new releases to look out for:
THE FALLEN BY WATCH BIRD - JANE WEAVER SEPTIEME SOEUR- B-MUSIC
Taking influences from Eastern European children's cinema, Germanic kunstmärchen, 70's television music and early murmurs of 80's synth-pop The Fallen By Watch Bird is a new conceptual pop project featuring seven chapters of cosmic aquatic folklore by songwriter Jane Weaver ( Misty Dixon / Bird Records / B-Music). Combining the sonic sisterhood of seven other musical actresses drawn from the past forty years of soft rock and femme-folk history under the collective moniker "Septieme Soeur" the new LP features rare appearances from: Wendy & Bonnie (harmonic creators of 60's soft psych teen-pop rarity Genesis), Lisa Jen (starry eyed Welsh language Volk singer and female voice of Gruff Rhys's Candylion), Susan Christie (1969 Philadelphian top-ten pop starlet whose lost acoustic pop recordings were eventually released by Finders Keepers in 2006) alongside traditional Bosnian singer Behar and members of Misty Dixon.
ABSOLUTE BELTER - V/A -B-MUSIC
Finders Keepers has been key in digging up some great gems from all over the European psych scene in the last few years and after unearthing some Hungairian Funk and French Prog they've taken to shedding a bit of light on Spanish label Belter with its mix of psych and 60's standard covers and Spanish rock originals. By far the best of the bunch recontextualize British and American classics in a new rhythmic light, adding a touch of the Spanish heritage to their well-worn choruses. More than just a few nuggets, this collections is a panoramic view of the Belter era in Spanish pop music and judging from the pieces represented here it was an explosive time. Add another Finders Keepers release to your list of essentials and stack your next mixtape with a few of these gems.
PHOSPHORESCENT - HERE'S TO TAKING IT EASY - DEAD OCEANS
Phosphorescent's latest record, Here's to Taking It Easy-- with a full recording band in tow-- is by far the most conventional music he's ever made. Luckily, Houck and his cohorts compensate for a dip in idiosyncrasy by inhabiting the tropes of beer-soaked, sun-baked country-rock with fullness, commitment, and chops, all while finding enough room for Phosphorescent's trademark ragged lonesomeness. 8.2 http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/14220-heres-to-taking-it-easy
NIGERIA SPECIAL VOLUME 2 - V/A - SOUNDWAY
The range of styles vary from highlife to Juju and Nigerian blues in the languages of Yoruba, Igbo, Bini and Ijaw. With a peppering of ‘afro’ experimentation the same musical stew pervades volume 2 as it’s predecessor – some artists appear again alongside some new artists as the emphasis continues to focus on the laid back and mid tempo feel found on volume 1.
TWINKRANES - SPEKTRUM THEATRE SNAKES- B-MUSIC
Krautrock, but with less beards and more dancing..put this incredible album on and, from the first second of opener ‘High Tekk Train Wreck’ everyone – regardless of musical persuasion – sits up and asks, “What the hell is that?” The answer is that it’s a fantastically unhinged mix of speeded-up krautrock rhythms, dirty drones and wonky synthesizers, which is at once weird and danceable and very pop; as a case in point, ‘The Charmer’ sounds like Britney Spears’ ‘Womanizer’ as played by New York experi-mental duo Silver Apples. NME
POLAR BEAR - PEEPERS - LEAF
A raw, live-in-the-room sound, with elliptical nods to James 'Blood' Ulmer, Tortoise and the free-jazz cosmos along the way... It's jazz shorn of the cliché that demands to be taken on its pigeonhole rebuffing merits. **** MOJO
The group that flung wide the jazz club windows and let fresh air into a scene mired in cliche and rear-view mirror gazing... Rochford's drums are as characterful as ever, with that sexy groove supplied as standard. The Wire
DISAPPEARS -LUX- KRANKY
Every spin of Lux is a battle between the reduced and the irreducible. On the one hand, this album is total record-collector rock. If each song doesn’t prompt you to think of another record in your collection, or at least another song — Suicide, Fun House, The Clean’s Compilation, The Days Of Wine and Roses, Evol, “Trem Two,” “Respect Yourself” — then you really need to get yourself a better record collection. http://www.dustedmagazine.com/reviews/5646
may/june/july tour dates:
CITAY
5/27 Seattle WA The Vera Project
5/28 Portland OR Mississippi Studios
5/29 Vancouver BC Biltmore Cabaret
5/30 Olympia WA The Northern
5/31 Eureka CA Labor Day - Nocturnum
6/03 San Francisco CA Cafe Du Nord
6/04 Santa Cruz CA Crepe Place
6/18 Los Angeles CA Spaceland
DAVID KARSTEN DANIELS
7/8 Richmond VA The Camel
7/9 Chapel Hill NC Local 506
7/12 New York NY Le Poisson Rogue
ELUVIUM
5/17 DC9, Washington, DC w/ Julianna Barwick
5/19 (Le) Poisson Rouge, New York, NY w/ Julianna Barwick
5/20 Great Scott, Allston, MA w/ Julianna Barwick
5/21 Casa del Popolo, Montreal, QC w/ Julianna Barwick
5/22 The Drake, Toronto, ON w/ Julianna Barwick
5/24 Schuba's, Chicago, IL w/ Julianna Barwick
5/ 25 Big Car Gallery, Indianapolis, IN
5/ 26 21c Museum Hotel, Louisville, KY
5/28 Jackpot Saloon, Lawrence, KS
5/30 Larimer Lounge, Denver, CO
5/ 31 Kilby Court, Salt Lake City, UT
MONO
5/17 Waiting Room, Omaha, NE w/ The Twilight Sad
5/ 18 Vaudeville Mews, Des Moines, IA w/ The Twilight Sad
5/ 19 Triple Rock Social Club, Minneapolis, MN w/ The Twilight Sad
5/ 20 High Noon Saloon, Madison, WI w/ The Twilight Sad
5/ 21 Turner Hall Ballroom, Milwaukee, WI w/ The Twilight Sad
5/ 22 Lincoln Hall, Chicago, IL w/ The Twilight Sad
5/23 Magic Stick, Detroit, MI w/ The Twilight Sad
5/24 Grog Shop, Cleveland, OH w/ The Twilight Sad
5/ 25 Brillobox, Pittsburgh, PA w/ The Twilight Sad
5/26 Lee's Palace, Toronto, ON w/ The Twilight Sad
5/ 27 La Sala Rossa, Montreal, QC w/ The Twilight Sad
5/ 28 Middle East Downstairs, Boston, MA w/ The Twilight Sad
5/29 Daniel Street, Milford, CT w/ The Twilight Sad
5/30 Bowery Ballroom, New York, NY w/ The Twilight Sad
6/1 First Unitarian Church, Philadelphia, PA w/ The Twilight Sad
6/ 2 9:30 Club, Washington, DC w/ The Twilight Sad
6/4 North State Sound, Durham, NC w/ The Twilight Sad
6/ 5 Masquerade (Hell Stage), Atlanta, GA w/ The Twilight Sad
6/ 6 Exit In, Nashville, TN w/ The Twilight Sad
6/7 Hi-Tone Cafe, Memphis, TN w/ The Twilight Sad
6/8 Revolution Music Room, Little Rock, AR w/ The Twilight Sad
6/9 Spanish Moon, Baton Rouge, LA w/ The Twilight Sad
6/ 10 Rudyard's British Pub, Houston, TX w/ The Twilight Sad
SILJE NES
6/12 92Y Tribeca New York NY
6/13 Littlefields Brooklyn NY
6/15 Space Gallery Portland ME
6/17 Suoni Il Popolo Festival @ Casa del Popolo Montreal QC
6/18 NXNE Festival @ Whippersnapper Gallery Toronto ON
6/20 Magic Stick Detroit MI
6/23 Gates of Heaven Synagogue Madison WI
6/24 Cedar Saloon MInneapolis MN
6/26 The Aquarium Fargo ND
6/30 Neurolux Boise, ID
7/1 The Badlander Missoula MT
7/2 Sled Island Festival Calgary AL
7/4 Railway Club Vancouver BC
7/5 Doug Fir Lounge Portland OR
7/6 High Dive Seattle WA
7/7 Northern Olympia WA
7/11 Spaceland Los Angeles CA
7/12 Solar Culture Tucson AZ
7/14 Larimer Lounge Denver CO
7/15 Jack Pot Saloon Lawrence KS
7/17 Al’s Lexington KY
7/18 The Rocket Club Asheville NC
7/21 Joe’s Pub New York NY
WHITE HINTERLAND
6/11 New York NY 92Y Tribeca
6/16 Portland ME Space Gallery
