“Bloodbuzz Ohio” :: The National

The National’s new album High Violet available now.

Rodrigo Y Gabriela :: “Buster Voodoo”

Turn it up and run over people in the street.

Big Hassle Presser:

Rodrigo y Gabriela released their album 11:11 on ATO Records September 6th, 2009.  They are thrilled with the positive reaction to their new record.

The Washington Post has lauded the “clarity of Sanchez’s finger-burning quests and Quintero’s urgent percussive technique.” Mojo proclaimed 11:11 “an awesome thing in which every trick in the hard-rock manual is applied to the duo’s Latin rhythms and acoustic wizardry.” “With Flying Fingers and Callouses that could probably withstand a blowtorch,” writes Paste, “Rodrigo y Gabriela offer today’s best exposition of the pyrotechnic, fusion-oriented edge of Spanish style guitar playing.”

They’ve been impressing on the road as well.  Upcoming US Dates below.

“First timers, like this reviewer, were left with jaws agape. There is nothing to compare this to.”

“Don’t think this was some sort of unplugged metal-cover show. Rodrigo Sánchez and Gabriela Quintero may be acoustic, but, like a symphony, they fill every space with wicked speedy fretwork, guitar slapping rhythms and deeply plumbed, heavily adorned riffs, creating an absolutely unique sound.

With their noses centimeters from the necks of their guitars, the hunched over, surgically precise pair exudes all the dark gravitas of a metal band. They definitely have metal in their blood. And they must have metallic fingertips, especially Gabriela, who plays vicious rhythms sans pick.”
-The Denver Post review of recent 9/19 Show at The Buell Theatre, Denver, CO

Laurie Anderson :: Only An Expert :: Maybe If I Fall

Laurie Anderson has been a performance artist before there ever was such a term.  Here’s the latest from the under appreciated one who’s been combining music and experimentation since the late 1960′s…Mrs. Lou Reed, Laurie Anderson.

Metric :: “Sick Muse”

Presser:

Riding the wave of success of their latest album Fantasies, METRIC stands out amongst a new breed of music acts that opts for a hands-on approach, as opposed to turning to established labels and large management companies to chart their destiny and develop fan relationships.

That success is punctuated by the fact that METRIC’s debut single, “Help I’m Alive,” has officially cracked the Top 20 Alternative charts on US commercial radio (Mediabase.) The single got something of an organic start as it was accidentally leaked online, picked up by The Hype Machine blog and then put on air by Seattle’s KNDD last February.

You can listen to Fantasies in its entirety and download the hit single “Help I’m Alive” at http://ilovemetric.com.

Ólafur Arnalds :: ‘Ljósið’

More info on Olafur Arnalds from Big Hassle Media:

In April 2009, Iceland’s neo-classical export Ólafur Arnalds created the 7-song series  ‘Found Songs’ – recording a song a day for 7 days and instantly making each track available via Twitter. With artwork contributions from fans via Flickr, this modern release awakens memories of a tradition that seemed lost in the digital age we live in.  Ólafur’s ‘Found Songs’ will now see a proper North American release on cinematic pop label Erased Tapes on November 10.

Born in 1987, Ólafur hails from the suburban Icelandic town, Mosfellsbær, just a few kilometers outside of Reykjavík. He has immersed himself completely in a world of delicate symphonic compositions generating near weightless orchestral pieces. Arnalds explores the crossover from classical to pop by mixing chamber strings and piano with discreet electronics which makes him a perfect fit for  Erased Tapes. His motivations are clear: “The classical scene is kind of closed to people who haven’t been studying music all their lives. I would like to bring my classical influence to the people who don’t usually listen to this kind of music…open people’s minds.”

This young artist is steadily gaining recognition worldwide since his 2007 debut ‘Eulogy for Evolution’. The 2008 follow-up EP ‘Variations of Static’ earned Ólafur acclaim from both the contemporary and classical field – transcending a traditional divide by uniting their ideals. After filling London’s world-famous Barbican Hall, fellow Icelanders Sigur Rós invited Ólafur to open their most recent European shows, playing to an audience of over 5,000 per night.

So far more than 100.000 people downloaded the ‘Found Songs’ series via foundsongs.erasedtapes.com. Each track inspired a wealth of artwork from his fans – submitted via Flickr. Hosting this project on their official website, Erased Tapes Records watched the collaboration between Arnalds and his online audience flourish and found it fitting to combine the music and artwork into one complete work. A re-mastered physical and limited edition will now be released in as a CD, 10″ Vinyl and high-quality Download.

But ‘Found Songs’ hasn’t just inspired 2-D work. Esteban Diácono – a young motion graphic artist from Buenos Aires, Argentina – created an astonishing animation video for ‘Ljósið’, which found its way into the hearts of over 400,000 people within 2 weeks via Vimeo and YouTube.

‘Found Songs’ Track Listing:
1. Erla’s Waltz
2. Raein
3. Romance
4. Allt varð hljótt
5. Lost Song
6. Faun
7. Ljósið

‘His most beautiful and beguiling creature yet’ (8/10) – Drowned In Sound (UK)

‘…undeniably beautiful, with songs that lie quietly in wait before soaring epically.’ – NPR

‘In any event his debut sounds full of the reverence and awe normally reserved for God, or at least George Best or Sir Vivian Richards at the absolute peak of their powers’ – Brainwashed (US)

‘Arnalds possesses a deft ear for theme that many composers thrice his age lack’ – Exclaim! (CA)

‘Iceland’s best new export… Striking, effective and successful. A terrific experiment’  (8/10) – Clash

‘Ólafur Arnalds is a brilliant everything. I love nothing more than seeing genuine, hardworking, creative people capture attention of audiences, creating instead of complaining and talking.  The new music industry is in their hands. The Erased Tapes team is a similarly inspired bunch’ – The Hype Machine (US)

‘Indie symphonies of remarkable depth. Iceland’s brightest young talent… Achingly beautiful’ – Rock Sound (UK)

For more info, please visit:
http://erasedtapes.com
http://www.myspace.com/olafurarnalds
http://www.erasedtapes.com
http://ddc.erasedtapes.com
http://store.erasedtapes.com
http://www.myspace.com/erasedtapes

Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros :: “Home”

Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros

The Phenomenal Handclap Band :: “Baby”

PRAISE FOR THE PHENOMENAL HANDCLAP BAND…

“…equal parts psychedelia, proto-disco, heavy rock ‘n’ roll, ’60s soul and hip-hop – what NPR Music calls “a perfect mix of everything from the past 40 years of popular music.” – NPR ‘All Songs Considered’

“…buzzing, burbling four-on-the-floor dancefloor fillers… a resounding success” – Pitchfork

“The PHB’s sense of style is spot-on…” – Entertainment Weekly

“…this 20-plus-member group is a chronology of cool New York music. Disco, funk, first-generation hip-hop, new wave and prog rock all coalesce into music that defies categorization but always aims at the dance floor.” – Playboy “Top Ten Bands To Watch In 2009″

“…musically diverse, incredibly melodic and dance-floor ready. It’s the kind of album that gives cookie-cutter pop the trashing it deserves.” – New York Post

“…an impressive hodge-podge of various accomplished musicians simultaneously channeling the energy of !!!, Tom Tom Club, Can, Cerrone, and Giorgio Moroder in a surreal explosion of sound.” – XLR8R

“Appreciate!” – SPIN “Songs You Must Hear Now” ’15-20′

“Looking for the early frontrunner for the “D.A.N.C.E.” of 2009? …the Phenomenal Handclap Band, a genre-breakin Manhattan/Brooklyn collective are guaranteed to soundtrack a lion’s share of parties this summer with a self-titled LP that shifts from rock to disco to psychedelia without hitting the brakes.” – RollingStone.com

For more info, please visit:
http://www.phenomenalhandclapband.com
http://www.myspace.com/phenomenalhandclap
http://friendlyfirerecordings.com/Bands/PHCB/phcb.html

The Avett Brothers :: I And Love And You

One of MMB’s favorite bands, The Avett Brothers, has a new cd out tomorrow titled I And Love And You…here’s a video for the title track (redirect to YouTube embedding disabled by artist request):

The North Carolina sibling duo return fresh off a few years of building a cult following for their melodic and rootsy alt-bluegrass sound, with the subdued I AND LOVE AND YOU. The opening single and title track basks in piano-pop splendor in an odd mix of Beach Boys, Byrds, and the Band.Spin (p.90) – “The have always evoked the Band’s MUSIC FROM BIG PINK, but this album’s epic sweep and dramatic lyrical imagery enlarges that influence to the scale of arena-rock sing-alongs.”

The are also on Letterman tonight (9/28) and buy the cd tomorrow.

Lissy Trullie :: Boy Boy

Love this one off Lissy Trullie’s upcomingSelf Taught Learner release titled Boy Boy.

Big Hassle Media press release about Lissy:

Lissy Trullie’s story thus far has been a remarkable one for the young musician. In February 2009, after a year of building up a fan-base by playing gigs around New York, Trullie released the debut EP Self-Taught Learner on Brooklyn based indie label American Myth to critical acclaim. SPIN declared Lissy Trullie one of New York’s “finest new bands”, and Rolling Stone wrote “with a tomboy growl and Television-ish guitar hooks, her first EP brings enough attitude to put art stars in their place… The Girl can rock an after-after party.” Not one to sit around, Lissy Trullie hit the road to play dates across the US and Europe, including two national tours with The Virgins in the states. She also completed music videos for the songs “Boy Boy” (Directed by Cass Bird) and “Ready For The Floor” (Directed by Richard Kern), and made her late night TV debut on Last Call With Carson Daly earlier this summer.

The October 20th release of Self-Taught Learner on Downtown will have something new for fans, adding four previously unreleased tracks to the mix. The new songs include the original compositions “Don’t To Do”, “You Bleed You”, “Hold Your Head”, and a duet cover of Biz Markie’s “Just A Friend” recorded with Adam Green.

In the fall Lissy Trullie will begin work recording her full-length debut with producer Bernard Butler – scheduled for release on Downtown Records in early 2010. The Suede guitarist has worked with many artists including Duffy, Cut Off Your Hands, Black Kids, and Kate Nash among others. She and the band are also excited to be joining The Cribs and Adam Green for a UK tour this September. In October Lissy Trullie will play the 2009 CMJ Music Festival before heading to France for Festival Inrockuptibles.

Track Listing for Self-Taught Learner out on Downtown Records October 20th

01. Boy Boy
02. She Said
03. Self-Taught Learner
04. Money
05. Forget About it
06. Ready For The Floor
07. Don’t To Do (New Track)
08. Hold Your Head (New Track)
09. Just A Friend (Duet w/ Adam Green – Biz Markie Cover)
10. You Bleed You (Unreleased Demo)

Tour Dates
* = UK dates w/ The Cribs and Adam Green
# = Festival Inrockuptibles in France

SEPTEMBER
26 – Liverpool – Academy *
28 – Hull – University *
29 – Glasgow – Borrowlands *
30 – Newcastle – University *

OCTOBER
02 – Manchester – Apollo *
03 – Lincoln – Engine Shed *
04 – Leeds – Academy *
05 – London – ICA (Make Up Date for previously canceled gig)

Cotton Jones :: Gotta Cheer Up Now

Cotton Jones Fall Tour Dates:

9/26/2009 Los Angeles, CA Spaceland
9/27/2009 Phoenix, AZ Modified
9/30/2009 Oklahoma City, OK The Conservatory w/ Darker My Love
10/1/2009 Lubbock, TX Bash Riprock’s
10/2/2009 Dallas, TX Cavern Ale House w/ Wye Oak
10/3/2009 Austin, TX Austin City Limits Festival
10/5/2009 Memphis, TN Hi-Tone Cafe

For more information or to request an interview please contact Brooke Black at Big Hassle (brooke@bighassle.com, 212.619.1360) or Justin Spindler at Quite Scientific Records

The Sounds :: No One Sleeps When I’m Awake

Check out the new video from The Sounds “No One Sleeps When I’m Awake” and here’s the complete info from our friends at Big Hassle Media:

The Sounds are thrilled to announce a massive leg of their world tour that will see the band embarking on their largest headlining tour to date. The 75 plus date tour, which will begin September 11th in Quebec City, Canada, is in support of the band’s latest critically acclaimed album, CROSSING THE RUBICON and will see the Swedish quintet performing in several of North America’s most impressive venues such as The Greek Theatre in Los Angeles, Roseland Ballroom in New York, The Warfield in San Francisco and The Vic Theatre in Chicago. Already having completed an arena tour with Fall Out Boy in Europe and a 3-month US Amphitheatre tour with No Doubt, all in support of CROSSING, The Sounds are excited to be bringing their headlining show to fans everywhere. Support for the upcoming tour will include Foxy Shazam in North America and Matt and Kim in Europe, along with guest DJ’s.

Renowned for their intense and exuberant live shows, The Sounds have captivated fans around the world by playing more than 700 shows and have sold out major venues in over 25 countries worldwide. Praised for their “smart, perfectly calibrated indie electro” by Spin Magazine and their “chic new-wave synths, glittering hooks and pop-savvy beats” by Alternative Press, The Sounds ambition and irresistible songs have taken the band from playing small clubs in their hometown of Helsingborg to entertaining legions around the world.

Since the release of CROSSING THE RUBICON, The Sounds have captivated viewers on The Late Show with David Letterman, Last Call with Carson Daly and Sweden’s highest rated television shows Nyhetsmorgon and Popcirkus. The band’s MySpace page is quickly approaching 17 million visitors.

Tickets go on sale starting Saturday, August 8th.

www.the-sounds.com
www.myspace.com/thesounds

TOUR DATES (more to be announced shortly):

September 11th Downtown Quebec Quebec City, QUE
September 12th Metropolis Montreal, QUE
September 13th Phoenix Theatre Toronto, ONT
September 16th House of Blues Boston, MA
September 17th Roseland Ballroom New York, NY
September 19th TLA Philadelphia, PA
September 20th The Rams Head Baltimore, MD
September 21st 9:30 Club Washington, DC
September 22nd The Norva Norfolk, VA
September 25th HOB Myrtle Beach, SC
September 26th Variety Playhouse Atlanta, GA
September 27th Orange Peel Ashville, NC
September 29th Ritz Tampa, FL
September 30th Revolution Ft Lauderdale, FL
October 2nd HOB Orlando, FL
October 5th One Eyed Jacks New Orleans, LA
October 7th House of Blues Houston, TX
October 9th La Zona Rosa Austin, TX
October 10th White Rabbit San Antonio, TX
October 11th HOB Dallas, TX
October 12th Diamond Ballroom Oklahoma City, OK
October 14th Club 101 El Paso, TX
October 16th Marquee Tempe, AZ
October 20th Ventura Theatre Ventura, CA
October 21st Greek Theatre Los Angeles, CA
October 23rd HOB San Diego, CA
October 24th Warfield San Francisco, CA
October 26th Commodore Ball Vancouver, BC
October 27th Showbox Seattle, WA
October 28th Hawthorne Theatre Portland, OR
October 30th In The Venue Salt Lake City, UT
October 31st Ogden Theater Denver, CO
November 5th First Ave Minneapolis, MN
November 7th Vic Theatre Chicago, IL
November 17th Melkweg Amsterdam, NL
November 18th Sputnikhalle Munster, GER
November 19th Vera Gronningen, NL
November 20th VK Brussels, B
November 21st Ac 2 Birmingham, UK
November 22nd Oron Mor Glasgow, UK
November 23rd AC2 Manchester, UK
November 24th Electric Ballroom London, UK
November 25th Casino Noveau Paris, FR
November 27th Joy Eslava Madrid, SP
November 28th Apolo Barcelona, SP
November 30th Alte Bors Zurich, CH
December 1st Les Docks Lausanne, CH
December 2nd Rockhouse Salzburn, AT
December 3rd Arena Wien, AT
December 4th Backstage Werk Munchen, GER
December 5th Live Music Hall Cologne, GER
December 6th Reithalle Dresden, GER
December 8th Proxima Warsaw PL
December 9th Eskulap Poznan, PL
December 10th Postbahnhof Berlin, GER
December 11th Uebel&Gefearlich Hamburn, GER
December 12th KB Malmo, GER
December 13th Vega Copenhagen, DK
December 15th Klubi Turka, SF
December 16th Pakkahoune Tempere, SF
December 17th Teatria Oulu, SF
December 18th Rytmikorjaamo Seinajoki, SF
December 19th Cable Factory Helsinki, SF

For more information, please contact Steven Trachtenbroit or Amy Yakuboff at Big Hassle Media
212.619.1360 steven@bighassle.com amy@bighassle.com

Kitty, Daisy & Lewis :: “Going Up The Country”

Kitty, Daisy & Lewis are very excited to make their US TV debut on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon (TONIGHT!) on August 12th, just one day after the digital release of their self-titled album. Set for an August 25th retail release via DH Records / Mercer Street Records, this international critically acclaimed debut has been catching the attention of many including Chris Martin of Coldplay who requested the trio’s company on the band’s North American summer tour. In addition to praise by Filter Magazine, The Los Angeles Times, Paste, USA Today, Extra! TV and others, fans around the world are championing this multi-instrumental family band as their MySpace page quickly approaches 1 million visitors.

“Kitty, Daisy & Lewis” was cut in the siblings’ custom built studio using original 40s and 50s recording equipment, completely digital-free, and swings with the passion, intensity and sheer exuberant joie de vivre that has made their live performances one of the most talked about shows within the UK and European gig and festival circuit.

(Vintage Track) Ani DiFranco :: School Night

One of my favorite, underrated Ani D. songs.  She doesn’t get enough love from the music world.

The Swell Season :: Low Rising

The Swell Season, the Oscar-winning duo of Frames frontman Glen Hansard and Czech ingénue Marketa Irglova, are putting the finishing touches on ‘Strict Joy,’ (Sept 29/Anti- Records), the follow-up to their beloved, surprise hit 2007 film and gold-certified soundtrack ‘Once.’ The twelve new, original songs on ‘Strict Joy’ were recorded last year mostly at Tarquin Studios in Bridgeport, CT.

Click on Low Rising to watch a live performance on Live From Austin City Limits.

‘STRICT JOY’ TRACK LISTING
1. Low Rising
2. Feeling the Pull
3. In These Arms
4. The Rain
5. Fantasy Man
6. Paper Cup
7. High Horses
8. The Verb
9. I Have Loved You Wrong
10. Love That Conquers
11. Two Tongues
12. Back Broke

Craig Ferguson :: The Deification of Youth Rant

Truer words may never have been spoken on late night tv. Amen.

Emmy the Great :: First Love

Question:

How great is Emmy the Great?

Answer:

Pretty fucking great.

Emmy (AKA Emma-Lee Moss) is one of the best new artists anywhere.  Her first cd First Love is available now and she has a new EP Edward out August 4.  Enjoy and buy.

School of Seven Bells :: Half Asleep ::

Check out the dreamy harmonies created by the duo of Alejandra Deheza and Claudia Deheze (AKA School of Seven Bells). They make music that’s nice to get lost in, and they are definitely on my list of bands to track. Check out their Alpinisms album…it’s what I was hoping the 3rd Porthishead disk would be.

(Vintage Track) Sufjan Stevens :: The Predatory Wasp of the Palisades is Out

In a mellow, retrospective mood in my isolated pod.

Hope Sandoval :: Blanchard

I love Hope Sandoval’s sleepy voice.  She has a new cd with the Warm Inventions coming out September 15th and supposedly a new Mazzy Star cd is in the pipeline.  Crank it up and get sleepy.

Also, enjoy a vintage clip of one of my favorite Mazzy Star songs Halah.

Terra Naomi :: “You For Me”

Terra Naomi – You For Me

Click for more info on Terra Naomi.