[news] Britt Daniel in New Band Spl:t S:ngle

Another band for Britt Daniel!?

It looks like Britt Daniel has been keeping busy lately. Right on the heels of the Divine Fits announcement, Daniel revealed that he has been recording with yet another band called Spl:t S:ngle. According to other reports, Daniel's primary musical vehicle Spoon is still alive in the background as well!

As for Spl:t S:ngle, you can see from the picture above that Daniel is only contributing his bass skills (and not his pipes), something he hasn't done for quite some time (Alien Beats, perhaps?). You can check out some of their songs here. It's quite a departure from Daniel's other works, and that's because Spl:t S:ngle was conceived by Jason Narducy (Telekinesis, Verbow), who wrote/sang all 13 tracks that were recorded last month. Rounding out the lineup is drummer Jon Wurster (Superchunk, Mountain Goats). Should be most interesting to hear what Daniel brings to the table.

[news] Divine Fits Preview New Song Clip

Things just got a lot more interesting...

After a lot of speculation on my part, we now have our first glimpse at the new supergroup Divine Fits, who just released a little teaser video (above) that samples a small bit of their sound. Adding to the intrigue, there are no guitars to be heard - only piano, synth, and sparse drums. Not the punk-driven sound I was expecting, and it would seem that the trio is heading down paths that Spoon, Wolf Parade, and New Bomb Turks never ventured. I'm thoroughly captivated, to say the least.

[news] Divine Fits - Britt Daniel + Dan Boeckner!!!

HOLY CRAP!

Could the stars have aligned any better? Is some divine power at work in an attempt to lift my spirits? Just when I was thinking how sad it was that Handsome Furs had dissolved (and it still is really sad), I couldn't possibly have believed that Dan Boeckner's new band (mentioned in this Times Colonist article) would involve joining forces with Britt Daniel (of Spoon) and Sam Brown (of New Bomb Turks). They apparently have a debut album in the works and are set to release it this year! The album was produced by Nick Launay (Arcade Fire, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds) and will drop via Merge.

Now this isn't the first time Daniel and Boeckner have shared the stage, however. Back in 2010, Boeckner joined Spoon at Radio City for a rendition of "Modern World" and "I Saw the Light". Daniel has also covered "Modern World" at numerous Spoon shows. While these were extremely exciting events, I can't imagine combining these two creative minds for an entire album. Can't wait to hear their sound!

Check out Divine Fits' website and twitter for future updates.

[news] The End of Handsome Furs

Sad news

According to the Handsome Furs site, the band has split... Posted last night, HF had this to say:

With a heavy heart the time has come to let all of you know that Handsome Furs are no more.

The most important thing that needs to be said right now is how extremely grateful we are to all the fans all over the world that showered us with love and support over the years. Thank you for everything! It's been an incredible 6 years and we owe it all to you.

xoxo
HF

At this point it's just speculation on the reasons behind the break up. Hopefully it has nothing to do with the recent health scare that led to the cancellation of their Euro tour. Equally important, I hope this is only a break in the band and not a break in their marriage.

Nonetheless, I wish Dan and Alexie the best, and feel grateful to have experienced their amazing 3 LPs and incredible live shows, as well as their touching CNN documentary IndieAsia.

First the end of Wolf Parade, and now the end of Handsome Furs... truly sad news.

[news] Sasquatch! 2012 Line-up Announced

Holy crap! This line-up is good...

Sasquatch! 2012: May 25-28 at the Gorge in George, WA (Tickets)

- more info here.

Full Sasquatch line-up:

Jack White, Beck, Bon Iver, Pretty Lights, Tenacious D, The Shins, Beirut, Girl Talk, The Roots, The Head & The Heart, Portlandia, Feist, Silversun Pickups, Metric, Explosions In The Sky, The Joy Formidable, Mogwai, Nero (DJ), M. Ward, John Reilly & Friends, Childish Gambino, St. Vincent, The Civil Wars, Jamey Johnson, Little Dragon, tUnE-yArDs, Wild Flag, Blind Pilot, Wolfgang Gartner, Beats Antique, Apparat, The Walkmen, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, Mark Lanegan Band, Spiritualized, Blitzen Trapper, The Cave Singers, Shabazz Palaces, Fun., Grouplove, Tycho, Sbtrkt, Strfkr, Ted Leo and the Pharmacists, Deer Tick, Imelda May, Alabama Shakes, Dum Dum Girls, The Helio Sequence, Kurt Vile, Cloud Cult, We Are Augustines, Ben Howard, Here We Go Magic, Zola Jesus, The War On Drugs, Shearwater, Cass McCombs, Active Child, Trampled By Turtles, Charles Bradley & His Extraordinaires, Araabmuzik, Star Slinger, L.A. Riots, Com Truise, Unknown Mortal Orchestra, I Break Horses, Walk The Moon, Dry The River, Allen Stone, Pickwick, Hey Marseilles, Gary Clark Jr., Purity Ring, Electric Guest, Yellow Ostrich, Nobody Beats The Drum, Coeur De Pirate, Lord Huron, Sallie Ford & The Sound Outside, Beat Connection, The Sheepdogs, Hey Rosetta!, Said The Whale, Howlin Rain, Gardens & Villa, Felix Cartal, Craft Spells, Vintage Trouble, Poor Moon, Black Whales, Gold Leaves, Greylag, Awesome Tapes From Africa, and more to come...

[tour dates] White Rabbits are coming to a city near you

Tour dates now, new album soon

White Rabbits have reported that new music is on the way, and judging from their newly announced tour dates, we may be hearing said songs as early as November. White Rabbits put on one of my favorite shows in Seattle, and I think you should definitely take advantage of seeing them live if they're in a city near you. Dates posted below.

White Rabbits tour dates:

11/29/11 - Buffalo, NY @ Ninth Ward

11/30/11 - Toronto, ONT @ The Legendary Horseshoe Tavern
12/01/11 - Pontiac, MI @ The Crofoot
12/02/11 - Indianapolis, IN @ Radio Radio
12/03/11 - Milwaukee, WI @ Cactus Club
12/05/11 - Iowa City, IA @ The Mill
12/06/11 - Kansas City, MO @ Record Bar
12/08/11 - Louisville, KY @ Zanzabar
12/09/11 - Nashville, TN @ Exit/In
12/10/11 - Columbus, OH @ Newport Music Hall
12/11/11 - Baltimore, MD @ Ottobar

[video] Lord Huron - "Mighty" & "She Lit A Fire"

New video, new songs from Lord Huron

Lord Huron just debuted the video of the title track from their Mighty EP (see above), and they also showcased a new tune entitled "She Lit A Fire", which they performed for Rollo & Grady (see below). The new song was recorded during a three-song private session for the LA music blog, and it was accompanied by performances of "The Stranger" and yet another new song entitled "Man Who Lives Forever". Currently, you can only watch videos of the former two songs, but the latter song will be revealed later this October over at R&G.

In other news, Lord Huron will kick off a series of tour dates with the New Orleans band Givers. See below for the full list, and make sure to check these guys out in a city near you. Last time I saw them in Seattle, I was totally blown away (review here).

Lord Huron Tour Dates:
10/17 :: Raleigh, NC @ Kings Barcade *
10/18 :: Washington, DC @ Black Cat *
10/19 :: New York, NY @ Living Room (Paste CMJ Day Party)
10/19 :: New York, NY @ Mercury Lounge %
10/20 :: Brooklyn, NY @ The Rock Shop (CMJ) #
10/22 :: Clinton, NY @ Hamilton College
10/23 :: Cambridge, MA @ Middle East Downstairs *
10/24 :: Pawtucket, RI @ The Met Cafe *
10/26 :: Toronto, ON @ Wrong Bar *
10/28 :: Nashville, TN @ Exit/In *
10/29 :: Birmingham, AL @ The Bottletree *
11/12 :: San Diego, CA @ Sunset Temple
12/02 :: Los Angeles, CA Skybar @ Mondrian Hotel
12/03 :: San Francisco, CA Velvet Room @ Clift Hotel

* = w/ Givers
# = w/ Strand of Oaks, The Lonely Forest, Dinosaur Feathers
% = w/ Pink Cashmere, Hey Marseilles, The Lumineers, Lissie Trullie

[Mp3] Moonface - "The Way You Wish You Could Live In The Storm"

New song from Moonface

In early August, Moonface (aka Spencer Krug) released his second LP entitled Organ Music Not Vibraphone Like I'd Hoped. Apparently, the song posted below, "The Way You Wish You Could Live In The Storm", did not fit in well with the rest of the album and was ultimately cut from the record. It's a good one. Also, Moonface has announced more US tour dates which kick off this month. See below for a city near you. Notably, Moonface has been playing an awesome Fine Young Cannibals cover of "I'm Not the Man I Used to Be" (not "She Drives Me Crazy", unfortunately).

Moonface :: "The Way You Wish You Could Live In The Storm" (Unreleased)

Moonface tour dates:

10-07 :: Milwaukee, WI :: Cactus Club
10-08 :: Madison, WI :: U. of Wisconsin (The Sett)
10-09 :: Minneapolis, MN :: 7th St. Entry
10-11 :: Saskatoon, SK :: Amigo’s
10-12 :: Calgary, AB :: Republik
10-14 :: Vancouver, BC :: Waldorf
10-15 :: Seattle, WA :: The Crocodile
10-16 :: Portland, OR :: Doug Fir Lounge
10-18 :: San Francisco, CA :: The Independent
10-19 :: Los Angeles, CA :: The Satellite
10-20 :: San Diego, CA :: Casbah
10-21 :: Tucson, AZ :: Club Congress
10-23 :: Denver, CO :: Larimer Lounge
10-25 :: St. Louis, MO :: The Firebird
10-26 :: Chicago, IL :: Lincoln Hall
10-29 :: Washington DC :: Rock ‘N’ Roll Hotel
10-30 :: New York, NY :: Bowery Ballroom

[news] Pink Floyd on Jimmy Fallon (plus MGMT, Shins, Foo Fighers, & Pearl Jam)

Pink Floyd makes rare TV appearance this week

Celebrating the massive reissue of Pink Floyd's entire catalog (14 remastered studio albums, a 16-CD box set with those releases, and an ambitious 6-disc box set focused solely on "Dark Side of the Moon"), Late Night With Jimmy Fallon will be hosting a number of interesting Pink Floyd-related musical acts this week. So set your DVR and don't miss these performances.

According to Billboard:

Monday :: The Shins will kick off the week and perform "Breathe" from "The Dark Side of the Moon." This will actually be the band's first TV appearance in four years. Floyd drummer Mason is stopping by for a talk segment with Fallon.

Tuesday :: Roger Waters is teaming up with Foo Fighters (for the first time ever) to perform "In the Flesh," off the singer-bassist's opus "The Wall." Fallon will also get a crack at interviewing Waters during the show.

Wednesday :: MGMT will take the stage to perform the early Floyd track, "Lucifer Sam," off 1967's "The Piper at the Gates of Dawn." The echo-heavy song, written and sung by original frontman Syd Barrett, was only performed by the band in the year of its release, but it's since been covered by the likes of The Flaming Lips and Jay Farrar (Son Volt/Uncle Tupelo).

Thursday :: "Late Night" will go country when hugely popular country charmer Dierks Bentley takes the mic to handle the Floyd staple, "Wish You Were Here."

Friday :: Pearl Jam will round out the week with their take on "Mother," another massive track off "The Wall." PJ recently made their Fallon debut by unveiling the new track, "Ole." Eddie and co. are riding high as they celebrate the 20th anniversary of their debut, "Ten," along with the release of "Pearl Jam 20," a film, book and soundtrack.

UPDATE :: To see all songs performed on Jimmy Fallon, go here.

[Letter From The Editor] Three Colours Is Back

When Will I See You Again?

Well, as you may have noticed, it's been a long while since anything has been posted here on Three Colours. I feel like a I owe someone out there an explanation. Sadly, things must always come to an end, and when I enrolled at the University of Washington for graduate school, I knew that my Seattle stint would be indefinitely long. Conscious of this, I think I really took advantage of all the wonderful music opportunities during my six years in the Emerald City. Hopefully I was able to share some of my favorite moments with readers that stumbled across this humble blog. My goal all along was to talk about the bands that I happened to discover and really enjoyed, exposing those bands to anyone willing to read about them. I'm very happy with how it all turned out. But alas, that story has run its course, and once again, I find myself in a new and unexplored land: Southwest Michigan.

Interestingly, one of the last concerts I attended in Seattle was for Lord Huron at the Tractor Tavern. Those who are familiar with these Michigan folksters have probably heard their beautiful "When Will I See You Again", which concludes their amazing Mighty EP. At the very least, it was an emotional night knowing that I could have been experiencing my last Tractor Tavern show for many years. And when this song began, the lyrics for "When Will I See You Again" became so apt for all my feelings of the night, almost like the song could have been a dialogue between me and Seattle. It so perfectly put everything in perspective and wrapped up a wonderful period in the history of my life.

Lyrics:
If you got what you came for why should you stay?
If you know where you're going why delay?
If you won't be returning don't say goodbye.
Turn you back on the ocean and follow the sun through the sky.

I've already forgotten all of your names.
And I cannot remember when you came.
Grab your things and get going. Don't say goodbye.
Turn your back on the ocean. Go see what's out there to find.

It's time to let go.
Goodbye and so long.
All the best along the way.
Couldn't I keep you another day?

When will I see you again?

I have, in fact, turned my back on the ocean, so to speak, and have made the long journey across the country to my new home. I refuse to say goodbye to land of bumbeshoots and sasquatches, because I'm sure I'll be back some day - keeping my Seahawks season tickets has assured me of that. And while Southwest Michigan may not be the musical hot bed that Seattle is, I'm a quick train ride from Chicago which I've already taken full advantage of since moving here (Pitchfork Fest was sweet!).

So I'm not sure what the frequency of posting will be in the future days here at Three Colours, but I hope to continue to share the bands that I'm listening to and maybe even do a concert review here and there. Until next post...

[video] Wolf Parade - "Knockin' on Heaven's Door"

R.I.P. Wolf Parade

Last night, Wolf Parade played their last concert to a sold old crowd at the Commodore Ballroom in Vancouver, BC. Fittingly (and quite strangely), the band ended the night with Bob Dylan's "Knockin' on Heaven's Door", which in reality could be their final song ever played. Joined by a mob of excited fans, Wolf Parade and Co. rocked out to the bittersweet ending of something beautiful. You can watch the fan-captured video above.

Until the reunion tour...

[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.

[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

[new music] My Morning Jacket - Circuital

That Good Ol' Familiar Feel of My Morning Jacket

My Morning Jacket's newest album Circuital is scheduled for a May 31 release. The title track - a 7 minute slow-building jam session - can be heard below. If the rest of the album sounds anything like this, we're in for a treat. Now I'm probably in the minority here, but I was never able to acquire a taste for Evil Urges. With the exception of "Touch Me I'm Going To Scream, Part II", I just could never seem to understand what all the hoopla was about. But "Circuital" is nice and familiar, yet a little stripped down. I love how we hear the song built up as it progresses, only to be torn back apart after the climax at the 6 minute-mark. Check it out, and pre-order a copy of the LP here.



You can download this track (here)

[new music] Handsome Furs - Sound Kapital

New Handsome Furs on June 28!

Handsome Furs have just announced the details of their 3rd LP Sound Kapital! The album will drop via SupPop on June 28, and you can hear the first single "What About Us" above. According to the band's press release, Sound Kapital is the first Handsome Furs album written exclusively on keyboards and drum machine. They go on to explain this decision in rational detail:

This was a conscious decision, made for a few reasons: a) it forced Dan, whose primary instrument is guitar, to find fresh avenues of expression; b) it facilitated writing on the road. The latter concern is especially important. Even with their new analog synthesizers, Handsome Furs can still fit all their gear into a subcompact car—or the saddlebags of a camel. Alexei and Dan have joked about being “closet journalists,” but this is no laughing matter. Being able to work as they travel permits visceral editorializing about their eye-opening adventures. The jittery, electro-hardcore “Damage” incorporates samples of radio broadcasts concerning a Hong Kong hostage situation that was unfolding while the Furs were in the Philippines.

The band will be playing a series of US shows before jetting off across the Atlantic (dates are posted below). Could be interesting to hear some old jams played out on the keys...

Sound Kapital Track Listing
01 When I Get Back
02 Damage
03 Bury Me Standing
04 Memories of the Future
05 Serve the People
06 What About Us
07 Repatriated
08 Cheap Music
09 No Feelings

Handsome Furs Tour Dates
04-13 – Boston, MA – Great Scott
04-14 – Brooklyn, NY – Bell House
04-15 – Richmond, VA – Gallery 5
04-16 – Clemson, SC – Clemson University
04-17 – Raleigh, NC – King's Barcade
04-18 – Philadelphia, PA – Kung Fu Necktie
04-22 – Sofia, Bulgaria – RBF Club – with No Age
04-23 – Skopje, MK – Zdravo Mladi Festival – with No Age
04-26 – Prishtina, Albania – Club 21 *
04-27 – Podgorica, Montenegro – Soul2Soul *
04-28 – Dubrovnik, Croatia – Orlando *
04-29 – Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina – SLOGA
05-03 – Vienna, AT – Flex
05-04 – Bratislava, SK – Dunaj
05-05 – Krakow, PL – Laznia Nowa
05-06 – Warsaw, PL – Warsaw Music Week @ Cafe Kulturalna
05-07 – Wroclaw, PL – Puzzle
05-08 – Prague, CZ – 007
05-09 – Berlin, DE – Westgermany
05-11 – Gent, BE – De Centrale
05-12 – Amsterdam, NL – Bitterzoet
05-13 – Brighton, UK – The Great Escape
05-14 – Cardiff, UK – Buffalo Bar
05-16 – London, UK – Lexington ^
05-17 – Glasgow, UK – Captains Rest
05-19 – Liverpool, UK – Sounds City Festival @ Chapel Club
05-20 – Paris, FR – Le Flèche d’or
05-21 – Bergen, NO – Landmark
05-22 – Oslo,NO – Betong

* – With support from Bernays Propaganda
^ – With support from Hundreds

[new music] Resume Compilation for Japanese Earthquake Victims

A Compilation Album to Support the Victims
of the Japan Earthquake

In the wake of the horrendous earthquake and resulting tsunami that recently struck eastern Japan, 7 e.p. (a label that mainly licenses music from overseas) has arranged a compilation to help benefit the victims. With the hope of creating an iTunes-based benefit album, they called out to the overseas artists that they have had the pleasure of working with. The response was immediate and overwhelming.

The result: a 3-volume benefit compilation album titled Resume. It includes 45 tracks, most of them previously unreleased, from 43 artists hailing from America, Canada, Australia, the U.K., the Netherlands and even Japan.

The title, Resume, which implies recovering and persevering, was the idea of Sweet Dreams publisher Norio Fukuda. The cover artwork was provided by renowned Olympia, WA artist Nikki McClure. Additionally, Masaki Tada, who has worked on albums by moools and many other 7 e.p. albums, offered his mastering expertise. Of note, contributions from Wolf Parade (who toured with moools last year), Sunset Rubdown, and Johnny & The Moon have all contributed songs to Resume (list posted below). Looks like a good album, and it's definitely a good cause. Check it out - albums are available today for $7 each.

• Wolf Parade – Agents Of Love (iTunes only single)
• Wolf Parade – Semi-Precious Stone (iTunes only single)
• Sunset Rubdown – Coming To At Dawn (Digitally unreleased)
• Sunset Rubdown – Insane Love Is Awakening (Digitally unreleased)
• Johnny & The Moon – From the Rooftops of Houses (Unreleased)

[new music] Miracle Fortress - Was I the Wave?

New LP from Miracle Fortress Coming Soon

It's been nearly 4 years since Miracle Fortress released any new music. In 2007, Five Roses transported listeners into soloist Graham Van Pelt's fairytale dreams, and by the end of the record, it managed to make us all feel a little happier inside.

But in the process of writing a sophomore release (as well as supporting his other musical vehicle Think About Life), GVP seemed to quietly disappear. His tumblr account has been occasionally updated with cryptic posts and obscure YouTube clips, but the progress on new jams was never squarely addressed. However, after a much anticipated wait, it appears that new Miracle Fortress material is on the way! GVP has posted the following message to his fans over at the MF website:

I know I've been gone a while, but I feel like waking up from the long dream.

Currently, if you visit the site, you can hear some atmospheric guitar play, and the phrase "WITW?" makes you scratch your head. After a little research, it appears these letters refer to the title of his new album Was I The Wave?.

No official release date has been announced, but according to Amazon, the album should drop on May 3. Interestingly, though, other online record stores say April 26. Regardless of which date is correct, we should be hearing some new Miracle Fortress very soon!

New Fleet Foxes and Miracle Fortress on the same day, possibly? Sounds like an incredible day!

UPDATE :: According to Mr. Van Pelt, Was I The Wave? will be available via the here as of April 26. (Stores in Canada will have it on the same day; the USA will have it on May 17).

Fans expecting the same sound as Five Roses may also be in for a surprise:

In some ways it's drastically different than Five Roses, for those of you familiar with the first album. In other ways, it's rather similar. Like Five Roses, Graham served as composer, arranger, performer, producer, and engineer. He spent a lot of time holed up in various cramped spaces in Montreal (and the occasional hotel on the road) working out themes of alienation and anonymity, intimacy and domesticity.

Head over to the MF store (here) and pre-order a copy of Was I The Wave? today. There's a single from the album they're giving away now, "Raw Spectacle," in exchange for an email address. If you pre-order the album, they'll also send you the single and a remix of it by Pantha du Prince, tout-de-suite.

[new music] Arctic Monkeys - Suck It and See

Suck It and See - Out June 6

The Arctic Monkeys will soon release their fourth studio album, Suck It and See, on June 6. This will be the band's followup album to 2009's Humbug. Interesting, the band has described the LP's sound as more vintage pop - not as dark as Humbug. Produced by regular AM collaborator James Ford and recorded at South City Studios in LA, Suck It and See will be available on CD, vinyl and via digital download.

Starting in May, the band will tour through the US, however, no love for Seattle (tour dates here).

As a little teaser, the Arctic Monkeys posted a video of their newest track "Brick-By-Brick." You can watch the video above.

[new music] White Denim - D

White Denim return with new album D

Two new White Denim jams are available for your streaming pleasure. This comes in the wake of the band's announcement of their next release - WD's third LP, entitled D, will hit shelves here in the US on May 24 (June 6 for UK). Below you can hear the two tracks, "Drugs" and "Anvil Everything", which will appear on D. Also, check out the band's tour schedule if you live in the Austin area - lots of chances to see their face-melting live act during SXSW this year. More dates are surely to follow.

Anvil Everything by WhiteDenim

White Denim tour dates:

March 10 - Denton, TX - Conferette 35 Music Festival
March 11 - Austin, TX - Ghost Room – 9PM
March 12 - Austin, TX - 205 Brazos - Uship.com Interactive 8PM
March 16 - Austin, TX - The Parish - Day Party at 5 PM
March 16 - Austin, TX - Club Deville – SXSW Showcase at 11 PM
March 17 - Austin, TX - Austin Convention Center - RCRD LBL Party at 5 PM
March 18 - Austin, TX - Klub Krewcial - Gorilla vs Bear Day Party at 5:45-6:15PM
March 19 - Austin, TX - San Jose Hotel - Day Party at 3 PM

[news] Low Power FM Wins the Battle of the Airwaves

New Bill Passes to Expand LPFM

While the big story this week in Congress was the repealing of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," another sweet bill was also passed with little publicity. After nearly a ten-year battle, Low Power FM (LPFM) radio stations have won a major victory to reclaim the airwaves, thanks to the Low Power Community Radio Act (S. 592).

What is LPFM? To clarify, they are any station, licensed with the FCC, to transmit at a lower power than commercial radio stations. These stations do not transmit as far (roughly 7 mile-radius) as the commercial stations, but they usually have content that supports local communities, artists, and independent musicians.

Ten years ago, LPFM was born; however, shortly afterward, big commercial radio stations helped to push through the Radio Broadcasting Preservation Act of 2000. The number of LPFM stations was drastically reduced due to this bill, since it prevented any LPFM station from being within "three clicks" of a commercial station. Therefore, if a major station was broadcasting at 103.3, no LPFM station could use the airwaves between 102.7 and 104.1 since these are within the "three clicks" definition.

But now, because of the newly passed Low Power Community Radio Act, many independent radio stations, citizen organizations, non-profit organizations, churches, and colleges have the potential to take advantage of all the newly freed LPFM stations! Hopefully more KEXP-quality stations can exist under this new era of independent radio!