Scissor Sisters: New Album

Sorry for the lack of posts today -- I have been fucking swamped at work this week, but I couldn't let this Scissor Sisters clip on YouTube. It's the first part of a series of "video podcasts" ramping up to Ta Dah, their new album which drops on September 26th.

MySpace: Scissor Sisters

New Moscow

[Photo Credit: Malia James]

Oh man, I love Young and Lost Club Records. The small British label was started last year by two girls in their early twenties, who were already influential members of the London music scene due to their zine (Pyrrha) and popular Young and Lost Club dance nights (as DJs The Pyrrha Girls). Both their zine and their roster can attest to the fact that the girls have an incredible barometer for determining what's "good" and what will sell. Apparently, Pyrrha was the first print publication in the world to mention Razorlight and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, while their label has released the debut singles of awesome bands like Larrikin Love, Good Shoes, and Action Plan. Basically, Y&L is the British equivalent of Ultragrrrl's Stolen Transmission--only with good bands and without mindnumbing starfucking.

The latest band to release a single on Y&L is New Moscow, a group hailing from Sweden of all places. Though New Moscow features three guys with awesome Swedish names (David Fransson, Andreas Nordstrom, and Mattias Engwall), they produce music that leans closer to sunny indie rock than anything prototypically nordic sounding. With its lush guitar-work layered over a driving downbeat and topped by vocals slightly reminiscent of classic Bob Dylan, "C'mon Up" is a great first single. It is simultaneously catchy and compelling, two attributes that rarely seem to go hand in hand. If their debut album is half as good as this single, then wow.

Myspace: New Moscow
Audio: "C'mon Up"

Breakthru Radio + Primal Scream

This is a little shout out to Rachel from Underrated Magainze. In addition to her fine work there, she also has a weekly column over at Breakthru Radio, which you can read here. This week's column is "Meet The Bloggers" and has short profiles from all your blog buddies.



And before I run off -- Primal Scream just performed at T in the Park. You can check out a few videos here + plus the "Country Girl" video below.



MySpace: Primal Scream

The Cardigans: New Album

If all The Cardigans are only remembered for their 1997 pop hit "Lovefool," then that will be a shame. The band released two solid albums before their brush with commercial success and they haven't missed a beat since then. In the group's early days, they were masters at combining vintage '60s pop with dark lyrics, but with 1998's Gran Turismo, the group shifted their focus to a more fuzzed out and distorted musical base and they remain on that path to this day. Their latest album, Super Extra Gravity, gets its stateside release on September 19th on Nettwerk, and shows a band with a bona fide legacy further exploring the ins and outs of dark indie rock.

MySpace: The Cardigans
Audio: "Hanging Around"
Audio: "I Need Some Fine Wine And You, You Need To Be Nicer"

The Killers: New Video

So I am sitting here watching the new video from The Killers and all I can think for the first minute, before for the song even kicks in, is how pompous this is. I mean come on, big name direction + ego of hugely successful rock band usually equals disaster, but sometimes us indie kids are inclined to throw stones too easily. There are no reasons for snide comments here, though -- "When You Were Young" is a great song, and it is accompanied by a great video. Sam's Town is out on October 3rd and I couldn't be more excited!

No, I am totally serious.



MySpace: The Killers

The Kooks

Believe it or not, The Kooks only formed in early 2005 and by the end of the year, they were releasing singles on Virgin UK that made the charts. The band's tough garage rock sound is refined just enough for public consumption, and their likability is apparent in spades in songs like "You Don't Love Me" and "Naive." Just like every other great British band, they conquered their homeland first, so expect Inside In/Inside Out to drop stateside via Astralwerks on October 3rd. They will also be playing a handful of dates in select cities -- I think the Brooklyn date is during CMJ, so you will know where to find me...

Oct 24th Check your ponytail @ Safari Sams, LA, CA
Oct 25th NME club night @ Spaceland, LA, CA
Oct 26th Popscene @ 300 Ritch, San Francisco, CA
Oct 28th North Six, Brooklyn, NY

MySpace: The Kooks
Audio: "See The World"
Audio: "Match Box"

Boston: Shows [Week of 08.28.06]

Let's just say that things are rather slow this week around Boston -- there are a handful of shows, few of which that are really exciting. Hopefully things are going to pick up on the other side of Labor Day, and just a quick glance at the show calendar indicates that things are going to get really hectic very soon! The first few weeks of September bring Sonic Youth, The Flaming Lips, Sound Team, The French Kicks, Birdmonster, The Strokes, Man Man and The Gossip to town, and that's just to name a few. September will also bring some changes to Exitfare, so stay tuned for that.

Not to get too much into my weekend, but anyone read The Globe on Saturday? I was lucky enough to be profiled with a number of Boston's best bloggers, and if you aren't already reading sites like Bradley's Almanac, rbally, Hello Gina and Los Amigos du Durutti, then you're obviously wandering down the wrong path on the internet. You can check out the article here, but you need a free login to actually see it.

I just got back from seeing Little Miss Sunshine, which is definitely a good movie, but not as great as I've read in reviews. I love the grandfather, and Olive's performance at the end totally seals the film. Instead of a show this week, check out a movie, a smaller local band or you can whine about how the Red Sox won't be making the playoffs this year. Now you know how I feel as an Orioles fan!


08.29: Uffie/7L & Esoteric/Brendan Wesley/Red Foxx @ Great Scott
Despite the rumors, Uffie is not really from Europe, although she has lived there most of her adult life. Her sound is the aural equivalent of a jetsetter's passport -- the been there, seen everything sound has something for everyone and at times references L'Trimm, Avenue D and M.I.A., falling somewhere between electronica and hip hop. This show will be a Friday night party on Tuesday, and will more than likely be packed by 9 pm.
Audio: "Hot Chick"

09.01: Labor Day Dance Party [The Pill] @ Great Scott
This is what Paul L. says on Yelp: "Friday's The Pill is always a great dance-fest with hipster indie kids going crazy in their Chuck Taylor's. Cover is usually 7 bones.
Their shows are totally fab. Very intimate if you're close.. (Obv). And a good soundsystem.
Pabst Blue Ribbon is the beer of choice here. Drink it with pride."

Ok Go: Live on the VMAs

By now, everyone knows about this video. My mom even asked me if I knew anything about the "rock band on treadmills." Ok Go is set to perform the same stunt from the "Here It Goes Again" video on this year's VMAs, which will be broadcast live on Thursday August 31st on MTV at 8pm. Hopefully this doesn't go down in history with Jamiroquai's "Virtual Insanity" performance from 1997....

MySpace: Ok Go

Cities: Remixed

When the debut album from Chapel Hill's Cities was dropped earlier this year, it was a bold move for the always on the ball Yep Roc. The band brought a young and fresh sound to the label, an investment in the future, if you will. Now the band has returned with an EP of remixes called Variations, and it features Ladytron, Daedalus and Fog reworking and reimaging a number of their songs. It's a more than solid collection, and I am definitely digging the tracks done over by Ladytron and Mild Davis.

Buy: Variations EP
MySpace: Cities"
Audio: "Writing On The Wall" [Isan remix]

Teddybears: Diplo Remix

Avid readers of Exitfare know that the site was birthed in Philly, and I hold Philly-centric things close to me, like Wawa, cheesesteaks and Tastykakes. Although not originally from Philly, Diplo has made the city his homebase, starting the insane Hollertronix nights and just generally infusing the scene with a lot of great tunes. Normally one to get behind a lot of remixes, Diplo reworks "Cobrastyle" from Stockholm-based Teddyhears, a track that will be featuted on Soft Machine, which drops Sept. 12th on Big Beat.

MySpace: Teddybears
Audio: "Cobrastyle" [Diplo Remix]

Also, check out this video mashup:

Headlights

People don’t think of Champaign as a musical hotspot. The small city is better known as home to half of the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, and the location of a Kraft Foods plant. Believe it or not, Champaign is actually the birthplace of a diverse group of incredibly successful artists including REO Speedwagon, Hum, Allison Kraus, and Ludacris (well, Hum was never incredibly successful). If the city keeps it up, then maybe it will become the “new” Omaha or something.

One of the newer arrivals on the Champaign scene is the indie pop group, Headlights. Yesterday, the band released their debut cd Kill Them With Kindness on Polyvinyl Records. To fans, the album was a long time coming—Headlights formed in the spring of 2004 and only released a couple of studio tracks on an EP and a split 7” (with Most Serene Republic) during that two and a half year time. The band only whetted the appetites of their fans more by playing a bunch of their new songs during their extensive tours in 2005 and 2006 supporting the Mates of State, Mono, Magnolia Electric Co., and a whole host of other bands whose names don’t start with the letter “m.”

Kill Them With Kindness fits squarely in the indie pop genre as the album mixes bright melodies with upbeat drumbeats and quirky orchestral instrumentation (from strings to xylophones, sleigh bells and synthesizers). Plucky pop songs like “TV,” “Words Make You Tired,” and “Hi-Ya” are interestingly, enjoyable, and fun, though I tend to like their straight-ahead numbers better. “Lions” mixes a fuzzy guitar riff with rocking drums, a bouncy synthesizer, and almost 70s family band style harmonies together to make the perfect song to wake up to on a gorgeous summer day. “Put Us Back Together Right” seems like a quiet, melancholy song but it quickly builds and builds under Erin Fein’s girlish voice until its final climax nearly four minutes later. Though still depressing, it is depressing in a commandingly forceful way.

Unfortunately, not all of the songs on Kill Them With Kindness live up to that same level of quality. The short interlude “The Midwest Is The Best” with its brief harmonica break seems completely pointless as it does not present a real melodic or thematic idea that adds to the album. Similarly, “Struggle With Numbers” is another rough, unneeded track as it consists solely of a swirling synthesizer and not in an interesting Radiohead-esque way either… more like a waste of a minute and a half of my life. “I Love, You Laugh” starts with a quiet hiss and is complimented by stark vocals and a few piano chords, but then it abruptly ends. It almost seems like it was a good idea that just wasn’t fleshed out in the studio. Or maybe the band felt it needed to present a couple of serious, minimalist songs to contrast the fluffier pop sensibilities evident earlier in the album?

Don’t allow those three songs to turn you off from the album, however. Headlights has crafted a gorgeous debut with a diverse palette of sounds and instruments that I’m sure will prove enjoyable to just about anyone even upon multiple listens.

Check them out on tour:

08/24 Milwaukee , WI @ Cactus Club

08/25 Chicago , IL @ Schuba's

08/26 Lake Forest , IL @ The Chapel

08/27 Urbana , IL @ Canopy Club

08/29 St. Louis , MO @ Hi-Pointe

08/30 Lawrence , KS @ Jackpot Saloon

08/31 Springfield , MO @ Randy Bacon Gallery

09/01 Tulsa , OK @ Mooch and Burn

09/02 Oklahoma City , OK @ The Conservatory

09/03 Albuquerque , NM @ Atomic Cantina

09/05 Odessa , TX @ The Roadhouse

09/06 Tucson , AZ @ Plush

09/07 Phoenix , AZ @ Modified Arts

09/08 San Diego , CA @ Che Cafe

09/09 Los Angeles , CA @ Spaceland

*All dates with Decibully.

For more tour dates for basically every city or town in America, check out their website.

Buy: Kill Them With Kindness
Myspace: Headlights
Audio: "Put Us Back Together Right"

DJ Never Forget

How many hits does it take to create the perfect summer ending mix? Look below and download it to find out why this shit rules.

Hot Chip A Glue Too Thick
Portugal. The Man How The Leopard Got Its Spots (Blake Miller Remix)
The Kingdom Love is my Nation (Copy Mix)
Cassius Toop Toop (Olivier Koletski Mix)
The Knife We Share Our Mothers Health (Trentemoller Remix)
The Klaxons Gravity's Rainbow (Van She Remix)
Flow Flux Clan Fascination Street
Lo-Fi-Fnk vs Karin Strom Psykos (LFF Club Mix)
Justice Vs Simian Never Be Alone
Mstrkrft Work On You

Oh yeah, check out this shot from a MSTRKRFT show at Hiro Ballroom. That guy in the background totally knows what's up with the O's shirt!



MySpace: DJ Never Forget
Mix: "Going To Work"

Neil Young

Neil Young's new album is a solid, but not great affair, showcasing his ever-evolving musical abilities. Living With War was released to rave reviews earlier this year. Neil and crew are working on a series of videos for the record, which will top out at nine, all of which will be collected for a DVD this fall. The two latest videos are below.

MySpace: Neil Young
Video: "After The Garden" [Windows Media] | [Quicktime]
Video: "Families" [Windows Media] | [Quicktime]

TV On The Radio: New Album & Tour

TV On The Radio threw me for a loop when I first heard them a few years ago. An incredible amount of buzz propelled them and they were always playing around NYC, but I just couldn't get into them. It wasn't until the release of their debut album on Touch & Go that things finally clicked. Desperate Youth, Blood Thirsty Babes was one of my favorite albums of the year and "Staring At The Sun" entered my list of songs that I would never tire of.

On the band's sophomore album, the Interscope-released Return to Cookie Mountain, TVOTR bring back that excitement that surrounded NYC five years ago -- the feeling of a scene of friends having each other's backs, gigging together and hoping for the best. Unlike many of their peers, the band manages to stay relevant by sticking to their guns and making an album that is both accessible and exciting. The band is tough to pin down because they truly sound like no one else.

09/15 - Dallas, TX @ Gypsy Tea Room & Ballroom
09/16 - Austin, TX @ Zilker Park
09/17 - Austin, TX @ Emo's Austin
09/19 - Boulder, CO @ Fox Theatre
09/24 - Los Angeles, CA @ Hollywood Bowl
09/25 - San Diego, CA @ Soma
09/26 - Pomona, CA @ Glass House
09/27 - Santa Barbara, CA @ Soho Restaurant & Music Club
09/29 - Sacramento, CA @ The Library
09/30 - Mountain View, CA @ Shoreline Amphitheater
10/02 - Portland, OR @ Wonder Ballroom
10/03 - Vancouver, BC @ Commodore Ballroom
10/04 - Seattle, WA @ Showbox Showroom & Lounge
10/07 - Fargo, ND @ Playmakers
10/08 - Minneapolis, MN @ First Avenue
10/09 - Chicago, IL @ Metro
10/10 - Detroit, MI @ St. Andrews Hall
10/12 - Toronto, ON @ Opera House Concert Venue
10/13 - Montreal, QC @ Le National
10/14 - Boston, MA @ Paradise Rock Club
10/17 - New York, NY @ Irving Plaza
10/18 - New York, NY @ Irving Plaza
10/20 - Baltimore, MD @ Sonar Lounge
10/21 - Philadelphia, PA @ Starlight Lounge

Preorder: Return to Cookie Mountain [out 09/12]
MySpace: TV on the Radio
Audio: "Wolf Like Me"
Video: "Street Account" [Real Player] | [Quicktime] | [Windows]

Boston: Shows [Week of 08.21.06]

I am back from Florida with a very nice tan and a camera full of pictures, which I'll post later this week. I am settling back into my routine, so I should have plenty of things to throw your way this week. Anyone see that Orioles series against the Yankees? Maybe the Red Sox could pick up some pointers....


[Photo Credit: Denny Schmickle]
08.21: Christians and Lions/Eagle Seagull @ Great Scott
Monday nights are the worst for shows. Usually I just want to leave work at 6, make dinner and then watch some baseball, but this show is more than enough to pull me off of my couch. Nebraska's Eagle Seagull, a band that draws on a variety of British influences and at times, they remind of the Tindersticks. Look for me at the bar tonight, as my attention will be divided between the band and the game.
Audio: "Beauty"

08.22: Bishop Allen @ Middle East Up

08.23: The Advantage/They Shoot Horses, Don't They? @ Middle East Up

08.23: Read Yellow/Tokyo Police Club/Blanks @ Great Scott

08.24: Aloha/Rahim @ T.T. The Bears

08.25: Corinne Bailey Rae @ The Paradise

08.26: The Hourly Radio @ Great Scott

American Princes: New Video

It's Thursday night, and I am still in South Beach. Today was spent trying to explore every inch of the Everglades, but since it's well over one million acres, I have a long way to go. Since I am tired and still on vacation, all I have today is the video for "Never Grow Old" from Little Rock's American Princes. Their latest release, Less and Less, dropped earlier this year, and features this standout track.

The Voom Blooms

For a band that formed just a hair over a year ago, Loughborough four-piece The Voom Blooms has been making incredible strides on the other side of the pond. After supporting Exitfare favorites like Babyshambles, Boy Kill Boy, and Larrikin Love, the band was featured on the BBC and Radio 1 helping to create a buzz that propelled their debut single "Politics & Cigarettes" to sell out of its first pressing in less than a week. Their second single "Anna" will be released on a limited 7” on September 18th by the band's own label, 23 Recordings. I expect that the track's blustering speed, pent up energy, and desperate, love-sick lyrics will cement The Voom Blooms as an exciting new band to watch.

Myspace: The Voom Blooms
Audio: "Anna"

Favourite Sons: New Album

For all of those people out there keeping tabs on vacation, I am currently sitting at a desk in my hotel room under the TV in just my swim trunks. I am still waiting on my luggage and I got a pretty nasty sunburn. Outside of that, things are going pretty well -- I've been spending my days laying on the beach and swimming in the very clear Atlantic. Paris Hilton is doing a meet and greet down the street tonight, but I think I am going to hang out with the American Apparel cashier that flashed her belly button at me. Or not. But I guess you're here for the music!



NYC's Favourite Sons rock it like Nick Cave jamming with Interpol, and on their debut album Down Beside Beside Your Beauty, they craft a collection of songs that is smart, brooding and memorable. The album drops on September 12th through Vice Records. Totally awesome. Well, I am going to take care of this burn and I'll get some vacation pics up for you.

MySpace: Favourite Sons
Audio: "Hang On, Girl"

Boston: Shows [Week of 08.14.06]

Things will be a bit slower around here this week as I am heading off to Miami early this morning. I have a few posts planned, but they will be on the short side as I will be exploring the Everglades, Key West and laying on the beach doing absolutely nothing. And believe it or not, no shows until Sunday.

08.14: Unbusted/Voicst @ Great Scott

08.15: Snow Patrol/The Duke Spirit @ Bank of America Pavilion

08.16: The Televangelist & The Architect @ Middle East Up

08.18: The Smoking Popes/Criteria/Eyes Like Knives @ Middle East


08.20: Oppenheimer/Lifestyle @ Great Scott
While there are some great shows earlier in the week, this is the only one that I will actually get to see. Oppenheimer was solid when I saw them a couple of weeks ago at the South Street Seaport in NYC, so hopefully they can bring some of that energy to Exitfare's favorite neighborhood bar.
Audio: "Saturday Looks Bad To Me"

Van She

Hey, the weekend is totally here! The Orioles are in town playing the Red Sox, so let's hope they can capitalize on Boston's five game losing streak, plus Dirty Pretty Things and Fields are both playing Sunday night.

Speaking of the weekend, the new Van She EP is going to totally own the next few days. This Australian band takes everything from '80s post punk to synth pop to funk to create music that isn't easily defined or forgotten. The EP drops on Tuesday via Modular, and besides rocking their own music, they have produced remixes for The Presets and Exitfare faves The Klaxons. Look for them on US soil this October with dates out West and at CMJ.

MySpace: Van She
Audio: "Kelly"
Video: "Kelly"

Briertone

[Photo Credit: Cameron Ingalls]

I don't know much about Briertone -- there's no little press release in my hands telling me about their hopes and dreams or some silly anecdote on how they got together or what they did when they were in college. All I know is that they are from Los Angeles and they have been kicking my ass lately. The band takes the Americana formula and gives it a serious indie rock kick in the ass. Look for their Sojourners EP, which is out now on Something Sacred and a national tour later this fall.

MySpace: Briertone
Audio: "Philip And I"

Regina Spektor: New Video

As if you need another reason to like Regina Spektor, well here's another. This is the new video for "Fidelity" and hold tight...I'll have more exciting music for you later!

MySpace: Regina Spektor
Video: "Fidelity" [Windows] | [Quicktime]

Viva Voce

TMI Alert: I basically touch myself whenever Barsuk releases a new album. I know I’m not alone in this… I have the hinting suspicion that there are about ten thousand other sexually awkward indie kids who yank it to the luscious pop stylings of Nada Surf, Rilo Kiley, The Long Winters, and the like. Not that there’s anything wrong with it. Just try to name another label (indie or otherwise) with such a great roster of bands and we’ll have it out in the comments section.



Next month, Barsuk will release the fourth album by one of their newest signees, the criminally overlooked Portland duo Viva Voce. Their new album Get Yr Blood Sucked Out is incredible, though I can’t seem to write a coherent explanation as to “why” it is so good. It just is. Period.

Maybe it’s due to the band’s musical versatility. Not staying too long in any one style, Viva Voce merges elements of indie pop, hard rock, blues, and even spirituals to create a mishmash of textures from song to song. Although you wouldn’t necessarily recognize that the same band plays on the soft “Never Be Like Yesterday” and the rowdy “Believer,” the incredible sonic range somehow works magically in the context of the entire album.

Get Yr Blood Sucked Out starts with a downright dirty rocker (“Believer”) and is then followed by a hard edged, bluesy number that is offset by Anita's almost ethereal female vocals (“When Planets Collide”). “From The Devil Himself” feels like a Pentecostal revival meeting with the communal singing and handclaps—well, if the church members drank a little whiskey beforehand. To put it bluntly, these are the type of songs you fuck to.

In comparison, the slower tracks towards the end of the album (“Special Thing,” “Never Be Like Yesterday”) are more sparsely orchestrated and evoke a feeling of delicateness. These sweet love songs are the type that would accompany a night of red wine, flickering candlelight, and lovemaking. Though different from fucking, we all know that it’s good in its own right. Right?

Musical and stylistic contradictions like these are what make the album interesting and, ultimately, compelling. I can't wait to see them live when they tour with the Silversun Pickups this fall.

Myspace: Viva Voce
Audio: “When Planets Collide”

Sound Team/French Kicks Tour

This is a pretty short, but nonetheless solid tour. Both the French Kicks and Sound Team have produced two of the better albums this year and will be joining forces for a string of dates. I guess living in the Northeast does have its benefits.

9/06 New York, NY :: Bowery Ballroom
Supporting the French Kicks
9/08 Cambridge, MA :: Middle East (Downstairs)
Supporting the French Kicks
9/09 Montreal, PQ :: Main Hall Montreal
Supporting the French Kicks
9/10 Ottawa, ON Babylon Night Club
Supporting the French Kicks
9/11 Toronto, ONT Lee¹s Palace
Supporting the French Kicks
9/13 Detroit, MI Magic Stick
Supporting the French Kicks
9/14 Cleveland Heights, OH The Grog Shop
Supporting the French Kicks

MySpace: Sound Team
MySpace: French Kicks
Audio: Sound Team "Your Eyes Are Liars"
Audio: French Kicks "So Far We Are"

Kasabian: New Album

You know what pisses me off? When I am about to publish a post and my computer freezes. I was trying to rock something quick, but my computer shit the bed, so now I have to start from square one.

Kasabian may be a blip on the radar here in the States, but their debut album was huge in the UK, and with good reason -- it recalled the best parts of Ride and The Stone Roses. Empire is their second album and will see the light of the day on September 19th on RCA Records. The new songs are deeper and darker, and should fit perfectly in the band's exhilirating live show. Here's the tracklisting:

1. Empire
2. Shoot The Runner
3. Last Trip
4. Me Plus One
5. Sun/Rise/Light/Flies
6. Aponea
7. By My Side
8. Stuntman
9. Seek Destroy
10. British Legion
11. The Doberman

MySpace: Kasabian
Audio: "Empire"
Video: "Empire"

Boston: Shows [Week of 08.07.06]

One more week until vacation and I couldn't be more excited! This past Saturday, I explored the nether regions of Dorchester and the recreation mecca of Boston Bowl. Dorchester was a bit sketch, but I got to hang with some friends who expertly handed my ass to me in bowling. Later that night, I checked out The Lashes and The Living End and then ended the night at Great Scott for the Silversun Pickups show. SSPU were great, but add Page France to the list of bands that I don't get. I just don't understand what's so appealing with these quirky new folk bands. Plus they sound exactly like Nuetral Milk Hotel and sing about Jesus.

08.10: Yeah Yeah Yeahs/TV on the Radio @ City Hall Plaza [free show]


[Photo Credit: Spencer Heyfron]
08.10: Rainer Maria/Anathallo/The Format/Street to Nowhere @ Axis
No joke, but I've seen this band well over 30 times, and you can be sure I'll be at this show. In a perfect world, I'd say that this band has gotten better with each album, but that would be a lie. There are a few solid songs on this record, but the band's heyday is behind them. Hey, I got a new t-shirt.
Audio: "Life of Leisure"

08.11: Throwing Muses @ Middle East Down

08.11: Lyrics Born @ The Paradise

08.11: Gnarls Barkley @ Avalon


08.13: Dirty Pretty Things/Scissors for Lefty @ Great Scott
One of Domino Records' newest signings, San Francisco's Scissors for Lefty plays exciting, angular post-punk. Everyone will go to the show talking about how great the new Dirty Pretty Things album is [true], but everyone will leave gushing about Scissors for Lefty [double true].
Audio: "Ghetto Ways"

08.13: Fields @ T.T the Bears

The Oohlas

I don't think I'll be rocking a post tomorrow since I'll be in NYC for the day. If you're bored, or even if you're not, you should come down to South Street Seaport at 7 pm to see Oppenheimer and Hot Chip. Looks like the weather is going to cool down, and there will be plenty of beer flowing. And you know what that means!


[Photo Credit: Ellina Kevorkian

The Oohlas are a Los Angeles-based outfit that rock in the same way that Belly and Veruca Salt did in their heyday with a lot of killer riffs, but never skimping on the melodies -- a band that the Deal Sisters would be proud of! Look for their debut on Stolen Transmission, which is basically Ultragrrl's label that is distributed through Island. The album is called Best Stop Pop and it drops on September 26th.

MySpace: The Oohlas
MySpace: Stolen Transmission
Audio: "Small Parts"

Larrikin Love

I’ve spent the last week touring northern Thailand, visiting Buddhist temples, riding elephants, avoiding avian flu, navigating vast night markets, and, yesterday, even traipsing through floodwaters. I headed south today to Siem Reap, Cambodia, where I’ll stay for the next few days while traveling to Angkor Wat and other temples hidden in the jungle. Other than the sightseeing (which has been incredible), I’ve been exploring the deep, dark depths of my Ipod—checking out bands that I haven’t listened to in years (Luscious Jackson) and discovering others that, until now, I completely overlooked (Larrikin Love).


[Photo Credit: Tom Beard]

Over the last few months, London four-piece Larrikin Love has been keeping busy. After wrapping up their first headlining tour of the UK in April, they joined The Zutons in May, released their fourth single in June, and then finished recording their debut album, The Freedom Spark (due out sometime later in the year). Next up? A huge batch of UK dates, including the humongous Leeds and Reading Festivals.

I think this band really has the potential to blow up. Firstly, they are young, British, and sing with the type of brash attitude that has been all the rage recently. Secondly, singer Michael Larrikin writes the most memorable lyrics. Ranging from the witty to the nihilistic, gems like “England has nothing more to offer me” will surely stay with you. What really sets Larrikin Love apart is the fact that they experiment with a wide range of influences from punk to bluegrass, allowing them to craft songs that are completely unforgettable. Ever think you’d hear a fiddle solo in the middle of a dance punk song? Try “Edwould,” a song that is quirky and fun in a boozy sort of way.

Myspace: Larrikin Love
Audio: “Edwould”

Underrated's First Video Podcast

[Photo Credit: Ryan Kitson]

Underrated, one of our favorite blogs, decided to rock their first podcast, which features longtime Exitfare favorites Birdmonster during out during their trip to NYC last month. If you missed them last time around, they will be back later this year. Division Day opens a handful of dates, which are posted below.

Aug. 12 - The Oakland Metro - Oakland, CA
Aug. 15 - Chain Reaction (all ages) - Anaheim, CA
Aug. 16 - Spaceland - Los Angeles, CA
Aug. 17 - The Casbah - San Diego, CA
Aug. 18 - Plush - Tucson, AZ
Aug. 19 - Modified Arts - Pheonix, AZ
Aug. 21 - The Limelight - San Antonio, TX
Aug. 22 - Proletariat - Houston, TX
Aug. 23 - The Doublewide - Dallas, TX
Aug. 24 - Stubb's (all ages) - Austin, TX

And more NYC dates...
Sept. 6 - Maxwell's - Hoboken, NJ
Sept. 7 - Mercury Lounge - New York, NY
Sept. 8 - (To Be Announced) - Brooklyn, NY

The rest of the tour dates will be out your way shortly.

MySpace: Birdmonster
Podcast: Birdmonster Live in NYC