News

An Airplane, An Ass Crack and Christopher Weingarten

Shannon Hassett :: Wednesday, April 28th, 2010 2:15 pm

I am confused whether to feel bad or not, and I think that’s exactly what Chris Weingarten would have wanted. As part of an article I wrote for our upcoming issue, I talk about flying down to South by Southwest this year. It was an interesting flight, as almost every single person on the plane was heading to Austin for the festival. In the four rows around me alone, there was a band of 14-year-olds and two managers who looked ready to leave. And then there was the guy tweeting for Rolling Stone. He talked about BBQ a lot, told the nervous 14-year-old next to him what to expect and asked what the back half of the plane thought of the new Against Me! record. He liked it. MORE »

Ben Gibbard Covers Magnetic Fields

Amy Laviero :: Friday, March 26th, 2010 3:45 pm

It seems that with his recent marriage to She & Him songbird, Zooey Deschanel, Ben Gibbard’s heartbreaking broods of love and loss may have seen their days. Stereogum posted a video of Gibbard covering the Magnetic Field’s “I Don’t Want to Get Over You,” from a performance at their Range Life party in Austin last week. The cover is sweet and honest, in true Gibbard form, although it falls a bit short when compared to the Stephin Merritt original.

Alex Chilton, RIP

Danielle Johnsen :: Thursday, March 18th, 2010 12:31 pm

Last night, the sad news of the passing of Alex Chilton flooded the internet via various memorial tweets and blog tributes. Chilton passed away at the age of 59 at a New Orleans hospital, reportedly of a heart attack. The musician is best known for his lead role in Big Star, who was supposed to play a show this Saturday at SXSW. While they might not have received mainstream recognition, the band’s power pop effect can be found on records from R.E.M., Beck and most obviously, The Replacements, whose song ‘Alex Chilton’ praised the singer and his music. MORE »

The Nightmare Before St. Patrick’s Day and Other Irish Links

Amy Laviero :: Wednesday, March 17th, 2010 1:00 pm

It’s St. Patrick’s Day and as the corned beef slowly begins to simmer on my stove, everyone everywhere is “Irish,” wearing green, and/or planning a night out on the town. The 249th St. Patrick’s Day Parade is currently underway in NYC and will come to a close in about a million hours on 86th Street and Fifth Avenue.

If, like me, you’re lamenting the fact that you’re not at SXSW, and you won’t be celebrating the luck o’ the Irish in NYC or by lifting a car-bomb to the most famous patron saint of Ireland, here are a couple links to check out.

“You can find drunks, it’s true, on any holiday, but there is only one where we throw them a parade.” Although some of their material is lame, College Humor hits the nail on the head with their video “The Nightmare Before St. Patrick’s Day,” which you can check out here. MORE »

What To Do If You’re Not Going To SXSW

Nick Nicoludis :: Tuesday, March 16th, 2010 1:20 pm

If you’re one of the unlucky people, like me, who has to hear about your friends/co-workers SXSW plans, you’re probably brewing with envy at the idea of drinking all day in the hot Austin sun, seeing amazing bands everyday all day/night and being apart of the indie music scene’s annual vacation. Lament no longer. Even though, it seems that every good band out there is Austin bound there are still some amazing shows going on, and you can live you’re own SXSW by starting your weekend bender off with St. Patrick’s Day tomorrow and continuing the bacchanal celebration of music into the weekend by getting out to all the great shows going on in your city. MORE »

New Neon Indian Song, “Sleep Paralysist,” Produced by Grizzly Bear’s Chris Taylor

Amy Laviero :: Wednesday, March 10th, 2010 2:20 pm

Green Label, a record label aimed at pushing independent artists has just put out a new track by Neon Indian entitled “Sleep Paralysist.” The label, which also got its hands dirty with indie-rock artists Matt & Kim, Chromeo, Holy Ghost!, Flosstradamus, The Cool Kids, and Solid Gold, to name a few, has posted Neon Indian‘s new single on its website, where you can listen to and download the track for free. MORE »

Andrew W.K. Stages Full Banded Comeback

Shannon Hassett :: Wednesday, March 10th, 2010 1:20 pm

Andrew W.K. is keeping busy. This sounds suspicious to me, because it is, at least when you consider that his upcoming shows will be the first in five years with a full band. I know, I know, there’s the show on Cartoon Network and that motivational speaking tour and some piano performances and blabla, but the party hard blood covered W.K. of yesteryear has long been absent from center stage. Deeply embroiled in this Steev Mike mess as of late (whether a marketing ploy or straight up VH1 style real life dramz still can’t be determined), his reclamation of his performance roots is a timely distraction. A March 23 release for his ‘lost’ third album will now be accompanied by an in-store signing on the 25th at the Union Square Best Buy, and his return to the spotlight (with full band) will begin March 16 at Irving Plaza. For AWK’s full SXSW schedule, check out the jump, and trust me, it’s very, very full. MORE »

Plants and Animals Debut New Video for “The Mama Papa”

Amy Laviero :: Wednesday, March 3rd, 2010 6:00 pm

Plants and Animals sophomore album, La La Land will be released on March 20th through Secret City Records. The band has also released a video for the song “The Mama Papa” which was directed by Sinbad Richardson and features actor Joe Cobden (I’m Not There, Blindness, and The Aviator) as a creepy, mind-reading magician.

The band will embark on a North American tour beginning on March 12th and have a full SXSW schedule planned as well. Click through to watch the full video for “The Mama Papa” and check out a full list of tour dates. MORE »

The Whigs to Appear on The Late Show

Amy Laviero :: Wednesday, March 3rd, 2010 5:25 pm

The Whigs are gearing up to release their third studio album, In The Dark, which will be out March 16th on ATO Records. The band has scheduled a string of performances in support of their album, beginning with The Late Show with David Letterman on April 1st where they will perform their latest single, “Kill Me Carolyne;” a really catchy pop-rock tune. If you don’t feel like waiting, you can listen to the song on the band’s Myspace, or download the single for free on their official website.

The Whigs are currently on tour with Black Rebel Motorcycle Club. They will also perform during SXSW beginning March 17th, before embarking on a co-headlining tour with Band of Skulls on March 31st. Click through for an extensive list of tour dates. MORE »

Spoon Kicks off 2010 Tour By Visiting SXSW

Johnny Sanford :: Tuesday, March 2nd, 2010 2:00 pm

Folk-rock greats Spoon are planning to kick off their 2010 tour in support of their new album Transference by playing a show at SXSW on March 17th at Stubbs. They then will take a trip to show off their stuff on Late Night with David Letterman. As of now, Deerhunter will be supporting for all North American dates. Check out if they’re coming to a town near you with the full list of dates and their new song “Written in Reverse” after the jump. MORE »

Austin Plane Crash Pilot’s Insane Manifesto (and Former Band)

Colm McAuliffe :: Thursday, February 18th, 2010 2:15 pm

Less than one month away from the opening of the SXSW festival in Austin, will the news that a pilot intentionally crashed his plane into the office building which houses the Internal Revenue Service affect this year’s lig-fest? As of today, at least one person has not been accounted for with two others being taken to hospital. Rumors that the act may have been an intentional one by the pilot have yet to be confirmed - but the man responsible is one Joseph Andrew Stack, who had a manifesto and was apparently keyboardist in this band.

Seabear’s Debut North American Tour

Nick Nicoludis :: Thursday, February 11th, 2010 1:05 pm

Hailing from Iceland, the experimental/folksy septet Seabear is gearing up for their first headlining North American tour. Kicking the tour off with 3 SXSW shows in March, the group plans to travel across the US and Canada on a whirlwind tour that is sure to leave anyone who sees them wanting to drop their fast-paced American lifestyle and jump the first plane to the magical land of Iceland that seems to produce only the highest caliber of musicians. Could this tour get any better? I think so. Opening for the band will be Via Tania and Seabear’s multi-instrumentalist Sóley (who will be releasing her own album, Theater Island EP, in March on Morr Records). MORE »

Neon Indian Does Jimmy Fallon; Announces Tour

Shannon Hassett :: Wednesday, February 10th, 2010 5:10 pm

For all you fans of Todd Rundgren out there, of which there should be many, you’ll be happy to know that Neon Indian backbone Alan Palomo is of your number — so much so that one of his songs samples directly from Rundgren’s own library without offering any credit. The track “Deadbeat Summer,” off Pitchfork darling Psychic Chasms, generously helps itself to Rundgren’s “Izzat Love;” a fact that is made abundantly clear here. In any event, Neon Indian will be performing tomorrow night on Jimmy Fallon, kicking off a small national tour that includes South by Southwest and Bonnaroo in June. Check out the jump for a full listing of dates. 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.

Border Battle: Todd P Announces MtyMX All Ages Festival in Monterrey, MX (March 20 - 22)

Gray Hurlburt :: Tuesday, February 2nd, 2010 6:30 pm

Just as the music world begins to get its hens in a row for the annual South by Southwest Festival in Austin, Texas, Todd P, the gremlin behind Brooklyn’s DIY music scene, has announced a new, alternative in Monterrey, Mexico, which is co-organized with Yo Garage, and takes place in an abandoned drive-in theater on the side of a mountain. This will run from March 20th to the 22nd, overlapping SxSW, and is being called “The MtyMX All Ages Festival of Art and Music.” MORE »