[reminder] Fleet Foxes @ The Moore (Tonight & Tomorrow)

Fleet Foxes w/ Cave Singers - May 2-3

Just a reminder, the Fleet Foxes are kicking off their record release of Helplessness Blues this Tuesday with a pair of home shows at the Moore Theater. With local stage support from The Cave Singers, these shows are sure to be nights to remember.

Unfortunately for people just hearing about this, tickets are sold out (they actually sold out within minutes of going on sale). The first show is tonight (May 2), and the record-release party is tomorrow night (May 3). The two bands will then embark on a cross-country tour (dates posted below). Be there! Also, check out the fan-made music video above of the title-track.

Approximate set times

• Doors open at 6:30 pm
• Cave Singers: 7:30 pm
• Fleet Foxes: 8:45 pm

Fleet Foxes tour dates:

05.02 - Moore Theatre - Seattle, WA *
05.03 - Moore Theatre - Seattle, WA *
05.05 - Fox Theater - Oakland, CA *
05.06 - Spreckels Theatre - San Diego, CA *
05.07 - Hollywood Palladium - Hollywood, CA *
05.08 - Rialto Theatre - Tucson, AZ *
05.10 - Stubb's Waller Creek - Austin, TX *
05.11 - Palladium Ballroom - Dallas, TX *
05.13 - Ryman Auditorium - Nashville, TN *
05.14 - The Tabernacle - Atlanta, GA *
05.15 - DAR Constitution Hall - Washington, DC *
05.17 - Orpheum Theatre - Boston, MA *
05.18 - The United Palace Theatre - New York, NY *
05.19 - The United Palace Theatre - New York, NY *
05.21 - Tower Theatre - Upper Darby, PA *
05.25 - Astra - Berlin, Germany
05.26 - Dachau Summer of Music - Munich, Germany
05.28 - Primavera Sound - Barcelona, Spain
05.30 - Bataclan - Paris, France
05.31 - Hammersmith Apollo - London, UK
06.01 - Hammersmith Apollo - London, UK
06.02 - Hammersmith Apollo - London, UK
06.23 - Civic Hall - Wolverhampton, UK
06.25 - Custom House Square - Belfast, Ireland
06.26 - Live at the Marquee - Cork, Ireland
06.28 - Manchester Apollo - Manchester, UK
06.29 - Corn Exchange - Edinburgh, UK
07.01 - Eden Sessions - St. Austell, UK
07.03 - Rock Werchter - Werchter, Belgium
07.06 - Malta Festival - Poznan, Poland
07.08 - Alive Festival - Lisbon, Portugal
07.10 - Ruisrock - Turku, Finland
08.11 - Oya Festival - Oslo, Norway
08.12 - Way Out West - Gothenburg, Sweden
08.13 - Haldern Pop Festival - Rees-Haldern, Germany
08.20 - Green Man Festival - Brecon Beacons, UK

* w/ The Cave Singers

[news] Bin Laden (dead)

Justice has been done.

"I mourn the loss of thousands of precious lives, but I will not rejoice in the death of one, not even an enemy. Returning hate for hate multiplies hate, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that."

-- Martin Luther King, Jr.

[interview] Lord Huron - Progress Report

Interview with the Lord

Ben Schneider (seen above), the lead singer/creator of Lord Huron, was kind enough to take time out of his busy schedule to answer a few questions for Three Colours. Currently, Lord Huron is riding a wave of buzz and touring through the heart of the country. Tonight marks the start of their headlining tour - most notably is their just-announced appearance at this year's Lollapalooza (exact date still TBD). The interview proceeds the tour dates. If you get a chance to see these guys live, I highly recommend it.

Lord Huron tour dates:

04/26 - Washington, DC - DC9
04/28 - New York, NY - Mercury Lounge
04/30 - Philadelphia, PA - North Star Bar
05/02 - Detroit, MI - Magic Stick Lounge
05/03 - Chicago, IL - Schuba's Tavern
05/07 - Norman, OK - Opolis Coffee
05/08 - Austin, TX - Emo's
05/10 - Tucson, AZ - Solar Culture
05/11 - La Jolla, CA - The Loft at UCSD
05/14 - Los Angeles, CA - Troubadour
08/5-7 - Chicago, IL - Lollapalooza!

Lord Huron Interview

(Three Colours) There seems to be a lot of lore behind the creation of Lord Huron and your two EPs Into the Sun and Mighty. If I'm not mistaken, most of what ended up on these two records was conceived on the beaches of northern Michigan. Would you care to talk a bit about what images/emotions were going on in your life that created such beautiful soundscapes?

(Ben Schneider) My life was changing a lot at that time. Good and bad, as it often goes.

(TC) Did you know from the beginning when you first started writing this music that it would eventually lead to a band?

(BS) I hoped it would, but I didn’t really have any expectations. I really enjoy performing live, so that was always in the back of my mind. Thankfully people responded very positively to the recordings, and I’ve been able to put together a great group.

(TC) Now that you're touring across the country, you've had to adapt these solitary recordings into a road band. What have been the major challenges in this process?

(BS) There’s a lot happening on the records. Ideally I’d have twelve musicians with me every night, but that’s just impossible at this point. The biggest challenge has been attempting to recreate the size and intricacy of the recordings with 5 people. Thankfully, the guys are all incredibly talented. We’re still working it out to be honest. Things change night to night. We’ve only been together for a few months and it just takes time.

(TC) And what would you say has been the most serendipitous additions to your songs that you've experienced while playing these live?

(BS) It feels really great having other musicians to interact with. Each player brings his own personality to the music, and that’s been interesting to hear and work with.

(TC) You just released an EP back in November, but are there any plans to begin crafting an full-length LP, or is one already in the works?

(BS) I’ve continued writing and recording all the while. Not sure what this new material will turn into, but I think we’ll probably release an LP within the next year.

(TC) Will you be entering the studio as a collective, or will it be a solitary recording session again?

(BS) I’d definitely like to get these guys into the studio. I’m really interested in working with a producer as well. I think the right person could do a lot for the songs.

(TC) Do you think you will go back to the beaches of the mighty Huron for more inspiration, or will the Pacific do just the trick?

(BS) I’d like to keep working up there as much as possible. We shot a video there, too, and it’s just a great place to work. I think I’ll probably move back to Michigan before too long.

(TC) I'm a really big fan of your album art. Is that done by one of you guys?

(BS) Thanks. Yes, I do the artwork. Working on the visual aspect of the project has been really enjoyable for me.

(TC) I hate to label a band's sound, so I won't, but I can't help notice an overarching element that reminds me of backpacking through some far-off land. Has travel influenced the sound of these records?

(BS) Travel has been an important part of my life, and so has home. I’ve always had this internal struggle. A strong attachment to home vs. a raging wanderlust. Turns out touring is a pretty good way to handle this.

(TC) While touring, you've probably trailblazed through unexplored territories - do these new cities/places inspire new songs?

(BS) We’re just getting going, but we’ve already had some interesting adventures and encounters. Whether or not they’ll make it into the music remains to be seen.

(TC) Do you have any memorable touring moments that you'd like to share?

(BS) It’s all pretty memorable to us, but I doubt it would be very interesting to others. We’ve met a lot of good folks. No arrests yet, thankfully.

[video] White Denim - "Drug"

New video from White Denim

As reported earlier, White Denim is primed to drop their new album D on May 24. Marking the band's US label debut, the album will be released via Downtown. In preparation for the new LP, the band has showcased an official video for the first single "Drug" (seen above). I'd like to see a "making of the music video" after watching all the humorous and drug-inspired stop motion photography. Check it out.

[new music] Franz Ferdinand - Covers EP

Listen to Franz Ferdinand's Covers EP

On Record Store Day, Franz Ferdinand released a 5-song EP which featured covers of their songs from Tonight performed by bands that FF apparently loves. These include Debbie Harry, Stephin Merritt (of Magnetic Fields), LCD Soundsystem, ESG, and Peaches. For those of you who didn't pick up a copy of the coloured 12" vinyl of the Covers EP as part of the Record Store Day celebrations, Domino Records announced that the EP will also be released on CD & black vinyl on May 2.

You can stream all 5 songs from the Covers EP below. Check it out.

[new music] Bon Iver - Bon Iver, Bon Iver

New self-titled LP from Bon Iver

There's an old adage that states how bands have roughly 18 years to write their debut and only 1-2 years for the follow-up. It's sad but very true, and as fans we tend to grow impatient with even our favorite acts. Personally, I greatly appreciate (only in hindsight) the bands that take their time to craft another masterpiece, but that doesn't mean I enjoy the years of anticipation leading up to its release.

In 2007, Justin Vernon surprised us all with his instant classic For Emma, Forever Ago. Released under the moniker Bon Iver, the album was picked up by record label Jagjaguwar and increasingly gained an indie-cult following over the next year. When sharing this album with friends, the exchange of music was usually accompanied with an anecdotal tale: "Vernon, heartbroken from both a lost love and a dissolved band, retreated to the snowy recesses of backcountry Wisconsin and catharticly recorded his emotions." The lore behind the album only helped listeners connect with the beautifully crafted songs. By 2009, The LP had gained the attention of everyone, and to our delight, the Blood Bank EP was released to give us a little more Bon Iver.

Now we've been waiting what seems like ages for the sophomore LP. We're hungry for Bon Iver, and Volcano Choir turned out to be an entirely different beast. Finally, news of this follow-up album has been released over at Jagjaguwar. According to their label, the self-titled album, whose cover art is pictured above, will drop June 21. In the press release, it states that the 10-song album took Vernon 3 years to craft. Bon Iver, Bon Iver was recorded and mixed at Vernon's April Base Studios in Fall Creek, WI. The studio, which was converted from a former veterinarian's clinic, is "only three miles from the house [he] grew up in, and just ten minutes from the bar where [his] parents met."

The album art was created by artist Gregory Euclide. It's actually a relief art and can be seen in all its three dimensions here.

A track listing of Bon Iver's Bon Iver, Bon Iver is posted below (that's a bit redundant).

Track listing: Bon Iver, Bon Iver
01 - Perth
02 - Minnesota, WI
03 - Holocene
04 - Towers
05 - Michicant
06 - Hinnom, TX
07 - Wash.
08 - Calgary
09 - Lisbon, OH
10 - Beth/Rest

[new music] Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. - It's a Corporate World

Debut LP from Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr.

The best-named band of 2010 is prepping for another US tour in support of their upcoming, highly anticipated debut album It's a Corporate World, which drops May 7 via Quite Scientific Records. Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. was responsible for one of 2010's best EPs, and after hearing their opening track "Morning Thought", I'm very excited for the release of this album. Also of mention, on June 7, the band will be playing the Tractor Tavern. The rest of the tour is posted below.

:: download "Morning Thought" (here)

Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. Tour Dates:
May 10 – Brighton Music Hall – Boston, MA
May 11 – Mercury Lounge – New York, NY
May 12 – The Rock Shop – Brooklyn, NY
May 13 – The Red Palace – Washington, DC
May 14 – Kung Fu Necktie – Philadelphia, PA
May 17 – IOTA Club & Cafe – Arlington, VA
May 18 – The Camel – Richmond, VA
May 19 – Local 506 – Chapel Hill, NC
May 20 – The Earl – Atlanta, GA
May 21 – The Basement – Nashville, TN
May 24 – Bottletree – Birmingham, AL
May 25 – Proud Larry’s -Oxford, MI
May 26 – Fitzgerald’s – Houston, TX
May 27 – Club DaDa – Dallas, TX
May 28 – Emo’s Alternative Lounge – Austin, TX
May 31 – Santa Fe Brewing Company – Santa Fe, NM
Jun 01 – Rhythm Room – Phoenix, AZ
Jun 02 – Casbah – San Diego, CA
Jun 03 – The Echo – Echo Park, CA
Jun 04 – Rickshaw Stop – San Francisco, CA
Jun 06 – Mississippi Studios – Portland, OR
Jun 07 – The Tractor Tavern – Seattle, WA
Jun 09 – The Neurolux – Boise, ID
Jun 10 – Kilby Court Gallery – Salt Lake City, UT
Jun 11 – Hi-Dive – Denver, CO
Jun 13 – The Waiting Room – Omaha, NE
Jun 14 – The Mill – Iowa City, IA
Jun 15 – 7th Street Entry – Minneapolis, MN
Jun 16 – University of Wisconsin – Madison, WI
Jun 17 – White Rabbit Cabaret – Indianapolis, IN