Bands

L.A. + Girls = Rad!

Nick Nicoludis :: Friday, February 19th, 2010 3:40 pm

For some reason, certain areas of the country are inundated with amazing musical talent. New York City, up until recently, was where it was all at. It seemed like wave after wave of incredible bands were crawling out of their Williamsburg lofts and making a splash on the international stage. And just as the Seattle grunge scene fell, so do other scenes. Maybe they dry up. Maybe people stop caring about the newest Brooklyn transplant band. Or maybe that’s just the way the world works. As one place wanes in its ability to produce quality music outfits, another area begins to rise. Right now, L.A. is killing it as far as generating amazing bands. But there’s one more factor contributing to this thrust of musical production: girls. MORE »

Seabear Release New Video, Prep for SXSW and Tour

Amy Laviero :: Friday, February 19th, 2010 3:30 pm

Seabear released the first video from We Built a Fire. The video for “I’ll Build You a Fire,” was directed by Mani Sigfússon, the brother of Seabear founder and front-man Sindri Már Sigfússon, and is a walk-through the woods complete with fireworks and confetti; a great accompaniment to the upbeat but mellow song.

Currently touring Europe, the band will begin a short North American Tour beginning with SXSW. Be sure to check them out when they hit your city with Via Tania and fellow Morr Music artist/ Seabear member Sóley. Click through for a full list of tour dates. MORE »

Vampire Weekend Get a Little Help From Their “Friends”

Danielle Johnsen :: Friday, February 19th, 2010 3:01 pm

How do you grab attention for your music video in 2010? Invite a handful of celebrities to do cameos in it. The video for “Giving Up the Gun”, the second single off of Vampire Weekend’s Contra, has the band playing alongside a crazy tennis match up with a powerful redhead and a host of famous opponents. Directed by the notable Malloy Brothers, who have worked with Silversun Pickups, Oasis, Foo Fighters and Weezer, the video captures the quirkiness of the band, as well as their level of fame, with appearances from Jake Gyllenhaal, Little Jon, RZA and even a Jonas Brother (Joe to be exact). Check out the video after the jump. MORE »

Class Actress Remix Chris Taylor’s “Ghosts”

Amy Laviero :: Friday, February 19th, 2010 2:45 pm

Last year, Chris Taylor of Grizzly Bear teamed up with Ethan Silverman to form Terrible Records, a record label through which he has released solo-tracks under the name CANT.

Class Actress are also signed to Terrible Records and have been receiving a good amount of praise for their ability to make electro-pop unique; something that few have been able to pull off. Their stuff is definitely reminiscent of vintage Madonna, specifically the track “All the Saints,” though Elizabeth Harpe’s voice is much smoother and easier to listen to than Madge’s. The trio also remix tracks and have successfully reworked CANT’s haunting and stripped down track, “Ghosts,” into a danceable, club-worthy song. Beginning with a throbbing beat under Taylor’s vocals, the track builds layers upon synthesized layers until its climax midway through. I would have liked to hear it incorporate a bit more of of Taylor’s vocals, but the song is fun nonetheless.

You can check out the remix here.

Click through for a full list of Class Actress tour dates. MORE »

Q&A with Seabear

Elissa Suh :: Thursday, February 18th, 2010 12:00 pm

Hailing from Iceland, Seabear isn’t just another failed imitation of the more famous bands from the not-so-icy nation. In 2007 the band released the full length album The Ghost That Carried Us Away, containing songs with a dream-like simplicity, agreeable with the majority of listeners. AND the songs are in English. Seabear frontman Sindri Mar Sigfusson took some time to talk about his comparisons to Beck, Gossip Girl, and of course the new album.

Common Knowledge: Songs That Assume You’re In On It

Amy Rose Spiegel :: Wednesday, February 17th, 2010 5:25 pm

Maybe it’s paranoia, or maybe it’s just pure assumption, but there are plenty of songwriters out there who are eager to believe that everybody is on their level. Bob Dylan, I’m not even sure who you’re talking about when you whine-croon that “everybody’s guessed/that baby can’t be blessed/’til she sees finally that’s she’s like all the rest” in “Just Like a Woman.” Similarly, I guess “everybody [but me] knows she’s a femme fatale,” Velvet Underground.

Liars Debut Video for “Scissor”

Amy Laviero :: Wednesday, February 17th, 2010 2:00 pm

Liars have released a video for their latest single, “Scissor,” off their upcoming release Sisterworld. The video debuts today on Wired, as well as the album’s official website, and depicts lead singer Angus Andrew lost at sea, battling a relentless pile of rocks dead-set on sinking his ship. It’s a pretty strange video, but very interesting and the song is great with a solemn intro and frantic chrous.

Sisterworld will be released March 9th on vinyl, CD, and a 2 disk expanded version which will feature reworkings by Devendra Banheart, Thom Yorke, and Kazu Makino of Blonde Redhead, to name a few. The single is available now on iTunes, with the b-side “Covenant Heart” and iTunes exclusive, “Manslaughter Oops.”

The band will also embark on a short tour beginning this April. Click through for a full tracklisting of Sisterworld and list of tour dates, to be supported by Fol Chen. MORE »

Metric Hit Billboard Hot 200, Announce Tour

Colm McAuliffe :: Tuesday, February 16th, 2010 2:55 pm

Buoyed by the success of standout single “Gold Guns Girls,” Metric’s album Fantasies makes a return to the Billboard Top 200 at #162. This is the first time the album has appeared on the chart since its debut nine months ago. In continued support of the album, the band announces that they will hit the road for a short run of headlining dates, beginning March 17th in Tempe, AZ and wrapping up March 27th in San Diego, CA. Click through for tour dates.

Kings of Convenience Postpone North American Tour

Gray Hurlburt :: Monday, February 15th, 2010 2:50 pm

It seems as though the winter flu-virus has tossed a stick into the spokes of one King of Convenience, Eirik Glambek Bøe, because the group has canceled their North American tour dates this month. And, unfortunately for them, they had to also pass up a television appearance on Jimmy Fallon, which quickly transferred to the lucky hands of Neon Indian. To compensate the ticket holders of the nixed performances, Kings of Convenience are offering them an exclusive track, a recording of “Love Is No Big Truth” made for Italian radio. They will return to America with eight shows this June. Read on for the new dates. MORE »

Jonsi from Sigur Ros Releases New Video

Johnny Sanford :: Wednesday, February 10th, 2010 1:15 pm

Sure, it’s a bit of a letdown to hear that Sigur Ros is not going to make a new album this year, (as we reported a few weeks ago here) but for fans of their lead singer, Jonsi, there is a new video to watch. It’s your standard fare for the man, who is the male equivalent of Bjork: Face feathers, a parakeet, using a suitcase as a drum, soaring nonsensical lyrics and time-lapse videography. Check out the video after the jump. MORE »

Bonnaroo 2010 Lineup Update

Johnny Sanford :: Wednesday, February 10th, 2010 12:00 pm

So yesterday, we had just a taste of the lineup for this years Bonnaroo 2010 lineup, but now we have a full course meal. It looks to be a big ticket, and Jay Z has announced his plans to be a headliner for the show. Another surprising addition to the roster is Tenacious D, which is a surprise to me after watching the documentary on The Complete Masterworks II a few days ago. But it’s great to see JB and KG back on top. For a full list of the performers, which is extensive, make the jump. MORE »

“The Who” Wins the Superbowl?

Johnny Sanford :: Monday, February 8th, 2010 1:00 pm

When the organizers of the Superbowl give you a call, you can’t really say no. Last night, The Who took the stage at Halftime for a medley of their past hits to entertain the masses. It’s fun to see them rockin’ out in their golden years, Daltry can still wail and the windmill still works for Townshend. Fortunately for America, there was no nip-slip this year. Check out their performance after the jump. MORE »

Avi Buffalo Tours With Rogue Wave, Japandroids

Amy Rose Spiegel :: Friday, February 5th, 2010 5:15 pm

Avi Buffalo’s first single, “What’s In It For?,” is such a pretty little melodic thing! Their debut album comes out on Sub Pop on April 27th, but you can catch them on tour on the first of March with Rogue Wave until the 17th, then at SXSW, and then with Japandroids until April 23rd. Go check them out if you like young artists who give you hope for the musical future.

Spoon Debuts New Video, Embarks On 2010 Tour

Amy Rose Spiegel :: Friday, February 5th, 2010 3:35 pm

Spoon debuted the video for the first single from Transference, “Written In Reverse,” today on Pitchfork. The video takes a literal approach - they play the track in front of an enormous mirror. They’re also about to begin their tour of Europe, North America, and Australia, beginning in the UK on Valentine’s Day.

Plastic Ono Band to Play Dress-Rehearsal Show in Brooklyn

Amy Laviero :: Friday, February 5th, 2010 3:00 pm

Because “We Are Plastic Ono Band” sold out almost immediately, Yoko Ono wanted to do something for any fans that were unable to obtain tickets. To solve the problem, the band has decided to hold a dress rehearsal/ warm-up show on February 15th at the Bam Howard Gilman Opera House in Brooklyn, NY.

The band began in 1969 with the single “Give Peace a Chance”, and is known for its avant-garde music, film, art and activism. Ono’s core band now consists of son Sean Lennon, Yuka Honda, and Cornelius (Keigo Oyamada, Shimmy Hirotaka Shimizu and Yuko Araki).

Tickets, which will be priced between $19.90 and $65, went on sale this Tuesday at noon and can be purchased through bam.org or by calling 718-636-4100.