BAND WATCH - Laura Warshauer

Pop singer-songwriter Laura Warshauer is a storyteller first and foremost. Through her music, she examines loss, love and life. The 24-year-old New Jersey native crafts sonic gems, through combining massive pop melodies and flourishes of folk. Her lyrical sensibility hearkens back to songsmiths like Joni Mitchell and Fiona Apple, while the music possesses a pop rock passion a la U2. Laura wants to take listeners on a journey, and her music's the perfect vessel. "Convince Myself," "December Night" and the first single, "Sweet 17," are entrancing, soothing and infectious. She's paved her own path, and the ride has just begun.

Laura just released her self-titled seven-song debut album on September 23rd via Island/Pink Chariot/Fontana. The music is like an aural embrace, pulling listeners in and holding them tightly. "Please Don't Lie" features orchestral textures that perfectly compliment her warm, ethereal vocals. She describes her sound best, "There's definitely a folk sensibility, but it's really about grand melodies. I have a very classic pop structure in terms of my writing style, but lyrically, I offer a unique angle." That angle sees Laura exploring experiences intimately and in a relatable manner. Songs come naturally to Laura, and she lets inspiration take hold. "I say everything I need to in my songs. It's my job to stay out of the way and let the songs do the talking."

The songs spoke loud and clear, and Laura's immense talent caught the ear of Island Def Jam Chairman Antonio "L.A." Reid. He received one of her demos, and he had to go see her play. "He came to a Sunday night rehearsal, and his hands were in the air when he heard me. Afterwards he was speechless. The next day he asked me what I envisioned for myself. I looked him right in the eye and said, 'I want to rock stadiums, and I want to be doing it in 25 years.' He replied, 'I want to do it with you.'" Their partnership has set the stage for Laura's album this fall and her full-length, Such A Lovely Place, due out in 2009. There's no doubt she's on to big things.

The songs say it all. "Sweet 17" is a dreamy anthem of unrequited love. Laura reminisces about her high school years while exploring the relationship she could've had with a romantic interest. "I wanted to capture that nostalgic feeling of being 17. At the end of the day, it's a song about love: finding it, losing it, wondering if it exists or if it's only in your head. I bring a fantasy that I longed for to life. This wasn't necessarily the reality of my own life, but the song asks, 'What if it could've been?'" "Sweet 17" highlights Laura's unique voice and her knack for a big hook. "My Fault" further showcases her diversity. The heartfelt ballad explores abusive relationships intimately. "That song is especially poignant for me. I would love to be involved in organizations that speak out against domestic violence. People can relate to this song if they've ever been in a relationship where they've lost themselves. 'My Fault' captures what it feels like to be in an abusive situation."

Laura's created a compelling live show through numerous club concerts and festival dates. Her performances all at once encapsulate her strength and vulnerability. In addition to traditional gigs, she's been involved with Musicians On Call since she was 16. Musicians On Call began in the pediatric cancer ward at Memorial Sloan-Kettering, and the group allows artists to play bedside for patients. About these special performances, Laura comments, "You have three minutes to make a difference. You're either going to, or you're not. You can feel the results immediately. You want to take that person somewhere else."

In addition to an escape, Laura wants to give audiences something they can truly connect to. "People respond when you're honest in your art. I love it when people get a sense of something real, organic and human from my music. I want to make my music mean something, and I want them to feel an emotional connection. I also want to bring them on some sort of ride." It's going to be the ride of a lifetime, and Laura's driving. – Rick Florino

The Jealous Girlfriends Debut "Organs On The Kitchen Floor" Video

Click Here To View Debut Video For “Organs On The Kitchen Floor”

Pitchfork Media : Jealous Girlfriends make straightforward, moody, and melodic guitar rock, in a niche established by the more stylish New York guitar bands of the past five years.

Filter Magazine :” The Girlfriends have got something for you, and its pretty damn good”

The Tripwire: “The Jealous Girlfriends are a Brooklyn quartet that sounds like Mazzy Star seducing the New Pornographers. It's a mix of longing shoegaze and perfect pop, creating a lush and wonderful pallet of wonderful complimentary sounds...Summertime in the sun belongs to the Beach Boys, but when the sun goes down evenings in the summer now belong to The Jealous Girlfriends.”

The Jealous Girlfriends make it work. The Brooklyn four-piece pull together the tunefulness of Anglo New Wave and BritPop, the aggression and energy of Washingtonian indie rock – both district and state - and infuse it all with a little soul, working an alchemy that transforms these base musical elements into songs crackling with tension and excitement that are instantly memorable while revealing something new with every listen.

Overtop a rhythmic foundation laid down by drummer Michael Fadem, Josh Abbott and Holly Miranda's buzzsaw guitars carom and careen against Alex Lipsen's square wave synths as their voices duet and duel overtop in tones that are playful and plaintive, menacing and mesmerizing. It's this potent lineup that has crafted their eponymous album following a 2005 debut EP featuring only Miranda and Lipsen.

The Jealous Girlfriends have already achieved a tremendous amount for a wholly independent band, earning that blessing and curse of being one of the best-kept secrets in independent music. Now signed to Good Fences Records, they're set to be unleashed upon an unsuspecting world.

Armed with hooks, barbs, and velvet-lined bludgeons, The Jealous Girlfriends – the album – makes a striking statement that reveals The Jealous Girlfriends – the band - as an outfit that bends and pushes against the boundaries of rock music not so much with the intent to break them, but simply to see what kind of shapes they can make.

Oct 4th - Webster Hall, NYC - Shudder To Think and Pattern Is Movement

Following dates all with The Wedding Present:
Oct 6th - Middle East, Cambridge
Oct 10th - North Star, Philadelphia
Oct 11th - Black Cat, DC
Oct 12th - Local 506, Chapel Hill
Oct 13th - Rocket Club, Asheville
Oct 14th - The Earl, Atlanta
Oct 15th - Bottle Tree, Birmingham
Oct 17th - The Mohawk, Austin

The Rumble Strips Start US Tour This Week

In ‘Girls and Weather’, The Rumble Strips have recorded a truly classic debut album. With their somewhat eccentric origins in Devon, the four young men from Tavistock have fashioned a set of songs steeped with huge, life-affirming choruses all awash with the optimism of youth. This is a band whose sound and look is entirely their own: thundering drums and piano, brass to stir the soul and singer Charlie Waller’s voice – a thing of rare beauty and power suggesting the arrival of a genuine new star.

Among the band’s most passionate fans is producer du jour, Mark Ronson. Having heard Rumble Strips’ spine tingling reworking of Amy Winehouse’s ‘Back to Black’, Ronson fell in love with the band. He promptly invited Charlie to sing lead vocals at his acclaimed BBC Electric Proms performance at the London Roundhouse last year, with Charlie’s performance widely declared the highlight of the evening.Further guest appearances have followed as Ronson and Charlie’s relationship has blossomed, including their first American appearance together when Mark flew Charlie out to Coachella to share the stage with him.

”Girls and Weather” opens with Charlie hollering as if his life depended on it, “I ain’t got no soul”. What follows is 12 songs bristling with energy, frantic rhythms, wide-eyed yearning and certainly no little soul.

Indeed, the Young Soul Rebel spirit of the singles ‘Alarm Clock’ and ‘Motorcycle’ is evident on the album, but the record also takes in a range of less expected (but no less profound) influences: the gorgeous harmonies are born out of the band’s love of 1950s doo-wop, whilst the epic nature of Charlie’s song writing recalls the oddball genius of both Adam Ant and Queen (as imagined by the Stax house band).

Elsewhere, the brass on ‘Oh Creole’ is like a rousing, doom laden Van Morrison classic, whilst the E Street holler of ‘Hate Me (You Do)’ owes it’s anthemic quality to Tom Gorbutt’s inspired saxophone opening. Clocking in under two minutes, August single ‘Girls and Boy in Love’ is all hand clap rhythms, Motown piano and gorgeous, bitter sweet melodies - a festival anthem for certain.

Recalling the achingly close, three part harmonies of Rubber Soul era Beatles, ‘Don’t Dumb Down’ is a scathing tale of faking to impress. Key lyrics: “You don’t come from London do you? / But, sometimes you sound like you do / What the hell is that all about?”

The album closes with arguably it’s strongest moment. Built around a huge, Talking Heads-esque piano rhythm, ‘Hands’ is an extraordinary piece of song writing. Charlie’s almost spoken word delivery is like an anglicised Springsteen, as he talks of finding himself, “on the hard shoulder of the motorway / to my feet I tried to complain / but I don’t think they were listening”, as the song build to almighty crescendo.

The Rumble Strips are a truly special group: Pure, sad and romantic. Theirs are songs that strike a chord with the masses, whilst remaining enigmatic and standing alone from the crowd.

Click Here To View Video For “Time”

Click Here To View Video “Motorcycle”

Pitchfork Media (7.6) : “Girls and Weather is stacked with singles that condense the band's energy and enthusiasm into more compact bursts of joy: ”

Spin Magazine (Aug 08) 4 Stars : “Crushing angst gets a bright, shiny makeover at the hands of this British foursome. Powered by blaring horns reminiscent of vintage ska and soul, Charlie Waller could be Billy Bragg's twitchy offspring.”

Alternative Press (Aug 08) 4 Stars : “The sound is Wreckless Eric doing Memphis soul”

Utne Reader : “The Rumble Strips Are Poised to Be the Next Big Thing”


Rolling Stone “Breaking Artist"

NPR “Song Of The Day” For “Alarm Clock”

2008 US Fall Tour

10/2/2008 Princeton, NJ Terrace Club
10/3/2008 Williamsburg, Brooklyn Sound Fix
10/4/2008 Philadelphia, PA Johnny Brenda's
10/5/2008 Washington, D.C. Black Cat
10/6/2008 Carrboro, NC Cat's Cradle
10/7/2008 Atlanta, GA The Earl
10/8/2008 Orlando, Fl The Social
10/9/2008 Tallahassee, FL Club Downunder
10/10/2008 New Orleans, LA House of Blues
10/11/2008 Austin, TX The Parish Room
10/14/2008 San Diego, CA Casbah
10/15/2008 Los Angeles, CA Spaceland
10/16/2008 San Francisco, CA Pop Scene
10/18/2008 Portland, OR Doug Fir Lounge
10/19/2008 Seattle, WA Chop Suey
10/20/2008 Vancouver, BC Media Club
10/23/2008 Minneapolis, MN 7th St. Entry
10/24/2008 Chicago, IL Abbey Pub
10/25/2008 Madison, WI Der Rathskellar
10/27/2008 Newport, KY Southgate House
10/28/2008 Detroit, MI Magic Stick
10/29/2008 Toronto, ON El Mocambo
10/30/2008 Montreal, QC Zoo Bizarre
10/31/2008 Cambridge, MA TT the Bears
11/1/2008 New York, NY Bowery Ballroom

The Fireman Finds His Voice With Brand New Album

The Fireman Finds His Voice With Brand New Album
Electric Arguments. U.S. Release Date: November 18, 2008

The Fireman has returned after a ten-year break with something to sing about. Electric Arguments, the brand new third studio album from the mysterious duo--out in the U.S. November 18 on MPL/ATO--is their first release to feature vocals.

"Ambient dreams in rainbow arches describe the circles of The Fireman", is how the duo described their music in a rare interview around the release of their last album 'Rushes' in 1998. Their first album 'Strawberries Oceans Ships Forest', released in 1993, was a solid ambient dance album heavy on electronics. Around this time the identity of The Fireman was unknown until the press exposed the duo as none other than Paul McCartney and Youth. The now defunct music bible Melody Maker heaped praise on the project, "Paul McCartney has discovered dance music - the results are staggeringly brilliant. They (The Fireman) take a melody and, with dexterous genre-hopping through ambient, trance and house, evolve a number of breathtaking variations."

Last year The Fireman returned to work again to start work on what would become Electric Arguments, ultimately finding thirteen days and recording a song on each of those days over the course of a little more than a year. The results this time are entirely different from any previous Fireman release.

Earlier this year The Fireman donated a new track, Lifelong Passion (which appears on Electric Arguments) to the charity Adopt-A-Minefield. This new track marked a directional change for The Fireman, showcasing a more traditional song based sound with vocals, completely unlike anything on the previous two albums. Speculation increased as a 'studio source' was quoted in The Times of London as describing their new sound 'like Arcade Fire meets Led Zeppelin'. So what had The Fireman been up to and what does the album sound like?

Electric Arguments is an eclectic and varied album consisting of thirteen tracks, each written and recorded in the space of one day. McCartney and Youth went into the studio with no master plan or clear direction. Instead they let the project take a life of its own, with the results surprising them as much as anyone.

The record opens with a stylistically diverse trifecta: Nothing Too Much Just Out Of Sight is a classic rock attention grabber followed by a hairpin turn in the form of the acoustic driven Two Magpies and yet another direction with Sing The Changes, a euphoric upbeat song with an undeniable and instantly memorable melody. Electric Arguments continues in this fashion, each track with an entirely different personality yet all meshing perfectly. Other standouts include 'Light From Your Lighthouse', 'Sun Is Shining' and 'Dance 'Til We're High', all in keeping with the genre-hopping spirit of the first two Fireman albums and demonstrating Paul McCartney's unending interest in pure musical possibilities. This is an album set to both surprise and delight the listener. Made with no record company restraints or a set release date to work to, Electric Arguments is a work of complete artistic and creative freedom.


The Fireman
Electric Arguments

Track listing:

1) Nothing Too Much Just Out Of Sight
2) Two Magpies
3) Sing The Changes
4) Traveling Light
5) Highway
6) Light From Your Lighthouse
7) Sun Is Shining
8) Dance 'Til We're High
9) Lifelong Passion
10) Is This Love?
11) Lovers In A Dream
12) Universal Here, Everlasting Now
13) Don't Stop Running

Produced By Paul McCartney & Youth
All tracks written by Paul McCartney

Dirty on Purpose are heading out on the road with two of their heroes -- The Wedding Present and the New Year (ex-Bedhead)!

Click here to listen to Dirty On Purpose!

Dirty on Purpose are Doug Marvin, Joe Jurewicz, DJ Boudreau and George Wilson. They live in Brooklyn, NY, and have been a band since they met randomly through friends in 2002. Their brand of shoegaze pop has earned them some nice press and charmed them some nice fans over the years with their releases Like Bees, Hallelujah Sirens and Sleep Late For a Better Tomorrow. On these releases, they have collaborated with some lovely female singers – Jaymay, Holly Miranda and Erika Forster.

Check them out at the following dates:

Tour Dates w/ The Wedding Present
September 29 @ Turf Club (St. Paul, Minnesota)
September 30 @ High Noon Saloon (Madison, Wisconsin)
October 1 @ Empty Bottle (Chicago, Illinois)
October 2 @ Pike Room (Pontiac, Michigan)
October 3 @ Lee's Palace (Toronto, Ontario)

Pop Montreal Festival
October 5 @ La Sala Rossa
w/ Liam Finn & The Veils (Montreal, Quebec)

Tour Dates w/ The New Year
October 9 @ Johnny Brenda's (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)
October 10 @ Music Hall of Williamsburg (Brooklyn, New York)
October 11 @ Middle East (Boston, Massachusetts)
October 12 @ Living Room (Providence, Rhode Island)

BAND WATCH - Red Car Wire

Freshly off the 2008 Vans Warped Tour, these Texans are taking stages by storm as well as releasing an EP Lets Never Get Older on October 7th!

Red Car Wire - So Far {MOV}

With so many bands flooding the scene today it is difficult to find a band that is truly distinctive, but Red Car Wire proves that you can still rock hard on stage while the audience sings your lyrics and screams for more!

Red Car Wire is an energetic 4 piece modern rock band that fills clubs with bobbing heads and jumping fans. Since landing on the scene, they have been making a buzz with unforgettable live performances and catchy chorus melodies that will have you singing them in the shower the next morning. Based out of Dallas, Texas, these 4 musicians have created a sound that expresses their hyper & memorable personalities, becoming instantly contagious to everyone who listens. The bands high energy live shows have to be seen to be believed, and on the 2008 VANS WARPED TOUR the band solidified their position as one of the hottest newcomers on the scene this year, winning over new fans at every show. With the release of their debut EP, ‘Let’s Never Get Older’ on October 7th, Red Car Wire are out to prove that their brand of pop punk music will set the standard for all bands to come.

UPCOMING TOUR DATES:
9/30 – Jammin’ Java – Vienna, VA
10/1 – Green Station Club – Greensboro, NC
10/3 – Jack Rabbits – Jacksonville, FL
10/4 – The Talent Farm – Pembroke Pines, FL

www.myspace.com/redcarwire

www.redcarwire.com

Two Gallants to Headline The Fillmore

Two Gallants Finish Up Year With Festivals, Benefit Shows, And Take Autumn Break Until Headlining The Fillmore On December 26, 2008.

It has certainly been a long and steady road for the Gallants. Growing up together in San Francisco, the horizon constantly beckoned. They wanted to see the world, but would do it on their own terms. Free from any musical template, they created a sound all their own, marrying folk and punk elements – dusty as the paths they’d travel, sharp as a razor’s edge. Upon this landscape, the boys spun their wanderlust tales, infused with their essential struggle: the lure of the unfamiliar road and the comfort of a familiar perch. Ultimately, their music did the work – traversed the golden gates and reached out to those who wanted to hear. So Two Gallants followed, two silhouettes against the sun.

The past year, instead of doing four tours like the previous year, the band played mostly festivals and certain new destinations like the southern region of Andalucia, Spain; above the Arctic Circle via Tromso, Norway; with other stops in France, Belgium, and Germany. They were handpicked to accompany ELBOW on their UK tour, and toured Ireland, which included 3 nights in Dublin supporting THE NATIONAL. They also found time to make their network television debut on ABC’s JIMMY KIMMEL LIVE!, in support of their self-titled 3rd album.

This past June, the boys made their first appearance at BONNAROO, playing two sets: one electric, one acoustic – garnering some attention from The NY Times. This was two days after they were in Seattle for a sold out BENEFIT FOR NOISE FOR THE NEEDY.

In August, Two Gallants headlined the PRESIDIO STAGE on Day 2 of the very first OUTSIDE LANDS MUSIC & ARTS FESTIVAL in Golden Gate Park in San Francisco alongside TOM PETTY, RADIOHEAD, WILCO, and BECK, among others. They capped off their summer with two rousing performances at BUMBERSHOOT. Their early set at the KEXP Music Lounge certainly made an impression: the station promptly invited the band to headline the KEXP pledge drive, JOHN IN THE MORNING AT NIGHT, on October 3rd, at Neumo’s in Seattle. Their later set had those in attendance buzzing with phrases like 'my favorite performance of Bumbershoot 2008.'

After a recent stop in the UK, which included an appearance at the End of the Road Festival, the boys will take a well-deserved autumn respite (save for the KEXP spot, of course) which will mark their first fall without a full-fledged tour in 5 years.

On December 26th, Two Gallants will re-emerge to headline the famed Fillmore in San Francisco. Tickets are on sale now.

Two Gallants Acoustic EP, 'The Scenery Of Farewell', and their 3rd Full-Length Album, 'Two Gallants', are In Stores Now (Saddle Creek).

'The duo’s crackpot crock-pot of antediluvian folk, rustic Americana… laid atop stripped-to-the-bone punk revels in dark and timeless thoughts and themes: loss, abandonment, regret, betrayal, revenge… As brutally sad as it is starkly beautiful.' – Boston Globe

'Two Gallants have emerged from the mess and continue, with this, their third LP, to blow all other current drum-guitar combos out of the water. That’s right – all of them.' - VICE Magazine

Click here to watch Two Gallants on Jimmy Kimmell Live!

The So So Glos Set To Release Debut Shortplayer TOURISM/TERRORISM Out This November On Green Owl Records

7” Single “Throw Your Hands Up Deejay” B/W “Execution” Out October 21st! Mixed By Spidey (Ghostface Killah)

Click Here To View So So Glos Live From The Market Hotel

“One of those kids, Alex Levine, 20, was clad in a leather jacket and Doc Martens shoes. He scrawled lyrics into a tiny notebook and spoke about organizing a rock-flavored fund-raiser for Senator Obama. The younger Mr. Levine plays bass and sings for a Brooklyn-based band called the So So Glos, a group that lacks a "W" between the "O" and the "S" out of animus for the current president, he said. He was the one who first got his father excited about Senator Obama, and he considers himself unusual in his political fervor. He tries to spread the word wherever he can, even at rock concerts. "Most people I have talked to at shows seem apathetic," he said. -Jonathan Miller, The New York Times

The Brooklyn punk rockers The So So Glos do for New York City in these troubled '00s—deep into second terms for Bush and Bloomberg—what theClash did for London in '79: burn it in political effigy with rambunctious meta-protest music. -Greg Burgett, New York Press

The SO SO GLOS are four brothers who play the punk rock and roll that they believe in. Originally from Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, they now live at the Market Hotel in Bushwick- a space they founded that is both their home and community. Brews, smokes and music blasting, the J train crushing along the tracks outside, non-stop. That is their music: aggressive, urgent, and immediate- political and poetic because it has to be. But these Brooklyn kids aren’t just touting the same old punk; Graced with electro MPC breaks, surf sounds, gang vox, and a little tambo it sounds fresh. Still though, after the rubble settles and the smoke clears, its unmistakenly punk rock in its spirit.

They started the infamous Market Hotel venue with promoter Todd P because they felt, with the DIY scene getting stronger; Brooklyn needed a larger all ages DIY venue. They were right- The Hotel has gone to host some of the best bands of now (No Age, The Black Lips, Dan Deacon) and some of the most legendary NYC parties in recent memory. Never content to play hometown heroes The SO SO GLOS self-released their S/T full length in 2007 and supported it with DIY touring at house parties and punk clubs all around the US.

In August The SO SO GLOS recorded "TOURISM / TERRORISM" at Staten Islands SOR studios with Adam Reich producing and mixing done by Spidey (Ghostface Killah). At 27 minutes long, the record is somewhere between an EP and an album. It was made a shortplayer "for the trigger happy iPod generation" half-jokes 21 year old lead singer Alex Levine with a grin. These guys are for real.

The SO SO GLOS will begin a new tour in October, with dates lasting until everyone f@cking gets it.

US Dates
Sep 26 2008 8:00P Park Avenue Armory (FREE, ALL-AGES) New York, New York
Sep 27 2008 8:00P Fordham University w/ Des Ark, Bad Credit No Credit The Bronx, New York
Oct 9 2008 8:00P TBA w/ The Nymphet[te]s! Aretha Snakes! Amherst, Massachusetts
Oct 16 2008 8:00P SMOG @ Bard College Annandale, New York
Oct 17 2008 8:00P TBA Bronxville, New York
Oct 18 2008 8:00P The Market Hotel w/ Titus Andronicus Brooklyn, New York
Oct 21 2008 8:00P Santos Party House New York, New York
Oct 22 2008 8:00P Shambles Haus Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Oct 23 2008 8:00P TBA Grand Rapids, Michigan
Oct 24 2008 8:00P 1624 N. Harrison St. Fort Wayne, Indiana
Oct 25 2008 11:00P Prop Thtr w/ TBA Chicago, Illinois
Oct 26 2008 8:00P TBA Chicago, Illinois
Oct 27 2008 8:00P Reggie’s Rock Club (17+) Chicago, Illinois
Oct 28 2008 8:00P TBA Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Oct 29 2008 8:00P TBA Minneapolis, Minnesota
Oct 30 2008 8:00P TBA Des Moines, Iowa
Oct 31 2008 8:00P TBA Omaha, Nebraska
Nov 1 2008 8:00P TBA Kansas City, Missouri
Nov 3 2008 8:00P TBA Denver, Colorado
Nov 4 2008 8:00P UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, Utah
Nov 6 2008 8:00P Josephine w/ The Raggedy Anns Seattle, Washington
Nov 7 2008 8:00P Holy Mountain w/ The Raggedy Anns Seattle, Washington
Nov 8 2008 8:00P The Coop (PC-PDX!) w/ The Taxpayers, Francis Brady Portland, Oregon
Nov 9 2008 8:00P Wedgwood w/ The Rotaways, The Mean Jeans Portland, Oregon
Nov 10 2008 8:00P TBA Arcata, California
Nov 11 2008 8:00P TBA Baybay, California
Nov 12 2008 8:00P TBA Baybay, California
Nov 13 2008 8:00P Pitzer College w/ Pizza! Los Angeles, California
Nov 14 2008 8:00P TBA Los Angeles, California
Nov 15 2008 8:00P TBA Los Angeles, California
Nov 16 2008 8:00P TBA Los Angeles, California
Nov 17 2008 8:00P Crane’s Hollywood Tavern w/ The Lieutenants, Ned Casual Los Angeles, California
Nov 18 2008 8:00PPOP! Boutique San Diego, California
Nov 19 2008 8:00P TBA Phoenix, Arizona
Nov 21 2008 8:00P TBA Austin, Texas
Nov 22 2008 8:00PTBA New Orleans, Louisiana
Nov 24 2008 8:00 Greencup Books w/ p.s. eliot, Spells Birmingham, Alabama
Nov 25 2008 8:00P Drunken Unicorn w/ Pink Police Atlanta, Georgia
Nov 26 2008 8:00P TBA Asheville, North Carolina
Nov 28 2008 8:00P TBA Baltimore, Maryland
Nov 29 2008 8:00P Silent Barn w/ Radiates, Lidia Stone, more Ridgewood, New York

Frenchkiss Records Sign Cut Off Your Hands & Announce US CMJ Dates

Happy As Can Be EP To Be Released Oct 21 St., Available Digitally & In Limited Edition CD! Look Out For US Debut Release In Early 2009!

“Joyful” - The Guardian UK

"Honestly, what’s not to love? " - NME

Cut Off Your Hands present Happy As Can Be, the new EP Out on Frenchkiss Records this October. The self-titled single will also be featured on their much anticipated, Bernard Butler produced debut album, You and I, to be released in early 2009.

A carousel of layered melodies and rhyming couplets, soaring over an insistent, cavalry-like drumbeat, Happy… follows the successful Expectations, Cut Off Your Hands’ lead single released in last September. Expectations has not only received high rotation on Australia’s premier radio station, JJJ FM, but it recently featured as the Australian iTunes Single of the Week (SOTW). The track currently sits as the second largest download in iTunes SOTW history.

This comes as no surprise really. In their short time on both record and stage, Cut Off Your Hands have built both their fanbase and media hyperbole on a slew of melodic and downright memorable offerings. From the romantic naivety of songs like Oh Girl, to the speeding, hyper-love balladry of the pop-paean Still Fond, the four-piece have shown they’ve got what it takes to grab the world by it’s collective scruff and shake them into spinning, lovesick action. Happy As Can Be continues this impressive mode.

Fresh from being nominated for the "Breakthrough Artist Of The Year” Award at the 2008 New Zealand Music Awards - an annual awards ceremony being the New Zealand equivalent of The Brits - the band will be returning to the UK to begin the second half of their current tour as part of the "Freshers" tour. Buoyed by the flattering opportunity to have been judged alongside the best of their homeland’s artistic peers, such as Flight Of The Conchords and Liam Finn, not to mention the release of their debut album in both New Zealand and Australia, this UK tour will see the band attacking the stage with unparalleled zeal.

Dates
The Delancey (New Zealand CMJ Showcase) October 21st
Cake Shop October 24th
Public Assembly October 25th

www.myspace.com/cutoffyourhands

Will You Be In Vegas This Thursday?

Check it out!


MUGISON is an awesome one-man project all the way from Iceland. If you like Beck, Radiohead or Sigur Ros youre gonna love this!

Three years ago, Mugison traded his laptop in for a bass player and a drummer of flesh and blood, cranked the amp and went on a mission. His third album, Mugiboogie is driven by the lust for life, love, and sex - a classic rock n´roll ablum in that sense but yet he manages to surprise and entertain in each song. He spent the good part of 3 years howling in his garage until the songs felt right, felt real and beyond all, felt good. Call him a schizophrenic, call him possessed, a monkey with attention-deficit disorder but make no mistakes - he's on a mission. He promised to give it all he got, to turn his inside out and this is what that sounds like

Rolling Stone - David Fricke - "Icelandic singer-songwriter Mugison already has a reputation abroad for bleak magic, on record and in solo appearances with acoustic guitar and laptop. But in his headlining set at the Art Museum, he came out swinging like a country-blues Led Zeppelin, armed with a muscular backing band of electric bass, pedal steel guitar and cannon-fire drums."

Mugison - To The Bone CLick for a listen!

Katy Perry: Limited-Edition Collectible Doll

After spending spring and summer re-writing the record books month after month with the seven-week Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 "I Kissed A Girl," the follow-up single "Hot N Cold," now bulleted at No. 13 nationally, and the RIAA gold-certified album ONE OF THE BOYS, Capitol Records pop/rock phenom KATY PERRY takes one more dive into pop culture iconography with a doll created in her likeness. The Katy Perry doll is currently available for pre-order through Integrity Toys' website at http://www.integritytoys.com/katyperry.php.

Perry collaborated with fashion designer Jason Wu in the creation of the 12 inch-tall doll, which will be sold worldwide in a limited edition retailing for $49.99 from Integrity Toys, where Wu also serves as creative director for Integrity's high-end fashion doll lines. This miniaturized version of Katy will be immediately recognizable as a signature fashion look, with her belted gold mini dress with accordion-pleated skirt, inspired by the wildly popular and 5 times MTV VMA nominated "I Kissed A Girl" video clip.

The transformation of Perry into a doll is a fitting gesture to her earliest fans who saw her guest-starring with several dolls from Integrity's Fashion Royalty® line in the ironic and hilarious video "Ur So Gay," and streamed it over 1.3 million times, laughing all the way. "We are very excited to be working with Katy again," Wu said. "Her fresh attitude, unique style and fun approach to music make her a perfect candidate to become a fashion doll."

http://www.integritytoys.com/katyperry.php

About Integrity Toys: Integrity Toys designs, produces and markets a variety of fashion dolls and other toys and related products, with a specialization in high-end and collectible fashion dolls. Integrity Toys' extensive experience and capabilities in the doll and toy industry has allowed it to create products and programs for many of the world's best-known retailers, consumer products companies, celebrities and other intellectual property holders. The Company's current lines include Fashion Royalty, Gene Marshall, the Dynamite Girls, Hollywood Royalty and the AvantGuards, among others. More information on Integrity Toys can be found at www.integritytoys.com

Fujiya & Miyagi’s Lightbulbs LP Receives Glowing US Reviews

Reaches #1 On The CMJ/RPM Chart & Currently At #7 CMJ TOP 200

Out On Deaf, Dumb + Blind Recordings & US Tour This October 2008

Click Here To View To “Knickerbocker” On Pitchfork Media

New York Times: “They confirm their allegiance to Krautrock bands like Neu! with an array of sparse but danceable beats. The effect is a bit like the band: glib but canny, and oozing style.”

Pitchfork Media : “F&M have also kept up their interest in some of life's finer things: motorik pulses, retro-futurist electronics, fake Japanese accents. And, OK, this Lightbulbs track doesn't always keep its things in the dark: "Vanilla, strawberry, knickerbocker, glory," Best sings, as the instruments make like metronomes. Just like that old krautrock highway where you never run out of road, they'll never run out of things to sing about.”

Imagine that Fujiya & Miyagi are mask-wearing technicians dissecting music, keen to magnify particles of sound to create a pulsing antidote to the ordinary. They speak in tongues, using language as a rhythm, picking words that sound good, rhyming ‘jigsaws’ with ‘carnivores’.

Their songs are incisive snapshots of real lives that make household appliances sound threatening. They are steeped in vintage music from evocative krautrock to deep soul, with wafts of early Human League synth, Floydian Englishness and the throbbing groove of Tom Tom Club, all filtered for modern times.

In total, Fujiya & Miyagi don’t really sound like anything. Instead, they sound like everything condensed into perfectly arranged three minute chunks of infectious pop music, a strange hybrid of James Brown on Valium and Wire gone pop. Or maybe Serge Gainsbourg with a PhD in electronics backed by David Byrne’s Eno-produced scratchy guitar mixed by MF Doom. It’s Darwinism gone mad.

Formed in 2000 as an electronic duo of David Best (guitars and vocals) and Steve Lewis (synths, beats, programming), they released Electro Karaoke In The Negative Style two years later, a minimal electronic set it hangs eerily on Best’s distinctive whispered vocal. Adding bass player Matt Hainsby in 2004, they released a series of ten inch EPs that took them to the hearts of fanzineland. Gathered together these parables of personal injury, both physical and mental, made up three quarters of the well-received (Pitchfork, NME, MOJO, etc) album Transparent Things in 2006. Named after a Nabokov brain dump on the relationship between the past and the present. It sums them up.

A Regal seven-inch, “Uh”, further concentrated their sound. A set of vocal ticks, a funky bass and a storyline about a relationship as prickly as two porcupines, it made small talk sound sinister over an infectious groove. It was the perfect set up for their second US Album, Light Bulbs – imagine 11 classic ideas clicking on above your head, now with real drums in places, courtesy of Lee Adams, and the picture is complete.

Fujiya & Miyagi stay away from lyrical themes that have been done to death. Using old synths to punctuate their beautifully-observed anecdotes on romantic triumphs and disasters, heroes and villains and the world at large, their rhythms palpitate to produce modern symphonies like no-one else. Light Bulbs is a journey littered with fragmented images, anecdotes from the sublime to the ridiculous, blurry stories that you feel you shouldn’t have overheard. Each track an aural contamination set to itch your inner ear every waking moment.

US Fall Tour
Oct 22 2008 MERCURY LOUNGE NEW YORK
Oct 23 2008 WEBSTER HALL NEW YORK
Oct 24 2008 PARADISE BOSTON
Oct 25 2008 BOTTOM LOUNGE CHICAGO
Oct 27 2008 CHOP SUEY SEATTLE
Oct 28 2008 THE INDEPENDENT SAN FRANCISCO
Oct 30 2008 THE TROUBADOUR LOS ANGELES

Project Jenny, Project Jan will play two local gigs before hitting CMJ.

The Project Jenny, Project Jan boys will be in Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist and “act” as a band called “Are You Randy?’ in the film but if you listen closely they are playing PJPJ songs. Look for Jeremy AS “Randy” in the film.

The dynamic duo just returned from WOWing them across the pond as the opener for a string of September Fujiya & Miyagi European dates

Project Jenny Project Jan have spent the summer working on an upcoming collaboration record featuring songs with Fujiya & Miyagi, Mixel Pixel, So Percussion, Adam Matta and One Watt Sun.

Due out this winter, all proceeds from sale of the records will go to charity.

October 1st at Union Pool- PJPJ MC Battle of the Bands for Nick and Norah shin dig sponsored by The L and Uncensored TV
October 2nd at Public Assembly with Shy Child in Brooklyn
October 18th at Bard College with Heloise and The Savoir Faire in Annandale-on-Hudson, New York
October 21st at Lit Lounge in New York (Official CMJ showcase)

This fall Project Jenny, Project Jan are BUSY!

Listen to You Said featuring So Percussion

Project Jenny, Project Jan are pushing the boundaries of modern music while bringing along an ass shakin’ finger snapping party. PJPJ’s signature sound- Sammy Rubin’s jaunty electro-pop hooks fueled by saucy freestyled vocals from Jeremy Haines— is infectious without being predictable.

Alaska in Winter has recently completed his sophomore offering Holiday, out on Milan Records November 18th

Alaska In Winter began when art student, Brandon Bethancourt spent a semester writing and recording music in an isolated cabin on the south coast of Alaska. Upon arrival back in New Mexico, he teamed up with Zach Condon of Beirut, Heather Trost of A Hawk And A Hacksaw and other friends, and thus began work on the album Dance Party In The Balkans. This debut release was released by Milan Records in July 2007 in the US after a release in the UK by Regular Beat a few months earlier.

After his critically acclaimed debut release, Bethancourt decided to quit his job, move out of his house and relocate to Berlin, Germany – a city he had been to before and had always dreamed of living in. He has spent the past 6 months writing and recording this upcoming release Holiday and begins his tour of Europe in late September. Holiday will be released on Milan Records on November 18, 2008.

Bethancourt takes much of his influence from his early years of growing up in the American South West, immersed in the musical low-rider culture of Santa Fe, New Mexico, as well as a slight Arabian influence on the part of his parents and their Byzantine church music. He combines these traditional sounds with programmed beats and use of the vocoder among other new technologies and techniques.

Because Bethancourt is the sole member of Alaska in Winter and does not read or write music, he uses multi-track recording to build his musical layers, using a variety of techniques. “For Holiday, I recorded everything in my living room on a laptop and an old micro cassette tape recorder and used a German ghetto blaster as my monitor speakers. The only things I brought with me to Europe were my Powerbook laptop, an effects processor, a small midi keyboard, a microphone, and the hand held micro cassette tape recorder,” he explains. “Because I didn't actually have any instruments with me (aside from the elements I recorded before I came to Europe), the album turned out very electronic, very synthy as those were the only tools I had.”

In comparing how Holiday differs from Dance Party in the Balkans, Bethancourt explains, “I've definitely been influenced by Berlin on this album - much more electronic than the last, heavily based on synths, bass, and dancier drums and with hints of minimal house elements creeping in ever so slightly. Even within the album itself I can hear a progression of the Berlin electronic music scene influencing me more and more with the amount of time I spent here. The Berlin techno parties and all night dance marathons were big inspirations for me."

Pitchfork: "....far-flung variety of forms into chilly, beat-oriented, downtempo hymns: amorous Balkan strings, the melismatic vocal tapestries of classical Arabian music (often so gently vocoder-kissed as to sound more spectral than robotic), icily splintered piano loops (which are actually played live), skittering hip-hop percussion (ditto), and soaringly simple indie pop melodies obscured in an atmospheric haze."

URB: "Sounds like: Ratatat meets robotic Balkan natives.

Click Here to Listen to "Berlin" from Holiday

Watch the Red Dress Music Video

European Tour Dates:
Sept 25 - Rust, Copenhagen, Denmark
Sept 26 - Musikcaféen, Arhus, Denmark
Sept 27 - Klubb Republik, Norrkoping, Sweden
Sept 30 - Astra Stube, Hamburg, Germany
Oct 1 - Prinsenhof, Groningen, The Netherlands
Oct 2 - Paradiso, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Oct 4 - Ekko, Utrecht, The Netherlands
Oct 5 - Rotown, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
Oct 7 - Nijdrop, Opwijk, Belgium
Oct 9 - Feinkost Lampe, Hannover, Germany
Oct 11 - The Kings Arms, Salford, UK
Oct 24 - 93 Feet East, London, UK

SAVING ABEL SET TO ROCK FIRST OBAMA / MCCAIN PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE

Southern Rockers Will Play At First Presidential Debate On September 26th At The University of Mississippi!

#1 Rock Smash "Addicted" Heating Up Top 40 Radio. While New Single "18 Days" Is Climbing The Rock Charts. Currently On The Road With Buckcherry And Shinedown For Fall Tour!


After spending the summer opening for some of the biggest names in rock music, Virgin Records rock-quintet Saving Abel have announced that they will open for the biggest names in politics, playing at the first Obama / McCain Presidential debate on Sep. 26 at the University of Mississippi. The free show which begins at 12:00pm also includes Paul Thorn, Josh Kelley and the North Mississippi Allstars. Saving Abel will make a pit-stop at the U of M to play the pre-debate show before their gig at Big Spring Jam in Huntsville, AL that evening, part of their current outing with Buckcherry and Shinedown (full schedule below).

"We're excited to play at the debate and show our support for the election process as we believe that the outcome will truly affect the lives of all Americans," said frontman Jared Weeks.

Undoubtedly one of the biggest new rock bands of 2008, Saving Abel have been steadily climbing radio and sales charts all year and they show no sign of slowing down anytime soon. Their debut single, the run-away, multi-format, smash-hit "Addicted" has been heard on radio airwaves for 30 weeks and continues to work its way up the charts. It spent 4 weeks at #1 at mainstream rock radio, was #2 for 10 consecutive weeks at active rock radio and peaked at #7 on the alternative chart. "Addicted" has found a whole new life as Top 40 radio gets hooked, where it is currently #21 on the airplay chart and quickly moving upward. The single impacts that Adult Top 40 format on Sep. 30th. The sultry video for "Addicted" which made its debut on playboy.com is also enjoying multi-format success. The clip has seen airplay on MTV2, Fuse, and Music Choice and was recently added to the play list of MTV's pop channel MTV Hits. Saving Abel's second single is a monster ballad entitled "18 Days" and it is beginning to follow in its predecessor's footsteps. In a few short weeks of airplay at active rock radio, it is currently ranked #24 and was one of the most added songs at alternative radio last week when it officially impacted at the format.

Saving Abel's self-titled debut also continues to reach new chart peaks. Since its March 11th release, the album spent 3 consecutive weeks at #1 on Billboard's Heatseekers chart before debuting on the Billboard 200 in July. The album hit a new high this week at #53 on the chart and has scanned over 160,000 units. "Addicted" has sold over 435,000 digital singles and holds its highest chart position to date this week, jumping from #48 to #38 on the singles chart.

Saving Abel - named after the Biblical sibling of Cain - was formed by Jared Weeks and guitarist Jason Null in 2004 in their hometown of Corinth, Mississippi. Now based in Memphis, Tennessee, the band's lineup includes guitarist Scott Bartlett, bassist Eric Taylor and drummer Blake Dixon. Combining influences of southern rock, hard rock and alternative music, the band was first heard on a 2005 EP, produced by Skidd Mills (12 Stones, Saliva, Submersed).

For more info on Saving Abel, visit www.myspace.com/savingabel or www.savingabel.com

Saving Abel on Tour (With Buckcherry/Shinedown)

9/24 Tulsa, OK Brady Theater
9/26 Oxford, MS U/M Grove Stage (Presidential Debate)
9/26 Huntsville, AL Big Spring Jam
9/27 Memphis, TN Mud Island Amphitheatre
9/28 Knoxville, TN Civic Coliseum
9/30 Clemson, SC Littlejohn Coliseum
10/2 Sauget, IL Pop's
10/4 Mobile, AL Bayfest
10/8 Charlotte, NC Grady Cole Center
10/9 Atlanta, GA Tabernacle
10/10 Macon, GA The Hummingbird *
10/11 Kinston, NC Lenoir County Fairgrounds
10/25 Frisco, TX Pizza Hut Park (KDGE Radio Show)
10/26 Spring, TX Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavillion (KTBZ Radio Show)
10/27 Waco, TX Whiskey River * with Puddle of Mudd
10/29 Amarillo, TX Aztec Music Hall * with Puddle of Mudd
10/30 El Paso, TX Club 101 *
10/31 Tempe, AZ Tempe Market Place * KUPD Halloween Show
11/1 Albuquerque, NM Launchpad *
11/2 Denver, CO Bluebird Theatre *

(With Buckcherry/Avenged Sevenfold/Shinedown)

11/4 Casper, WY Casper Events Center
11/5 Billings, MT Metra Park Arena
11/6 Rapid City, ND Rushmore Plaza Civic Center
11/8 St. Paul, MN Roy Wilkins Auditorium
11/9 Fargo, ND Fargo Dome
11/12 Milwaukee, WI Eagles Ballroom
11/14 Madison, WI Alliant Energy Center
11/15 Waterloo, IA McElroy Auditorium
11/16 LaCrosse, WI LaCross Center Arena
11/18 Grand Rapids, MI Deltaplex
11/21 Ypsilanti, MI Convocation Center
12/13 Townson, MD Recher Theater *
12/15 Richmond, VA Toad's Place (WRXL xmas radio show)
12/17 Chicago, IL House of Blues (Q101 xmas radio show)
12/18 St. Louis, MO The Pageant *
12/19 Cincinnati, OH Bogart's *
12/20 Indianapolis, MN The Vogue *

* Headline Show

BECK TO FOLLOW UP SOLD OUT HOLLYWOOD BOWL SHOW WITH NOV. 10th GRAND OPENING OF CLUB NOKIA

New Single Featuring Jay Reatard "Gamma Ray" Cover and Non-LP Track "Bonfire Blonde" Out Sept. 30

LOS ANGELES TIMES - "Beck conquers the Hollywood Bowl... the new pollution is here to stay"

LA WEEKLY - "Dipping from all over his ever-expanding catalog, the show provided evidence that the iconic Los Angeles songwriter is as versatile as he is inspired."

Having triumphantly pulled off the biggest hometown headline engagement of his career--last Saturday's sold out Hollywood Bowl extravaganza --BECK has confirmed a return engagement: The multi-platinum multiple Grammy winner will open CLUB NOKIA in downtown Los Angeles on November 10th. Tickets go on sale Saturday, September 27th at 10am PST via Ticketmaster.

In other Beck touring news, a third New York show has been added to his stand at new York's United Palace Theater. The new show will take place October 8th, a day before the sold out October 9th and 10th dates.

Additionally, Beck will release a pair of singles available digitally September 30th and on vinyl October 7th. The A-side for both will be "Gamma Ray" from his acclaimed new album Modern Guilt. B-Sides will be Jay Reatard's cover of "Gamma Ray" and the non-album Beck original "Bonfire Blonde."

Located at the corner of Olympic and Figueroa, the acoustically ideal and artistically intimate, live entertainment venue, known as CLUB NOKIA, is ready to roll. This is the newest, and largely promising, addition to downtown Los Angeles. Nearing completion, with its state of the art sound and lighting capabilities and seating configurations that can easily accommodate over 2,300 guests, in addition to BECK, CLUB NOKIA will open its doors to an impressive group of A-list music acts, and other choice artists this fall.

Steps from the STAPLES Center, the club rivals other venues in L.A. with technological advancements never before seen or experienced in a venue its size. The aesthetically pleasing interior, complemented with hardwood floors and theatre-style seating in the balcony, is sure to draw favor from patron and performer alike. CLUB NOKIA will prove to be the ultimate location to host both corporate and private events, as it features an inviting VIP Lounge where guests can chill before and after the shows. Catering for the venue will be provided by world-renowned chef, Wolfgang Puck. The outdoor patios on all three levels of the club afford breathtaking views of downtown L.A.

With the addition of CLUB NOKIA, L.A. LIVE promises to become the epicenter for live music. CLUB NOKIA provides a more intimate venue ideally suited for the artist appreciative of their fan and enhancement of their craft. New artists will look back on their time there as most memorable.

A true, one-of-a-kind entertainment campus, comprised of a 6-block radius of downtown, L.A. LIVE will prove to be easily accessible as it is located near the 110 Harbor Freeway and Metro Station. Complete with its varied culinary offerings, live entertainment options and cinemas, L.A. LIVE is focused on, and committed to, the “all live experience.”

I Wrote You a Song Launches BarackRock.org

Musicians and artists Unite to Raise Money for Barack Obama. Donate Exclusive MP3s and Artwork.

Musician Jack Dolgen (Maricopa, Sam Champion) had a song and an idea: use his track to raise money for Barack Obama after a run in with the man himself. He told Barack, "You've been running, I've been recording." The first song to be released from that recording project is, "Daytime," a song about bridging divides and coming together.

As he and designer Andrew Ackermann tossed the concept around to their friends in the music and design worlds, one man's idea grew into an organization called I Wrote You a Song: trading art for political action. The first campaign is BarackRock.org which will feature daily contributions from artists like Maricopa, Jens Lekman, Sam Champion, Antibalis, Via Audio, Northern State, Frank Bango, Sono Oto, Bryan Scary & The Shredding Tears, The Jealous Girlfriends, and many, many more! The effort is ongoing and will continue to review and post contributions from artists till Election Day.

BarackRock.org uses music and design to bring people from around the world together under one banner and channel their energy into a unified force. BarackRock.org is an ever-expanding archive of free, exclusive mp3s, each with its own individual art, meant to build funds, excitement and action for the Obama campaign.

The political change we're working towards won't come by itself. The more downloads we get, the larger our impact can be, so spread the word! These are unreleased tracks and demos, only available here, and only available now, so plug in your headphones and make a difference.

Asobi Seksu Announce US Fall Tour

New York’s Asobi Seksu is thrilled to announce its first US tour dates in over a year. With much of the band’s touring schedule taking them abroad for the past two years, they are extra excited to be hitting the road once again in America.

Following their last full-length, the rapturously received Citrus (which spawned the fine singles “Thursday”, “Strawberries” and “Goodbye”, and received glowing notices across the board), Asobi Seksu returns in early 2009 with their fantastic and none-more-assured third LP, which like Citrus was produced by Chris Zane (The Walkmen, Les Savy Fav).

The new record is preceded in November by the swooping, emphatic single “Me & Mary” (backed by non-album B-Side “Breathe Into Glass”), which rolls forth on a bed of drums and glistening guitars, and features a soaring vocal performance from Yuki Chikudate (keyboard, vocals), who along with James Hanna (guitars) form the core of Asobi Seksu.

The single will be released digitally and on 7” vinyl in the US via Polyvinyl and in Europe via One Little Indian on Nov 18 and Nov 17, respectively.

US Tour Dates
10/17 Annandale-on-Hudson, NY @ Bard College - Smog
10/18 Boston, MA @ T.T. the Bear’s
10/19 Montreal, QC @ tba
10/20 Toronto, ON @ Horseshoe
10/21 Cleveland, OH @ Grog Shop
10/22 Chicago, IL @ Empty Bottle
10/24 Denver, CO @ Hi Dive
10/25 Salt Lake City, UT @ Kilby Court
10/27 Seattle, WA @ Nectar
10/28 Vancouver, BC @ Media Club
10/29 Portland, OR @ Holocene
10/30 San Francisco, CA @ Rickshaw Stop
10/31 Los Angeles, CA @ tba

WAR CHILD ANNOUNCE HEROES: AN INCREDIBLE NEW BENEFIT ALBUM

HEROES WILL BE RELEASED ON NOVEMBER 25, 2008 ON ASTRALWERKS RECORDS

A portion of the proceeds from the sale of the Heroes album will be contributed to the humanitarian organization War Child

War Child, an award winning charity that provides humanitarian assistance to war-affected children in some of the most devastated regions of the world, are proud to announce Heroes, a new benefit album to be released by EMI's Astralwerks label on November 25th, 2008.

Heroes features a unique and unprecedented collaboration between some of the biggest names in music history and today's hottest artists, working with a concept that mirrors one of the intrinsic aims of War Child's efforts in war zones across the world - to place faith in the next generation. The Heroes concept is simple: Many of the biggest legends in music, including Sir Paul McCartney, Bob Dylan, David Bowie, Brian Wilson and The Clash, select one of the classic tracks from their own songwriting canon, and nominate an artist from the next generation to create a modern reworking of that classic song.

The full track listing will be announced in due course but already the album is shaping up to be a musical tour-de-force with the following amazing cover versions:

BECK covering BOB DYLAN'S "LEOPARD-SKIN PILL-BOX HAT"

DUFFY covering SIR PAUL MCCARTNEY'S "LIVE AND LET DIE"

BRIAN WILSON nominating RUFUS WAINWRIGHT, who performs a medley of two tracks from "Smile"

THE KOOKS covering THE KINKS' "VICTORIA".

HOT CHIP covering JOY DIVISION'S "TRANSMISSION"

THE HOLD STEADY covering BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN'S "ATLANTIC CITY"

Many tracks by hugely successful contemporary artists are still being finished; the completed Heroes record will be an album of staggering musical diversity uniting the cream of musical giants from different generations.

War Child places its faith in the next generation and works to protect the most hard to reach children hit by a combination of war, poverty and marginalisation. Despite security constraints War Child is still operating successfully to protect youth in Darfur, Sudan, is on the ground in Afghanistan providing support to vulnerable women and their children, and has been in Georgia since 2004, long before Russian tanks rolled in.

As well as being recognized for working in the world's most dangerous war zones, War Child is widely known for its association with the music industry, having produced award-winning charity albums and documentaries.


Sir Paul McCartney said "I have been supporting War Child since 1995. Their work with children in war zones saves lives and their work with those who take decisions that help them to do something about it saves even more lives. I think Duffy's version of 'Live and Let Die' is great - I was really impressed. The breadth of talent on this project is amazing; it's great that so many people gave their time, energy and support to this initiative. I urge everyone to support War Child."

Dr. Samantha Nutt, Executive Director of War Child said, "War Child's programming is predicated on the belief that by empowering children we stand a better chance of a peaceful future. The artists who have contributed to this record really are heroes, because it is through their creativity that we are able to continue our work with children whose lives have been devastated by war."

"We are enormously proud to be involved with a project that encompasses such musical depth, socio-economic scope and global significance" added Glenn Mendlinger, general manager of Astralwerks. "It is our sincerest hope that this is the first of many new efforts by the music community to raise awareness of the plight of children throughout the world".

War Child is an award-winning charity which provides opportunities and long term solutions for war-affected children, focusing on education, strengthening children's rights, reducing poverty and fostering self reliance. War Child works in partnership with local people and organizations to build sustainable programming that empowers children and their communities. Working closely with the music industry, War Child provides awareness, support and action for children's rights everywhere. www.warchild.ca

RADIOHEAD RECKONER REMIX PROJECT

After the overwhelming response to the Nude Remix Project, Radiohead are giving fans the opportunity to remix "Reckoner", another track from the band's latest album "In Rainbows" at http://www.radioheadremix.com

To make remixing easy, the separate 'stems'* from the song will be available to purchase on iTunes. The 'stems' available are bass, lead vocal, backing vocals, guitars, piano/strings and drums. All six stems will be available to buy for the price of a single track. Fans can mix them in any way they like, either by adding their own beats and instrumentation, or just remixing the original parts.

Fans who purchase the 'stems' from iTunes during the first two weeks they're available, will be sent an access code to a GarageBand file ready to open in GarageBand or Logic. However, you don't need GarageBand to do a remix, the stems are available in the DRM-free iTunes Plus format and compatible with several music software platforms.

Finished mixes can be uploaded to http://www.radioheadremix.com where the public will listen and vote for their favourite. Fans can also create a widget allowing votes from their own website, Facebook or MySpace page to be counted as 'mix votes' back on radioheadremix.com.


*'stems' are the component parts of the song.

EULOGIES - Full-Length Album Set For Spring 2009

At first glance, the band’s name may seem morbid, but upon listening (really listening) to the music, we were able to mine a much more complex message.

These tunes render vivid scenes with a minimalist palette. There's a gentle, knowing tension that speaks to the bittersweet push and pull of everyday living and dying. Thoughts turned to soft-spoken secrets; intuition turned to self-affirmation; fights we’ve come to like. The result is a melancholy music that's upbeat, and a record of specific personal intent that speaks to us all.

On October 7th, Dangerbird Records will digitally release Eulogies’ four-song EP entitled Tempted To Do Nothing. The VinylDisc version will follow a short while later, to coincide with some exciting tour news. Their upcoming full-length album, Here Anonymous, is due out Spring 2009…


VINYLDISC
Eulogies’ four-song EP will be available on VinylDisc, an exciting combination for the digital and analog music lover in all of us. The technology reaches across party lines to combine CD and Vinyl capabilities on one disc. It plays like a regular CD in any CD player, and the art side features bona-fide working vinyl grooves. The piece comes with an adapter, making the disc playable on any record player.

‘Tempted To Do Nothing’ will also be available for download at all digital retail outlets.

http://www.dangerbirdrecords.com/artists/eulogies

http://www.myspace.com/eulogiesmusic

Made In China Release First Single "Press One For English"

Made In China Release First Single "Press One For English" / Named In URB's Next 1000 List Debut LP Sonic Blog V.1 Out November 18th On Recordburger Records

Click Here To Listen To “Press One For English”

Click Here To View Made In China In URB’s Next 1000 List

Ok these two guys, they’re disgusted with everything except their families and sex. So, after they sniffed one another out, one said, “We should make a record so one of us doesn’t end up a sniper in a McDonald’s.” The other one said, “Yeah, OK, but I’m not leaving my house.” Anyway, Palumbo and LK - the guys in question - decided that “Palumbo and LK” sounded like some bogus tree hugging folk duo (which, of course they also hate). One of them said, “Everything is made in Chinaif I didn’t know better, I would think my kids were manufactured there.” The other, more detail oriented one, said, “No, not the parts of your kids, lots of their parts are made here in the US, but maybe your kids were ASSEMBLED in China.” Then they said, whatever let’s call our band MADE IN CHINA. So, please don’t ask either one of them about that ever again.

LK, an anal retentive obsessive compulsive, went to Columbia. The school, not the country, which is spelled differently anyway. He graduated and then bagged it before becoming a lawyer, cause who wants all that money and power? Instead, he went into music. “Idiot,” said dad. “Don’t be a fool,” said mom. LK produced and mixed, cause that made him BOSS, and he lovessssssss being BOSS. He worked on the Chili Peppers, played with Herbie Hancock, and lots of other stuff the world thinks is even more important that he doesn’t want to talk about right now.

Palumbo, a Zen Buddhist head-in-the-clouds loon who thinks life is to be taken on a moment by moment basis, went to school, quit, and went into music. “Idiot,” said dad. “Don’t be a fool,” said mom. Palumbo formed this band called Crack The Sky and they did okay, until he saw that they were on the verge of breaking big, then he bagged that, cause yep, same thing money and power! He went back to school so mom and dad would put him back in their will, and actually became a doctor of psychology. Then, he met LK. The meeting went something like this:

LK: I would like to produce you.
Palumbo: Sure.
LK: Can I be boss?
Palumbo: Sure.

LK bossed Palumbo around and made this record called Citizen X. One day, while Palumbo was searching the Jenna Jameson websites down in the studio, LK was piddling on the piano. Palumbo listened and said, “Whoa, hey you write that?” LK, wonderful at being boss, but a little rusty when it came to his own stuff, said”well” Palumbo became uncharacteristically overbearing and begged LK to show him his songs. Like a kid who just got caught - well, looking at Jenna - LK reluctantly showed some songs to Palumbo.

Palumbo: This is really good stuff.
LK: It’s
Palumbo: No, it’s better than good I can make it better, but it’s really good.
LK: Can I be boss?
The result is MADE IN CHINA, Sonic Blog V.1 The songs are the thing.