Tuesday, November 29, 2011

[video] Fleet Foxes - "The Shrine / An Argument"

Sean Pecknold's latest creation

Magical, imagination-provoking imagery drives this incredible Fleet Foxes' music video. Sean Pecknold has honed his mastery of animation and created one of his best films to date. I will say, the saxophone "solo" in this beautiful song is a bit grating when listening through Helplessness Blues, but watching the two-headed dragon scene in the video makes it much more tolerable.

Check out the video for "The Shrine / An Argument" above. And also take a gander at Fleet Foxes's live show as they continue their international tour.

Fleet Foxes tour dates:
EUROPE:
November 29, 2011 :: Heineken Music Hall / Amsterdam, Holland$
November 30, 2011 :: Forest National Club / Brussels, Belgium$
December 01, 2011 :: O2 Academy / Leeds, UK$ SOLD OUT

AUSTRALIA / NEW ZEALAND:
December 29-31, 2011 :: Falls Festival / Lorne, Vic & Marion Bay, Taz, Australia
January 02, 2012 :: Sydney Opera House/ Sydney, Australia
January 03, 2012 :: Sydney Opera House/ Sydney, Australia
January 04, 2012 :: Sydney Opera House / Sydney, Australia
January 06, 2012 :: Palais Theatre / Melbourne, Australia SOLD OUT
January 07-08, 2012 :: Southbound Festival / Busselton, Australia
January 10, 2012 :: Tivoli/ Brisbane, Australia
January 11, 2012 :: Tivoli / Brisbane, Australia SOLD OUT
January 13, 2012 :: Hunter Lodge / Wellington, New Zealand
January 14, 2012 :: Town Hall / Auckland, New Zealand

JAPAN:
January 17, 2012 :: Big Cat / Osaka, Japan
January 18, 2012 :: Club Quatro / Nagoya, Japan
January 20, 2012 :: Studio Coast / Tokyo, Japan

$ w/ Vetiver

Friday, November 18, 2011

[video] Miracle Fortress - "Miscalculations" + Tour Dates

New video, tour dates from Miracle Fortress

My favorite, "feel-good" jam from Miracle Fortress's second LP Was I The Wave? now has a music video. During the band's 2011 summer tour for the sophomore album, Graham Van Pelt & Co. captured a lot of the road-tripping magic on 8mm, and the results are as touching as the song itself. I'm not sure what it is about this "Miscalculations" (which most resembles the dreamy-pop classics found on Five Roses), but when I hear it I'm dosed with a healthy shot of optimism.

Miracle Fortress continues to blaze across the world in support of WITW? Of note, they'll be supporting Québec's Coeur de Pirate in February. For a full list of dates, look below.

Miracle Fortress tour dates:
11/19/11 :: Montreal QC @ Metropolis (MIRACLE FORTRESS DJ set)
12/05/11 :: Berlin DE @ HBC
12/06/11 :: Hamburg DE @ Astra Stube
12/07/11 :: Utrecht NL @ Ekko
12/08/11 :: Paris FR @ L'Espace B
12/09/11 :: Brighton UK @ Sticky Mike's
12/11/11 :: London UK @ Hoxton Bar & Kitchen
12/13/11 :: Manchester UK @ Night & Day
12/14/11 :: Glasgow UK @ Captains Rest
12/16/11 :: Dublin IE @ Crawdaddy &
12/17/11 :: Galway IE @ Rosin Dubh
02/03/12 :: Sorel QC @ Café Les Beaux instants #
02/10/12 :: Quebec QC @ Impérial #
02/12/12 :: Brossard QC @ Étoile Banque Nationale #
02/17/12 :: Rimouski QC @ Salle Desjardins-Telus #
02/18/12 :: Rivière-du-Loup QC @ Centre culturel de RDL #
02/25/12 :: Shawinigan QC @ Salle Philippe-Filion #

& w/ Moths
# w/ Coeur de Pirate

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

[mp3] Spoon - "Reservations" (demo) November Bonus Track

New Bonus Track from Spoon

Yet again, Spoon keeps releasing a demo version of very early songs that were rediscovered during Britt Daniel's recent move. Daniel apparently stumbled upon an old cassette tape that was made in the pre-Sneaks years. Cool!

November's demo version is of A Series of Sneaks' "Reservations". For the full list of Spoon bonus tracks, go here. Check out this month's bonus track below.

MP3: Spoon - "Reservations" (demo)
(November '11 Bonus Track)

Saturday, October 22, 2011

[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

[new music] White Denim - Takes Place In Your Work Space

New EP & tour dates from White Denim

It may seem like this came out of nowhere (no mention of it on White Denim's site, nor on Downtown's), but White Denim have been prepping a new EP which drops on Tuesday, October 25. Entitled Takes Place in Your Work Space, the band has apparently taken quite a departure from their previous LP, D. Check out one of the tracks, "Cat City", over at Dog Gone Blog. In support of this new material, the band has a handful of live dates across the US (posted below).

Also, the band recorded a live show over at Jack White's Third Man Records (here), which is definitely worth checking out.

White Denim tour dates:
10/21 – Houston, TX @ Warehouse Live
10/22 – Austin, TX @ Stubb’s BBQ
10/23 – Dallas, TX @ The Palladium Ballroom
10/25 – Tucson, AZ @ Rialto Theatre
10/26 – San Diego, CA @ House of Blues
10/27 – Pomona, CA @ Glass House
10/28 – San Francisco, CA @ The Regency Ballroom
10/29 – Portland, OR @ Wonder Ballroom
11/1 – Magna, UT @ Saltair
11/2 – Denver, CO @ The Summit Music Hall
11/4 – Lincoln, NE @ Bourbon Theatre
11/5 – Minneapolis, MN @ Cabooze On The West Bank
11/7 – Chicago, IL @ House Of Blues
11/8 – Pontiac, MI @ Clutch Cargo’s
11/9 – Pittsburgh, PA @ Club Zoo
11/11 – Philadelphia, PA @ Electric Factory
11/12 – Boston, MA @ House of Blues
11/13 – Montclair, NJ @ Wellmont Theatre
11/15 – Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club
11/16 – Richmond, VA @ The National
11/17 – Carrboro, NC @ Cat’s Cradle
11/18 – Charlotte, NC @ Amos’ Southend Music Hall
11/19 – Nashville, TN @ Cannery Ballroom
11/21 – Ft. Lauderdale, FL @ Revolution
11/22 – Lake Buena Vista, FL @ House Of Blues

Tuesday, October 18, 2011

[video] Miracle Fortress - "Possession"

New video & tour dates from Miracle Fortress

Miracle Fortress just premiered the music video of "Possession", one of their recent summer singles (still freely available here). The video was directed by Tim Kelly, who "paints a stirring portrait of a young and real Montreal family on the verge of a new life, lovingly framed in an austere panorama of the city itself." Check it out above.

Additionally, Miracle Fortress will be performing in New York City this week for the CMJ festival, followed by a visit to Halifax, Nova Scotia for the Pop Explosion. And European fans can look forward to a visit from the dream pop extrordinaire Graham Van Pelt in December with dates in the UK, Ireland, Germany, Holland, and France. Details below:

Miracle Fortress Tour Dates:
10/20 - Brooklyn NY @ Public Assembly (3PM) &
10/21 - New York NY @ Arlene's Grocery (11:30PM) & %
10/22 - Halifax NS @ Olympic Community Hall #
12/05 - Berlin DE @ HBC
12/06 - Hamburg DE @ Astra Stube
12/07 - Utrecht NL @ Ekko
12/08 - Paris FR @ L'Espace B
12/11 - London UK @ Hoxton Bar & Kitchen
12/14 - Glasgow UK @ Captains Rest
12/16 - Dublin IE @ Crawdaddy ^
12/17 - Galway IE @ Rosin Dubh

& w/ Pat Jordache, Tonstartssbandht
% w/ The Barr Brothers, Hollerado
# w/ Chad Van Gaalen, Sunns

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

[mp3] Spoon - "Advance Cassette" (demo) October Bonus Track

New Bonus Track from Spoon

Keeping to their promise, Spoon continues to release demo versions of very early songs that were rediscovered during Britt Daniel's recent move. I like to think it was found under a couch cushion, but he apparently stumbled upon an old cassette tape (see above if you're not familiar with this technology) that was made in the pre-Sneaks years.

October's demo version of A Series of Sneaks' "Advance Cassette". For the full list of Spoon bonus tracks, go here. Check out this month's bonus track below.

MP3: Spoon - "Advance Cassette" (demo)
(October '11 Bonus Track)