Tours and Videos - The XX are coming to Australia!

The XX have been announced as performing at the Laneway Festivals in 2010!

Here's a taste of what Australian audiences can look forward to:



The XX will be playing Laneway Festivals across the country Jan/ Feb 2010:
Fri 29 Jan - Brisbane, Laneway Festival
Sat 30 Jan - Melborne, Laneway Festival
Sun 31 Jan - Sydney, Laneway Festival
Fri 5 Feb - Adelaide, Laneway Festival
Sat 6 Feb - Perth, Laneway Festival

More details here.

The XX's album XX is out now through Young Turks/ Remote Control.

News - Ned Collette And Wirewalker instore + album release

This Friday sees the release of Ned Collette And Wirewalker's album, Over The Stones, Under The Stars.

Since the release of his second album Future Suture, Ned has travelled the world, in and out of late night bars and dark venues, sometimes accompanied by his extraordinary band, sometimes alone – always with his solitary vision.

Over The Stones, Under The Stars is an album purposefully stripped of the orchestration that marked previous releases, conveying more of the fiery live experience of this unique band, forged from the last two years of performing around the world.

Don't forget to make your way down to Polyester Records (288 Flinders St Melbourne) tomorrow afternoon where you can experience Ned Collette And Wirewalker live as they drop in for a special performance. Everything kicks off at 6pm!

News: Ned Collette and Wirewalker film screening Melbourne

Melbourne folk, you are invited to a very special screeing at Glitch Bar & Cinema in North Fitzroy tomorrow night.

This time a year ago Ned Collette and Wirewalker embarked on a Europen tour with friend and filmmaker Natalie van den Dungen in tow.

The result was two film clips and a 12 minute documentary/live film/Rocky IV type montage.
Done in a simple fairly guerilla style fashion, the results faithfully capture Ned Collette and Wirewalker's first European tour experience.
The screening is your chance to see the doccumentary on a big screen, with great sound in the laid back environment of Glitch Bar & Cinema.

Everything kicks off at 7pm, at Glitch Bar & Cinema 318 St Georges Rd, Nth Fitzroy, just near the corner of Holden St.
Do not miss!

New MP3 and tour news - Fire! Santa Rosa, Fire

“One of Adelaide’s leading musical lights.” dB

“Caitlin Duff has the kind of voice that will make guys start dribbling

on their perfectly worn-in cons.” Drum Media Sydney

“Phenomenal” Rave

Fire! Santa Rosa, Fire! have spent the past couple of years being Adelaide’s best kept secret, playing enthusiastic and passionate shows supporting some of the best international and national touring acts around, including the Rapture's Matt B. Safer, Spank Rock, Sia, Midnight Juggernauts, Muscles, Young and Restless, Sarah Blasko, Red Riders, Something For Kate, Dappled Cities, and Snowman.

They have also done their fair share of the the festival circuit, playing at the Big Day Out, Parklife and Homebake.

The band’s debut album will be released late summer 2010 and will include their singles to date, War Coward and Animal Spirit Guide, plus this new gem, Witch House.

Witch House [mp3]

In true Fire! Santa Rosa, Fire! style, Witch House is an eclectic track with a stoner-rock swagger, matched with Caitlin Duff’s animated and infectious vocals.

The band recently played with The Bumblebeez, Bertie Blackman, and Sugar Army, and are shortlisted as one of the ten finalists for the 2009 Qantas Spirit Of Youth Award.

Fire! Santa Rosa, Fire! are:
David - Guitar, Vox Sam - Drums Josh - Bass Art - Synth Nate - Guitar Caitlin - Vox, Synth

Touring with ‘I Heart Hiroshima’
Fri 23 Oct - Geelong, National Hotel
Sat 24 Oct - Melbourne, Northcote Social Club
Sun 25 Oct - Adelaide, Enigma Bar
Fri 30 Oct - Port Macquarie, Laurieton Hotel
Sun 1 Nov - Sydney, Annandale Hotel
Sat 7 Nov - Meningie SA, LILKAFEST 2009

Fire! Santa Rosa, Fire! on myspace
Fire! Santa Rosa, Fire! website

The band’s debut album will be released late summer 2010 through Dot Dash/ Remote Control.

New video and tours: Emiliana Torrini side shows + Me And Armini remix video

*NEW VIDEO* Emiliana Torrini's Me and Armini (remix) from her Me and Armini EP

Emiliana Torrini has just announced two headline shows in Sydney and Melbourne in additional to her festival performances at Falls (sold out), Sunset Sounds and Southbound Festival.

To celebrate her upcoming tour, a Gold Edition of Emiliana Torrini’s stunning album Me and Armini has been released, with the bonus Me and Armini EP.

Included on the EP are remixes of the title track by Dan Carey (Franz Ferdinand, La Roux, CSS, Lily Allen and Hot Chip) and Italian dub producer Simone Lombardi.

MELBOURNE

Saturday January 2 - The Forum

Tickets on sale through Polyester (City & Fitzroy), and Ticketek online or 132 849

Presented by Inpress

SYDNEY

Tuesday January 5 - Enmore Theatre

Tickets on sale from The Enmore Theatre online, via 9550 3666, in person at the venue and Ticketek online or 132 849

Presented by Drum Media

Also appearing at:

FALLS MUSIC FESTIVAL (Marion Bay, TAS and Lorne, VIC – both sold out)

SUNSET SOUNDS (Brisbane, QLD)

SOUTHBOUND FESTIVAL (Busselton, WA)

Emiliana Torrini’s Me and Armini (album) featuring “Big Jumps” and “Jungle Drum” is out now on Rough Trade/ Remote Control. The Me and Armini EP (remixes) is also out now through Rough Trade/ Remote Control.

“Sweet, charming, effervescent, funny and delightfully honest; these are just some of the qualities that make Emiliana Torrini a natural entertainer.”
Faster Louder

“The blend of sonic adventurousness, stunning vocals (as always) and continually strong songwriting makesMe And Armini a near irresistible album”
Rave

EMILIANA TORRINI WEBSITE
EMILIANA TORRINI MYSPACE

Tour news: Pavement are back, and touring Australia!

The rumours are true, Pavement are indeed gracing our shores for an Australian tour.

Yes, Pavement are reforming.
Yes their very first shows announced since 1999 will be in Australia.
Yes one of those shows will be Saturday 6 March at Golden Plains festival in the Meredith Supernatural Amphitheatre, Victoria.

One of the most popular, important and influential bands in the history of modern music, Pavement disbanded in 1999 after releasing several masterwork albums, leaving a legacy as bona fide icons of what is now a massive scene.
That legacy has expanded exponentially to reach gigantic cultural proportions, so the announcement of the reformation and shows has seen an explosion of modern joy from discerning music lovers all over the globe.

Dates below:

SYDNEY
Thursday 4 March
Enmore Theatre
Tickets available from: Ticketek or 132 849,
The Enmore Theatre Box Office, Enmore Online or (02) 9550 3666
Presented by triple j and Drum Media


VICTORIA
Saturday 6 March
Golden Plains


ADELAIDE
Sunday 7 March
Thebarton Theatre
Tickets available from: Venuetix or (08) 8225 8888
Presented by triple j and Rip It Up


PERTH
Monday 8 March
Metro City
Tickets available from: Tickets from Megatix or 1300 634 284
Presented by triple j and Drum Media Perth


BRISBANE
Wednesday 10 March
The Tivoli
Tickets available from: Ticketek or 132 849
or Rocking Horse Records ph: (07) 3229 5360
Presented by triple j and Time Off


MELBOURNE
Friday 12 March
The Palace
Tickets available from: Ticketek or 132 849
Greville Records, Polyester Records (City & Fitzroy stores), The Espy Hotel and The National Hotel (Geelong).
Presented by triple j and Inpress

To celebrate the upcoming reunion tour, Pitchfork has posted up a Pavement docco made in 2002 featuring live performances and interviews with the band. The full 90 minute doco is up for one week only. Don't miss out!

Tour news - Micachu and The Shapes announce debut Australian tour

"I saw her in London, in June, a year ago and I was really excited about her. I thought it was that sort of 'do it yourself' approach, with all these little guitars and her attitude was really fresh… think it's really, really fun. (She) is a bit of a prankster really, isn't she?" - Bjork

Micachu and The Shapes have announced their debut Australian tour.

In 2008, a 21 year old released two limited edition 7" singles and scored an instrumental piece for the London Philharmonic Orchestra. The piece was performed at the Royal Festival Hall and played at the BBC Electric Proms to range of guests including Oasis, Goldfrapp and Burt Bacharach(!). The 21 year old was Mica Levi AKA Micachu.

Micachu with backing from The Shapes (Marc Pell - Drums, Raisa Khan - Keys & Electronics) are a treat to behold. Coming straight out of the East End of London, Micachu and The Shapes are one of the freshest acts to emerge on the indie/alternative scene in recent years.

Their rawkus sound is utterly infectious and has been pricking ears around the world. Absorbing electro-pop, wonky rhythms and edgey Brit Rock within stunning production is garnering them critical acclaim across the board.

Micachu’s debut album Jewellery, released earlier this year, has been described as "an extraordinary introduction to a unique new talent". Little wonder then that Micachu has already won a fan in experimental-pop pioneer Bjork.

This new band of 21 year olds are about to have a major impact.

“An ear-bashing of crazy-paving beats, junk-shop punk, electronic drones and deceptively mellifluous bedsit pop” - The Times

Micachu and The Shapes on Myspace

Popfrenzy Presents Micachu & The Shapes

Monday January 4


MELBOURNE - The John Curtin Hotel with special guests

Tickets on sale Friday October 16 from www.moshtix.com.au or 1300 GET TIX

Friday January 8
PERTH - Amplifier with special guests
Tickets on sale Friday October 16 from www.moshtix.com.au or 1300 GET TIX

Sunday January 10
SYDNEY - Days Like This Festival with Cat Power & Dirty Delta Blues, Roots Manuva, Ugly Duckling and others
Tickets available now from www.dayslikethis.com.au

Jewellery is out now on Rough Trade/ Remote Control

The Veils unveil November Australian dates

THE VEILS announce their long awaited Australian tour dates!
Wednesday 25 November - The Zoo, Brisbane
Friday 27 November - Oxford Arts Factory, Sydney
Saturday 28 November - The Toff In Town, Melbourne

Having released their third album SUN GANGS to worldwide critical acclaim earlier this year, talk of an Australian tour has been highly anticipated.

Australian’s have had a long distance love affair with The Veils since the release of their debut album ‘The Runaway Found’ and then with the Triple J anthem ‘Advice For Young Mothers To Be’ from the ‘Nux Vomica’ album. The last Australian tour saw the band sell out shows in Melbourne and Sydney.

The Veils are Finn Andrews, (vocals, guitar, piano, New Zealand) Sophia Burn, (bass, New Zealand) Dan Raishbrook (guitar, odd noise, England) and Raife Burchell (drums, England).

Finn’s father Barry Andrews was a founding member of the highly influential group XTC in the late 1970s, later going on to tour with the likes of Robert Fripp & Brian Eno, Iggy Pop & David Bowie.

In ‘Sun Gangs’ The Veils have brought Finn’s early influences full circle, and created a record that truly lives up to the huge promise and talent that they have always exhibited. Their live shows continue to receive rave reviews throughout the world, with the LA Times recently posting

“... as far as their set last night went, it was probably the most moving, unsettling and unexpectedly haunting thing I've seen in rock music this year... terrifying in all the best ways."

Tickets on sale now. Shows will sell out so be sure to purchase tickets early.
Wednesday 25 - The Zoo, Brisbane - Oztix 1300 762 545 www.oztix.com.au
Friday 27 - Oxford Arts Factory, Sydney - Moshtix 1300 Get Tix (438 849) www.moshtix.com.au
Saturday 28 - The Toff In Town, Melbourne - Moshtix 1300 Get Tix (438 849) www.moshtix.com.au

New album Sun Gangs out now on Rough Trade/ Remote Control

Future Of The Left announce Australian sideshows

Future Of The Left fans rejoice!
The welsh trio have announed sideshows for January 2010.

Falkous and co. will play three east coast shows in addition to playing the
Falls Festival and Southbound.
Matching brutal intensity with brilliant lyrical bite like no-one else, Future Of The Left are known for their highly volatile, knockout live shows.

TICKETS ON SALE FRIDAY OCTOBER 16



BRISBANE
Sunday January 3
The Zoo
Tickets from through Oztix phone sales 1300 762 545, The Zoo, Rockinghorse Records (City), Kill The Music (City), Butterbeats (City & Valley), Bombay Rock (Townsville), Cooly Hotel (Coolangatta), Disasterpiece (Southport), Gooble Warming (West End), Great Western (Rockhampton), Moshpit Music (Maroochydore), Rockaway Records (Springwood), Sands Tavern (Maroochydore) & Sunflower Music (Broadbeach)
Presented by Rave

SYDNEY
Thursday January 7
The Annandale Hotel
Tickets from the venue, online at the Annandale Hotel or 02 9550 1078
Presented by Drum Media

MELBOURNE
Friday January 8
Corner Hotel
Tickets from Corner Hotel Box Office on 03 9427 9198 or online at the Corner Hotel
Presented by RRR & Beat

Also appearing at:
Falls Festival (Marion Bay, TAS and Lorne, VIC - Sold Out)
For more info click here.
Southbound Festival (Busselton, WA)
For more info click here.




Travels With Myself And Another is out now through 4AD/Remote Control

Hear the brand spankin' new Vampire Weekend track Horchata

Vampire Weekend are offering you an exclusive free download of Horchata; the first track off Contra - the band's highly anticipated full length follow up to 2008’s gold selling debut.

Contra is bustling with fresh ideas, and yet it sounds immediately familiar; it’s heavily layered but taut and kinetic; it chews ravenously through sound palettes and rhythms, and yet it’s nimble and assured; it’s still breezy, and yet it smolders with a newfound emotional heft. The songs are catchy, fast, twinkling, clattering.

“I think we sound more like Vampire Weekend than we did on the first record,” says drummer Christopher Tomson.

“It’s sadder than the first one, a bit more sentimental,” says singer Ezra Koenig.

Click 'Embed' below to get your own Vampire Weekend player

DOWNLOAD: Horchata [mp3]


Vampire Weekend's new album Contra is due out in Australia on 8th January 2010 through XL/ Remote Control.

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

Ned Collette + Wirewalker video Come Clean + AOL Spinner mp3 of the day

Ned Collette + Wirewalker are already being picked up on the international radar with their track Come Clean chosen by AOL Spinner as mp3 of the day!

Here is the brand new film clip for the track, directed by Natalie van den Dungen

You will be able to find Come Clean on Ned Collette + Wirewalker's new album 'Over The Stones, Under The Stars' out Oct 23 through Dot Dash.

Touring November:
Fri 13 Nov - Adelaide, Metro* (tickets on sale here)
Fri 20 Nov - Bateman's Bay, North St Bar
Sat 21 Nov - Sydney, Raval (tickets on sale here)
Fri 27 Nov - Melbourne, Northcote Social Club (tickets on sale here)
Sat 28 Nov - Hobart, Alley Cat
[All shows will be with Teeth & Tongue except * with Laura Jean]

nedcollette.com
myspace.com/nedcollette

The Mountain Goats vs Safran + Father Bob

This Sunday tune in to Triple J to here John Darnielle of The Mountain Goats take on John Safran and Father Bob.

Sunday night Safran will be speaking to Darnielle about the latest release from The Mountain Goats, The Life Of The World To Come.

Each of the track titles from the album is a chapter and verse of the bible, so Safran and Father Bob decided Darnielle would be the perfect subject for their segment 'Religious Song Of The Week'.

It's sure to be an entertaining and lively chat. For those of you familiar with Father Bob Macguire, you'd know he's not your run of the mill priest! The much loved padre recently caused a public outcry when the church asked for the 75 year old's resignation. He has a blog, twitter and podcast too, and of course loves to give John Safran a run for his money on their Sunday night show.

Tune in 9pm on Triple J. You can stream it here, otherwise it should be up on the site for the following week here.

Listen to the interview here:
John Darnielle vs John Safran + Father Bob 4/10/09 [mp3]

[interview at 1:16:00]

The Life Of The World To Come is out TODAY Fri Oct 2 through 4ad/ Remote Control.

Wolf And Cub 'Hearts' tour starts this week

Wolf And Cub hit the road this week to embark on their second national tour for the year.
They are known for absolutely tearing it up live and
receive rave reviews whenever they hit the stage.
Do not miss!


Thursday 1st October
Wollongong Uni, Wollongong NSW
www.posse.com
www.bigtix.com.au
Unishop: 02 4221 8050
Redback Music: 02 4229 6169

Friday 2nd October
Brewery Newcastle, Newcastle, NSW
FREE GIG

Saturday 3rd October
Oxford Art Factory, Sydney, NSW
www.posse.com
Moshtix 1300 GET TIX (438 849) www.moshtix.com.au

Friday 9th October
Northcote Social, Melbourne, VIC
www.posse.com
Venue: (03) 94861677 www.northcotesocialclub.com

Saturday 10th October
Northcote Social, Melbourne, VIC
www.posse.com
Venue: (03) 94861677 www.northcotesocialclub.com

Saturday 17th October
One Movement Festival, Perth WA
www.posse.com
www.onemovementmusic.com

Friday 30th October
The Zoo, Brisbane, QLD
www.posse.com
www.thezoo.com.au
Oztix: 1300 762 545 www.oztix.com.au

Saturday 31st October
Coolangatta Hotel, Coolangatta, QLD
www.posse.com
Oztix 1300 762 545 www.oztix.com.au

Magic Dirt release EP as part of their tribute to Dean Turner

Alongside their October/November tour Magic Dirt release the White Boy EP, as part of their tribute to Dean Turner, who passed away on August 21.

The EP was one of the final recording projects Dean assembled. Alongside White Boy, lifted from the band’s latest album Girl, the EP includes two special guest vocalists. Rowland S Howard duets with Adalita on the song Summer High and Gareth Liddiard of The Drones joins her on Love Is The Armour. Both tracks were produced by Dean.

The EP also features two previously unreleased songs, Deep In A Net Of Red and Valley Of The Rose, plus Future Fuck, from a now deleted 2008 tour EP.

The band is also bringing one other final plan of Dean’s to fruition - a DVD of the recent videos they made for the songs White Boy, Romy and Bring Me The Head Of... which will be given away free to some lucky fans at the band’s up-coming gigs.

Magic Dirt comment, "It was Dean’s idea to giveaway the first 100 copies of the DVD to our fans at the live shows. Dean felt it was vital to include our audience as part of the whole creative process and it was important for him to give something back to the fans. Dean was deeply pragmatic and always thinking ahead. We wish to honour his hard working spirit with these shows, to unite with our audience that has so deeply shown their respect, appreciation and love for Dean and his music."

Magic Dirt announce shows as tribute to Dean Turner

Magic Dirt are set to play a run of shows as a tribute to Dean Turner.

Dean founded Magic Dirt in 1992 and played bass in the band until he passed away on August 21 this year. Dean and Magic Dirt had planned a tour in August; however Dean’s deteriorating condition led to its cancellation.

The October/November tour is the band’s loving tribute to their dear friend. It offers Magic Dirt and their fans an opportunity to give Dean the rousing and rowdy send-off he so richly deserves.

OCTOBER

Thu 15 Oct - Adelaide, The Governor Hindmarsh
Fri 16 Oct - Casterton, Casterton Town Hall
Sat 17 Oct - Warrnambool, The Loft
Sat 24 Oct - Ballarat, Karova Lounge
Wed 28 Oct - Melbourne, Corner Hotel
Fri 30 Oct - Geelong, National Hotel

NOVEMBER

Thu 5 Nov - Manly, Manly Fishos
Fri 6 Nov - Sydney, Annandale Hotel
Sat 7 Nov - Orange, Freshly Plucked Festival

Adalita, Raul and Adam from the band said when announcing the tour, "Dean loved playing live. He liked to play loud and hard and give it all he had - 110% all the way. We are so proud of Dean’s legacy and the gifts he has left with us: his perseverance, passion and commitment to the music, his endearing boyish fun, his invigorating and uplifting attitude on that long hard road and his pure punk rock spirit on stage, behind the scenes and around us at all times."

Matt Sonic from Sons of the Sun and Matt Sonic & the High Times will play bass with the band on the tour.
Matt is a close friend of the band, (Dean produced the first Sons of the Sun record) and previously deputised when Dean was unable to play shows.

Darren Sylvester Album Launch

Put it in your diaries:

Darren Sylvester launches his debut album on
Saturday the 10th of October at The Toff In Town,
Second Floor, Curtin House, 252 Swanston Street, Melbourne.

He will be joined by renowned folk-rock group,
Kes Band and super pop girls, The Icypoles.

Taking musical cues drifting from Roxy Music and Berlin-era Bowie to other current single-band performers such as LA’s Ariel Pink and John Maus, Sylvester’s live experience of the new-new-wave is performed with guitars, synths and a duplicate of New Orders 1983 drum kit.

Lyrically he encompasses themes seldom touched in contemporary pop, such as chemotherapy in the high octane strut of That’s a Nice Haircut; the malaise of factory work in Twenty Three and Phil Spector, a ballad about – and using – only Phil Spector’s favourite chords.

His debut album has been described as:

“a mix of wit, homage and melodic brilliance … making this strange art-pop artefact an unqualified success.”
Michael Dwyer (EG, THE AGE)

“What he came up with just happens to be a contender for the slickest pop album of the year.” (INPRESS)

“There’s an early-career T.Rex swagger to Darren Sylvester’s debut album…
a finely pitched and accomplished record.”
4/5 stars. (M Magazine, THE AGE)

“Sylvester’s debut delivers an irrevocable sense of suave and sedate pop melodrama.”
(BEAT)

8/10 (Vice Magazine)

+ INPRESS Single of the week for That’s a Nice Haircut

Tickets are $9 + booking fee presale or $12 on the door

On sale from Moshtix:
http://www.moshtix.com.au/event.aspx?id=30264&ref=moshtix
or phone: 1300 GET TIX (438 849)
or Moshtix outlets including Polyester (City)

Ned Collette + Wirewalker reveal details of album #3, tour dates and new mp3.

The creation of an album is a time of alchemy, as the sounds in an artist’s head take on tangible form. It’s a time of enchantment and good fortune, when thoughts become deeds, which in turn become captured moments and future memories.

However, from another perspective, the creation is only the start of the process. The music takes on a life of its own, beating its own path and forging its own identity out in the world. The musician’s life becomes defined and determined by the course the music takes.

This has been the case for Ned Collette. In the two years since the release of his sophomore work, Future Suture, his music has led him around the globe, in and out of late night bars and dark venues, sometimes accompanied by his extraordinary band, sometimes alone – always with his solitary vision.

The new creation is Over The Stones, Under The Stars, an album purposefully stripped of theorchestration that marked previous releases, conveying more of the fiery live experience of this unique band, forged from the last two years of performing around the world. Ned also adds piano, organ and mellotron to his usual axe slinging.

The first single taken from the album is Come Clean

Ned Collette + Wirewalker - Come Clean [mp3]

In November the caravan rolls on, as Ned Collette + Wirewalker tour Australia.
All shows will be with Teeth &
Tongue except * with Laura Jean:

Fri 13 Nov - Adelaide, Metro*

Fri 20 Nov - Bateman's Bay, North St Bar

Sat 21 Nov - Sydney, Raval (tickets here)

Fri 27 Nov - Melbourne, Northcote Social Club

Sat 28 Nov - Hobart, Alley Cat

Early in 2010 Ned Collette + Wirewalker will relocate long-term to Europe, with a continental tour organized by their European agent commencing in May.

Over The Stones, Under The Stars is released October 23rd on Dot Dash.

Vampire Weekend reveal details of second album

Does this girl look familiar?
You may have seen her nordic face mysteriously popping up all over music blogs of late.

Today it has been revealed as the album cover for Vampire Weekend's highly anticipated second album.

Contra is the follow up to the band's gold-selling self-titled debut album.

Also revealed was the album's tracklisting:

01 Horchata
02 White Sky
03 Holiday
04 California English
05 Taxi Cab
06 Run
07 Cousins
08 Giving Up the Gun
09 Diplomat's Son
10 I Think Ur a Contra

Salivating fans will have to wait until January 8th 2010 when it will be released through XL via Remote Control. In the meantime, be sure to keep an eye our blog for further updates.

New Kurt Vile album Childish Prodigy out Oct 2

A while ago we announced Matador's signing of über-talented Philly singer-songwriter Kurt Vile.

Vile’s second album Childish Prodigy will be out in Australia on October 2. Matador tell us "this absorbing, addictive and richly detailed album covers an immense amount of ground compared to its predecessor, from the pounding stomp of Hunchback and the hypnotic beat of Freak Train” to the unexpected, soaring trumpet in Amplifier."

Here is the first MP3 from Childish Prodigy, the lovely, haunting “Overnite Religion”:



Overnite Religion [mp3]

Childish Prodigy will be out in October 2 through Matador/ Remote Control

Go on hang with Friendly Fires!

Channel V and Friendly Fires are getting together on the Sunday Sep 20 @ 11.30am.

They will be aired on a 30-minute special of Channel V ‘Hanging With’ scheduled to go to air September 20th.

The ‘Hanging With’ saw the V crew following the band everywhere, starting one day of filming learning how to cook with celebrity chef/Jaime Oliver’s head chef Ben in the hinterland of Byron.

JJJ Live At The Wireless will also replay Friendly Fires THIS Sunday at 6pm, recorded at Melbourne’s very own Prince Of Whales.

And better yet, if you haven’t seen it already check out Friendly Fires ‘Kiss Of Life’ video rating #10 most flogged on V.

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

Look out! Love Of Diagrams coming your way

Love Of Diagram's new album Nowhere Forever is out and has been causing quite the stir.

ALBUM OF THE WEEK at

RRR Melbourne

SYN Melbourne

RTR Perth

FBI Sydney

Edge Radio Hobart

MX Newspaper

Fasterlouder

And now Love Of Diagrams set about taking their album to the punters live.

The band will be launching their album around the country from next week in
MELBOURNE Fri Sep 11 - Northcote Social Club [tickets on sale]
SYDNEY Thu 17 Sep - The Annandale [tickets on sale]
ADELAIDE Fri Oct 2 - The Jade Monkey
with dates in BRISBANE, PERTH and HOBART to be announced shortly

If you can't get enough
- the band talk us through the album track by track on Mess & Noise.
- perform a live to air set on Rebellious Jukebox on PBSFM Melbourne this Saturday 5th Sep, stream it live from 10.30pm AEST
- and Luke and Antonia have a chat and guest programme on RRR's Transference next Tue 8th Sep, stream it live from 5.30pm AEST

Nowhere Forever is out now through Unstable Ape/ Remote Control.

Are you ready for The Real Feel from Spiral Stairs?

After a five-year absence, Pavement guitarist and Preston School Of Industry mainman SPIRAL STAIRS (Scott Kannberg) returns with The Real Feel, his bona fide solo debut.

It’s a heart-on-sleeve (but occasionally tongue-in-cheek) song cycle about his complicated personal life. This album is by far the most crafted and introspective of Spiral’s post-Pavement works.

The album was recorded in Australia with a diverse crew of talented people including members of The Posies, Gersey, Ian Moore and others. The Real Feel was mixed by The Posies’ Jon Auer,

Spiral maintains his trademark melodic whoops and Flying Nun guitar licks, but overlays a layer of melancholy and wisdom, as well as a touch of Peter Green blues. Alert listeners will also spot Richard Thompson, Captain Beefheart and The Died Pretty.

Maltese Terrier [mp3]

Please note no raccoons were harmed during the making of the album artwork. Not by us, anyway.

The Real Feel is out October 16 through Matador/ Remote Control.

Vale Dean Turner

We were devastated to hear of the passing of Dean Turner of Magic Dirt over the weekend. Dean was a genuine, generous and gentle soul. A founding member of Magic Dirt, Dean was a talented and dedicated musician and producer. His enthusiasm for creating music with Magic Dirt as well as encouraging and helping young bands in their own creative pursuits was always inspiring. Dean's positivity was infectious and he was always seeking to use his experience and knowledge from his years with Magic Dirt to nurture and champion new talent. He was always enthusing about a new band he'd stumbled across that we should check out and was so supportive of many of the local bands on our roster. We will all miss him greatly. Our thoughts and love go out to Dean's family and friends.
R.I.P.



Magic Dirt have issued this statement:

Magic Dirt's beloved Dean Turner passed away on Friday August 21st, 2009.

For nine years, Dean battled an extremely rare form of soft tissue cancer called dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans (DFSP). This cancer became life threatening after it began to metastasize and cause various fatal tumours.

Being a very private man, Dean chose to fight the cancer in a quiet and dignified manner. He displayed great courage and incredible stoicism. And above all else he had an unshakeable positive attitude throughout his long ordeal.

His composure and grace during this time will never be forgotten and is an inspiration to us all.

As a founding member of Magic Dirt, Dean was the linchpin, the heart and soul of the band. He was the rock, the glue, the oracle, the cool filter. He was deeply dedicated and passionate about the music he made and the impact the band had on peoples lives.

Dean always came up with fantastic ideas but he tempered these ideas with a rock solid work ethic and made them not only real but a success.

Dean's bass playing and sound is unique and unmistakable. With a great flow and organic playing style, Dean dug deep into his role as bass player, supporting and creating a bedrock, the backbone of the Magic Dirt sound. And fans will never forget his melodic riffing, heavy thunder, sonic shimmers and noise fests at Magic Dirt's live shows.

Dean worked tirelessly because music was one of the greatest joys in his life.

Sadly, Dean had many projects and goals he wanted to achieve that will remain unrealised.

Dean championed a lot of Australian music, always interested in giving young bands a go, he was generous with his time and advice to those that sought his council.

Dean was also a band manager, being instrumental in the rise of Brisbane band Violent Soho, he guided and tended the band and had an immensely positive impact on them.

Dean was also an in demand producer. His vision and stabilizing effect in the recording studio allowed many bands the opportunity to realize their dreams of making great records. He produced such bands as Violent Soho, theredsunband, Gersey, Sons of the Sun and lastly worked on Adalita's (Magic Dirt's front woman) first solo album.

But the greatest joy and proudest achievement in Dean's life is his family. He was an extremely dedicated and loving father and husband. His wife Linda and two children were the loves of his life and he cherished them with all his being. In the last nine years during his battle with the cancer he did everything he could to stay with them despite the pain and suffering he was enduring.

He had a profound effect on people, always leaving a warm and inspiring feeling.

The surviving Magic Dirt members, Adalita, Raul and Adam are absolutely devastated at their loss and cannot fathom a future without him. Above all else they will remember Dean as their beautiful and precious friend.

Kind, gentle, very funny and witty, had impeccable taste, a joy to be around, a great storyteller, extremely trustworthy, honest, direct, a diamond mind. They are so very proud of Dean's brave fight and will do everything in their power to ensure that Dean's legacy of integrity and spirit lives on.

The band has postponed their upcoming tour until further notice.

Magic Dirt's love and thoughts go out to Dean's family and to his wife Linda and two children.

Young And Restless No More - Final Show This Friday

Dot Dash are sad to announce that Young And Restless have decided to call it a day. The band blogged on their Myspace overnight “through relocating interstate, lineup changes, touring and recording we have all had our share of amazing times, but in the last few weeks it has become clear that this is the end of the road for our band.”

Originally forming in Canberra in 2005, their raucous noise and riotous shows saw them rise from obscurity to notoriety in no time, winning Triple J Unearthed 2006, and playing Homebake that year. 2007 was a huge year for the band - their debut self-titled debut was released through Dot Dash, they won Triple J Unearthed and the Unearthed J award as well as the SOYA award. Last year the band toured to singer Karina Utomo and brother/ drummer Nugie Utomo’s home country of Indonesia, to play packed out shows complete with massive billboards of the band and military security!

The band played countless headline shows around Australia as well as touring with the likes of Midnight Juggernauts, Shihad, Erase Errata, Cansei Der Sexy and Love Is All.

Make sure you don’t miss your last chance to see the band tear it up!

Young & Restless play their final show at The Arthouse this Friday August 21.

For the full band statement click here.

Snowman play La Route Du Rock Festival, France this weekend

Snowman have been invited to play La Route Du Rock Festival in Saint Malo (France) this Friday. The band will be replacing The Horrors who had to pull out due to illness, and will be sharing the bill with the likes of My Bloody Valentine, Tortoise, Deerhunter and Crystal Stilts. Snowman hit stage at 2.30 am right after A Place to Bury Strangers.

After this show we will play a London show at the Legion (348 Old Street, Hackney) Sunday 16/08/09. We will be on stage around 10pm.

The band have been sinking their teeth into life in the UK. They have been busy writing new songs for their next record - word is they have stepped into the light after their post-apocalyptic sounding record The Horse, The Rat and The Swan of 2008. And they all headed to Iceland last month for the wedding of drummer Ross to bass player Olga! Awww...

We can't wait to hear the new sounds! Maybe the lucky French buggers will get to hear some of the new tunes this weekend.

You can follow their overseas movements by joining their group on Facebook.

The Mountain Goats Go Biblical

John Darnielle and co have announced the release of a new album due out in October this year titled The Life Of The World To Come.

When questioned about the premise of the upcoming album, Darnielle says "It’s twelve new songs: twelve hard lessons the Bible taught me, kind of."

With a tracklisting that reads like a Sunday school's curriculum you'd be forgiven for thinking that The Mountain Goats may have gone all Christian Rock on us!
Though Darnielle insists it isn't an album detailing a "religious awakening" rather an immersion in Biblical poetry and imagery.

Intriguing!

Take a listen to the first track from the album Genesis 3:23.

Genesis 3:23 [mp3]


The Life of the World to Come:

1 1 Samuel 15:23
2 Psalms 40:2
3 Genesis 3:23
4 Philippians 3:20-21
5 Hebrews 11:40
6 Genesis 30:3
7 Romans 10:9
8 1 John 4:16
9 Matthew 25:21
10 Deuteronomy 2:10
11 Isaiah 45:23
12 Ezekiel 7 and the Permanent Efficacy of Grace

SYDNEY - Julian Plenti album launch @ Purple Sneakers tomorrow night!

New Atlas Sound album and mp3

Deerhunter’s Bradford Cox is back with a new release under his solo guise, Atlas Sound, for another round of ethereal pop genius with his second solo album, Logos.

Whilst its predecessor (Let The Blind Lead Those Who Can See But Cannot Feel, 2007) was a record of fragile beauty and acute experimentalism in comparison to the often volatile bluster of Deerhunter, Logos has a far more rooted pop sensibility.

A draft version of the album leaked on the internet last year. Understandably, Cox was not happy Jan! In fact he almost abandoned the project but thank goodness he didn't.

Bradford says, "My last album was a bedroom laptop type thing. Very introverted. Logos is an album that was recorded all over the world. It's not about me. There are collaborations with other musicians. The lyrics are not autobiographical. The view is a lot more panoramic and less close-up. I became bored with introspection. This was also the case Deerhunter's Microcastle LP, which was written during the same period."

At its heart is ‘Walkabout’, a collaboration between Cox and Noah Lennox (Panda Bear) put together whilst he was on tour with Animal Collective in Europe. Combining their love for tape loops and doo-wop, the track lifts the hook from The Dovers’ classic 1966 garage track ‘What Am I Going To Do?’ to form a glorious summertime jam.

Walkabout [mp3]

Elsewhere Stereolab’s Laetitia Sadier also lends her vocals to the kaleidoscopic motorik number, ‘Quick Canal’.

The tracklisting is as follows:
'The Light That Failed'
'An Orchid'
'Walkabout' ft. Noah Lennox (Panda Bear)
'Criminals'
'Attic Lights'
'Sheila'
'Quick Canal' ft. Laetitia Sadier (Stereolab)
'My Halo'
'Kid Climax'
'Washington School'
'Logos'

Read more of Bradford Cox's interview with Stereogum about Logos here.
Logos is out in October through 4ad/ Remote Control

New Cave Singers album and mp3 Beach House

Matador have announced the second album from Seattle’s Cave Singers is due in August. "It is entitled ‘Welcome Joy’ and adds a world of color and nuance to the already great songs from their 2007 debut. The trio of Peter Quirk, Derek Fudesco and Marty Lund were joined on this record by Amber Webber (Black Mountain, Lightning Dust) and Ashley Webber (Lightning Dust). They recorded the album at The Hive in Vancouver with Colin Stewart.

Our first MP3 is the gorgeous, brooding, building Beach House":

Beach House [mp3]

Welcome Joy is out in August through Matador/ Remote Control.

New Times New Viking mp3, album on way

Times New Viking have a new album on its way. According to Matador, the Columbus based trio delivered their second album for the label on VHS tape and if this first mp3 taster is anything to go by, it's going to be packed with more lofi pop goodness.

No Time To Hope [mp3]

The release date for the new album, Born Again Revisited is yet to be announced.

New Yo La Tengo live footage

As we mentioned last week, Yo La Tengo have a new record coming out this September. It is called 'Popular Songs' and you can hear the first single Periodically Double Or Triple here.

You can watch the band perform another track "Nothing To Hide" from what will be the band's 12th album, on French TV here. It's YLT at their noisy best.



Popular Songs is due out September through Matador/ Remote Control. Can't wait!

New AC Newman live album out now

Surprise! AC Newman has dropped a live album on us and it's out today through iTunes only.

It is called "Live From Montreal" and was recorded 12th March 2009 at the Sainte-Catherine Apple Store.

Tracklisting is:
1. There Are Maybe Ten or Twelve
2. Miracle Drug
3. Like A Hitman, Like A Dancer
4. Prophets
5. Secretarial
6. The Heartbreak Rides
7. The Palace At 4 A.M.
8. All Of My Days And All Of My Days Off
9. Submarines of Stockholm

It's an iTunes exclusive so if you want to hear it, head overe there.

White Stripes rarity exclusives available via subscription

Third Man Records, Jack White's label, has launched an online subscription service which will give members access to pre-sale tickets, T-Shirts, rare vinyl and rare videos only available to subscribers.

The subscription service is called The Vault and will be available for all Third Man Records projects which are mainly Jack White's various bands ie White Stripes, Raconteurs/ Saboteurs, Dead Weather.

It will be a two tiered system - premium and platinum membership, the latter also getting access to an exclusive Third Man 12" LP, 7" and tshirt every 3 months. For those interested in the platinum membership which comes with extra goodies for a higher fee, if you sign up before July 21 you'll receive a double album of The White Stripes LP Icky Thump featuring an exclusive MONO mix, 180 Gram Vinyl and customized artwork. For more details check here.

To launch The Vault, Jack White wrote a blog entry - read it here.

The Big Pink announce debut album

[image from under the radar]

From 4ad:

As recording starts to come to a close out in New York, The Big Pink have revealed the title of their forthcoming debut record, due September.

Speaking to 6Music, Milo Cordell discussed how A Brief History Of Love came to be the title for the release.

"Every song is a love song to some degree, about every different aspect of love.

"The good, the bad, the boring, the exciting, the dreams, the nightmares, the whole thing and I guess that’s what encompasses the whole album, and we have a song called ‘A Brief History Of Love’ so it’s apt."

Currently still recording out in Manhattan with various production teams, Milo declared the heritage of the studio where they were recording had been crucial to the way they had gone about putting the album together.

"It’s been great doing it in New York, being in Electric Lady. We recorded it in the same room as Combat Rock by The Clash."

Partner Robbie Furze also revealed certain dimensions to their sound were developed as a result of them making the most of the studio.

"We’ve got Bowie’s piano, the one that he played on, we’ve actually got on our record.

"There’s a couple of slower ones that we don’t play live," Furze added. "We actually wrote a new song out in Electric Lady which came very quickly in that room.”

As part of our monthly mailout we have another competition for you to enter, this time with the chance to win one of the copies of the band's Japanese EP release, This Is Our Time. To be in with the running to win sign up to the 4AD mailing list.

More details on the record and the much-anticipated video for 'Stop The World' expected shortly.

In the meantime here is more to intrigue you:

Jay Reatard live on The Daily Habit

Last week we told you about Jay Reatard's upcoming album Watch Me Fall, due out Aug 15.

Jay performed two tracks from the album recently on Fuel TV's The Daily Habit. First up was the single It Ain't Gonna Save Me (we blogged the mp3 last week too), plus another newie, My Shadow.





Watch Me Fall is due out August 15 through Matador/ Remote Control.

1998: mutant swinger from Mars landed and Jack White had a bowl cut!

Going around the blogs today is footage of Mutant Swinger From Mars - a scifi spoof filmed in 1998, but screening for the first time at the San Diego Comic Con next month.

Making a cameo in it is a young Jack White looking very different to how he does today. Wouldn't have picked it if someone didn't point it out to me!



More details over at Pitchfork.

The Horrors Glastonbury photo diary

The Guardian asked The Horrors to document their time at this year's Glastonbury in a photo diary. The band provided some beautifully arty shots, but somewhat baffled by them, The Guardian contributed captions of their own.



Click here to see the rest.

MIA wins Best Female Hip Hop Artist at BET Awards

The BET (Black Entertainment) Awards were featured on news bulletins all across the world last night, with the star studded homage to Michael Jackson and the appearances from Janet and Joe Jackson.

But what you didn't hear is that M.I.A. won the Best Female Hip Hop Artist award on the night. Congrats Maya!

Pixies Do Doolittle live

Following the release of their Minotaur boxset and to celebrate the 20th anniversary of their seminal album Doolittle, the band will be playing a string of European shows where they will "play all the songs that feature on the album and its related b-sides at the shows" [nme].

The lucky northern hemisphere buggers get to see them do it in October. Dates are on Pitchfork.

More news on White Stripes film

Some more news on that White Stripes film we mentioned a while ago.

The film follows the White Stripes on their 2007 tour of Canada, as they set out to play every territory and province in the country. Not only concert halls in every nook and cranny of the country but spontaneous performances on a fishing boat, youth shelter, city bus and their famed one note concert - many of course captured by fans and uploaded onto Youtube:









The film apparently will be called The White Stripes: Under Great White Northern Lights and will screen at the Toronto International Film Festival in September.

More details over at Pitchfork here and here.

Fender to release Sonic Youth guitars tomorrow

From the Fender site:

"Thurston Moore + Lee Ranaldo. Jazzmaster guitars slung across seminal shoulders. In the hands of both men, the sound of Sonic Youth is the sound of that guitar used as part paintbrush and part cluster bomb. Introducing the new Thurston Moore Jazzmaster and the Lee Ranaldo Jazzmaster guitars from Fender, releasing July 1st.

Lee and Thurston have always heavily modified their Jazzmaster guitars- removing all extraneous controls- simplifying and stripping them back to their essence, leaving just a 3 way switch and a volume knob. In many ways these 2 instruments are similar, yet in almost every major way (pickups, bridges, frets, pickguard) they are totally different. "After playing and slaying Fender Jazzmasterz for the last 20+ years we are totally PSYCHED and HONORED to have our very own signature axes.



"When Fender came to us with an offer to make signature models of our Jazzmaster guitars we jumped at the chance. These are the guitars that have defined the sound of Sonic Youth for more than 20 years. Although we love all guitars, Jazzmasters are the ones we've modified and perfected for our uses over the years. With massive input from our great road crew we've come up with a Thurston Jazzmaster & Lee 'Jazzblaster' that fully reflect the current state of the guitars we play in 2009. In fact, we couldn't wait to get our hands on these axes - the prototypes of our Fender models have already been thrust into action during the recording of our latest album, 'The Eternal', and have already begun to acquire the scrapes and scarz of live performance. These guitars rock Sonic style!"
- Thurston Moore/Lee Ranaldo

The Thurston Moore Fender Jazzmaster and Lee Renaldo Fender Jazzblaster are out tomorrow.

Sonic Youth's The Eternal is out now through Matador/ Remote Control.

New Jay Reatard mp3 It Ain't Gonna Save Me from new forthcoming album

My does time fly! It seems like only yesterday when Jay Reatard graced our shores earlier this year for the St Jerome's Laneway Festival. Since then Jay has been working away on a new album titled Watch Me Fall and already new tracks are floating around the bloggosphere.

Matador will be releasing ‘Watch Me Fall’ in August. Excepting last year’s pair of singles comps for Matador and In The Red, this is Jay’s first album since 2006’s ‘Blood Visions’, and it’s a self-produced full-length that more than lives up to the sky-high standards previously set. Earlier this year, Jay described the making of ‘Watch Me Fall’ to labelmate Andrew Earles:

“This new album has been challenging. It’s the first time I’ve written and recorded an album specifically because a label wants to release it. I’ve never made a record for a record label. I’ve always finished my recordings and then a label is decided on. When I made ’Blood Visions’ I had no idea that it was going to see the light of day. And I’ve never made a record in which the label heard the songs, or anyone heard the songs, before the album was finished, so that’s kind of intense. That’s what singles are for; I always considered my singles as a glimpse between the albums. Labels always had the previous single as an example of where I was going at the time, or of what the next album might sound like. In this situation, people at the label are hearing the songs before the album has been finished, but I try not to let it distract me, I’m trying to go about this process in a way that’s the closest to how I would have done an album in the past. A lot of bands these days, they approach the making of an album like it’s collecting songs, they don’t think about how all of the songs are going to work together. They sequence their albums on iTunes, wondering what songs sound best next to each other rather than putting them together as they were written. That’s not an album.”

It Ain’t Gonna Save Me [mp3]
is the first MP3 from ‘Watch Me Fall’, and provides only the slightest hint of the album’s depth.

It Ain't Gonna Save Me was featured on Pitchfork's 'Best New Music' scoring an impressive 8 out of 10.

Have a read of the full review on Pitchfork's website.

Watch Me Fall is due out August through Matador/ Remote Control.

New Yo La Tengo mp3 from forthcoming album Popular Songs

(cassette by Dario Robleto)

From the Matablog:

We have an old saying at Matador HQ, “the only thing predictable about Yo La Tengo albums is their high level of excellence and crazy amount of musical ground covered”. Trouble is, even if you believe we really have an old saying that unwieldly, it doesn’t really do justice in this instance. The new Yo La Tengo CD/2XLP/digital album ‘Popular Songs” (OLE 856-1,2) could be the bravest musical statement to date in a career full of ‘em. Recorded in Hoboken and Nashville in early 2009 with longtime associate Roger Mountenot, ‘Popular Songs’ finds the trio of Georgia Hubley, Ira Kaplan and James McNew at the height of their creative powers, fashioning an epic work that’s cooly confident as it is wildly adventurous.

Even for longtime followers of Yo La Tengo, the stylistic range encompassed on ‘Popular Songs’ is startling ; the band aren’t merely conversant with rock & pop subgenres stretching into the double digits, but their unselfconscious mastery of such is simply uncanny. Without absolving you of the sacred responsibility of listening to this album from start to finish (with no commercial interruptions!) , we can say with full confidence there are portions of ‘Popular Songs’ where a cursory needle drop reveals a band that doesn’t sound instantly like Yo La Tengo — or at least how you recognized them prior to now. In the words of Mike Wolf, “Yo La Tengo is not afraid. They walk confidently forward, into the unknown, hand in hand. And 12 (or 14) albums in, they may just be hitting their stride.”

Periodically Double Or Triple [mp3]
is the first MP3 from ‘Popular Songs’. Stay tuned for the release date.

Matador roster update: Kurt Vile

New Matador signing news from the Matablog:

We tend to start new signings entries to the Matablog with lines like “Matador Records is pleased to announce….”, but could we possibly be more redundant? Of COURSE we’re pleased to announce blah fucking blah, are we gonna say ”Matador Records reluctantly admits….” or “we’re obliged to tell you…”?

So with that in mind, we’re REALLY pleased to announce — perhaps more than ever before in label history — an addition to the label roster we currently consider to be one of the more important figures in American music circa 2009. Philadelphia guitarist/ vocalist Kurt Vile first came to our attention (and possibly yours as well) with the release of the 2008 CD ‘Constant Hitmaker’ on the Gulcher imprint ( a label whose paw prints extend to dusty genius recordings by the Gizmos and MX80-Sound and contemporary stuff from Home Blitz and Magik Markers). What the homemade ‘Hitmaker’ (recently reissued on vinyl by Woodsist) lacked in fidelity it more than made for in scope —– to dub the album “psych pop” barely scratches the surface of a work that’s as impossibly catchy as it is wildly experimental.

Kurt Vile on myspace

New sounds from The National

In case you haven't heard, The National have been road testing new material.

Here are two new tracks that were captured in Montreal and Boston last month, in all their audio and visual glory:

Blood Buzz Ohio (Live In Montreal) [mp3]

The Runaway (Live In Boston) [mp3]

[via][via]

Friendly Fires Australian tour - all shows sold out!

We are very excited to announce that all of the Friendly Fires shows have now SOLD OUT. It's going to be one helluva debut tour for the UK trio, uh huh.

Supports for the tour have also been announced:

FRIENDLY FIRES
Sat 25 Jul/ Sun 26 Jul - Byron Bay, Splendour In The Grass - SOLD OUT!
Fri 24 Jul - Perth, Amplifier w/ French Rockets - SOLD OUT!
Tue 28 Jul - Sydney, Manning Bar w/ Miami Horror & Yacht Club DJs - SOLD OUT!
Wed 29 Jul - Melbourne, Prince Bandroom w/ Miami Horror & Yacht Club DJs - SOLD OUT!

Deerhunter back in Australia and Atlas Sound gig in Sydney TONIGHT!

Deerhunter returned to Australia yesterday and played a stunning 2nd show in Melbourne.

One very special gig you might not have heard about is Bradford Cox from Deerhunter (USA) doing an exclusive solo show under his Atlas Sound guise to raise some much needed cash for FBi community radio. There are only 100 tickets available on the door and it's likely to sell out quick. Bradford is the only one playing so make sure you get there early if you don't want to miss out!

WHO: Atlas Sound (Bradford Cox of Deerhunter).
DATE: Friday, June 19
TIME: 6:00pm
VENUE: Black & Blue Gallery (302 / 267-271 Cleveland Street, Redfern)
COST: $15, all proceeds go to FBi

Deerhunter play The Annandale in Sydney on Sat 20th June.

Microcastle and Rainwater Cassette Exchange EP are out now through 4ad.

THE BIG PINK PITCHFORK INTERVIEW

London duo The Big Pink have been busily working away at their debut album at Electric Lady Studio in New York.
In between sessions, Pitchfork caught up with one half of the band (Robbie Furze) to talk about The Big Pink's beginnings, Gang Gang Dance and Y2K paranoia amongst other things...

Read the full article here.

The Big Pink's next single Stop The World will be available from June 27th, whilst their yet-to-be-named debut album will be released later this year through 4AD/Remote Control.

New Discovery mp3 (Vampire Weekend/ Ra Ra Riot Side Project)

So about a month ago we mentioned a side project that Vampire Weekender Rostam Batmanglij had been working on with Ra Ra Riot singer Wes Miller.

To the delight of many curious fans, details have surfaced of Discovery’s new LP which is set to be released through XL later this year.

Some highlights from the very literally named ‘LP’ includes an Autotuned cover of the Jackson 5’s classic “I Want You Back”, a remix of Ra Ra Riot's "Can You Tell" (re-dubbed "Can You Discover?") and vocal contributions by Vampire Weekend’s Ezra Koenig and Dirty Projectors' Angel Deradoorian.

If you haven’t had time to ‘discover’ Discovery you can hear tracks up on their MySpace and here on stereogum.

Orange Shirt [mp3]

Osaka Loop Line [mp3]

Discovery LP out July 10 in Australia through XL/ Remote Control.

myspace.com/discoverdiscovery

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

Jarvis Cocker Further Complications out tomorrow!

“Gold” 4 * The Age
“Produced by Steve Albini, Cocker's excellent second solo disc sets hilariously over-the-top come-ons to bruising garage rock and woozy soul” Rolling Stone .
“The dapper man-boy is back and is absolutely brilliant” Beat

Yes, that “dapper man-boy” is most certainly back. Tomorrow, the 23rd of May sees the release of his anticipated second “Pulp-free” effort, Further Complications.

Although Jarvis had assigned the recording duties for this album to studio rat extraordinaire Steve Albini, Jarvis insists he hasn’t “Gone Rock”.

You’ve probably already heard Angela, the catchy, rough around the edges rock tune we posted up a while ago. Here is the full tracklisting with some priceless notes about a few of them from Jarvis himself:

1. 'Further Complications.'
2. Angela
3. Pilchard
4. Leftovers
5. I Never Said I Was Deep
"the phrase that I would like carved on my tombstone"
6. Homewrecker!
"an absolute racket featuring saxophone from Steve Mackey [he played on The Stooges' 'Funhouse', you know]"
1. 'Further Complications.'
7. Hold Still
8. Fuckingsong
"is my surrogate. It's like I can't possibly fuck all the women in the world, but I can at least penetrate them if they listen to this song. [Laughs] It's going to put people off buying it, isn't it? That song going into your ears is like me penetrating your orifice." [via] [via]
9. Caucasian Blues
"an attempt to understand the pain of a man whose Honda Goldwing has run out of petrol"
10. Slush
"I guess that slush will be the ultimate outcome of global warming"
11. You're In My Eyes (Discosong)

Further Complications is out tomorrow May 23 through Rough Trade/ Remote Control

Jarvis Cocker to star in Wes Anderson directed Roald Dahl adaptation

Is Jarvis the-man-that-can-do-no-wrong at the moment?

From The Guardian UK: "A stop-motion version of the former Pulp frontman will feature in Wes Anderson's forthcoming film of Fantastic Mr Fox"

Wes Anderson (director of such classics as Darjeeling Limited, The Life Aquatic, The Royal Tenembaums, Rushmore) is adapting Roal Dahl's classic 1970s childrens book The Fantastic Mr Fox into a stop animation film. Jarvis is set to star in it, well a stop animation version of Jarvis is at least, as Petey "a mandolin-toting child", the Guardian reports.

"Though Petey initially featured more prominently in the film, his role was reduced when American viewers found Cocker a little, er, incomprehensible. "I did a narration bit at the start of Mr Fox," the singer told the Times, "but they showed that to test audiences in the US and they were very bamboozled. So I've ended up on the cutting-room floor. I tried to enunciate clearly!""

Read more here

The film is due out in the UK in October this year, so hopefully the Australian release won't be too far behind.

Jarvis' ALBUM however is out THIS WEEKEND! Further Complications hits the record stores Sat May 23 through Rough Trade/ Remote Control.

Cat Power to tour with Juliette Lewis?!

According to Pitchfork.

Is the world really ready for this?

New British Sea Power soundtrack for Man Of Aran

British Sea Power have written and recorded a new soundtrack for the 1934 film Man Of Aran. The film is being re-released on DVD with the new BSP soundtrackThe BSP Man Of Aran package includes two discs - the re-scored Man Of Aran DVD, plus the soundtrack by itself on CD.

This is an excerpt from it. Each chapter of the DVD corresponds to a track from album, this is chapter 3 and the track is ‘Come Wander With ME’, watch out for the huge sharks in the later chapters…

British Sea Power - Come Wander With Me from Rough Trade on Vimeo.

“It’s a wonderful film,” says BSP guitarist Noble. “The images vary between huge drama and a brilliant kind of ridiculousness - check out the amazing foot-wide bobbled berets that the fishermen wear. It’s a great look, like a 1930s Irish version of Jack White or Kraftwerk. It’s a film that’s also relevant to the current era – a time when the idea of living a simpler life is in the air. The film shows something I'd like to think I could do, but know I never will.”

Man Of Aran is a powerful and provocative dramatised documentary from the late American filmmaker Robert J Flaherty. In a series of startling black-and-white sequences the film presents daily life on the inhospitable Aran islands on the west coast of Ireland. The film was both celebrated and controversial on its release.

The film was created from half a million feet of film shot by Flaherty while living closely with the islanders. But Man Of Aran isn’t a straightforward documentary. The ‘family’ at the centre of the film weren’t related, rather a group of islanders cast as the family unit by Flaherty. The fishing expedition for basking sharks which forms the film’s dramatic heart was based around methods that hadn’t been employed on the Aran Islands for decades. Blending reality and staged elements, Flaherty arrived at a compelling document that captures the elemental power of the island’s past and present. The film won the Grand Prix at the 1935 Venice Film Festival and the eminent film critic Pauline Kael described it as, "The greatest film tribute to man's struggle against a hostile nature."

St Helens Melboune launch Sat May 30

Julian Plenti's album details

Behold, here is the cover art and full tracklisting for the upcoming debut album by Julian Plenti (solo release from Paul Banks of Interpol).



Tracklisting for Julian Plenti Is... Skyscraper:

01 Only If You Run
02 Fun That We Have
03 Skyscraper
04 Games for Days
05 Madrid Song
06 No Chance of Survival
07 Unwind
08 Girl on the Sporting News
09 On the Esplanade
10 Fly as You Might
11 H

It is due out July 31 through Matador/ Remote Control and includes guests such as Mike Stroud from Ratatat and Sam Fogarino from Interpol.

Check out the mp3 of Fun That We Have here.

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

Radiohead recording their next album

Radiohead are back in the studio, recording the follow up to their 2007 album In Rainbows.

Colin Greenwood told BBC, "We just went in last week," bassist Colin Greenwood said. "It was really good. It was really noisy and chaotic and really fun. We're at the stage where we've got the big Lego box out and we've tipped it out on the floor and we're looking at all the bits and thinking, what next?"

This will be the band's eighth studio album and will be recorded with their long time producer Nigel Godrich.

Read the full interview here.

Deerhunter and The Breeders get together for a Bragging Party

So damn cute. Bradford Cox and the Deal sisters jamming out together on The Amps 'Bragging Party' at ATP festival. Yeeee!

As blogged on Deerhunter's blog and Stereogum.

Don't they just sound beautiful together? Kelley gets the giggles towards the end. Yeeee!

New The Magistrates mp3 Heartbreak

No where near as serious as their name suggests, The Magistrates are four kids hailing from Essex churning out “unashamedly sexual music for the mind, feet and hips"

Being latest singing to XL these boys are fast becoming hot property, NME have already dubbed them as “MGMT and Stevie Wonder mixed to disco perfection”

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.

A fitting introduction is their new single
Heartbreak [mp3]

Buy the EP from iTunes.

And here's the video:


Stay tuned for an album release later this year on XL.

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

New Julian Plenti mp3 Fun That We Have

Here's our first full taste of Julian Plenti, aka Paul Banks from Interpol's solo project.

As we mentioned last week, the album is due out August 1 through Matador/ Remote Control.

We like what we hear!

Fun That We Have [mp3]

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

Friendly Fires announce debut Australian tour

“Friendly Fires are on an unstoppably stratospheric trajectory” NME

“Sophisticated and fun, Friendly Fires is a fine example of dance music with a brain in it’s head” Drum Sydney

“One of the most exciting bands out of the UK at the moment” Music Network

“Friendly Fires show an amplified, ambitious, and inventive attention to detail that helps steer them away from sounding like just another polished party band.” Pitchfork Media

“This is the definitive nu-rave album” Inpress

This UK trio have been labelled everything from dance-punk, to the new nu-wave, electro-pop, melodic song, and disco dance. Call them what you will, we can safely say that U.K’s Friendly Fires are undeniably one of the most exciting bands of 2009. We are pleased to announce their debut Australian tour surrounding an appearance at Splendour In The Grass this July.

Ed Macfarlane, Jack Savidge, and Edd Gibson have been playing together since they met at age 14, although they have come a long way since the days of their first band, post-hardcore outfit First Day Back. Nowadays they consider the artists on the German techno label Kompakt the greatest influence on their sound, and have been called leaders of the “intelligent disco revolution”.

The band released their debut self-titled record this year through XL Recordings in the UK – also home to Peaches, The White Stripes, M.I.A., Sigur Ros, and Vampire Weekend, just to name a few. Their track ‘Paris’ received massive radio airplay and has been named Single Of the Week by The Guardian and NME, not to mention being amongst Pitchfork’s Best 100 Tracks Of 2008. Locally, the record was triple j’s Feature Album of the Week, and several tracks from the record have been added to high rotation nationally on both commercial and community radio.

“The surprise is their sophistication; like Klaxons, they're just fluorescent enough to keep club kids interested, but their real commitment is to sparkling, modern pop” The Guardian (UK), 4 stars.

So after playing sell-out shows throughout Europe and the UK and opening for acts such as Interpol and Blur, we are very excited to finally have Friendly Fires heading our way in 2009. They will be appearing at the Splendour In The Grass in Byron Bay, along with as club shows in Perth, Sydney and Melbourne.
All show details below.


TICKETS ON SALE FRIDAY 29 MAY

FRIENDLY FIRES DEBUT AUSTRALIAN TOUR
JULY 2009

Perth
Friday 24 July
Amplifier
Tickets from Mills, Planet, Star Perth, Heatseeker and Moshtix
Presented by triple j & Drum Media.

Sydney
Tuesday 28 July
Manning Bar
Tickets from Moshtix, 1300 Get Tix (438 849), on your mobile via Moshtix Mobi and all Moshtix outlets.
Presented by triple j & Drum Media.

Melbourne
Wednesday 29 July
Prince Bandroom
Tickets from Missing Link, Polyester Records (City & Fitzroy), Greville Records, POW Public Bar, Prince Bandroom website or phone bookings (03 9536 1168)
Presented by triple j & Inpress.

Splendour In The Grass
Belongil Fields, Byron Bay
25 & 26 July
For more info click here

Friendly Fires self-titled album out now on XL through Remote Control Records.

FRIENDLY FIRES MYSPACE
FRIENDLY FIRES WEBSITE

VulgarGrad at The Tote tomorrow night

Vulgargrad & Clinkerfield
…the russian criminals attempt to smash the drunken pirate convicts, and vice versa…

Saturday 16 May, The Tote Hotel
Corner Johnston & Wellington St, Collingwood VIC, Ph 03 9419 5320
Doors 8:30 pm, $15 entry.

Finally, after more than a year of evil-eyeing each other from across the way, with many snide remarks and rude retorts tossed provocatively at each other from across the bar-room, the Russian criminals and the drunken pirate convicts assemble for a showdown on the same stage. Vulgargrad was heard to say, “That’s not a pirate ship – it’s a bathtub, you half-baked bunch of babies!” to which Clinkerfield shot back, “You’re nothing but an overstocked shop-window full of striped candies”. The knives are out and they’re smashing bottles over each others heads at the Tote, Saturday 16th May, when Clinkerfield and Vulgargrad rush headlong at each other, with support from Pete & The Tar Gang.

This be Vulgargrad’s first show back after packing the Old Bar to the roof on Anzac Day when they danced with Clinkerfield’s alter-ego The Miserable Little Bastards, and last before touring nationally to pervert minds across the country with their new CD King of Crooks. It’s also Clinkerfield’s final local show for two months before their riotous ringleader Jimmy Stewart vanishes to the USA for a solo musical misadventure. So it’s just gonna be extra special and crazee emotionally charged with the possibility for brawling and blood.

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

VulgarGrad's King Of Crooks is out now through Unstable Ape.

Jarvis turns the tables and becomes the music critic + stream his album

Well if a whole week of Cockery wasn't enough for you, Jarvis seems set on taking over The Guardian newspaper in the fortnight leading up to his latest album release 'Further Complications'.

First up, you can stream the album ahead of its official release, on The Guardian website.

Secondly, Jarvis has again enlisted help from children, this time his own kids Otto (13) and Albert (6), as he steps in as guest review for the Singles Column.

Read the hilarity of the Cocker clan here.

Further Complications is out May 23 through Rough Trade/ Remote Control.

M.I.A. in Time Mag's World's Most Influential People list, meets Oprah, pleads her for help

M.I.A. really is taking over the world.

Time Magazine included her in their Top 100 World's Most Influential People list with a small profile on her written by Spike Jonze




Following the Time Mag's announcement night this appeared on MIA's myspace blog:

LAST NIGHT , I WENT TO THE TIME 100 EVENT COZ THEY ADDED ME TO THE LIST OF 100 MOST INFLUENTIAL PEOPLE OF 2009,

I SAW TAVIS SMILEY WHEN I WALKED IN AND SAID THANKS FOR STICKING YOUR NECK OUT AND BEING A REAL JOURNALIST, HIS PROGRAM WAS THE FIRST PROGRAM TO VOICE THE TRUTH ABOUT WHATS GOING ON IN SRI LANKA, WITHOUT FEAR OF CONSEQUENCES.

THE NEXT PERSON I MET WAS OPRAH!!!!


SHE SAID SHE LIKED MY JACKET FROM THE MAGAZINE (THE ONE MY BROTHER GOT FOR ME FROM THE SIDE OF THE STREET AT SXSW 09) SHE SQUEEEEZED MY HAND SO HARD , I WAS CONVINCED SHE CARED. MICHELLE OBAMA GAVE A SPEECH AND THERE WAS MAD SECRET SERVICE IN THE AIR SO I DIDNT GET TO THROW A PAPER PLANE AT HER SAYING " STOP THE BOMBING OF THE TAMILS IN SRI LANKA"


Sri Lanka government admits bombing civilian safe haven - Times Online

THE TWITTER GUYS SAID THEY FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER @ _M_I_A_ ILL TWITTER

SHOUT OUT TO THEM AND STELLA MCCARTNEY, NICE TO MEET A FELLO BRIT IN NYC ASIDE FROM THE GIRLS AT TOP SHOP.

I MET MANY MORE PEOPLE , SOME KNEW ME , SOME DIDNT ....... I WASNT SURE ABOUT MY INFLUENCE BUT........IF I DO HAVE ANY INFLUENCE, I WISH I COULD GET THE MEDIA TO SPOTLIGHT THIS:

THANKX TO BRITISH PRESS WE GET THIS MUCH

Grim scenes at Sri Lankan camps - Channel 4 News

OPRAH CAN YOU DO SOMETHING BOUT THESE CAMPS PLEEEEEEEEEEASE?

Jarvis Cocker taking it to the kids

If you didn't manage to catch Jarvis' week long live installation at Galerie Chappe in Paris you can still see the recorded footage up on his site.

But if you need to condense it down, THIS is the must see piece of footage from the week:

'Children's Day' (no school for French kiddies on Wednesdays!), with Jarvis leading the kids on a dance routine, like a cool unskivvied one man Wiggle, performing Angela...

Song kicks in around 3.15pm but turn up the volume and hear Jarvis canvassing random questions from the kids mid-set, such as 'where's Albert?', 'where is the toilet?' and responding in French. And bet he never got heckled with 'I'M HUNGRY!' at a Pulp gig.



Further Complications is out May 23 through Rough Trade/ Remote Control.

White Stripes News

Jack White's been doing a few interviews recently and what with all this talk of his numerous side projects, it's good of Jack to put us at ease and let us know that though The White Stripes have been taking a break, another WS album is not too far away: "It won't be too far off. Maybe next year."

In his recent Music Radar interview, Jack also talks of the cancellation of their last White Stripes tour due to Meg's acute anxiety, which he says "was a very real problem, but one that I'm happy to say is in the past."

The full interview with Music Radar is here.

[via]

TV On The Radio... on your radio Monday night!

Just a quick reminder that TV On The Radio's extraordinary live set from The Metro Sydney recorded in January this year is going to air on Triple J's Live At The Wireless this coming Monday 11th May at 8pm.

Tune in on the radio or stream on line from 8pm AESTtriplej.net.au.

Check out some of the accompanying footage here [Dancing Choose] and here [Wolf Like Me].

Julian Plenti is... Skyscraper

Does this man look familiar?


Julian Plenti is Paul Banks, lead singer of Interpol. He will be releasing his debut solo album 'Julian Plenti is... Skyscraper' later this year.

Listen here.

Julian Plenti is... Skyscraper is out August 1 through Matador/ Remote Control.

PREPARE for sonic warfare Sydney ... RC vs Purple Sneakers

... As Sydney’s raddest party crew PURPLE SNEAKERS take on (or take out) REMOTE CONTROL RECORDS - pimps of damn fine music.

Each month the PS and RC crews will battle it out tune for tune, dance for dance with special guest DJs from RC’s local and international roster, album launches, giveaways and exclusive musical crusades.

The monthly night kicks off in May with an exclusive, invite-only listening session/ sneak preview of ‘The Eternal’; Sonic Youth’s colossal new album.

Stay tuned for details of the June 19 special event with special guest djs.

The evening is supported by Converse and Lovells Lager with giveaways courtesy of Diesel.

www.remotecontrolrecords.com
www.boundarysounds.com

Lee Memorial launch album in Melbourne this Saturday

'just as rewarding musically as lyrically, and every note seems to be hung exactly in the right place' - Inpress

'a compelling record' - Beat

'Smith is clearly a man with the Midas Touch... one of the best local releases of 2009' **** TimeOff

'a touching journey of extreme social, political and daily relevance, delivered through beautifully realised metaphor and honest personal recount... a striking debut' - The Vine

Lee Memorial are launching their album this Saturday in Melbourne at the Northcote Social Club, supported by Witch Hats and Matt Bailey (ex Paradise Motel).

Lee Memorial started out as a ramshackle solo project of Karl Smith from Sodastream, but after enlisting the help of a brigade of unlikely cohorts from Ninety-Nine, The Nation Blue and Gaslight Radio, the project soon took on a life of its own. They tumbled in and out of luck through 2008; recording and playing sporadic live shows, all-the-while battling illness, relationship breakdowns, death and uncooperative computers. But now they’ve dusted themselves off, combed their hair and are now ready to share their debut album – the lives of lee memorial – with anyone who’ll listen.

LEE MEMORIAL (album launch) with Witch Hats and Matt Bailey
Northcote Social Club
Sat 9 May (Doors 8.30) Tickets: $12 at the door only


The Lives Of Lee Memorial is out now through Dot Dash.

Jarvis Cocker Is Making An Exhibition Of Himself

Here's a rather long note from Jarvis detailing his schedule of events as he and his set up shop in a Parisien art gallery all this week to rehearse, jam with the audience, provide live accompanying music to yoga and pilates classes and host a children's day amongst other things!

For us poor sods who aren't anywhere near Paris for glorious week of Cockery, we can tune in to Jarvis' website to see it all there: www.jarviscocker.net. It should kick off at 8pm AEST tonight, Tues 5th May.

---

FROM JARVIS:

Back in October 2006, when I was asked to edit The Observer Music Monthly in the UK, I asked the question “What is Music for?”. Two & a half years on I would like to shorten that question to: WHAT IS MUSIC?

ALSO

I have lost count of the number of articles proclaiming the imminent or actual death of the music industry. Does this mean that music can now go back to being an art form again? & If so, is it the first art form to begin adapting itself to the post-capitalist society we now find ourselves living in? Or is it just something you get free when you buy a mobile phone? Digital content.

ALSO

What happens if you get a band to rehearse in an art gallery instead of a rehearsal space? What if you invite members of the public to play with the band? Or invite them to submit song titles which the band then have to base an improvisation upon? Could a live band provide the accompaniment to an aerobics class? What happens if you play music from 12 noon til 7pm, 7 days a week? & What if you invite the kids from the local school to come round on their Wednesday off?

SO

From Tuesday 5th of May until Sunday 10th of May I will be occupying Galerie Chappe, 4, Rue Andre Barsacq, 75018 Paris, France (+33 1 42 62 42 12 www.galeriechappe.fr) from 12 noon til 6/7pm each day (maybe later some nights) & attempting to answer these pertinent questions. I will be assisted by the members of my band: Martin Craft, Steve Mackey, Tim McCall, Ross Orton & Simon Stafford plus, at various times, we hope to be joined by other musicians currently living in the Paris area.

& THEN

If you live locally please come down & join in this experiment. If you don’t you can follow its progress on www.jarviscocker.net which will run for the duration of the installation (more details soon). Each day will be archived & re-broadcast for the convenience of those living in different time-zones.

& FINALLY

A selection of Rankin’s photography for my soon-to-be-released album “Further Complications” will be on view during the course of this show. These images are an integral part of the exhibition & will also be offered for sale through the gallery.

TIMETABLE OF EVENTS

MONDAY 4th MAY – Set-up day. Closed to the public (though no-one can stop you looking through the windows).

TUESDAY 5th MAY
12 – 2pm – BAND REHEARSAL
2 -3pm - BRING AN INSTRUMENT (members of the public are invited to bring an instrument with them & play along with the band. Amplification will be available for electric instruments).
3 – 4pm - YOGA CLASS (with a qualified instructor. The band will provide suitable live accompaniment. Participants must provide their own yoga-mat.).
4 – 5pm – IMPROVISATIONS ON A THEME (throughout the course of the exhibition a box will be available in the gallery into which members of the public can post titles, phrases, suggestions, lyrics or anything else that the band can then base improvisations around. During this hour the band will create a number of pieces based on selections of this material).
5 – 6pm – GUEST PERFORMANCE ( an invited guest will play with the band)

WEDNESDAY 6th MAY
12 -2pm – BAND REHEARSAL
2 – 4pm - CHILDREN’S DAY ( French children traditionally have Wednesday off school. The band will supervise a number of music-based children’s activities over the course of these 2 hours. Parental supervision is required for children under 11).
4 – 5pm - RELAXATION ( the band will provide musical accompaniment to a relaxation class. Participants should provide their own exercise mat).
5 – 6pm GUEST PERFORMANCE ( see Tuesday 5th May)

THURSDAY 7th MAY
12 – 2pm – BAND REHEARSAL
2 – 3pm - IMPROVISATIONS ON A THEME ( see Tuesday 5th May)
3 – 4pm – PILATES CLASS (with a qualified instructor. The band will provide suitable live accompaniment. Participants must provide their own exercise mat)
4 – 5pm – BRING AN INSTRUMENT (see Tuesday 5th May)
5 – 6pm – GUEST PERFORMANCE

FRIDAY 8th MAY
12 – 2pm – BAND REHEARSAL
2 – 3pm - IMPROVISATIONS ON A THEME
3 – 4pm - AEROBICS CLASS
4 – 5pm – BRING AN INSTRUMENT
5 – 6pm – GUEST PERFORMANCE

SATURDAY 9th MAY
12 – 2pm – BAND REHEARSAL
2- 3pm - BRING AN INSTRUMENT
3 – 4pm - DANCING ( the band will play an hour of music designed to encourage people to dance. Dress appropriately)
4 – 6pm - SET-UP FOR OUTDOOR PERFORMANCE (weather permitting)
6 – 7pm - OUTDOOR PERFORMANCE ( the band will play a short open-air concert just outside the gallery)

SUNDAY 10th MAY
12 – 2pm – BAND REHEARSAL
2 – 3pm - QUIET HOUR ( an hour of the softest music the band can play)
3 – 4pm - GUEST PERFORMANCE
4 – 6pm - REVIEW OF THE WEEK ( the band will play music written over the course of the past 6 days)

This is a very rough schedule & will be subject to change at the drop of a hat – but it does give some idea of the kind of things that will be happening. Updates will be available during the course of the exhibition through the gallery’s website.

www.jarviscocker.net

Jarvis Cocker's new album Further Complications is out May 23 through Rough Trade/ Remote Control.

Meg To Wed

Well there's the sound of a thousand hearts breaking.

It has been confirmed that Meg White is set to wed Jackson Smith, guitarist for Back in Spades and son of punk legend Patti Smith and the late MC5 guitarist Fred "Sonic" Smith. Talk about rock union!

According to the Detroit News it's set to happen May 22 in Nashville.

More goss here, here and here.

Dark Was The Night concert in NY this weekend

From 4ad, for the lucky buggers of NYC:

This weekend sees the special Dark Was The Night Live event in New York take place.

Happening at the famed Radio City Music Hall on Sunday evening (May 3rd), The National, David Byrne, Feist, Bon Iver, Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings, Dave Sitek (TV on the Radio), The Dirty Projectors and My Brightest Diamond are all confirmed to appear and they be both performing songs from Dark Was The Night and other material as part of mini-sets and also numerous collaborations.

If you're in the city, please do come and join us celebrate Dark Was The Night. Some tickets are still available from here. All proceeds will benefit the Red Hot Organization and its mission to combat the AIDS pandemic. You can learn more about the project here.

For the unaware, Dark Was The Night is a 31 track charity compilation that both Aaron and Bryce Dessner from The National produced on behalf the Red Hot Organization, which was released by 4AD earlier in the year. More information here.

Dark Was The Night is out now through 4ad/ Remote Control.

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

New Devendra Banhart on Rudo y Cursi soundtrack

Stereogum have given the heads up on a new Devendra Banhart track Lindo Cihuatlán featured on the soundtrack to film Rudo y Cursi featuring Gael García Bernal and Diego Luna.

It is quite beautiful:

Read more about it at Stereogum.

Ratatat announce extra Melbourne show

So RATATAT arrived in the country today and are excited about how much everyone down this way is responding to the tour... so much so that due to the demand for tickets they have reconfigured the tour plans to include a SECOND MELBOURNE show on MON 11 MAY.

This is on top of Perth moving to the larger venue CAPITOL after tickets sold out at our first visit there.

Wellington has also sold out... and both Sydney and Auckland are moving that way very fast as well...

We have also added in Vietnam and Malaysian shows.

After three albums - 2004's RATATAT (with Seventeen Years), 2006's CLASSICS (with Wildcat), and 2008's more recent LP3 (with Mirando and Shempi)... and completion nearing on LP4.

From supporting Daft Punk at the LA Sports Arena in June 2007, to tours with Daft Punk, Mouse on Mars, Interpol, Franz Ferdinand, CSS, The Faint, Super Furry Animals, Björk, Clinic, Panther and The Killers... and Mogwai in Japan... along with their own outstanding headline tours including the 2005 Australia/NZ debut tour, and the Essential Festival and dates with Regurgitator in 2007.

“the coolest unconventional musicians of 2008 – there’s no doubt this is genius at work” (Rip It Up)

“The hallmark of Ratatat’s genius is their willingness to process the absolute hell out of their guitar sounds, warping them almost beyond recognition to create a blueprint for the progression of music for decades to come” (Time Out Sydney)

Evan and Mike navigate their unique sonic hover crafting a free flowing chromatic wave of guitars, keyboards, beats, smoke and mirrors back to add another overwhelming layer of atmosphere with TOUR3.

This tour will also include for the first time shows in China, Hong Kong, Vietnam... and more if the wind allows it.

Consume presents...
RATATAT
AUSTRALASIA TOUR3

MAY 2 - TOWNSVILLE Groovin the Moo, Lou Litster Park
with Architecture in Helsinki, De La Soul, The Drones, The Grates, Living End, Okkervil River and more...
Tickets from: www.groovinthemoo.com, Moshtix - www.moshtix.com.au or 1300 438 849 GET TIX), Ticketek - www.ticketek.com.au or 132849 and selected outlets around town.

MAY 3 - BYRON BAY The Great Northern
plus special guests QUAN and DZ
Tickets from: the venue, www.thenorthern.com.au and consume.oztix.com.au

MAY 4 - BRISBANE The HiFi
plus special guests QUAN, DEL TORO and Honky Kong DJ.
Tickets from: www.thehifi.com.au, tel 1300‐THEHIFI (8434434), Rocking Horse Records, Butter Beats , Sunflower Pacific Fair, Disaster piece, Mosh Pit Music, Kill The Music, Gooble Warming, Rockaway Records and consume.oztix.com.au

MAY 6 - GOLD COAST The Coolangatta Hotel
plus special guests QUAN, ELKE and Action DJs Ben Rama and Ruftuck
Copresented by KClub, Dima Mak, Havefunclub, The Antijoy, Joy Hysteric and Bats Magazine.
Tickets from: the venue, www.thecoolyhotel.com.au, Disaster Piece Southport, Sunflower Pacific Fair, Rockaway records Springwood, Rocking Horse Records, Butter Beats , Mosh Pit Music, Kill The Music, Gooble Warming and consume.oztix.com.au

MAY 7 - WGONG Waves - Libertine Ranch & My Sydney Riot present A Night with the Phantom
plus TAME IMPALA, YOUNG & RESTLESS, FAIT ACCOMPLI and more
Tickets from: www.moshtix.com.au (132 438 849)

MAY 8 - SYDNEY Manning Bar
plus special guests QUAN, QUA, DEPT & PhDJ
Tickets from: the venue, www.moshtix.com.au (132 438 849) and consume.oztix.com.au

MAY 9 - MAITLAND Groovin the Moo, Maitland Showground
with Architecture in Helsinki, De La Soul, The Drones, The Grates, Living End, Okkervil River and more...
Tickets from:: www.groovinthemoo.com, Moshtix - www.moshtix.com.au or 1300 438 849 (GET TIX), Ticketek - www.ticketek.com.au or 132849 and selected outlets around town

MAY 10 - CANBERRA Anu Bar
plus special guests QUAN and QUA
Tickets from: the venue, Ticketek outlets and consume.oztix.com.au

MAY 11 - MELBOURNE The Corner - SECOND SHOW DUE TO DEMAND!!!
plus special guests
Tickets from: the Corner Box Office (57 Swan St Richmond 12-8 Mon-Sat), phone bookings on 9427 9198, online bookings www.cornerhotel.com and consume.oztix.com.au

MAY 13 - NZ AUCKLAND Montecristo - VENUE CHANGE!
in conjunction with Universally True - open to ALLAGES
plus special guests MORON SAYS WHAT and F IN MATH
Tickets from: www.undertheradar.co.nz and Real Groovy auckland and wellington

MAY 14 - NZ WELLINGTON Bar Bodega SOLD OUT
in conjunction with Universally True
plus special guests
Tickets from: www.undertheradar.co.nz and Real Groovy auckland and wellington

MAY 15 - MELBOURNE The Corner - SOLD OUT!
plus special guests QUA and WORLDS END PRESS
Tickets from: the Corner Box Office (57 Swan St Richmond 12-8 Mon-Sat), phone bookings on 9427 9198, online bookings www.cornerhotel.com and consume.oztix.com.au

MAY 16 - BENDIGO Groovin the Moo, Prince of Wales Showgrounds
with Architecture in Helsinki, De La Soul, The Drones, The Grates, Living End, Okkervil River and more...
Tickets from: www.groovinthemoo.com, Moshtix - www.moshtix.com.au or 1300 438 849 (GET TIX), Ticketek - www.ticketek.com.au or 132849 and selected outlets around town

MAY 17 - PERTH Capitol - VENUE CHANGE!
plus special guests THESE SHIPWRECKS and FRENCH ROCKETS
Tickets from: Moshtix, Bocs, Oztix, 78 records, Mills records, Planet Video and consume.oztix.com.au

MAY 20 - China BEIJING Mao Live house
plus special guests REBUILDING THE RIGHTS OF STATUES and ZIGZAG
MAY 21 - China SHANGHAI Zhi Jiang Dream Factory
plus special guests AV OKUBO and THE YOUTH AND THE DESTROYER
in conjunction with Modern Sky
Tickets from usual outlets

MAY 23 - HONG KONG Grappas Cellar
plus special guests QUAN and DJs
in conjunction with The Peoples Party
Tickets from usual outlets and www.thepeoplesparty.tv

MAY 28 - Malaysia KUALA LUMPUR Zouk
plus special guests
in conjunction with Freeform

MAY 29 - Vietnam HO CHI MINCH CITY Pacharan

MAY 30 - Vietnam HANOI venue to be confirmed
plus special guests
in conjunction with CAMA

LP3 is out now on XL/Remote Control.
LP4 is on the way.
www.ratatatmusic.com

Heinz Reigler, Karl Smith + Tom Lyngcoln Melbourne gig tomorrow

Heinz Reigler, who once fronted Nightstick (and Not From There), is in Melbourne this weekend, performing a solo show tomorrow afternoon with Karl Smith (Lee Memorial, Sodastream) and Tom Lyngcoln (Nation Blue, Lee Memorial).

Nightstick's self titled ep was our very first release on Dot Dash.

Catch Heinz, Karl and Tom tomorrow Sat 2nd May at The Old Bar, 74-76 Johnston St, Fitzroy from 2pm.

And don't forget Lee Memorial's Melbourne album launch Sat 9th May at Northcote Social Club.

The Lives Of Lee Memorial is out now through Dot Dash.

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

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 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!

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

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:

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!

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!

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

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.

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.

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.

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