Veritas Lux Mea

Getting to Know You: New York's Rew Starr

2012-02-22T17:42:00.005-06:00

Being out on the East Coast, I find that I'm exposed to a lot more great independent artists than I was in Northern Wisconsin. I doubt that surprises anyone, but it's just something that I frequently find myself being thankful for and haven't yet had the chance to mention.

One such artist whose sound I was introduced to via a personal connection (Mrs. Veritas Lux Mea and friends) is Rew Starr.

An alt-indie female rocker in the truest sense, Rew Starr has been playing NYC and its surrounding areas for longer than most of today's 15-minute fame bands have been alive.

Her band's sound is raw, her lyrics brutally honest, and together they a sound beautifully reminiscent of a rock scene arguably lost on today's generation, but not on those who grew up with the likes of Blondie, Joan Jett and Joplin.

Over the years, she's shared the stage with the likes of Joey Ramone, Patti Smith, even Murphy's Law (who I happened to catch back in Pittsburgh about 8 years ago), which speaks not only to her talent, but also to the adaptability of her sound.

As Donna Gaines once wrote about Rew Starr in the Village Voice: "This is what you moved to NYC for...".

If the closest you're going to get to New York is a Woody Allen movie, do yourself a favor and have a listen to the tracks below from the album, "that*S*rite". And if you live in New York, do I really need to tell you go check out a gig?

"u suck"

http://soundclick.com/share.cfm?id=5022970

"skeletonz in my closet"

http://soundclick.com/share.cfm?id=5022922

Like what you hear? Grab her entire album over at iTunes

You can even check out a video of them performing at Webster Hall this past November, below (warning: sound quality isn't great):

Audio Approved: Bon Iver at AIR studios

2012-02-19T09:51:00.002-06:00

If you count yourself as part of that Sunday crowd that likes to wake slowly to your local alternative station's acoustic Sunday mornings, you may appreciate this delicate session from Wisconsin favorite Bon Iver.

The 4AD/Jagjaguwar session, recorded at AIR Studio's Lyndhurst Hall, features Justin Vernon, Sean Carey and a small sampling of both new and old Bon Iver tunes, as well as a cover of Bonnie Raitt's "I Can't Make You Love Me":

1. Hinnom, TX
2. Wash.
3. I Can't Make You Love Me (Bonnie Rait cov
4. Babys
5. Beth/Rest

Make some coffee. Scramble some eggs. And watch the session in its entirety, below:

Audio Approved: The Joy Formidable

2012-02-18T17:40:00.006-06:00

It's not often that I find myself praising a female vocal led rock band that isn't the Yeah Yeah Yeahs these days, but from the first time I heard their song "Whirring" I've been slightly smitten by the audio enchantment and driving guitars of English trio that is The Joy Formidable.

Have a listen to a great live version of "Whiring," the stand out track from their 2011 debut album, The Big Roar, courtesy of our friends over at KEXP and see if you don't find yourself in the same smitten boat:

Like what you hear? Head over to iTunes and grab some tracks for yourself.

Audio Approved: Of Monsters and Men

2012-02-17T18:30:00.007-06:00

Unless you've been living under some sort of punk rock (see what I did there? Yeah, I went there) for the past few months, you've probably heard the great single from the newest Icelandic indie folk pop scene darlings, Of Monsters and Men, titled "Little Talks." If not, you can check out the music video at the band's website.

One of the better radio stations here in Philadelphia, Radio 104.5, was all over it from early on - and quite amiably, Of Monsters and Men booked two shows for their upcoming U.S. tour in the City of Brotherly Love on April 3rd and 4th at the TLA, which sold out within minutes.

Although their full-length album, My Head is an Animal, isn't slated to hit U.S. shores until April 3 (same day as the Philly show, coincidentally), the band did release an EP on December 20th to tide us over.

In addition to "Little Talks," the band's EP, Into the Woods, features some really great tracks, such as one of my personal favorites, "Dirty Paws," performed here at the KEX Hostel in Reykjavik during Iceland Airwaves '11:

There are a bunch more tracks from that set available for your viewing (and listening) pleasure over at the KEXP YouTube channel.

Do yourself a favor and grab your copy of Into the Woods at Amazon for under $4. It'll be the best $4 you've spent on music in a long, long time.

Radiohead "The King of Limbs" Review

2011-02-21T20:41:00.004-06:00

It's been a while, but now that we're finally settled in out here in Philadelphia I can finally wrap my head around some music.

This weekend I got the chance to download the new Radiohead album, The King of Limbs, thanks to their early digital release. I wasn't really sure what to anticipate going in to my first listen, having been pleasantly surprised by the last Radiohead release (In Rainbows), but knowing that Thom has been doing a lot on the side (see: Atoms of Peace) that leaned more towards the electronic/prog arm I was curious to see how this album would lean.

My initial thoughts, now that I've had a chance to listen through the album once or twice? It's good. It's much more of a return to a steadier electronic sound than In Rainbows, (which I thoroughly enjoyed because it brought a little more of Greenwood's guitar back into their sound), but as long as you don't expect a raucous guitar filled track to lift the album's consistent electronic heartbeat it is a fine album with a lot of delicate subtleties that really lend themselves to Yorke's voice and the music's haunting melodies.

The King of Limbs is a mellow listen but one that moves a pace quick enough that you're not likely to stop paying attention at any point; it begs your attention with each sweeping crescendo and falsetto. Yet, in many tracks Yorke's vocals dance in the background and are overlayed by a smooth beat that drowns both the vocals and the harmony together like a finely choreographed finger paint.

big news

2010-10-10T20:18:00.002-05:00

We're moving to Philadelphia!

New single from Matt & Kim, "Cameras," coming soon

2010-08-19T21:20:00.000-05:00

Matt & Kim; credit: mattandkimmusic.com

Matt & Kim have always been one of those bands that I've forever flirted with but never made a move on, despite their sexy tracks like "Good Ol' Fashion Nightmare" and "Daylight" which crop up constantly on my playlist like a phone number in a little black book that you always try to ignore.

But with the news that on August 31 the band will be releasing the first single, "Cameras", off their third full-length album, I might have to rethink our relationship. Why's that? This time, they've got producer Ben H. Allen on board, who has produced amazing albums such as St. Elsewhere (Gnarls Barkley), Merriweather Post Pavilion (Animal Collective), and one of my favorite recent albums, In the Dark (The Whigs). This new album is going to be ridiculously good.

Do yourself a favor and catch them on the road when they hit the pavement this fall, and stay tuned for the release of "Cameras".

North American Tour

Sept
15th Westcott Theater # - Syracuse, NY
16th Beachland Ballroom # - Cleveland, OH
17th Newport Music Hall # - Columbus, OH
18th Majestic Theater # - Detroit, MI
19th Metro # - Chicago, IL
21st Majestic Theater # - Madison, WI
22nd First Ave # - Minneapolis, MN
23rd The Granada Theater # - Lawrence, KS
24th Ogden Theater # - Denver, CO
25th Virgin Mobile FreeFest - Columbia, MD
27th The Rickshaw Theater - Vancouver, BC
28th Showbox * - Seattle, WA
29th Roseland Theater * -Portland, OR
30th The Fillmore * - San Francisco, CA

Oct
1st House of Blues * - San Diego, CA
2nd Music Box at The Henry Fonda Theater * - Los Angeles, CA
3rd Music Box at The Henry Fonda Theater * - Los Angeles, CA
6th The Clubhouse * - Tempe, AZ
8th House of Blues * - Dallas, TX
9th Austin City Limits - Austin, TX
11th The Lyric Oxford % - Oxford, MS
12th House of Blues % - New Orleans, LA
13th Club Downunder % - Tallahassee, FL
14th Culture Room ! - Fort Lauderdale, FL
15th State Theater ! - St. Petersburg, FL
16th Masquerade ! - Atlanta, GA
17th Exit In ! - Nashville, TN
19th Orange Peel ! - Asheville, NC
20th Cats Cradle ! - Carrboro, NC
21st The Canal Club ! - Richmond, VA
22nd 9:30 Club ! - Washington, DC
23rd Rams Head Live! ! - Baltimore, MD
24th Starlite Ballroom ! - Philadelphia, PA
26th Webster Hall ! - New York, NY
27th Webster Hall ! - New York, NY
28th Water St. Music Hall ! - Rochester, NY
29th Phoenix Theater ! - Toronto, ON
30th Le National ! - Montreal, QC
31st Northern Lights ! - Clifton, NY

Nov
2nd Higher Ground - Burlington, VT
3rd Port City Music Hall ^ - Portland, ME
4th House of Blues ^ - Boston, MA
5th Toad's Place ^ - New Haven, CT
6th Pearl Street Nightclub ^ - Northampton, MA

# w/ So So Glos
* w/ Fang Island
% w/ Big Freedia
! w/ Donnis
^ w/ Javelin

Learn more at mattandkimmusic.com

Drama Queen Axl Rose cancels tour via Twitter?

2010-08-19T21:12:00.003-05:00

Chang W. Lee/The New York Times

I'm not sure who is a bigger drama queen: Brett Favre, or Axl Rose?

I'm not sure I even care at this point. Go ahead and play. You're old, and probably not going to be as good as expected.

Funny, that could apply to either one of them.

Frightened Rabbit fall tour

2010-08-01T13:55:00.005-05:00

A few of my friends from back East and I recently stared a mix tape exchange in an attempt to infuse some new musical blood into our systems. To make things a bit more interesting, we are also using themes. The first was " Summer Bummer," and one of the tracks that made my list was Frightened Rabbit's "Swim Until You Can't See Shore," a great track.

I became interested in Frightened Rabbit after digging into some recent offerings from other Scottish artists who have been making a name for themselves in the indie scene lately, namely We Were Promised Jetpacks and The Twilight Sad (both of whom also made my Summer Bummer list, which makes me think that summers in Scotland aren't great?). The more I've listened to them, the more I've come to enjoy their sound.

If you haven't yet made the foray into the great Scottish bands on the scene today such as the ones listed above or the ones you may already know (Franz Ferdinand, Belle and Sebastian, etc) then spend a few minutes watching and listening to the music video for "Swim Until You Can't See Land" and see if that changes your perspective.

If you like what you hear, make sure you catch them on tour in fall at one of the following stops:

FRIGHTENED RABBIT ON TOUR

August 8 - Chicago, Ill. @ Lollapalooza
October 7 - Seattle, Wash. @ Showbox at the Market
October 8 - Vancouver, B.C. @ Vogue Theatre
October 9 - Portland, Ore. @ Wonder Ballroom
October 10 - San Francisco, Calif. @ The Fillmore
October 13 - Los Angeles, Calif. @ Mayan Theatre
October 14 - San Diego, Calif. @ House of Blues
October 15 - Anaheim, Calif. @ House of Blues
October 16 - Las Vegas, Nev. @ Beauty Bar
October 17 - Tempe, Ariz. @ The Clubhouse
October 19 - Dallas, Texas @ Loft @ Palladium Showroom
October 20 - Austin, Texas @ Stubbs BBQ
October 21 - Houston, Texas @ Walters
October 22 - New Orleans, La. @ Tipitina's
October 23 - Gainesville, Fla. @ Common Grounds
October 24 - Orlando, Fla. @ The Social
October 26 - Athens, Ga. @ 40 Watt Club
October 27 - Charlotte, N.C. @ Neighborhood Theatre
October 28 - Philadelphia, Pa. @ Starlight Ballroom
October 29 - Boston, Mass. @ Paradise
October 30 - New York, N.Y. @ Terminal 5
November 1 - Washington, D.C. @ 930 Club
November 2 - Pittsburgh, Pa. @ Diesel
November 3 - Detroit, Mich. @ Magic Stick

Nebraska Pop Festival

2010-08-01T13:29:00.002-05:00

First things first. You need to stop reading this, click on "new window", and head over to Muzzle of Bees and wish Ryan congratulations on getting married this weekend. He and his wife Sarah are both lovely, wonderful people and I wish them the best.

All done? Good. Welcome back.

I've been spending time lately trying to play out how to spend the rest of the few remaining "good" weekends here in Wisconsin. Once you get into October, other than the promise of football season, it's pretty much downhill weather-wise until about April. I'm hoping to make it down to Milwaukee, Minneapolis, and Madison all before the snow flies.

Since Nebraska also has its share of poor winter weather, it might be a good time to plan on attending the upcoming Nebraska Pop Festival if you are around those parts.

The festival, slated to take place September 15-19, will feature 36 independent pop bands from all over the country, as well as some international acts like France's Alone with Everybody.

While there's no heavy hitters in the lineup, there will be a full schedule of music for five straight days, and each day is only $5. That's $25 bucks for 36 bands, a hard deal to beat.

Lineup and schedule below:

Nebraska Pop Festival 2010 lineup of performers

Saturday, August 28th (pre-festival show) @ Barley Street Tavern. Official start time 8:00PM with end time approximately 1:30AM (This show is 5 USD at the door) *21+

1. The Love Technicians (Omaha, Nebraska)
2. The Sleepover (Lincoln, Nebraska)
3. Platte River Rain (Omaha, Nebraska)
4. Mumford’s (Ames, Iowa)
5. I Am The Navigator (Lincoln, Nebraska)
6. The Renfields (Lincoln, Nebraska)

Wednesday, September 15th NIGHT ONE @ Barley Street Tavern. Official start time 8:00PM with end time approximately 1:30AM (This show is 5 USD at the door) *21+

1. Panda Face (Lincoln, Nebraska)
2. You’re So Cool (Gainesville, Florida)
3. Cleemann (solo) (Copenhagen, Denmark)
4. Coney Island (Madison, Wisconsin)
5. The Bedsit Infamy (Denver, Colorado)

Thursday, September 16th NIGHT TWO @ Barley Street Tavern. Official start time 8:00PM with end time approximately 1:30AM (This show is 5 USD at the door) *21+

1. You Don’t Know Me (Omaha, Nebraska)
2. Normandie Wilson (San Diego, California)
3. Boy Of Bark (Salt Lake City, Utah)
4. Dexter Poindexter (Wheeling, Illinois)
5. Electric Needle Room (Kansas City, Kansas)

Friday, September 17th NIGHT THREE @ The Pizza Shoppe Collective. Official start time 7:00PM with end time approximately 1:30AM (This show is 5 USD at the door) *ALL AGES

1. Floating Opera *ex Mercy Rule/ex The Millions (Lincoln, Nebraska)
2. Gilbe (Des Moines, Iowa & Chicago, Illinois)
3. Kissing Party (Denver, Colorado)
4. The Mother Z’s (Chicago, Illinois)
5. Seaside Stars (Berlin, Germany)
6. Alone With Everybody (Toulouse, France)
7. Thunder Power (Omaha, Nebraska)

Saturday, September 18th NIGHT FOUR @ The Pizza Shoppe Collective. Official start time 7:00PM with end time approximately 1:30AM (This show is 5 USD at the door) *ALL AGES

1. Eric In Outerspace (Omaha, Nebraska)
2. Mammoth Life (Lawrence, Kansas)
3. Matty Cries (Seattle, Washington)
4. Paris When It Sizzles! (Omaha, Nebraska)
5. James and the Express (Olympia, Washington)
6. Doug Hoyer (Edmonton, Canada)
7. Maid Marian (Iowa City, Iowa)

Sunday, September 19th FINAL NIGHT @ The Sydney. Official start time 7:00PM with end time approximately 1:30AM (This show is 5 USD at the door) *21+

1. The Open Letters *ex Apples In Stereo (Lexington, Kentucky)
2. Paper City (Long Beach, California)
3. Cleemann *full band (Denmark/Omaha & Lincoln Nebraska)
4. Modes of Resuscitation (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania)
5. Spencer McGillicutty (Minneapolis, Minnesota)
6. The Homestories (Winterthur, Switzerland)
7. The Wandering Bears (Iowa City, Iowa)

More info available at http://www.myspace.com/nebraskapopfestival

Donate To the ASPCA and Receive Tokyo Police Club's 'Wait Up (Boots of Danger)' Video + Exclusive Songs Including a Remix by RAC

2010-07-18T22:29:00.004-05:00

image courtesy of Mrs. Veritas Lux Mea

It shouldn't be a secret that I love animals. I write about pets from 8-5 and the majority of my freelance work revolves around that as well. That being said, I can't believe I missed out on the news that one of my favorite bands, Tokyo Police Club, were collaborating with the ASPCA to secure donations.

Here's the email as it it came through, with my comments noted in [ ]:

Donate To the ASPCA and Receive Tokyo Police Club's 'Wait Up (Boots of Danger)' Video + Exclusive Songs Including a Remix by RAC

Today [er, July 8] , Tokyo Police Club reveals their brand new video for 'Wait Up (Boots of Danger)' at Stereogum.com and TokyoPoliceClub.com.

The video features neighborhood dogs taking off and crashing a neighbor's yard for a pool party. The members of the band are all animal lovers [as if I needed more of a reason to like them?], and came up with the idea for the video, together with director Mike Juneau. The video was shot in the suburbs of Toronto. The dogs were trained and supervised by Jennifer Segal from "Dog Training That Works" http://www.dogtrainingthatworks.com/

Donate to the ASPCA via the widgets on Stereogum.com and TokyoPoliceClub.com to receive the video, an mp3 of the Dom remix of 'Wait Up (Boots of Danger)' as well as a never-before-heard RAC remix of the song (also currently streaming at Stereogum.com).

100% of each sale will be donated to the ASPCA®. Founded in 1866, the ASPCA® (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals®) is the first humane organization established in the Americas and serves as the nation's leading voice for animal welfare.

'Wait Up (Boots of Danger)' is featured on the recently released Champ, out now from Mom + Pop. Pick it up at TokyoPoliceClub.com, ITunes, Amazon, and EMusic.

Head over to TokyoPoliceClub.com now to donate and check out the video. It's pawsitively a good time, and its for a good cause. Good music, good cause, what do you have to lose?

The Dashing Suns

2010-07-18T22:08:00.005-05:00

Image: Simon Howden / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

First off, apologies as usual on the posting. Freelance work and spotty Internet help very little.

It's been pretty hot around Northern Wisconsin lately so that has put me in the mood for some surf music. Once I wrapped up work for the evening I hopped on my digital boogie board and hit the inbox waves and lo and behold, came across the Dashing Suns.

Maybe they're not exactly surf music, or beachrock, or whatever eponymous (sic) term they want to consider themselves, but I did particularly enjoy the few tracks I listened to tonight, as they satisfied my desire for some tasty waves and a cool buzz.

The debut EP from The Dashing Suns, Really Like You, will be out August 24, but for now you can check out this music video for the track "My Best Friend" and the track, "Sally Moore," below:

The Dashing Suns - "Sally Moore"

More info at The Dashing Suns MySpace page

Typhoon

2010-06-29T19:40:00.003-05:00

Whenever I get an email from a band on the West Coast, particularly from the Pacific Northwest, I pay a little more attention. Why is that? Oh, I don't know. Maybe it has something to do with names like Mother Love Bone, Nirvana, Soundgarden, The Melvins, Mudhoney...do I need to go on? I mean, talk about a track record.

One of the latest Pacific Northwest gems is the conglomerate that is Portland's Typhoon. Consisting of about 17 (17!) friends that have known each other since high school, I liken their sound to a less-European sounding Beirut. The melodies are captivating, the music is intriguing, and their sound as diverse as the band's members, who often find themselves playing unannounced house parties across Portland.

The band has a couple of actual dates coming up in the Northwest that you can check out if you're on that coast (see below). If not, you'll have to settle for catching the ambiance they bring to a room via video for now.

07.17.10 - Portland, OR @ Pix Patisserie NE
07.25.10 - Seattle, WA @ the Tractor Tavern
07.31.10 - Seattle, WA @ Live on-air at 90.3 KEXP at 6 PM
08.06.10 - Turner, OR @ the Great Idea Festival
08.07.10 - Happy Valley, OR @ Pickathon
08.08.10 - Happy Valley, OR @ Pickathon
09.10.10 - Portland, OR @ Musicfest NW in Backspace

Electric Tickle Machine

2010-06-29T19:19:00.003-05:00

When you get as many emails as I do and check them as little as I do, needless to say, they pile up. Unfortunately, a lot of good stuff probably gets lost in the inbox, but one thing I was able to dig out was the news that Blew It Again, the debut full length from Electric Tickle Machine, it out today.

I mean, with a name like Electric Tickle Machine, how could they not catch your eye? After a listen to a few of their tracks, I'm confident they'll catch more than just your eyes, but likely a few of your dollars as well. They've got a fresh, "garage-band that doesn't know any better" feel to their sound and are sure to cause a ruckus in some NYC clubs near you soon.

Check out a few free tracks from Blew it Again, below:

Electric Tickle Machine - "Part of Me"
Electric Tickle Machine - "Honest Injun"

If you need more convincing, you can check out the entire album which is streaming this week at AOL Spinner

Electric Tickle Machine on MySpace

Sunday Open House: June 13, 2010

2010-06-13T21:38:00.004-05:00

I cut one of my typing fingers the other day, so I'll keep this short (like myself)

If you missed out on the action at Bonnaroo this year, you can catch the recap at Muzzle of Bees.

One of the artists I was fortunate enough to catch while staying dry at the Verge Music festival was She & Him, who put on a rousing performance Friday night. I particularly enjoyed M.Ward's rendition of "Roll Over Beethoven", which he rocked. They recently covered the classic tune "Fools Rush In" which you can nab for free here. Admittedly, the only other act I caught the entire weekend at Verge was Cold War Kids, who I stood in the cold rain for for an hour for just to see. We were so cold and wet (and sadly, old) that we left hours before Weezer even took the stage, since it would have been another soggy three hours before their set.

I haven't gotten my hands on the new Tokyo Police Club album yet, but in the meantime, I've really been enjoying this "Wait Up (Boots of Danger) (DOM Remix)" which you can snag here.

There's no way I would have found this track had it not been in my email and mentioned the name of my wife, Felicia. But if for no other reason than that, why don't you head over to Myspace and check out the track "Felicia" from The Constellations. My wife found it...interesting. I doubt we'll be catching their June 26 show at Summerfest, though.

Now, a few other notes...

Caught the Season 3 premiere of True Blood tonight. What a great show, although I felt the Season 3 premiere tonight was a little underwhelming. I'm real interested to see how the werewolves come into play this season. As long as there's no team vampire vs team werewolf like in the Twilight series I'll be happy. What did you think of the premiere?

The other night I found myself captivated by the shows Mall Cops: Mall of America and Police Women of Memphis. Not sure what point in my life I've reached to find shows like that satisfying, but hey, might as well embrace it.

Germany had a strong performance in their first World Cup game today, dominating the Aussies, which was nice to see. Was a little worried how well they would play without Ballack but they didn't seem to miss him. After the United States, they are my favorite team in the tournament.

The National Get Iced

2010-06-11T20:20:00.002-05:00

The National get "iced" at the Wiltern in LA

My friend Brent iced his buddy Finn today which lead me to research the world of "icing" that has taken over the country. I seem to be the last person I know to know about this phenomenon, but now that I do, you can rest assured I will be packing some Ice with me at all times to counter any attack.

If you're new to icing too, check out this story on the viral drinking game at BrosIcingBros.com.

Deadspin, however, is not a fan.

Verge Music Festival preview: Manchester Orchestra

2010-05-26T19:32:00.006-05:00

Manchester Orchestra; photo by Andy Barron

One of the many great things about the upcoming Verge Music Festival is that I have lots of friends in Milwaukee. Two of them, Ryan and Amy, are definitely going both nights, so that will be fun. One of the bands that Ryan mentioned he was excited to see was Manchester Orchestra, who I admit until I looked them up I had never heard of them.

The Atlanta foursome that compromise Manchester Orchestra were recently featured on the May cover of Alternative Press. They're out on the road in support of their January EP release, I Could Be the Only One, and their 2009 full length release, Mean Everything to Nothing, which was actually recorded live and gives the album a very authentic sound. I'm one of those people that probably enjoys live concert albums more so than most. The huge collection of concerts that Pearl Jam put out a few years back comes to mind as some excellent albums.

I'm particularly digging the track "Shake It Out" from Mean Everything to Nothing, which you can check out via music video below, and look forward to hopefully catching it live June 5th Milwaukee:

Want to learn more about the band? Check out their offical website.

If you're still considering attending the VMF and haven't yet gotten your tickets, they're sweetening the pot for you. Until 11:59 pm Thursday you can buy a 2 day pass for $40 and get a FREE 2 day general admission ticket to Summerfest 2010 PLUS a voucher redeemable for a $10 gift card at the VMF.

To get in on this deal, simply use password fm1021 when logging in at the website

See Green cover LCD Soundsystem

2010-05-24T20:05:00.003-05:00

&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href="http://courtenaygreen.bandcamp.com/track/i-can-change-lcd-soundsytem-cover"&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;I Can Change (LCD Soundsytem Cover) by See Green&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;

Sunday Open House: May 23, 2010

2010-05-23T09:48:00.006-05:00

I don't know how long I'll be able to stick with this idea.... but..... if I can manage to keep it going I'd like to "flash back" every Sunday to some of the type of content that Veritas Lux Mea was founded upon: links to great music sites, news, and analysis that I encounter in my daily trips around the web.

This is a music blog, and so while I do want to keep it that way, its nice once a week to throw a few links up for my friends that might otherwise not find their way to the content. The interweb is a long and perilous journey, but on Sundays, perhaps we can be your guide to some interesting info.

Around the Blogosphere

It's been a while since I last checked in with my friends over at So Much Silence, but they've had some really good stuff up for you to check out lately, including this video from Friday night's Pearl Jam performance. Eddie brought up Ben Bridwell of Band of Horses to join in on a rendition of Temple of Dog's "Hunger Strike." Very cool. A few posts down they also have a video of The National playing "England" from their recent Brooklyn Academy of Music performance that you shoudn't miss.

If you're not stopping by Everybody Cares, Everybody Understands at least every Saturday you are missing out on the great covers that come along every weekend. Where else can you find Conor Oberst and Ben Gibbard covering The Ghostbusters Theme? Or Weezer covering "I Think We're Alone Now"?

Last but certainly not least, you can get your hands on a whole slew of free good music stew, including the new Interpol track "Lights" over at Ear Farm.

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Hamburger Heaven

My wife is a giant fish nerd, and I say that with love. As a result, she's really into taxonomy, the practice and science of classification. I bet she would enjoy this post over at The Huffington Post on the Taxonomy of the Different Species of Hamburgers. Ok, I'm pretty sure she wouldn't, but if you're a meat loving carnivore like me, you will.

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Turn Your Computer's CD Tray into an iPod Dock

Got an iPod but don't want to shell out the cash for one of them fancy docks? Good thing you can just use your computer's CD tray to do the trick [Lifehacker]

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Fantasy Gardens

Something not a lot of people know about me is that I really enjoy interior decorating and landscaping. Our modest l bedroom apartment might not show it all that much, but I do what I can. As is such, one of my favorite stops is the Apartment Therapy website. I particularly enjoyed this recent post about outdoor Fantasy Gardens, especially the camel-shaped shrubs.

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Oh how the mighty have fallen; photo by Getty images

Boo for the Crew

The Brewers have been absolutely terrible this year, which is really bumming me out. I went down to Phoenix recently to watch them sweep the then-hot Arizona Diamondbacks in epic fashion, but since then, it has been mostly downhill. The reason? It's gotta be the pitching.

The Brewers have won just 1 game in the past 12, a monumental losing streak, especially in a division that is as closely contended as the NL central most years. Their team ERA is 5.50, third worst in the majors, and they are already 9 games back of the surging Cincinnati Reds in the standings. To echo just how poorly they have pitched and at what cost it has been to their record, the Brewers have scored the 7th most runs in the league, and hit the 4th most homeruns. Only the Arizona Diamondbacks have a more disparate pitching/scoring gap. But whose to blame?

A lot of people are calling for the firing of Ken Macha, but last time I checked, he's not the one out there toeing the slab for nine innings. The Brewers have failed to make a significant upgrade to their pitching staff in the past few years and its coming back to bite them. Hard. Certainly the loss of phenomenal pitching coach Mike Maddux has had some impact the past two years; while the Texas Rangers under Maddux are flourishing (as much as your pitching can flourish in Arlington, at least) with a 4.04 team ERA, the Brewers staff led by Rick Peterson has floundered.

Verge Music Festival preview: The Wildbirds

2010-05-23T09:40:00.002-05:00

Milwaukee's The Wildbirds will be opening up the action at the Fringe Stage on Friday night. This Wisconsin quartet draws apt comparisons to early Petty, and does have a very retro rock sound and look, which in truth, isn't totally my thing. Nonetheless, the energy and appeal their sound will bring makes them an excellent choice to begin the night for the Fringe stage.

More info at the Wildbirds website

Verge Music Festival preview: Nico Vega

2010-05-22T19:31:00.006-05:00

Nico Vega photo by Stephen Albanese

Much like the band that will be playing before them on Friday at the Verge Music Festival, Nico Vega is another band led by a strong, beautiful woman vocalist, Aja Volkman. Since releasing their self-titled debut in 2009, this LA group has shared the stage with bands like Metric and Shiny Toy Guns. They were even featured in an article on The Huffington Post. It's easy to see why - just listen to the way her voice dances in the track "Gravity" below:

More info at the Nico Vega website

Verge Music Festival preview: Red Knife Lottery

2010-05-22T19:02:00.006-05:00

As I've mentioned quite frequently over the past month or so, we'll be heading down to the Verge Music Festival in Milwaukee the first weekend of June, and couldn't be more excited.

It's been a while since we've had a chance to catch a show, especially one with the likes of She & Him, Cold War Kids, Eagles of Death Metal, Weezer...the list goes on. Lollapalooza its not, but it is a welcome sign that the Milwaukee area is looking to expand the summer music festival scene beyond Summerfest, something that Chicago has put itself on the map with thanks to Lolla and the Pitchfork Music Festival.

One of the nice things about the Verge Music Festival is that it looks like a lot of local talent is going to be showcased. And since I haven't heard of many of the bands on the festival docket, I thought it'd be a good idea to profile the festival lineup in the days leading up to the event to bring myself up to speed, starting out with the first band on the schedule, playing 5pm on Friday June 4th: Red Knife Lottery.

Red Knife Lottery at Summerfest 2009 (photo by stacey marie ferguson)

Milwaukee's Red Knife Lottery will undoubtedly draw comparisons to other female-vocal lead rock groups on the scene today, such as The Gossip or Heartless Bastards, but with a bit more edge. Lead vocalist Ashley Chapman's raw vocals blend well with the band's punk-rock feel. Even their tracks on Youtube sounds loud and in your face. I'm definitely looking forward to seeing them open up the festival.

More info available at http://myspace/redknifelottery.com

Neutral Milk Hotel's Jeff Mangum and his first live performance in 10 years!

2010-05-14T20:13:00.004-05:00

I really started getting into Neutral Milk Hotel just a few years ago thanks to my friend Mike, and was very disheartened when I learned that they hadn't toured or performed in a long time. 10 years, actually.

Neutral Milk Hotel is just one of the few remaining bands on my concert "bucket list." Over the years I've systematically sought out and attended concerts from my favorite artists, including Pearl Jam, Muse, The Rolling Stones, and so many more. I had a chance to see Dylan a few years back when he was touring and turned that down; probably a bad move now that I look back. I'm still hoping to catch The Silversun Pickups, Smashing Pumpkins (in some form or other), and a few others on my list, but I'm not holding out hope on catching Neutral Milk Hotel anytime soon.

That being said, thanks to the folks of MOG.com (via Stereogum and Pitchfork), I learned that Neutral Milk Hotel frontman Jeff Mangum performed live recently at the Chris Knox benefit event in New York City. I wasn't there, but just reading about the recap is exciting enough.

Head over to MOG.com and check out a small description of the recap as well as some fan videos of Magnum's performance taken at the event.

There's another review and more videos at Stereogum as well.

Who is on your concert bucket list?

How to Get to Bonnaroo for FREE

2010-05-14T19:46:00.006-05:00

I've never had the pleasure of attending Bonnaroo, the annual music festival down in Manchester, Tennessee. I've had friends that have gone in previous years and loved it, and were it not for the $230+ ticket price and fact that I live in Wisconsin, I would certainly make the trip, especially this year. With the likes of Tenacious D, Weezer, Jay Z, The National, and even Stevie Wonder on stage, who can complain?

Luckily, for those of us not able to afford the price of admission, or those too stingy to fork over the dough it turns out there are "other" ways to get to Bonnaroo, according to the clever email I got today from Fuse.

My favorites of the list:
- Highjack a truck full of Birkenstocks and pose as a product rep
- Grow a beard, pack on 60 lbs and start driving a tour bus

And the most legitimate:
http://www.bonnaroo.com/flyaway2010/
http://www.taylorguitars.com/ultimate-bonnaroo-giveaway/
http://www.prefixmag.com/news/contest-bonnaroo-tickets/39519/

OKGO playing "What to Do" at Turner Hall, Milwaukee

2010-04-19T20:43:00.003-05:00

Chicago natives OKGO stopped by Milwaukee last Friday to play Turner Hall Ballroom, and lucky for us, someone I know was on hand to catch the action. Check out the clip of OKGO performing "What To Do" (with handbells!), below. The action is a little far away, but you can hear things just fine. Kudos to Jason Kopplin for the video:

I haven't followed OKGO very closely over the years, but I've really enjoyed their videos, which for my money, are some of the best I've seen in years.

Check out some of the band's amazing music videos at their official website.

Stream Coachella for free

2010-04-17T09:02:00.003-05:00

If you're a poor Midwestern fellow like me, chances are you aren't flying out to Cali this weekend to check out a couple nights of blissful music at the Coachella Festival.

But fret not: thanks to social media, you can catch a live stream of the Coachella Festival via Facebook or Myspace for free. It's almost like being there, minus the contact buzz and hipsters, of course. For a full webcast schedule, see below. If you can only catch a few or are new to the scene, our recommendations are bolded.

Coachella webcast schedule (all times listed are EST):

April 16
Street Sweeper Social Club - 8:05pm
Deer Tick - 8:00pm
Yeasayer - 9:00pm
Avett Brothers - 9:05pm
Jets Overhead - TBD
Calle 13
- 10:00pm
The Cribs - 10:05pm
As Tall As Lions - TBD
The Specials - 11:00pm
Passion Pit - 11:05pm
Ra Ra Riot - TBD
LCD Soundsystem - 12:00am
Echo & the Bunnymen - 12:05am
Lucero - TBD
Imogen Heap - 1:00am
Vampire Weekend - 1:05am
Public Image Limited - 2:20am

April 17
Zoe - 7:00pm
Frightened Rabbit - 7:05pm
Old Crowe Medicine - 8:00pm
Temper Trap - 8:05pm
White Rabbits - 9:00pm
Band of Skulls - 9:05pm
Portual the Man - TBD
Dirty Projectors - 10:00pm
Edward Sharp & the Magnetic Zeros - 10:05pm
The Ravoenettes - TBD
Tokyo Police Club - 11:00pm
The xx - 11:05pm
Coheed & Cambria - 12:00am
Hot Chip - 12:05am
Faith No More - 1:00am
Dead Weather - 2:05am

April 18
B.O.B - 7:00pm
Delphic 7:05pm
Yo La Tango- 8:00pm
Owen Pallett - 8:05pm
Matt & Kim - 9:00pm
Deer Hunter - 9:05pm
De La Soul - 10:00pm
King Khan & the Shrines - 10:05pm
Les Claypool - 11:00pm
Major Lazer - 11:05pm
Sly Stone & Friends - 12:00am
Gary Numan - 1:00am
Devo - 2:00am

She & Him on Letterman

2010-04-13T18:38:00.004-05:00

I'll admit I would pretty much enjoy watching Zooey Deschanel do anything, whether she's starring in Elf, playing for She & Him, or hell, reading the newspaper, and I'm not afraid (of my wife) to admit it.

Luckily for me (and all the other ZooD fans in Wisconsin) I'll be catching her and stage buddy M.Ward on the first night of the Verge Music Festival in June. But if you just can't get enough of the talented Mrs. Ben Gibbard you can check out She & Him's recent performance on the Late Show, below:

New National track "Afraid of Everyone"

2010-04-13T18:29:00.003-05:00

Another new track from The National is out and available for free download over at the Pitchfork site. We *really* loved the "Bloodbuzz Ohio" track they released earlier, and this track, "Afraid of Everyone," is another solid track. The album drops May 11, and is easily our most anticipated release of this year.

Death Cab for Cutie cover Fogerty

2010-04-13T18:23:00.003-05:00

It's not a great video, but if you ever thought to yourself:

"You know what would go great at a Seattle Mariners game? Some Death Cab covering the John Fogerty (of Creedence Clearwater Revival fame) track "Centerfield" and "Take Me Out to the Ballgame"

...then you are in luck. And also on drugs.

Either way, your wish if fulfilled below:

Menomena new track "Pilgrim's Promise"

2010-04-10T21:27:00.004-05:00

To a former graduate school English major like me, the words "Pilgrim's Progress" immediately bring to mind the John Bunyan Christian allegory The Pilgrim's Progress, which, for some reason, is still on my bookshelf. Sure, it's a great work of literature, but not exactly my idea of a fun weekend read.

Thankfully, Portland rockers Menomena are helping me re-associate that phrase in a much cooler way, with their new track "Pilgrim's Progress", available for streaming at the Pitchfork site.

My introduction to Menomena actually came via my friend Grego a few years ago (thanks, buddy). Now, the band is getting set to release their new album Mines on July 27 via Barsuk. The "Pilgrim's Progress" track is also being released on a limited edition split 7" with the Helio Sequence on April 17.

Do yourself a favor and check out the free track at the Pitchfork site. And head over to the Menomena site while you're at it.

Freelance Whales, "Generator 2nd Floor"

2010-04-10T21:11:00.004-05:00

This past week, Myspace began airing the new video from New York's Freelance Whales, a band that I've really started getting into lately, and just in time, apparently; their debut EP, Weathervanes, is set to be released next week on April 13 via Frenchkiss/Mom & Pop.

If you haven't been lucky enough to catch them on the road before now, you can get acquainted before their album drops next week with the great track "Generator 2nd Floor" available for streaming, below:

want more info on Freelance Whales? Check out their website!

Classics: Ben Folds, "Army"

2010-04-09T19:16:00.009-05:00

This came on while I was shutting things down tonight at work and it reminded me of what a great song this was (and still is). I remember it being big back when I was in college, but I imagine trying to talk about Ben Folds with college kids today would only show my age.

Weezer, Crash Kings, Modest Mouse updates

2010-04-09T18:39:00.007-05:00

One of the events I'm most looking forward to this summer (besides my upcoming trip to Phoenix to catch some Brewers baseball) is the inaugural Verge Music Festival in Milwaukee.

With two nights of music featuring Weezer, Cold War Kids, She & Him, and more, it's going to be a good time.

Wouldn't you know it, today I got an email about this impromptu performance Weezer put on in an LA park for some families. I've been hard on Weezer's recent releases (and deservedly so, in my opinion), but I'll be damned if this ain't a cute scene and a darn catchy tune.

Check out Weezer playing "I'm Your Daddy" at Vevo Go

Another band that's playing at the Verge Music Festival is Crash Kings, who I'll admit, I had not heard of before I saw them on the lineup for the festival. They've got a pretty solid tune called "Mountain Man" which you can also check out a video for at Vevo.

Lastly, but certainly not least, I mentioned earlier that Modest Mouse would be playing at Summerfest on Saturday, July 3, and that is true - but they will not be headlining the Marcus Ampitheater that night. That honor, my friends, will be going to... RUSH. So you can pay the $42 to see Geddy Lee and crew...OR just pay for a general admission Summerfest ticket (under $20) and join me at Modest Mouse.

Twin Tigers on tour; catch video for Red Fox Run

2010-04-08T20:47:00.003-05:00

If you're heading out to catch The Hold Steady on tour this spring, make sure you get to the show early to Twin Tigers, who are opening on select dates.

The dream noise quartet from Georgia is out on tour in support of their Mar 2 release, Gray Waves.

If you're new to Twin Tigers, get introduced by checking out the video for "Red Fox Run", below:

April 17--Give It Up State! Festival--Clemson, SC
April 20--Tin Roof--Charleston, SC
April 29--Neighborhood Theatre--Charlotte, NC
April 30--Nightlight--Chapel Hill, NC
May 1--The Fire--Philadelphia, PA
May 3--Cameo Gallery--Brooklyn, NY
May 4--Pianos--New York, NY
May 6--Garfield Artworks--Pittsburg, PA
May 7--The Red and Black Room--Washington, DC
**May 22 & May 23--The Social--Orlando, FL**
**May 25--Live Wire Music Hall--Savannah, GA**
** May 26--40 Watt Club--Athens, GA**
**May 27--Variety Playhouse--Atlanta, GA**

** - w/The Hold Steady

Get more Twin Tigers @ Myspace

Modest Mouse added to Summerfest lineup

2010-03-21T22:20:00.004-05:00

According to the Summerfest official website, Veritas Lux Mea favorite Modest Mouse has been added to Milwaukee's Summerfest lineup on Saturday, July 3rd - and of course we'll have to attend that. We saw them last year in Chicago at the Aragon Ballroom and it was a stellar show.

Tickets aren't on sale yet (I'm assuming they'll headline at the Amphitheater, which requires a separate ticket), but keep an eye on the Summerfest listing at Ticketmaster to make sure you don't miss the show.

I've seen a bunch of great acts at the Marcus Amphitheater (Black Francis and Stone Temple Pilots, to name a few) and even more at Summerfest, and I'm sure Modest Mouse will be just as great.

Free SXSW artist downloads

2010-03-15T18:26:00.003-05:00

Heading to SXSW this year? No? Yeah me either.

Well, you can at least take solace in 21 free tunes from some SXSW artists, which are up for download over at Amie Street.

You have to register, but hey, it's free, and you get free music from great artists. I particularly recommend the tracks from Surfer Blood, Born Ruffians, and Middle Distance runner, but they're all worth a listen (or 12).

Sign up and download now

Weezer and Cold War Kids to play Milwaukee's Verge Music Festival

2010-03-14T22:21:00.004-05:00

She & Him; photo by Taea Thale

One of the nice things about living in Wisconsin is the proximity to some pretty great music festivals like Milwaukee's Summerfest and Chicago's Lollapalooza and Pitchfork Music Festival.

You can now add Milwaukee's Verge Music Festival to that list.

Debuting at the Summerfest grounds this year on Friday June 4 and Saturday June 5, the Verge Music Festival is bringing Weezer, Cold War Kids, She & Him, The Raveonettes, Rogue Wave, Eagles of Death Metal, Crash Kings, and more. Two of the bigger headliners (AFI and Three Days Grace) aren't really my thing, but they provide a little more edge to an already good lineup. There's still some more acts to be announced, but for a $40 2-day pass(or $25 per day, no tax or other fees even), that's a steal. I'd probably have paid that just to see Cold War Kids again, after they put on a stellar show in Madison at the Annex.

Seeing Weezer again will be interesting. I've really had some negative things to say about their recent records, but chances are they will play a good mix of old favorites at the show. I've seen them twice in the past and both times were very good. I'm also looking forward to catching She & Him and the Eagles of Death Metal, both of whom I think could put on an amazing (albeit much different) show.

This is a great value, and the Summerfest grounds are a great place for this type of event. Grab your tickets now before they're gone at the Verge Music Festival website.

free new track from Dr. Dog

2010-03-10T19:11:00.003-06:00

Philadelphia's Dr. Dog is back with a brand new album, Shame Shame, due out April 6th.

I really enjoyed a few tracks off their last album, 2008's Fate, notably the tracks "100 Years" and "Hang On." Outside of that, I haven't had a lot of listening experience with the band, but that may change with the release of their new album if the rest of the tracks are as good as the free track that band released to wet our appetites before April. The track, "Stranger," is available for download below:

Dr. Dog - "Stranger"

The band will be on Jimmy Fallon April 6th to promote the launch of their new album, and on tour at a club near you soon:

April 14 Lee’s Place Toronto, ON
April 15 Blind Pig Ann Arbor, MI
April 16 Metro Chicago, IL
April 17 Fine Line Minneapolis, MN
April 19 Belly Up Aspen, CO
April 20 Gothic Theatre Denver, CO
April 22 Neuolux Boise, ID
April 23 Wonder Ballroom Portland, OR
April 24 Great American Music Hall San Francisco, CA
April 25 Great American Music Hall San Francisco, CA **
April 27 Henry Fonda Los Angeles, CA **
April 29 Santa Fe Brewing Company Santa Fe, NM **
April 30 The Loft Dallas, TX **
May 1 Emo’s Outside Austin, TX **
May 2 Warehouse Live Studio Houston, TX **
May 3 Majestic Fayetteville, AR **
May 5 Workplay Birmingham, AL **
May 6 Cannery Ballroom Nashville, TN **
May 7 Headliners Louisville, KY **
May 11 Paradise Boston, MA **
May 12 Paradise Boston, MA **
May 13 Electric Factory Philadelphia, PA **
May 14 9:30 Club Washington, DC **
May 15 Terminal 5 New York, NY **
* With The Growlers
** With Deertick:

Dr. Dog was in Milwaukee back in February, and Ryan was there to catch the show. Snag some video of the band playing a new track, "Mirror, Mirror" at Muzzle of Bees.

Ted Leo - Since U Been Gone / Maps video

2010-03-05T18:08:00.003-06:00

One of my favorite artists (Ted Leo) covering one of my least (Kelly Clarkson), with some Yeah Yeah Yeahs thrown in for good measure.

Ted Leo will be stopping by Wisconsin on Sunday, March 14 for a show at one of my favorite Madison venues, the High Noon Saloon.

I won't be able to make the show (I live a few hours north), but hopefully Ryan attends.

Tickets are only $13 ($15 at the door) and are still available for sale at the High Noon Saloon website.

For more on Ted Leo, visit his website.

Take action against climate change, score free tunes

2010-03-05T17:37:00.002-06:00

Missed out on Bonnarroo last year? You can prep for this year's fest by downloading the Best of Bonnaroo MP3 album for FREE at musicforaction.com.

Music for Action is a joint initiative by HeadCount and the NRDC Action Fund that encourages action on climate change by giving away a free "Best of Bonnaroo" download compilation. It marks the first time ever that free music has been used to prompt Americans to contact their elected officials.

The album features 17 signature performances from Wilco ("Bull Black Nova"), Pearl Jam ("Animal"), O.A.R. ("Delicate Few"), and many more.

To get the free album, all you need to do is take action against climate change. You can do this by emailing your senator, emailing the president, or by writing your local paper - all thanks for the convenient links on the musicforaction.com site.

Of course, you can also download the album without taking action against climate change, but what kind of person would you be then?

Buy Los Campesinos! glockenspiel, raise money for Haiti

2010-02-05T19:19:00.003-06:00

Two quick things:

Los Campesinos! are auctioning off their first-ever glockenspiel to raise money for Haiti.

The photo they are using on the site was taken by my wife at their concert in Madison at Der Rathskellar. Great job sweetie!

Details after the jump: http://loscampesinos.com/2010/02/02/los-campesinos-first-ever-glockenspiel-charity-auction/

New Cold War Kids track, "Audience"

2009-12-03T18:53:00.005-06:00

Sorry for the lack of posts, been busy...but we've got some Cold War Kids news I can't pass up.

In anticipation of their upcoming Behave Yourself EP release on January 19, the band has released the track "Audience" for streaming or download at RCRDLBL for their RCRD of the week free download. Go get it now! And let us know what you think. It's no "Hang Me Out to Dry" but I think it will grow on us. We like the hooks, for sure.

The Lower 48

2009-11-04T19:28:00.006-06:00

Forgive me for being the crotchety 28 year old here, but I don't get kids most of the time these days, what with their penchant for stars like Paris Hilton or music like anything you will ever hear on the radio, but at least there's some kids out there these days doing something that makes sense.

Teenage quartet The Lower 48 is a new band comprised of an eclectic blend of classically trained musicians, singer-songwriters and a smoky-voiced female vocalist. Their debut, Everywhere To Go, is a five-song EP recorded and produced by Chad Weis of The Devil’s Workshop Studio (known best for his work with Mason Jennings, The Bad Plus, and Haley Bonar) in Minneapolis. It is an ambitious and mature debut release for the band’s young musicians, all of whom are under 20.

Photo by Zoe Prinds-Flash

Upon listening to the included track, "Transmissions Pt. 1", I was immediately impressed by the maturity and the simpleness of their sound. There's no glitz or glam or pretentious lyrics, just a heartfelt and homespun sound that hits you'd expect from the likes of She and Him or Bon Iver. Def take a listen and see if it impresses you as much as it does me:

The Lower 48 - "Transmissions Pt. 1"

Everywhere to Go, the new album from The Lower 48, it out today, and for only $5 on iTunes!

Pedro, Ounsworth, and Muse

2009-11-04T19:04:00.003-06:00

The wife is sick and laying on the couch watching sitcoms so I'm relegated to my MLB.com audio subscription to listen to the World Series tonight. Hoping Pedro can keep the Phillies in it, despite the New York media's attempts to throw him off - we'll see. On the plus side, that does give me some time to do some blogging...

Ounsworth and Flashy Python to open for Cold War Kids

If you're heading out to catch one of the four Cold War Kids shows coming up, you might want to get there a little early as former Clap Your Hands Say Yeah! frontman Alec Ounsworth and Flashy Python will be opening for the band on those select dates. Ounsworth and Flashy Python will be playing tunes from Ounsworth's new album, Mo Beauty, as well as from Flashy Python's debut Skin and Bones and Clap Your Hands Say Yeah's catalogue.\

New video for Muse song "Undisclosed Desires"

If you want to catch the new Muse song "Undisclosed Desires" that will be featured in the new Twilight Saga: New Moon movie but don't want to wait to hear it in the theater, you can head over to MySpace and check out the video and Matthew Bellamy's Bono-esque eyewear. It's some sort of weird-industrial pop that I'm not immediately in love with, despite my huge Muse crush. But then again, it is for a teenage abstinence vampire movie, so....

Cold War Kids, Behave Yourself EP

2009-10-27T19:22:00.002-05:00

Veritas Lux Mea favorites Cold War Kids will be releasing a 4 song EP called Behave Yourself on January 19, and will be playing on four shows in January, each of which will have a free recording of each show that can be downloaded with ticket purchase.

The 4 shows set for January are:
Los Angeles - The Wiltern - January 22
San Francisco - The Fillmore - January 23
New York - Terminal 5 - January 29
Chicago - The Vic Theatre - January 30

Anybody planning on hitting up one of the shows? Let us know!

You can see and hear a preview of the upcoming songs by checking out the short 1 minute video up now at the band's website

Star and Micey

2009-10-27T19:06:00.003-05:00

We've been on "the look" for some new music to dig into lately and were happy to stumble upon the Star & Micey self-titled debut record in our inbox.

Harboring a sound that blends Memphis soul with lo-fi indie rock and singer-songwriter introspection, Star & Micey's debut effort is an enjoyable record that is as diverse as it is easy to listen to - with tracks like "Salvation Army Clothes" which twinge and tangle with a certain backwater Bayou bite to softer, sweeter tunes like "Nelson," which features Jody Stephens of Big Star fame.

You can check out a free-3 track album sampler here

More info available at the band's website

Free Weezer Concert in San Francisco

2009-10-19T21:33:00.003-05:00

I don't bash a lot of music on this blog. Which isn't always easy, because I get a lot of crap emailed to me that I would consider, well, crap. But knowing that most of the artists I get info from are trying to make their way and just looking for an ear or two to listen and maybe a post if you like what you hear I try only to post about bands or music that I enjoy and not give those other bands negative press. Who knows, maybe people actually do listen to Nickelback.

But when it comes to one of my favorite bands, sometimes I feel the need to vent.

So, if you live in San Fransisco, or close by, and feel like watching the career of once-brilliant garage band Weezer continue their downward spiral into mediocrity you're welcome to attend the MySpace Secret Shows Presents Weezer with Natalie Portman's Shaved Head at the Regency on Wednesday, Oct 21.

Doors open at 8 pm and the show is free - first come, first served.

Here's how the press release describes the latest Weezer record, Raditude, due out Nov 3rd: "With its rollicking communal spirit, Weezer's latest offering can be viewed as a natural progression from those impromptu jam sessions from the band's Red Album tour. Raditude sees the band partying with Lil' Wayne, hitting the clubs with Jermaine Dupri and bringing in a host of Indian musicians to push the band into a psychedelic, spiritual dimension. Within these 10 songs lie boundless possibilities and ceaseless excitement, proof that Weezer remains a band that defies easy summations and can never be taken for granted, a band who has grown as they've opened their horizons."

Weezer + Lil' Wayne and Jermaine Dupri? Count me out. I'll continue to tout the Blue Album and Pinkerton as two of my favorite albums of all time, but even the title of their new record - Raditude - sounds lame and pretentious, which sadly, describes most of their recent efforts. Maybe I'm not being fair, since I haven't heard a single note off the new record, but for some reason I think I'm doing myself a favor by just remembering Weezer for the good times they provided me and my friends back in the day with classic tuns and good times.

The Whigs - In the Dark

2009-10-19T21:19:00.004-05:00

Been a little under the weather lately but hopefully on the mend now...and back to posting.

We're really excited for the new release from the Athens, GA band The Whigs, set for release in early 2010. We had a chance to catch the band down in Madison, WI last year and they absolutely rocked.

The Whigs in Madison

To tempt us over until the release, the band is releasing the title track from In the Dark for free for all to download, share, and enjoy. You can do so here.

The band is out on tour this fall (no Wisconsin dates, damn) so if you have the chance I highly recommend you take in their set. They're playing with the likes of The Features, The Dead Trees, and Mean Creek on select dates, which you can peep below:

With The Features (from October 28th - December 15th)
With The Dead Trees (from October 28th - November 21st)
With Mean Creek (October 28th and December 5th - 15th)

October 28th Middle East (Downstairs) Boston, Massachusetts
October 29th Funk & Waffles Syracuse, New York
October 30th Mohawk Buffalo, New York
October 31st Musica Akron, Ohio
November 2nd Mad Hatter Cincinnati, Ohio
November 3rd Newport Music Hall Columbus, Ohio
November 4th Birdy's Indianapolis, Indiana
November 5th Cannery Nashville, Tennessee
November 6th Bottom Lounge Chicago, Illinois
November 7th Triple Rock Minneapolis, Minnesota
November 10th Bluebird Theater Denver, Colorado
November 13th Media Club Vancouver, British Columbia
November 14th Tractor Tavern Seattle, Washington
November 15th Doug Fir Lounge Portland, Oregon
November 17th The Independent San Francisco, California
November 18th Detroit Bar Costa Mesa, California
November 19th The Troubadour Los Angeles, California
November 20th Beauty Bar Las Vegas, Nevada
November 21st Soma (sidestage) San Diego, California
December 1st Emo's Austin, Texas
December 2nd The Loft Dallas, Texas
December 4th The Variety Playhouse Atlanta, Georgia
December 5th Rhythm & Brews Chattanooga, Tennessee
December 8th Visulite Charlotte, North Carolina
December 10th Black Cat Washington, DC, Washington DC
December 11th The Fillmore @ Irving Plaza New York, New York
December 12th North Star Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
December 14th Local 506 Chapel Hill, North Carolina
December 15th Pour House Charleston, South Carolina

More info at The Whigs website

The House That Dirt Built in stores today

2009-10-13T22:19:00.003-05:00

A band we've really been keeping our eye on, The Heavy, finally dropped their sophomore album The House That Dirt Built in stores today. We don't get all worked up about much around here anymore but I have a feeling this record is really going to cause a lot of buzz.

You can grab a track off the album for free by going here. Like what you hear? Go get the album.

US Tour Dates

10/21 || The Echo || Los Angeles, CA
10/22 || Martini Ranch || Scottsdale, AZ
10/23 || Casbah || San Diego, CA
10/24 || The Blank Club || San Jose, CA
10/27 || Slim's || San Francisco, CA
10/28 || Silver Moon Brewing Company || Bend, OR
10/29 || Doug Fir Lounge || Portland, OR
10/30 || The Crocodile || Seattle, WA
11/2 || World Café Live || Philadelphia, PA
11/4 || Club Metronome || Burlington, VA
11/5 || Great Scott || Boston, MA
11/7 || 92Y Tribeca || New York, NY

Relation covers the Pixies' "Here Comes Your Man"

2009-10-07T19:33:00.004-05:00

We must be in a cover song kind of mood today because in addition to Love in October's cover of Tokyo Police Club's Nature of the Experiment which you can grab in the previous post we've also got a cover of the The Pixie's "Here Comes Your Man" by Relation.

The cover rendition has a John Hughes 80's throwback vibe to it that makes it sound both a little desperate and delicious - like most good Pixies covers. It is the final track on the debut album Fear of Night from the Southend duo Relation. The album is clearly a call-out to the 80's electo pop days of Depeche Mode and New Order but nonetheless a fun spin.

Stream and download below:

Hear Comes Your Man (Album Version) by MikeRog10

One last note...

I turned 28 yesterday (woo!) - so I want to share one of my more recent favorite "birthday" songs with you, called "Happy Birthday, Don't Die" by Rhett Miller, below:

Happy Birthday, Don't Die

Nature of The Experiment (Acoustic) - Love in October ( Tokyo Police Club cover )

2009-10-07T19:28:00.003-05:00

"Nature of the Experiment" by Tokyo Police Club is one of my favorite tracks of the past couple years, and here it gets an interesting acoustic makeover by the band Love in October that you just might enjoy as much as I did.

You can snag an mp3 of the track at the Love in October website.

Good Graces and White Gold

2009-10-01T19:41:00.005-05:00

Veritas Lux Mea friends The Good Graces released Bring on the Tambourines! this week. We previously profiled them, but to correspond with the release, they've also released another track off the album, which you can snag below:

The Good Graces - "Bad Driver"

Grab the EP on Amazon for under $5

White Gold’s Milkdonculous Giveaway

WHITE GOLD and GotMilk? have teamed up to help save California high school arts programs with White Gold’s Milkdonculous Giveaway.

California public high schools will be challenged to remake a scene from the rock opera for the chance to win part of a combined $50,000 in funding earmarked for arts programs ($20K scholarship for first place, one $10K winner for second place and 8 honorable mentions at $2.5K each). For more details, go here

Yakuza Heart Attack

2009-09-29T20:51:00.005-05:00

I think I have more than a few prog-happy friends that will be interested in this last post of the evening. Proggers Yakuza Heart Attack will be releasing their sophomore album called Yakuza Heart Attack II off Squids Eye Records on Oct 22 but below you can snag three of the tracks absolutely free. These tracks provide the perfect background for your latest WoW conquest or hitting up the old school Mario Bros (I'm talking to you, Nate).

Yakuza Heart Attack - "Scarlet Moon"
Yakuza Heart Attack - "Power Surge"
Yakuza Heart Attack - "Tears of the Judge"

Described by PopMatters as "[L]ike Weezer trapped inside a Gameboy and knowing that rocking is the only way to break out", Yakuza Heart Attack certainly can inject some game into your playlist. There's no guitars, but plenty of synth, and plenty of fun for all.

More about Yakuza Heart Attack at their MySpace page

The Melvins Chicken Switch remix album out now

2009-09-29T20:36:00.004-05:00

It's been a looooooooong time since I last listened to The Melvins, but in fact, my very first CD purchase ever was The Melvins Stag back in 1996, so I feel obligated to mention that they've got a new remix record called Chicken Switch out in store for you to checkout.

Chicken Switch track listing and remixers:

01 Washmachine Sk8tronics (Remixed By Eye Yamatsuka)
02 Emperor Twaddle Remix (Remixed By Christoph Heemann)
03 She Chokes Her Dying Breath & Does It In My Face (Remixed BY V/VM)
04 AAHHH... (Remixed By John Duncan)
05 Linkshänder (Remixed By Matmos)
06 EggNog Trilogy: I) She's Ivanhoe, II) Cancer, III) Inebriated (Remixed By Lee Ranaldo)
07 SNOW REM REM IBVZ (Remixed By Merzbow)
08 Prick Concrete/Revolution M (Remixed By David Scott Stone)
09 Queen (Electroclash Remix By Panacea)
10 The Silky Apple Butter Of Youth (Remixed By Sunroof!)
11 4th Floor Helicopter (Remixed By Kawabata Makoto)
12 disp_tx_skel_mach_murx (Remixed By Farmersmanual)
13 Overgoat (Remixed By Void Manes)
14 Over From Under The Dog, Girl & Boy Treatment (Remixed By RLW)
15 Hard Revenge Milly Bloody Battle VS. The Melvins Ozmatized Gore Police (Remixed By Speedranch)

If you've never listened to The Melvins I can't guarauntee you won't hate it, but you can check out one of the tracks, "Queen (Electroclash Remix by Panacea)" below:

The Melvins - "Queen" (Electroclash Remix by Panacea)

More info available at The Melvins site

Stream the Where The Wild Things Are Soundtrack Free

2009-09-29T20:17:00.003-05:00

The kid in us still remembers way back when we first read Maurice Sendak's Where the Wild Things Are, so we're pretty excited to catch Spike Jonze's rendition when it hits the theaters in October. We also love the trailer featuring Arcade Fire's "Wake Up."

I was a little disappointed to find out that Arcade Fire really isn't on the soundtrack but when you have an entire soundtrack of Karen O (from the Yeah Yeah Yeahs) and "The Kids" I guess you can't complain.

The soundtrack is available for purchase now, but if you want to preview it first you can head over to imeem and after registering and going through the usual advertising clicks you can stream the entire album for free. Make sure you check out the track "Building All is Love," our favorite of the bunch.

If you want to avoid registering at imeem you can just head over to Stereogum and stream it there.

Tapes n Tapes music video for "Hang Them All"

2009-09-22T22:34:00.003-05:00

We're eagerly anticipating the upcoming Minneapolis tour stop for Tapes n' Tapes and we'll be in the Cities on Oct 3 to catch their sold-out show at The Turf Club in St. Paul.

If you missed their appearance on Conan, you can check out the music video for the track "Hang Them All", directed by Jonnie Ross, below:

If you're looking for that Conan appearance you can see the video of that at the band's website as well.

Concert Announcement: Pete Yorn, The Majestic, Madison, WI - October 27

2009-09-22T22:15:00.003-05:00

Pete Yorn will be swinging through Wisconsin this fall for a show at The Majestic in Madison on Oct 27. If it's been a while since you've caught up to speed with Yorn, you can stream some tunes at his website.

Pete Yorn Tour Dates

Oct 19 – Granada Theatre - Lawrence , KS
Oct 21 – The Blue Note - Columbia , MO
Oct 22 – Rococo Theatre – Lincoln , NE
Oct 24 – Bluebird Nightclub – Bloomington , IN
Oct 25 – Newport Music Hall – Columbus , OH
Oct 26 – Vogue Theatre – Indianapolis , IN
Oct 27 – Majestic Theatre – Madison , WI
Oct 29 – Intersection – Grand Rapids , MI
Oct 30 – State Theatre – State College , PA
Nov 1 – Ridgefield Playhouse, Ridgefield , CT
Nov 4 – The Hart Theatre at the Egg – Albany , NY
Nov 5 – Electric Factory, Philadelphia , PA
Nov 8 – Amos End, Charlotte , NC
Dec 5 – KBCO Radio show, FOX Theatre, Boulder, CO

Monsters of Folk debut album drops tomorrow

2009-09-21T21:35:00.003-05:00

If you're heading out to your local record store tomorrow to peruse the new releases might I suggest you grab yourself a copy of the debut album by Mosters of Folk. The super-group collaboration of celebrated rockers M.Ward, Jim James (My Morning Jacket), Conor Oberst and Mike Mogis plays like a really great concert encore - where various crooners take the stage, each bringing their unique talent to a larger, deeper pool - swimming with delightful sounds.

You can stream three of the tracks at the Mosters of Folk website. We recommend starting with "Say Please."

Bike Naked for the Flaming Lips in Portland

2009-09-21T17:27:00.003-05:00

Just add naked... and maybe a little TLC?

If you're an avid nudist, or a cyclist, or heck, just live in Portland, like to get naked, own a bike, and dig the Flaming Lips, then you've got a chance at appearing in their music video for "Watching the Planets" off their Embryonic record.

[Flaming Lips lead singer] Wayne describes the scene, saying that the idea came from the musical, "Hair": "You know how it's a bunch of freaked out naked people climbing some mountain with blood and fire and finding some new civilization there-- so I thought of Portland, right?"

BikePortland has all of the info for anybody who's interested in participating. Here are the basic details:

Flaming Lips naked bike video shoot
Wednesday, September 23, 10am - 10pm (drop-in)
The top of Mount Tabor, by the basketball courts
No RSVP needed. Just show up wearing clothes, please.
For more information, contact: bikeforthelips@gmail.com

Musical Notes: Mystery of Two, Says Shes Ms. Blat, and Bishop Allen

2009-09-17T22:23:00.004-05:00

The Office is back. It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia is back. Community seems like it might work. All in all a good night of television for once. But we've got a few quick musical notes for you as well:

Mystery of Two

...is a Cleveland rock group that is actually 3 people - Nick, Ryan, and Jeff. The "not quite post punk, not quite new wave" band just released their second album and would like you to have a listen to a few of their tracks, below. If you like their stuff, you can snag it on their MySpace page.

Mystery of Two - "French Rocking Horse"
Mystery of Two - "Repeat It"

Says Shes Ms. Blat

...is Lottie Leymarie on keys/vocals and Bret Puchir on percussion and their sound is powerful and thudding. Think pop, but raw, heavier - more Fiona Apple & Lucinda Williams than Norah Jones. Stream it here.

Bishop Allen

...is coming to Madison Nov 2 @ arguably the best smaller venue in the city, The High Noon Saloon. See you there? Peep the rest of their tour dates here.

Sunday Morning MP3 - The Good Graces - "Pretty New Song"

2009-09-13T09:46:00.003-05:00

Atlanta indie folk minimalists The Good Graces, who we profiled in a previous post, recently released a new song titled "Pretty New Song," which comes off the Bring on the Tambourines! EP scheduled to drop later this month. For a sneak preview, you can snag the song for free below, courtesy of the band and Eskimo Kiss Records:

The Good Graces - "Pretty New Song"

As the band mentions on their website, keep your eye out for other great tracks from the EP as they appear sporadically on the album's website. Currently (as of this morning) you can go there to snag a free mp3 of the track "I Miss the 90's".

If you miss out on any of the tracks you can pick up the album when it drops Sept 29.

Heartless Bastards + Wolfmother on tour

2009-09-13T09:20:00.003-05:00

Big day for us as we kick off a solid 12 hours of football coverage, from ESPN's Sunday Countdown at 10 am CST to the end of the Packers-Bears game around 10pm. We are literally giddy with anticipation. If you're laying some money on the games you might want to see what the folks at ESPN think of the predicted outcomes.

Like a lot of others out there we recently jumped on the Heartless Bastards bandwagon and haven't gotten off. Now comes word that they will be touring this fall in support of blistering guitar rockers Wolfmother. The Wolfmother dates will kick off in Dallas, TX, on October 29th and come to a close on November 24th in Los Angeles, CA. Sadly, no Wisconsin dates. Peep the schedule below:

Heartless Bastards tour dates:

09.24.09 Oberlin, OH Dionysus Club
09.25.09 Cincinnati, OH Grammers Bar
09.26.09 Columbus, OH The Basement
09.30.09 Tyler, TX Clicks
10.01.09 Houston, TX House of Blues - Bronze Peacock
10.04.09 Austin, TX Zilker Park

On tour with Wolfmother:

10.29.09 Dallas, TX House of Blues - Dallas
11.02.09 Atlanta, GA Tabernacle
11.03.09 Charlotte, NC The Fillmore Charlotte
11.04.09 Washington, DC 9:30 Club
11.06.09 Philadelphia, PA Electric Factory
11.07.09 Boston, MA House of Blues - Boston
11.08.09 New York, NY Terminal 5
11.11.09 Toronto, ON Kool Haus
11.12.09 Pontiac, MI Clutch Cargos
11.13.09 Chicago, IL Riviera Theater
11.14.09 Minneapolis, MN State Theater
11.16.09 Denver, CO Ogden Theatre
11.17.09 Salt Lake City, UT The Depot
11.19.09 Portland Roseland Theater
11.20.09 Seattle, WA Paramount Theatre
11.21.09 Vancouver, BC Queen Elizabeth Theatre
11.23.09 Oakland, CA Fox Oakland Theater
11.24.09 Los Angeles, CA The Wiltern

New single from Los Campesinos!

2009-09-12T11:39:00.005-05:00

The Sea Is A Good Place To Think Of The Future from Los Campesinos! on Vimeo.

We're really excited by the lastest single from VLM fav Los Campesinos! We had a chance to catch them down in Madison and it was a stellar show. They'll be touring the UK in October, but in the meantime, you can check out the single and video for "The Sea Is a Good Place to Think of the Future" above or if you want to download the track and keep tabs on the band you can do so over at their website.

Portland Cello Project

2009-09-07T10:07:00.005-05:00

The wife and I rented The Soloist last night and thoroughly enjoyed it. It also got me to thinking I need to get back to listening to classical music and playing instruments more often... it would help had we not sold my violin a few years ago back when we were jobless to help pay for rent, but even just listening once in a while would be a step in the right direction.

The Portland Cello Project isn't classical per say, but they're classically based and the softer side of me is really enjoying their track with singer Thao Nyugen called "Tallymarks" which you can download below courtesy of Riot Act Media:

Portland Cello Project featuring Thao - "Tallymarks"

Since the group's inception in late 2007, they have performed with a veritable "Who's Who?" list of Portland musicians, from Laura Gibson to The Dandy Warhols, Horse Feathers, Mirah and Loch Lomond, just to name a few.

The group's newest full-length was released on June 9th, 2009 on their new label, local independent Kill Rock Stars and includes such diverse pieces as a Pantera cover and a solemn religious piece by John Tavener.

At live shows, their repertoire can consist of anything from Metallica to Horse Feathers to Britney Spears to Bach.

The Portland Cello Project earns every penny from ticket sales and sales of our CD’s and Tee-Shirts, so get out of the house, break out of your usual music mold, and support the group if they are appearing anywhere near you:

October 2009
15 - Santa Barbara, CA @ SoHo
16 - Los Angeles, CA @ Echoplex
17 - Santa Cruz, CA @ The Crepe Place
21 - Portland, OR @ Doug Fir
22 - Seattle, WA @ Chop Suey -
23 - Vancouver, BC, Canada @ The Biltmore Cabaret
24 - Spokane, WA @ Empyrean Coffee
27 - Minneapolis, MN @ Cedar Cultural Center
28 - Milwaukee, WI @ Turner Hall
29 - Urbana, IL @ The Canopy Club
30 - Chicago, IL @ Empty Bottle
31 - Detroit, MI @ The Cafe at the Majestic Theater

November 2009
1 - Toronto, ON, Canada @ El Mocambo
2 - Montreal, QC, Canada @ Il Motore
3 - Cambridge, MA @ Middle East Downstairs
4 - New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom
5 - Philadelphia, PA @ First Unitarian Church
6 - Washington, DC @ Black Cat
7 - Richmond, VA @ The Canal Club Downstairs Lounge
9 - Atlanta, GA @ The Earl
11 - Houston, TX @ The Studio at Warehouse Live
12 - Austin, TX @ Mohawk
13 - Ft Worth, TX @ Lola's
14 - Lubbock, TX @ Jake's
17 - Phoenix, AZ @ Rhythm Room
18 - Tucson, AZ @ Plush
19 - San Diego, CA @ The Casbah
20 - Pomona, CA @ The Glass House

You can learn more about the Portland Cello Project at their website and stream a few tracks to boot.

Labor Day with Corduroy, Zombies, and the Flaming Lips

2009-09-07T09:35:00.003-05:00

We're here enjoying our orange juice and Labor Day and figured we'd pass along a few tunes for you should you need a little something for your backyard barbecue soundtrack this afternoon.

First up is Toronto rock four-piece Corduroy, who I just had to check out since they are named after my favorite Pearl Jam song. Ok, not really, but that'd be cool, right?

At first listen we were reminded of another group of fellows that we sure like, Tokyo Police Club. And with influences such as Pavement and Arcade Fire its easy to see the resemblance. Then again, there's a lot of good music that comes out of Canada these days (see: Arcade Fire, Broken Social Scene, Wolf Parade).

Anyways, Corduroy are going to be releasing some three song EPs, called Demoroys. The Demoroy's will be available for free download on the band's Myspace and on a Pay-What-You-Can basis at shows. Demoroy Volume 1 will be available for free download tomorrow, September 7th. But lucky you can download a sneak preview for free below, just in time for today's festivities:

Corduroy - "The Lighthouse Keeper"

Zombies!

If you're interested in male nudity (ass) and zombies, then check out Chickenhawk's new video "I Hate This, You Like This?" over at YouTube. It's fleash-eating fantastic, to say the least.

Shot in four days over a three week period, the Chickenhawk music video/zombie epic pulled together hundreds of people and created a community based blood fest that Leeds had never seen before. The project was designed to not only be a vast scale, but living(dead) proof that a high level of film production can be achieved with a small budget, as long as you keep your hanging eyeballs on the cash and the ambition.

And lastly, if you hadn't heard the new Flaming Lips song for "Trembling Hands" you can do so over at I Guess I'm Floating. It's been around a while (since June) but it was the first I'd heard it. Their new album, Embryonic, will be out on October 13.

Blogger by day, mustache aficionado by night?

2009-09-03T22:43:00.005-05:00

Not that you probably care because there's no music or mustaches involved, but if you want to check out the things I'm paid to write about from 8am-5pm every Monday thru Friday then head on over to our recently debuted pet blog and check out my posts there. Lots of good information and stories.

The Danvilles

2009-09-03T22:15:00.005-05:00

The only thing better than Aaron Rodger's sporty new mustache and the return of college football this evening was my wife's meatless lasagna. I ate so much I could put Garfield to shame. Hopefully I'll be putting that mustache to shame as well since I don't plan to shave between now and Halloween so that come Oct 31st I can shave my Zach Galifianakis like beard into a John Astin-as-Gomez Addams mustache.

Watching the tail end of the Packers-Titans preseason game after dinner I ran across the Musebox Featured Artist of the Week, The Danvilles. I hadn't heard The Danvilles before tonight but that's a shame - the track I got to listen to tonight ("The Man That Never Was") was polished and scrappy, and reminded me a bit of Tapes N' Tapes, who I'll be heading to The Cities to see on October 3rd.

According to the press release, The Danville's debut EP, Number One, was

"recorded over a single weekend {...} always destined to be more than a simple LP. Their first burst of creative energy would also spawn even more imagination in the old friends, who cobbled together a companion video EP of short films, inspired by the gloomy Edgar Allen Poe. Of course, we’d expect nothing less from a group that got their start when he was required-reading in English class. If only we could have bonded over Dick Dale and old punk royalty with somebody in our 4th period, then maybe we’d be putting out records too."

If you haven't heard The Danvilles, you can check out the standout track "The Man That Never Was" below, or head over to the band's MySpace site to stream some additional tracks and check out the videos mentioned above. We recommend the folksy "I Ain't No Jesus" which we could easily see playing as the credits run on a future True Blood episode.

The Danvilles - "The Man That Never Was"

THE LOVELY FEATHERS - Lowiza

2009-09-03T21:55:00.004-05:00

This landed in my inbox today and was easily one of the most interesting music videos I've seen as of late. Sultry, artsy, and fun... just like a music video USED to be.

Learn more about The Lovely Feathers at the band's MySpace page

Little Lebowski Urban Achievers to play Lebowski Fest September 11 @ First Avenue!

2009-08-31T21:11:00.001-05:00

Drunk rockers Little Lebowski Urban Achievers will be a part of Lebowski Fest again in 2009 to celebrate the release of their split LP with The Divorce Force. The band played at the Los Angeles Lebowski Fest in 2007 and now is jumping on the Minneapolis dates for the 2009 Lebowski Fest Tour.

The two-day fest begins its Minneapolis stop with a "Movie Party" on September 11 @ First Avenue. LLUA will be opening for the Black Diamond Heavies. A special screening of the Big Lebowski will also be played that evening. The second night of Lebowski Fest in Minneapolis will be a bowling night at Memory Lanes.

I'm a huuuuge Lebowski fan and have always wanted to go to Lebowski Fest so I might just have to make the trip to "the cities" for this one. I don't think I'll bring my grad school paper on how The Dude rewrites the Western male hero, though. That would be over the line, Donny.

SubCity new album, tour

2009-08-30T15:39:00.005-05:00

It's funny how often the lines between opinion and fact become blurred when discussing something you're passionate about, like music. For example, Radiohead is one of the most influential bands of the past 20 years is my opinion. Listening to Nickelback kills brain cells is a fact. Ok, that's probably opinion, too. But balancing the line between the two is the essence of journalism of any type. I'm not sure if I made that up or if I read it somewhere but it sounds good so let's go with it.

Opinion: Winnipeg band SubCity lands somewhere between Tom Waits and your favorite Mighty Mighty Bosstones record.
Fact: They've got a new record, "Where's The Noise?", coming out on Transistor 66 Records on Sept 15. They'll also be embarking on an All-Canada tour shortly thereafter at the following cities:

Sept 17 - Regina - O'Hanlons w/ 40 Theives
Sept 24 - Fernie - The Bulldog
Sept 25 - Golden - TBA
Sept 26 - Vancouver - Anza Club w/ Fuzzcat & Great White Shark
Sept 27 - Salt Spring Island - Beaver Point Hall w/ Big Bass Theory & Great White Shark
Sept 29 - Victoria - Felisitas (UofVic Pub) w/ Great White Shark
Sept 30 - Nanaimo - Queens w/ Kiltlifters & Great White Shark
Oct 1 - Courteney - Merville Hall - w/ Great White Shark & Multi Coloured Mischeif
Oct 2 - Victoria - Lucky Bar w/ Great White Shark
Oct 3 - Tofino - The Legion w/ Great White Shark
Oct 6 - Banff - Rose & Crown
Oct 7 - Banff - Rose & Crown
Oct 9 - Edmonton - The Pawn Shop
Oct 10 - Lethbridge - TBA
Oct 16 - Winnipeg - WECC "Where's The Noise?" Release Party!

Say what you want about their choices of musical genre (I personally am not a huge fan of ska or reggae), but I certainly enjoyed my first listen to a few of their tracks - their gritty sound certainly makes for a more entertaining backdrop to the Little League World Series I'm currently watching than Brent Musberger's voice.

More praise:

“Like their last outing, this 11-tracker finds the horn-fuelled octet pushing their boundaries beyond the comfort zone of ska and reggae, venturing boldly into everything from Rancid-style post-punk to Tom Waits boho-blues. Frontman Ian Lodewyks, for his part, continues to sound like he exists on a steady diet of Gitanes, kerosene, razors and red-hot gravel. All in all, a most glorious noise.”4 out of 5 stars. - Darryl Sterdan- Winnipeg Sun

SubCity - "Silence"

You can stream some more of their tunes in the handy little flash player below that the band provides via their MySpace page.

Modest Mouse at Aragon Ballroom Review

2009-08-26T07:37:00.010-05:00

It's Day 2 on our Chicago vacation and last night we made it down to the Aragon Ballroom to catch Modest Mouse with The Dutchess and the Duke.

Standing next to a smelly garbage can in a graffiti tagged alley next to the Aragon Ballroom waiting for the doors to open, surrounded by hipsters in neon colored tights and bandannas and beards, I was unmistakably at a Modest Mouse concert. We arrived a little late (5:15) thinking that the doors were going to open at 6:30, but when we got off the El at Lawrence we realized the doors would actually be opening at 5:30. Oops. Thus we trudged our way back to the end of the line, last of the hipsters, to wait for the burly security guard to yell at everyone to get against the wall - guys on the inside, girls on the outside - it was time to move the line.

We had hoped to score a balcony seat, being probably a few years older than the average Modest Mouse fan, but our chances seemed slim given our place in line. Once we got in however we were easily able to make it up to the balcony and score two seats with a great view. I love concerts, but there's really no need for me to be on the floor sweating it up with the dirty hippie youth and their hidden pocket marijuana bongs. I mean, don't get me wrong, that was a great time...six years ago. Now I prefer to play the casual observer, nodding my head at my own pace, getting soaked in my own sweat, not others, and enjoying the ambiance from a distance.

Like most reviews you will ever find on the Aragon, the sound was shit, and it was hotter than hell. Even Modest Mouse frontman Isaac Brock commented on how unspeakably hot it was at the end of the show. But I knew both of those things going into the show, so I wasn't exactly disappointed. Dress light, don't plan on hearing the greatest sound, and you won't be disappointed either.

That said, everything else about the venue was top notch. We got in fast, got seats easy, beer was just a few steps away at a pricey $6, and bathrooms didn't seem too congested. It didn't take my wife that long to snag an American Apparel King Rat tshirt for $25, either.

Bring out the bands...

the dutchess and the duke

The Dutchess and the Duke opened to a crowd of roughly 20% capacity and put together a tidy little set. Their songs seemed recognizable enough and crisp, jangly, and folksy - they would be great at a smaller venue. They opened with "Back to Me", my favorite of their tracks, and played about a half hour before yielding the stage to Modest Mouse.

the crowd thickens...

This was my first time seeing Modest Mouse, and I wasn't disappointed in much other than that they didn't play a couple of songs I wanted to hear (Whale Song), but when you've got a discography the size of theirs that's understandable. They played a couple of tracks off Good News for People Who Like Bad News, but opened the show with "King Rat", which is becoming quite a favorite amongst me and my other Modest Mouse friends (and as the tshirt sales at the show would attest, a lot of others).

modest mouse

Modest Mouse mixed up the tempo in their set nicely (from "Baby Blue Sedan" to songs like "Dramamine" and "Satin in a Coffin") and Brock seemed to have a good time with the crowd, asking the fans up front for the latest news on the curfew and the mayor's daughter and some other things. Having two drummers created a really percussion heavy feel to the set, which I enjoyed, and it seemed like they were bringing out a different instrument for every song - from cellos to horns to violins to banjos... they had a full stage.

"Wore our blank expressions, trying to look interesting.."

All in all it was a great time, which is all you can ask for as a fan. From the convenience of the El to the ability to snag seats, enjoy a beer, and catch some great (albeit muddled) music in a picturesque venue is about all a guy with a little music blog and a Modest Mouse loving wife can imagine. If they return to the Midwest at a different venue, I'll definitely be back.

"There's no work in walking in to fuel the talk.."

If you know of any other reviews or photos from the show last night go ahead and throw those in the comments. My wife is a professional photographer, but she wasn't allowed to bring her digital SLR into the show, so we had to make do with our 6-year-old point and shoot, sorry!

Set list:

king rat
3rd planet
education
black cadillacs
gravity rides
shit luck
satellite skin
tiny cities made of ashes
baby blue sedan
dashboard
dramamine
guilty cocker spaniels
blame it on the tetons
wild pack of family dogs
the view
satin in a coffin
encore
paper thin walls
ohio
parting of the sensory

The Heavy - How You Like Me Now?

2009-08-25T07:52:00.002-05:00

We're about to head down to Chicago for the Modest Mouse show tonight at Aragon but we wanted to drop a little bit of music on your for your morning.

Today's selection is a cool, new bluesy video from UK band The Heavy. The band's new album, The House That Dirt Built, is set for an October 6th release.

In support of their new album the band will be hitting some US cities this fall. See if they'll be in your hood anytime soon, below:

US Tour Dates
10/21 || The Echo || Los Angeles, CA
10/23 || Casbah || San Diego, CA
10/24 || The Bank Club || San Jose, CA
10/27 || Slim’s || San Francisco, CA
10/29 || Doug Fir Lounge || Portland, OR
10/30 || The Crocodile || Seattle, WA
11/2 || World Café Live || Philadelphia, PA
11/5 || Great Scott || Boston, MA
11/7 || 92Y Tribeca || New York, NY

More info available at their myspace page

All-You-Can-Drink with The Library

2009-08-21T21:01:00.005-05:00

As an undergrad at UW-La Crosse I often found myself wandering into The Library for their $5 all you can drink Thursday wristbands. That never made the next morning's 7 am Computer Science lecture seem all that worthwhile.

Now, there's a whole new kind of library out there that won't ruin your Friday morning lectures. The Library is an up and coming band out of Brooklyn with some heavy shoegaze influences. Their debut album, The Life and Times of Rosa Lee, is available in its entirety FREE for you to download here.

They don't jump out of the speakers, but they've got a subtle glow that lingers like a good glass of whiskey.

Take a listen to the title track from the album below, and if you like what you hear, drop by the link posted above and snag the rest of their tracks.

The Library - "The Life and Times of Rosa Lee"

New Yorkers can find The Library during their September residency at Pete's Candy Store in Brooklyn. They'll be playing Friday the 4th and every Monday starting at the 7th going to end of the month at 9 pm.

Elsewhere on the web today...

In Defense of Third Eye Blind, by Rob Tannenbaum, New York Mag

The comment sections of music blogs are like Store 24 parking lots: places where idiots hang out. For example, Third Eye Blind has a new album out this week, and for much of the summer, arbiters of cool have bad-mouthed the band all over the Internet...[read full post]

Muzzle of Bees features a track from Volcano Choir, a Justin Vernon aka Bon Iver/Collections of Colonies of Bees collaboration.

Favre greeted with standing ovation, proceeds to go 1-4 for 4 yards while Tavaris Jackson goes 12-15 for 202 and 2 TD. As a Packers fan I can only hope that the Vikings open the season 0-5 with Favre at the helm and then turn to Jackson to lead them back to .500. What a summer.

Farenheit 451 in comic book form

My friend Spicy Hambone has a funny, sarcastic, and sometimes frightening new blog called Gnome Riot that you just might enjoy. It's sort of a cross between a GG Allin journal and a George Carlin book. Warning: mature content and lots of poo references await you.

Save these dates

2009-08-18T22:06:00.004-05:00

Aug 25: Modest Mouse plays Aragon in Chicago
Sept 17: The Office returns
Sept 20: Curb Your Enthusiasm returns - wish I had HBO
Oct 3: Tapes N' Tapes at Turf Club in Minneapolis
Oct 15: 30 Rock Returns - best show on primetime TV
Nov 1: Brett Favre returns to Lambeau field as a Viking, gamma ray burst destroys Earth

Sponge - Molly (Sixteen Candles)

2009-08-18T22:00:00.001-05:00

A little blast from the past. Hey nice pants!

The new Modest Mouse record is really really ridiculously good looking

2009-08-14T22:29:00.005-05:00

Just got done watching a little bit of the Johnny Cash documentary Johnny Cash: The Man, His World, His Music on Wisconsin Public Television and it put me in the mood to cruise over to the computer for some tunes before I head off to bed.

Before I do that, I want to take a second to mention just how much I enjoy the new Modest Mouse record. It's been on constant play in my PT Cruiser's CD player since I got it last weekend and it only gets better with each play. I could listen to the guitar and bass riffs on "Whale Song" all day long, it's that good. "Guilty Cocker Spaniels" is another standout track, pure Modest Mouse, all alive and jumping with a kind of schizophrenic energy. Please do yourself a favor and go buy this record. That's probably the worst review of the record you'll find out there, but it speaks for itself. Can't wait for their show in Chicago.

Canasta in Madison This Sunday, $5 show

If you're going to be around the Madison, WI area this Sunday you should drop by The Frequency. Canasta got booked for a last minute show there, and it's only $5. Sadly we'll be far north of there camping but you should hit up the show if you're in the area. You can always catch True Blood On Demand later in the week, so don't use that as an excuse.

Canasta rocking with Obama

Head over to the band's website to grab a whole crap load of free mp3s, including their entire latest release, We Were Mixed Up, available as a free download. Some of our favorite tracks are below if you need persuadin':

Canasta - "Microphone Song"
Canasta - "The Model" (Kraftwerk cover)

Elsewhere...

We're looking forward to the Sept 1 release of It's Not Our Responsibility! from Cincy group Eat Sugar. We hear them quite reguarly on WOXY.com, where we tune in daily, and have enjoyed most of the stuff we've heard. If you've yet to have your first listen, you can have both a listen and a look at their new music video for the track "Pop Singer", below. It's super 80's, super creepy, and kinda hot - much like the music:

And last but not least, an interesting cover of Andrew WK's "I Get Wet" by Paper The Operator at their MySpace page

Stream The Raveonettes new single, "Suicide"

2009-08-10T20:36:00.004-05:00

This past weekend one of my friends headed down to Lollapalooza. Before he left he asked me for some recommendations on which acts to catch, and one of the groups I recommended he catch was the Denmark duo of Sune Rose Wagner and Sharin Foo, better known as The Raveonettes.

According to Spinner.com, their performance this weekend at Lolla, especially at the after party the night before, shined:

"Tucked away on the corner stage at Chicago's Empty Bottle club, they seemed at home. The darkness was only interrupted by flickers of blue and pink lights, which, when they caught Foo, made her look like something Andy Warhol would covet. They ripped through selections from their three full-lengths, including a particularly upbeat rendition of 'Love in a Trash Can' and the hypnotic track from their last album, 'Lust.' But the highlight arrived when they performed two tracks from their forthcoming album, 'In and Out of Control' for the first time live. The first single, 'Suicide,' is indicative of the kind of sunny arrangement-meets-sinister-lyrics Wagner told Spinner about in Brooklyn. And the never-before-heard 'Last Dance,' is perhaps the most accessible song from them to date. With its bouncy, catchy chorus, it was no surprise that it inspired dancing at both sets that weekend."

The band recently released their first single from their fourth EP, In & Out of Control, on Pitchfork, and also announced that they will be touring later this fall.

If you haven't ever heard The Raveonettes on sultry tracks like "Ally Walk With Me" then now is your chance to check the band out and support their latest release. My wife especially enjoys their shoe-gazedness. Stream and share "Suicide" from In & Out of Control below:

The Raveonettes - "Suicide"

More info on the band at their MySpace page

Sunday Serenity: Kuroshio Sea - 2nd largest aquarium tank in the world

2009-08-09T22:44:00.001-05:00

song: Please Don't Go - "Barcelona"

Sunday Linkage

2009-08-09T09:22:00.002-05:00

A righteous John Hughes musical tribute over at Music For Kids Who Can't Read Good

Don't You (Forget About Me) Hughes Tribute over at Sterogum

Some Lollapalooza coverage at Chicagoist

More coverage, videos at Spin Earth

Film At 11: Modest Mouse

2009-08-09T09:14:00.002-05:00

Film At 11: Modest Mouse

The video for Modest Mouse’s “King Rat” has been a long time coming. While the song was first available in 2007, the video (and the band’s latest EP, No One’s First And Your Next) was released on Tuesday. It was well worth the wait. A gory commentary on illegal whaling off the coast of Australia, the video is the brainchild of the late Heath Ledger. The actor approached Modest Mouse with the idea in 2007 (while the band was touring Australia), after conceiving it on a boating trip with his family. Ledger, who receives a directing credit, died before the video was completed.

Posted using ShareThis

How German It Is

2009-08-02T12:12:00.003-05:00

The sun has finally returned here in Northern Wisconsin, National Lampoon's Vacation is on TV, and we're rolling through the inbox checking out the latest offerings.

One offering we want to share with you today is from a little Brooklyn band called How German It Is. The band is made up of a rotating group of musicians, and they're going to be playing some dates in the New York area in August in support of their new record, The Seasonal.

They're a little raw, but I think they're on the right track, and could use your listening ears and support.

Have your first listen to the gents from How German It Is below:

How German It Is - "Flags and Kings"
How German It Is - "End of Summer"

Upcoming Shows:
Brooklyn: August 8th @ Pete’s Candy Store at 9:30pm, August 27th @ Trash Bar, 10:30PM
Manhattan: September 15th @ Piano's at 8pm as part of Liberated Matter's Cross Pollination performance series

Head over to MySpace to check out some additional tracks not posted above

Built to Spill to hit Wisconsin in September

2009-07-29T18:52:00.005-05:00

Thanks to Ryan at Muzzle of Bees for letting us all know that Built to Spill will be dropping by Wisconsin for some dates this September that I'll have to check out. And kudos to him as well for his recent engagement!

Stop by Muzzle of Bees to check out the upcoming Built to Spill Sconny dates and wish your favorite Wisconsin music blogger (and mine) congratulations on his big news! Now we just have to get The Dan Band to play his wedding.

The Dutchess and The Duke

2009-07-29T18:20:00.005-05:00

Meh. I've had yet another crappy day in a week of crappy days following an equally crappy previous week. To top the day off, I couldn't get my charcoal grill to light (I knew I shouldn't have switched charcoal brands), so instead, I'm here enjoying my microwaved Miller High Life brats and a cold Lo-Cal Sprecher Root Beer, and dammit, I wanna talk music.

I recently learned that the Seattle "campfire punk" outfit The Dutchess and The Duke will be joining Modest Mouse for their August Aragon Ballroom date in Chicago that I will happily be attending.

Dutchess and the Duke: Photo by Andrew Waits

This is the first time I've heard of the band, but they've been around, having had their 2008 release She's The Dutchess, He's the Duke reviewed previously (and favorably, at that) on Pitchfork and most recently having played the Pitchfork Music Festival.

I've only had a few listens to the tracks out there in cyberspace tonight, but it seems to me like they've got a real antiquated sound, similar to something you might have heard back when Dylan and Jagger were just hitting the streets. The band, which is compromised of Kimberly Morrison (Dutchess) and Jesse Lortz (Duke) brings an acoustic campfire party 60's bluesy sound - think Hayden paired with Kimya Dawson with Roy Orbison on guitar - that makes me feel like I should be running through a field in a pair of old denim jeans and converse hi-tops with my wife and a kite and some sunshine. Weird indie imagery? Maybe. But I would personally listen to their type of music over 99% of the stuff on MTV any day.

Head on over to the band's MySpace page to check out some of the tracks and get a feel for the band before you catch them at the show. You can even grab a free mp3 of the track "Reservoir Park" at RCRDLBL.

THE DUTCHESS & THE DUKE

08.19.09 - Montreal, QC - Metropolis *
08.20.09 - Kingston, ON - The Ale House *
08.21.09 - Toronto, ON - Sound Academy *
08.22.09 - Toronto, ON - Sound Academy *
08.24.09 - Columbus, OH - The LC Ampitheater *
08.25.09 - Chicago, IL - Aragon Ballroom *

* - w/ Modest Mouse

Japancakes, The Good Graces, Jim Johnson

2009-07-28T19:27:00.004-05:00

Feeling artsy? Then you might want to check out the video for the track "Behind The Mountain" by instrumental band Japancakes.

As far as the video goes, I found the makeup and the background music to be more interesting than the Enya-esque vocals from Orenda Fink of Azure Ray (which makes sense, because they're an instrumental band?), but hey, it looks cool, and they've got a cool name, so I'm on board.

Kim Ware and the Good Graces will be coming out with a new EP at the end of summer called Bring on the Tambourines!

In anticipation, the band will be releasing a track every couple weeks leading up to the date the album drops. You can check out the first of the tracks, titled "Working Title," below. We like the track - it has a very steady rocking backbone and the vocals don't overwhelm - just fit along nicely like dominoes on a track. Have a listen, below:

Kim Ware and the Good Graces - "Working Title"

And be sure to keep an eye on the album website in the coming weeks for additional tracks.

Last but not least, a shout out to Jim Johnson, former Eagles defensive coordinator, who passed away today due to complications from cancer. I loved watching his defensive schemes. The game won't be the same without him. Story at Philly.com.

Muse - United States Of Eurasia

2009-07-28T07:22:00.001-05:00

New single from Muse...oh so very Queen. Your thoughts?

Things I should do more often

2009-07-27T19:43:00.007-05:00

There really wasn't anything else I felt worth mentioning in my inbox, at least musically, so here's a list of some things I should do more often, along with a few good links for your trouble. Not that I really think you care about my cathartic post, but I need someplace to record these ideas, right?

Blog more

I love to write. I love to listen to music. I love to talk about music. I don't like sifting through 35 emails to find something I like, however. Maybe I'm just getting picky in my old age. Or lazy.

Play the guitar more

I learned to play the guitar in middle school. I've owned one ever since. I used to play every day. Then I got to college and got to listen to every guy with a guitar in the dorm play Dave Matthews every day for four years. I haven't played much since then, but I did pick up the axe yesterday to try out the tabs for The National's "Slow Show" and it really made me wish I hadn't stopped.

Exercise more

I'm getting fat. That's about all there is to say there. Get off your ass, fatty.

Write more

Well, I write professionally for a living, and quite often lately with a new catalog coming out soon, but I don't get to write about sports or books as often as I'd like. I guess I could start more blogs. Or just write that stuff here. But I'd have to read more to do that. Which leads me to my next point...

Read more

I used to read a book a week, at least, through college and graduate school. Unfortunately, I didn't always want to read the books I had to read, so when I finally finished school I had basically forgotten what it meant to read for pleasure. That was four years ago, and I'm still having a hard time finding me way back. I did recently finish Chuck Palahniuk's new novel Pygmy, and that was fantastic. But I really should read more.

On that note, I'm off to Largehearted Boy to find my next book to read (and some music as well). If you've got any good music, reads, tabs to check out, or other suggestions, pass them along in the comments.

Edit - 8:08 pm - thanks to LHB I think I might have found my next read.

A Girl and a Cello

2009-07-20T23:08:00.005-05:00

I like birds (I've got three parrots) and I like cellos (I played in orchestra for four years), so it was only natural that I'd check out the sophomore album from Janice Price, aka Bird, titled Girl and a Cello.

Described by the Daily Telegraph as "Bjork crossed with Rickie Lee Jones”, Bird, a virtuoso cellist and songstress, has been featured on Just Jack's 2007 album Overtones and recently finished recording for his new album, to be released later this year.

Unfortunately, unlike birds and cellos, A Girl and a Cello isn't really my thing (but neither is Bjork), seeing as how it has a girl and a cello, but not much in the way of noise or guitars, at least not on the tracks I heard.

But don't let my propensity for noisy music dissuade you. In fact, I've only listened to a few songs so it's a pretty small sample size to take from, and I'd be darn interested to hear the cover of the Pixies "Debaser" which is on the album.

For now, you can preview the track "Sweet Heart" from A Girl and a Cello below:

Bird - "Sweet Heart"

Learn more about Bird at her MySpace page

Modest Mouse, August 25, Aragon Ballroom Chicago

2009-07-20T22:57:00.004-05:00

Things don't get much better than coming home to Miller High Life brats on the grill, a Leffe Blonde Belgian Ale, and two tickets to the August 25th Modest Mouse concert at the Aragon Ballroom in Chicago.

Anybody else heading to the show?

Akron/Family about to embark on tour

2009-07-19T19:47:00.004-05:00

photo by Sebastian Mlynarski

Pennsylvania's own Akron/Family will be kicking off a huge tour this week at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in support of their latest effort, Set 'Em Wild, Set 'Em Free, which hit shelves back in May. If you haven't had the pleasure of getting your hands on the album yet, you should at least head over to the band's MySpace page to check out two tracks from the album, "Everyone is Guilty" and "River", available to stream for free.

If you like what you hear, find your way to your local record store to pickup the album, and be sure to catch them on tour at a spot near you soon:

7/22/09 Cleveland, OH - Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
7/23/09 Detroit Lakes , MN - 10,000 Lakes Festival 2009
7/24/09 Chicago , IL - Bottom Lounge
7/25/09 Calgary , AB - Calgary Folk Festival
7/26/09 Calgary , AB - Calgary Folk Festival
7/29/09 Steamboat Springs, CO - Ghost Ranch Saloon
7/30/09 Vail, CO - The Sandbar
7/31/09 Denver , CO - Bluebird Theater
8/02/09 Jersey City , NJ - All Points West Music & Arts Festival
8/09/09 New York , NY - Other Music - Free In-store - 7 PM
8/11/09 Washington , DC - Rock & Roll Hotel
8/12/09 Carrboro , NC - Cat's Cradle
8/13/09 Atlanta , GA - E.A.R.L.
8/14/09 Birmingham , AL - Bottletree
8/15/09 Asheville , NC - Transfigurations at Grey Eagle Tavern & Music Hall
8/24/09 Santa Monica , CA - Morning Becomes Eclectic (89.9FM KCRW)
8/28/09 San Francisco , CA - Outside Lands Music Festival w/ John Vanderslice
8/29/09 Los Angeles , CA - El Ray Theatre
9/07/09 Seattle , WA - Bumbershoot Festival
9/08/09 Portland , OR - Bagdad Theatre
9/10/09 Baltimore , MD - Talking Head Club
9/11/09 Philadelphia , PA - Johnny Brenda's
9/12/09 Monticello , NY - ATP NY - Kutshers Country Club w/ Animal Collective, Panda Bear and Atlas Sound
9/14/09 Hudson , NY - Jason's Upstairs w/ Jeffrey Lewis, Slaraffenland
9/15/09 Williamsport , PA - Site: B w/ Jeffrey Lewis, Slaraffenland, Doc Mach and the Field Surgeons
9/16/09 Ithaca , NY - Castaways w/ Jeffrey Lewis, Slaraffenland
9/17/09 Buffalo , NY - Mohawk Place w/ Jeffrey Lewis, Slaraffenland
9/18/09 London , ON, Canada - LOLA Festival
9/19/09 Detroit , MI - Magic Stick w/ Jeffrey Lewis, Slaraffenland
9/20/09 Louisville , KY - 21C Museum Atrium Gallery w/ Jeffrey Lewis, Slaraffenland

Keep up to date on Akron/Family news at Twitter.

Follow us at Twitter for more news on Akron/Family and the rest of your favorite indie and rock bands.

Get The Dead Weather mp3, "Treat Me Like Your Mother"

2009-07-19T19:38:00.004-05:00

It seems like Jack White joins or creates or collaborates with a new band more often that I post sometimes. White's latest group, The Dead Weather, are offering up a free mp3 of the track "Treat Me Like Your Mother" if you sign up to receive email updates from the band at their website.

If you don't feel like giving away your email address, you can drop by the band's media page to watch the YouTube version of the song.

Los Campesinos! US August Tour Dates

2009-07-19T19:26:00.003-05:00

Sweaty indie rockstars

The last time we saw Los Campesinos! they were rocking the stage at the University of Wisconsin's Memorial Union in Madison.

Well this year it seems Gareth and the crew are again hitting the road for some US dates in August, although none will be in Wisconsin this time. The tour will be their first since finishing up the recording of the new upcoming album.

To celebrate the tour, the return to the US and the band's general adoration of the 'local record shop', they've decided to build the ultimate LC! fan's prize: a hand-picked selection of records... Neatly packed in a durable tour-proof* box.

The band will be filming the box's travels across the tour, documenting everything that goes in - be it a lucky find from a bargain bin, or a friend's band's signed pressing.

To win the box, you'll have to follow its travels, across the US and across the internet.

August Tour:

04 - Webster Hall (18+) - New York, New York
05 - 9:30 Club (All Ages) - DC, Washington DC
06 - Grog Shop (All Ages) - Cleveland, Ohio
07 - Spin Nightclub (21+) - Indianapolis, Indiana
08 - LOLLAPALOOZA, Chicago
12 - Record Bar (18+) - Kansas City, Missouri
14 - Emo’s (All Ages) - Austin, Texas
15 - Granada Theatre (All Ages) - Dallas, Texas
16 - Warehouse Live (Studio) - Houston, Texas
19 - Launchpad (21+) - Albuquerque, New Mexico
20 - Hocofest Green Music Festival - Tucson, Arizona
21 - El Rey Theater (All Ages) - Los Angeles, California
22 - The Glass House (All Ages) - Pomona, California
23 - Detroit Bar (21+) - Costa Mesa, California
25 - Beauty Bar (21+) - Las Vegas, Nevada
26 - Howie and Sons Pizza - Visalia, California
27 - Brookdale Lodge Concert Hall - Santa Cruz, California
28 - Outside Lands Festival - San Francisco, California
29 - Street Scene Festival - San Diego, California

Eat Sugar "Pop Singer" MP3

2009-07-14T21:15:00.003-05:00

I've been pretty enamored by the Cincy rockers Eat Sugar since I first heard them grace the digital airwaves at WOXY.com. Their latest effort, It's Not Our Responsibility!, is a striking follow up to their dazzling first effort and self-titled EP.

It’s Not Our Responsibility! was borne of the fruitful collaboration between Eat Sugar and Enon’s John Schmersal after the two bands shared a bill in early 2008. Eat Sugar eagerly approached Schmersal about recording some material, Jim recalls, “We were looking for a producer who understood the sound we were trying to create and who had an instinct for creating songs with a twisted pop sensibility. Also, the music that John created with Enon and Braniac had been a big influence on us.”

It's Not Our Responsibility! is due out September 1st, but in the meantime, check out the track "Pop Singer" from the upcoming album below:

Eat Sugar - "Pop Singer"

Eat Sugar Website

Veritas Lux Mea on Twitter

2009-07-14T21:06:00.003-05:00

Veritas Lux Mea is now on twitter, @indiebadger (veritas lux mea was taken). Follow us for updates (if we ever post). That's all. Bye bye.

Confessions From the Laundromat

2009-07-12T08:06:00.005-05:00

It's not every day that I craft a post from the laundromat at 8 in the morning but that's exactly what I'm doing right now. Which, in and of itself, give me a very ambivalent feeling.

Living in a town of just 7000 people, it somehow seems odd to me that all three of the laundromats in town offer free wi-fi Internet. As if that somehow has become a bargaining chip for those needing the services of a washer and dryer all of a sudden. Not that I'm one to complain about the availability of free Internet at my every turn; in fact, it's damn convenient. But as an English major, I guess I get sort of sad once in a while when I see someone peering into the Blackberry instead of a Kafka novel. Then again, I've spent way more time since I graduated in 2005 peering at a little glowing rectangle than I have buried deep in a Flannery O' Conner plot. I read Largehearted Boy's book synopsis rather than going to the library to read the books. I am the very thing which I have come to disdain. I am, in every way and shape, plugged in.

I happened to notice that the only other person in the laundromat at this time besides me and the 80-year old lady running a magic sweeper across the carpet was a bookish older gentleman.

When we both pulled our laptops out at the same time, I couldn't help but catch his eye and wonder what he thought of the the fact that technology had seeped its way into laundromat alongside gourmet made-to-order coffee and slot machines. So I said to the guy, "You know, people used to bring books to the laundromat. Now all we bring are little computers."

He sorta chuckled and agreed. "Yeah, seems that's the way things are nowadays. But I bring a book also. In fact, I always have my Bible with me."

At which point I didn't feel the need to mention that I also had a book with me, but it was a Stephen King comic, The Dark Tower, about a priest who likes to get drunk and kill people.

Screaming Females Buried in the Nude

2009-07-03T08:59:00.008-05:00

Sorry for the sparse posting lately. Been working on something, hopefully something big. But here's a little rundown of what I've been up to lately:

Saw The Hangover. Probably one of the funniest movie I've seen since Old School. Not as great of a movie as Pineapple Express, but equally as funny.

Cursed the warm weather/Wished for warmer weather. Living in Wisconsin you generally either find yourself wishing it was warmer or cursing the warm weather during the summer, because it's usually either too cool to really enjoy being outside or too muggy and buggy to enjoy being outside. You never really get those great summer days that you get most of the year in places like San Diego. Or anywhere.

Not getting a hair cut or shaving. I really wish I had the patience/gumption to just go Zach Galifianakis on everyone and grow out my beard and hair so that I too could look like a "fat Jesus" (quote from The Hangover). But I'm pretty sure my wife, work, and society would frown upon that.

Not been helping my friends work on their new house. But I did leave a gas grill over there because we couldn't figure out how to turn it on. And I have been drinking their beer. So at least I'm doing something for them.

Heading to the movies today to catch Public Enemies, since part of it was filmed up here with some local talent. Seen it? Like it?

And since you're tired of reading about me, on the the music...

Screaming Females Buried in the Nude

Now, when I heard the phrases "Screaming Females" and "Buried in the nude" I thought to myself, "what's that, the plot for the next Saw movie?" but I was pleasantly surprised to find out that those two phrases actually involve music, and some pretty interesting music at that.

Screaming Females is actually a New Jersey trio who have put out three full length albums but somehow managed to stay out of the VLM spotlight thus far, perhaps because their third record, Power Move, is their first ever label release with Don Giovanni Records. Hailing from the very DIY punk community of New Brunswick, the Screaming Females have played over 300 self-booked shows in the past four years, opening up for the likes of Dinosaur Jr. and Jack White's Dead Weather, who they will open up for on select dates this summer.

Spring over to Rolling Stone to check out a video from the band for the song "Buried in the Nude" and some interesting bio factoids, and peep the upcoming July tour dates with Dead Weather, below:

07.13.09
Washington, DC
9:30 Club

07.14.09
Washington, DC
9:30 Club

07.16.09
New York, NY
Terminal 5

07.17.09
New York, NY
Terminal 5

07.18.09
Boston, MA
House of Blues

07.21.09
Montreal, Canada
Olympia De Montreal

07.22.09
Toronto, Canada
Kool Haus

07.24.09
Detroit, MI
The Fillmore

07.25.09
Columbus, OH
The LC Pavilion

07.27.09
Minneapolis, MN
First Avenue

07.28.09
Chicago, IL
Vic Theatre

07.29.09
Chicago, IL
Vic Theatre

07.30.09
Nashville, TN
War Memorial Auditorium

Updates from Whale Tooth and The Gossip

2009-06-18T19:38:00.006-05:00

Whale Tooth

I've always heard good things of Toronto. Fun. Friendly. Clean. And hey, the Bluejays are always interesting as well, especially when you have Roy Halladay on your fantasy baseball roster as I do.

Much to my delight, I can now add the Toronto outfit Whale Tooth to my current list of positive about the 416.

Whale Tooth are a five-piece rock/pop/indie group that will be hitting the road this July for a Canadian tour in support of last year's release of their EP and their upcoming full length.

Drop by the band's MySpace page and check out their standout single "Hibernation Song." It's super catchy, and shows the potential the band could produce on a full length. They've got a sound that I would classify as if Ben Folds picked up a guitar and started touring with Shapes and Sizes. Yeah, they've got that kind of range.

Tour Dates

June 18 @ The Boat, TORONTO (*NXNE w. Les Handclaps)
July 3 @ The Black Sheep, WAKEFIELD (w. Dress Whites, The Monster Show)
July 5 @ Green Room, MONTREAL (w. Dress Whites)
July 7 @ Gus's Pub, HALIFAX (w. Steve Gates, The Monster Show)
July 9 @ Babas, CHARLOTTETOWN
July 10 @ Paramount, MONCTON (w. Clothes Make the Man)
July 11 @ The Capitol, FREDERICTON (w. Black Diamond Bay)

The Gossip are trying to steal my birthday

I've never really known how to feel about The Gossip. My good friend from Philadelphia, Chris, had turned me on to a lot of really great punk bands like Avail and Texas is the Reason before recommending I check out The Gossip a few years back. And while I fell in love with his other recommendations, The Gossip never really hit the mark for me. But I think they're out of for my heart this year as they plan to release their first major-label offering this fall, on my birthday no less, October 6th.

You'll be able to get the album, Music for Men, earlier than that digitally (in June), but you'll have to wait until October for the shiny little CD. Having sampled a few tracks available at the band's MySpace site I still sort of feel like I'm listening to the soundtrack for a bad 80's American Ninja movie, but hey, maybe that's the appeal.

I can't promise I won't shake my groove thing at the bar if their new single, "Heavy Cross," comes across the jukebox come October when I'm out celebrating my 28th year of breaking out of the womb, but I certainly won't feel proud about it in the morning.

Minimalist music with We're into Survival and The Woodlands

2009-06-18T19:20:00.005-05:00

We're Into Survival

I like my rock sometimes like I like my interior design: rocking yet minimalist. That's probably why I enjoyed the few tracks I streamed tonight from Mississippi band We're Into Survival.

They've got a small 3-song EP out, titled Booby Trap, and you can stream it over at their MySpace page. They're far from a finished product, but they've got a raw appeal that makes me want to head down to a club and catch a rock band, which would be a great idea if I wasn't 3 hours from one.

The Woodlands

We're fond of duos from Portland like Talkdemonic, so it seemed only natural that we enjoyed listening to a few tracks from the self-titled debut album from the husband-and-wife duo that is The Woodlands. Continuing with our minimalist theme tonight, The Woodlands offer a delicate sound that dances along quite wonderfully on tracks like "Summerland" and "Asleep in September." Drop by their MySpace page and check them out for yourself.

Nathan Oliver

2009-06-10T21:50:00.004-05:00

I spent a good amount of time this evening deleting my way through my inbox with little luck before I fell upon a few interesting tracks from Chapel Hill, NC band Nathan Oliver. Fronted by musician Nathan White and made up of members of local Chapel Hill bands such as Schooner, Rosebuds, North Elementary, and Ticonderoga, this band really has me digging their track "Icicles for Fingers."

White and band's second album, Cloud Animals, was released earlier this year in March, and now White and crew are receiving some noteworthy praise in the Triangle NC area. I'm definitely going to recommend my sister-in-law who lives in Raleigh drop by one of the shows.

The music has a great feel to it - like something you might happen to wander upon in an empty club and wonder "why the hell aren't these guys playing bigger shows?" I put the sound somewhere between Franz Ferdinand and Conor Oberst, but you can judge that for yourself. Either way, it was the best offer tonight by far.

Nathan Oliver - "Icicles for Fingers"
Nathan Oliver - "French Press"
Nathan Oliver - "State Lines Pt 3"

Visit the band's website for more information.

Stream the new Sunset Rubdown album all week

2009-06-09T22:31:00.004-05:00

National Public Radio has long been a bountiful provider of quality independent music, as is evidenced by their programs such as All Songs Considered and World Cafe (which first introduced me to bands like The Rosebuds). Now that cornucopia has again spileth over, this time in the exclusive first listen of Sunset Rubdown's new album Dragonslayer, which you can stream all week free courtesy of NPR.

According to the press release, Dragonslayer is a stripped down album, with most songs recorded live in the studio, much like their 2007 release, Random Spirit Lover.

If you like what you hear like I do, pre-order the album to receive an instant download, and be sure to catch Sunset Rubdown on tour this summer:

06/11/09 Cambridge, MA - Middle East Downstairs w/ Elfin Saddle and Witchies
06/12/09 Brooklyn, NY - Studio B w/ Elfin Saddle and Witchies
06/13/09 Philadelphia, PA - Johnny Brenda's w/ Elfin Saddle and Witchies
06/14/09 Washington, DC - Black Cat w/ Elfin Saddle and Witchies
06/15/09 Chapel Hill, NC - Local 506 w/ Elfin Saddle and Witchies
06/16/09 Atlanta, GA - The Drunken Unicorn w/ Elfin Saddle and Witchies
06/18/09 Baton Rouge, LA - Chelsea's Cafe w/ Elfin Saddle and Witchies
06/19/09 Houston, TX - House of Blues - Bronze Peacock w/ Elfin Saddle and Witchies
06/20/09 Austin, TX - Mohawk w/ Elfin Saddle and Witchies
06/22/09 Tucson, AZ - Plush w/ Elfin Saddle and Witchies
06/23/09 Los Angeles, CA - Echoplex w/ Elfin Saddle and Witchies
06/24/09 San Francisco, CA - The Rickshaw Stop w/ Elfin Saddle and Witchies
06/26/09 Portland, OR - Doug Fir Lounge w/ Elfin Saddle and Witchies
06/27/09 Seattle, WA - Chop Suey w/ Elfin Saddle and Witchies
06/28/09 Victoria, BC - Sugar Nightclub w/ Elfin Saddle and Witchies
06/30/09 Vancouver, BC - Richard's On Richards w/ Elfin Saddle and Witchies
07/02/09 Calgary, AB - The Marquee Room w/ Elfin Saddle and Witchies
07/03/09 Edmonton, AB - The Pawn Shop w/ Elfin Saddle and Witchies
07/04/09 Saskatoon, SK - Louis' Pub
07/05/09 Winnipeg, MB - West End Cultural Center w/ Elfin Saddle and Witchies
07/06/09 Minneapolis, MN - 7th Street Entry w/ Elfin Saddle and Witchies
07/07/09 Chicago, IL - Logan Square Auditorium w/ Elfin Saddle and Witchies
07/08/09 Bloomington, IN - Jake's Nightclub w/ Elfin Saddle and Witchies
07/10/09 Toronto, ONT - Lee's Palace w/ Elfin Saddle and Witchies
07/11/09 Montreal, QC - Il Motore w/ Elfin Saddle

Also wanted to share this story about the power of social media in the modern day world. And you thought you had a tough time getting to the computer to post a blog.

Cleveland rocks, can Coffinberry prove it?

2009-06-07T12:21:00.004-05:00

I spent a good part of last evening having a few beers and a couple laughs with some old friends that I hadn't seen for over a year, including my good friend C, a pilot from Cleveland. We were talking about the music scene in Cleveland he mentioned that "Cleveland rocks, but nobody knows that." Well, perhaps the new self-titled record from Cleveland rockers Coffinberry, available June 30th from Collectible Escalators Records and elsewhere online, will help change that.

ON THEIR NEW, SELF-TITLED ALBUM, Coffinberry move beyond their early post-punk affections to revel in a rootsier place ever more acoustic guitars and piano, some surprising yet undeniable vocal harmonies while never failing to make a terrific and powerful racket.

Benefiting from their previous studio experience (including time at Chicago's Electrical Audio), the band retreated for months into the dimly lit basement of the house they occupy on the Cleveland/Lakewood border, to record dozens of new songs on modest tape equipment.

The resulting cut is an astonishing 14-song LP, its sound at once down-to-earth, detailed, and exuberant. Its workmanship points to Coffinberry's dedication and isolation: the bandmates live on a heavily trafficked yet anonymous roadway (a jumble of bars, car washes, and drive-thrus), an appropriate locale in which to create blue-collar narratives of sorrow and sanctuary like New Colorand The Vapors.

Check out a few tracks from the band deemed the “BEST INDIE/UNDERGROUND BAND” of 2008 by the Cleveland Free Times, below:

Coffinberry - "Long Story Short"
Coffinberry - "Smashed On Honey"