The times in which we live are confusing, chaotic and complex, but the things that have always been important in life are still important, and those are the subjects Joshua Radin addresses on his second album, ‘Simple Times’.

These songs, he says, are about “falling in and out of love. Making friendships, having friendships fall apart. Experiencing different parts of the world, seeing other cultures and getting a better perspective on how we live in our country. Everything that people generally go through.”

The means he employs to deliver those ideas to the world is also pretty simple: He picks up a guitar and sings his heart out.

“It’s a personal account of my life through music,” says Cleveland-born Radin. “They’re all true and honest songs. When I meet people after shows, sometimes they think they know me because of a certain song—and in a sense they do, because I write about what’s going on in my life. It is scary making yourself vulnerable like that to a bunch of people you don’t know, but it’s also very therapeutic.”

“I was always trying to find some medium to express myself,” says Radin, who had previously studied art and spent six years writing screenplays. “When I started writing songs, I thought, ‘This is as honest as I can be: getting onstage with my guitar and my voice and singing for people.’”

Download “I’d Rather Be With You” MP3

Radin proved an extraordinarily quick study. A friend gave a demo featuring his very first composition, “Winter,” to a TV producer—who promptly used it to score a scene of the sitcom Scrubs in early 2004. Other Hollywood types found his music just as evocative, and soon various Radin songs were being heard in other TV shows (Grey’s Anatomy, Brothers and Sisters, American Idol, One Tree Hill, So You Think You Can Dance, Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip, Eli Stone), as well as movies (The Nanny Diaries, The Last Kiss, Catch and Release) and ads.

Having captured the public’s attention, Radin set about keeping it with the release of his debut album in 2006. ‘We Were Here’ drew critical acclaim and passionate listener response, establishing him as an artist in the tradition of greats like Nick Drake and Elliott Smith—confessional folk-pop craftsmen who could say more with a whisper than most can with a scream.

Still, ‘We Were Here’ presented the first batch of songs Radin ever wrote. ‘Simple Times’ is drawn from a much deeper well. “These last two years I spent writing and writing and writing,” he says. “I did feel this pressure on myself to top the first record.”

To help him do that, Radin enlisted highly regarded producer Rob Schnapf (Elliott Smith, Beck). “I still wanted to keep an intimate sound, but I also knew I had to grow as an artist,” Radin says. “So I opened myself up to Rob’s production, and he had a lot of great ideas. We both had a really clear vision of what we wanted.”

Radin spent seven weeks at L.A.’s legendary Sunset Sound studio working with a cast of musicians including Patty Griffin, who dropped in to sing the exquisite harmony on “You Got Growin’ Up to Do.”

The completed ‘Simple Times’ offers the next step in the evolution of an artist whose talent is flourishing, whose skills have grown and whose vision is broader than ever before.

“I feel like right about now I’m starting to hit my stride, which is cool,” he says. “With this record I feel like I can come out and say, ‘OK, I’m a fully formed artist now.” I just hope that other people like it as much as I like it.”

Track Listing - Digital Release 9.9.08; In Stores 9.30.08

1) One of Those Days
2) I’d Rather Be With You
3) Sky
4) Friend Like You
5) Brand New Day
6) They Bring Me To You
7) Vegetable Car
(8) Free Of Me
9) You Got Growin Up To Do
10) We Are Okay
11) No Envy No Fear

MySpace

Joshua Radin Official Website

Colin MacIntyre will release the new single “Famous For Being Famous” on September 22nd, 2008 through his own Future Gods Recordings label. The single is taken from his current album release ‘The Water’ that has already won universal critical acclaim. Following on from his Edge Festival appearance in Edinburgh, MacIntyre also confirms UK tour dates for end September, including a return to King Tuts Wah Wah Hut in Glasgow (Sept 20th) & Liverpool’s ‘On Song Festival’ (Sept 21st).

SEPT 08 DATES: full details: www.colinmacintyre.com

Produced by Lemon Jelly’s Nick Franglen, “Famous For Being Famous” combines a satirical take on celebrity culture set to an infectious power pop soundtrack. The single is one of the finest moments of ‘The Water’, an eclectic set that includes the sea shanty style title track, the sinister persona of “Stalker” and a very special spoken word guest appearance by Tony Benn on closing track “Pay Attention To The Human”. Benn’s book of diary entries, ‘More Time For Politics: Diaries 2001-2007′, includes a mention of the two’s initial meeting.

Album opener, “You’re A Star” has been confirmed as the title track for Trainspotting author Irvine Welsh’s new ITV mockumentary film, “The Good Arrows”, for Jan 09, which will also feature Colin.

The previously unreleased tracks on the single’s download release will be “You & Me Ground Zero” and “When Losers Become Friends”.

‘The Water’ is the first album to be released under MacIntyre’s own name having dropped the Mull Historical Society pseudonym following three critically acclaimed sets; 2001’s ‘Loss’, 2003’s ‘Us’ and 2004’s ‘This is Hope’. MacIntyre will also launch a series of exclusive downloads of ‘The Water’ tracks in conjunction with a number of leading websites.

His official website will also host two exclusive free download tracks in the shape of a cover of The Strokes’ “Last Nite”, and “It Seems”, his previously lost Mull Historical Society track from the ‘Loss’ album sessions. As well as exclusive illustrations for download from ‘The Water’ designer, Jo Burton.

Watch “Be My Saviour” video

“Oozes with venom. A reinvigorated peace, ‘The Water’ is refreshingly cool and deep” - Clash Magazine

“Sharp riffs… pop perfection” - The Guardian

“From sea shanty to power pop. Tremendous.” - The Herald

“Ebullient and exultant” - The Independent

“Rip-roaring pop perfection” - The Mirror

“An accomplished and expansive affair” - News of the World

“His fourth album is blessed with the genetics of such a beautiful, tranquil place woven into it” - NME

Colin MacIntyre - The Water on amazon.co.uk

Colin MacIntyre MySpace
Colin MacIntyre Official Website

Building on the success of ‘The Edge of the 80s’ earlier this year, it seemed only right and proper to continue the series. The logical next release is ‘The Edge of the 70s’, serving up 3CDs of classic tracks from the late 70s as well as some more obscure gems, and tracks that have never been on CD before.

The late 1970s are known for the rise in computers; the start of big things for the likes of Apple and Microsoft, the emergence of directors like Steven Spielberg and George Lucas and the shift in music away from the more overblown progressive rock towards the experimental New Wave sound.

‘The Edge Of The 70s’ is not ‘just another 70s album’. It’s for the discerning music fan, or anyone with a keen interest in the late 70s, an era that has inspired many of today’s artists such as Kings Of Leon, Babyshambles and Interpol to name just a few.

This eclectic 3CD collection includes British rock legends Cure with “Boys Don’t Cry”, moving into living legend Patti Smith “Because The Night”, and the iconic Blondie “I’m Always Touched By Your Prescence Dear”.

The album gets even better with superstar David Bowie’s “Sounds & Vision”, Kate Bush with “Wow”, B52’s “Rock Lobster”, Gary Numan’s “Complex” and ending with Joe Jackson “Is She Really Going Out With Him”.

‘The Edge Of The Seventies’ is scheduled for release 22nd September, 2008 on Sony BMG.

Tracklist

(Information subject to change - TBC)

CD1

1. David Bowie - Sound & Vision
2. Blondie - Always Touched By Your Prescence
3. Martha & The Muffins - Echo Beach
4. Patti Smith - Because The Night
5. B-52s - Rock Lobster
6. Rezillos - Top Of The Pops
7. Undertones - Teenage Kicks
8. Jonathan Richman - Roadrunner
9. Ian Dury - Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick
10. Lene Lovich - Lucky Number
11. Toyah - Ieya
12. Boomtown Rats - Rat Trap
13. Jam - Strange Town
14. Secret Affair - Time For Action
15. The Beat - Mirror In The Bathroom
16. The Adverts - Gary Gilmore’s Eyes
17. Ruts - Babylon’s Burning
18. Members - Sound Of The Suburbs
19. Buzzcocks - Promises

CD 2

1. Bauhaus - Bela Lugosi’s Dead
2. X-Ray Spex - Germfree Adolescents
3. Siouxsie & The Banshees - Playground Twist
4. Cure - Boys Don’t Cry
5. Joy Division - Transmission
6. Public Image Ltd - Death Disco
7. Gary Numan - Complex
8. Iggy Pop - Nightclubbin
9. Human League - Being Boiled
10. Japan - European Son
11. Telex - Rock Around The Clock
12. John Foxx - Underpass
13. Giorgio Moroder - From Here To Eternity
14. Yellow Magic Orchestra - Computer
15. New Musik - Straight Lines
16. Fad Gadget - Back To Nature
17. Ultravox - Rockwrok
18. Psychedelic Furs - Sister Europe

CD 3

1. Ramones - Baby I Love You
2. Kate Bush - Wow
3. Marianne Faithfull - Broken English
4. Nick Lowe - I Love The Sound Of Breaking Glass
5. Cars - My Best Friends’ Girl
6. Pretenders - Kid
7. Mink DeVille - Spanish Stroll
8. M - Pop Muzik
9. Quantum Jump- Lone Ranger
10. Regents - 7Teen
11. Jilted John - Jilted John
12. Flying Lizards - Money
13. Adam & The Ants - Cartrouble
14. Tourists - I Only Want To Be With You
15. XTC - Making Plans For Nigel
16. Joe Jackson - Is She Really Going Out With Him?
17. Squeeze - Up The Junction
18. Only Ones - Another Girl Another Planet
19. John Cooper Clarke - Gimmix Play Loud

The Edge of the Seventies on amazon.co.uk

There can’t be many musicians who can claim a Grammy-award winning producer like Giles Martin has worked on their bedroom-made album recorded on a beaten up old Mac. But then, multi-instrumentalist Henrik Irgens isn’t like most bedroom musicians.

A native-Dane living in London, Henrik is an in-demand session musician, having worked with a diverse roster of artists from Vanessa Carlton and Rooster to Morcheeba, BodyRockers and Grammy-nominated songwriter Kim Richey. He even played in Sir George Martin’s band when the Beatles* legend was inducted into the Hall Of Fame in 2006, and has continued to work with his son Giles.

Currently a member of major-label act Jamie Scott and The Town, he also plays bass in Steve Lamacq’s original cult Punk Rock Karaoke band.

Putting his session work to one side and working solo on his own terms and in his own time, Henrik has made ‘Faction’; an emotive, melodic and evocative album. With hints of Sigur Ros, early Bright Eyes and even David Sylvian and Elliot Smith, Faction is a synergy of musical conversations, scenery and snapshots. “Hopefully the album is a bit like a soundtrack,” says Henrik, “to be used as wallpaper or as an ingredient in your environment.” Paraphrasing ambient uber-producer Eno, he says, “It’s discreet music and I encourage people to listen to it at low volumes.”

Watch “This Time” video:

Made over a two-year period using any instruments and equipment Henrik could lay his hands on, ‘Faction’ is an accomplished piece of work borne from instinct and intention. “It’s a conceived sound, made using the tools I had - a Farfisa keyboard, a Korg synth, a crappy mic and Garageband on my trusty old Mac. All the songs started as demos… I don’t even remember writing some of them - they just sort of evolved.” Henrik continues, “I recorded it in my bedroom, but other people have helped out.” Contributors to the album include Paul Winter-Hart of Kula Shaker/Aqualung on drums, Canadian musician Tim Phillips (aka Cathead), Danish rock royalty Tim Christensen and Icelandic vocalist Thorunn Antonia Magnusdottir of Fields.

Reflecting on the 10 songs that make up ‘Faction’, Henrik says, “I think the album takes you somewhere and creates an emotional response. It’s not technical music - the recordings are lo-fi and raw - but it’s textural and because of that, the album works as a single piece.”

*Bizarre fact: Henrik was once cast as a Shea Stadium John Lennon in an M&Ms TV ad! He has also doubled for David Tennant in “Harry Potter And The Goblet Of Fire”, made a brief appearance in “Run, Fat Boy, Run” and was an extra in “Extras”.

*Henrik also played bass on the late Matthew Jay album ‘Further Than Tomorrow’, which was recorded from demos that he’d put down for his second album before his untimely death in 2003.

The debut single “This Time” will be released on 22nd September, 2008 with accompanying remixes and promotional video.

The album ‘Faction’ will be released on digipak CD and digital formats on 20th October, 2008. The first CD pressing of ‘Faction’ contains two exclusive bonus tracks not available for download.

MySpace

Henrik Official Website

Longwave are set to release their fourth full-length album, ‘Secrets Are Sinister’, November 11, 2008 on Original Signal Recordings.

The follow-up to 2005’s ‘There’s A Fire’ (RCA), the new album was recorded predominantly by the band in their Brooklyn studio and with the help of producer Peter Katis (The National, Tokyo Police Club, Interpol) at his Connecticut studio.

‘Secrets Are Sinister’ expands on the band’s trademark sound: atmospheric, arena-sized guitars still build to an epic swell while the band’s penchant for dreamy landscapes now gives way to an equally dynamic but louder, noisier, and more driving sensibility.

Hailed in the past by magazines ranging from Rolling Stone to Nylon to Alternative Press, Longwave returns with their most varied and accomplished work to date, from the shimmering “Sirens In The Deep Sea” to the thundering, Dave Fridmann (The Flaming Lips, MGMT, Sleater-Kinney)-produced “Life Is Wrong” to the hopeful title track.

Longwave just headlined a free show in their hometown of Brooklyn, NY on August 15th at the Music Hall of Williamsburg. Presented by the blog coalition After The Jump, the show was the official after party for the Albert Hammond, Jr. and Regina Spektor concert at McCarren Park Pool.

Track listing for ‘Secrets Are Sinister’:

1. Sirens In The Deep Sea
2. No Direction
3. Satellites
4. The Devil & The Liar
5. Life Is Wrong
6. Eyes Like Headlights
7. I Don’t Dare
8. It’s True
9. Shining Hours
10. Secrets Are Sinister

Longwave are: Steve Schiltz (vocals/guitar), Shannon Ferguson (guitar), Jason Molina (drums), and Morgan King (bass).

MySpace

Longwave Official Website

‘Planet Zebidee’ is a soundtrack to an alien planet; the inspiration for this came from the latest discoveries in astronomy. In 1996 astronomers found the first planet outside our solar system, since then several hundred have been discovered. Techniques are improving all the time and soon it should be possible to detect signs of life on planets many light years away.

‘Planet Zebidee’ is the debut album from electronica wizard ‘Zebidee’, real name Mike Nicholls, a session musician who has been working in the industry for twenty years on West End shows, teaching the new breed of musicians at London’s Academy of Contemporary Music and touring with rock n roll legends including Joe Brown.

Heavily influenced by science fiction, and by the amazing discoveries of extrasolar planets, Zebidee’s music will transport you to an exotic alien landscape that reverberates with chilled beats, sublime melodies, and rich textures. With influences as far reaching as ambient drum and bass, acid jazz and funk, Zebidee is world music from another world.

The album tells the story of an unnamed explorer’s journey to the mythical planet, starting with the screaming synths of the opening track, “Descent”, to the sitars and Tibetan monks’ chants of “Radio Hawk”, through to the drum and bass rollercoaster of “Beasts” and the porno funk of “Eat My Genes”, Zebidee takes the listener on a unique journey to an alien world.

Now available on Proton Records.

The story of Planet Zebidee

Compared with Earth, Zebidee was a late bloomer. Orbiting its parent star on the outer edge of the goldilocks zone for billions of years, life never evolved beyond microbial organisms deep in the icy oceans, taking sustenance from the planet’s internal heat.

As the millennia passed, Zebidee’s sun warmed and expanded, ushering in a new age. Life soon swarmed through the oceans, eventually taking to the land and the air. In time an ecosystem developed to rival that of earth.

At the time this story begins, Zebidee is a complex and beautiful place. Swathes of clouds trap the energy of its pink sun, now grown warmer with age. Orbiting the planet is a human artefact, an interstellar probe. Sleeping through the hundred-year journey from earth it now awakes. Artificial, but modelled on human intelligence. A single consciousness controlling bodies equipped for flying, roving the landscape and cruising the oceans. Robotic eyes open and survey the pink misty ball floating in the blackness. The artificial mind is sophisticated enough to feel exhilaration, fascination, and something akin to fear. The time has come.

To hear previews of the album, and for more information on extra solar planets and astrobiology go to:

Planet Zebidee Official Website

Malibu twosome Shwayze hit the road in support of their eponymous debut, in stores now.

Their headlining tour with opener Tyga commences September 16th, 2008 and runs though October 11th.

A melting pot of laid-back melodies, hip-hop rhythms and acoustic guitars, Shwayze pays homage to the all-day-and-into-the-night party. Collaborating with 23 year-old Shwayze is Cisco Adler, who co-wrote, produced and lent backing vocals to all the songs on the album.

With over one million plays on MySpace and one million plus views on YouTube, “Buzzin’” and “Corona and Lime” are climbing the charts. “Corona and Lime” debuted at #8 on TRL.

The album marries Cisco’s roots-rock acoustic guitar with Shwayze’s laid back delivery. Says the rapper, “it’s California chill, West Coast stoner music.” “Don’t Be Shy” is about Malibu being an endless summer. It’s about waiting for the sun and kicking it at the beach.

New York Newsday calls “Buzzin,’” “a slice of SoCal hip-hop so laid back, it almost sounds baked in the summer sun.”

MTV Buzzin’ Reality Show airs through September 10th, 2008.

Shwayze 2008 tour dates:

(Dates and information subject to change.)

09/16 Blush Las Vegas, NV
09/17 The Grove Anaheim, CA
09/18 Venue of Scottsdale Scottsdale, AZ
09/19 Rialto Theatre Tucson, AZ
09/21 Bluebird Theatre Denver, CO
09/22 Buffalo County Fairgrounds Kearney, NE
09/23 Cains Ballroom Oklahoma City, OK
09/24 Graham Central Stations St. Angelo, TX
09/25 El Ray Theatre McCallen, TX
09/26 Ghost Bar Dallas, TX
09/27 Riches Houston, TX
09/29 Vicci San Antonio, TX
10/05 Toad’s Place Richmond, VA
10/06 Norva Norfolk, VA
10/07 Crazy Donkey Farmingdale, NY
10/08 Blender Theatre at Gramercy New York, NY
10/09 The Stone Pony Asbury Park, NJ
10/10 The Fountains Delmar, MD
10/11 Santa Fe Café College Park, MD

Shwayze Official Website

When John Legend first introduced us to “Green Light”, the first single off of his upcoming album, we couldn’t be happier. John Legend? Andre 3000? Nuff said.

Now the five-time Grammy winner and multi-platinum selling singer has teamed up with remix maestros MSTRKRFT to bring you a track that will coast you through the rest of the summer with a smile on your face. You can get your free copy on MSTRKRFT’s Myspace profile.

New Album On The Way

John Legend is gearing up to release his highly anticipated third album, ‘Evolver’, in October 2008 with a US tour to begin at the end of the year.

‘Evolver’, John’s third album, is sure to turn heads. It shows a whole new side of John Legend - a side that has already got people talking. More details to come…

For more information on John Legend, please visit:

MySpace
John Legend Official Website

Pictured: Raine Maida

This years American Idol winner, David Cook, actually came to the competition having an idol of his own.

That idol is Raine Maida, lead singer of Our Lady Peace and well know activist.

Following David’s triumph on American Idol, Cook reached out to Raine for a meeting and instantly things clicked. “The songs that we wrote were, in my opinion, some of the strongest that we’ve done for this record,” said David.

The writing session went so well that Raine and David are planing to write again very soon to generate a few new key tracks for Cook’s upcoming album.

Raine Maida Press:

“Best described as a poetry slam backed by hip-hop beats and acoustic instruments, the set defies any hopes at categorization… Food for thought and a banquet for the ears, this set’s atmospheres linger long after the final notes sound.” — Jo-Ann Greene, ALL MUSIC (7/24/08)

Highlights

- Raine is heavily involved with charities and organizations such as War Child, Apathy Is Boring, Democracy Now, Make Poverty History, Dignitas International.

- Best known for his gig fronting iconic Canadian rock band Our Lady Peace.

- Eschewing the usual big budget video, Raine, a long time supporter of War Child teamed up with the organization to create a low budget mini-documentary for “Yellow Brick Road” that had him hitting the streets of Toronto, busking to raise $30,000 to help rebuild a school in Congo.

Watch Raine’s uplifting video for “Yellow Brick Road”:

Listen to Raine’s album streamer

Streaming link for “Sex, Love, And Honey”
Streaming link for “Yellow Brick Road”

Raine Maida MySpace
Raine Maida Official Website

Los Angeles based Uh Huh Her is a dynamic pairing of female starlets, Leisha Hailey (Showtime’s The L Word fame) and Camila Grey (Dr. Dre, Tricky, Kelly Osbourne).

The band formed in 2006, releasing the ‘I See Red’ EP with Producer Al Clay (Blur, The Pixies, Pink) and quickly re-grouped with the same cast for their new full length follow up, ‘Common Reaction’.

The band recently finished up a sold out club tour and are in the works of finalizing a fall tour to support the release of ‘Common Reaction’.

The first single, “Not A Love Song,” is a super catchy track, showcasing the attitude and direction of the album.

Uh Huh Her recently shot a video for first single, “Not A Love Song,” highlighting the girls amazing sense of style, art, and edge.

Watch “Not A Love Song” video:

Mixing and matching acts like Metric, Tegan & Sara, and Katy Perry then blending it with straight eye candy and glam, Uh Huh Her is the perfect Summer refreshment!

Listen to “Explode” - streams:

MOV
RAM
ASX

Track: “Not A Love Song” - imeem Player

Uh Huh Her - Music
MySpace
Uh Huh Her Official Website

If you’ve been following the hit MTV reality series Run’s House starring Reverend Run (of Run-DMC), then you already know about the hip-hop trio Team Blackout.

Team Blackout consists of Rev Run’s teenage son JoJo Simmons and his childhood friends Zach, and Reggie. The Queens / Long Island natives have been rhyming together since the 7th grade, but it wasn’t until the 2003 New York City Blackout that JoJo, Zach and Reggie decided to officially unite and form Team Blackout - hence the name.

Since then, they’ve been honing their craft, in the studio, on stage and even on TV. For the past four-years, millions of Run’s House fans have watched Team Blackout develop, on-air, into a full-fledged group to look out for. In 2007, they landed their first record deal with NY / LA based indie label Latchkey Recordings (distributed via Koch Entertainment).

Team Blackout immediately hit the studio to record their debut album, ‘Lights Out’, in stores 8/19/2008. ‘Lights Out’ was produced entirely by upcoming production duo Chris n Teeb (Danity Kane, Salt N Pepa), Grammy award winning producer Rockwilder and Ron Browz. Rev Run serves as the LP’s executive producer.

Lyrically, ‘Lights Out’ is fun and carefree, bringing back a feel good vibe that’s been missing in today’s hip-hop music. Sonically, Chris n Teeb, Rockwilder and Ron Browz deliver a heavy dose of slick, futuristic sounds - perfect for the radio and clubs. JoJo Simmons states “we’ve got hot music, so it’s gonna be hard for people to say we only got a break just because I’m Reverend Run’s son. People are gonna be surprised.”

Season 5 of MTV’s Run’s House is in full effect, featuring more of Team Blackout’s steady rise in the music biz. Keep an eye open for Team Blackout’s upcoming video for “Billion Dollar Boyfriend” and be sure to check out their internet buzz video “J5 On ‘Em”, produced by Ron Browz (Nas, G-Unit), featuring DJ Webstar and Boogie Black.

Watch J5 On ‘Em video:

Fans of Run’s House loved the J5 dance from season four and continually sent messages asking for more, so Team Blackout hit them with a summer dance anthem for the kids.

With Team Blackout’s drive and Rev Run as mentor, JoJo, Zach & Reggie have a bright future ahead. But in the meantime, get ready for them to put your lights out this summer.

For More Information please visit:

Team Blackout Official Website
Team Blackout MySpace

Three years after she began to appear on the public’s radar with her self-titled debut EP and full-length album ‘Happenstance’, Rachael Yamagata will release A Record in Two Parts: Elephants…Teeth Sinking Into Heart through Warner Bros. Records on October 7, 2008.

“I didn’t set out to make a two part album,” Yamagata says. “We just followed the songs’ lyrical lead and built them up with textures and sounds that served the story. The beautiful ones were darker and worked with lush arrangements. We used the sounds of rain, tree branches falling on the roof — whatever kept the mood true to this haunted studio in the first stormy days of spring. The second part became more anthemic, like a reclaiming of personal power. There’s something raw about it. To me it sounds weathered, but not broken or cynical.”

Watch Album Preview:

Taken together, the two halves present a complete timeline of the emotions that revolve around complicated relationships and the accompanying fallout. “Elephants is much more intimate,” Yamagata says. “It’s about being willing to take a risk even if it’s not going to end up well. Teeth is like rediscovering your backbone after you’ve gone through the loss.

Stream:

Listen to “Elephants” from ‘Elephants’

ELEPHANTS - TRACK LISTING

1) Elephants
2) What If I Leave
3) Little Life
4) Sunday Afternoon
5) Elephants Instrumental
6) Duet
7) Over and Over
(8) Brown Eyes
9) Horizon

Stream:

Listen to “Sidedish Friend” From ‘Teeth Sinking Into Heart’

TEETH SINKING INTO HEART - TRACK LISTING

1) Sidedish Friend
2) Accident
3) Faster
4) Pause The Tragic Ending
5) Don’t

Rachael Yamagata 2008 tour dates:

(Dates and information subject to change.)

September 20 - Asbury Park, NJ - The Wonder Bar
September 21 - Pittsburgh, PA - Diesel
September 22 - Washington DC - Birchmere
September 24 - Philadelphia - Johnny Brenda’s
September 25 - New York, NY - Joe’s Pub (two shows that night) – SOLD OUT
September 29 - Boston, MA - Café 939 @ Berklee College of Music
October 1 - Chicago, IL - Lakeshore
October 2 - Minneapolis, MN - Fine Line
October 4 - Seattle, WA - Chop Suey
October 5 - Portland, OR - Wonder Ballroom
October 6 - San Francisco, CA - Café Du Nord
October 7 - Los Angeles, CA - Largo at the Coronet

MySpace
Rachael Yamagata Official Website

The oddly named Cleveland duo mr. Gnome has announced new U.S. tour dates in September and October in support of its impressive genre-bending debut full-length, ‘Deliver This Creature’.

Fitting with its loftily heavy-beautiful music, the band has released an equally stunning and surreal music video for the song “Night of The Crickets.”

Watch “Night of The Crickets” video:

Like all enduring artists, guitarist/vocalist Nicole Barille and drummer Sam Meister have crafted a sound so unique and powerful that it seems to mystify critics and audiences alike.

The music of mr. Gnome has been described as utilizing elements of AltRock, Metal, Post Punk, and Prog, but lands in a realm of their own making, crafting a compelling sonic-psychedelic mélange of indie rock.

Download “Pirates” MP3

Since its conception in 2005, the Cleveland, Ohio duo has released two EPs, receiving wide-ranging and honorable comparisons to Cat Power, PJ Harvey, Tool, Portishead, Pelican, Death From Above 1979, Bjork and Blonde Redhead. Above all else, mr. Gnome’s compositions work - and in very unusual and clearly soon-to-be-influential ways, where truly adequate descriptions aren’t yet available.

From The Press:

“…great swipes of serrated guitar slash across Nicole Barille’s gooey vocals. The absolute antidote to all those shrinking violets we’ve been big upping lately.” - Rolling Stone

“‘Rabbit’ from mr. Gnome’s debut full-length, Deliver This Creature, pulls a heckuva lot of noise out of a small hat, pretty much just Sam Meister’s tribal drums and the reverberating vocals and sludgily atmospheric guitar fills of Nicole Barille.” - Pitchfork

“This duo’s debut full-length balances a soulful, feminine power that recalls Scout Niblett and a drummer who coldly demands dymanic shifts with almost electronic precision. It’s an earnest tug-of-war.” - SPIN Magazine

“Think White Stripes turned inside out and upside down, with a dash of psychedelia, and then you can get an idea of this duo’s sound.” - Detroit News

mr. Gnome 2008 tour dates:

(Dates and information subject to change.)

08/31 Chicago, IL @ The Darkroom
09/03 Buffalo, NY @ The Mohawk
09/04 Brooklyn, NY @ Union Hall
09/05 New York, NY @ Knitting Factory
09/06 Pittsburgh, PA @ The Brillobox
09/07 Greensburg, PA @ Benefest
09/10 Chapel Hill, NC @ Local 506
09/11 Athens, GA @ Caledonia Lounge
09/12 Tampa, FL @ The Orpheum
09/18 St. Louis, MO @ The Bluebird
09/19 Madison, WI @ The Frequency
09/20 Minneapolis, MN @ Nomad World Pub
09/24 Salt Lake City, UT @ Urban Lounge
09/25 Boise, ID @ Neurolux
09/30 Los Angeles, CA @ Silverlake Lounge
10/01 San Diego, CA @ The Pink Elephant
10/02 Tucson, AZ @ Plush
10/03 Phoenix, AZ @ Canvas
10/04 Flagstaff, AZ @ Hotel Monte Vista
10/05 Albuquerque, NM @ Atomic Cantina
10/07 Kansas City, MO @ The Record Bar
10/08 Norman, OK @ Opolis
10/09 Dallas, TX @ The Cavern
10/10 Austin, TX @ Beauty Bar

‘Deliver This Creature’ Tracklisting:

1. Pirates
2. Rabbit
3. Deliver This Creature
4. The Machine
5. Night of The Crickets (MP3) | (VIDEO)
6. I’m Alright
7. Silhouette
8. Thief
9. After the Sun
10. Tied

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Exploring and expressing Mexico’s rich culture has been a lifelong passion for Lila Downs. On ‘Shake Away’, set for release September 2, 2008, Downs takes listeners on a journey that’s both intensely personal and vividly universal.

Recorded in New York and Mexico City, the songs range from the pointed “Minimum Wage” to the mystical “Silent Thunder” to a cover of Lucinda Williams’ “I Envy The Wind” in English and Spanish (”Yo Envidio El Viento”) versions.

On ‘Shake Away’, Lila invites a group of special guests, including the legendary Argentinean singer Mercedes Sosa on a duet of her song “Tierra de Luz” (Land of Light); longtime amigo Ruben Albarran from Café Tacuba joins Lila on “Perro Negro” (”Black Dog”); and on a cover of “Black Magic Woman”, Lila switches between Spanish and English with the help of acclaimed singer/guitarist and label mate, Raul Midon.

To bring her vision and songs on ‘Shake Away’ to fruition, along with her seven-man band, La Misteriosa, and producers Paul Cohen (also her collaborator and husband), Aneiro Tano and Brian Lynch, Downs plays guitar and percussion. The band utilizes traditional instruments including accordion, harp and clarinet. The trumpet, trombone and tuba appear in several arrangements, bringing the sound somewhere between Mexico and New Orleans.

Watch “Paloma Negra” video:

Though many new songs address the heated topics of immigration, political justice, and transformation, Downs’ vulnerability, compassion and humor are also clear, her siren song irresistible on ‘Shake Away’. From the Beat poet-style of “Truth” to the spare dolorous “Yo Envidio El Vento”– which is followed up the almost-carnival atmosphere of “Perro Negro”–’Shake Away’ is a triumph.

With a voice that is varied in color and range, Lila Downs cuts a striking figure live as well - she embodies the spirit of her music with an emotion-drenched physicality. She will be on tour this fall in support of ‘Shake Away’.

Lila Downs September 2008 tour dates:

(Dates and information subject to change.)

13-Sep Washington, DC Kennedy Center
15-Sep New York, NY Town Hall, Mexican Independence Day
18-Sep Boulder, CO E Town Boulder Theatre
19-Sep Albuquerque, NM Globalquerque
21-Sep Los Angeles, CA Hollywood Bowl (w/Nortec, Michael Franti, & Ozomatli)
22-Sep San Diego, CA House of Blues
24-Sep Portland, OR Wonder Ballroom
25-Sep Seattle, WA Moore Theatre (support act: Leroy Bell)
27-Sep San Jose, CA San Jose Mariachi Festival (w/Linda Ronstadt & Aida Cuevas)
28-Sep San Jose, CA Plaza de Cesar Chavez
30-Sep Chicago, IL Harris Theatre

Photo Credit: Elena Pardo

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The Decemberists will release ‘Always The Bridesmaid: A Singles Series’ this fall.

The three volumes will be available digitally and on 12″ vinyl.

Volume 1, comprised of “Valerie Plame” and “O New England,” will be released on October 14th, 2008.

The band will give “Valerie Plame” its national television debut on “Late Night with Conan O’Brien” on November 3rd, 2008, the eve of the United States presidential election.

Written from the point-of-view of one of Plame’s inside contacts upon discovering her true identity, the song is an amorous tribute to the onetime CIA operative. The Decemberists will be playing select U.S. dates this November; details will be announced shortly.

Volume II and Volume III of ‘Always The Bridesmaid: A Singles Series’ will be released on November 4th and December 2nd respectively. (See below for track listings.)

The series will be available digitally at DSPs, released by Capitol Records, and on 12″ vinyl via The Decemberists’ own label, Y.A.B.B. Records/Jealous Butcher Records.

Fans who pre-order all three singles through the band’s website will receive a limited edition version on colored vinyl; the pre-order is at www.decemberistsshop.com. The vinyl will also be available at select independent retail stores (go to Think Indie to find out where). In the U.K., Rough Trade will release the series digitally and on 7″ vinyl.

Formed in Portland, Oregon in 2000, The Decemberists weave spellbinding tales rife with atmosphere and an infallible melodic knack. 2006’s ‘The Crane Wife’ - the band’s fourth full-length album and its first released by Capitol Records - was hailed by Pitchfork as “an enormous folk-prog monsterpiece” while The New York Times called it “one of the most accomplished albums of its kind this year.”

The band is currently in the studio working on a new full-length album with Tucker Martine, who produced ‘Always The Bridesmaid: The Singles Series’ and co-produced ‘The Crane Wife’.

Track listings for Always The Bridesmaid: A Singles Series:

Volume I. Valerie Plame / O New England
Release date: October 14, 2008

Volume II. Days of Elaine / Days of Elaine (long) and I’m Sticking With You
Release date: November 4, 2008

Volume III. Record Year / Raincoat Song
Release date: December 2, 2008

Photo Credit: Autumn de Wilde

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