Glasvegas – Daytrotter Session

Glasvegas some uncut versions of: “Daddy’s Gone”, “Geraldine” and “Please Come Back Home”, recorded at the Daytrotter studios during SXSW. You can stream the songs on the Daytrotter website but to download you have to make an account.

Download Here

Iglu & Hartly – Jump Out of Your Car

Iglu & Hartly’s ‘And Then Boom’ comes out next week on 5/5. For a little background on the group. The group met at the University of Colorado in Boulder, Colorado. Jarvis Anderson, Sam Martin (vocals, keys), Simon Katz (guitar). Shortly after moving to Los Angeles, Luis Rosiles flew from Jarvis’ hometown of Chicago to join the band as their drummer, and LA local Michael Bucher joined as bassist.

The band have offered up “Jump Out Of Your Car” and “DayGlo” from the album for download.

Download: Iglu & Hartly – Jump Out of Your Car

Download: Iglu & Hartly – DayGlo

We Were Promised Jetpacks

The band name is pretty unusual, did you have other names and what made you settle on this one? Did you ever get your Jetpack?

Yeah we had loads, but they were all awful. in fact, moving clocks run slow was on our list which is a song title. It’s a pretty gross band name but works as a title, i hope…

Glasgow’s music scene is legendary. What have been some of the bands from Glasgow that have been an influence on the band?

The obvious ones, i’m afraid. Frightened Rabbit, The Twilight Sad. I’m just getting into mogwai now. it’s taken me long enough. vertigo of bliss and infinity land, the biffy clyro albums, were a huge influence. because of those records, we’ve tried to get that loud and melodic at the same time thing going…

I found your band via Myspace. How do you guys feel about using the social media sites in getting your music out there?

We’re fans of myspace, we’ve been using it for years.. when we first got started it was how we got gigs. There’s far too many these days of course, but there’s no harm in letting people know what you’re up to if people want to find out. it’s a nice way for fans to keep in touch with bands. I’m saying this from the point of view of a fan of course, we’re not big-headed enough to assume we have fans who care what we’re doing!

You’ve played SXSW this year. How did you get on the bill and how did you enjoy the experience?

We enjoyed the experience a lot! We applied for funding from the Scottish Arts Council, who paid for our transport and accommodation. they were great. you can apply for all sorts of funding from them, and if they dig the idea and think it’ll be worthwhile for the band and/or the Scottish “scene” then they fund what they can. good bunch of people…

What’s the best aspect of live performance?

When it sounds great on stage and there’s people in the room. it’s still pretty fun if those things aren’t there, though, but most fun when they are. loads of noise is always good!

You have a single out, “Quiet Little Voices’  did the label allow you to pick this song as the single?

it was a joint decision. that’s one of the many good things about FatCat. we chatted, and it seemed like the obvious choice. it’s our oldest song, and probably one of the only ones that’s quite catchy. some radio stations had started playing the demo, so we hopped on the bandwagon and put it out!

I am a big b-sides fan. So, would you ever see you getting a song remixed for a possible b-side?

Absolutely. We struggle greatly for b-sides. when we write, if a song isn’t a keeper then we ditch it and it’s gone forever. we’ve never really thought “oh, we better keep it for a b-side”. our next single is going to have a proper b-side as it was a song we recorded for the album that didn’t really fit. ut we’re probably going to struggle so much writing for the second album that it’ll be remixes all the way from now on!

How is the rest of year looking like for the band?

Fun! we’ve got the album coming out in june and a wee tour, with some summer festivals. we’re pretty excited! after we finish our exams of course…

Photo: Neil Thomas Douglas

Hanne Hukkelberg – Blood from a Stone

Hanne Hukkelberg’s music is empoweringly visual and dramatic. Hanne, known for her experimentation with sound, keeps with this unique style for her latest album Blood from a Stone. Using everyday objects such as freezers and stoves to accompany her beautiful voice, Blood from a Stone is a continuation in the “found objects” genre of art.

The music itself progresses from light to heavy with the last track feeling almost like a slow funeral dirge. My favorite tracks are the ones the come early on the album. The title track, Blood from a Stone (second on the roster), is particularly light and moving. Reminiscent of a kid skipping hopscotch squares on a hot summer day. Endearing lyrics bring this childlike feeling to the surface as well. “Through my heart-shaped heart,” was just one clever phrase that I enjoyed.

However, I wrestled with the rest of the album. Heavy and almost dreary, the later tracks on the album challenged me to find a point of connection. That’s when I started thinking about the movies. Wouldn’t some of those later tracks make a great film score?

In thinking this, I wonder if it means that I feel like something is missing from the music. Why should I need these visual images to add to the music that should stand on it’s own? But I think it simply speaks to the great creative power of music. Just like remembering where I was the first time I heard my favorite song, what I was wearing and what I was doing, Hanne Hukkelberg’s Blood from a Stone inspired me to imagine. And what greater compliment can you give art?

All of this is to say that Blood from a Stone is not my idea of casual listening music. However, it caught my attention the way that a film soundtrack would. Beautiful in its drama and invention, this is an album I’ll remember in the more extreme times of my life.

By Eva Gross

Howling Bells – Cities Burning Down

The new video for ”Cities Burning Down” by Howling Bells, off the forthcoming album RADIO WARS coming to the US July 28th.

stellastarr* Announce Summer Tour

stellastarr* will be heading on their first cross-country tour in over 3 years. Tickets for all dates (except for Boston’s WFNX show) will be available tomorrow, Friday, May 1st, at 12pm EST.

US Tour Dates:
July 8th || WFNX/Boston || tune in to WFNX for tix announcement
July 15th || Philadelphia, PA || Johnny Brenda’s
July 16th || NYC || Highline Ballroom || Official Record Release Show
July 17th || Washington, DC || Rock ‘N’ Roll Hotel
July 18th || Baltimore, MD || Ottobar
July 20th || Cincinnati, OH || 20th Century Theatre
July 21st || Columbus, OH || The Basement
July 23rd || Chicago, IL || Double Door
July 27th || Austin, TX || The Parish
July 30th || San Diego, CA || Casbah
July 31st || Los Angeles, CA || Troubadour
August 1st || San Francisco, CA || Slim’s
August 3rd || Portland, OR || Doug Fir
August 4th || Seattle, WA || Chop Suey

Hong Kong In The 60s – Footsteps

Hong Kong In The 60s are Mei Yau Kan (vocals, keyboards, guitar); Christopher Greenberg (keyboards, vocals, guitar); and Tim Scullion (guitar, keyboards, vocals), a multilingual three-piece from London. The band have their first EP ‘Willow Pattern Songs’ due out on on June 1st.

Download: Hong Kong In The 60s – Footsteps

Pictures Of Then – When It Stings

Pictures Of Then are releasing “and The Wicked Sea” in August and were kind enough to allow us to offer up a track from that album. This will be the bands second album and they have an interesting Flaming Lips meets Dr. Dog vibe going on.

Download: Pictures Of Then – When It Stings

Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band – Outer South

Pure Americana folk music at its best is what you’ll get from the new album by Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band. Conor Oberst is well known for his other band Bright Eyes and this new project of his isn’t much of a musical stretch. Bright Eyes is at least a little more creative and unique in terms of sound. The Mystic Valley Band mixes a little more alternative rather than indie to that southern twang of his. Outer South is a decent mix of upbeat rock and heartfelt acoustic jams. The moment you hear that slide guitar on the first track, “Slowly (Oh So Slowly),” you realize you may be below the Mason Dixon Line. If you become unsure, the acoustic guitar and the reference to Moses on track two will extinguish any doubts. “Roosevelt Room” is probably the only song you can truly rock out to on this album, mixing wailing mini guitar solos and gritty singing. It’s a good dose of alternative with a hint of grunge. The acoustic songs are a nice complement to the southern rock sound. “Ten Women” will either force you to reflect on your own past conquests or give you an idea for a fun Saturday night. Unfortunately Oberst is singing about the former as he contemplates with just a guitar over past heartache and loneliness. One thing Oberst is good at is telling a story. A true art form mastered by many country artists, Oberst paints a visual in your head with each song, with each strum of the guitar.

After a few listens, I feel the urge to grab a cowboy hat and saddle up with a mechanical bull. Outer South is definitely a feel good listen and will satisfy any Bright Eyes’ fans. If you’re into that folk sound and can’t get enough of Oberst, than this is an album for you. Otherwise, this is a hard pill to swallow.

By Kristen Mollica

The Sounds announce Letterman stop and album tracklist

The Sounds have just been confirmed to perform the first single, “No One Sleeps When I’m Awake,” from their forthcoming album, CROSSING THE RUBICON on “The Late Show with David Letterman” on June 15th.

The Sounds’ new album CROSSING THE RUBICON, due out on June 2nd via Original Signal Recordings. The tracklisting for the album is below as well as the bands tour dates with No Doubt this summer.

CROSSING THE RUBICON track listing:

1. No One Sleeps When I’m Awake
2. 4 Songs & A Fight
3. My Lover
4. Dorchester Hotel
5. Beatbox
6. Underground
7. Crossing The Rubicon
8. Midnight Sun
9. Lost In Love
10. The Only Ones
11. Home Is Where Your Heart Is
12. Goodnight Freddy

TOUR DATES:

April 27th TT The Bears Boston, MA
April 28th The Mod Club Toronto, ON
April 29th Club Soda Montreal, Quebec
May 1st Port City Music Hall Portland, ME
May 2nd The Note West Chester, PA
May 3rd Giants Stadium – Bamboozle East Rutherford, NJ**
May 5th The Grog Shop Cleveland, OH
May 7th Double Door Chicago, IL
May 8th Varsity Theatre Minneapolis, MN
May 9th The Rave Milwaukee, WI
May 11th Peoples Court Des Moines, IA
May 12th Bottleneck Lawrence, KS
May 13th The Blue Note Columbia, MS
May 14th Marquee Tulsa, OK
May 16th Mandalay Bay – Tiger Jam XII Las Vegas, NV*
May 19th Save Mart Center Fresno, CA*
May 20th Rabobank Arena Bakersfield, CA*
May 22nd Cricket Wireless Amphitheatre Chula Vista, CA*
May 23rd Cricket Wireless Pavilion Phoenix, AZ*
May 25th E Center Salt Lake City, UT*
May 26th The Black Sheep Colorado Springs, CO+
May 27th Fiddler’s Green Amphitheatre Denver, CO*
May 28th Journal Pavilion Albuquerque, NM*
May 29th Take II El Paso, TX*
May 30th Superpages.com Center Dallas, TX*
May 31st Cynthia Woods Mitchell Spring, TX*
June 2nd Ford Amphitheatre Tampa, FL*
June 3rd Cruzan Amphitheatre West Palm Beach, FL*
June 4th Club Firestone Orlando, FL
June 5th Lakewood Amphitheatre Atlanta, GA*
June 6th Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre Charlotte, NC*
June 8th Time Warner Cable Music Pavilion Raleigh, NC*
June 10th Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre Virginia Beach, VA*
June 11th Susquehanna Bank Center Camden, NJ*
June 13th Post-Gazette Pavilion Burgettstown, PA*
June 14th Nissan Pavilion Bristow, VA*
July 19th White River Amphitheatre Auburn, WA*
July 21st Sleep Train Pavilion Concord, CA*
July 22nd Gibson Amphitheatre Los Angeles, CA*
July 24th Sleep Train Amphitheatre Wheatland, CA*
July 25th Shoreline Amphitheatre Mountain View, CA*
July 27th Gibson Amphitheatre Universal City, CA*
July 28th Gibson Amphitheatre Universal City, CA*
July 31st Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre Irvine, CA*
August 1st Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre Irvine, CA*
August 2nd Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre Irvine, CA*
August 4th Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre Irvine, CA*
August 5th Santa Barbara Bowl Santa Barbara, CA
August 8th Cricket Wireless Amphitheatre Chula Vista, CA*

* Supporting No Doubt
** Performing at this year’s Bamboozle Festival

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