will be confirmed soon.

DAY PASS OPTIONS:

Friday Day Passes are $60 – do not include the Jeff Mangum show but include everything else on that day

Saturday Day Passes are $99 - Saturday Day passholders guaranteed to see Portishead

Sunday Day Passes are $99 - do not include the Jeff Mangum show but include everything else on that day - Sunday Day passholders guaranteed to see Portishead

WEEKEND PASS OPTIONS:

Three Day Jeff Mangum Friday Passes are $249 - these include access to the Jeff Mangum Friday show and guaranteed entry to Portishead on Saturday or Sunday (You choose which when you arrive at the event)

Three Day Jeff Mangum Sunday Passes are $249 - these include access to the Jeff Mangum Sunday show and guaranteed entry to Portishead on Saturday or Sunday (You choose which when you arrive at the event)

Three Day Portishead Passes are $249 - these do not include the Jeff Mangum shows but do include guaranteed entry into both Portishead shows on Saturday and Sunday.

If you have any questions about passes or wish to swap Three Day Portishead Passes for the new Three Day Jeff Mangum Sunday Passes, please email us at feedback@atpfestival.com

PASSES ON SALE NOW via www.atpfestival.com

SCHEDULE SO FAR:

Friday September 30 curated by ATP:

Jeff Mangum (Neutral Milk Hotel) (3 day Jeff Mangum Friday passholders only)
Bonnie Prince Billy
Thinking Fellers Union Local 282 *
Shellac
Chavez
A Hawk And A Hacksaw
Cults
The Album Leaf
Factory Floor *
Awesome Tapes From Africa DJs *

Comedy Stage featuring:

Reggie Watts *
Hannibal Buress *
Rory Scovel *

Saturday October 1 curated by Portishead:

Portishead
Ultramagnetic MC's
Battles
Swans
Marc Ribot's Ceramic Dog *
The Horrors
The Pop Group
Oneida presents The Ocropolis III
Silver Qluster
Beak>
Colin Stetson *
Foot Village
DJ Peanut Butter Wolf

+ more acts to be confirmed

Sunday October 2 curated by Portishead:

Portishead
Jeff Mangum (Neutral Milk Hotel) (3 day Jeff Mangum Sunday passholders only) *
Mogwai
Thee Silver Mt. Zion Memorial Orchestra
Earth
Deerhoof
J.G. Thirlwell's Manorexia
People Of The North
Anika
DD/MM/YYYY
DJ Shepard Fairey

+ more acts to be confirmed

Body Language Sign To Lavish Habits



Free Download: www.bodylanguagemusic.com
Body Language - At a Glance (Toro Y Moi Remix) + Toro y Moi - Timed Pleasure (Body Language Remix)

Link to 10" Pre-order And Receive Free Rio Blanco Remix

Pomp And Circumstance : Body Language gets the job done. They are a band of pomp and circumstance. They go to war with their music, armed to the teeth with it. They gyrate and dance, they sweat and they bleed. They get passionately lost in their own performances (for the record I’ve seen them 4 times live). Seen live, their music generates abandonment, of time and place. The sonic landscape of bells, whistles, synths, bass and the vocals coagulate. The beat drives, the bells chime and one feels as if they’ve entered a royal procession…"

The Pop Sucker : "brooklyn's body language is the personification of DIY nu-disco. dripping with soulful sexiness, their ballad "you can" is a silky-smooth, honey-drenched example of aural carnality. (or maybe i'm just too horny.)"

This Band Is Sick : "Theres very little hipster themed porn out there, but if they wanted to make more they gotta start using this seductive Social StudiesEP. Body Language is a four-some electropop band that specialises in songs with a lot of energy and enthusiasm that are great to grind up on somebody to. They have a funky retro electronic sound but with more R&B swagger to their beats then any other emerging Electropop band. Lead singer Angelica Bell sounds sexy as hell with her Donna Summer like vocals, backed by the amazing synths and chorus of this very talented group."

Pot Holes In My Blog : "I can’t really dance unless I’m inebriated (heavily inebriated, at that), but some music still gets my ass movin’ no matter where I’m at. And thanks to the homie Ross (aka Datahowler), I have some new tunes to turn my goofy-self into a dance machine. Or, at least, a shimmying machine. He recently tweeted that he had found a killer new EP from the group Body Language. And after investigating, I am inclined to agree with his assessment. This quartet makes some funky, sensual music that deserves to be heard on a grander scale. "

“Is this a dubstep record?”

Not quite, although Body Language’s Social Studies EP certainly starts off that way—with a thick, top-heavy baseline absolutely hammering your speakers. Ah, but then the synths kick in like laser canons, leading us all down a neon-lit wind tunnel that’s lined with lean loops, galloping grooves, and head-circling hooks. Which begs one simple question: what is this, really?

“The title sums it up perfectly,” explains Grant Wheeler, who sings and swaps instruments alongside his longtime production partner/lead vocalist Matt Young, glockenspiel guru Angelica Bess, and drummer Ian Young. “Depending on the day, we’re producing indie music, DJing house, disco and Detroit techno, or writing pop songs on the piano. So we wrapped our record up like a tidy textbook of genres, or different cultures in a social studies class.”

And like any decent textbook, Body Language have a lot of history behind them, starting with the weekly parties Matt and Grant used to throw at a dive bar in Connecticut. The residency led to their love of dance music and a need for homemade club edits of everything from Billy Ocean to Don Henley. Not only that; the pair also started to tackle their own tracks, with Angelica eventually rounding out their ever-evolving sound and Ian stepping into his rhythm section role on the eve of a Bowery Ballroom show with Passion Pit. That billing wasn’t an isolated incident, either. As it turns out, Body Language lent their programming skills to several tracks on Passion Pit’s breakthrough album. They’ve also worked with such wildly different artists as Theophilus London, Machinedrum, and Fur.

But enough about the magic Body Language have brought to other records. This fall’s Social Studies EP—a tidy collection of four limited 10’’ singles—is a fitting followup to their 2009 debut Speaks, applying a refined pop palette to sample-splitting melodies (the title track), dollops of disco (“Falling Out”), and what can only be described as pure analog bliss (“You Can”).


“I suppose it sounds selfish,” says Grant, “but we wrote what we wanted to write. We get the same joy and satisfaction out of losing our shit behind a pair of turntables as we do singing four-part harmonies.”


Which explains why Green Velvet and Grizzly Bear get equal time on the group’s hi-fi, and with a proper LP already in its planning stages, let’s just say they might actually sound exactly like Billy Ocean by the time it’s done. Who knows. We can only hope, right?

"Social Studies" Single Out July 12th
A1) Social Studies (Original)
A2) Rio Blanco Remix
B1) Plastic Plates Remix

Upcoming Tour Dates

7/1 - Brooklyn, NY - Glasslands w/ Celestial Shore , Aislyn
7/16 - Miami, FL - Electric Pickle
8/17 - San Francisco, CA - Hotel Vitale
8/20 - W Hollywood - High Tide (DJ Set)
8/20 - Pomona, CA - The Glass House

Tuesday, June 28, 2011

The Horrible Crowes, Featuring Brian Fallon of The Gaslight Anthem Announce Album Details + Track Preview



THE HORRIBLE CROWES
ELSIE
September 6, 2011//SideOneDummy Records


PREVIEW: "Black Betty & the Moon"


The Horrible Crowes have released the details of their much anticipated debut album to be released
on September 6th, 2011 via SideOneDummy Records. Entitled Elsie the record features twelve tracks,
including ‘Black Betty & the Moon,‘ which can heard on the band’s Facebook. The album has been
described by front man Brian Fallon as he and long time Gaslight Anthem tour mate Ian Perkins’
“experiment with the darker side of soul music.”

Fallon elaborates saying “The two of us had this ritual where we’d go into the back of the bus at the end
of the show and just start showing each other records like PJ Harvey, Afghan Whigs and Joan As Police
Woman. One day we were just like, ‘let’s write some songs and see what they sound like’ and it turned
out that it sounded great.”

The track listing for Elsie is below. The band will be announcing tour dates
and more details about the album in the forth-coming weeks.

1. Last Rites
2. Sugar
3. Behold the Hurricane
4. I Witnessed a Crime
5. Go Tell Everybody
6. Cherry Blossoms
7. Ladykiller
8. Crush
9. Mary Ann
10. Black Betty & the Moon
11. Blood Loss
12. I Believe Jesus Brought Us Together

More On The Horrible Crowes:
Official Blog
Facebook
Twitter

Aficionado Announce US Tour w/ Tim Kasher * Premiere Video For New Song "The Things You Like"



Watch the video for new song "The Things You Like" here!

"When it comes to Aficionado's creation, it seems they're bringing punk through a minor evolution of sorts". - Alternative Press

"NY-based Aficionado conjure visions of a Polyphonic Spree with a post-punk twist." - Exclaim!

"...a surprisingly cohesive unit that brings together the best of In/Casino/Out AT THE DRIVE-IN and the theatrical/carnival-addled WORLD INFERNO FRIENDSHIP SOCIETY." - Pastepunk

"There is no excuse for missing out on this band, and the loyal listener will find satisfaction in the multiple layers to be uncovered." - Alter The Press

"Intricately played yet more than accessible..." - Treblezine

"...one of the most inventive acts around today." - Delusions of Adequacy

Upon their inception in 2004, Aficionado began touring and self-releasing demos, but for the most part, flew under the radar until signing with No Sleep Records early last Summer. In Fall of 2010, they brought the world their first official release, “When It Comes to Creation.” It included an everything-but-the-kitchen-sink instrumental approach, spliced with their clever nooks and crannies of lyrical and melodic goodness, complete with a loud and raw us-against-the world execution.

While continuing to evolve artistically and push the envelope of their sound, Aficionado’s upcoming self-titled full length is a cohesive listen from beginning to end, showing that the album format is still alive and well. With ten songs produced and recorded with AJ Mogis (Bright Eyes, M. Ward, Cursive), the songs are sharp and more compact with less of an emphasis on wowing people with over the top antics and more of a focus on the songs themselves. The lyrical basis is centered on expositions of thinking for yourself, attaining what it takes to be a charismatic person, heeding to the realities of aging, and acceptance of change .Drawing from a range of influences such as Cursive, The Hold Steady, Sunny Day Real Estate and At the Drive In, Aficionado incorporates the sweet honey coated coo of Laura Carrozza which tinges the melodies and a harmonious male/female vocal styling alongside singer Nick Warchol.

Whereas other artists tend to spout off elaborate yarns to detail a complex process of their songwriting origins and album creations, Aficionado have created an opus based on the basic concept of pure camaraderie and solidarity amongst good friends, with the aim of simply making good music.


Aficionado Live!
Fri-Jul-01 Fitzies Pub Binghamton, NY w/ Summer People + Twin Killers
Fri-Jul-22 RECORD RELEASE SHOW @ Valentine's Albany, NY
Fri-Jul-23 RECORD RELEASE SHOW @ The Pine Box Rock Shop Brooklyn, NY

w/ Tim Kasher
Fri-Aug-19 Pontiac, MI The Croofoot
Sat-Aug-20 Columbus , OH Double Happiness
Sun-Aug-21 Cleveland, OH Grog Shop
Mon-Aug-22 Rochester, NY Bug Jar
Tue-Aug-23 Boston, MA Great Scott
Wed-Aug-24 New York, NY Mercury Lounge
Thu-Aug-25 Philadelphia, PA Johnny Brenda's
Fri-Aug-26 Washington, DC Red Palace
Sat-Aug-27 Chapel Hill, NC Local 506
Sun-Aug-28 TBD
Mon-Aug-29 Atlanta, GA The Earl
Tue-Aug-30 St Augustine, FL Café Eleven
Wed-Aug-31 Orlando, FL The Social
Thu-Sep-01 Tallahassee, FL Club Down Under
Fri-Sep-02 Birmingham, AL Bottletree
Sat-Sep-03 Memphis, TN Hi Tone
Sun-Sep-04 Little Rock, AR TBD
Mon-Sep-05 OFF
Tue-Sep-06 Austin, TX Mohawk
Wed-Sep-07 Dallas, TX The Loft
Thu-Sep-08 Oklahoma City, OK The Conservatory
Fri-Sep-09 Lawrence, KS Jackpot
Sat-Sep-10 Omaha, NE Waiting Room


www.aficionadoband.com
www.facebook.com/aficionadomusic
www.myspace.com/aficionado

Mates of State Announce Fall U.S. Tour; Stereogum Premiere of Music Video For New Song "Maracas"

Mates of State Announce Fall U.S. Tour
Stereogum Premiere of Music Video For New Song "Maracas"

Influential Connecticut-based modern pop duo Mates of State have announced their first string of U.S. tour dates. Starting on September 21, the band will tour the East Coast, kicking off at D.C.'s 9:30 Club and playing through October 12 where they will visit New York City's Webster Hall. The tour is in support of the band's newest record, Mountaintops, which was recently finished and will be released on September 13th via Barsuk Records.

Mountaintops is the band's full-length follow up to 2008's critically acclaimed Re-Arrange Us. The self-produced album was written and recorded over the last year and a half in 6 different studios with multiple different engineers. For track listing, see below.

The band is also releasing the first music video for a song from the new album, the ceaselessly catchy "Maracas", which premiered yesterday on Stereogum. The video, patterned after The Old Grey Whistle Test, the seminal British music television show from the 70's and 80's, features the band playing the song in a seemingly live setting, with the bare-bones performance giving the band room to showcase the song's boundless energy, and letting the audience see just how much fun Mates of State have with their music. And, yes, the maracas instrument is certainly featured in the song. You can watch the video at the link below:
Stereogum: http://stereogum.com/742561/mates-of-state-maracas-video-stereogum-premiere/video/

YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CbqrO9oxc7E


Mates of State / Fall Tour - on-sale July 6th.

September:

9/21 - Washington DC - 930 Club # *
9/22 - Cincinnati, OH - Mid Point Music Festival # *
9/23 - Pittsburgh, PA - Mr. Smalls # *
9/24 - Philadelphia, PA - Popped Festival # *
9/26 - Boston, MA - Royale # *
9/27 - Montreal, QB - Il Motore # *
9/28 - Toronto, ON - Phoenix # *
9/29 - Detroit, MI - St. Andrews # *
9/30 - Chicago, IL - Metro # *
October:

10/01 - Columbus, OH - Newport Music Hall % *
10/03 - Asheville, NC - The Orange Peel % *
10/04 - Nashville, TN - Exit/In % *
10/05 - Charlotte, NC - Visulite Theatre % *
10/06 - Atlanta, GA - Drunken Unicorn % *
10/07 - Orlando, FL - The Social % *
10/08 - Sunrise, FL - Langerado Festival % *
10/10 - Richmond, VA - Canal Club % *
10/11 - Baltimore, MD -Ottobar % *
10/12 - New York, NY - Webster Hall %

# w/ Suckers
% w/ Other Lives
* w/ Yawn

BURN HALO’S ‘Up From The Ashes’ Out Today; Tour With Egypt Central Kicks Off Next Month



BURN HALO’S ‘UP FROM THE ASHES’ OUT TODAY!

TOUR WITH EGYPT CENTRAL KICKS OFF NEXT MONTH

June 28, 2011 -- The sophomore album by BURN HALO, UP FROM THE ASHES, was released today on Rawkhead Rekords (through Warner Music Group’s Independent Label Group) and can be heard in its entirety on AOL (http://aol.it/eQCe0l) and Rockaccess.net (http://bit.ly/j4CaMd).


Produced by Colby Wedgeworth, this new collection confirms BURN HALO’s evolution from being essentially a solo project by former 18 Visions singer/songwriter James Hart to a full-blown, collaborative band. The music has grown too, and now marries the anthemic, radio-ready hard rock of their 2009 self-titled debut to metalcore flourishes reminiscent of 18 Visions.

The band----James Hart (vocals), Joey Roxx (guitar), Brandon Lynn (guitar), Aaron Boehler (bass), Dillon Ray (drums)—is receiving steady radio support for the first single, “Tear It Down,” from stations such as SiriusXM’s “Octane,” WIIL (Chicago), KHTQ (Spokane), WCCC (Hartford) and WJJO (Madison). A video for the song will be hitting the TV and Internet airwaves soon, but fans can check out a behind-the-scenes teaser clip on the band’s YouTube page here: http://bit.ly/iOriSG.


UP FROM THE ASHES has been garnering rave reviews before its official release:

“…Burn Halo have taken a giant step forward on this new release with the maturity of the music and lyrics. The album's lead-single "Tear It Down"…is a pure blast of energy that is missing from a lot of today's rock radio hits.” -- Record Journal (CT)

“Epic. The term is over-used and inappropriately applied these days. It means heroic; majestic; impressively great. I think it applies to the second album from Burn Halo. UP FROM THE ASHES is their first album written as a band, and the results are impressive. The songs are ambitious, dramatic and heavy. They don't sound exactly like any other band, but they feel like a cross between A7X and early G'n'R. Each song sounds like it could be the soundtrack to a Stallone, Statham, Vin Diesel or Van Damme movie...I really love this album, right from the first listen, and I am positive it will end up in my top 10 for 2011.” --Shockwavemagazine.com

“…Burn Halo is a rock and roll band that combines the best of the rock/metal genre and throws them in a spinner. The result is a hard hitting combination of the old and the new with a fresh spin that will appease the most seasoned rocker…a mix of great harmony, anthem style rock and roll chorus’ that could have been plucked from decades passed…Basically if you tossed, Maiden, Disturbed, Alice In Chains, and whatever else you can pick up with your own ears while listening you get a taste of what Burn Halo has to offer while still giving you something new. A- rating.”
-- Shakefire.com

“With UP FROM THE ASHES…they lay down a thick, scourging foundation of chunky guitars, bass and drums while still keeping the filthy rock sensibilities of their last effort…Fusing the muscle and dark grit of Eighteen Visions, uber-melodic elements of Avenged Sevenfold and the middle finger to the world mentality of Velvet Revolver, this release has a little something for everybody…If you’re looking for a solid rock album from top to bottom then look no further than UP FROM THE ASHES. This time around Burn Halo have streamlined their sound to create a rich, rebellious record that fails to disappoint and turns out to be one hell of a ride.”
-- Thenewreview.net

“…dirty rock swing littered with a smattering of metal and even a little country…James Hart’s vocals are as bluesy/gritty as ever which only adds to the bands sound, as it should. The band itself are tight…There’s so much talent and belief in these songs that you can’t help but to like it. It’s full of that rock and roll arrogance and pulsing thunder that there’s no reason BURN HALO shouldn’t be a rock/metal band for a very long time…James Hart delivers possibly some of his greatest and most poignant lyrics ever. Perhaps the album, a rebirth if you will, should have been called Phoenix, but UP FROM THE ASHES delivers some damn fine Rock’n'Roll.”
-- LMPmagazine.com

In touring news, the band is hitting the road next month for shows with label mates Egypt Central, as well as an appearance at the WJJO Band Camp show in Madison, WI on July 30, with more shows to be announced in the coming weeks. Check them out at any of the following stops:

DATE CITY VENUE

Fri 7/15 Joliet, IL Mojoe’s
Sat 7/16 Cedar Falls, IA The Wheelhouse
Sat 7/23 Tempe, AZ 910 Live
Sun 7/24 Las Vegas, NV Cheyenne Saloon
Mon 7/25 Reno, NV Knitting Factory
Tue 7/26 Boise, ID Knitting Factory
Wed 7/27 Spokane, WA Knitting Factory
Sat 7/30 Madison, WI WJJO Band Camp

www.myspace.com/burnhalo
www.facebook.com/burnhalo
www.twitter.com/burnhalomusic

The Shivers Offer New Album for Free via The Awl! Playing Glasslands in NYC Tomorrow



"Keith Zarriello's voice carries an eerie, mesmerizing eroticism." – Pitchfork

"…one of our favorite songs of all time.” – Gorilla Vs Bear

Leading into the band’s homecoming, CD release show at Glasslands in Brooklyn, NY on 6/29 and in honor of the beginning of summer and summerlove, New York cult-favorites The Shivers have made their latest album, More, which is out via Silence Breaks, available as a free download over at The Awl.

The site has praised the Queens, NY natives, writing in a recent profile that that lead singer Keith Zarriello “writes stuff almost no one writes well anymore: dense, intelligent three- and four-minute rock songs that feel vital and necessary. He is, no bullshit, one of the best songwriters working today.” Click HERE to download a free copy of the album, and listen to the band’s latest single, “Love Is In The Air” HERE.

For The Shivers, More was a liberating labor of love reflecting influences from rock ‘n’ roll, rhythm and blues, folk, and everything in between. Using every dime they'd saved, Zarriello and Schornikow traveled to Manchester in the Spring of 2010 to record their latest record in an entirely analog studio. Over five days, the two worked tirelessly, capturing the tracks they had worked on in the small church in Queens where the band practices. The end result was More, an album that runs the gamut of American rock ’n’ roll, delving into everything from gritty Lou-Reed-inspired rock to the swaggering soul of Nina Simone. Starting with the brief piano elegy “My Mouth Is For My Love,” More segues quickly into “Irrational Love,” a bouncy organ-driven rock track with a chorus that sounds like it was plucked from 1966. The album teeters between the upbeat pop of tracks like “Used to Be” and “I Want You Back” to the heartsick, Leonard-Cohen-inspired ballads like “Silent Weapons for Quiet Wars” and “Love Is In The Air.” The album closes with the record’s title track “More,” a slow-building confessional that serves the record’s triumphant last call. It’s an apt end for a record that sounds like an apologetic love note, written on barroom cocktail napkin.

Hailing from Queens, NY, Keith Zarriello began writing music as The Shivers started back in 2001 and has spent the last ten years mining the depths of American music, developing a songwriting style that ranges from earnest, heartbroken ballads to ’60s garage rock revival. In 2004, Zarrellio released Charades, which featured the much lauded track “Beauty,” which earned universal praise from the likes of Pitchfork and The Guardian, and would end up being named Gorilla Vs Bear’s thirteenth best song of the decade. The album also caught the ear of an Australian, classically-trained church organist named Jo Schornikow, who joined the band as a full-time member that year. With Schornikow adding a delicate counterpoint with her piano and keyboard flutters, The Shivers spent the next six years touring aggressively in the U.S. and the U.K., and releasing a grand total of four albums, leading up to the ultimate release of More this year.

The Shivers NYC Tour Dates:
06/29: Brooklyn, NY @ Glasslands (Album Release Show)
07/09: Brooklyn, NY @ Seedstock: Eagle St. Rooftop Farm Benefit

The Ladybug Transistor kick off "Clutching Stems" tour tonight!



The Ladybug Transistor's new album Clutching Stems is now in stores, and the band will bring their new songs on the road beginning tonight in Hudson, NY!

Prefix Media reviewed the new album saying "Clutching Stems is the band's finest record since The Albemarle Sound, and the kind of pop record that may break your heart, may even tear you apart, but it's also generous and complex enough to put you back together in the end."

Blurt says Clutching Stems is "as intoxicating as ever, it conveys a jubilant first impression that lingers long after, while The AV Club declares the album "a powerful re-focusing of the Ladybug Transistor sound."


The Ladybug Transistor on tour:
Jun 28 Hudson, NY – Spotty Dog Bookes & Ale
Jun 29 New Haven, CT – BAR (FREE SHOW!)
Jun 30 Cambridge, MA – TT the Bear’s
July 06 Brooklyn, NY – Knitting Factory
July 07 Pittsburgh, PA – Carnegie Museum of Art Sculpture Court
July 08 Kalamazoo, MI – The Strutt
July 09 Madison, WI – UW Madison Union Terrace
July 10 Chicago, IL – Schuba’s
July 11 North Manchester, IN – The Firehouse (FREE SHOW!)
July 12 Cincinnati, OH – Mayday (FREE SHOW!)
July 15 Baltimore, MD – Ottobar
July 16 Raleigh, NC – Kings Barcade
July 17 Charlottesville, VA – The Southern
Sept 06 Los Angeles, CA - Satellite
Sept 07 Santa Barbara, CA - Muddy Waters
Sept 08 San Francisco - the Hemlock Tavern
Sept 09 Portland, OR - Musicfest NW
Sept 10 Seattle, WA - The Comet Tavern