Alexander Laurence's Blog, page 2481

April 15, 2014

Courtney Barnett's Album Out Today On Mom + Pop

Courtney Barnett 
Photo Credit: Tajette O'Halloran
Courtney Barnett's critically acclaimed album The Double EP: A Sea of Split Peas, is being released physically for the first time in North America today on Mom + Pop Music. To celebrate, Origami Vinyl are hosting a record release party with Courtney Barnett at El Prado, more details  here .
Barnett has also created a special limited hand-drawn zine, illustrating the view from her window as she travels across the world. "A View to a Gig" is available now, free with any purchase from your local independent record store. You can view the zine  here . Click Here to Watch the Video for "Anonymous Club"
The New York Times' T Magazine has premiered the video for "Anonymous Club," as well as a interview with Barnett fresh out of the studio, you can read more by following the link above. Click Here to Watch Courtney Barnett's Tiny Desk Concert
During a recent visit to their DC studios, Courtney had NPR raving, "Barnett can tell you a story like she's your best friend, provided your best friend is a funny Australian poet," going on to call her songs "thoughtful, acerbic rambles."Click Here to Listen to Courtney Barnett Cover The Lemonheads "Bein' Around" Click Here to Watch Courtney Barnett Cover The Lemonheads
Barnett premiered an acoustic cover of a song by The Lemonheads on Interview Magazine recently, who noted, "Everyone from Bob Dylan and Lou Reed to contemporaries like Cat Power and Deerhunter come to mind when listening to her work. But the slacker '90s seem to have the strongest pull on Barnett's early songwriting efforts"Courtney remains in the US after last Sunday's performance at Coachella. She will go on to play Firefly, NXNE, Outside Lands, and more this summer.Upcoming Tour Dates /04.13.14 & 04.20.14 - Coachella - Indio, CA
06.14.14 - Music Hall Of Williamsburg - Northside Festival - Brooklyn, NY
06.17.14 - Bowery Ballroom - New York, NY
06.18.14 - The Sinclair - Cambridge, MA
06.19.14 - 06.22.14 - Firefly Festival - Dover, DE
06.13.14 - 06.22.14 - NXNE Festival - Toronto, ON
06.24.14 - Varsity Theater - Minneapolis, MN
07.01.14 - Larimer Lounge - Denver, CO
07.02.14 - Urban Lounge - Salt Lake City, UT
07.04.14 - Fortune Sound Club - Vancouver, BC
07.05.14 - Sasquatch Festival - George, WA
08.01.14 - 08.03.14 - Pickathon Festival - Happy Valley, OR 
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Published on April 15, 2014 13:07

The Wytches: new video on The FADER + touring w/ Cloud Nothings

THE WYTCHES PREMIERE VIDEO FOR "ROBE FOR JUDA" VIA THE FADER
ANNOUNCE US SUMMER TOUR WITH CLOUD NOTHINGS & METZ
DEBUT LP OUT SUMMER 2014 TBA 
WATCH: Video for "Robe For Juda" via  The FADER  or YouTube
"Shot on VHS with a $200 budget, the video for 'Robe For Juda' looks like a project for a middle school-level film class in which the assignment was to re-create Dante's Inferno... perfectly suits their dark-hued surf rock and its heavy, crusted-over atmosphere" -The FADER

WATCH: 
The Wytches' frontman Kristian Bell performing stripped down versions of "Wide at Midnight," "Crying Clown," and "All Of My Skin" in an Austin, TX backyard
via  NPR  or YouTube  LISTEN: "Wire Frame Mattress" via  Pitchfork  or Soundcloud  
   "Punky aggression amid the fuzz tone"  -New York Times        "A primordial blues-ooze that suggests Jack White if his music were actually as goth as his haircuts" - Pitchfork     
"The band recalls the gnarlier moments of '60s garage-punk a la the Nuggets compilation, and they've got the power and stage presence to pull it off."  - SPIN  (40 Best Things We Saw at SXSW)    "Raw-throat punk, stoner/doom psych, and Bad Seeds swagger, with perhaps just the tiniest hint of Wicker Man folk" - Brooklyn Vegan  (50 Artists We're Excited To See at SXSW)    
"This is the kind of psych music that doesn't serve bowls of potpourri at dinner parties, instead taking surf rock, adding bilious riffs and pushing the drums down the stairs." - Noisey     
 Credit: Steve Gullick     
The Wytches are excited to share a new video for "Robe For Juda," which was shot by friend and longtime collaborator, Hoodbats.  The trio had a £200 budget for the video, so they rented the local town hall in their Peterborough hometown and shot it on a VHS camera with their mates.  The label had no idea what the band was going to do until they delivered it -- but the middle-school-talent-show-meets-Clockwork-Orange tone somehow works for their raucous and unruly sound, decorated with vivid wordplay and Egyptian-esque harmonic-minor scales.

The Wytches will embark on their first-ever US tour this summer, supporting the likes of Cloud Nothings and METZ.  They will hit major markets on the West and East coasts, and the full list of tour dates can be found below.

Dark and driven, The Wytches consist of vocalist/guitarist Kristian Bell, bassist Dan Rumsey, and drummer Gianni Honey.  Their unique sound full of echo and heavy riffs is a narcotic haze with influences ranging from Leonard Cohen to Black Sabbath.
Formed in November 2011 after moving down from Peterborough, this Brighton, UK based three piece is comprised of guitar / organ / lead vocalist Kristian; semi-professional poker playing / severe ADHD suffering drummer Gianni, and fiercely eloquent bassist Dan, who is currently writing a science fiction novel by the name of The Curious Adventures of Charlie Revel.  The group gained a strong following in the UK from their debut single and self produced video "Digsaw," and have earned a certain notoriety ever since, thanks to their spellbinding live show that is known for its visceral intensity.
The Wytches have toured incessantly since their forming, which saw them supporting a rich variety of acts including Death Grips, The Black Angels, Band Of Skulls, Chelsea Wolfe, Bosnian Rainbows, Japandroids, Temples, Metz, Future Of The Left, The Cribs, Yuck and Drenge. They released their second single, the AA-side "Beehive Queen"/"Crying Clown," via Hate Hate Hate Records on June 3rd 2013, which sold out almost immediately. Following the success of Beehive Queen, the band re-released "Digsaw" as a limited white label 7". On November 18th, the band released a second AA side single, "Robe For Juda" / "Wide At Midnight" via HateHateHate records, and will release their full-length debut this summer TBA.

Tour Dates:7/02 - Portland, OR - Hawthorne Theatre w/ Cloud Nothings & METZ7/03 - Seattle, WA - Neumos w/ Cloud Nothings & METZ7/04 - Victoria, BC - Upstairs Cabaret w/ Cloud Nothings & METZ7/05 - Vancouver, BC - Rickshaw w/ Cloud Nothings & METZ7/07 - San Francisco, CA - GAMH w/ Cloud Nothings & METZ7/09 - Los Angeles, CA - Roxy w/ Cloud Nothings & METZ7/10 - Santa Ana, CA - Constellation Room w/ Cloud Nothings7/11 - San Diego, CA - Soda Bar w/ Cloud Nothings7/12 - Phoenix, AZ - Crescent Ballroom w/ Cloud Nothings7/14 - Denver, CO - Larimer Lounge w/ Cloud Nothings7/21 - Toronto, ON - Drake Underground7/23 - Boston, MA - Great Scott7/24 - New York, NY - Mercury Lounge7/25 - Brooklyn, NY - Glasslands7/26 - Philadelphia, PA - Boot & Saddle https://www.facebook.com/thewytcheshttps://twitter.com/TheWytches http://instagram.com/thewytches# https://soundcloud.com/thewytches http://www.partisanrecords.com/artists/the-wytches/
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Published on April 15, 2014 13:06

Jessica Lea Mayfield’s "Make My Head Sing…" out today on ATO

JESSICA LEA MAYFIELD’S MAKE MY HEAD SING… OUT NOW ON ATO RECORDS
ALBUM RECEIVES WIDESPREAD ACCLAIM
NATIONWIDE TOUR CONFIRMED 

 “Mayfield’s echo-laden bluegrass vocals mesh with scorching electric guitar lines to render remarkable results…”—Rolling Stone
“...they put a feedback-edged grunge power trio at the core of the songs: the sound of trouble, obsession, foreboding, decadence. But Ms. Mayfield doesn’t rasp like a flannel-shirted rocker; her voice stays clear…”—The New York Times
“It’s one of the best albums of the year so far,”—Garden & Gun
“Mayfield sounds like she’s finally arrived.”—Interview Magazine
“…matches a grunge-era deadpan with gnarly leftfield roots music in service of haunting, smoldering rock ’n’ roll.”—Stereogum 
“…a darker, raw rock sound…”—Noisey
 “…it sounds like she’s been listening to a good deal of sludge metal, with raw, thick riffage that’s up there with many of the more likely Sabbath worshippers. Her voice remains gentle though, making for a pretty interesting mix.”—Brooklyn Vegan
Jessica Lea Mayfield’s highly anticipated new album  Make My Head Sing…  is out today on ATO Records (iTunes). Released to widespread critical acclaim, the new album was co-produced by Mayfield and her collaborator, bassist and husband Jesse Newport and was recorded at Nashville’s Club Roar studio. In advance of the release, the official music video for “I Wanna Love You” recently premiered at  Noisey  and can now be viewed/embedded here.
Mayfield will embark on a nationwide U.S. tour this spring, including dates at New York’s Mercury Lounge, Cleveland’s Beachland Ballroom and L.A.’s Roxy Theatre. See below for complete details.
Make My Head Sing… follows Mayfield’s 2011 release, Tell Me, which was produced by The Black Keys’ Dan Auerbach and was described by Rolling Stone, which named her an Artist to Watch, as “a disarming collision of stark country balladry, dynamic alternative rock and arty electronic pop.” Additionally, the Associated Press asserted, “Tell Me is the portrait of a precocious girl growing into self-assured womanhood and a producer reaching the peak of his powers. It is a dark and moody album, full of delights throughout, and if it doesn’t make Mayfield a star, that too will be heartbreaking,” while Spin Magazine included Mayfield in their “The Next Big Things: 11 Artists You Must Hear in 2011” feature, calling her a “smart-ass country-rock ingénue.” She also made her network television debut on the “Late Show with David Letterman,” performing the album’s first single, “Our Hearts Are Wrong,” which NPR Music praised as “…genuinely moving” (http://tinyurl.com/4fn93o6).
JESSICA LEA MAYFIELD CONFIRMED TOUR DATES April 22                                                      Pittsburgh, PA                                                    Club CaféApril 23                                                       Toronto, ON                                                The GarrisonApril 24                                                       Montreal, QC                                              Divan OrangeApril 25                                                        Boston, MA                                                    Great ScottApril 26                                                      Brooklyn, NY                                               Rough TradeApril 28                                                      New York, NY                                         Mercury LoungeApril 29                                                    Philadelphia, PA                                       Johnny Brenda’s   April 30                                                     Washington, DC                                     Rock & Roll HotelMay 1                                                          Asheville, NC                                           The Grey EagleMay 2                                                          Nashville, TN                                             Mercy LoungeMay 3                                                           Atlanta, GA                                                          The EarlMay 5                                                         Louisville, KY                                                      ZanzabarMay 6                                                         St. Louis, MO                                                          FirebirdMay 8                                                           St Paul, MN                                                        Turf ClubMay 9                                                           Chicago, IL                                          The Empty Bottle   May 10                                                       Cleveland, OH                                    Beachland BallroomJune 10                                                        Rockford, IL                                       Anderson GardensJune 12                                                         Denver, CO                                                           Hi DiveJune 13                                                    Salt Lake City, UT                                             Kilby CourtJune 14                                                           Boise, ID                                                           NeuroluxJune 16                                                         Seattle, WA                                               The CrocodileJune 17                                                        Portland, OR                                         Doug Fir LoungeJune 19                                                    San Francisco, CA                                      The IndependentJune 20                                                     Los Angeles, CA                                     The Roxy TheatreJune 21                                                       San Diego, CA                                                 The CasbahJune 22                                                       Scottsdale, AZ                                                The WesternJune 24                                                          Austin, TX                                   Stubb’s BBQ: IndoorsJune 25                                                          Dallas, TX                                                        Club Dada  June 26                                                      Little Rock, AR                                    White Water TavernJune 27                                                       Columbia, MO                                                         Mojo’sJune 28                                                      Indianapolis, IN                                          Do317 Lounge
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Published on April 15, 2014 13:05

Twin Shadow Airs New Track

Twin Shadow Airs New Track'To The Top' Released Today On All Digital ServicesStream Now tUnE-yArDs - Nikki Nack
Twin Shadow reinvents the power ballad with new single 'To The Top' out today. The new song is his most ambitious recording to date with mammoth choruses, soaring vocals, and anthemic arrangements. The track premiered today via Sirius XMU and Notion.The song was recorded in Los Angeles at Hollywood Forever Cemetery & Studio Zapata Zabala with longtime Twin Shadow musical cohort Wynne Bennet. 'To The Top' is the first new material since 'Old Love/ New Love', a song recorded for the Grand Theft Auto 5 soundtrack that was featured on year-end best lists in both Pitchfork and Rolling Stone.George writes:"What is it when you realize that someone isn't right for you? Or when you find that you do not and cannot posses someone entirely? You want someone so bad and it feels like hell.""It's not like the first time, once loved love evolves, and you no longer have as much control, and it frustrates you. I think because of this feeling we find ourselves constantly wanting to reset, like new year's resolutions, like dreaming up moments from the past where the ending flips on its head, like true forgiveness...We just want to say "wait wait wait, this went too far in the wrong direction, can we try that again.""Twin Shadow is currently in the studio working on the follow up to his critically acclaimed 2012 release Confess.You can buy 'To The Top' on iTunes here.Listen to 'To The Top' here: To The Top
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Published on April 15, 2014 12:09

THE JON SPENCER BLUES EXPLOSION PLAY THE ECHO

THE JON SPENCER BLUES EXPLOSION PLAY THE ECHO TOMORROW NIGHT, COACHELLA THIS FRIDAY!
12" OF SHE'S ON IT-JACK THE RIPPER RELEASED ON RECORD STORE DAY!
NEW ROCK'N'ROLL RECORD IN THE WORKS! Photo:©Anthony Batista / www.toniomodio.com 
The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion continues to champion the raw, the rhythm, the rock, the rebel without a pause… The Blues Explosion tore it up with their first appearance atCoachella Festival last Friday, and return this week to do it again! Not content to lounge by the pool, Jon, Judah and Russell play select shows between the Coachella dates with a week of West Coast crazy! They perform at The Echo tomorrow night in LA.
 
Are you ready for Record Store Day, April 19th??  The JSBX will be dropping an old-school, bad-ass 12" single of their Beastie Boys-Link Wray mash-up She's On It-Jack The Ripper, which has terrorized and astounded audiences LIVE the world over. And very soon, the Blues Explosion will re-enter the recording studio to continue work on their next Long Player!
Get out and see the World’s Greatest Rock’n’Roll Attraction!
 
The Blues is still #1!  

REMAINING LIVE SHOWS:  
April 15 - Blank Club - San Jose, CA *April 16 - The Echo -  Los Angeles, CA *
April 17 - Casbah  - San Diego, CA *
April 18 - Coachella Festival - Indio, CA
April 19 - Club Congress - Tucson, AZ * * w/ Shockwave Riderz
  "A masterclass in rock & roll from the first white-hot note to the last, this is a white-knuckle, nerve-tingling and check-yer-pants example of what a live performance should be about." The Quietus
    
"...perfectly chaotic noise and swagger, the trio offers team chemistry throughout. It's the collective energy that truly resonates.' Phoenix New Times 
“..straight-up, no-bullshit rock'n'soul…. They're reapplying for the job of America's most raucous, hardest-working rock'n'roll band, and will let the sweat speak for itself. “ Pitchfork  
  "This is the kind of band that brings their bruising ballet of avalanche-groove and strikes guilt in me for ever employing cliches of: forcefulness, grit, swagger or just pure tilt-o-whirl destructo-dazzle style onto any other band’s works, rock, blues or noise-noodler…  This is the band" Detroit Metro Times
"...visceral and primal: a bare-knuckled bloodletting of rhythms and riffs and grimy vocals that was punishing, arousing and cathartic and bereft of nuance or gloss." Kansas City Star  
  
'MEAT AND BONE' IS AVAILABLE THROUGH MOM + POP/BOOMBOX
'SHE'S ON IT-JACK THE RIPPER' 12" OUT APRIL 19TH/RECORD STORE DAY
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Published on April 15, 2014 10:58

CHVRCHES @ Ventura Theater

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All photos taken in NYC by Daniel Murtagh


CHVRCHES play at the Ventura Theater today, Tuesday, April 15th, 2014.
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Published on April 15, 2014 10:32

THE WHIGS: ESQUIRE ALBUM STREAM, TEAM COCO VIDEO


THE WHIGS TO RELEASE NEW ALBUM MODERN CREATIONNEXT TUESDAY, APRIL 22nd
ESQUIRE MAGAZINE NOW STREAMING NEW RECORD
TEAM COCO PREMIERES VIDEO HOMAGE TO THE OLD GREY WHISTLE TEST
BAND NOW OUT ON U.S. HEADLINING TOUR
 Acclaimed Athens, GA trio The Whigs are getting fans excited for the release of their new albumModern Creation, out next Tuesday April 22nd.
Esquire Magazine is now streaming the new album in its entirety and sat down with the band to discuss recording, touring and what's next. Listen and read here:  http://www.esquire.com/blogs/culture/the-whigs-modern-creation
Paying a loving tribute to "The Old Grey Whistle Test," the bands video for new record "Hit Me," a song Spin Magazine simply calls "triumphant," was premiered today on Conan'sTeam Coco. Watch here: http://teamcoco.com/video/web-exclusive-the-whigs-hit-me   
"The Whigs may be one of the last true rock and roll bands going," raves Paste Magazine. "With so many artists playing to niche versions of the genre, the Athens power trio carry the torch of the straight-ahead, big chorus-singing, distortion-loving, fist-pumping, '70s and '90s bands that they grew up listening to."
Magnet Magazine adds "Modern Creation is an album for furious air-drumming and single serving sing-alongs ... [its] big, buzzy guitar pop that is timeless as it is timely" Relix Magazine goes on to say this "fun, varied array of songs simply composed, reintroduce The Whigs as a band to watch."
With songs such as "You Should Be Able To Feel It," "Hit Me" and "The Particular," Modern Creation is the sound of a spirited rock band captured in all of their glory churning out raucous rock and roll records.
Over the course of four acclaimed albums and non-stop touring that include world tours with the Kings Of Leon, The Black Keys and the Hold Steady, The Whigs have shown themselves to be one of America's preeminent rock bands.
The Whigs are currently on a North American headlining tour and plan to spend all of 2014 on the road! Tour dates on www.thewhigs.com
Stay tuned for more news!
Tour Dates (more to be announced):
{April 19th      40 Watt Club                          Athens, GAApril 24th        The Bowery Ballroom            New York, NYApril 25th        North Star Bar                        Philadelphia, PAApril 26th        The Abbey Bar                       Harrisburg, PAApril 27th        Waiting Room                         Buffalo, NYApril 30th       Asbury Lanes                         Asbury Park, NJMay 1st           Mauch Chunk Opera House   Jim Thorpe, PAMay 2nd          Rock & Roll Hotel                  Washington, DCMay 3rd           Visulite Theatre                      Charlotte, NCMay 9th           Shaky Knees Festival             Atlanta GAMay 10th         The Earl                                  Atlanta, GAMay 15th         Radio Radio                            Indianapolis, INMay 24th         16th Street Mall                       Denver, COJune 12th          Fitzgerald's (Downstairs)       Houston, TXJune 13th          Red 7                                       Houston, TXJune 14th          Elm Street Music & Tattoo Festival  Dallas, TXJune 15th          Stickyz Rock N Roll Chicken Shack  Little Rock, ARJune 18th          Duling Hall                              Jackson, MSJune 19th          Workplay Theatre                  Birmingham, ALJune 20th          Hi-Tone Café                          Memphis, TNJune 21st          Mercy Lounge                         Nashville, TN
www.thewhigs.comhttps://www.facebook.com/thewhigshttps://twitter.com/TheWhigshttp://www.youtube.com/user/TheWhigsband
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Published on April 15, 2014 10:30

OFF! NEW VIDEO WITH DAVE FOLEY & BRIAN POSEHN

OFF! RELEASE NEW VIDEO STARRING DAVE FOLEY & BRIAN POSEHN, ADD TOUR DATES
PUNK SUPERGROUP'S NEW ALBUM WASTED YEARS IS OUT NOW
WATCH THE VIDEO FOR "RED WHITE AND BLACK" HERE: http://noisey.vice.com/music-video-premieres/off--red-white-and-black-official-video  


Following the release of their barn-burning new album Wasted YearsOFF! have released a video for album track "Red White and Black" starring Dave Foley (Kids in the Hall) and Brian Posehn (Mr. Show) directed by The Admiral, with cameos by Danny Carey (Tool), Dale Crover (Melvins),David Yow (Jesus Lizard), and Jack Grisham (TSOL). The video depicts a raucous fascist music rally at a bar staffed by OFF!, who tip off a group of community activists ready to shut the party down by any means necessary. Cue the choreographed fight sequences.
The band are currently out on the road with Cerebral Ballzy and NASA Space Universe and have just announced a new run of tour dates across Europe and the UK in the Fall - all dates below.


PURCHASE WASTED YEARS ON ITUNEShttp://smarturl.it/OFF_WastedYears
SEE PREVIOUSLY RELEASE VIDEO FOR "HYNOTIZED"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f4Wns9utNX8


OFF! TOUR DATES
4/15 - Neurolux - Boise, ID4/16 - The Loading Dock - Salt Lake City, UT4/18 - Black Sheep - Colorado Springs, CO, NM4/19 - Marquis Theater - Denver, CO4/21 - Club Congress - Tucson, AZ4/22 - Crescent Ballroom - Phoenix, AZ4/23 - The Roxy - Los Angeles, CA5/7 - Triple Rock - Minneapolis, MN5/8 - Bottom Lounge - Chicago, IL5/9 - Small's Bar - Detroit, MI5/10 - Lee's Palace (CMW) - Toronto, ON5/12 - Asbury Lanes - Asbury Park, NJ5/15 - Ottobar - Baltimore, MD5/16 - First Unitarian Church - Philadelphia, PA5/17 - Bowery Ballroom - New York, NY5/18 - Middle East - Boston, MA5/20 - Exit/In - Nashville, TN5/22 - Fitzgerald's - Houston, TX5/23 - Club Dada - Dallas, TX5/24 - Launchpad - Albuquerque, NM5/26 - Punk Rock Bowling - Las Vegas, NV10/2 - The Exchange - Bristol, UK10/3 - Oslo - London, UK10/4 - Queens Social Club- Sheffield, UK10/5 - King Tuts - Glasgow, UK10/7 - Belgrave Music Hall - Leeds, UK10/8 - The Haunt - Brighton, UK10/10 - Nouveau Casino - Paris, France10/11 - AB Club - Brussels, Belgium  10/12 - 013 Small Hall - Tilburg, Holland10/14 - Logo - Hamburg, Germany10/15 - SO36 - Berlin, Germany10/17 - Conne Island - Leipzig, Germany10/18 - OO7 - Prague, Czech Republic10/19 - A38 - Budapest, Hungary10/21 - Strom - Munich, Germany10/22 - Komplex Klub - Zurich, Switzerland10/23 - Gebaude 9 - Cologne, Germany10/25 - Debaser Strand - Stockholm, Sweden




OFF! - OFF! - "Red White and Black" (OFFicial Video)
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Published on April 15, 2014 10:28

Nite Jewel @ Glasshouse



NITE JEWEL is playing the Glasshouse tonight w/ BONOBO. Tuesday, April 15th, 2014.

Photo: Angel Ceballos
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Published on April 15, 2014 10:26