Presets Invade US

Australia's Presets are finally hitting U.S. shore!! The electronic duo have a slew of tour dates where they will unleash hits from their killer album Beams. Those in the following cities should surrender to their powers:
Sep 3 9:00P Neon Fest Montreal
Sep 5 6:00P In-store at Virgin Megastore Union Square
Sep 5 10:00P Galapagos Williamsburg, Brooklyn
Sep 6 8:00P The Kyber Philadelphia
Sep 7 12:00A Drake Hotel Toronto
Sep 8 10:00P Rock N Roll Hotel Washington, DC
Sep 9 10:00P Touch Supper Club Cleveland, OH
Sep 10 8:00P Double Door Chicago , IL
Sep 11 8:00P Funky Buddha Lounge (DJ Set only) Chicago, IL
Sep 12 8:00P Talbott Street Indianapolis, IN
Sep 13 9:30P The Drunken Unicorn Atlanta, GA
Sep 14 8:00P Studio A Miami, FL
Sep 15 8:00P Mink Bar Houston, TX
Sep 16 8:00P Beauty Bar Austin, TX
Sep 18 7:30P Rhythm Room Phoenix, AZ
Sep 19 8:00P Brick by Brick San Diego, CA
Sep 20 8:30P Spaceland Los Angeles, CA
Sep 24 4:00P Folsom Street Fair San Francisco, CA
Sep 25 8:00P The Independent San Francisco, CA
Sep 26 8:00P Chop Suey Seattle, WA
Sep 27 8:00P The Plaza Club Vancouver, BC

The band has also been asked by The Rapture to tour with them in the UK as openers! Huzzah!

When You Were Young

I'm gonna admit that I was less than enthused about the Killers new album upon first sneak peek. The album art, the album name and the first single "When You Were Young" all had me thinking Brandon Flowers was filled with more crap than I thought possible. But I caught the video for the single on MTV2 and I'm softening to the song. The synth line in the chorus is as catchy as anything I've heard. The lyrics may be cheesy but check out the video if not for the storyline.

Nightlife Air Force

Two blurbs about a couple newish releases on Kill Rock Stars/5RC. Erase Errata's been around for quite awhile now, and their new CD Nightlife doesn't show signs of wear or stopping. In particular I love the jittery guitars, anxious vocals and steady drumbeats that carry throughout the entire album. Check it out!

Erase Errata-Tax Dollar
Buy Nightlife.

I don't have to tell you all about Xiu Xiu. Their new album The Air Force harkens back to the Fabulous Muscles era, with more songs that are easily liked by those who don't see themselves as Xiu Xiu fans, and more of a pop sound. Bells and bird sounds are also new, well-loved additions t the album.

Xiu Xiu-Boy Soprano
The Air Force is released September 12. Pre-order it from Insound.

Also, David Horvitz is doing a project where, if you bring Polaroid 600 film to him at the Xiu Xiu merch table on their upcoming tour, you'll receive photos of Xiu Xiu behind the scenes/on the road antics. Here are the details.

Week End

Alright dudes and dudettes, have a good weekend. I'm peacing it out in Dallas and yeah. Enjoy.

Yeah Yeah Yeahs-Diamond Sea (Sonic Youth cover)
from their iTunes acoustic session.

Talk to La Bomb

Brazilian Girls are back and ready to make you sweat. Their new album Talk to La Bomb comes out September 6th but the first single "Jique" is already giving a taster of what the album has to offer. I'm ready to see what else they've got on their plate. Are you beginning to understand what a hot year it is for dance music? I've been more impressed with it than with most indie pop or rock or folk music I've heard all year. And fall's only gonna get better...

Brazilian Girls-Jique
Brazilian Girls-Jique (MSTRKRFT Remix)

WTF O' the Day

Surely the end of the world is neigh. Pluto downgraded to a "dwarf planet," and now Bloc Party opening for Panic! at the Disco. Serious wtf-age. Props to Hispanic! at the Disco on their good choice. This is the band that covers "Karma Police" (video) and "Tonight Tonight" afterall.
Oh well, Bloc Party got to get paid.

For those of you brave enough to mosh with twelve year-olds:
11/7 - Sunrise, FL @ Bank Atlantic Center
11/8 - Orlando, FL @ UCF Arena
11/9 - Atlanta, GA @ HiFi Buys Amphitheatre
11/10 - Charlotte, NC @ Cricket Arena
11/11 - Fairfax, VA @ Patriot Center
11/13, 14 - New York, NY @ The Theatre at Madison Square Garden
11/16 - Toronto, ON @ Ricoh Coliseum
11/17 - Rochester, NY @ Gordon Field House at R.I.T.
11/18 - Lowell, MA @ Paul E. Tsongas Arena
11/19 - Philadelphia, PA @ Wachovia Center
11/21 - Detroit, MI @ The Palace of Auburn Hills
11/22 - Chicago, IL @ UIC Pavilion
11/24 - Minneapolis, MN @ US Bank Theatre at Target Center
11/25 - St. Louis, MO @ St. Charles County Family Arena
11/26 - Council Bluffs, IA @ Mid America Center
11/28 - Denver, CO @ Magness Arena
11/29 - West Valley City, UT @ The E Center
12/1 - Portland, OR @ Memorial Coliseum
12/2 - Vancouver, BC @ Pacific Coliseum
12/3 - Seattle, WA @ Everett Events Center
12/5 - San Jose, CA @ HP Pavilion
12/6 - Long Beach, CA @ Long Beach Arena
12/7 - Glendale, AZ @ Glendale Arena
12/8 - Las Vegas, NV @ Orleans Theatre
12/9 - San Diego, CA @ ipayOne Center

I don't know why Panic! hasn't hit it off with indie kids. Sufjanesque long song titles, guitars? C'mon.

Panic! at the Disco-The Only Difference Between Martyrdom and Suicide is Press Coverage
Bloc Party-Banquet (Boys Noize Dub)

I can't help but wish they'd pick Klaxons instead...them kids are crazy!
Klaxons-Gravity's Rainbow
Get the Van She remix (aka MY SUMMER JAMM) at BigStereo, watch the video there too.
Okay this post was way too long...

A Lesson In Crime

I don't know anything about Tokyo Police Club. I've seen their name thrown around quite a bit. I suppose that if you really really like the Futureheads and you have a Bloc Party tattoo (points for having Kele's face on your bicep), you'll like Tokyo Police Club. Subtract Futurehead "oh oh ohs" and add Kele vocals and shorten the songs a bit and ta dah! Tokyo Police Club.

Tokyo Police Club-Nature of the Experiment

Buy A Lesson in Crime EP at Insound.

They happen to be touring, if you're into that standing for a couple hours, arms folded thing.
8/22/06 – Buffalo, NY @ Mohawk Place
8/23/06 – Allston, MA @ Medusa
8/25/06 – New York, NY @ South Street Seaport Pier 17 w/ Ted Leo
9/11/06 – St. Louis, MO @ Creepy Crawl *
9/12/06 – Lawrence, KS @ Jackpot *
9/13/06 – Norman, OK @ The Opolis *
9/14/06 – Austin, TX @ Emos *+^
9/15/06 – Denton, TX @ Hailey’s *+
9/16/06 – Houston, TX @ Proletariat *+
9/17/06 – Birmingham, AL @ Bottle Tree Café *
9/18/06 – Atlanta, GA @ Drunken Unicorn *
9/19/06 – Charleston, SC @ Map Room *
9/21/06 – Washington, DC @ Warehouse Next Door *
10/16/06 – Boston, MA @ Middle East%
10/17/06 – Washington DC @ Black Cat%
10/18/06 – Brooklyn, NY @ Warsaw%
10/21/06 – Ithaca, NY @ Cornell University%

* with Enon
+ with Octopus Project
^ with Polyphonic Spree
% with Art Brut

Longer, Blonder

Wait what, you love the Long Blondes? Me too! Totally disappointed they didn't come to your town? Me too! Bummed nobody noticed the two dates they did play because it was Lollapaloozer weekend? Yeah, yo tambien.

Maybe this'll soften the pain: a bunch of demos I stumbled upon that I'd never heard before and thought you'd love too.
Here's to hoping they stay a bit longer in the US next time.
A Knife for the Girls
Madame Ray
Peterborough
Only Lovers Left Alive
You Could Have Both
Picture of You

BONUS:
Separated By Motorways (What's Your Rupture Mix)

Also, the band is heading on their first headlining tour in the UK in October:
01 - Norwich Arts Centre
02 - Stoke Sugarmill
04 - Manchester Academy 3
05 - Leeds Cockpit
07 - Newcastle Northumbria University
09 - Aberdeen Lemon Tree
10 - Glasgow Oran Mor
11 - Belfast Speakeasy
12 - Dublin Crawdaddy
13 - Liverpool University Stanley Theatre
15 - Oxford Zodiac
16 - Nottingham Rescue Rooms
17 - London Mean Fiddler
18 - Cambridge Junction
22 - Cardiff University CF10
23 - Bristol Thelka
26 - Brighton Concorde 2
27 - Southampton Joiners
28 - Birmingham Carling Academy 2
29 - Sheffield University Foundry

She is the Brightest

My li'l ol' friend Shara (aka My Brightest Diamond) will be releasing her cd Bring Me the Workhorse tomorrow on Asthmatic Kitty. If you don't already love her, read below and get with it.

"Her songs distil stories to their most distressing points of contact: a phone call, an injured horse, a dragonfly caught in a spider’s web. She doesn’t share all the information — just the stuff that matters. The effect is a sensational compression of time, in which an entire event is summarized in a single note. This, of course, is the essence of opera. But My Brightest Diamond is much more than that. There is also the humor one might find in an old TV episode of Wonder Woman or Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland. Shara’s songs reconcile all the complex emotions found in each of us: she can grieve as comfortably as she can laugh, sometimes in the same breath."

She's also laid down some vocal tracks for Jedi Mind Tricks ' new album Servants in Heaven, Kings in Hell which streets on Sept. 19 on which they sample Sufjan's Steven's "Dumb I Sound."

If you're in New York get to her cd release party Thursday, August 24th 10pm @ Spiegeltent (www.speigelworld.com). I am SO jealous. Apparently, this is a 1920's tent with 1000's of mirrors and velvet. I couldn't think of a cooler show. Please someone take pics.
Shara + Carnivale-esque era venue = Don't miss this show!!

Or if you have to wait like me:
September 11, 2006 Nashville, TN - Ryman *
September 15, 2006 Austin, TX - Paramount Theater *
September 16, 2006 Austin, TX - Paramount *
September 19, 2006 New Orleans, LA - House of Blues *
September 20, 2006 Atlanta, GA - Fox Theater (PASTE Fest) *
September 21, 2006 Chapel Hill, NC - Memorial Hall *
September 23, 2006 Indianapolis, IN - Egyptian Theater *
September 24, 2006 St. Louis, MO - The Pagent *
September 25, 2006 Milwaukee, WI - Pabst Theater *
September 26, 2006 Chicago, IL - The Riveria *
September 28, 2006 Philadelphia, PA - The Towers *
September 29, 2006 New York City, NY - Town Hall * SOLD OUT
September 30, 2006 New York City, NY - Town Hall * SOLD OUT
October 09, 2006 Los Angeles, CA - The Wiltern * SOLD OUT
October 11, 2006 Berkeley, CA - Zellerbach Auditorium * SOLD OUT
October 13, 2006 Portland, OR - Crystal Ballroom *
October 14, 2006 Vancouver - Canada - St. Andrews Cathedral * SOLD OUT
October 15, 2006 Seattle, WA - Paramount *
*supporting Sufjan Stevens

When Doves Cry (Prince cover) c/o Ryspace.com
Dragonfly (Video) (in quicktime)

Hot Designers

Do you guys watch Project Runway? I do and I just gotta say I'm furious about this week's designer that was kicked off. Is it wrong to think she and Jeffrey made a cute couple? Because they did.
Sigh.

To make this music related, here's a Blanket Music tune. About designers.
Blanket Music-Hot Designers
From the album Move. Buy it at Insound.

No Dancing For Me

Were you feeling underwhelmed by Scissor Sisters new single "Don't Feel Like Dancing"? I kinda was. The Elton John cameo wasn't enough to live up to the glory of the bands first album. I've heard a few remixes of the track and I think the electronic makeover fits the song better than honky tonk piano chords. How about you?

Scissor Sister-I Don't Feel Like Dancing (Linus Loves Vox)

Their new album Ta Dah will be out September 26. The band is taking their show across the US in late September/early October. Check them out! I've heard great things.

9/23 Baltimore MD - Virgin Festival
9/28 Los Angeles CA -Shrine Auditorium
9/29 San Francisco CA - Warfield
9/30 San Francisco CA - Warfield
10/2 Seattle WA - The Showbox
10/3 Seattle WA - The Showbox
10/4 Portland OR - Roseland Theatre
10/7 Maplewood - MN Myth
10/8 Chicago IL - Riviera Theatre
10/17 Nashville TN - City Hall
10/18 Atlanta GA - Tabernacle
10/19 New Orleans LA - House of Blues
10/22 Boston MA - Orpheum

Classics Made A-New

Ok, so, I'm sure you guys think that I am Sleater-Kinney criz-azzy, which I am. What can I say? They're the best thing since Dr. Pepper. Anyhoo, here's the mp3 of Janet and Eddie Vedder singing the classic "You Belong to Me," as pictured in Michael's post from Tuesday. This picture is of Corin and Eddie from Atlanta.

Tonight You Belong To Me (Janet & Eddie)

I first heard it done by Dallas native Meredith Louise Miller. She used to play around Dallas all of the time, but she's been busy getting her doctorate in physiology or nutrition or somethin' at UT. Silly people bettering themselves.

Tonight You Belong To Me (Meredith Miller& Broose)

Nite Versions

Everybody loves a little Soulwax right? Their album Any Minute Now was a big hit on the dancefloor, and has spawned a new album where the band takes on themselves. Nite Versions finds Soulwax reinventing their twisting their own songs and their live show.
The band opened a club in Belgium called Radio Soulwax, and is now bringing the fun to the US, appearing in cities for a night of dancing, more dancing, and a little music. The tour will also include 2 Many DJ's and guests JDH and Dave P.

Soulwax-Miserable Girl

9/14 Los Angeles, CA - Vanguard
9/15 San Francisco, CA - Mezzanine
9/17 Chicago, IL - Double Door
9/18 Toronto, ON - Mod Club
9/19 Montreal, Que - Sat
9/20 Philadelphia, PA - TBA
9/21 Brooklyn, NY - Studio B
9/22 New York, NY - Ultrafest
9/23 Baltimore, MD - V Festival

Nite Versions will be out September 19 on Modular Records.

We're Back!

Just made it back home from Portland. Such a great weekend! Sleater-Kinney's final two shows were stellar, and I'm definitely sad to have had to say goodbye to those wonderful ladies! If you didn't hear (I haven't read any other sites about the shows), The Thermals opened both nights, and on the second night, Eddie Vedder of Pearl Jam performed two songs before Sleater-Kinney's set. One of the songs was performed with Janet Weiss! What a treat to see that happen.

Portland was fantastic! Such a community they have going on up there. Didn't get to see as much of the city as I was hoping but what I did see had me wanting more, so I guess that's good. Hope to be getting back into regular posting mode.. Tried not to take too many pics at the show because 1) I suck and 2) I wanted to really enjoy the show.

We're Off!

Today CC and I head to Portland, OR in search of some fun. We're catching Sleater-Kinney's final two shows and seeing what Portland has that Dallas doesn't have.

If you're from Portland, ever been to Portland, or heard about Portland, tell us stuff to do while we're there! We're gonna be there till Monday. Places to eat, sights to see, record stores to invade, whatever. We need hints!

Am gonna try and post while there, we'll see how that goes. If not, see you Monday!

Check out this video of S-K's Carrie Brownstein interviewing Saddam Hussein about selling out and being punk in Iraq.

Architecture in Helsinki/The Blow Plan Tour

You probably already heard this from Pitchfork but I'm pretty excited to hear that new favorites The Blow are going to be on tour with Architecture in Helsinki. A match made in heaven!!
Oh that band Clap Your Hands Say Yeah covers the other half of the tour. You poor suckers on that half of the tour! Mind I gotta drive to Austin or Houston to see them but still!

09-16 San Diego, CA - Epicentre *
09-17 Tempe, AZ - Clubhouse *
09-19 Austin, TX - Emo's *
09-20 Houston, TX - Warehouse Live *
09-21 New Orleans, LA - Howlin' Wolf *
09-22 Athens, GA - 40 Watt Club *
09-23 Nashville, TN - Exit In *
09-25 Washington, DC - Black Cat *
09-26 Boston, MA - Avalon *
09-28 New York, NY - Central Park Summerstage #
09-29 Bennington, VT - Bennington College #
09-30 Philadelphia, PA - Trocadero #
10-01 Cleveland, OH - House of Blues #
10-02 Chicago, IL - Vic Theatre #
10-03 Chicago, IL - Vic Theatre #
10-04 Minneapolis, MN - First Avenue #
10-05 Omaha, NE - Sokol Underground #
10-06 Englewood, CO - Gothic Theatre #
10-07 Boulder, CO - Boulder Theater #
10-08 Salt Lake City, UT - In the Venue #
10-10 Seattle, WA - Showbox #
10-11 Seattle, WA - Showbox #
10-12 Portland, OR - Crystal Ballroom #
10-13 San Francisco, CA - Warfield Theatre #
10-14 Los Angeles, CA - Henry Fonda Theatre #
10-15 Los Angeles, CA - Henry Fonda Theatre #

* with the Blow
# with Clap Your Hands Say Yeah

BONUS: Here's a remix done by YACHT (aka Jona Bechtolt, half of the Blow) of "Do the Whirlwind"

Architecture in Helsinki-Do the Whirlwind (YACHT Remix)

The Young Folks

I've stayed quiet about Peter Bjorn and John's surprise hit song of the summer "Young Folks" until now. Mostly cuz I got my hands on the remix. I'm all about remixes, gotta collect them all and everything like that. Anyway, where the original is breezy and carefree, the remix is sped up like a junkie lookin for a high. It slows down at parts when it needs to and then speeds back up. Anyway ou decide.

Peter Bjorn and John-Young Folks (Beyond the Wizard's Sleeve Remix)

Oh and "Beyond the Wizard's Sleeve" is the alias of UK DJ supernova Erol Alkan in case you were wondering.

New Releases

Here's a few new releases you might wanna check out today. Kinda bleak..I went to the local Hasting's (we have craaaap here to choose from) and saw a few things that might interest some people. Maybe if you haven't already downloaded them (or even if you have) you should go buy a CD or something.

I already talked up Matt Friedberger's double-album Winter Women / Holy Ghost Language School but I'm gonna do it again. It's a heavy album, saturated with electro-weirdness that I've come to expect from the Fiery Furnaces. The Moogy guitar solos are all here, keyboard trickery around every corner. Winter Women is an easier to get album, but Holy Ghost Language School's story has me captivated.

Pennsylvania Rock Oil Company Resignation Letter
Do You Like Blondes?

You've already been told to like Jim Noir based on the fact that 80 bloggers got their promo CDs on the same day and had to write about it the next. The crappy artwork (I think it's the font) had staved me off from listening to the CD for awhile. Once you get past that, Noir copies the Kinks in fine style and provides a World Cup soundtrack ("Eanie Meany") too. I think 13 tracks was too much for this one CD. Just not too much interesting content here I'm sorry to say.

Jim Noir-Key of C

And finally, Ani DiFranco's 18th studio album Reprieve is well worth checking out. She's been going strong forever now it seems, and she doesn't wanna stop yet. If you're a longtime fan or even a new one, I definitely recommend checking this out. I saw her in an interview at SXSW a couple years ago and fell in love with her charming personality and fresh look on music.

Ani Difranco-Hypnotized (Live in Rome 11/15/04)

Also: Check out this website that makes any website a Microsoft Word document. You know...just because...

In the Morning

I really liked Junior Boys' 2004 album Last Exit. With tracks like "Birthday" and "Bellona," their pop beats were jammed with hooks, but the rest of the album failed to draw me in, leaving me wanting more.
That something more has been satiated with their new album So This is Goodbye, their first on the excellent Domino. From start to end, the fun never stops. Mellow vocals, handclaps, beeps and thuds keep it all tight. Just check out the first single from the album:

Junior Boys-In the Morning

Buy the "In the Morning" b/w "The Equalizer" 12" with remixes by Morgan Geist and Alex Smoke.

Those in the UK will get the chance to see them supporting Hot Chip across the country. Lucky punks...

» Wednesday 11th Oct- Astoria London, UK

» Thursday 12th Oct- Waterfront Norwich, UK

» Friday 13th Oct- Rescue Rooms Nottingham, UK

» Saturday 14th Oct- Academy 2 Manchester, UK

» Monday 16th Oct- Archies Glasgow, UK

» Tuesday 17th Oct- Mosulu Aberdeen, UK

» Thursday 19th Oct- Leeds University Leeds, UK

» Friday 20th Oct- Northumbria University Newcatsle, UK

» Saturday 21st Oct- Leadmill Sheffield, UK

The Other Side of the Sky

I was a bit scared to listen to the new CD by Acid Mothers Temple & the Melting Paraiso U.F.O., Have You Seen the Other Side of the Sky? because 1) I'm scared of acid and 2) just look at the rest of the name. Kinda weird I'd think.

I'd heard something about AMT, and that was pretty much that they're Japanese and a psychedelic, interstellar jam band. Well...it's kind've spot on. A lot of their music is psychedelic sounding, with electric squiggles forcing their way into your eardrums, screeching and twirling synths compete for your attention. It's so much happening at one time that it's hard to even comprehend what you're listening to.

The first track, "Attack from the Planet Hattifatteners" was hard to get through because it's pretty etheral and doesn't go many places. The middle tracks, "Buy the Moon of Jupiter" and the 15-minute long "Asimo's Naked Breakfast: Rice and Shrine" were surprisingly easy-listening. But then the shortest song on the album "I Wanna Be Your Bicycle Saddle" was by far the hardest. "Interplanetary Love" is the prettiest song, with a melting sitar and plucked guitar strings keeping things spaced-out and lovely. Did I mention the last track is 30 minutes long? Because it is. Six tracks clocking in just above an hour. Dang.

It's a very beautiful record, something I never thought I'd be saying upon first listen. But it takes root in your brain, and taking the intergalactic thrillride seems like a perfectly normal way to spend an afternoon.

Buy Have You Seen the Other Side of the Sky? from Ace Fu.

give me more thao

I am in love with the Thao Nguyen album Like the Linen. I listen to it every day, and often find myself pressing play again. Her voice is powerful and touching. Really wish she'd come around to play. Don't have the album? Buy it at CD Baby or Insound. It's already made it onto my year end list, gasp! If you do have Like the Linen, check out her myspace page for a couple different recordings. Those of you in the UK/Europe are lucky enough to get a 1-2 punch as she's finishing up a tour with Laura Veirs. Yeah, I'm jealous.

FRI August 4 Cambridge The Shed @ The Junction
SUN August 6 Cologne Studio 672
MON August 7 Berlin Aarthouse Tacheles

Tallymarks

Chivalry

Gorgeous Thing

Ratatat/Panther Tour

Ratatat, the band you're sick of hearing about, is going to be touring this fall in support of their new album Classics. Buut what I'm pretty psyched about on the tour is the supporting band, Panther.
Panther = Charlie Salas-Humaras of The Planet The. If you haven't checked him out you really should. He played a lot at SXSW this year so maybe you saw him. His glitchtronic dance music will really fit well with Ratatat I think.

9/5 Bowery Ballroom New York NY
9/6 (d) The Middle East - Downstairs Cambridge MA
9/7 Les Saints Montreal QC
9/8 Lees Palace Toronto ON
9/9 Blind Pig Ann Arbor MI
9/10 Five Star Bar Chicago IL (Ratatat DJ set)
9/11 Empty Bottle Chicago IL
9/12 7th Street Entry Minneapolis MN
9/15 El Corazon Seattle WA
9/16 Berbatis Pan Portland OR
9/18 Great American Music Hall San Francisco CA
9/20 Troubadour Los Angeles CA
9/23 Glass House Pomona CA
9/24 Casbah San Diego CA
9/25 Rhythm Room Phoenix AZ
9/27 Gypsy Tea Room Dallas TX
9/28 Emo’s Austin TX
9/29 TBA Houston TX
9/30 TBA New Orleans LA
10/2 TBA Atlanta GA
10/3 Local 506 Chapel Hill NC
10/4 Black Cat Washington DC
10/5 TBA Philadelphia PA

Ratatat-Wildcat
Panther-He Enjoys the Leg

Sleater-Kinney in DC

Did you miss Sleater-Kinney kicking butt last night on NPR live from the 9:30 Club in Washington DC? Have no fear, NPR's got your back. The entire concert is available free of download. So freaking sweet. It was an amazing set filled with favorites from pretty much every era of the band. They proved, even through stereo speakers, that they are the rock goddesses of the past decade. Period. I'm so pumped to be able to fly into Portland to see their last shows because I know they'll be phenomenal.

Sleater-Kinney Live in Washington DC @ the 9:30 Club 08/03/06

The New Blow

Portland, OR's The Blow (aka Khaela Maricich and Jona Bechtolt) new album Paper Television is going to be released on Olympia's K Records October 24. Here's the tracklist:
01 Pile of Gold
02 Parentheses
03 The Big U
04 The Long List of Girls
05 Bonjour Jeune Fille
06 Babay (Eat a Critter...)
07 Eat Your Heart Out
08 Pardon Me
09 Fists Up
10 True Affection

The Blow-Pile of Gold

Hundredaire

Check out San Francisco's Hey Willpower's inspiration behind forming the band:

"hey willpower" was conceived one night in july on 3rd street in san francisco when amy linton and i were at a tussle show and i was still smoking. we were talking about our love for r&b pop/hip hop and how she had lived in the same building in harlem as Sean Paul the summer before and our favorite songs on kmel. i gave her a ride home and the Busta/Mariah song "i know what you want" came on and we just listened in awe. as if she was reading my mind, she said we should get together and make a song using all the elements of pop that we've ever loved.

The ringleader of this bunch is Will Schwarz of Imperial Teen, who took time from that project to create something fueld by pop, R&B, hip-hop and Janet & Michael Jackson.
Since then, they've toured with the Scissor Sisters and Le Tigre. His song "Hundredaire" is being released as a 7" on I think Tomlab, with a Copy remix on the flipside. Also, on his MySpace he has up a re-recorded "duet" with Annie. Yes, that Annie!

Hey Willpower-Hundredaire
Annie (ft. Hey Willpower)-Chewing Gum

Check out the awesome video for his song "Double Fantasy II" (Quicktime)
Buy Hey Willpower's EP from Midheaven Mailorder.

If you're in Portland and Olympia, you've both got a chance to catch them play this weekend.
8/4 (tonight) Portland, OR @ Holocene w/ Do 'n Dudes (CD release) and the Snuggle-Ups
8/5 Homo-A-Go-Go Festival

Voxtrot Does The UK

Some British people are going to be very happy this month! Austin's Voxtrot are hitting foreign soil for a bit of an extended stay. While there, they'll be opening for the Vines and Dirty Pretty Things.

AUGUST
Sat 12 - London, UK - Queens Of Noize [secret venue] 18+
Mon 14 - London, UK - Trash [The End & AKA] 18+
Tue 15 - London, UK - White Heat [Madame JoJo's] 18+
Wed 16 - London, UK - Playlouder Singles Club 18+
Thu 17 - Middlesborough, UK - Club NME [Empire] 18+
Sat 19 - Nottingham, UK - Liars Club 18+
Thu 24 - Birmingham - Club NME [Custard Factory] 18+
Sat 26 - Leeds, UK - The Faversham 18+
Sun 27 - Glasgow, UK - Optimo [Sub Club] 18+
Mon 28 - Edinburgh, UK - T On The Fringe [Corn Exchange] 18+ *
Tue 29 - London, UK - The Forum 18+ ..

AA = All Ages
* w/ Dirty Pretty Things
.. w/ The Vines

Raised By Wolves/You Can Hide Your Love Forever (Comet Gain cover)

Hidden Cameras Announce Tour

Hot on the heels of the US release of their new amazing album Awoo, popsters The Hidden Cameras are leaving no stone un-turned as they tour across the US supporting the new album and bringing their quirky orchestral pop to everyone.

09/14/06 Knitting Factory New York, NY
11/12/06 Grog Shop Cleveland Heights, OH
11/14/06 Middle East Upstairs Cambridge, MA
1/15/06 Bowery Ballroom New York, NY
11/16/06 Salisbury University Salisbury, MD
11/17/06 Sonar Baltimore, MD
11/18/06 The Earl Atlanta, GA
11/19/06 Bottletree Birmingham, AL
11/21/06 Mink Houston, TX
11/22/06 Emos Jr. Austin, TX
11/23/06 Gypsy Tea Room Dallas, TX
11/25/06 Plush Tucson, AZ
11/27/06 Casbah San Diego, CA
11/28/06 Echo Los Angeles, CA
11/29/06 The Independent San Francisco , CA
12/02/06 Husky Union Building Auditorium Seattle, WA
12/09/06Triple Rock Club Minneapolis, MN
12/10/06 Vaudeville Mews Des Moines IA
12/11/06 Subterranean Chicago, IL

The Hidden Cameras-Music is My Boyfriend
The Hidden Cameras-Builds the Bone

Ys

New information has surfaced regarding Joanna Newsom's anticipated new album, to be called Ys (after the legend of a doomed city of the same name). It's out on Drag City in November, here's the tracklist.

1. Emily
2. Monkey & Bear
3. Sawdust & Diamonds
4. Only Skin
5. Cosmia

"Emily" is twelve minutes long and "Only Skin" is sixteen. The album was arranged by legendary composer Van Dyke Parks, produced by Steve Albini and mixed by Jim O'Rourke. Most of the songs have been played live. These are all from the amazing Newsom fansite Milky Moon.

Cosmia
Only Skin
Sawdust & Diamonds
Emily

Final Tour Update

my pic from a show in San Fran 14 jan 2006

Last night's Sleater-Kinney show at the 9:30 club in Washington DC was rudely interrupted by an overheated transformer. The Fire Marshall shut down the show in-between the Rogers Sisters' set and set up for S-K.

from the 9:30 club message board mod:

" The schedules have matched and we are going to reschedule for Thursday. Doors at 7:30, S-K at 9:00. We will post instructions here tomorrow morning about getting into the show on Thursday. As to the logistics which led to tonight's cancellation: Yes, there were fire and law enforcement at the club (during the openers set) shortly after Josh noticed acrid smelling smoke billowing out of one of the grates in front of the club. As soon as Pepco and the Fire Department ascertained that it wasn't an errant cigarette burning some trash but was rather a transformer in an increasing state of instability, the show was cancelled. It wasn't a decision we made really, it was an order from the Fire Department. Thanks to everyone for evacuating in such an orderly (by and large) fashion. Our apologies for not having all of the answers while the incident was in progress but our priorities were elsewhere. We will have all our ducks lined up in the morning. We will not be relying on Pepco for our power on Thursday. "

The transformer was probably overworked because of the heat wave that hit the east. NPR even had a set up to tape/air this DC show. Hopefully, they will be doing the same Thursday.

Let's hope things go better for the rest of the tour

07.31 Philly was unseasonably hot.
08.01 DC was cancelled (overheated transformer)
08.02 New York is going to be a scorcher as well
08.03 Rescheduled DC date
08.04 Chicago will be a short/festival Lollapalooza set
(link is to a live broadcast 7:30-8:30pm)
08.11 Portland show #1
08.12 Portland show #2

Michael and I will be at the PDX shows. If you're going, give us a shout/hold us a place in line. Ha.

Micael

Here's some pretty hazy Augustish music huh? Juana Molina's been talked about a lot for her new album Son and maybe that's because it's so awesome. All sung in Spanish, I don't know what she's saying but I've kinda stopped trying to and just let it wash over me. I think it's a good way of listening to it as a non-Spanish speaking person.

Juana Molina-Micael

Sorry I didn't post over the weekend. I wasn't at Pitchfork I was just chillin' in Dallas. And no I'm not going to Lollapaloozer this weekend so expect more non-photo-packed posts here. Dudes and dudettes I'm ashamed that I haven't been to more shows lately. I just suck at getting to Dallas to see anyone and then most people play in Denton which makes it even worse. Anyway, I'll quit the whining eh?