Stream The Horrors album Primary Colours here!

The Horrors new album Primary Colours has scored a glowing 9/10 album review in NME:

"Time will tell how Primary Colours stands up to the likes of Loveless or Psychocandy, but right now, this feels like the British art-rock album we've all been waiting for"

.

Take a listen and judge for yourself:

Buy the album on iTunes.

Primary Colours is out in Australia on May 2 through XL/ Remote Control.

New Future Of The Left mp3 Arming Eritrea

Earlier this month we announced details for the new Future Of The Left album, Travels With Myself and Another, due out here June 20.

Now here is the first song from it:

Lead-off track Arming Eritrea sets the tone for the album. It lulls the listener into a false sense of security before exploding through the speakers with a bloodthirsty roar of fuzzy bass and distorted guitar lines.

Arming Eritrea [mp3]

Deerhunter announce 2 extra shows

Popfrenzy are very pleased to announced, due to overwhelming demand, Deerhunter will be playing two more Australian shows this June.

With the first Melbourne show already sold out, Deerhunter will be returning to The Corner Hotel Thursday, June 18 and to Sydney’s Annandale Hotel Saturday, June 20.

Having been referred to by Karen O of the yeah yeah yeah’s in NME as bordering on “a religious experience” – this is seriously one tour you don’t want to miss!

Catch Deerhunter on one of the following dates:

Thursday, June 11 SYDNEY - Manning Bar
Tickets through www.moshtix.com.au

Friday, June 12 MELBOURNE - The Corner Hotel SOLD OUT

Saturday, June 13 BRISBANE - The Zoo
Tickets through http://zoo.oztix.com.au

New shows:
Thursday, June 18 MELBOURNE - The Corner Hotel
Tickets through www.cornerhotel.com

Saturday, June 20 SYDNEY - The Annandale Hotel
Tickets through www.annandalehotel.com.au

TICKETS ON SALE NOW

DEERHUNTER’S ‘MICROCASTLE’ IS OUT NOW THROUGH 4AD/ REMOTE CONTROL.

Wolf & Cub announce album tour

triple j, triple j TV, FasterLouder & YEN magazine
present
WOLF & CUB
Science And Sorcery Tour

With Special Guests The Scare

Wolf & Cub’s new album “Science And Sorcery” featuring “Seven Sevens” and “One To The Other” is now in stores and online so it’s time for the band to hit the road with their most extensive headline tour of Australia yet.

Known for their wall of sound live shows, Wolf & Cub have a batch of new songs and sounds to play with this time around. Giving a sneak peek of the new material when they recently toured with TV On The Radio, Primal Scream and V Festival, this headlining tour will allow Wolf & Cub to take their live show to a new level.

Joining Wolf & Cub on all dates will be The Scare. Their debut album “oozevoodoo” is out in the coming months featuring the track “No Money”

The Tour starts in Hobart, Tasmania and makes it way around to every nook and cranny of the country, playing all capital cities and numerous regional areas before finishing up in Fremantle WA.

TICKETS ON SALE NOW AT www.wolfandcub.com/tickets

Thursday 11th June - Republic Bar, Hobart TAS
Venue: (03) 6234 6954 | Moshtix: 1300 GET TIX (438 849) www.moshtix.com.au

Friday 12th June - Fowlers Live, Adelaide, SA ALL AGES
Moshtix: 1300 GET TIX (438 849) www.moshtix.com.au

Wednesday 17TH June - Mona Vale Hotel, Mona Vale, NSW
Moshtix: 1300 GET TIX (438 849) www.moshtix.com.au

Thursday 18TH June - Cambridge Hotel, Newcastle, NSW
Moshtix: 1300 GET TIX (438 849) www.moshtix.com.au

Friday 19th June - Oxford Arts Factory, Sydney, NSW
Moshtix: 1300 GET TIX (438 849) www.moshtix.com.au

Saturday 20th June - Oxford Tavern, Wollongong, NSW
Moshtix: 1300 GET TIX (438 849) www.moshtix.com.au

Sunday 21st June - ANU Bar, Canberra, ACT
Ticketek: 132 849 www.moshtix.com.au

Wednesday 24th June - The Loft, Warnambool, VIC
Capricorn Records: 03 5562 2803

Thursday 25th June - Barwon Club, Geelong, VIC
Venue: 03 5221 4584

Friday 26th June - Corner Hotel, Melbourne, VIC
Venue: (03) 9427 9198 www.cornerhotel.com

Saturday 27th June - Karova Lounge, Ballarat, VIC
Venue: (03) 5332 9122 | New Generation: (03) 5333 2444 |Oztix: 1300 762 545
www.oztix.com.au

Wednesday 1st July - Seaview Tavern, Woolgoolga, NSW
www.offbeatoperations.com.au

Thursday 2nd July - Sound Lounge, Currumbin, QLD
Venue: www.thesoundlounge.com.au

Friday 3rd July - The Zoo, Brisbane, QLD
Oztix: 1300 762 545 www.oztix.com.au

Saturday 4th July - Woombye Hotel, Noosa, QLD
Oztix: 1300 762 545 www.oztix.com.au

Sunday 5th July - Great Northern Hotel, Byron Bay, NSW
Oztix: 1300 762 545 www.oztix.com.au

Thursday 9th July - Settlers Tavern, Margaret River, WA
Moshtix: 1300 GET TIX (438 849) www.moshtix.com.au

Friday 10th July - Prince of Wales, Bunbury. WA
Heatseeker: www.heatseeker.com.au

Saturday 11th July - Rosemount Hotel, Perth, WA
Heatseeker: www.heatseeker.com.au

Sunday 12th July - Mojo's, Fremantle, WA
Moshtix: 1300 GET TIX (438 849) www.moshtix.com.au

The album ‘Science and Sorcery’ out now through Dot Dash.

www.wolfandcub.com
www.myspace.com/wolfandcub

www.abc.net.au/triplej
www.abc.net.au/triplej/tv
www.yenmag.net
www.fasterlouder.com.au

New God Help The Girl mp3 Come Monday Night

Belle And Sebastian's Stuart Murdoch has been busily working away at his new project "God Help The Girl".

Brought together as a musical narrative of sorts, the album features all the songs that have been floating around Stuart's head for several years while touring.

Feeling the songs 'just weren't right' for Belle And Sebastian he enlisted the vocal talents of various female singers including Asya of Smoosh fame and newcomer Catherine Ireton.

On 'Come Monday Night' Ireton (who seems to be the leading lady of this project) sings beautifully and somewhat effortlessly over a 42 piece orchestra to create this pop gem reminiscent of 60's girl groups and Bacharach-esque ballads.

Come Monday Night [mp3]

God Help The Girl is out June 20 through Rough Trade/ Remote Control.

godhelpthegirl.com

Vampire Weekend talk about their second album

[via] [via]

Following Vampire Weekend's performance of new track White Sky on the Jimmy Fallon show, the band continue to tease us with more information about their second album.

Stereogum have given the heads up on an interview singer Ezra Koenig did with EW.com:

"For the last month or so, it's just been us by ourselves in this small studio, working every day," Koenig says. "It's nice after having been on tour so much to be in a slightly different situation, but it's pretty intense. We're really trying hard to do everything that we want to do."

With the songwriting process more or less finished, Koenig says the band has moved on to refining its studio approach. "It's definitely going to be a recognizably Vampire Weekend sound, but there are going to be new sounds. We're trying to challenge ourselves not to use the same bag of tricks that we used on the first album -- different instruments, stuff like that."

One new song that's almost certain to wind up on the album is "White Sky," which Vampire Weekend brought to Jimmy Fallon last month. Notes Koenig: "The recorded version is very different from how we played it on Fallon. Because we were still working on the recording, we decided to do this very slow acoustic version [on TV]. The real version is more like how we've been playing it live. There's a lot of synth sounds, and it's a little more pumped up."

Stereogum also have a couple of mp3s of keyboardist Rostam Batmanglij's side project called Discovery. Check them out here.

I Hear Peaches

Dools at JJJ recently spoke with Peaches about her new record I Feel Cream.

If you missed it you can listen to it online:

New Broken Records video Until The Earth Begins To Part

A beautifully animated video for the Broken Records' album title track Until The Earth Begins To Part that is layered and lush as the arrangements on the album.



Animated by Gavin Wood.

We blogged the track last week too.

Until The Earth Begins To Part the single is out May 9.
Until The Earth Beings To Part the album is out May 30.

Both out through 4ad/ Remote Control.

New The Horrors video Who Can Say

A couple of weeks ago we blogged The Horrors track Who Can Say from their forthcoming album Primary Colours.

Now here is the video.



The Horrors 'Primary Colours' is out May 2 through XL/ Remote Control.

New The Big Pink mp3 Velvet remix by Gang Gang Dance

The Big Pink have released Velvet as a 7" and digital single. You can get it here:
1. Velvet
2. An Introduction To Awareness

They have also released a free Gang Gang Dance remix of Velvet. You can listen to that here:
Velvet [Gang Gang Dance remix] [mp3]

The album is due out later this year through 4ad.

Looking for mp3s?
Check out our free mp3 download page here!

New Basement Jaxx mp3 Raindrops

You might have caught whiff of this earlier in the week, but if not, you'll be excited to hear that Basement Jaxx are streaming a new track 'Raindrops' on their myspace.

That's BJ's Felix Buxton on the vocals in this track. Though when the guys recently toured they mentioned guest vocalists on the forthcoming album include Grace Jones, Yoko Ono, Yo! Majesty, Lightspeed Champion, Cyndi Lauper, Santigold, and Sam Sparro.

Hear it here.

Download it here.

Looking for mp3s?
Check out our free mp3 download page here!

Jessica Says in Adelaide this weekend, Sydney next month

"an intelligent and affecting soundscape" **** The Age

A reminder that Jessica Says heads interstate this weekend to launch her album in Adelaide, and will be in Sydney in a fortnight.

WE NEED TO TALK’ INTERSTATE ALBUM LAUNCHES
Sat 25 Apr – Adelaide, The Metro Hotel w/ Megafauna and Fair Maiden (official launch)
Fri 15 May - Sydney, Hopetoun w/ Hugo Race (official launch)
Sat 16 May - Sydney, Bar Me w/ Caitlin Park

"eloquent, affecting and downright gorgeous" - ****1/2 Album Of The Week, Beat & The Brag
"a compelling figure... a phenomenal debut" Inpress
"a guilt-free musical indulgence" J Mag
"a disarming debut... an elegant and touching recording from an excitingly fresh local voice" **** MX
"delicate but swooning classical-folk-pop songs" Rave
"a magical release .. a ghostly and blossoming talent" 9/10 Rip It Up
"an intelligent and affecting soundscape" **** The Age
"windswept, baroque and tender" - Melbourne Magazine
"with sweeping strings, melancholic piano and a voice that is part Kate Bush and part Joanna Newsom... Jessica Says has set the bar very high indeed" Xpress

Jessica Says 'We Need To Talk' on [iTunes]

New Devendra Banhart live videos

Earlier this week Stereogum posted video footage of some new songs Devendra Banhart recently showcased in San Francisco.

It's the first new material we have heard from Devendra since 2007's Smokey Rolls Down Thunder Canyon.





More details here

Pixies Minotaur boxset announced

Goodness, didn't this Pitchfork tweet just send a flurry of questions our way yesterday.

Well thankfully 4ad have provided some answers:

Five classic 4AD releases from Pixies are going to be reissued as both Limited Edition and Deluxe Edition collector's sets entitled Minotaur. Spearheaded by Jeff Anderson, founder of A+R (Artist in Residence), who has put together expansive and eye-catching versions of releases by Nine Inch Nails, Beck and Sigur Ros - Minotaur will be available for pre-order at www.ainr.com beginning Monday, June 15, 2009. The Minotaur Deluxe Edition will retail for $175, while the Minotaur Limited Edition will be priced at $450.

The Deluxe Edition will include all five Pixies studio albums - Come On Pilgrim (1987), Surfer Rosa (1988), Doolittle (1989), Bossanova (1990), and Trompe le Monde (1991) - on 24k layered CD and Blu-ray (five discs total), with reinterpreted artwork by Vaughan Oliver, the graphic designer who created all of the artwork that accompanied the Pixies' studio albums. Also included in the Deluxe Edition will be a DVD of a Pixies 1991 performance at the Brixton Academy in London, the group's videos, possible live tracks, and a 54-page book, all housed in a custom slipcase. The Minotaur Limited Edition version will include everything in the Deluxe Edition, as well as all five albums on 180 gram vinyl, a Giclee print of Oliver's artwork, and a 72-page hardcover book, all housed in an oversized custom clamshell cover.

Anderson explained the idea behind the set. "As a Pixies fan, I asked myself, 'How can we re-release this without making this just another box set?' I think we've all been down that road where you've purchased a box set and have been disappointed by only getting a few bonus tracks and a few extra photos. With the Pixies, because they remain such a contemporary band and their sound is still so relevant today, we wanted to re-introduce them to their fans, giving them something that they would truly appreciate and cherish. And also, how can we introduce the band to new fans? What soon followed was the idea of Vaughan Oliver."

Oliver - who was the resident album designer for 4AD - explains how he assembled the now instantly-recognizable album covers for the band. "My starting point would always be the music, reading the lyrics, talking with the band - what their preferences were, in film and painting. With the Pixies, it was work that was always close to my heart and my own personal aesthetic - the images that Charles [aka Black Francis] painted with his lyrics really struck a chord. His work is full of fantastic imagery that always appealed to me, and those were ideas I was trying to reflect with the packaging."

After discussing the project with Anderson, Oliver came up with an intriguing idea. "I said, 'That was then, this is now. Why don't we do a whole new body of work? It's all born of the same lyrics and albums - it would be evolving the ideas we had in the original packages.' I worked with the same photographer who I worked with back then, Simon Larbalestier. If there were a 'fifth Pixie,' it would have been Simon - his work so suited what they were doing. Simon's gone out and shot a whole new body of work. He was a bit panicked at first, he said, 'The old sleeves - with the topless Spanish dancer, the red planet - have become iconic.' I said to Simon, 'Don't be scared. You're 20 years on, you're a better photographer. Let's take all those same things and do a new body of work.' He shot some amazing images that I think surpass what we did first time around."

Now an art teacher at the University of the Creative Arts in Epsom [in Surrey, U.K.], Oliver called upon his students for some input for the Pixies set. "I selected a team of students under my direction to work with the titles in the track listing, in a three dimensional way. Cutting the track listing out of cards, shining light through it, making the track titles from nails - all very organic. We're using the type as 'image.' There's a link when you look at them visually with the images that I'm putting next to them in the book."

Upon seeing the gorgeous packaging and effort that has gone into both the Deluxe and Limited Editions of Minotaur, Pixies fans worldwide will get a chance to experience the Pixies in a whole new manner, thanks to Anderson, Oliver, and Larbalestier. "We design some interesting and innovative packages," adds Anderson. "We're not inexpensive, but I think there are still people out there who don't mind paying for great quality."

For more information and to pre-order, visit www.ainr.com

Friendly Fires announced to play Splendour In The Grass

Friendly Fires have been announced to be playing Splendour In The Grass festival in Byron Bay this July.

It will be the UK trio's first tour to Australia and promises to be one helluva dance party is this recent review by NME of their sold out show at LA's The Troubadour is anything to go by.

Radio favourites Jump In The Pool and Paris will no doubt be part of their set as well their latest single:


Friendly Fires' self-titled album is out now through XL/ Remote Control.

www.wearefriendlyfires.com

www.myspace.com/friendlyfires

New Sonic Youth mp3 Sacred Trickster

Ever since we announced details of the new Sonic Youth album The Eternal, everyone's been asking for a listen.

Well, other than this dodgy YouTube video of a live performance of Calming The Snake, here's your first 'official' taste.

“Sacred Trickster” is a 2:10 out-of-the gate hardcore matinee track with Kim singing salutes to French painter Yves Klein and Western Massachusetts noise artist Noise Nomads. It sets the tone for ‘The Eternal’, which comprises twelve tunes that are a fireworks display of Sonic Youth touchstones. From the primal no wave attack of its earliest days, to the radical chording and song structures of its ’90s period, to the more focused and contemporary explorations of the last five years. This their 16th album, and their first for the Matador label, consolidates their move to a more lush, sensual sound as displayed on last album ‘Rather Ripped’ - but if anything punchier and cleaner, and now backstopped by the addition of Mark Ibold (Pavement, Dustdevils) on bass. - Matablog

Relish it!

Sacred Trickster [mp3]

Buy The Eternal on iTunes.

The band has also just been confirmed to play at the My Bloody Valentine-curated ATP Nightmare Before Christmas to be held at Butlins Holiday Resort in Minehead from December 4th - 6th, 2009.

sonicyouth.com

The Eternal is out June 6 through Matador/ Remote Control.

Looking for mp3s?
Check out our free mp3 download page here!

Wolf & Cub - Science & Sorcery in stores NOW

Wolf & Cub’s new album ‘Science & Sorcery’ is in stores NOW.
Fresh from national tours with TV On The Radio, Primal Scream and the recent V Festival, the band’s follow up to debut album Vessels features radio favourites One To The Other and Seven Sevens.

Produced by Chris Colonna (Bumblebeez) Science and Sorcery was recorded in Colonna’s studio in his hometown of Braidwood in the Southern tablelands of NSW. At what seemed like an unlikely fit at first with Chris’ hip hop cut & paste production style, there was some concern that this collaboration could go tragically wrong which would result in the band emerging as a 80’s derived synth pop outfit.

What originally scared the band has actually inspired them, taking them right out of their comfort zone, giving them the creative challenge they had been yearning for after spending so many months on the road.

The result is a musical departure that will surprise and thrill you.

Science & Sorcery is out now through Dot Dash.

New Super Furry Animals film on Pitchfork

"Reaffirms what a fantastic band they are, and is arguably their best offering since 2001’s Rings Around The World" NME

"The second best major-league band in the UK behind Radiohead" Time Out

"They’re back to gain their art rock crown" Artrocker

Super Furry Animals' Dark Days Light Years is released this week. For their ninth studio album SFA have produced their most spontaneous and inventive album to date.

The band want you to know that the album is chocked full of riffs and grooves… its super melodic… there's only one slow number, which isn't slow at all… oh and there’s no country rock as Daf has developed a pedal steel phobia.

There’s wiggy 70s wah wah (Crazy Naked Girls)… shimmering psychedelia (Cardiff In The Sun)… even a little 80s electro pop (Inaugural Trams)… some motoric grooves (Pric) and infuriatingly pop (The Very Best Of Neil Diamond)

To mark it's release, for this week only Pitchfork are streaming a WORLD PREMIERE 48 minute film film on the making of the album "with in-studio performance footage and endearingly inscrutable interview segments".

Dark Days Light Years is out now through Rough Trade/ Remote Control.

Mountain Goats and John Vanderslice vinyl EP - if you're quick enough to catch it!

Pitchfork report that Johns Darnielle and Vanderslice have joined forces to record "a collaborative vinyl-only EP called Moon Colony Bloodbath".

Released on Darnielle's Cadmean Dawn Records, the EP was recorded to sell on their recent Darnielle/ Vanderslice acoustic Gone Primitive tour but have a few leftover.

If you'd like to snap one up, we recommend you keep your eyes peeled on the 4ad website for details.

The tracklisting for Moon Colony Bloodbath is:

A1 Surrounded
A2 Lucifer Rising
A3 Satori in Denver
B1 Scorpio Rising
B2 Sudden Oak Death
B3 Columns Pillars Steps
B4 Emerging

New Deerhunter mp3 Rainwater Cassette Exchange

Deerhunter will be releasing a new EP just in time for their tour here in June.

The 5 track Rainwater Cassette Exchange EP will be released digitally May 18 and physically June 8 through 4ad/ Remote Control.

Listen to the title track:
Rainwater Cassette Exchange [mp3]

Download from itunes here.

The Deerhunter shows are already selling well so we wouldn't leave it too much longer before snapping a ticket up!

DEERHUNTER'S DEBUT TOUR OF AUSTRALIA
Thu 11 Jun - Sydney, Manning Bar
Fri 12 Jun - Melbourne, Corner Hotel
Sat 13 Jun - Brisbane, The Zoo

Looking for mp3s?
Check out our free mp3 download page here!

New video from The Magistrates - Heartbreak

The Magistrates are a new signing to XL. Hailing from Essex, the musical melting pot that gave us The Prodigy, Blur and Depeche Mode, and thousands of weekend ravers, drinkers and dancers, Magistrates channel their love of 80’s house, early Prince and timeless iconic pop into something of their own.

The band self-released their debut single Make This Work last year and quickly caught the eye from music tastemakers:

“MGMT and Stevie Wonder mixed to disco perfection” – NME

“If you’ve ever wondered what might happen if Prince and David Bowie had been abandoned at birth and raised together in Essex, then wonder no more, as Magistrates are here to realize your wildest pop fantasies” – Dazed & Confused

The Magistrates will be releasing their follow up ep 'Heartbreak' through XL in late May.

Check out the video:

Elvis Perkins live on NPR

NPR are also streaming a live set from Elvis Perkins on their site.

They perform:
I Heard Your Voice in Dresden
Hours Last Stand
Stay Zombie + Shampoo

Check it out here.

TV On The Radio live on NPR

NPR have just uploaded some fantastic live sets.

Playing live as a four piece version of the band, sans Dave Sitek, the band performed four songs:

Love Dog
Family Tree
Crying
Stork & Owl

Check it out here.

New Jarvis Cocker mp3 Angela

Jarvis Cocker has a new mp3 Angela (lyrics here) from his forthcoming Steve Albini produced new album 'Further Complications'. And he has a new website too. Go have a look at him making a name for himself, literally.

Buy the album 'Further Complications' or the single 'Angela' on iTunes.

Looking for mp3s?
Check out our free mp3 download page here!

New St Vincent mp3 Actor Out Of Work

St Vincent's Actor Out Of Work is the next single taken from the upcoming album Actor.

Actor Out Of Work is where Clark gets into 'rock mode' if you like, a succinct concoction of fuzzed out guitars, horns and thumping drums clocking in at just over two minutes.

Though don’t be mistaken, this aint your ordinary middle-of-the-road rock track.

Miss Clarke’s melodies and inventive arrangements ensure that this is yet another one of her kooky creations, impossible to pigeon hole yet easy to love.

Actor Out Of Work [mp3]

Buy the album Actor from iTunes.

Actor Out Of Work 7" is out now.

The album Actor is out May 2 through 4ad/ Remote Control.

Ratatat announce supports and sell out Melbourne show

Ratatat have announced the supports for their national tour next month and sold out their Melbourne show!

Better hop to it if you're planning to catch them at their other shows.

Sat 2 May – Townsville, Groovin The Moo Festival w/ Architecture in Helsinki, De La Soul, The Drones, The Grates, Okkervil River and more

Sun 3 May – Byron Bay, Great Northern w/ Quan and DZ

Mon 4 May – Brisbane, HiFi Bar w/ Quan, Del Toro and Honky Kong DJ

Wed 6 May – Gold Coast, Coolangatta Hotel w/ Quan, Elke and Action DJs Ben Rama and Ruftuck

Thu 7 May – Wollongong, Waves w/ Tame Impala, Young & Restless, Fait Accompli and more

Fri 8 May – Sydney, Manning Bar w/ Quan, Qua, Dept & PhDJ

Sat 9 May – Maitland, Groovin The Moo Festival w/ Architecture in Helsinki, De La Soul, The Drones, The Grates, Okkervil River and more...

Sun 10 May – Canberra, ANU Bar w/ Quan and Qua

Fri 15 May – Melbourne, Corner Hotel w/ QUA and WORLDS END PRESS SOLD OUT!

Sat 16 May – Bendigo, Groovin The Moo w/ Architecture in Helsinki, De La Soul, The Drones, The Grates, Okkervil River and more...

Sun 17 May – Perth, Amplifier w/ These Shipwrecks and French Rockets

White Stripes News - White Stripes film?

Jack White sure as a hella busy year ahead of him.

Following the announcement of Jack's new band Dead Weather, self-titled mag published this interview with Jack White and Allison Mosshart.

As Pitchfork has gleaned, Jack's To Do list for 2009 includes a film, production on 4-5 albums, a photo/ song series at the Third Man Records HQ, touring and album release from Dead Weather and 'other pretty big stuff' for Third Man Records. See more on Pitchfork here.

And what is this about a White Stripes film? Well has Jack told Self-Titled Mag:

"Then also, Third Man Films. The White Stripes are releasing a film this year, and when I go back home in a few days, I’m going to mix all the music for that, which is like 40 songs, so that’s going to take a lot of time."

You can read the original Self-Titled Mag interview here.

Looking for mp3s?
Check out our free mp3 download page here!

New video - AC Newman on Letterman

In case you missed it on the box last night, here it is on the tube - AC Newman was on the Late Show with David Letterman performing 'Like A Hitman, Like A Dancer'.



AC Newman 'Get Guilty' is out now on Matador/ Remote Control.

Snowman nominated for WAMI

You can take Snowman out of Perth, but you can't take away Perth's love of their beloved Snowman.

The WAMI 2009 nomination list has been released and Perth expats Snowman, who have relocated to the UK, are up for Most Popular Album.

Winner is decided by Public Vote so get clicking!

2009 Public WAMi Award voting is now open at


www.perthnow.com.au
Voting closes 5:00pm AWST
Thursday 30 April

New video - Jeffrey Lewis and the news! With Noah And The Whale on The Guardian

Jeffrey Lewis just left our shores, but is back on our screens with his latest installment of Jeffrey Lewis TV for The Guardian UK:



Em Are I is out April 18 through Rough Trade.

New Breeders video and mp3

Like we told you last month, The Breeders have a new EP 'Fate To Fatal' that they are self-releasing.

Now you've seen the making of video, here's the finished product, and the mp3.



Fate To Fatal [mp3]

New video - St Vincent - Actor Out Of Work

The new clip from St Vincent. Actor Out Of Work from St Vincent's forthcoming new record Actor, out May 2 through 4ad/ Remote Control.

New video - Peaches - Talk To Me

The first official video from Peaches' new album, "I Feel Cream", out May 2 on XL/ Remote Control.

Directed by Price James.

New The xx MP3 - Crystalised

Introducing the latest band toted as the “next big things”. The xx.
Four 19 year olds from London producing music with the kind of brooding minimalism you’d expect from someone a lot more advanced in age.

Earlier this year, they put everyone in a flurry with their cover of the Womack and Womack track Teardrops. It seems the more we here from these guys, the more we hear that they are most certainly the ones to watch in 09’.

Their knack for tense, slow burning no-wave pop is obvious on their latest track Crystallised, taken from their debut album due out sooner hopefully than later this year.

Crystalised [mp3]



The xx's first 7" will be out soon through Young Turks/ XL, with a debut full-length to follow in September.

New Broken Records mp3 - Until The Earth Begins To Part

Armed with an onslaught of instruments including guitars, bass, violin, cello, accordion, mandolin, piano, trumpet, glockenspiel and drums (phew!), Broken Records are set to release their album Until The Earth Begins To Part.

The first taste is the album’s title track, a lush and layered arrangement that has a beautiful balance of horns, strings and lively, dynamic vocals.

In a statement the band said "we’re trying to do something different. People forget that music doesn’t have to be just bass, guitar and drums. It can be just as loud and exciting with glockenspiel and trumpet". After one listen we can safely say they’ve pretty much nailed it.

Until The Earth Begins To Part [mp3]

St Helens in your record store, on your radio and on a stage near you!

St Helens' debut album Heavy Profession is released today and if you're in Melbourne you'll be hard pressed to escape it.

Heavy Profession is album of the week at Triple R, with Jarrod and Hannah heading in for a chat and a couple of acoustic songs on Richard Moffat's 'Incoming' show on Wed 15th April at 5.30pm.

You can catch them playing a live set for PBS' The Easey Street Sessions between 3pm and 5pm on Easter Monday 13th April.

Then you can switch over to hear them on SYNFM's 'The Hoist' (who also made Heavy Profession their feature album) for a chat at 7.20pm.

And of course, you can now head to your local record store and buy it for yourself!

ALBUM LAUNCHES:
Sat 30 May - Melbourne, Northcote Social Club *ALBUM LAUNCH
Fri 26 Jun - Sydney, Spectrum *ALBUM LAUNCH
with other states to follow

Heavy Profession is out today through Dot Dash.

Jessica Says, Melbourne launch Good Friday

JESSICA SAYS
Melbourne launch of her debut album ‘We Need To Talk’
GOOD FRIDAY @ The Toff In Town
w/ DJ Jens Lekman, Dick Diver and Darren Sylvester

Just a quick reminder that the veritably talented Jessica Venables, aka Jessica Says will be launching her debut album in her hometown of Melbourne tomorrow night.

I'll Set The Night Upon You (feat. New Buffalo) [mp3]

'We Need To Talk' has made a deep impression on critics across the country:

"eloquent, affecting and downright gorgeous" - ****1/2 Album Of The Week, Beat & The Brag
"a compelling figure... a phenomenal debut" Inpress
"a guilt-free musical indulgence" J Mag
"a disarming debut... an elegant and touching recording from an excitingly fresh local voice" **** MX
"delicate but swooning classical-folk-pop songs" Rave
"a magical release .. a ghostly and blossoming talent" 9/10 Rip It Up
"an intelligent and affecting soundscape" **** The Age
"windswept, baroque and tender" - Melbourne Magazine
"with sweeping strings, melancholic piano and a voice that is part Kate Bush and part Joanna Newsom... Jessica Says has set the bar very high indeed" Xpress

INTERSTATE ALBUM LAUNCHES:
Sat 25 Apr – Adelaide, The Metro Hotel w/ Megafauna and Fair Maiden
Fri 15 May - Sydney, Hopetoun w/ Hugo Race

We Need To Talk is out now through Unstable Ape Records.

Jeffrey Lewis tours Melbourne, Adelaide & Perth this Easter

While the rest of us kick back for a relaxing Easter break, there is no resting for Jeffrey Lewis as he finishes his debut Australian tour supporting Darren Hanlon, ahead of the release of his new album Em Are I.

JEFFREY LEWIS
*supporting Darren Hanlon
Thu 9 Apr - Albury, Sodens*
Fri 10 Apr - Melbourne, Polyester Books Fitzroy Watchmen Lecture
Fri 10 Apr - Melbourne, Thornbury Theatre*
Sat 11 Apr - Melbourne, Polyester Records Flinders Lane MIDDAY INSTORE PERFORMANCE
Sat 11 Apr - Adelaide, Big Star Records 6pm Watchmen Lecture
Sat 11 Apr - Adelaide, Jive*
Sun 12 Apr - Freemantle, Mojos*
Mon 13 Apr - Perth, Quality Comics 5pm Watchmen Lecture
Mon 13 Apr - Perth, Devilles Pad*

Em Are I is out April 18 through Rough Trade/ Remote Control

Jeffrey Lewis TV - covering Louie Louie and Cut Your Hair

Caught one of Jeffrey Lewis' sets and now can't get enough of him?

Well The Guardian in the UK can't get enough of him either. In fact he's been doing a series of video episodes for their and his latest is especially good.

Here Jeffrey and his brother Jack, along with Herman Dune get jamming on a cover of the Kingsmen's Louie Louie:



But wait there's more:

Jeff & Laura Marling Vs Eminem

Keep an eye on the Guardian because there are bunch more that will be online in coming weeks.

Jeffrey Lewis is currently touring with Darren Hanlon, with a couple of headlines of his own plus his Watchmen lectures.

Em Are I is out April 18 through Rough Trade/ Remote Control.

New video - Micachu 'Lips'

Here's the new video for 'Lips' from Micachu's album Jewellery.



Speaking of Micachu, the lucky Death Of A Disco Dancer crew got to catch Micachu live at SXSW and took a snap after the show:

HAVING MICACHU & THE SHAPES POSE FOR US AFTER A CORKER SHOWCASE THE NIGHT BEFORE (As reported on Day 3: "Cute as buttons, the playful Brit trio steal sound ideas from ‘90s dance and churn it into chirpy leftfield pop."

New video - TV On The Radio 'Wolf Like Me' @ The Metro, Sydney

Time to get your diary out! Triple J filmed TV On The Radio's performance at The Metro Theatre in Sydney, back in January and will be airing it on Live At The Wireless in May.

In the meantime here is the footage of them performing Wolf Like Me at the show:



You can also catch Dancing Choose on the JJJ website here.

To catch the set in its entirety, tune into Live At The Wireless on Triple J on Monday 11th May at 8pm and Sunday 17th May at 5pm.

Looking for mp3s?
Check out our free mp3 download page here!

Lee Memorial take up the One Mic Challenge on TV tonight

Lee Memorial are bravely stepping up to the One Mic Challenge, live on Channel 31's Dancing About Architecture tonight.

If you're in Melbourne, tune in at 10pm to see how Karl, Laura and Maddie fair. Otherwise you can check it online later.

The Lives Of Lee Memorial is out now.

New track from The Horrors - Who Can Say

If you found the epic Sea Within A Sea single we posted up last month a bit too much to swallow, here’s something a little more short n’ sweet.

Who Can Say is the second taste of the oh so very soon to be released Primary Colours.

The lads seem pretty intent on starting a new chapter in their musical path, only subtle hints of their old stuff is evident in the new tracks and news has been circulating in the blogosphere that their onstage attire has seem to be toned down a few notches… hmm interesting.

Bringing to light their inspirations (or obsessions) with such musical staples as My Bloody Valentine and Jesus And Mary Chain Who Can Say matches a swampy, chugging bassline with a steady drumbeat and a middle eight of Shangri La-esque spoken word.

Have a listen to what all the fuss is about.

Who Can Say [mp3]

The Horrors' new album Primary Colours is out May 2.

New Jay Reatard video - DOA

That's right kids -

DEAD ON ARRIVAL
IS NO FUN

Got that?

DOA is the latest clip from Jay Reatard's Matador Singles '08.

Stereolab on hiatus

Aren't you glad you caught Stereolab on their recent Australian tour? Coz now they've gone on hiatus so it was their last run here for what looks like could be quite a while.

From the band's website via Pitchfork:

Apr 2nd ////
Hiatus/Sabbatical/Pause/Intermission/Breather
Dear All,

As we recently made #51 with Emperor Tomato Ketchup in the Amazon 100 Greatest Indie Rock Albums of all Time we feel that our work is done for the moment.
We have had to cancel the last two shows that we were scheduled to play, apologies to all that had bought tickets, and there are no plans to record new tracks.
Duophonic are working on the release of Chemical Chords 2, we also have plans for a new Switched On and remastering of the back catalogue.
We are are all going to have a bit of a rest now after nearly 19 years and work on a few other projects.
The website will still be updated and disks released but there won't be any new Stereolab product for a while.

Cheerio
Pikey

New Sonic Youth - Calming The Snake live video

Can't wait to hear the new Sonic Youth record 'The Eternal' due out in June?

Well this video of Calming The Snake shot by a fan in Chile should help wet the appetite:


via Stereogum.

The Eternal is out June.

Introducing Stuart Murdoch's God Help The Girl

Belle & Sebastien's Stuart Murdoch has a new project - God Help The Girl.

The project is a "a story set to music, which Stuart Murdoch has been working on intermittently for the last five years, its origin in some songs that were written while Belle and Sebastian were touring ‘Dear Catastrophe Waitress’ in 2004.

Here's mini doco about how it all came together:



http://www.godhelpthegirl.com/

God Help The Girl is due out June 20.

New Beirut video of entire live set at Music Hall of Williamsburg

Beirut have just released a new double EP and many of the songs can be seen and heard in this performance at the Music Hall of Williamsburg, captured by Baeble Music.




Set list:
East Harlem
***The Shrew***
The Concubine
Mimizan
La Javanaise
The Akara
Cozak
My Night With The Prostitute From Marseilles
Gulag Orkestar
Forks and Knives (La Fete)
Brazil

March of the Zapotec/Holland is out now.

Warren Ellis on The Sartorialist

The Dirty Three - unlikely fashion icons?

First it was drummer Jim White performing at a Chanel fashion launch (with Cat Power), rubbing shoulders with Karl Lagerfeld



And now Warren Ellis as you have never seen him - captured on the streets of Paris with his sons, by influential design/ street fashion blog The Sartorialist .

Where do you suppose we might see Mick Turner turn up?

VulgarGrad launch King Of Crooks in Hobart and Melbourne this weekend

VulgarGrad, that mysterious band of Russian criminals, launch their long-awaited new CD, ‘King of Crooks.’

You might have sampled their fantastic live performance from their past appearance on Spicks and Specks:



Fronted by Polish-born gravelly-voiced strongman and rough diamond of stage and screen, Jacek Koman, VulgarGrad are the only band in the country that play music by, for, and about Russian thieves: raucous drinking songs, melancholy waltzes, manic oompah and hot Soviet-era swing. Be prepared for a night of gun-slinging, vodka-swilling, foul-mouthed disorder, and watch out for the biggest, most triangular instrument around, the kontrabas balalaika. Wear a stripy top, learn to swear in Russian, and you will dance or the trumpeter will shoot you.

Fri 3 Apr – Tasmania, The Brisbane Hotel

Sat 4 Apr – Melbourne, Corner Hotel
Doors open 8.30pm
Barons of Tang 9.30pm
VulgarGrad on 10.30pm and 11.30pm

VulgarGrad ‘King of Crooks’ out now through Unstable Ape Records

http://www.vulgargrad.com/
http://www.myspace.com/vulgargrad

The National's Aaron Dessner interview on Dark Was The Night and new National album up on Pitchfork

Pitchfork have posted a lengthy interview with Aaron Dessner of The National about the Dark Was The Night compilation and work on the new album from The National. Read it here.

Micachu according to Grizzly Bear

Here is Micachu being interviewed by Grizzly Bear, talking music school, shapes and sun burn...



Micachu's album Jewellry is out now through Rough Trade/ Remote Control.

New Future Of The Left album announced

Andy Falkous stalkers (of which there seem to be NUMEROUS in Australia) rejoice!

Future Of The Left have announced details of their forthcoming album, the follow-up to 2007's debut Curses.

Travels With Myself And Another boasts twelve new tracks (including the latest single 'The Hope That House Built', out now) and is set to be released here on June 20.

Future Of The Left Travels With Myself And Another
RELEASED June 20 2009

1. Arming Eritrea
2. Chin Music
3. The Hope That House Built
4. Throwing Bricks At Trains
5. I Am Civil Service
6. Land Of My Formers
7. You Need Satan More Than He Needs You
8. That Damned Fly
9. Stand By Your Manatee
10. Yin/Post Yin
11. Drink Nike
12. Lapsed Catholics