GREAT NEW MUSIC: Yeasayer "All Hour Cymbals"

So I'm sure by now most of you have heard (or should), the muy-caliente "2080" by Yeasayer, which has been floating around for awhile now. Upon finally listening to the full album (on which "2080" appears), I'm at a loss for words. There is so much there for one to digest, between the vastly varied musical styles (70's rock, 60's folk, African rhythms, Pink Floyd-style harmonies), and the politically tinged lyrics about the end of the world, I'll be chewing on this one for a bit. Some say they hear Crosby, Stills and Nash & Genesis, but I can't honestly say this sounds like anything I've ever heard before. And in this age of comparisons, that is very refreshing. I wish I could do more to help you visualize, but I think the best thing I can do is provide a couple of tracks & recommend you buy this as soon as it drops next Tuesday (10/23). This is going to rank pretty high on my year-end "Best Of" list...believe it!

[MP3] Yeasayer - Wait For the Summer from "All Hour Cymbals" (via Box.net)
[MP3] Yeasayer - Forgiveness from "All Hour Cymbals" (via Box.net)

WE ARE FREE - label website | Yeasayer Myspace

SHOW TONIGHT: Jesu @ The Earl (10/16)

So I'm off to see Jesu tonight at The Earl (10/16), this is the make-up show for the one they missed opening for ISIS awhile ago. I'm very excited. If you haven't already, I suggest you pick up his new EP, "Lifeline", it's just one more reason to love this band. You can check out an MP3 from said EP below.

[MP3] Jesu - You Wear Their Masks from "Lifeline EP" (via Box.net)

Dates:
10-16 Atlanta, GA - The Earl ^
10-17 Carrboro, NC - Cat's Cradle ^
10-18 Washington, DC - Black Cat $%
10-19 Philadelphia, PA - First Unitarian Church $%
10-20 New York, NY - Gramercy Theatre (CMJ) $%
10-21 Poughkeepsie, NY - The Polish Club $%
10-22 New Britain, CT - Trinity on Main $%
10-23 Cambridge, MA - The Middle East Downstairs $%
10-24 Montreal, Quebec - La Sala Rossa $!
10-25 Toronto, Ontario - Lee's Palace $!
10-26 Buffalo, NY - Showplace Theatre $%
10-27 Chicago, IL - Empty Bottle $%
10-28 Iowa City, IA - The Picador $%
10-29 Sauget, IL - Pop's $%#
10-30 Lawrence, KS - Bottleneck $#
10-31 Denver, CO - Marquis Theatre #
11-02 Seattle, WA - Neumos Crystal Ball Reading Room ~
11-03 Portland, OR - Hawthorne Theatre ~
11-05 Sacramento, CA - Harlow's *
11-06 San Francisco, CA - Great American Music Hall *&
11-09 Los Angeles, CA - Ex Plex *&

^ with Wolves in the Throne Room
$ with Torche
% with Fog
! with Tim Hecker
# with Yakuza
* with These Arms Are Snakes
& with Oxbow
~ with Sunn O))), Eluvium

Jesu - website | Myspace

CONTEST: Nada Surf @ The 40 Watt 10/29 - ticket giveaway

So I have a pair of tickets to give away to see Nada Surf @ The 40 Watt in Athens, GA on 10/29 with Sea Wolf as the opening act. I will pick a winner at random by Thursday (10/18), so leave me your full name & email address in the comments and good luck!!

Nada Surf will be road testing new songs from their upcoming album Lucky which will be dropping February 8th via Barsuk Records. Guest appearances on the record include: Death Cab’s Ben Gibbard, Ed Harcourt, John Roderick of the Long Winters, and guitarist Phil Wandscher of Jesse Sykes & the Sweet Hereafter. Check out the first available track from Lucky, "See These Bones", below.

[MP3] Nada Surf - See These Bones from "Lucky" (via Box.net)

Nada Surf - 2007/2008 Tour Dates
10/12 Brooklyn, NY - Union Hall
10/13 Philadelphia, PA - Johnny Brenda’s
10/15 Columbus, OH - Basement
10/16 Cincinnati, OH - 20th Century
10/17 Louisville, KY - Jim Porters
10/18 Indianapolis, IN Birdy’s
10/19 Chicago, IL - Schubas
10/20 Chicago, IL - Schubas
10/22 St. Louis, MO - Gargoyle Club
10/23 Nashville, TN - Exit Inn
10/24 Birmingham, AL - Bottle Tree
10/26 Tampa, FL - State Theatre
10/27 St. Augustine, FL - Café Eleven
10/29 Athens, GA - The 40 Watt Club
10/30 Asheville, NC - Orange Peel
10/31 Carrboro, NC - Cat’s Cradle
11/01 Charlottesville, VA - Satellite Ballroom – UVA
11/02 Baltimore, MD - 8x10
1/30 (2008) Seattle, WA The Triple Door (acoustic)
1/31 (2008) Portland, OR Doug Fir Lounge (acoustic)
2/02 (2008) San Francisco, CA Swedish American Hall (acoustic)
2/07 (2008) Brooklyn, NY The Music Hall of Williamsburg
2/08 (2008) New York, NY Bowery Ballroom

GREAT NEW MUSIC: Maritime "Heresy and the Hotel Choir"

It's been about a year and a half since I picked up Maritime's fantastic second full length, "We, The Vehicles" (#3 on my Top 25 of 2006), and I've been itching to hear their new disc "Heresy and the Hotel Choir" for a bit. I was a little worried that the last album might have been a fluke, and that any future output from Davey and Co. wouldn't live up to the pop-perfection of "We, The Vehicles". I am worried no more. HATHC abounds with more of the dizzyingly jubilant pop and swaggering up-tempo rockers that made me fall in love with "We, The Vehicles". Davey's voice seems to be getting even better, and is still sending chills up my arms. I cannot recommended this album enough, and if you haven't already, you should also add "We, The Vehicles" to your collection as well.

"Heresy and the Hotel Choir" is available tomorrow (10/16) at all fine independent music stores.

[MP3] Maritime - Pearl from "Heresy and the Hotel Choir" (via Box.net)
[MP3] Maritime - For Science Fiction from "Heresy and the Hotel Choir" (via Box.net)

Maritime - website | Myspace
| Flameshovel Records - label website

Justice "performs" D.A.N.C.E. on Jimmy Kimmel

Um,....yeah.

I'm listening to the new Radiohead.

I'm currently listening to "In Rainbows", which I plan on listening to all day. So far it's really good, and I'm sure it'll only get better with repeated listens. That's the plan at least. I'll let you know for sure tomorrow. Holy shit, has this year seen more fantastic releases than usual? It sure seems like it. 2007 has been a great year for music in general, not only the great albums, but Radiohead's unorthodox album release method has been nothing short of a big fuck off to the DINOSAUR that is the major label record industry. The precedence set here will hopefully be the much needed catalyst for change that both artists AND fans have been wishing for. Here's to the death of the dinosaur.

GREAT NEW MUSIC: Slaraffenland "Private Cinema"

So if you aren't doing anything tomorrow night (Oct.10th), and you live in the Atlanta area, why don't you scrape together five bucks and come down to the 11:11 Teahouse (1111 Edgewood Ave.) and come see an incredible band perform in an intimate setting before they get all huge and stuff? Oh, which band you say? Slaraffenland. They're awesome. For real. What do they sound like? Why don't you download those free tracks below, and then you tell me. I don't want to spoil it for you, but here's a hint: it sounds like awesome. Their phenomenal new album "Private Cinema" is out now, and you can purchase it here.


Oh, and they also did a bad-ass cover of Radiohead's "Paranoid Android" for Stereogum's "OKX: A Tribute to OK Computer". Which you can find below as well.

[MP3] Slaraffenland - Watch Out from "Private Cinema" (via Box.net)
[MP3] Slaraffenland - Sleep Tight from "Private Cinema" (via Box.net)
[MP3] Slaraffenland - Polaroids from "Private Cinema" (via Box.net)
[MP3] Slaraffenland - Paranoid Android (Radiohead cover) from "OKX: A Tribute to OK Computer" (via Box.net)

SLARAFFENLAND remaining US tour dates:
Oct. 10 - Atlanta, GA - 11:11 Teahouse - w/ Tradesecrets
Oct. 11 - Washington, DC - DAM! Festival @ Rock-n-Roll Hotel
Oct. 12 - Cleveland, OH - Beachland Tavern w/ Phosphorescent
Oct. 14 - Baltimore, MD - Metro Gallery - w/ Paul Duncan and The Caribbean
Oct. 15 - Philadelphia, PA - The Fire - w/ Pattern is Movement
Oct. 16 - Somerville, MA - PA's Lounge - w/ The Coast
Oct. 19 - New York, NY - CMJ Music Marathon - Mo Pitkin's - Hometapes showcase
Oct. 20 - Brooklyn, NY - Hometapes Party - Galapagos

Slaraffenland - website | Myspace | Home Tapes - label website

GREAT NEW LOCAL MUSIC: Ham1 "The Captain's Table"

This has been a pretty easy-going kind of Monday, busy enough to keep my work day flowing but nothing too hectic. This new album from Ham1, "The Captain's Table", was a great soundtrack to my easy-going day. Sauntering through a kaleidoscope of 60's-inspired rockers, dirty southern ballads & indie pop, "The Captain's Table" is yet another wonderful album from a growing scene of excellence coming out of Athens (GA). The album will be released on Nov. 6th through Athens' own eco-conscious Orange Twin Records. Ham1 will soon embark on the “Three On A Tree Tour” supporting Liz Durrett (she contributes vocals to this album) and Vic Chesnutt while also acting as both acts’ backing band. All three tracks below are highly recommended!!

TOUR DATES (w/ Liz Durrett, Vic Chesnutt):
Sep 28 - The Werehouse, Winston Salem, NC
Sep 29 - The Grey Eagle, Asheville, NC
Sep 30 - Gravity Lounge, Charlottesville, VA
Oct 05 - Arts Center, Carrboro, NC
Oct 06 - Evening Muse, Charlotte, NC
Oct 12 - The Pilot Light, Knoxville, TN (tentative)
Oct 13 - The Basement, Nashville, TN
Oct 18 - The 40 WATT, Athens, GA
Oct 19 - Workplay, Birmingham, AL
Oct 20 - The Earl, Atlanta, GA

[MP3] Ham1 - Hare Lipped Bust from "The Captain's Table" (via Box.net)
[MP3] Ham1 - Moonie from "The Captain's Table" (via Box.net)
[MP3] Ham1 - I Had A Good Idea, But It Passed My Mind from "The Captain's Table" (via Box.net)

Ham1 - website | Myspace | Orange Twins Records

GREAT NEW MUSIC: Canon Blue "Colonies"

Big thanks to IGIF for the heads up on this! I am on a "good music finding" roll this week, first with We Are Wolves then Black Kids, and now Canon Blue. This Nashville native has crafted some damn fine dreamy, electronic/folk pop all by his lonesome. No band, just him. "Colonies" is one album I plan on spending some time with. I suggest you do the same. Head over to his Myspace for a couple of more tracks. For fans of Grizzly Bear, Caribou, or Animal Collective.

[MP3] Canon Blue - Pilguin Pop from "Colonies" (via Box.net)
[MP3] Canon Blue - Odds and Ends from "Colonies" (via Box.net)
[MP3] Canon Blue - Rum Diary from "Colonies" (via Box.net)

TOUR DATES:
Sep 27 - House Show - Nashville, TN
Sep 28 - St. Johns Center - Louisville, KY
Sep 30 - Ronny's - Chicago, IL
Oct 02 - House Show - Ann Arbor, MI
Oct 03 - The Drake - Toronto, Ontario
Oct 05 - POP Montreal - Montreal, Quebec
Oct 07 - Pianos - NYC, NY
Oct 08 - Union Hall - NYC, NY
Oct 90 - Circle Thrift - Philadelphia, PA

Canon Blue - Myspace

GREAT NEW MUSIC: Black Kids "Wizard of Ahhhs"

A friend of mine who actually made it to this year's Athens Popfest, told me about this band, but for some reason I've just now gotten around to hearing their stuff. It happens, especially when you're deluged with new music everyday. Oh well, better late than never. Black Kids' demo EP, Wizard of Ahhhs, is currently available to download for free from their Myspace page. And I suggest that you do, it's rough but the songs are undeniably amazing. I really wish I had caught their live set at Athens Popfest, because I'm sure it was equally amazing. Both of these tracks off the EP are standouts, and both are highly recommended. Hell, the whole EP is highly recommended!

[MP3] Black Kids - I'm Not Gonna Teach Your Boyfriend How To Dance With You from "Wizard of Ahhhs - EP" (via Box.net)
[MP3] Black Kids - I've Underestimated My Charm (Again) from "Wizard of Ahhhs - EP" (via Box.net)

EDIT: They're are coming to Atlanta/Athens!!
Thu. 11/15/07 - Black Kids, Lolligags, Judi Chicago @ Star Bar
Fri. 11/16/07 - Black Kids, Lolligags @ Flicker Bar, in Athens, GA

Black Kids - Myspace

VIDEO: Pinback "From Nothing To Nowhere (Breakfast Club version)"

So this isn't an officially sanctioned video, but damn if it isn't cool as hell. Maybe that's my 11-year old self talking, and probably because this is one of my most watched movies ever (I had the biggest crush on Ally Sheedy). Whoever edited this deserves a pat on the back, this ACTUALLY COULD HAVE BEEN the song that played in this scene.

GREAT NEW MUSIC: We Are Wolves "Total Magique"

I am in one really weird mood. I am liking this album by We Are Wolves a lot. Which is not the weird part.

I wanna bounce off the walls, and hit things with a stick. And this is good music for this mood.

I like weird moods sometimes, because they can be fun. Here are two MP3s off of their new album, "Total Magique". Yes, some of it is in French. That is not weird either, because they are Canadian. It reminds me of Les Savy Fav being molested by The Blood Brothers with electronics.

[MP3] We Are Wolves - Magique from "Total Magique" (via Box.net)
[MP3] We Are Wolves - Vietnam from "Total Magique" (via Box.net)

We Are Wolves - website | Myspace