News: The Dodos Sign To Polyvinyl Records, Tease Upcoming Album

May 2, 2013 By Leave a Comment

Dodos

“Good news, everyone!” (insert Professor Farnsworth reference here). The past few weeks have been rife with label signings. Just a couple of weeks ago one of my favorite  punk bands Iron Chic signed to Bridge 9 Records, then on Tuesday New Jersey’s gates were picked up by Pure Noise Records. Now I’m getting word that San Francisco indie duo The Dodos have been signed by Polyvinyl Records. The Illinois-based label has an insane lineup of bands like of Montreal, Vivian Girls and Japandroids (you know, that band I wouldn’t shut up about last year). Details are relatively scarce at the moment, with the band posting a tweet earlier today. Here’s the announcement video which features a snippet of a brand-new track:

 

Formed back in 2005, The Dodos are one of those bands that just clicked with me from the moment I first heard them. As a matter of fact I can honestly say that they were partially responsible for my creation of this blog (the rest of the credit goes to the copious amounts of Full Throttle I drank while listening to them). Riding high on a caffeine/indie rock binge I heard “Fables” play on Last.fm and all I remember thinking was “I’ve gotta blog the hell out of this song!” I wrote this winded pop culture reference-heavy piece about how that song changed my life. Then I realized I sounded way too much like Natalie Portman’s “MPDG” alter-ego Sam in the 2004 drama Garden State.

The blog post was then scrapped due to the intense fanboy-level prattling that ensued. Now that the band has some great news to share I can successfully revisit that post with 0% guilt. You see, folks, it’s all about putting things into perspective. At any rate, that’s enough out of me for now. The Dodos’ new album will be hitting Polyvinyl soon so I will definitely be looking forward to that. In the meantime, here’s that song I’ve been rambling about this whole time. This is “Fables” off of their 2009 album Time To Die. Enjoy.

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News: New Jersey’s ‘Gates’ Sign To Pure Noise Records, Plan Album Re-Release

April 30, 2013 By Leave a Comment

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New Brunswick NJ’s Gates have announced earlier tonight that they have been signed to Pure Noise Records. The Berkeley, California-based label was formed in 2009 and is home to acts such as Handguns, Forever Came Calling and The Story So Far, who just recently released their acclaimed album What You Don’t See. Check out Gates’ announcement teaser after the jump.

Now under the Pure Noise banner, Gates will be re-releasing their 2012 album You Are All You Have Left To Fear this Fall. There are some additional plans in the works, which the band will be rolling out within the coming days. Before you leave, take a gander at some upcoming tour dates:

05/03 – Heart Fest 7 – Gatineau, Quebec
St-Aloysius Church: 300 l’Abbé-Murray St. Gatineau, Quebec
w/ Hit The Lights, Handguns, Adventures, Pentimento, The Hunters, Esprits Noirs, No Bones, Old Rules, Safe To Say, We All Rise
facebook event

05/04 – l’Escogriffe – Montreal, Quebec
4467 Saint-Denis, Montreal, Quebec
w/ Laureate, Rob Moir
facebook event

05/22 – Maxwell’s – Hoboken, NJ
1039 Washington St. Hoboken, NJ
w/ Prawn, Old Gray, I Kill Giants
facebook event

05/26/13 – 10th Street Live – Kenilworth, NJ
104 North 10th St. Kenilworth, NJ
w/ Caravela, Matt Olsson, Worlds Away

06/08 – Blue Nile – Harrisonburg, VA
181 N Main St. Harrisonburg, Virginia 22802
w/ Gifts From Enola (final show)
facebook event

06/15 – The Studio at Webster Hall – NY, NY
125 E 11th St. New York, NY
w/ Hidden Hospitals, Ghost Thrower, Wild International

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News: The National Announce Tracklisting, Release Date For “Trouble Will Find Me”

March 21, 2013 By Leave a Comment

The-National

It’s been about 3 years since Brooklyn’s The National released their acclaimed album High Violet, but they’ve kept busy with some other musical pursuits. It’s not every day that you get to write a song for one of the most popular television series ever grace pay cable, but when you’re The National you can do pretty much anything you want. You can cover songs from Bob’s Burgers or write insanely beautiful-yet-depressing songs for videogames and no one will raise an eyebrow. It’s a pretty sweet arrangement. However, those flights of fancy will only take you so far. Sometimes you have to get back to reality and announce the release date for a highly-anticipated album whether you want to or not.

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…Aaaaand now I’m going to have nightmares.

I think you’ll be hard-pressed to find anyone who isn’t excited for what should be another great collection of music that will probably make you cry. Before you judge me too harshly, I show me someone who hasn’t shed a tear during “Runaway” and I’ll show a liar.

Trouble Will Find Me will be released on May 20 via 4AD. Mark your calendars accordingly.

Tracklisting:

1. “I Should Live in Salt”
2. “Demons”
3. “Don’t Swallow the Cap”
4. “Fireproof”
5. “Sea of Love”
6. “Heavenfaced”
7. “This is the Last Time”
8. “Graceless”
9. “Slipped”
10. “I Need My Girl”
11. “Humiliation”
12. “Pink Rabbits”
13. “Hard to Find”
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News: Go Forth Release Teaser For Upcoming Album “Mindful”

September 23, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Auburn, NY’s Go Forth have released a teaser video for their upcoming debut album. The brand-new Melodic Hardcore band is set to release Mindful this Winter via Contain Records. You can check out the teaser video below.


For more music from Go Forth you can also head over to their Bandcamp page to download their 2-track demo MMXII.

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News: Forgetters Return With Upcoming Full-Length, Tour [UPDATED]

September 11, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Brookyln-based indie punk rockers Forgetters, the latest project from former Jawbreaker guitarist/vocalist Blake Schwarzenbach and original Against Me! drummer Kevin Mahon, have returned after rumors of a breakup had surfaced earlier this year.  In a statement released on the band’s blog on September 9, Schwarzenbach stated:

WE WILL HAVE A NEW FULL-LENGTH RECORD AVAILABLE COME NOVEMBER 14TH, 2012. WE WILL BE OPERATIONAL AND PLAYING SHOWS IN NYC AND FAR-AND-AWAY SOON. WILL KEEP YOU POSTED.

The one downside about this news is that the band is now a duo, as bassist Caroline Paquita (formerly of the band Bitchin’) has departed after their European tour. The band released a self-titled double 7″ EP back in 2010 on their own label Too Small To Fail. Check out “Vampire Lessons” below!

UPDATE: As of September 15 Forgetters have announced that the self-titled album will be released on November 13, 2012. You can pre-order it here.

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News: United Nations Tease Tour, New Material

July 3, 2012 By Leave a Comment

I guess now that popular NJ band Thursdayhas been put on indefinite hiatus, frontman Geoff Rickly has some spare time to pursue (or resume) other projects.

Grindcore/Experimental Metal supergroup United Nations have hinted of a possible tour on their Twitter page, asking fans which bands they’d like to see them possibly tour with. Of the bands mentioned Touché Amore and Dillinger Escape Plan were among some of the popular choices. I personally wouldn’t mind seeing United Nations play with Dillinger again, as the two performed back in Winter 2009 at Starland Ballroom in Sayerville, NJ.

UN only has one full-length, 2008′s self-titled debut and 2010′s EP “Nevermind The Bombings, Here’s Your Six Figures” (a clever play on the classic Sex Pistols album title) yet there’s still debates on who is even in the band. Geoff Rickley is the sole confirmed member. Other rumored members are Daryl Palumbo (Glassjaw), Chris Conger (Converge), and Eric Cooper (The Number Twelve Looks Like You).

It’s especially difficult given that the entire band’s faces are obscured with Ronald Reagan masks in every press photo. At the aforementioned Starland show Geoff played as United Nations but with a completely different backing band so I suppose they’ll forever be shrouded in mystery. Well, whoever the hell Rickly actually performs with there’s a great chance they’re hitting the road with new material to boot.

I’ll be back as more info develops. In the meantime, here’s a little taste of United Nations. Hurry up and listen to it before the real UN shuts them down. Again.

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Garbage Releases New Single For Free Download

March 19, 2012 By 1 Comment

If it feels like it’s been ages since the last time we’ve heard from Garbage, it’s because it has. It’s been about 7 years since the band’s last full-length release, which was 2005′s “Bleed Like Me.” Speaking as a longtime fan, that album left me a bit cold. Both musically and vocally it lacked that spark I’ve come to love from the classic days of their eponymous debut and “Version 2.0″ respectively.

If it’s any consolation the band hadn’t completely fallen off the grid. Drummer/Legendary-As-Hell-Producer Butch Vig hopped back behind the console and produced recent efforts from Green Day, Against Me! and Foo Fighters‘ Grammy-winning behemoth “Wasting Light.” Shirley Manson wrote for her unreleased solo album and even took a little time out to take up an acting gig, playing a sexy T-1001 Terminator in Fox’s short-lived sci-fi drama “Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles.”

 

Garbage clearly taking the minimalist approach with the album art...

Cybernetic killing machines be damned, Garbage have broken their hiatus to bring us their next album, “Not Your Kind of People” due May 15 on the band’s independent label STUNVOLUME. To further sweeten the deal Garbage is making the first single “Blood For Poppies” available for free download on their official site. Bonus!

I’ve taken the liberty of checking it out and I wasn’t really impressed upon my first listen. I was expecting something a little less kitschy, but first impressions can often be deceiving. I’ll see how it stacks up come May when the full album drops.

So what do you think, guys and gals? Is Garbage finally back or does this deserve to be tossed in the, well, garbage?

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Japandroids Discuss Upcoming Album In New Interview

March 8, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Believe me, there’s nothing I’d rather do than devote this blog to how madly in love I am with Grimes, but I must press on.

Vancouver’s Japandroids are set to release their new album “Celebration Day” in June. The album, their first since signing with Polyvinyl Records, will be the first of new material since 2009′s “Post-Nothing.”

Brian King (guitar, vocals) and David Prowse (drums, vocals) recently sat down for an interview with Pitchfork to talk about the new album.

The following excerpt has to be my favorite bit from said interview, but I’m always a sucker for a well-placed “Simpsons” reference:

Pitchfork: How was the making of Post-Nothing different than the making of the new album?

Brian King: We had no idea what we were doing when we recorded Post-Nothing. We would just do four or five takes,and then pick the one that had the least amount of fuck-ups in it. Like, on “Heart Sweats”, there’s a guitar solo where I totally miss a note– it’s clearly a fuck-up. It was like that scene in “The Simpsons” where Mr. Burns is watching his own movie– he’s riding a horse, falls off,and is dragged back and forth–and he’s like,”We did 20 takes, and that was the best one.”

If you’re looking for a great jumping-on point for Japandroids look no further than their single “Younger Us” off of the album “Post-Nothing.”

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