Friday, June 29, 2012

Minus The Bear Premieres New Track "Lonely Gun" on Rolling Stone



"Packs a punch with charging, acrobatic-sounding guitars woven through a pop-friendly chorus." 
- ROLLINGSTONE.com


Minus The Bear has premiered their new track "Lonely Gun" on RollingStone.com. The song, which Rolling Stone exclaimed "packs a punch with charging, acrobatic-sounding guitars woven through a pop-friendly chorus, is from the band's forthcoming album, Infinity Overhead, due August 28 on Dangerbird Records. 

"Lonely Gun," as singer/guitarist Jake Snider remarks, "came out of a deep depression. I was thinking about how lonely an unused gun must be, its purpose unfulfilled, like a loveless relationship. The only way to allow its purpose is to hold it - to use it."

For the Seattle-based band's fifth record, they reunited with longtime producer and former founding member Matt Bayles (Mastodon, Isis, Cursive). The LP is a guitar-laden 10-track album that is as heavy on the band's trademark technicality as it is on pop songcraft. 

Last week, Minus The Bear gave the first glimpse into Infinity Ovehead with an album trailer. The teaser video, featuring the new track "Diamond Lightning" can be watched below: 

  
MINUS THE BEAR
INFINITY OVERHEAD 
(DANGERBIRD RECORDS)
STREET DATE: AUGUST 28, 2012

1. Steel and Blood
2. Lies and Eyes
3. Diamond Lightning 
4. Toska
5. Listing
6. Heaven Is A Ghost Town
7. Empty Party Rooms
8. Zeros
9. Lonely Gun
10. Cold Company

The First East Coast THE POWER OF THE RIFF Fest To Invade NYC In September


Following the recent announcement of the third annual West Coast installment of The Power Of The Riff Festival in Los Angeles on August 11th, today the first ever East Coast chapter of the festivities have been confirmed!

TPOTR is an event that honors extreme music fans and musicians of all ages, tapping into a lineup that represents the forefathers, milestones and current national touring acts, while shedding light on up-and-coming and local acts. Curated by The Power Of The Riff and Southern Lord,  and presented by Scenic and Brooklyn Vegan, the devastating two-day The Power Of The Riff East will take place in NYC on Saturday, September 1st and Sunday, September 2nd at Brooklyn's massive Warsaw club, boasting an incredible roster of riffcrushing artists from across the country.

At press time the lineup for day one of TPOTR East includes PENTAGRAM, POISON IDEANEGATIVE APPROACH, XIBALBA, ALPHA & OMEGA andPOWER TRIP, while day two will show SUNN 0)))WINTERREPULSIONUNEARTHLY TRANCESALVATION and DEAD IN THE DIRT hitting the stage, with additional support and headlining acts still to be announced in the days ahead.

A limited number of two-day passes for The Power Of The Riff East are available for purchase right now RIGHT HERE. Single day tickets for both days will go on sale this Monday, July 2nd at 12pm EST. Saturday tickets will be available AT THIS LOCATION and Sunday tickets AT THIS LOCATION. tuned for more announcements in the days ahead as the lineup for this behemoth event expands.

Full info and tickets for The Power Of The Riff West -- confirmed to take place on Saturday, August 11th at Los Angeles' Echo/Echoplex -- are available nowHERE.

THE OTHER - New Song Streaming on Noisecreep



The Devils You Know Available July 31st on Steamhammer/SPV


THE OTHER is considered to be Europe's most famous Horrorpunk-Band. THE OTHERcovers a wide range of fans from the Goth Scene to Rock and Metal fans.  After the very successful release of New Blood in 2010 the band is now coming back with their new album called The Devils You Know. Once again THE OTHER worked with well known producer Waldemar Sorychta for this release. 

Today Noisecreep is hosting an exclusive premiere of another track from The Devils You Know.
The Devils You Know will be released July 31st in North America and will be available in a standard jewel case and digital download version.  

Tracklisting:
1.)    The Devils You Know
2.)    My Home Is My Casket
3.)    Take You Down
4.)    Skeletons In The Closet
5.)    Fright Night
6.)    Puppet On A String
7.)    In My Veins
8.)    Nice Day For A Funeral
9.)    Nightmare On Halloween
10.)    The Phantom Of The Opera
11.)    Fire From Outer Space
12.)    Where Is Your Saviour Now
13.)    Hell Is A Place On Earth
14.)    In The Shadows
15.)    Ewigkeit

Discography:
2004 They`re Alive
2006 We Are Who We Eat
2008 The Place To Bleed
2010 New Blood
2012 The Devils You Know

Line-Up:
Rod Usher - vocals
Sarge von Rock - guitars
Victor Sharp - bass
Dr. Caligari - drums

For More Info Visit:
www.spv.de  
www.the-other.de 
www.facebook.com/theotherhorrorpunk 

MISS MAY I Releases First 2012 VANS WARPED TOUR Video Update on Official YouTube Page



Performing on the MAIN STAGE this year at the VANS WARPED TOUR!

MISS MAY I has just posted the first official VANS WARPED TOUR video update detailing the band’s performances and some backstage antics. Head to the band’s official YouTube page right now to check out the video and stay tuned for some behind-the-scenes and gear videos being posted exclusively soon.

This summer is the season of MISS MAY I! The band recently announced the #32 Billboard Top 200 first week debut of their new album, At Heart, as well as singer Levi Benton’s appearance on one of the Alternative Press Magazine special edition VANS WARPED TOUR covers.

Make sure to keep an eye out at your local VANS WARPED TOUR stop—Levi will be appearing at several Alternative Press Magazine Booth signings. Check the signing times at your local tour stop for more details. The band will be taking part in several additional signings during their main stage run at VANS WARPED TOUR this year, including appearances at the Project143 booth and the MISS MAY I merch stand! When arriving at the festival, attendees will be given specific times for each individual signing as well as the band’s performance times (they are scheduled to change per date).

Additionally, MISS MAY I drummer Jerod Boyd and bassist Ryan Neff will be giving one-on-one daily music lessons at the official BANDHAPPY Music Lesson Tent. This is a great opportunity for fans to learn directly from the band members themselves! For more information on the tent, visit www.bandhappy.com/warpedtour.

See below for all current VANS WARPED TOUR dates:

2012 VANS WARPED TOUR
6/29- Las Cruces, NM @ N.M.S.U. Practice Field
6/30- San Antonio, TX @ AT&T Center
7/01- Houston, TX @ Reliant Park - Main Street Lot
7/03- Dallas, TX @ Gexa Energy Pavilion
7/05 -Maryland Heights, MO (St. Louis) @ Verizon Wireless Amphitheater
7/06- Auburn Hills, MI (Detroit) @ The Palace of Auburn Hills
7/07 -Tinley Park, IL (Chicago) @ First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre
7/08- Shakopee, MN (Minneapolis) @ Canterbury Park
7/09 -Bonner Springs, KS (Kansas City) @ Sandstone Amphitheater
7/10- Noblesville, IN (Indianapolis)  @ Klipsch Music Center
7/11 -Cuyahoga Falls, OH (Cleveland) @ Blossom Music Center
7/12- Burgettstown, PA (Pittsburgh)  @ First Niagara Pavilion
7/13- Holmdel, NJ @ PNC Bank Arts Center
7/14- Montréal, QC @ Parc Jean Drapeau
7/15 -Mississauga, ON (Toronto) @ Molson Canadian Amphitheatre
7/17 -Darien Center, NY (Buffalo) @ Darien Lake PAC
7/18- Scranton, PA @ Toyota Pavilion
7/19- Mansfield, MA (Boston) @ Comcast Center
7/20- Camden, NJ (Philadelphia, PA) @ Susquehanna Bank Center
7/21- Uniondale, NY @ Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum
7/22 -Hartford, CT @ The Comcast Theatre
7/24 -Columbia, MD (Washington, D.C.) @ Merriweather Post Pavilion
7/25 -Virginia Beach, VA @ Farm Bureau Live
7/26 -Atlanta, GA @ Aaron's Amphitheatre at Lakewood
7/27- Orlando, FL @ Central Florida Fairgrounds
7/28 -West Palm Beach, FL (Miami) @ Cruzan Amphitheatre
7/29 -St. Petersburg, FL (Tampa) @ Vinoy Park
7/30 -Charlotte, NC @ Charlotte Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre
7/31- Cincinnati, OH @ Riverbend Music Center
8/01 -Milwaukee, WI @ Marcus Amphitheatre
8/04 -Redmond, WA (Seattle) @ Marymoor Park
8/05 -Portland, OR @ Rose Quarter Riverfront

MISS MAY I is:
B.J. Stead - rhythm guitar
Jerod Boyd - drums
Justin Aufdemkampe - lead guitar
Levi Benton - lead vocals
Ryan Neff - bass guitar, clean vocals

For more information on MISS MAY I, please visit these sites:


Listen to the new Toadies album Play.Rock.Music. Now! Out July 31st


It’s been 23 years since the Toadies started playing rock music in Fort Worth, Texas, but even the band will admit that the road they’ve taken over that lengthy period of time has been anything but smooth.

Through lineup changes, shelved albums, member departures, band break-ups, one-off reunions and full-on reformations, the Toadies are an act that has experienced nearly everything — except, perhaps, the freedom to grow as they choose.

On July 31, the Toadies will release their fifth full-length album — a disc fittingly called Play.Rock.Music., because, perhaps for the first time in their career, the band feels capable of unapologetically doing just that.


After bursting onto the national scene with their breakthrough Rubberneck album, which begat their signature single “Possum Kingdom,” the successful follow-up single “Away” and the immense fan favorite “Tyler,” the Toadies returned to the studio in 1998 with the pressure of trying to match their first album’s success. The result was a disc called Feeler, an album the band’s then-label home, Insterscope Records, was supposed to release in 1998/99 but decided to shelve despite the band’s protests. So it was back to the drawing board for the 2001-released Hell Below/Stars Above, an awkwardly timed sophomore album that enjoyed moderate success and almost universal critical acclaim but was ultimately doomed because of the seven-year wait it took to arrive.

Disappointed and dejected, the band dissolved just a few months after that album’s release. Bassist Lisa Umbarger quit music altogether. Drummer Mark Reznicek joined Dallas country band Eleven Hundred Springs. Guitarist Clark Vogeler moved to Hollywood, where he became an Emmy Award-winning editor for breakout cable reality series Project Runway. Front man and primary songwriter Vaden Todd Lewis formed a new band called the Burden Brothers.

It was a reunion show in Dallas in 2006, originally planned as a one-off gig, which reignited the band’s spark. The following year, the band embarked on a surprise tour of Texas. A year later, they fully re-formed, recording and releasing 2008’s No Deliverance for Dallas’ Kirtland Records and ushering bassist Doni Blair (formerly of Dallas band Hagfish) into Umbarger’s former role.

Immediately, fans of the band ecstatically welcomed the Toadies’ return. On stage at Lollapalooza and Austin City Limits, they played to the largest — and maybe even rowdiest — crowds of their careers. On tours in support of No Deliverance, they played across the country to sold-out rooms and eager audiences.

Refreshed and inspired, the band launched their own annual festival in 2008, and, each summer since, thousands have traveled to remote Texas locations to attend Dia De Los Toadies — not only to observe the festival’s namesake in action, but to watch the band’s favorite up-and-coming Texas talents as well.

In 2010, redemption finally came: The band re-recorded their Feeler tracks and, rather cathartically, released for Kirtland, the second Toadies album that never was.

This past spring, the band, joined by Grammy-nominated producer Chris “Frenchie” Smith (Jet, Built to Spill, …And You Will Know Us By The Trail of Dead), entered an Austin recording studio with a clean slate — and, for the first time in the run of the band, Lewis says, without any fully written tracks in tow.

 “I just wanted to do something I wouldn’t have ordinarily done,” Lewis says. “I wanted to broaden my abilities as a writer. And it turned out to be a beautiful process. If it felt good right then and there in the studio as we fleshed it out, then we knew it was pretty good. And it just worked, man.”

So much so that the sessions, which were originally planned so the band could record a new EP release, ended up providing the Toadies with a complete full-length’s worth of material. And not for naught: The songs onPlay.Rock.Music. are some of the best the Toadies have ever released. The trademarks of the band are all present — Lewis’ howl, the chugging guitars, the unrepentant angst — but they’re also improved upon.

Says Lewis: “These songs are decidedly more poppy, I’d say. I mean, I’ve written a lot of songs with no chorus before, but these ones have hooks.”

They also have a certain fire to them: “Rattler’s Revival” boasts an infectious bounce (and, on a bonus version of the song, horns provided by Dia De Los Toadies alums Black Joe Lewis & The Honeybears); “Summer of the Strange” finds the band rediscovering an uneasy-yet-alluring creepiness it hasn’t showcased since Rubberneck; and “Laments of a Good Man,” Lewis proclaims, is as weird a song as he’s ever penned.

“It’s just all over the place,” he says before relating that song’s oddities to the new album’s sound as a whole. “There’s some stuff on here that will make eyebrows go up for sure. Hopefully, that’s a good thing.”

Without question, it is: With the band’s second successful stint now having lasted almost as long as the initial run, Play.Rock.Music. showcases a band in full stride, an outfit with renewed vigor and, perhaps most important, a group with a clear and confident understanding of itself.
The Toadies’ long, slithering road to this fifth full-length may not have been pretty. But should it have been? Not at all.

The Toadies don’t make pretty music. They make music that music that crawls under, into and through your skin. They make music that makes neck hairs stand on end. They make music that begs to be blasted at full volume — with haunting lyrics that bear their battle scars proudly.

The Toadies do that masterfully on Play.Rock.Music. And, Lewis promises, they plan on doing that for many other records to come, too. Surrounding the release, they’ll proudly showcase this new material this summer – first, while on tour with fellow ‘90s stalwarts Helmet and, later, at their fifth annual Dia De Los Toadies event in New Braunfels, Texas, on August 31 and September 1.

This, after all, is a band that’s released just five studio LPs in 23 years. So you get the feeling that Lewis, Reznicek, Vogeler and Blair won’t mind waiting a little longer before writing the remaining chapters in their ever-undulating story.

Toadies : Summer of the Strange (NSFW) from Kirtland Records on Vimeo.


Catch the guys out on the road this summer:

((WIth Helmet)
7/20 Houston TX -  House of Blues
7/21 Pensacola, FL -  Cptn Fun Beach Club 
7/22 New Orleans LA -  Tipitinas
7/24 Jacksonville FL -  Jax Rabbits
7/25 Ft. Lauderdale FL -  Revolution 
7/26 St Petersbugh, FL -  State Theatre 
7/27 Orlando, FL -  HOB
7/28 Atlanta, GA -  Masquerade
7/29 Charlotte -  Fillmore 
7/31 Silver Spring MD -  Fillmore
8/1 Philadelphia PA -  Trocadero
8/2 New York NY -  Webster Hall
8/3 Boston MA -  Paradise 
8/4 Rochester, NY -  Waterstreet Music Hall 
85 Lansing, MI Michigan -  Rock and Brew Fest 
8/7 Cleveland OH -  HOB
8/8 Detroit MI -  The Crofoot
8/9 Chicago IL -  HOB
8/10 Indianapolis, IN -  The Vogue
8/11 St. Louis, MO -  Pop's
8/12 Kansas City, MO -  Beaumont
8/14 Denver CO -  Bluebird


http://Toadies.com
www.facebook.com/ToadiesBand
http://twitter.com/#!/thetoadies

The Presets Premier Video and Stream for New Single "Youth In Trouble"



“Youth In Trouble”  is the first taste of new music to come from The Presets in over four years.The track is a never-ending, undulating slice of face-melting techno, listenhere. Their new album, Pacifica, is due out in September on Casablanca.

After several teasers, the band has also premiered of the full video for "Youth In Trouble", a kaleidoscopic pixilated rollercoaster created by New York based visual artist Yoshi Sodeoka. Watch it here.

The Presets are also releasing remixes of "Youth In Trouble" by Green Velvet, Alex Metric, plus The Finger Prince & Light Year. The remix bundle will be available digitally.

Featuring ten prismatic, synth-laced songs, Pacifica sees The Presets boldly venture into new, uncharted musical territories. Traversing both light and shade in energy and emotion, the album was produced by the band - Julian Hamilton and Kim Moyes - and mixed in Los Angeles with Tony Hoffer.
North American Tour Dates

10/13 – San Francisco, CA – Treasure Island Music Festival
10/15 – Vancouver, BC – Commodore Ballroom
10/19 – New York, NY – Terminal 5
10/20 – Boston, MA – House of Blues
10/21 – Montreal, QC – Corona Theatre
10/23 – Toronto, ON – Danforth Music Hall
10/25 – Chicago, IL – Metro
10/27 – Los Angeles, CA – Club Nokia
10/28 – Pomona, CA – The Fox Theatre

THE PRESETS ‘PACIFICA’ OUT SEPTEMBER ON CASABLANCA

#youthintrouble

www.thepresets.com
www.twitter.com/therealpresets
www.facebook.com/thepresets

Pretty Lights Announces "The Illumination Tour" - Tickets On Sale Today



Tour Launches In August With Two Nights at Red Rocks Amphitheatre And Includes Stops At Electric Zoo Festival In NYC & Los Angeles’ Shrine Auditorium



Tickets go on sale today for the remaining shows on the first leg of the headline run (August 23 – October 6) with the exception of Mobile, AL (on sale July 2) and San Francisco, CA (on sale July 13).

“The Illumination Tour” will include stops at the legendary Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles (9/15), Boston’s TD Garden (10/31) and Detroit’s Compuware Arena, where the outing wraps up on November 17. Pretty Lights will also be playing numerous festivals, including Electric Zoo in New York City on August 31, North Coast in Chicago on September 2 and CounterPoint in Atlanta on September 29. The tour will feature a wide range of support acts including DJ Shadow, 12th Planet, araabMUZIK, Marty Party, Zion I, Big Gigantic, Lotus, and more plus PLM artists, Paul Basic and SuperVision. See below for full itinerary and support acts.

“I've been hard at work on a new album for more than a year.  I've completely switched up my process of producing and composing. It is being created from all originally composed samples off of self made vinyl and all analog modular synthesis,” says Derek Vincent Smith, the innovative electronic music producer behind Pretty Lights. “It’s prolific, conceptual, consistent, yet extremely diverse, and a real substantial piece of music you can sink your teeth into. The Illumination Tour will be the place to hear (and see) a lot of what this upcoming PL release has in store."

 “Smith, the mastermind behind the increasingly popular electronic music project Pretty Lights, made good on his promise to create a massive multi-sensory concert experience,” said The Oklahoman in a live review. “[He] opened his set commandingly with his pulsing, moody single ‘I Know the Truth,’ as the lights winked on in the vast LED cityscape behind him. The atmospheric urgency of the dubstep-leaning track whipped the already excitable crowd into a full frenzy.”

The Lincoln Journal Star called Pretty Lights’ show “the most impressive contemporary dance party Lincoln has seen, perhaps, ever,” noting: “Smith's a master at mixes, blending vintage funk, soul and rock sound with synthesized noise and hip-hop beat, and his elaborate show allows him and a lighting engineer to manipulate the lights to add to the mood and dynamic.”

Pretty Lights has given away more than 2.8 million free album downloads to date. For more information on Pretty Lights and Pretty Lights Music (PLM) – the record label founded by Derek Vincent Smith – visit www.prettylightsmusic.com, where all PLM music can be downloaded for free. 




August
17 - Morrison, CO @ Red Rocks Amphitheatre SOLD OUT
  w/The Grouch & Eligh, Lee Fields & The Expressions
18 - Morrison, CO @ Red Rocks Amphitheatre SOLD OUT
  w/Michal Menert, Gramatik, Paul Basic, Break Science, SuperVision, Eliot Lipp
23 - Kansas City, MO @ Midland Theatre w/araabMUSIK, Paul Basic
24 - Columbia, MO @ Midway Festival, Midway Festival
  w/Curren$y, Coyote Kisses, Keys N Krates, Paul Basic, Spankalicious
25 - Council Bluffs, IA @ Westfair Amphitheater w/Big Gigantic, araabMUSIK, Paul Basic
26 - Somerset, WI @ Summer Set Music Festival
29 - Columbus, OH @ LC Pavilion w/12th Planet, Paul Basic
30 - Charlottesville, VA  @ nTelos Wireless Pavilion w/12th Planet, Paul Basic
31 - New York, NY @ Electric Zoo

September
1 -  Pittsburgh, PA  @ Stage AE w/Paul Basic
2 -  Chicago, IL  @ North Coast Music Festival
5 -  Missoula, MT  @ Big Sky Brewery Amphitheater w/Zion I, Paul Basic
6 -  Boise, ID  @ Knitting Factory w/Zion I, Paul Basic
7 -  Salt Lake City, UT @ Audio Circus w/MiMOSA, VibeSquaD, Opiuo, Paul Basic
8 -  Reno, NV @ Summit Pavilion w/Marty Party, Stephan Jacobs, Paul Basic
9 -  Blue Lake, CA @ Blue Lake Casino w/Stephan Jacobs, Paul Basic
13 ­- Eugene, OR @ Cuthbert Amphitheater w/Emancipator, Paul Basic
14 - San Francisco, CA @ Bill Graham Civic Center w/DJ Shadow, Marty Party, Paul Basic
15 - Los Angeles, CA @ Shrine Auditorium w/DJ Shadow, Marty Party, SuperVision
16 - Las Vegas, NV @ Marquee Dayclub
18 - Phoenix, AZ @ Comerica Theatre w/araabMUSIK, SuperVision
19 - Albuquerque, NM @ Convention Center w/araabMUSIK, SuperVision
21 - Austin, TX @ The Backyard w/araabMUSIK, SuperVision
23 - Houston, TX @ Bayou Music Center w/araabMUSIK, SuperVision
25 - Tulsa, OK @ Brady Theater w/araabMUSIK, SuperVision
26 - Little Rock, AR @ Riverfest Amphitheatre w/Lotus, SuperVision
28 - Starkville, MS @ MSU Horsepark Arena w/Lotus, Wick-It, SuperVision
29 - Atlanta, GA @ CounterPoint Music Festival

October
2 -  Miami Beach, FL @ The Fillmore at Jackie Gleason Theatre w/12th Planet, SuperVision
3 -  Orlando, FL @ UCF Arena w/12th Planet, SuperVision
5 -  Mobile, AL @ Bayfest
6 -  New Orleans, LA @ Mardi Gras World w/12th Planet, araabMUSIK, SuperVision
31-  Boston, MA @ TD Garden

November
1 -  Portland, ME @ State Theatre
2 -  Wallingford, CT @ Oakdale Theatre
3 -  Columbia, SC @ The Township Auditorium
4 -  Philadelphia, PA @ Tower Union Center
9 -  Columbia, SC @ The Township Auditorium
10- Charlotte, NC @ Bojangles Coliseum
13- Birmingham, AL @ Boutwell Auditorium
17- Detroit, MI @ Compuware Arena

LAMB OF GOD: Randy Blythe Update


LAMB OF GOD management will be issuing an official statement on Monday regarding the charges made against singer Randy Blythe. As no formal charges have yet been made and the case is only in the investigation stages, it would be premature to make an official statement filled with false truths or innuendos.

Having said that, management wished to address today one false piece of information that has been included in many of the news stories released so far. Under no circumstances was there a fight of any kind involved. This incident deals with a fan that three times during the concert jumped the barricade and rushed Randy during the performance. It is alleged that the third time, security was not able to reach him and that Randy pushed him back into the audience where supposedly he fell and hit his head.

Again, until the investigation is concluded this weekend, nothing more will be released, but clarity and the facts needed to be addressed on this one reported point which is totally inaccurate.

Droids Attack Announce Summer US Tour Dates * Ready New Album Out Fall/Winter 2012



Droids Attack Live!
07/04 Joe’s Place Iowa City, IA w/ Snow Demon
07/05 The Replay Lounge Lawrence, KS w/ The Leotards
07/06 The Railhead Saloon Lawton, OK
07/07 The 29th Street Ballroom Austin, TX w/ Sky Crawler, Rust, and The Blood Royale
07/09 The Nick Birmingham, AL w/ Cousin Sleaze, and Jerolyn
07/10 The Landshark Jacksonville, FL w/ Rojo Diablo
07/11 Chapel Hill Underground Chapel Hill, NC w/ Ruscha, Self Inflicted, and Blood Red Sky
07/12 The Bell Foundry Baltimore, MD w/ Curse, Insane Clown Pussy, and Sprayer
07/13 Saint Vitus Bar Brooklyn, NY w/ The Giraffes, and Cinema Cinema
07/14 Mojo 13 Wilmington, DE
07/15 Cedars Youngstown, OH w/ Trust Mission, and RNRCP
07/16 Bourbon Street Columbus, OH
07/17 Corktown Tavern Detroit, MI w/ Minus 9
07/18 Liar’s Club Chicago, IL

Following the doom-laden guitar assault that was 2010's, "Must Destroy," Madison, Wisconsin power-trio DROIDS ATTACK has announced an upcoming summer US tour beginning early next month, taking the band throughout the Midwest, East Coast and southern portions of the country. The band will be hitting the road for two weeks of dates before entering the studio later this summer to begin recording their new full length album due out later this year.

Having previously toured the States opening for legendary and celebrated hard rock acts such as High On Fire, Torche, Kylesa and Floor (the latter of which the band performed only days after front-man Brad Van suffered a life threatening ruptured appendix), and receiving mountains of critical praise since the release of their last album, Droids Attack will be performing material from the forthcoming new album on the latest batch of dates, and will also be unveiling a live video from their most recent Chicago show coming in the next few days (details coming soon).

What the press is saying about Droids Attack:

"Except for their punk-rock aggression, Droids prefer the primordial, keeping a strong whiff of blues and plenty of burly yelling at the front of the mix. Must Destroy hints many times that Droids appreciate variety." - A.V. Club

"I like the whole presentation here, gents: The story behind the band, the moniker that's begging to be split with a comma and ended with multiple exclamation points, the ensorcelling vintage robot mascot, and hell, even the music ain't half-bad -- actually, it's multiple levels of grade-A Whoop-Ass! when you get down to brass tacks. 8 / 10" - MetalReview.com

"Most big rock bands drag their songs out to seven or eight minutes feeling somehow that we'll all benefit from extra guitar masturbation. Droids Attack would rather show up, blow the speakers up and then steal all the beer." - Crave Online

"Fun and light-hearted while still devoutly rockin', Droids Attack's third full-length is a wonderful mixture of straight-ahead, borderline stoner rock that never gets so serious or bogged down in its respective rut to forget that even heavy bands can be upbeat." - Exclaim!

"The vibe was good times, irony and bullshit free, and Droids Attack rocked out with clear love for what they were doing. By the end of the set, I was up front." -The Obelisk

"There is a southern fried flavor that emanates from these riffs and that showers these songs with sleaze and a bit of that 70
’s coked up vibe. As a whole, Must Destroy is stellar, from beginning to end – the sequencing is flawless – this is one hell of a record." - DeafSparrow.com

"Droids Attack's third album Must Destroy is filled to its crusty brim with tongue-in-cheek song titles, bluesy scuzzed out guitars and a rhythm section that's creative and thundering." - Mouth For War

"Sweet. That's the word that escapes the lips not a minute into Must Destroy, a meaty slice of stoner rock from Wisconsin trio Droids Attack." - The Aquarian

"What Droids Attack have on their third album is a successful meshing of solid, thick riff rock with an engaging, friendly mood." - Stonerrock.com

"...pure stoner rock bliss..." - PopMatters.com




Stream "Must Destroy" here!


"Must Destroy" Track List
1. The Unforgiven 4
2. The Great Wall of 'Gina
3. Blueshammer
4. The Arcade Bully
5. Must Destroy
6. The Crisis in the City (It's Increasing)
7. Canadian Death Bus
8. Koko Beware
9. Astro Glider

For more information, visit:
www.myspace.com/droidsattack
www.facebook.com/droidsattack
www.droidsattack.com

Thursday, June 28, 2012

New Release/MARK LANE/Something New



Los Angeles based singer, multi-instrumentalist and producer Mark Lane has finished his second album titled, Something New. The album has a refreshing sophistication blended with a timeless “California” pop-rock feel.  Lane plays all the instruments, with the exception of the string quartet, which allowed him to create an organic sound and intimacy not found on many records these days.  “My general approach,” Lane explains, “was to craft the parts by improvising over the existing material until new motifs and ideas rose to the surface and compose what would become the overall sound of the record."

The opening track, “For Whom It Concerns” introduces listeners to a distinct lyrical perspective blurring the line between self-deprecating cynicism and empathic honesty. The album immediately presents a collection of thought-provoking yet carefully optimistic musical sentiments before giving way to somewhat darker and disillusioning themes, as in the ominous “The King of Silence” and a nod to the emptiness created by greed in "Paid In Gold." Ultimately though, faith is once again introduced in the deceptively simple yet expansive “Little Things” and the redemptive and brilliant title track, imploring us to always believe a shift in our perspective can make Something New.

The final mix was given some added lift by Jason Falkner (Jellyfish, AIR.)  Lane recently played at the Hotel Café and will be playing at the Bootleg Bar in LA on July 24th.  Something New will be available for purchase on iTunes and across all digital platforms on July 24th.  The first single, “Matter of Time” is available now!

Track List for Something New:
  1. For Whom It Concerns
  2. Matter of Time
  3. Back In The Swing
  4. Her
  5. Hard To Believe
  6. The King of Silence
  7. Please, Lillianne
  8. Paid In Gold
  9. Little Things
  10. Something New
  11. The Last Song

The Fresh & Onlys share album art & track list for new LP, Long Slow Dance



Long Slow Dance, The Fresh & Onlys' fourth highly anticipated album, brings a great new shapeshifting sound. This thing's a breakthrough; the band are joyous, confident--almost dangerous. Due in North America on Sept. 4 on Mexican Summer, that's the cover art above and the track list is below.

"LSD" is a mature, anthemic and-in subtle ways-pretty weird album teaming with Morricone-esque flourishes and seemingly disparate genre elements. "We spent more time recording this than we had on records in the past," bassist and co-founder Shayde Sartin says.

"Phil Manley certainly had a good influence on us in the studio; he's very meticulous with the kind of sound he's trying to get for each song, and the record definitely has its own vibe," he says. 

Recorded on the same reel-to-reel that the influential Warren Zevon did "Werewolves of London," these instantly compelling songs demand multiple listens. It's both the San Francisco act's most cohesive work to date and a sprawling selection of stoner-anthems.  

THE FRESH & ONLYS TOUR DATES   
  
07/21 San Francisco, CA Phono Del Sol
08/05 Big Sur, CA Woodsist Fest / Henry Miller Library
09/05 Santa Ana, CA Constellation Room *
09/06 San Diego, CA Soda Bar *
09/07 Los Angeles, CA The Echo *
09/08 San Francisco, CA The Independent *
09/09 Santa Cruz, CA The Catalyst Atrium *
09/11 Sacramento, CA Ace of Spades *
09/13 Portland, OR Mississippi Studios *#
09/14 Bellingham, WA The Shakedown *
09/15 Vancouver, BC The Media Club *
09/16 Seattle, WA Crocodile *

* = w/ Terry Malts
# = w/ Grass Widow
   
The Fresh & Onlys
Long Slow Dance
(Mexican Summer) Sept. 4, 2012
  
Track List:  

1. 20 Days and 20 Nights
2. Yes or No
3. Long Slow Dance
4. Presence of Mind
5. Dream Girls
6. Fire Alarm
7. Executioner's Song
8. No Regard
9. Euphoria
10. Foolish Person
11. Wanna Do Right By You 

THE FRESH & ONLYS LINKS:

Twitter   

THE DUST ENGINEERS Cover "So American" for 4th of July!



Fresh off the heals of releasing their video for “Freeway Freakout” on My Old Kentucky Blog last week, The Dust Engineers are back at it again to create fireworks with their cover of the 1978 track “So American.” Originally performed by The Mutants and then again by Dodge Dart, The Dust Engineers have put a nice twist on the song, with singers Zac Meyer’s and Sara Maeder’s voices dancing around each other playfully in the piece, creating a stellar cover. Guitar player Erik Rosenberg explains The Dust Engineers’ relationship to the song:

“The Dust Engineers' version of "So American" was about eleven years in the making. Ironically, I first heard "So American" while living in Israel.  At fifteen years old I popped my first skateboarding video, Black Label's "Label Kills," into the VCR.  The soundtrack was packed with great bands like The Clash and Cheap Trick, but the song accompanying Jeff Grosso's skating stood out from the rest.  As the closing credits rolled down the screen I stuck my head right up to the TV to get the name and artist of the song.  I went to my computer and typed "So American" into Napster.  Nothing came up.  These were the very early days of the internet and Dodge Dart was not available at my local record store so I could really only listen to the song while watching the video. 
  
Fast forward about a decade later into the digital era, I started playing with The Dust Engineers.  Our quest for Americana reminded me of the song and with the help of YouTube I was able to easily find a recording of the song.  I emailed a link to the rest of the band and they loved it.  We started playing it live and our fans loved it too, so we recorded it last week in the practice space.” 


UPCOMING SHOWS

July 20th – The Station, Philadelphia, PA
July 28th – Delinquency Warehouse, Brooklyn, NY
August 3rd – Pete’s Candy Store, Brooklyn, NY

ENGLISH BEAT "LIVE AT THE US FESTIVAL 82 & 83" SEPT. 18 CD/DVD RELEASE



The English Beat’s entire catalog is being reissued this year by Shout! Factory, and that includes the first-ever release of The English Beat – Live At The US Festival, ’82 & ’83 on CD/DVD, which will be in stores on September 18. The 2-Disc set includes a CD featuring the best of The English Beat at the US Festival, and a DVD featuring full sets from both 1982 and 1983. Live At The US Festival is the first The English Beat concert performance to be released on DVD and has been largely unseen for nearly 30 years.

Fans can purchase and receive Live At The US Festival, as well as an autographed copy of The English Beat: The Complete Beat box set, before street date by purchasing directly from Shout! 

The US Festival was held over two weekends in 1982 and 1983. Steve Wozniak, cofounder of Apple Computer, funded the concerts and accompanying technology exposition, as well as the construction of a brand-new outdoor venue in Glen Helen Regional Park in San Bernardino, CA. Nearly every musical genre was represented by bands as diverse as U2, Fleetwood Mac, David Bowie, Ozzy Osbourne, Waylon Jennings, The Ramones, The Police and The Clash. Over the combined seven days of the festival, more than one million people passed through the entrance gates.

Music fans have waited decades for performances from The US Festival to be made available on CD and DVD, and the wait was worthwhile. Initial US Festival releases captured performances by Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, and Quiet Riot, and The English Beat are next in line, with 2 unforgettable shows. The English Beat performed at The US Festival on September 3, 1982 in a lineup that included The Ramones, The B-52’s, The Police, Talking Heads, Oingo Boingo and Gang of Four. They returned the next year to play “New Wave Day” on May 28, 1983, along with The Clash, INXS, Oingo Boingo, Stray Cats, Men at Work, A Flock of Seagulls, Wall of Voodoo, and Divinyls. The English Beat and Oingo Boingo were the only bands to play both the 1982 and 1983 US Festivals.

Preceding the release of The English Beat – Live At The US Festival, ’82 & ’83, Shout! Factory will release a box set titled The English Beat: The Complete Beaton July 10The 5-CD Complete Beat box set features all 3 studio albums with bonus tracks, remastered from the original tapes; 2 discs of bonus material, most of which is previously unreleased on CD, including three sessions recorded with the legendary John Peel for his show on BBC Radio 1, tracks from a live show recorded at Boston’s Opera House, and 12” and dub versions of some of the band’s biggest singles; and a booklet with rare photos and an essay by music scholar Alex Ogg.

July 10 will also see the release of a new single-disc compilation titled Keep The Beat: The Very Best Of The English Beat, which is accompanied by a new introduction written by Rhoda Dakar of The Bodysnatchers. Both releases have been produced in collaboration with the band.

The English Beat are currently on tour. For more information on tour dates, please visit http://englishbeat.net

Shout! Factory, LLC is a diversified multi-platform entertainment company devoted to producing, uncovering, preserving and revitalizing the very best of pop culture. Founders Richard Foos, Bob Emmer and Garson Foos have spent their entire careers sharing their music, television and film favorites with discerning consumers the world over. Shout! Factory’s DVD and Blu-Ray™ offerings serve up feature films, classic and contemporary TV series, animation, live music and comedy specials in lavish packages crammed with extras.  Shout’s audio division boasts GRAMMY®-nominated box sets, new releases from storied artists, lovingly assembled album reissues and indispensable “best of” compilations.  In addition, Shout! Factory maintains a vast digital distribution network which delivers video and audio content to all the leading digital service providers in North America.  Shout! Factory also owns and operates Timeless Media Group, Biograph Records, Majordomo Records, HighTone Records and Video Time Machine. These riches are the result of a creative acquisition mandate that has established the company as a hotbed of cultural preservation and commercial reinvention.  Shout! Factory is based in Santa Monica, California. For more on Shout! Factory, visit shoutfactory.com

The English Beat – Live At The US Festival Track Listing
CD                                                                   CD
September 3, 1982                                            May 28, 1983
1. Twist & Crawl                                               10. Jeanette
2. I Confess                                                      11. Spar Wid Me
3. Doors Of Your Heart                                                 12. Get-A-Job/Stand Down Margaret
4. Sugar & Stress                                               13. Tears Of A Clown
5. Two Swords                                                  14. Ackee 1 2 3
6. Hands Off…She’s Mine                                 15. Ranking Full Stop
7. Save It For Later                                           16. Jackpot
8. Too Nice To Talk To
9. Mirror In The Bathroom

DVD                                                                DVD
September 3, 1982                                            May 28, 1983
Twist & Crawl                                                  Mirror In The Bathroom
Doors Of Your Heart                                         Doors Of Your Heart
I Confess                                                          Two Swords
Get-A-Job/Stand Down Margaret                                    Jeanette
Sugar & Stress                                                  I Confess
Spar Wid Me                                                     Too Nice To Talk To
Two Swords                                                     Spar Wid Me
Hands Off…She’s Mine                                     Get-A-Job/Stand Down Margaret
Save It For Later                                                           Tears Of A Clown
Too Nice To Talk To                                        Ackee 1 2 3
Mirror In The Bathroom                                    Twist & Crawl
Jackpot                                                             Ranking Full Stop
                                                                        Save It For Later
                                                                        Jackpot

THE ENGLISH BEAT TOUR DATES
June 28                     Denver, CO                              The Bluebird Theatre
June 30                     Tulsa, OK                                 Reggaefest @ Veteran’s Park
July 1                          Little Rock, AR                                     Juanita’s
July 4               Pacific Palisades, CA                 Palisades Charter High School
July 6               Norfolk, VA                              The Norva
July 7               Fairfield, CT                             Fairfield Theatre
July 8               Fairfield, CT                             Fairfield Theatre
July 9                          Ellsworth, ME                           The Grand Theatre
July 11                       Londonderry, NH                      Tupelo Music Hall
July 12                       Brooklyn, NY                           The Bell House
July 13              Asbury Park, NJ                                    The Stone Pony
July 14                       Pleasantville, NY                       Pleasantville Music Festival
July 15                       Boston, MA                              Bay State Cruise
July 18                       Sellersville, PA                          The Sellersville Theatre
July 19                       Dewey Beach, VI                      The Bottle & Cork
July 20              Amagansett, NY                                    Stephen Talkhouse
July 22                       Baltimore                                  Soundstage
July 27              Temecula, CA                           Wiens Family Cellars                         
July 29              Costa Mesa, CA                                    The Hangar @ Orange County Fair
August 4           San Francisco, CA                     Bimbo’s 365 Clubm
August 9           Vancouver, BC                          Rickshaw Theatre
August 10         Portland, OR                             Doug Fir Lounge
August 11         Seattle, WA                               The Showbox at the Market
August 17         Arcata, CA                                Humboldt Brew
August 18           Fairfax, CA                               19 Broadway
Sept  21                        Solana Beach, CA                      Belly Up Tavern
Sept 22             Solana Beach, CA                      Belly Up Tavern
Sept 28             San Juan Capistrano, CA                        Coach House
Sept 29             Hermosa Beach, CA                  Saint Rocke
Oct 6                Agoura Hills, CA                       Canyon Club

The Dunwells Release 'Blind Sighted Faith' On Concord Records; Free Track Download, 40-City Tour Announced


Concord Records is pleased to announce a world-wide agreement with Austin, TX-based indie label Playing in Traffic to re-release Blind Sighted Faith, the debut album by rising British quintet The Dunwells, on August 28, 2012.  Blind Sighted Faith, self-released earlier this year, will include the newly written and recorded track, “So Beautiful,” produced by George Drakoulias, known for his work with Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers, The Black Crowes and The Jayhawks, among others.

Emerging from the pubs and clubs of Leeds, England, their hometown, The Dunwells have quickly made waves stateside since their first appearance here at the 2011 North American Folk Alliance Conference. “Anyone that’s seen them has just been ‘Oh my God! The quality of the songs, the quality of the playing, the quality of the vocals, the harmonies, they’re mind boggling,” Folk Alliance Executive Director Louis Jay Meyers told Voice of America radio. Soon after, they began sessions for their debut at Willie Nelson’s Pedernales Studio outside of Austin with GRAMMYÒ-winning producer and Roxy Music bassist John Porter (Bryan Ferry, The Smiths, Ryan Adams).

The Dunwells, formed in 2009 in Yorkshire, are comprised of brothers Joseph Dunwell (vocals, guitar) and David Dunwell (guitar, piano, banjo) along with cousins Jonny Lamb (vocals, drums) and Rob Clayton (bass) and longtime best mate Dave Hanson (guitar, pedal steel).

Their stellar musicianship, classic roots songwriting and soaring harmony vocals have already made instant but lasting impressions on scores of fans. Word-of-mouth is spreading quickly, further hastening their ascent.  “We're obviously huge fans of American music and its history, but we didn't set out with that in mind when we started playing together. It was an unexpected thing, really,” says David Dunwell.  “We’re all in it for the same reason. We just love making music.” 

The Dunwells’ extensive 40-city U.S. tour kicks off at New York’s Mercury Lounge on July 18th.

THE DUNWELLS  TOUR DATES

July 18            Mercury Lounge            New York, NY
July 19            Riverside Festival             Rochester, NY
July 20            Hard Rock Café             Pittsburgh, PA
July 21            Ram’s Head            Annapolis, MD
July 23            Iron Horse            Northampton, MA
July 24            Brighton Music Hall            Boston, MA
July 25            Sundown Music Series            Haddon Heights, NJ
July 27            WBJB Concert            Red Bank, NJ
July 29            Birchmere            Alexandria, VA*
July 30            Woodsongs Old-Time Radio Hour            Lexington, KY
July 31            Uncle Slayton’s            Louisville, KY
August 2            Lincoln Hall            Chicago, IL**
August 4            Lollapalooza            Chicago, IL
August 5             Shank Hall            Milwaukee, WI
August 6            Frequency            Madison, WI
August 7            Dakota Jazz Club            Minneapolis, MN
August 9            Triple A Radio Conference            Boulder, CO
August 10            Arvada Center            Arvada, CO
August 11            Edmonton Folk Festival            Edmonton, AB
August 12            Edmonton Folk Festival            Edmonton, AB
August 14            Hotel Cafe            Los Angeles, CA
August 15            Birch Aquarium | KRPI Event            La Jolla, CA
August 16            Levitt Pavilion            Pasadena, CA
August 17            Great Park            Irvine, CA
August 18            Lobero Theater            Santa Barbara, CA
August 19            Lyons Folk Festival            Lyons, CO
August 21            The Independent            San Francisco, CA
August 24            Harbor Steps            Seattle, WA
August 25            Summer on the Green | KINK Event            Portland, OR
August 26            Celebration | KLCC Stage            Eugene, OR
August 29            Village Music Series            Telluride, CO
August 30            Belly Up            Aspen, CO
September 1            On The Waterfront            Rockford, IL
September 2            Royal Oaks Arts & Beats            Detroit, MI
September 6            WAAA Conference            Denver, CO
September 7            KTAOS Solar Center            Taos, NM
September 8            MIM            Phoenix, AZ
September 9            TBC            Tucson, AZ
September 14            The Rutledge | American Music Conference            Nashville, TN
October 5            New Mexico Tech Performing Arts Center            Socorro, NM
October 6            First Bank Center            Broomfield, CO***
October 7            Santa Fe Railyard Plaza            Santa Fe, NM
October 14            Austin City Limits Festival            Austin, TX

*w/Alejandro Escovedo
**w/Dr. Dog
***Sheryl Crow