Alexander Laurence's Blog, page 2472

Noisey Spotlights "The Hunger Games" Actress Jena Malone

NOISEY SPOTLIGHTS THE HUNGER GAMES ACTRESS JENA MALONE IN LATEST EPISODE OF NOISEY ACOUSTICS

Musical duo The Shoe, comprised of Jena Malone of The Hunger Games fame along with multi-instrumentalist Lem Jay, perform unplugged in a New York City bathroom

Watch Part One of the episode on Noisey: http://noisey.vice.com/noisey-acoustics/the-shoe---dead-rabbit-hopes---episode-5---part-12

NEW YORK, NY (May 2, 2014) - Today, Noisey spotlights the The Hunger Games actress Jena Malone in the latest episode of Noisey Acoustics. In the episode, the musical duo The Shoe, comprised of the actress and multi-instrumentalist Lem Jay, perform unplugged in a New York City bathroom.

Watch Part One of the episode on Noisey: http://noisey.vice.com/noisey-acoustics/the-shoe---dead-rabbit-hopes---episode-5---part-12
*Part Two will roll out next week.

Let's be real, when you find out about an actor crossing over into music you immediately think, "Oh Jared Leto, why?" But the second you hear The Shoe, it becomes clear that it is far from an overblown, ego-driven side project.

Just watch this rendition of "Dead Rabbit Hopes," and see for yourself.

Noisey Acoustics features our favorite bands, sans amps. Check out more from the series here: http://noisey.vice.com/noisey-acoustics

TOY @ First Unitarian Church

All photos by Alexander Laurence

Holy Fuck @ The Roxy

The Horrors launch 'Illuminate Luminous"

The Horrors launch 'Illuminate Luminous' social-media-driven album stream
To view the album stream visit: http://thehorrors.co.uk


New album Luminous - available May 6 on XL RecordingsThis Is Fake DIY  ***** 'Luminous' is the album they've been destined to make. 
Q Magazine ****'Luminous' is a vast, starry-eyed sonic stew in which guitars sound like jet engines, synthesizers sound like departing spaceships and at least one person appears to be playing a banjo. It's genuinely exciting to think where The Horrors might go from here.' 
Stereogumband who gleefully defies categorization...he epic "I See You" opens as an unusually clearheaded and dance-y track for the Horrors, with a lilting Britpoppy melody, but all that gives way to spectral, deeply tripped-out second half worthy of Spiritualized or early Deerhunter.
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With the release of their fourth album Luminous just a few days away, The Horrors have launched Illuminate Luminous, an album stream driven by the power of social media. Beginning as a completely black page with album opener "Chasing The Shadows" playing on loop, listeners will be prompted to 'Share To Illuminate Luminous'. As fans share the page on Facebook and Twitter, it will gradually brighten and songs will slowly be revealed. Eventually the page will fully transform and the whole album will be available to stream.

Earlier this week the band played a show in Brooklyn at House of Vans and tonight they'll play a sold-out show at the First Unitarian Church in Los Angeles after a morning performance atKCRW's 'Morning Becomes Eclectic'.  This weekend the band will head to Austin Psych Festival for a performance on Saturday night.

Last week, Radio 1 listeners were treated to the band's Maida Vale Session where the band's performance included an electrifying rendition of the seminal Frankie Knuckles classic "Your Love" as their wildcard cover.

The Horrors are also hosting a series of exclusive radio shows for Spotify. You can listen to The Leather Lounge hosted by frontman Faris Badwan now:http://www.thehorrors.co.uk/radioluminous

Luminous  is available to pre-order now on iTunes, with 'I See You' and 'So Now You Know' both available as instant grat tracks: http://smarturl.it/Luminous_i

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The Horrors are Faris Badwan (vocals), Joshua Third (guitarist), Tom Furse (keyboards, synthesisers), Rhys Webb (bass) and Joe Spurgeon (drums, percussion).
www.thehorrors.co.uk

Austin Psych Fest Pre Party 2014

AUSTIN PSYCH FEST 2014 kicks off tonight at Red 7! 
Pick up your wristbands at Empire Control Room & Garage (604 E 7th St) starting at 5:30pm!
Full schedule and details can be found on the event page here: https://www.facebook.com/events/1480683815479405/
For details on check-in and full festival schedule: http://www.austinpsychfest.com/2014-festival/schedule/

The Horrors @ First Unitarian Church

All photos by Angel Ceballos.

The Horrors play at the First Unitarian Church tonight, Thursday, May 1st 2014.

4Knots Lineup Announced Today!

   The Village Voice  Announces Initial Lineup for4Knots Music Festival
The Julie RuinThose Darlins, Speedy Ortiz,Radkey, Viet Cong, Nude Beach, Juan WautersConfirmed to PlayMore To Be Announced
Free, All Ages, Outdoor Festival To Be Held Saturday, July 12South Street Seaport
Webster Hall To Host Official After-Party   Top 10 Under the Radar Music Festivals in NYC - Complex
11 Best Festivals for New Yorkers- NY Daily News
"The 4Knots Music Festival has been momentous since it started" - The Wall Street Journal
"One of the summer's most anticipated free concerts" -  NewYork.com

BRIAN JONESTOWN MASSACRE: Revelation

BRIAN JONESTOWN MASSACRE: Revelation (May 20)
Encompassing all the weirdness that has been discovered in the past 40 years, Revelation advances the traditional Brian Jonestown Massacre sound of mixing eastern influences with western rock. Two-dozen band members later and numerous “ups and downs” (some have been famously sensationalized in the media), the one thing that has always remained consistent for this psychedelic collective, is front man Mr. Anton Alfred Newcombe. Recorded from late 2012-2014, Revelation is the 14th BJM album and the first album that was fully recorded and produced at Anton’s recording studio in Berlin, Germany.
SAT MAY 3        Austin, TX @ Austin Psych Fest (Headlining)WED MAY 7      Santa Ana, CA @ The ObservatoryTHUR MAY 8    Oakland, CA @ Fox TheatreSAT MAY 10     Los Angeles, CA @ The Wiltern (w/ The Three O’Clock)

·      Listen to “What You Isn’t” here:https://soundcloud.com/wastedyouthpr/brian-jonestown-massacre-what/s-qA0r2

Cerebral Ballzy Announce New Album Jaded & Faded Out June 17

Cerebral Ballzy New Album  Jaded & Faded Out June 17 On Cult RecordsStream "Lonely As America" At Rolling StoneOn Tour This Spring With OFF!    Listen: "Lonely As America" via Rolling Stone or SoundCloudDownload: "Speed Wobbles" via SoundCloud
CEREBRAL BALLZY has announced the summer release of their highly anticipated sophomore studio album Jaded & Faded. Produced by David Sitek and mixed by David Kahne, the melodic punk album is set to be released June 17 on Julian Casablancas' Cult Records. The Brooklyn-based band is fronted by Honor Titus, who recently appeared on the cover of NME alongside Casablancas. Julian said that Cerebral Ballzy is "the coolest band in the world at the moment, a truly legit modern hardcore/punk band, and by far my favorite." He added, "It's beyond exciting to try and help them in any and all ways we can and we're honored to put their deliriously great new record out on Cult Records." Cerebral Ballzy has announced tour dates with OFF! and Fucked Up and will make their national television debut May 6th on Last Call With Carson Daly.
Jaded & Faded is available now for pre-order and fans that place advance orders of the album oniTunes will receive an automatic download of tracks "Lonely As America" and "Better in Leather."Zane Lowe premiered "Lonely As America" BBC Radio 1 and Rolling Stone premiered the track stateside. 
Limited signed editions of Jaded & Faded and two bundle packages will be made available for purchase on the Cult Records web store. Regular bundles will include a signed Jaded & Faded LP and CEREBRAL BALLZY UNIF shirt. Super bundles will include all content offered in the regular bundle plus a "Better In Leather" / "Speed Wobbles" 7-inch and a "Better in Leather" / "Speed Wobbles" Cassette.

Jaded & Faded Track List1. Another Day2. Fake I.D3. Parade of Idiots4. Better In Leather5. City's Girl6. Lonely As America7. Downtown8. Speed Wobbles (MP3)9. Fast Food10. Off With Your Head11. Pretty In The City12. Be Your Toy13. All I Ever Wanted
Cerebral Ballzy Tour Dates
North America (With OFF!)

05.07 - Minneapolis, MN @ The Triple Rock
05.08 - Chicago, IL @ The Bottom Lounge
05.09 - Detroit, MI @ Small's 2H
05.10 - Toronto, ON @ Mod Club at CMW
05.12 - Asbury Park, NJ @ Asbury Lanes
05.15 - Baltimore, MD @ The Ottobar
05.16 - Philadelphia, PA @ The First Unitarian Church
05.17 - New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom
05.18 - Cambridge, MA @ The Middle East
05.20 - Nashville, TN @ Exit/In
05.22 - Houston, TX @ Fitzgerald's
05.23 - Dallas, TX @ Club Dada
05.24 - Albuquerque, NM @ Launchpad
05.26 - Las Vegas, NV @ Punk Rock Bowling & Music Festival

New York Times premieres Natalie Merchant's new album

THE NEW YORK TIMES PREMIERES NATALIE MERCHANT'S SELF-TITLED LP, OUT MAY 6 ON NONESUCH RECORDS
MULTI-PLATINUM ARTIST’S FIRST COLLECTION OF ENTIRELY ORIGINAL SONGS IN 13 YEARS
ROLLING STONE PREMIERES "LADYBIRD" VIDEO
NPR MUSIC’S “ALL SONGS TV” PREMIERES VIDEO FOR “GIVING UP EVERYTHING”  
“Merchant is one of the most successful and enduring alternative artists to emerge from the Eighties – intact and uncompromised.” – Vogue 
“At the root of her success are two qualities: an unwillingness to compromise, and total sincerity. In a world of glib, heavily produced pop stars, Merchant stands out.” – Guardian
Nonesuch Records will release Natalie Merchant’s new self-titled album on May 6, 2014. The recording is the multi-platinum singer’s sixth solo collection, and her first of entirely original songs in 13 years. In celebration,  The New York Times  "Press Play" is streaming the album in its entirety at http://nyti.ms/1pQ0s3k. In addition Rolling Stone recently premiered the "Ladybird" video at http://rol.st/1iEDxhq, and the video for “Giving Up Everything” may be viewed at NPR Music: http://n.pr/1ixh73I. Natalie Merchant is available for pre-order atnonesuch.com with an exclusive print autographed by Merchant; please see complete track listing below. International tour dates will be announced shortly.
This self-produced album is the work of a mature artist with a clear and distinctive voice. Long appreciated for the depth and substance of her writing, Merchant has never shied away from weighty themes or subjects for her lyrics. She describes the new release as informed “by experience and keen observation,” dealing with issues of “love gained and lost, regret, denial, surrender, greed, destructiveness, defeat, and occasional triumph.”
Combining three decades of experience in song writing and album making, Merchant's production style is nuanced and pure. Her voice is framed by a balanced blend of electric and acoustic sound throughout with musicianship of exceptional quality. String, brass, and woodwind arrangements mingle with Hammond organ and electric guitar improvisations. Players include John Medeski, Shawn Pelton, Clark Gayton, Uri Sharlin, Jesse Murphy, Erik Della Penna, Gabriel Gordon, and guest vocalists Simi Stone, Elizabeth Mitchell and gospel singer Corliss Stafford.
Merchant’s career began when, as a college student, she joined the seminal alternative rock band 10,000 Maniacs. Serving as lead vocalist, lyricist, and sometime pianist, Merchant released five critically acclaimed studio albums with the band, including the platinum-selling In My Tribe (1987), Blind Man’s Zoo (1989), Our Time in Eden (1992), and MTV Unplugged(1993). Merchant left the group in 1993, after 12 years, to record her first solo album. Tigerlily(1995) was certified five-times platinum, and was followed by the platinum Ophelia (1998),Natalie Merchant Live (1999), and Motherland (2001).
In 2002 Merchant departed Elektra Records, and a contractual relationship she had been bound to since singing at the age of 19, in 1984. She took an extended hiatus from pop music and major labels, independently releasing a collection of folk music, The House Carpenter's Daughter (Myth America, 2003), which also coincided with the birth of her first child. For the next seven years she lived quietly in New York's Hudson Valley devoting herself to family and community, whilst taking opportunities to collaborate with other musicians and strengthen her commitment to activism and philanthropy. In 2005 she was appointed to serve a four-year term on the board of New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA). In addition she worked with a diverse array of artists and organisations, including Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Gavin Bryars and the Royal Shakespeare Company, Cowboy Junkies, David Byrne, Amnesty International, The Perkins School for the Blind, the University of Massachusetts’ Give US Your Poor, and the Boston Pops Orchestra.
In 2010, Merchant returned with a thematic double album entitled Leave Your Sleep, her debut for Nonesuch Records. A meditation on childhood and mothering, the anthology comprised 19thand 20th century American and British classic children's poetry by the likes of Robert Louis Stevenson, Christina Rossetti, Robert Graves, Edward Lear, and E.E. Cummings that Merchant had set to music. She collaborated with 130 musicians in a wide variety of musical styles, handpicking musicians who represent the best in their fields, including the Wynton Marsalis Quartet, Medeski Martin & Wood, The Fairfield Four, The Chinese Music Ensemble of New York, the Ditty Bops, the New York Philharmonic, The Klezmatics, Lúnasa, and Hazmat Modine. Merchant’s fascination with the poets led her to research their lives and write an 80-page companion book. The result was praised by critics on both sides of the Atlantic, with The Wall Street Journal calling it “an ideal fit between poetic and musical forms,” and the Independent, “a hugely ambitious and beautifully realized double album.”
Since the album’s release, in 2011 Merchant was honored for the project as a New York Public Library Lion in 2011, along with authors Jonathan Franzen, Ian McEwan, and playwright Tony Kushner. That same year, NYC public school children studied a three-month unit on poetry and music with a curriculum drawn from the album. In 2012, Merchant teamed up with award-winning children's book illustrator Barbara McClintock for a new picture book based on Leave Your Sleep published by Farrar Straus Giroux. Inspired by her 2010 TED Talk about the project, Merchant has also developed a live children's orchestral concert that integrates projections of McClintock's illustrations and has presented this educational program to thousands of children in several US cities, including Carnegie Hall this spring.
For the past five years Merchant has maintained a schedule of guest soloist concerts with major symphonies throughout the US, with an orchestral repertoire drawn from her catalogue of songs and new compositions. She remains dedicated to a wide array of social justice and environmental causes. Recently, her attention has been focused on the threats to public health and the environment posed by the natural gas extraction technique of hydraulic fracturing. In 2013 she spearheaded the making of a protest concert film, Dear Governor Cuomo, with New Yorkers Against Fracking, actors Mark Ruffalo and Melissa Leo, and film makers Jon Bowermaster and Alex Gibney. This month,  SHELTER: A Concert Film to Benefit Victims of Domestic Violence , directed and produced by Merchant, will have its first public screening in connection with Eve Ensler's annual One Billion Rising campaign. Merchant is exploring a new approach to protest through filming multi-media events that inform the public, heighten the profile of community organizers, and encourage action. "It's not enough for me anymore to just show up and sing a song at a benefit and feel I've done my bit. I want to offer my skills to create more comprehensive campaigns on behalf of over-strapped and under-staffed non-profits." NATALIE MERCHANT1. Ladybird2. Maggie Said3. Texas4. Go Down, Moses5. Seven Deadly Sins6. Giving Up Everything7. Black Sheep8. It’s A-Coming9. Lulu (Introduction)10. Lulu11. The End Visit the official Natalie Merchant website and YouTube channel for additional resources.