Stereolab tour starts this weekend

Seminal UK band Stereolab head to our shores for the first time in six years, starting with an appearance at Brisbane's Laneway Festival on Saturday.

The band has produced some of the most consistent, experimental and downright beautiful records of the past 17 years, elevating them to company of legendary acts such as Yo La Tengo and Sonic Youth. Led by Timothy Gane and vocalist Laetitia Sadier, the cult band will be trying out tracks from Chemical Chords, their Motown-flavoured, rather gorgeous release of 2008, along with perfectly-formed tunes from their extensive back catalogue.

If cascading harmonies, mesmerising synths and inordinately pretty songwriting are your thing, don’t miss Stereolab, touring nationally for the Laneway Festivals they'll also be doing sideshows in Melbourne and Sydney.

TOUR DATES
Sat 31 Jan - Brisbane, Laneway Festival
Sun 1 Feb - Melbourne, Laneway Festival
Tue 3 Feb – Melbourne, Billboard
Thu 5 Feb – Sydney, Metro
Fri 6 Feb - Perth, Laneway Festival
Sat 7 Feb - Adelaide, Laneway Festival
Sun 8 Feb - Sydney, Laneway Festival

Wolf & Cub & Lions & Monkeys

Throughout February Melbourne Zoo will be hosting Roar Sounds, a series of live music events set in the open spaces of the zoo's green and lush open air arena. Adelaide's Wolf and Cub are amongst the varied acts who will be taking to the stage and will be playing tracks from their upcoming new album, due out early March.

Wolf and Cub will play Roar Sounds on Thursday Feb 12 along side Sydneysiders Van She. The band are currently playing sold out shows supporting TV On The Radio, Wolf & Cub will be touring nationally with Primal Scream after their nine year absence.

Roar Sounds is your chance take a break from the dark, dingy sticky carpeted venues and see your favourite bands in the amazing surrounds of the zoo. The event is all ages and you can get in early at 5:30pm to check out the zoo’s inhabitants till 7pm. BYO food and drink (no glass besides wine bottles, please!) or buy it there. For tickets, more info and a full line up hit up Melbourne Zoo's website.

TOUR DATES
Thu 29 Jan – Melbourne, Hi Fi Bar w/ TV On The Radio SOLD OUT
Wed 4 Feb – Sydney, The Forum Theatre w/ Primal Scream
Thu 5 Feb – Brisbane, The Tivoli w/ Primal Scream
Sun 8 Feb – Melbourne, Billboard w/ Primal Scream
Tue 10 Feb – Adelaide, HQ w/ Primal Scream
Thu 12 Feb – Melbourne, Melbourne Zoo for ‘Roar Sounds’

Shooting at Unarmed Men's last ever show

Shooting at Unarmed Men will perform for the last time ever this Saturday 31st at Melbourne's Tote.

SAUM first graced Australian stages back in 2006 when frontman, Jon Chapple (ex Mclusky), relocated from Wales to Melbourne, recruiting a new lineup.

Three albums and countless shows later, SAUM are calling it a day with what's sure to be a memorable send off. Available at the show will be unmastered copies of their fourth LP titled With the Youthful Energy of a Zealot. Joining them will be World's End Press, A Friend Of Mine, Poor People and Wicked City. Tickets are only $8 and there'll be a free BBQ. And if all this wasn't enough to persuade you, there's also going to be a pie eating contest. Pie!

And to quote the band, "If you don't attend this moment in history you're a wanker, geographically challenged, or simply someone with something better to do. (But probably the former)"

Shooting at Unarmed Men - A retrospective:

Basement Jaxx sideshows announced

Sydney and Melbourne fans of UK dance pioneers Basement Jaxx will be excited to hear that the duo will be treating us to side shows when they venture down here for the Future Music Festival in February/March.

Tickets for the intimate shows in Sydney and Melbourne go on sale this Monday. With a new album due out later this year, this may be a chance to hear some much anticipated new material from the duo. Be prepared for a show that ‘kicks like a hyperactive mule’.

Sat 28 Feb - Future Music Festival, Sydney, Randwick Racecourse
Sun 1 Mar - Future Music Festival, Perth, Wellington Square
Tue 3rd March – Enmore Theatre, Sydney *sideshow
Wed 4th March – Palace Theatre, Melbourne*sideshow
Sat 7 Mar - Future Music Festival, Brisbane, Doomben Racecourse
Sun 8 Mar - Future Music Festival, Melbourne, Sidney Myer Music Bowl
Mon 9 Mar - Future Music Festival, Adelaide, Rundle Park

Adam Green on Rockwiz this weekend

This Saturday Moldy Peaches' Adam Green gets his musical wits tested on SBS' Rockwiz. The episode was recorded in early December when Adam came down to visit us for a string of shows including the Meredith Music Festival.

Going head to head with Green will be American singer songwriter Toni Childs where they will no doubt unite for a memorable duet in true Rockwiz style.

To keep up with all Adam Green news, photos and general shenanigans visit his blog.

Damon Albarn and Jamie Hewlett Monkey around on Pitchfork

Last year saw the creators of Gorillaz, Damon Albarn and Jamie Hewlett, once again team up with each other to create an aural and visual masterpiece, Monkey: Journey To The West.

Based on the Chinese story of the Monkey King (that's Monkey Magic to you and me), the album was released late last year and became the first Mandarin record to make the UK Top 10, also making it into the Top 5 albums chart.

The duo sat down with Pitchfork to talk about Monkey, Gorillaz and the demise of.

Pitchfork: After the success of Gorillaz, you must have had your choice of projects. When [New York-based opera director] Chen Shi-Zheng approached you, what attracted you guys to this particular story?

JH: Well it wasn't-- it was Alex Poots [artistic director] from the Manchester International Festival who came to us first. We had done work with him about a year before; we opened the Manchester Festival with five nights of the [live] Demon Days project. And he said, "Are you interested in this Monkey project?" And we were promised a trip to China, so we thought, "Hey, we'll go to China, check it out, see what we think." And if we don't like it, or don't like the people involved, at least we got a free trip to China!

Read the full interview here.

Jay Reatard free Sydney in-store today

Memphis boywonder Jay Reatard will be performing live (and FREE!) at Red Eye's King St store today at 4:30pm.

Touring for the national Laneway Festivals that kick off in Brisbane this Saturday, Jay Reatard will be playing some of the pop-punk gems off his latest release Matador Singles '08, funnily enough, a collection of singles he released through Matador last year.

You may even hear some new material as Jay is currently working on his album proper for Matador, due out later this year.

TOUR DATES
Thu 29 Jan – Sydney, Gaelic Theatre w/ No Age
Fri 30 Jan – Melbourne, Corner Hotel w/ No Age
Sat 31 Jan - Brisbane, Laneway Festival
Sun 1 Feb - Melbourne, Laneway Festival
Fri 6 Feb - Perth, Laneway Festival
Sat 7 Feb - Adelaide, Laneway Festival
Sun 8 Feb - Sydney, Laneway Festival

Adalita vs Gareth Liddiard on RocKwiz

Last week's installment of the ever popular SBS program RocKwiz saw Magic Dirt's Adalita pit her musical mind against The Drones' Gareth Liddiard.

Adalita kicked off the show with a performance of the Magic Dirt classic Dirty Jeans. The end of the show saw Adalita and Gareth combine their rock might on a cover of The Saints' Messin' With The Kids.

You can watch the performances here.

Vampire Weekend awesome foursome in triple j hottest 100

The triple j Hottest 100 countdown over the Australia Day long weekend was highly anticipated as always, with a mixed bag of surprising and somewhat predictable moments, charting what triple j listeners rated as the best singles of 2008.

New York boys Vampire Weekend consistently came up as favourites, with four tracks from their self titled debut album appearing on the list (the most of any other band, tied with winners Kings of Leon), cementing them as one of the stronger new acts to come out of '08.

The fans' favourite tracks Vampire Weekend tracks were :
Oxford Comma at #30,
A-Punk at #32,
Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa at #52 and
One (Blake's Got A New Face) at #71.

For the full Hottest 100 head to triple j.

Dark Was The Night Widget

February 14th will see the release of the 20th Red Hot Charity compilation, Dark Was The Night, curated by The National's Dessner brothers.

Over the past week or so, a different track from the album has been uploaded on the DWTN MySpace page. Already uploaded have been a collaboration between Dirty Projectors + David Byrne (on first single Knotty Pine, downloadable here), as well as songs from Bon Iver, The National, Feist and My Brightest Diamond.

If you missed them the first time around, you can now head over to the DWTN website and make your widget player.



For those unaware, the Red Hot Organisation is an international charity dedicated to raising funds and awareness for HIV and AIDS, using music as a great way of achieving both. Their track record is second-to-none, having worked with many greats in their time (including U2, George Michael, Madonna, Nirvana, Johnny Cash, David Bowie, Dolly Parton, Sonic Youth, My Bloody Valentine, Wu Tang Clan among many, many more) and Dark Was The Night is the next instalment in an already esteemed compilation series.

M.I.A up for an Oscar

M.I.A. and Indian producer A.R Rahman have received a 'Best Original Score' Academy Award nomination for their collaboration on O... Saya.

The song features on the soundtrack for Danny Boyle's Golden Globe winning film Slumdog Millionaire that is currently taking the world by storm.

Other songs nominated in the category are 'Jai Ho', another Rahman track from Slumdog Millionaire, as well as Peter Gabriel's track 'Down To Earth' which appears on the Pixar animated film WALL-E.

The Slumdog Millionaire sound track is out now through M.I.A's own label N.E.E.T.

The 'Fork gets Fucked Up

Pitchfork.tv have launched a new show called A>D>D which stands for Analog technology > mixed Digitally > and distributed Digitally.

With the premier episode featuring Toronto punk rockers Fucked Up, the makers of the show work with the idea of capturing bands with "Lo-Fi meets Hi-Fi" qualities visually and musically using only analogue equipment, editing it digitally then uploading it onto their website for all to enjoy. The full set is below:

Son The Father


Black Albino Bones


Twice Born

St. Vincent at Sydney Festival 09

In between playing at sold out shows at The Famous Spiegeltent as part of the Sydney Festival Annie Clark aka St. Vincent took time out to treat Shoot The Player viewers to an interview and a lovely piano version of the title track from her 2007 album Marry Me, as well as an acoustic version of What Me Worry?

Marry Me


What Me Worry?

TV On The Radio take on Bowie

TV On The Radio have been selected by the one and only David Bowie to cover his 1977 hit Heroes.



The glam rock legend chose TVOTR to perform the title track of the Heroes compilation put together by War Child, a network of independent organisations helping children affected by war. War Child asked 15 ultimate icons to select a song from their back catalog and to entrust one of their favourite acts to create a unique interpretation of that track.

The 16 track compilation also features Peaches' interpretation of Iggy Pop and The Stooges' Search And Destroy. Peaches is currently working on her new album due out later this year, with guests on the album including Simian Mobile Disco, Digitalism and Canuck Gonzales.

Cat Power 'Dark End Of The Street'

Cat Power started last year with the release of Jukebox, her second album of cover songs and a tribute to the great vocalists who had influenced her over the years.

The sessions for Jukebox were so productive for Chan that many more gems were recorded than those that made the actual album; so much so, the deluxe version of the album alone contained a further five covers to the original twelve.

And so it was no surprise when late last year Chan released Dark End Of The Street, a six-track gatefold double 10” containing the remaining unreleased tracks from the Jukebox sessions. The perfect bookend to both Jukebox and another successful year for Cat Power, you can hear the title track over at NPR.

A.C. Newman performs 'The Changeling (Get Guilty)' live for Stereogum

A.C. Newman's new album Get Guilty is out in stores now. It's the second solo album from The New Pornographers' frontman, with players on the album including drummers Jon Wurster (Superchunk, The Mountain Goats) and Charles Burst, an array of strings, horns and woodwinds, and vocalists Nicole Atkins and Mates Of State.

As part of Stereogum's DUMBO sessions (which have previously featured Department of Eagles), Newman performed the explose track The Changeling (Get Guilty) off the new album.

St Helens - new single and tour dates

With their debut album set for release later this year, Melbourne’s St Helens give us a taste of what’s to come with new single How To Choose Your Guru Part 2. A testament to Jarrod Quarrell’s songwriting skills, the jagged guitars on ‘How To Choose…’ intertwine with a fervent cowbell beat to create an intensely pulsing track.

In the lead up to the release of their album, St Helens will be playing shows along the East Coast starting with a show at Melbourne’s East Brunswick Club on February 6th supporting Devastations on their only Australian show. St Helens’ music is as fervent on the stage as in the studio with word of mouth about their live performances landing St Helens the opening slot for Blonde Redhead after only 4 gigs back in 2007.

TOUR DATES

Fri 6 Feb – Melbourne, East Brunswick Club, supporting Devastations
Thu 26 Feb – Sydney, Hopetoun w/ Songs and The Ancients
Sat 28 Feb – Brisbane, Rics Bar w/ The Ancients

How To Choose Your Guru Part 2 [mp3]

myspace.com/sthelens

First single from Dark Was The Night compilation

Dark Was The Night is a 31-track compilation produced for noted AIDS charity The Red Hot Organisation and features a stellar cast of musicians including Cat Power, The Decemberists, Sharon Jones and Arcade Fire. Out February 14th, Dark Was The Night was produced by Aaron and Bryce Dessner from The National with John Carlin (the charity’s founder).

The first single is Knotty Pine, a fantastic collaboration between Dirty Projectors and David Byrne. The 7" is backed with an excellent new track from The National, So Far Around The Bend.

Knotty Pine by Dirty Projectors + David Byrne [mp3]


To hear more tracks from Dark Was The Night, head to their MySpace where they are currently uploading a new track each day. The full tracklist can be found here.

Adele live set

UK songstress Adele has recorded a live set for American radio stations WXPN, performing 5 tracks off her debut album 19. You can hear the full set here.

Adele is up for 4 Grammys: Best New Artist, Record of the Year, Song of the Year and Best Female Pop Vocal Performance. Winners will be announced February 8th.

Ratatat Remixed

Early last year we herd news circulating about Animal Collective having remixed Ratatat's track Mirando from their third album LP3. The result? It's been transformed into an epic "ten minute techno wonder".


Mirando (Animal Collective Remix) [mp3]

Friendly Fires 'Skeleton Boy' video

Skeleton Boy is the upcoming new single for Friendly Fires, out early March. In the video the boys risk their health for the sake of art. Getting polystyrene balls stuck up your snozz can't be good for you.

The single features a re-recorded version done with Paul Epworth (who also produced first single Jump In The Pool). More synths? Check. Even catchier? Double check.

Eddy Current Suppression Ring - That Time of Day

Local garage icons Eddy Current Suppression Ring return with their latest slab of raw wax, featuring three longtime live favorites that unjustly became sophomore album off cuts. In a similar nature to Wire’s transition between Pink Flag and Chairs Missing, ECSR’s success of last year Primary Colours saw the four-piece loosen up on their famed short, sharp punk urgency, trading it in for Flying Nun melodies and overdriven Kraut grooves. In retrospect, these ‘new’ reckless stompers are more at home on the 7” format. That Time of Day 7” sees the band return to their roots with over seven minutes of rough 60s punk stupidity. Packaged in a 60s mock sleeve, the release includes Noise in My Head – the theme song they penned for the Triple R radio show of the same name; alongside some of Brendan Suppression’s most interesting wordplay to date.

That Time of Day is limited to 1000 copies and will be released next week through Nervous Jerk.

That Time of Day [mp3]

Jack Peñate gets an extension

UK pop wunderkind Jack Peñate's second album (his follow up to the very catchy Matinee) is due out later this year. With anticipation growing, we’re here to satisfy your need to put on your dancing shoes by offering you an extended mix of his new single Tonight's Today. Have a listen!

Tonight's Today (Extended Club Mix)[mp3] (192kbps)

Tonight's Today (single edit) [mp3] (128kbps)

New track from Elvis Perkins in Dearland

Having released his intimate debut album Ash Wednesday back in 2006, Elvis Perkins now returns with a new album, Elvis Perkins in Dearland. Elvis Perkins in Dearland is the collective name of Elvis and his three piece band (bassist Brigham Brough, keyboardist/guitarist Wyndham Boylan-Garnett, and drummer Nicholas Kinsey) who have been touring with Elvis over the past few years.

On first single and opening track Shampoo, Elvis knocks out a catchy, loping riff on his acoustic guitar even as he is being surrounded by a collective chorus of whistles, tempting him to come join the circle. And join it he does—with the first seductive thrush and pull of Wyndham’s B3 organ, the song eases into its catchy hitch-step rhythm and Elvis’s lonesome call “sweep up, little sweeper boy” is folded into the textured fullness of the Dearland sound.

Shampoo [mp3]

Produced by Grammy Award-winning producer Chris Shaw (Bob Dylan, Ween) the new album is due out in early March. You can hear more tracks at their website.

While You Were Sleeping (from 2006's Ash Wednesday LP)

Aaron Thomas tour starts today

"Australian singer-songwriter Aaron Thomas has the kind of unique, affecting voice that sets him apart from the coffeehouse folk-pop crowd. It's a quavering lilt, indebted to everyone from Elvis Costello to Edith Piaf… chances are you will be won over by Thomas' singularity and sincerity. " - Emusic.com

Worldly trouabdour Aaron Thomas is set to return to where it all began as he begins his national tour today playing songs from his new debut album Follow The Elephants, out now.

Born in Tasmania and raised in Sydney, Aaron moved to Europe and LA as a teenager where he performed solo shows. Now living in Madrid, Aaron released Follow The Elephants to wide acclaim in the Spanish and Portuguese music press, recently winning Spain’s most coveted music competition, Villa de Bilbao, taking out the prizes for Best National Band and Best Pop/Rock Ensemble.

TOUR DATES
Wed 14 Jan – Adelaide, Grace Emily
Thu 29 Jan – Adelaide, The Exeter Hotel
Wed 18 Feb – Sydney, Hopetoun
Fri 20 Feb – Melbourne, Empress
Thu 26 Feb – Adelaide, The Exeter Hotel


Kill This City [mp3]

Wasted Or Crazy (Live at Los Conciertos de Radio 3)


myspace.com/aaronthomasband

Wolf & Cub get Primal

After just finishing off a bunch of festivals over the new year's eve period, playing Falls in Tasmania and Victoria as well as the Southbound Festival in WA, Wolf & Cub have been announced as the support for the national Primal Scream tour. (Wolf & Cub not playing WA)

Primal Scream return to Australia after a nine year absence to headline the 2009 Playground Weekender Festival and complete a national tour in support of their latest album 'Beautiful Future' and have asked Wolf & Cub to join the tour.

With the mastering session booked for Wolf & Cub's new album due for release Feb/March, the band will be playing a load of new tracks including the current track at radio Seven Sevens. Before the shows with Primal Scream, Wolf & Cub will play the TV On The Radio sides shows as a part of their Big Day Out tour.

Primal Scream Tour

SYDNEY - Wed 4th February - The Forum
Cnr Bent St & Errol Flynn Blvd, Moore Park
Tickets $65 + BF From moshtix.com.au or Moshtix Outlets

BRISBANE - Thurs 5th February - The Tivoli
52 Costin St, Fortitude Valley
Tickets $65 + BF From ticketek.com.au
or Ticketek Outlets and primalscream.net

MELBOURNE - Sun 8th February - Billboard
170 Russell St, Melbourne
Tickets $65 + BF From moshtix.com.au and Moshtix Outlets
or billboardthevenue.com.au and primalscream.net

ADELAIDE - Tues 10th February - HQ
1 North Terrace, Adelaide
Tickets $65 + BF From venuetix.com.au or 08 8225 8888
or oztix.com.au primalscream.net

myspace.com/wolfandcub

Adam Green - Rich Kids

A splendour in pink, Moldy Peaches' Adam Green recently strutted his stuff around Australia performing tracks from his latest album Sixes & Sevens.

And now you can download Rich Kids from the album over at RCRD LBL.

Be sure to check out Adam's blog.

A.C. Newman performs 'Like A Hitman, Like A Dancer'

A.C. Newman, ringleader of The New Pornographers, will be releasing his second debut album Get Guilty this Saturday. Thanks to Pitchfork.tv you can watch Newman perform album track Like A Hitman, Like A Dancer:



www.acnewman.net

New track from Condo Fucks

Condo Fucks are Georgia Condo (drums), Kid Condo (guitar) and James McNew (bass). You might remember them from such bands as Yo La Tengo.

They have a new album coming out in March called Fuckbook. And here's the first single:

What'cha Gonna Do About It [mp3] (160kbps)

Fucked Up - Crooked Head

Taken from their latest album The Chemistry of Common Life comes Fucked Up's first ever official video:

Koolism 'Jam Hot' sessions

The first episode of the 'Jam Hot' sessions where Koolism take you behind the scenes of the production of their new album The 'Umu.