A Refreshing Take on 21st Century Christmas

The critically-acclaimed UK singer-songwriter Thea Gilmore has just released a holiday collection ‘Strange Communion’ via Rykodisc.

This carefully crafted album is a stirring, poignant journey into the heart of the winter season filled with twists and turns of celebration, introspection and often skepticism. With deep humanist joy at its core, ‘Strange Communion’ reflects on the rituals and contradictions that come with the trimmings of the holidays.

Buy Music:

Thea Gilmore on amazon.com

Thea Gilmore on amazon.co.uk

From the choral splendor of “Sol Invictus”, her acappella opening ode with the award-winning Sense Of Sound choir, to the ethereal beauty of “Midwinter Toast” and “December in New York”, to cover versions of obscure songs by Elvis Costello (The St. Stephens Day Murders”) and Yoko Ono (“Listen The Snow Is Falling”), Thea Gilmore’s crystalline voice and dazzling lyrics shine throughout this collection.

Rounding off the festivities on a cheerful note, the catchy single “That’ll Be Christmas” indubitably adds more spice into the mix as Gilmore lightheartedly sings “French beer and mistletoe…faith, hope and gluttony…me missing you again, that’ll be Christmas.”

Since making her debut album at 18 years old, Thea Gilmore has blazed a fiercely independent path while earning critical acclaim and admiration from renowned artists such as Bruce Springsteen, Joan Baez and Martha Wainwright.

She is also hailed by press as the “most prolific and intelligent wordsmith of her generation” according to The Independent, and “the most coherent, literate and charged British singer-songwriter of her generation” says Mojo Magazine.

Thea Gilmore MySpace
Thea Gilmore Official Website

Golden Shoulders is a collective of talented musicians from Nevada City, California, lead by songwriter Adam Kline.

Formed in 2001, the group operates with a constantly rotating lineup with the contributors varying from performance to performance, song to song.

On the band’s recent full length called ‘Get Reasonable’, the music embraces the crescendoing pop opuses of the 70’s, toes tapping and heads bobbing by the end of the first track.

FREE Download: “Mountain” MP3

Golden Shoulders has released three full-length albums to date, Let My Burden Be (2002), Friendship is Deep (2004), and this year’s Get Reasonable (earning a 4-star review from Mojo), as well as two EPs, Bee 17 (2005) and Kin (2006), with all songs written by Adam Kline and arranged by all musicians on the recordings.

The band has toured across the United States several times, performing completely acoustic versions of their songs, without electricity, microphones or amplifiers used. Live arrangements differ from the recorded versions based on the whims of the performers. A true musical brainchild of Kline and his talented counterparts.

Tracklisting:

1 Mountain
2 Let My Burden Be
3 Make No Mistake
4 Golden States
5 Little Nixon
6 Unconcerned Is Not Impressive Anymore
7 Know What I Think
8 Explain Yourself
9 I Was Robbed
10 Patience Darling, Patience
11 Settle Down
12 Listen Closely (I Will Fight You Now Liar)

Golden Shoulders MySpace
Golden Shoulders Official Website

Indie Rocks! A Benefit Album For Malaria No More is comprised of 14 songs from artists including Juliette Lewis, The Walkmen and Youssou N’Dour, in addition to an exclusive unreleased live track from Third Eye Blind, and an exclusive cover track from Peter, Bjorn & John.

On November 17, 2009, the digital-only release will launch on Amie Street with a four week exclusivity period. The album will then be available to all participating digital service providers.

RED and Amie Street will be donating 100% of the proceeds to Malaria No More.

Malaria No More is determined to end malaria deaths in Africa by 2015. Malaria kills a child in Africa every 30 seconds, but it doesn’t have to be this way – malaria is a treatable and preventable disease.

Luckily, the world is mobilizing to end the disease. In the past few years, new tools and increased awareness have pumped new energy into the fight against malaria. Individuals all over the world are helping parents keep their children safe from the deadly bite of a malarial mosquito with a simple, $10 mosquito net. Millions of individuals across the globe are helping to make malaria no more once and for all.

Said Bob Morelli, President of RED, “We are very excited to work together with Malaria No More on this fantastic compilation, which has the potential to save thousands of lives.”

Amie Street will also make the compilation available at multiple price points, effectively giving consumers the option to make a donation in the amount of $10, $20, $50 or $100.

“The Indie Rocks! CD is a great way to show how easy it is to help save a life,” said Scott Case, CEO of Malaria No More. “For just $10, music fans receive a one-of-a-kind compilation album and send a mosquito net to help families protect their children from malaria. The generosity of the artists and their fans will have real impact in the lives of children in Africa – showing how music has the power to change the world.”

Indie Rocks! A Benefit Album For Malaria No More features an outstanding line-up of Artists.

Third Eye Blind, which just made an impressive comeback in 2009 by charting at #3 on the Top 200 Billboard Charts with Ursa Major, has generously contributed the exclusive live track “Bonfire.”

Acclaimed Swedish indie rock band Peter, Bjorn, and John donated an incredible exclusive cover track “Summer Breeze,” originally written by Seals & Crofts.

The multi-talented Juliette Lewis came on board with “Fantasy Bar,” off her new album Terra Incognita.

The Walkmen have given the riveting “Four Provinces,” off 2008’s You & Me, which in a similar charitable spirit, was released as an exclusive with Amie Street, with all proceeds for the album going to Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center.

The renowned singer, songwriter, composer, cultural icon, and 2005 Grammy Award Winner Youssou N’Dour is one of the most celebrated African musicians in history. Having already worked very closely with Malaria No More, he recorded the song “Fight Malaria,” and allowed this track to be part of Indie Rocks! A Benefit Album For Malaria No More.

In releasing Indie Rocks! A Benefit Album For Malaria No More, RED, Amie Street, and all of the Artists who have generously donated their music will significantly reduce malaria infections and help make malaria-related deaths a thing of the past.

About Malaria No More:

Malaria No More is determined to end malaria deaths in Africa – and we’re helping the world get it done. We use breakthrough communications, global advocacy and smart investments to help us reach our goal: providing universal access to malaria interventions by the end of 2010 and ending deaths by 2015. Every 30 seconds a child dies from malaria, but a simple net can save lives. Find out how you can help at www.MalariaNoMore.org.

Track Listing:

1. Peter Bjorn & John – Summer Breeze (Exclusive)
2. Juliette Lewis – Fantasy Bar, from Terra Incognita
3. Jeff The Brotherhood – Bone Jam, from Heavy Days
4. The Grates – Two Kinds Of Right from Teeth Lost, Hearts Won
5. Third Eye Blind – Bonfire (Exclusive, Live in NYC)
6. Dirty Little Rabbits- Hello, from Simon
7. Wild Light – Adult Nights, from Adult Nights
8. The Walkmen – Four Provinces, from You & Me
9. State Radio – Let It Go, from Calling All Crows
10. Those Darlins – Wild One, from Those Darlins
11. Great Lake Swimmers – Pulling On A Line, from Lost Channels
12. Kate Miller Heidke – Politics in Space, from EP Kate Miller-Heidke
13. Yonder Mountain String Band – Fingerprint, from The Show
14. Youssou N’Dour – Fight Malaria

For more information, go to:

Amie Street Official Website

RED Distribution Official Website

Malaria No More

Illustrious Cuban singer Omara Portuondo has made history twice this year.

In October, the remarkable vocalist, and only female star of the Buena Vista Social Club™, became one of the first Cuban artists in six years to obtain a visa to perform in the U.S., marking a cultural breakthrough in the strained relations between her homeland and the U.S.

On November 5, 2009, she also became the first Cuban resident to present at the 10th Annual Latin GRAMMY Awards, where she delivered the prestigious Song of The Year award.

She was honored again as the winner for Best Contemporary Tropical Album or “Mejor Album Tropical Contemporaneo” with her latest release ‘Gracias’ produced by Montuno Productions and released on World Village.

Although Omara Portuondo is a four-time Latin GRAMMY nominee, and won a “Premio Musica Brasileira” Brazilian Music Award last year for her duets album with Maria Bethania, as well as a Billboard Latin Music Award in 2005, this is her first GRAMMY award.

“I’m going to represent Cuba, because I think I’m going to be the only one that will be there,” Portuondo told the New York Daily News the day before the awards ceremony. “I’ll be there for all of the others.”

Portuondo performed two U.S. shows in October, for the first time since 2003, at UCLA’s Royce Hall and at the San Francisco Jazz Festival. Of her San Francisco show the Oakland Tribune wrote, “It’s impossible to say whether she handles the fast or slow numbers better. Whatever kind of song she’s singing at the time is the one that best suits her.” Portuondo returns in February of 2010 with concerts in Washington DC, Boston and New York City, among other major cities.

‘Gracias’, which was also awarded the Cubadisco 2009 Grand Prix in May, is Portuondo’s third solo album, and it marks a professional musical career spanning 60 years.

The New York Times declared that at 79 “her voice …is rich, shapely, dynamic, and still sultry”, and the Los Angeles Times called her “still a vibrant contemporary performer”.

She first found fame in her home country with Las D’Aida quartet, and throughout the 1970s and ’80s was a highly acclaimed solo vocalist. It was the Buena Vista Social Club™, however, that launched her into worldwide fame, along with such major figures as Ibrahim Ferrer, Rubén González and Compay Segundo.

‘Gracias’ was produced by Ale Siqueira, with musical direction from Swami Jr., and it features “some striking collaborations” (Songlines), with such guest artists as Jorge Drexler, Richard Bona, Cachaíto López, Chico Buarque and Chucho Valdés. It is a special gift from the artist to herself and to the songwriters for whom she feels the highest regard.

As the Montreal Gazette writes, it is “a highly personal collection of ballads… she packs a lot of feeling into this tender and nostalgic album.”

These are the songs she has always longed to sing.

Buy Music:

Omara Portuondo on amazon.com

OMARA PORTUONDO Tour Dates 2010

(Dates and information subject to change.)

February 2010

24 – Washington, DC – Lisner Auditorium
26 – Boston, MA – Harvard University Sanders Theater
27 – New York, NY – Town Hall

More Dates TBA

Omara Portuondo Official Website
Omara Portuondo MySpace

Multi-instrumentalist/pianist Seth Glier, discovered at 19 and signed to MPress Records makes his label debut with ‘The Trouble With People’, now available in stores.

‘The Trouble With People’ is both timeless and modern and has drawn comparisons to Billy Joel, Marc Cohn, Gavin DeGraw, Elton John and Paul McCartney. A sophisticated collection that shows surprising maturity and self-reflection, the album weaves understated tales of real people in quiet pain.

Produced by Seth Glier and Ryan Hommel; mixed by Kevin Killen, John Shyloski and Alan Evans.

Described as having “the vocal prowess of a performer with a lifetime of singing experience” and as a “huge musical talent” in early reviews, Glier is gaining awareness amid U.S. press for his soaring falsetto, surprising showmanship and insightful songwriting, recently praised as “direct and full of clarity.”

‘The Trouble With People,’ is a diverse album, which features 12 original songs, showcases his rich falsetto, his Cat Stevens-esque hushed storytelling, and a prodigious vocal range in between. THE ALBUM PROJECT recently buzzed “I really loved the song “Gotta Get Away” as soon as I heard it.”

20-year old phenom Seth Glier has appeared on television five times in the past four weeks, as national outlets such as The CW Network and regional programs including FOX-TV in Connecticut, FOX-TV Birmingham, CBS-TV Charlotte and more have embraced his label debut ‘The Trouble With People’ as well as his ambitious, eco-friendly ‘Green Tour’.

Buy Music:

Seth Glier on amazon.com

More about Seth Glier:

Singer-songwriter Glier was raised on the music of Joni Mitchell, Martin Sexton, and Jeff Buckley, but he considers his brother to be his greatest influence. “My brother is autistic and non-verbal. I learned to communicate with words better once I realized how to communicate to someone without them.”

Perhaps it’s that unique sensitivity that gives Glier’s songwriting such resonance. His folk/pop album weaves understated tales of real people in quiet pain. It’s a sophisticated collection that shows surprising maturity and self-reflection. Maybe the term ‘old soul’ has meaning after all…

Boston-based Glier is already a seasoned troubadour, having shared stages with John Mayer, Martin Sexton, Erin McKeown and Cheryl Wheeler.

Other notable supporters of Glier’s music include acclaimed singer-songwriters Marc Cohn, Ellis Paul and Livingston Taylor, as well as legendary producer Russ Titelman (Steve Winwood, Cyndi Lauper, Eric Clapton).

Seth Glier’s accomplishments surpass his age — he has performed hundreds of shows, including a set for more than 25,000 people on the National Mall in Washington D.C.

Livingston Taylor says “Listening to Seth’s music gives me hope for what’s to come. The next generation is alive and well.”

Glier released several DIY albums before catching the attention of MPress founder Rachael Sage last fall. Upon signing Glier, Sage brought in Grammy® Winner Kevin Killen (U2, Tori Amos, Elvis Costello), to re-mix Glier’s original tracks, which he’d famously recorded in his basement over a three-month stretch.

Highlights of the album include the soaring “Gotta Get Away”, the Beatles-influenced instrumentation on “Naia”, Glier’s commanding title track, and the insightful “Someone Else To Crown”.

Seth Glier Official Website

Victoria B.C. atmospheric rockers Jets Overhead, are about to embark on a cross-Canadian tour as the support act for synthpop sensation LIGHTS.

The 17-date tour begins in Vancouver on Saturday November 7th, travels as far east as Montreal and ends in London, Ontario on December 3rd.

Jets Overhead are touring in support of their sophomore album No Nations, out now on Vapor Records.

Watch video – “Weathervanes” @ Pianos, NYC:

FREE Download: “I Should Be Born” MP3

Earlier this year the band travelled to Beijing, China for a series of festival dates and have also toured across the U.S., Canada and Europe sharing the stage with Sam Roberts, Our Lady Peace, Tegan and Sara, Broken Social Scene, The Dears, The Stills, The Temper Trap, The Dandy Warhols, Powderfinger and The Frames.

Jets Overhead have also performed at the prestigious Neil Young Bridge School Benefit as well as at the CMJ, SXSW and Bonnaroo music festivals.

November/December 2009 Tour Dates – support for LIGHTS

(Dates and information subject to change.)

Nov 07 2009 The Commodore Ballroom Vancouver, British Columbia
Nov 09 2009 Alix Goolden Hall Victoria, British Columbia
Nov 10 2009 Mary Irwin Theatre Kelowna, British Columbia
Nov 12 2009 MacEwan Ballroom Calgary, Alberta
Nov 13 2009 Myer Horowitz Theatre Edmonton, Alberta
Nov 14 2009 Red Deer Memorial Centre Red Deer, Alberta
Nov 16 2009 The Distrikt Regina, Saskatchewan
Nov 18 2009 Louis’ Pub Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
Nov 19 2009 The Garrick Centre Winnipeg, Manitoba
Nov 20 2009 The Outpost Thunder Bay, Ontario
Nov 22 2009 Capitol Centre North Bay, Ontario
Nov 26 2009 Kool Haus Toronto, Ontario
Nov 27 2009 Bronson Centre Ottawa, Ontario
Nov 28 2009 Studio JPR Montreal, Quebec
Nov 30 2009 Studio Theatre Hamilton, Ontario
Dec 02 2009 Ale House Kingston, Ontario
Dec 03 2009 Music Hall London, Ontario

Jets Overhead Official Website

Soundtrack Released on November 9th

New Ang Lee (Brokeback Mountain) comedy Taking Woodstock, released in the UK on November 13, 2009 vividly captures the unique spirit of the legendary Woodstock music festival and now the film’s much-talked about soundtrack looks set to take music fans of all ages back to the summer of ‘69.

It’s 1969, and Elliot Tiber, a down-on-his-luck interior designer in Greenwich Village, NY, has to move back upstate to help his parents run their dilapidated Catskills motel, the El Monaco. The bank is about to foreclose; his father wants to burn the place down, but hasn’t paid the insurance; and Elliot is still figuring how to come out to his parents. When Elliot hears that a neighbouring town has pulled the permit on a hippie music festival, he calls the producers, thinking he could drum up some much needed business for the motel. Three weeks later, half a million people are on their way to his neighbour’s farm in White Lake, NY, and Elliot finds himself swept up in a generation-defining experience that would change his life, and American culture, forever.

Below is a video from the premiere of Taking Woodstock. The video footage includes a quick interview with director Ang Lee, stars Henry Goodman and Imelda Staunton and screenwriter / producer James Schamus.

Watch video:

Stream video – link

IN CINEMAS NOVEMBER 13TH

Whether you can remember tracks by such seminal Sixties acts as The Grateful Dead, Crosby, Stills and Nash and Jefferson Airplane like it was yesterday or you are discovering their music for the first time, the Taking Woodstock soundtrack provides a sonic time capsule that powerfully evokes the spirit of a time that has passed into musical folklore. It is also a release that marks the 40th anniversary of the iconic event.

Richie Havens who opened the event 40 years ago has recorded a new version of “Freedom” specially for the film and other highlights include the anti-war anthem by County Joe McDonald “I-Feel-Like I’m-Fixin’-To-Die Rag”, and live performances from other Woodstock performers including Arlo Guthrie (Coming Into Los Angeles), The Band (I Shall Be Released) and Melanie (Beautiful People).

So get ready to turn on, tune in and drop out to what is set to be the Soundtrack sensation of the summer – and don’t worry if you can’t remember the 60’s. The Taking Woodstock soundtrack will fill in all the musical gaps!

Buy Music, DVDs:

Taking Woodstock on amazon.com

Taking Woodstock on amazon.co.uk

‘Taking Woodstock’ Soundtrack listing

1. “Freedom (2009)” – Richie Havens
2. “Opening” *
3. “Wooden Ships” – Crosby, Stills & Nash
4. “China Cat Sunflower” (Live) – Grateful Dead
5. “Maggie M’Gill” – The Doors
6. Elliot’s Place*
7. “Coming Into Los Angeles” (Live) – Arlo Guthrie
8. “I-Feel-Like-I’m-Fixin’-To-Die Rag” (Live) – Country Joe McDonald
9. “Going Up The Country” (Live) – Canned Heat
10. “Try (Just A Little Bit Harder)” (Live) – Janis Joplin
11. A Happening (Office #2)*
12. “The Red Telephone” – Love
13. “Beautiful People” (Live) – Melanie
14. “I Shall Be Released” (Live) – The Band
15. “Perspective” *
16. “One More Mile” – The Paul Butterfield Blues Band
17. “Volunteers” – Jefferson Airplane

* Score written and produced by Danny Elfman

Taking Woodstock will be in cinemas November 13th. Find out more at:

Taking Woodstock Official Website

Robert Cray has announced his UK tour dates. For thirty plus years Robert Cray has laid down track after track of good-time, uptown, low-down blues. He’s won five Grammy’s and been nominated for 11 more.

From classic titles ‘Phone Booth’, to highlights from his more recent releases ‘Poor Johnny’, whether addressing timeless themes of heartache and romance ‘The Things You Do To Me’ or this morning’s headlines ‘Twenty’, Cray delivers on a promise he’s been making since his first trip into the studio.

Robert Cray’s virtuosity has led to collaborations with luminaries such as Eric Clapton, the Rolling Stones, B.B. King, Muddy Waters, John Lee Hooker, Chuck Berry and Bonnie Raitt.

His new album ‘This Time’ is realised on his own imprint Nozzle Records and arrives at a vital juncture in the musician’s career, marked by creative renewal and a key reunion with an old performing partner, bassist Richard Cousins.

Buy Music:

Robert Cray on amazon.com

Robert Cray on amazon.co.uk

Robert Cray July 2010 UK tour dates:

(Dates and information subject to change. Go to Robert Cray’s Official Website for the latest tour dates and information.)

Fri 2 Jul Liverpool Philharmonic Hall £28.50 – £33.50
Sat 3 Jul Leicester De Montford Hall £28.50
Sun 4 Jul Norwich Theatre Royal £22.00, £25.50, £28.50
Mon 5 Jul Brighton Dome £24.50, £28.50, £38.50
Wed 7 Jul London Barbican £32.50, £38.50
Thu 8 Jul Manchester Bridgewater Hall £28.50, £38.50
Sat 10 Jul Cambridge Corn Exchange £28.50, £38.50
Mon 12 Jul Birmingham Symphony Hall £28.50, £38.50
Tue 13 Jul Glasgow Royal Concert Hall £28.50, £38.50
Wed 14 Jul Gateshead Sage £28.50, £38.50

Ticketmaster 0870 534 4444, Ticketline 0870 444 5556 and See Tickets 0871 220 0260

Robert Cray Official Website

Watch unreleased footage on BandWeblogs.com

The Rolling Stones in concert 40th Anniversary Super Deluxe LP Box Edition features three 180 gram audiophile quality vinyl LPs – one side of which features an etched replica of the album’s key art, with signatures from Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Charlie Watts, Bill Wyman and Mick Taylor, 3 CDs that mirror the exact content on the LPs, 1 DVD, a 12 X 12/56-page Collector’s Book and a 12 X 12 replica of the original 1969 tour poster by Grammy Award© winning artist David Byrd, whose works include the commemorative poster from the original Woodstock Festival and the historic Fillmore East posters from 1968 to 1971.

More information:

The first LP is a newly remastered version of the original GET YER YA-YA’S OUT! release.

The second LP features 5 unreleased tracks by The Rolling Stones culled from the November 27 & 28, 1969 Madison Square Garden concert master tapes.

The third LP features 12 never before released tracks by opening acts B.B. King and Ike & Tina Turner.

The DVD features performances by The Rolling Stones from their 2 night concert at Madison Square Garden, backstage footage, scenes of Keith Richards in the studio and footage of the GET YER YA-YA’S OUT! album cover shoot, all shot by Albert and David Maysles.

The 56-page Collector’s Book includes photos and an essay by acclaimed photographer Ethan Russell, an original article by Lester Bangs from Rolling Stone magazine and remembrances from concert-goers.

A limited number of the SUPER DELUXE BOX SETS will also contain an insert with a code to download “I’m Free (Live)” for Guitar Hero 5.

Buy Music:

Get Yer Ya-Ya’s Out! 40th Anniversary Super Deluxe on amazon.com

Get Yer Ya-Ya’s Out! 40th Anniversary Super Deluxe on amazon.co.uk

Below are video clips of never before released footage and tracks by the Rolling Stones.

Watch videos:

Gotta Move

Prodigal Son

Under My Thumb

Track Listing:

ORIGINAL RELEASE REMASTERED

Jumpin’ Jack Flash
Carol
Stray Cat Blues
Love In Vain
Midnight Rambler
Sympathy For The Devil
Live With Me
Little Queenie
Honky Tonk Women
Street Fighting Man

UNRELEASED TRACKS

Prodigal Son
You Gotta Move
Under My Thumb
I’m Free
(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction
B.B.KING and IKE & TINA TURNER SETS
Everyday I Have The Blues
How Blue Can You Get
That’s Wrong Little Mama
Why I Sing The Blues
Please Accept My Love
Gimme Some Loving
Sweet Soul Music
Son Of A Preacher Man
Proud Mary
I’ve Been Loving You Too Long
Come Together
Land Of 1000 Dances
Tracks 1 through 5- B.B. King Tracks 6 through 12- Ike & Tina Turner

BONUS DVD

Prodigal Son
You Gotta Move
Under My Thumb
I’m Free
(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction

The Rolling Stones Official Website

The band will then appear on “Jimmy Kimmel Live,” performing on the outside stage on November 12th.

The tour will feature Switchfoot playing Hello Hurricane in its entirety, followed by fan favorites from its previous records.

The band will be collecting donations for local food banks along the tour route, so fans are encouraged to bring non-perishable items to the shows. (See below for tour itinerary and a list of food banks that will receive donations.)

Switchfoot is also launching a new website, www.theworldyouwant.com, which will spotlight goodness, beauty, and truth in everyday life. Fans are invited to contribute stories about people they know who are making this world a better place and the band will read some of these contributions from stage during the tour.

Recorded with producer/bassist Mike Elizondo (Rilo Kiley, Eminem, and Pink), Hello Hurricane is the group’s seventh full-length and its first on Atlantic Records.

Lead single “Mess of Me” is getting airplay at Modern and Active Rock radio stations and is climbing the Modern Rock radio chart. “The Sound,” another track from the album, has been tapped by Verizon Wireless for its national ad campaign for the BlackBerry® Storm™ 2.

Fans who pre-order Hello Hurricane will immediately receive a free download of “Mess of Me” and four videos. They have five pre-order options to choose from: the standard CD edition; deluxe CD/DVD edition with approximately 60 minutes of behind-the-scenes footage and studio performances; vinyl with CD; the Collector’s edition (Hello Hurricane CD, deluxe DVD, an additional CD with studio outtakes and more, limited edition poster and 84-page hardcover book); and the digital download edition. For additional information or to pre-order, visit ITunes or the band’s web site www.switchfoot.com.

At the end of October, Switchfoot – comprising of Jon Foreman (vocals/guitar), Tim Foreman (bass), Chad Butler (drums), Jerome Fontamillas (keys/guitar) and Drew Shirley (guitar) – will take the stage for Yahoo! Music’s new live concert program, “Maximum Performance Guitar Hero 5.”

Jon and Chad will be featured in an upcoming episode of “Road Trip Nation” airing on PBS stations in November. Check local listings or watch the episode at www.roadtripnation.com/watch/ anytime after its November 5th debut on KLCS TV in Los Angeles and Orange County. MySpace will premiere Hello Hurricane the week before its release and the band will be interviewed on “The MySpace Music Feed” on Monday, November 9th.

Switchfoot is the subject of an upcoming Rolling Stone “In the Studio” feature and will be on the cover of Relevant Magazine’s November/ December issue. Jon has also penned two articles recently: his piece on charity in your own backyard will be in the November issue of Alternative Press and he’s written on the nature of heroism for The Huffington Post.

He also recently participated in filming an innovative online game called “The Climate Challenge,” for Oxfam (www.oxfamamerica.org/music).

“When you play the game, you will feel the urgency. We have to start acting now on climate change. There is literally no time to waste,” says Foreman. The game will launch in late October at The Climate Challenge.

Hello Hurricane, Switchfoot’s first studio album since 2006’s Oh! Gravity, which debuted at No. 18 on The Billboard 200, acknowledges life’s storms while managing to find an element of hope in them. The band tracked more than 80 songs at its self-built home studio before narrowing it down to the 12 that appear on the new album. (Fans can check out the four-minute trailer, “The Making of Hello Hurricane,” at www.switchfoot.com.)

Buy Music:

Switchfoot on amazon.com

The Hello Hurricane November / December 2009 Tour Dates (+ food banks):

(Dates and information subject to change.)

11/8 San Diego, CA E.C Performing Arts Center – N/A
11/11 Los Angeles, CA The Roxy Theatre – L.A Regional FB
11/13 Scottsdale, AZ Martini Ranch – St Mary’s FB Alliance
11/14 Tucson, AZ The Rock – Community FB of Tucson
11/16 Oklahoma City, OK Diamond Ballroom – Regional FB of Oklahoma
11/17 Dallas, TX House of Blues – North Texas Food Bank
11/18 Austin, TX The Parish – Capital Area Food Bank
11/20 Houston, TX Warehouse Live – TBA
11/21 New Orleans, LA The Parish – Second Harvest FB
11/22 Nashville, TX Exit In – Second Harvest FB
11/24 Atlanta, GA The Loft – Atlanta Community FB
11/27 Anaheim, CA House of Blues – Second Harvest FB
11/28 Ventura, CA The Majestic – Food Share
12/3 Charlotte, NC Amos’ Southend – TBA
12/5 Richmond, VA The National – WDYL Snowball – N/A
12/7 Baltimore, MD Rams Head Live – TBA
12/8 New York, NY The Fillmore @ Irving Plaza – Bowery Mission
12/9 Boston, MA Paradise Rock Club – TBA

For the latest tour dates, music and information, go to:

Switchfoot Official Website
Switchfoot on twitter
Facebook
Myspace
YouTube
The World You Want

Fan sites -

Land of Broken Hearts
We’re Awakening

Pink’s dazzling live concert is captured on the new DVD Funhouse Tour Live In Australia plus bonus live CD, OUT NOW via Jive.

The DVD features P!nk performing her enduring hits from the past decade and songs from her fifth studio album Funhouse, which has sold over 5 million units worldwide.

The concert was filmed entirely in HD in Australia where she sold out a record-breaking 60 shows. The performance will also be available on Blu-ray on December 8, 2009.

Buy Music, DVDs:

Pink on amazon.com

Pink on amazon.co.uk

The bonus live audio CD, limited to the DVD set only, is made up of a dozen of Pink’s handpicked tour favorites and a previously unreleased exclusive studio track, “Push You Away”.

P!nk has also recently premiered her new music video for new Funhouse single “I Don’t Believe You.”

Watch videos:

PINK – I Don’t Believe You:

PINK – Sober Live in Australia:

The Funhouse Tour has received unprecedented critical acclaim from across the country:

“Even in an era of escalating pop spectacle, Pink’s ‘Funhouse’ tour is going to be hard to top… Onstage she was a down-to-earth superwoman.” – The New York Times

“Pink even pulled off an impressive version of ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’…Like everything in Friday’s concert- like everything in Pink’s career- the song was a gamble, but one that the singer made look like a piece of cake.” – Los Angeles Times

“One of the best rock shows of the year.” – New York Post

“Pink knows how to challenge, titillate, lure and wow the crowd…Pink combines showmanship with her powerhouse vocals.” – Chicago Tribune

“Pink imported her Funhouse tour to the states, bringing a show filled with razzle-dazzle covers and stunts …” – Rolling Stone

“During a two-hour, turbo-charged performance at Key Arena, the platinum-blonde powerhouse overshadowed trapeze dancers, huge inflatable harlequins, Broadway-worthy choreography, and a pillow fight (!), wowing the packed crowd with her charisma, athleticism, and — most disarming of all — sense of humor.” – SPIN

Since her debut in 2000, P!nk has been widely hailed as a fearlessly talented singer/songwriter.

To date, the Pennsylvania native has sold 30 million albums cumulatively worldwide.

Her previous albums include: her four million-unit selling debut, Can’t Take Me Home (2000); her sophomore follow-up, M!ssundaztood (2001) which sold 11 million worldwide; the 2.7 million worldwide seller Try This (2003), and I’m Not Dead (2006), which sold over 5 million units globally and spawned two No. 1 hits ”Who Knew” and “U + Ur Hand.”

Buy Music, DVDs:

Pink on amazon.com

Pink on amazon.co.uk

Pink on Twitter
Pink Official Website

Fyfe Dangerfield and producer Adam Noble say it was the fastest and most fun track to record during the album sessions. There is no comment as to whether the presence of fine wines during the session played a part in this good cheer – we’ll let you judge for yourself when you hear Fyfe’s lively vocal performance – but nevertheless this free download seems like the proper spirit in which to preview the album.

Speaking of which, every track on ‘Fly Yellow Moon’ sounds different. The idea was to record as many songs as possible in the time available, so everything from full-on pop to stripped-down balladry has found its way into the final tracklisting.

As such there was no room, or need, for preciousness, for example, the piano on “When You Walk in the Room” was recorded as a demo at Dangerfield’s parents’ house in Ludlow, Shropshire, on the family piano that’s been kicking around for decades. It sounded right, so it stayed. That same carefree spirit carries through the entire album.

So please download via www.fyfedangerfield.com, listen repeatedly, and let us know if “When You Walk in the Room” makes you wish January would get here just that little bit sooner, like it does for us.

Buy Music:

Fyfe Dangerfield on amazon.co.uk

Fyfe Dangerfield on amazon.com

For the latest downloads, tour dates, music and more, go to:

Fyfe Dangerfield Official Website

Fyfe Dangerfield on MySpace
Fyfe Dangerfield on Twitter
Guillemots Official Website

Released November 30, 2009 (download / limited edition CD)

“The first thing that turned me on to folk singing was Odetta” – Bob Dylan

“Odetta was a goddess. Her passion moved me. I learned everything she sang” – Joan Baez

Dubbed the “Queen of American folk music” by Martin Luther King Jr in 1961, Odetta Holmes was one of the most influential recording artists of the 20th century and an important voice of the Civil Rights Movement.

A powerhouse vocalist who toured well into her 70s, often performing from a wheelchair in later years, she released some 25 albums over her impressive career. By the time she died on December 2, 2008, Odetta had amassed a vast catalogue of folk, blues and spiritual songs and it’s from all corners of this that the songs of Beautiful Star: The Songs Of Odetta are drawn.

Curated by Wears The Trousers editors Alan Pedder and Charlotte Richardson Andrews, this heartfelt, diverse tribute reimagines some of Odetta’s signature tunes, underlining how her wide-ranging and enduring influence transcends any perceived boundaries of age, race or genre.

With exclusive new tracks from established independent artists like Ane Brun, Marissa Nadler and Liz Durrett and newcomers like Haunted Stereo and Katey Brooks, Beautiful Star revisits not only the many traditional songs Odetta helped to revive (“Santy Anno”, “If I Had A Ribbon Bow”) and the familiar classics (“All The Pretty Little Horses”, “This Little Light Of Mine”), but also some of her lesser known recordings like the haunting title track, one of the few songs Odetta wrote herself. What these 16 tracks share above all else is a love for the material and a profound respect for the woman who did much to popularise it.

“If only one could be sure that every 50 years a voice and a soul like Odetta’s would come along, the centuries would pass so quickly and painlessly we would hardly recognise time” – Maya Angelou

Buy Music:

Odetta on amazon.com

Odetta on amazon.co.uk

First established as an online magazine in 2005 and now in print, Wears The Trousers has grown into a respected voice for women in the music industry.

All profits from sales of the album will be split evenly between two charities chosen by Wears The Trousers in recognition of their incredible work on behalf of women.

The Fawcett Society is the UK’s leading organisation campaigning for equality between women and men, making real differences in women’s lives by creating awareness, leading debate and driving change.

The Women’s Resource Centre works to bring women’s organisations together, helping them to be more effective and sustainable.

LINDA DRAPER – Sail Away Ladies
ANE BRUN – If I Had A Ribbon Bow
GEMMA RAY – 900 Miles
ANAÏS MITCHELL – All My Trials
HAUNTED STEREO – Santy Anno
MADAM – Waterboy
SANDY DILLON – Can’t Afford To Lose My Man (live)
ORA COGAN – Motherless Child
JOSEPHINE ONIYAMA – The Gallows Pole
PEPI GINSBERG – Beautiful Star
SOCIETY OF IMAGINARY FRIENDS – Another Man Done Gone
MARISSA NADLER – All My Trials
KELLI ALI – All The Pretty Little Horses
KATEY BROOKS – What A Friend We Have
LIZ DURRETT – Chilly Winds
ARBOREA – This Little Light Of Mine

A limited number of physical copies of Beautiful Star: The Songs Of Odetta will be made available directly through the Wears The Trousers website, to pre-order from mid-November.

Wears The Trousers Official Website

Songs Of Odetta on MySpace

Fans of Project Skyward include DJ Sasha, Robin Guthrie from the Cocteau Twins, and leftfield electronic genius Ulrich Schnauss

Project Skyward is primarily the vision of singer/ songwriter/ programmer Ryan Field, aka Skyward.

After obtaining a degree in holistic science and astronomy, Ryan sought to express ideas about the universe and their relation to human experience through music.

Joined by Lana Fia (vocals, synth) Project Skyward have done a number of EPs and a timeless debut album ‘Strange Synchonicities’ which blended spacial guitar ambiences and wispy vocals with minimal electronic beats. The single “Distant Blue” quickly rose to the top 10 of the RPM charts and remained there for several weeks.

Project Skyward’s second album, ‘Moved by Opposing Forces’, contains enough aural alchemy to propel your eardrums heavenward; however, the emotional intensity of the music ensures each wistful, seemingly weightless track remains firmly rooted to human experiences. It is this combination of ethereality and earthly accessibility which gives the music such character. Project Skyward are as much humanists as they are stargazers.

Tracks such as “Sirius the Brightest Star” or “Fairweather Friend” proclaim the innate symmetry and indivisibility of ourselves and the universe around us. We are all in the gutter, and we are all reaching for the stars. Like a chance meeting in space between Flying Saucer Attack and the Cocteau Twins, ‘Moved by Opposing Forces’ is as catchy as it is cosmic. Modulated guitars, sublime electronics and breathy boy/girl harmonies combine to create a boundless soundscape which is radical yet so recognisable, it could only have been hatched on planet earth!

While playing lead guitar in Mahogany, Ryan was joined by Andrew Prinz on bass. Project Skyward did some legendary gigs opening for Ulrich Schnauss in South America, NY and the East coast.

Having been deeply inspired by electronic music of the late 90’s, Project Skyward were also thrilled to gain the attention of dance music mogul DJ Sasha. More recently Ryan has had the pleasure of meeting guitar inspiration Robin Guthrie, who has also become involved with Project Skyward.

Meeting and working alongside such respectable names has clearly been an influence and inspiration, yet Project Skyward continue to define their own unique, innovative and powerful sound.

In addition to the cosmic soundscape and scientific metaphors, Project Skyward are not afraid to write what they feel which often results in great songs that tap into collective experiences. It is this unique approach to music that will give Project Skyward longevity and which will flourish its evolution in years to come.

PROJECT SKYWARD ARE:

Ryan Skyward – vox, guitars, beats, synths
Mike Peluso – guitars, bass

Buy Music:

Project Skyward on amazon.co.uk

TRACKLISTING:

1 – Canis Major
2 – Sirius The Brightest Sound
3 – Means Nothing Today
4 – Superblaster
5 – Hungry Ghost (Album Mix)
6 – Lunacy
7 – Fractured
8 – Memories Just Wash Away
9 – Fairweather Friend
10 – Omniscience (Reprise)

Rocket Girl

Project Skyward Official Website

New Album ‘It’s Frightening’ released January 25th on Mute

New York six-piece, White Rabbits make their much anticipated return for a must-see gig at Water Rats, November 18, 2009, to light the fuse on the impending release of their hotly awaited new album, ‘It’s Frightening’ (January 25, 2010, UK release).

As a live band they have gained a fierce reputation as a highly-charged, interchangeable six-piece, pumping with energy, featuring two drummers and three singers. Their live show also captures the band’s softer and more melodic moments, showcasing their genre busting sound.

This London show comes off the back of an extensive tour of the US and is followed by a string of European and Australian dates.

They release their thrilling single “Percussion Gun”, January 11th, which has already been given an upfront play by Zane Lowe as his ‘Hottest Record In The World’.

It’s the first release from forthcoming album ‘It’s Frightening’ out January 25th. Watch this space for news of a White Rabbits UK tour in the New Year.

Watch Percussion Gun music video:

White Rabbits are: Stephen Patterson (vocals/piano), Jamie Levinson (drums), Matthew Clark (drums, guitar), Alex Even (guitar, vocals), Gregory Roberts (guitar/vocals) and Brian Betancourt (bass).

Buy Music:

White Rabbits on amazon.co.uk

White Rabbits on amazon.com

White Rabbits MySpace
White Rabbits Official Website