Alexander Laurence's Blog, page 2543

Vikesh Kapoor Shares "Bottom Of The Ladder" Video

Vikesh Kapoor Shares "Bottom Of The Ladder" Video via WNYC,US Tour Continues, Dates w/ The Melodic Kick Off Next Week
"...he delivers a series of sharply etched portraits of struggling Americans that points back along a road of socially conscious songs." -- New Yorker
"...sincere, husky ballads of the apathetic, recession-era (or Depression-era) working man." -- Interview Magazine 
Click Image Above to View Video
"...a scorching collection of folk songs in the grand tradition of Woody Guthrie and Bob Dylan." -- Portland Mercury

Vikesh Kapoor  recently shared his working-man's ballad "Bottom Of The Ladder" via Rolling Stone, and today, he unveils a hauntingly eerie video for the song. Shot on 16mm film during a lightning storm in Hudson, NY, the video's visual effects were all created organically using multiple exposures. The result is a ghostlike account of Kapoor climbing the metaphoric "ladder" at the center of his melancholy ballad. You can watch the "Bottom Of The Ladder" video where it premiered with  WNYC , and post & share it via  Vimeo .
Released last month, Kapoor's debut album, The Ballad Of Willy Robbins, chronicles the brutal, but hopeful journey of a working-class man who slowly loses it all: his ambition, his health, his family, and his shelter. Inspired by the struggles Kapoor saw all around him-- from the hardships his parents faced as immigrants to the everyday challenges of small-town American life-- it explores universal issues faced by many individuals each day. 
Having been compared sonically to Bob Dylan and Woody Guthrie, Vikesh brings his narrative to life with a powerful, emotionally-charged croon. His US tour with Saintseneca wraps up tomorrow night in Pittsburgh, and he'll be joining The Melodic on the road next week, with dates all across the east coast.
Catch Vikesh Kapoor LIVE:# w/ Saintseneca* w/ The Melodic
11/20: Pittsburgh, PA @ Garfield Artworks #11/25: Chapel Hill, NC @ Local 506*11/26: Atlanta, GA @ The Earl*11/27: Nashville, TN @ Mercy Lounge*11/29: Cincinnati, OH @ MOTR Pub*11/30: Louisville, KY @ Zanzabar *12/1: Asheville, NC @ The Mothlight *12/2: Richmond, VA @ Strange Matter*12/3: Arlington, VA @ Iota*12/4: Asbury Park, NJ @ The Saint*12/5: Philadelphia, PA @ North Star Bar*12/6: Hamden, CT @ Cafe Nine*12/7: Cambridge, MA @ Middle East*12/8 Burlington, VT @ Higher Ground *12/9: New York, NY @ Mercury Lounge*
Download: "Bottom Of The Ladder" MP3Listen: "Carry Me, Home" stream
Watch: "Carry Me, Home" live videoDownload: "I Dreamt Blues" MP3Watch: "I Dreamt Blues" live videoStream: Vikesh Kapoor live on WXPN's Folkadelphia

Gliss's Langsom Dans Deluxe Edition Available Today

GLISS'S LANGSOM DANS DELUXE EDITION AVAILABLE TODAY  STREAM "DROOL" WITH LA WEEKLYLangsom Dans Deluxe Edition Featuring Exclusive Bonus Tracks
Available Today, November 19, 2013 on Modern Outsider Listen and Share "Drool" Here Via LA Weekly   "the feedback is molten-- the guitars fed through an untold assortment of pedals and blown amps. The volume is surging forward... and sure beats anything the Silversun Pickups have dreamt up." -  Pitchfork   Los Angeles duo, Gliss, is pleased to announce the release of deluxe edition of their critically acclaimed Langsom Dans. Available today, November 19, 2013 on Modern Outsider, the release features exclusive bonus tracks including "Hunting (C-Berg Remix)" and "Drool". To celebrate the release, Gliss is streaming "Drool" via the LA Weekly. "The song is about how the world has the potential to destroy itself," explains Victoria Cecilia, the bands singer and keyboard player.
Stream and Share "Drool" Here Courtesy of LA Weekly.
Danish/American band Gliss makes a huge departure from their old sound on the new recordLangsom Dans which is gathering comparisons to Beach House, Crystal Castles and Lower Dens. The LA based duo, consisting of Victoria Cecilia and Martin Klingman, pour their collective musical imaginations into recording timeless art pop with a precise Scandinavian texture that steps away from their previous work. The 12-track LP features heavy synths and electronic beats with Danish expatriate, Victoria Cecilia, stepping into the role as lead singer. The passionate vocal harmonies dictate the recordings with stories of coming out of the darkness into a new life, bringing to mind The XX, Portishead and Depeche Mode.
Live Dates: 02/07 - Pasadena, CA @ Whole Foods Arroyo
Langsom Dans  Tracklist:01. Blood On My Hands02. A To B03. Into The Water04. Weight Of Love05. Blur06. Hunting07. Waves08. The Sea Tonight09. Through The Mist10. In Heaven11. Black Is Blue                 12. Kite In The Sky13. Drool (bonus track)14. Hunting (C-Berg Remix)
 Credit: Filip Orestes

US Festival 1983: U2, the Clash, Judas Priest, INXS + more

US Festival 1983: Days 1 - 3 on iTunes November 19th and on DVD December 3rd

Featuring U2, the Clash, Judas Priest, Stevie Nicks, Scorpions, INXS, Men at Work, Stray Cats, Triumph, Missing Persons and more  Exclusive clip of U2 "Sunday Bloody Sunday" at RollingStone.com   The US Festival (US is an acronym for "Unite Us In Song") held on Memorial Day of 1983 was a massive three-day celebration of music and culture sponsored by Steve Wozniak, formerly of Apple Computer. Wozniak financed the entire thing himself (approx. 10 million dollars), and his motivation quoted as "to throw a big party in the middle of nowhere" is quite an understatement. This festival was a follow up to 1982 Labor Day inaugural Us Festival events. The festivals were intended to be the celebration of evolving technologies; a marriage of music, computers, television and people.
Us Festival 1983: Days 1 - 3 includes the 3 days of New Wave, Heavy Metal and Rock in 1983 with performances from U2, the Clash, Judas Priest, Stevie Nicks, Scorpions, INXS, Men at Work, Stray Cats, Triumph, Missing Persons and more. This includes the legendary U2 performance of Sunday Bloody Sunday, The Clash's final performance with Mick Jones, a seminal performance for INXS in the US, and many other landmark moments in music history. It is estimated that over 670,000 fans attended.

The festivals included large air-conditioned tents featuring the US Festival Technology Exposition a dazzling display of then-cutting edge computers, software, and electronic music devices. Also making a debut were installations of "out-door rain", perforated pvc nozzles that sprayed water to fight the fierce hundred-degree heat.

The US Festival interest remains strong 30 years later in pop culture with mentions in The Simpsons, Malcom In The Middle, Dharma & Greg and other popular TV shows. US Festival 1983 is produced by Icon Television Music, Inc. and Unuson Corporation with the cooperation of Steve Wozniak. This is the only Unuson sanctioned official release of US Festival 1983 at iTunes and on DVD. 

US Festival 1983 is directed by award winning filmmaker and music biographer Glenn Aveni and includes insight from Mark Goodman, one of the original VJ's that covered the Us Festival in 1983 for the newly launched MTV Channel.

US Festival 1983 Days 1 - 3 are available on iTunes for $9.99 each: itunes.com/USFestival1983    
Order DVD: http://www.seeofsound.com/p.php?s=MVD5946D
Press Photos: http://bit.ly/HPO4fm
Hi Res Cover Art:   http://mvdb2b.com/i/300dpi/MVD5946D.jpg
Track Listing:INXS - The One ThingDivinyls - Boys in TownEnglish Beat - JeanetteStray Cats - Rock This TownStray Cats - Please Make Up Your MindMen At Work - It's A MistakeMen At Work - Who Can It Be NowThe Clash - Should I Stay or Should I GoJudas Priest - Breaking The LawJudas Priest - You've Got Another Thing Comin'Triumph - Magic PowerTriumph - Fight The Good FightTriumph - Lay It On The LineTriumph - A World Of FantasyScorpions - The ZooScorpions - Can't Get EnoughBerlin - SexQuarterflash - Find Another FoolU2 - Sunday Bloody SundayU2 - The Electric Co.Missing Persons - WordsStevie Nicks - Stand BackStevie Nicks - Outside The Rain   
# # #

HAIM Announce 2014 Headlining Tour

HAIM ANNOUNCE SPRING 2014 NORTH AMERICAN HEADLINING TOUR
SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE MUSICAL PERFORMANCE DEBUT SET FOR NOVEMBER 23
    In celebration of their critically-acclaimed debut album  Days Are Gone , HAIM has announced that they will hit the road in Spring 2014 for a North American headlining tour. The tour will kick off April 9 in San Francisco, with the band making stops in major cities including New York, Boston and Chicago (see below for full North American tour dates). HAIM's live shows have been touted as one of the best around, with the Los Angeles Times recently proclaiming "there's probably not a cooler band in America right now" and FADER declaring that the band's "practiced live show easily rivals any of their peers."  A fan club pre-sale will be available via CrowdSurge on Wednesday, November 20, and general tickets will go on sale Friday, November 22. 
Sisters Este, Danielle and Alana Haim are set to make their musical debut on Saturday Night Live on November 23 alongside host Josh Hutcherson.  Saturday Night Live airs Saturdays at 11:30 PM/10:30 PM CT on NBC.  Next month, HAIM will take over Jimmy Kimmel Live! with a special outdoor concert on Wednesday, December 18. Jimmy Kimmel Live! airs weeknights at 11:35 PM/10:35 PM CT on ABC. 
Featuring crowd favorites, "Falling," "Forever," "Don't Save Me," and "The Wire," as well as title track, "Days Are Gone," co-written with Kid Harpoon and Jessie Ware, HAIM's  Days Are Gone  debuted at #6 on the Billboard 200 album chart.  In the UK,  Days Are Gone  debuted at #1, surpassing sales of new albums by established artists like Justin Timberlake and Dizzee Rascal.  SPIN highlighted the album as "one of the most ruthlessly proficient pieces of music to come out this year," and the Associated Press pronounced that HAIM have "made quite an impact with [their] stunning debut."   Days Are Gone  has been awarded an 8.3 rating and "Best New Music" by Pitchfork, and has been hailed as "the kind of microtriumph you sit up and root for" byRolling Stone in their 3.5 star review.  
HAIM have received unprecedented media attention; the band has been honored in Rolling Stone's annual "Best of Rock" issue, named both an MTV "Artist to Watch" and VH1 "You Oughta Know" artist, and showcased as Spotify's first ever "Spotlight" artist.  In addition, HAIM have been featured on NPR Weekend Edition, have played a headlining slot at this year's iTunes Festival and have received early support from Sirius XMU.
HAIM North American Tour Dates     4/9 San Francisco, CA - The Fillmore 4/17 Las Vegas, NV - The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas 4/23 Austin, TX - Stubb's BBQ 4/24 Dallas, TX - House of Blues 4/26 Tulsa, OK - Cain's Ballroom 4/27 Nashville, TN - Mercy Lounge 5/6 Carrboro, NC - Cat's Cradle 5/8 Washington, DC - 9:30 Club 5/10 New York, NY - Terminal 5 5/13 Boston, MA - House of Blues 5/14 Philadelphia, PA - Theatre of Living Arts 5/15 Toronto, ON - Kool Haus 5/17 Chicago, IL - Vic Theatre 5/19 Minneapolis, MN - First Avenue 5/21 Denver, CO - Gothic Theatre 5/22 Salt Lake City, UT - Urban Lounge 5/24 Vancouver, BC - Malkin Bowl        http://haimtheband.com/ ;  

Warp Records' New Artist patten // EP Out Next Week

patten
WARP DEBUT EOLIAN INSTATE EP OUT NOVEMBER 26
ON 12” PICTURE DISC, LIMITED TO 500 COPIES WORLDWIDE


LISTEN/WATCH NEW TRACK “AVIARY” :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xOGaFCgVGtw&hd=1
Film: Jane Eastlight
 2011's fractured and tripped out full length GLAQJO XACCSSO was highly praised across experimental avant circles in the UK from The Wire to DAZED, identifying patten as a unique voice emanating from an intersection between a number of London's underground scenes.

Since then, converse to expectation, no further recorded work has been heard from patten, concentrating instead on playing live and producing a handful of highly distinctive, idiosyncratic remixes.  Known for developing new trajectories for recordings in the live environment,  the past two years have been fruitful, seeing his ever-complex sound morph and splinter further with every performance.

Having brought attention and acclaim to a number of uncompromising and similarly future-facing artists via his conceptual imprint Kaleidoscope, patten now returns with his debut release on Warp, a five track EP entitled EOLIAN INSTATE.  The beautifully detailed 22 minute picture disc vinyl record is limited to just 500 copies worldwide and sealed in a minimal untreated card sleeve, designed by frequent visual collaborator Jane Eastlight. 
 A full length will follow in 2014.

In addition to a handful of live dates across Europe, patten curates a EP launch party at London’s Shacklewell Arms on November 30, and January 11 will be his US live debut at Joe's Pub in NYC. 

Sleepy Sun Announces New LP "Maui Tears" Out 1/28

Sleepy Sun Announces New LP, Maui TearsOut January 28th via Dine Alone Records
"The Lane" Video Premieres w/ Noisey

Photo Credit: Chloe Aftel

Northern California's Sleepy Sun-- whose music has been described as "a shape-shifting mess of psych-garage slime" (SPIN) and "the darkly foreboding side of garage psych" (Stereogum), has announced their fourth LP,  Maui Tears , to be released January 28th via Dine Alone Records. Along with seven brand new songs, the album features both tracks from Sleepy Sun's recent 7", "11:32" and "The Lane." Today, the band shares their video for album opener "The Lane," which takes us on a tripped-out journey through the clouds, the ocean, the galaxy, and beyond. You can watch the video where it premiered with  Noisey , and post & share it via  YouTube . Maui Tears will be available for pre-order beginning December 10th, and all pre-orders will come with an instant grat of album track "Galaxy Punk."
Having formed six years ago, Sleepy Sun already has three LPs and a handful of singles & EPs under their belt. Maui Tears finds the band pushing boundaries with their experimental songwriting, exploring new territory and showcasing the diversity of their sound. A combination of catchy, psych-tinged melodies, softer, dreamier tracks, and some of the band's heaviest material to date, the album is a dynamic collection of songs from a new, bolder version of a band that's torn down walls and built up confidence.
Known for their incessant touring, Sleepy Sun has toured with the likes of Arctic Monkeys, the Black Angels, and most recently, City and Colour. They have a handful of live dates left on their current tour and will be announcing 2014 dates soon. See below for a full list of live dates, along with Maui Tears cover art and track listing, and stay tuned for more new music coming soon!

Sleepy Sun on Tour: 11/19: St Louis, MO @ Firebird 11/20: Lawrence, KS @ Replay Lounge  11/22: Denver, CO @ Moe's 11/23: Salt Lake City, UT @ Urban Lounge 

Maui Tears Track Listing :1. The Lane2. Words3. Everywhere Waltz4. Outside5. 11:326. Theilbar7. Slowdown8. Galaxy Punk9. Maui Tears

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The Notwist: Release 'Close To The Glass' via Sub Pop (Feb. 25th)

Sub Pop Signs The NotwistReleases Close to The Glass On February 25th in North America Listen To Title Track Now
https://soundcloud.com/subpop/the-notwist-close-to-the-glass

‘Close To The Glass’ also available in Japan from Afterhours (Feb. 12th), Australia from Spunk (Feb. 21st),  Europe from City Slang (Feb. 24th)
2014 European Tour Dates
Sub Pop is thrilled to share the news that German band The Notwist will release Close to The Glass, their label debut, on CD/2xLP/DL in North America on February 25th. The album will also be available in the following territories: in Japan from Afterhours on February 12th; in Australia via Spunk on February 21st; and in Europe via City Slang on February 24th. Close To The Glass features the title track, as well as singles “Run Run Run,” “Kong,” and “Casino" (see Pitchfork News Story November 19th).  Please find a full tracklisting below.
Fans who pre-order Close To The Glass via iTunes beginning Tuesday, November 19th will receive the album’s title track immediately. The album will also be available for pre-order at Sub Pop’s Notwist page.  People who pre-order Close To The Glass on LP at subpop.com will receive the limited “Loser Edition” of the album on colored vinyl. There's also two brand new The Notwist t-shirts that will be available as a premium bundle with CD or LP purchases.
The Notwist have scheduled a series of European tour dates to support Close To The Glass, which begin January 24th in Innsbruck, AT at the Weekender Club and currently ends May 28th in Amsterdam, NL at Melkweg. Please find a full list of tour dates below.
More about The Notwist:The Notwist’s Close To The Glass, is yet another courageous leap into the sky of songs. It is a catchy and unpredictable marriage of playing your heart out on an instrument and the magnetic pulse of precise programming. While the band always creates music ripe with authenticity and mood, we find them now defining their edges with no shortage of bravery or beat. As romantic as it is robotic, Close To The Glass is a bottomless collage: part pop song, part science, part band, part story telling and all Notwist. The sturdy glue between the layers of Close To The Glass is their newfound synergy as a band, no longer co-writing parts, brothers Markus and Micha Archer alongside Martin Gretchmann have finally found their human form and in some ways, at last, have ‘become’ The Notwist. With support from Max Punktezahl and Andi Haberl, they write, re-write, and record songs as one, tapping into the energy they possess on stage, and naturally arriving at the band all their exploratory recorded music had cut out for them (read more at Sub Pop).
Close To The GlassTracklisting1. Signals2. Close To The Glass3. Kong4. Into Another Tune5. Casino6. From One Wrong Place To The Next7. 7-Hour-Drive8. The Fifth Quarter Of The Globe9. Run Run Run10. Steppin’ In11. Lineri12. They Follow Me
Tour DatesJan. 24 - Innsbruck, AT - Weekender Club Jan. 25 - Vienna, AT - FM4 Geburtstagsfest Feb. 24 - Wiesbaden, DE - Schlachthof Feb. 25 - Bielefeld, DE - Forum Feb. 26 - Berlin, DE - Heimathafen Mar. 10 - Stuttgart, DE - Wagenhallen Mar. 11 - Lyon, FR - Epicerie Moderne Mar. 12 - Nantes, FR - Stereolux Mar. 13 - Paris, FR - La Maroquinerie Mar. 14 - Lille, FR - Le Grand MixMar. 15 - Manchester, UK - The Deaf Institute Mar. 16 - Glasgow, UK - Mono Mar. 17 - Bristol, UK - The Fleece Mar. 18 - London, UK - Village UndergroundMar. 19 - Brussels, BE - Botanique Mar. 20 - Cologne, DE - E-WerkApr. 10 - Ljubijana, SK - TBA Apr. 11 - Zagreb, HR - Mochvara Apr. 12 - Linz, AT - Posthof Apr. 13 - Munich, DE - Circus Krone May 27 - Hamburg, DE - Laeiszhalle May 28 - Amsterdam, NL - Melkweg

FAKE CLUB ANNOUNCE NEW SINGLE - Taken from the film 'POWDER ROOM'

FAKE CLUBANNOUNCE NEW SINGLE 'MIDNIGHT AT KOKO' [TAKEN FROM THE MOTION PICTURE “POWDER ROOM”]AVAILABLE FOR PRE-ORDER NOW, RELEASED 6TH DECEMBERLISTEN/SHARE: 
Taken from the upcoming film POWDER ROOM, due to hit cinemas December 6th, London guitar band FAKE CLUB release the movie’s lead track, Midnight at Koko. The film, due for release via Universal/Vertigo boasts a stellar cast, starring Sheridan Smith, Jaime Winstone, Oona Chaplin and Kate Nash; documenting the story of a group of girls on a night out and unveiling the mystery and the trials and tribulations that take place in the ladies toilets.
Directed by up-and-coming female director, MJ Delaney and produced by Damian Jones (Kidulthood, The History Boys, The Iron Lady) the film showcases the best of British in-front and behind the camera and utilises its massively talented and largely female cast to the best of their ability.
Midnight at Koko lets us see a gentler side to this feisty all-girl band, showcasing their delicate attention to melody that is often replaced by pounding drums and screaming guitar solos. Performed by FAKE CLUB themselves in the movie, a smouldering Rosie Bones and her tuxedo-clad bandmates (wait until you see the video!), soundtrack the climatic narrative of the film with this momentous track. Midnight at Koko is Fake Club’s sensitive side, their ‘slow song at the school dance’ when all the teenagers start kissing and everyone gets sentimental.
FAKE CLUB release Midnight at Koko December 6th, the day of POWDER ROOM’S general release and the track is available for pre-order now via iTunes, here: 

Chvrches @ The Wiltern

CHVRCHES are playing the Wiltern tonight, Monday November 18th 2013.


All photos taken in NYC by Daniel Murtagh

Stream New Gap Dream Album, Out 11/26 On Burger

GAP DREAM'S SHINE YOUR LIGHT OUT NEXT WEEK ON BURGER!
WATCH A VIDEO FOR "SHINE YOUR LIGHT" STARRING MR. SHOW'S JOHN ENNIS!
STREAM THE ALBUM ON PITCHFORK ADVANCE    Oh man, it's time to  Shine Your Light . Out next week on Burger is one of the most anticipated releases for true Burger believers, Gap Dream's sophomore record, Shine Your Light. It's a party at Burger Records and what could be more inviting than Gap Dream's populist stoner synth-pop propulsions! It's music that's simultaneously light and heavy, deep and flighty, challenging and accessible. You can hear songwriter Gabriel Fulvimar's reverence for his heroes in his music, but also the creativity with which he makes each song his own. You can listen to the whole thing at  Pitchfork  Advance, along with some vibey images, album art, and video clips to go along with the auditory experience.
STREAM SHINE YOUR LIGHT HERE: http://bit.ly/1aBEmaiPre-order the LP, CD, or MP3s!
Also out today is an INCREDIBLE new video for the first song off the record, "Shine Your Light." Directed by Jonny Look, the video stars John Ennis, most well known as a cast member of the cult HBO sketch comedy show  Mr. Show with Bob and David . In the video, Ennis plays a delirious, Jagermeister drunk detective on a relentless search for his missing partner. By following a trail of glitter and pizza grease, he pieces together incoherent clues that reveal a cloaked cult behind the kidnapping. It's a storyline taken from watching the X-Files on mute and missing all the important parts. The video premiered today on  Entertainment Weekly .
WATCH THE VIDEO FOR "SHINE YOUR LIGHT" HERE: http://bit.ly/IcJkA0
Last week, we also shared album track "Love is Not Allowed," one of the most delicate and personal songs on the record. Check it out, as well as some other tunes and video that were shared.
Listen to "Love is Not Allowed" here: http://bit.ly/1cTUYygListen to "Shine Your Love" here: http://snd.sc/15uef3lListen to "Fantastic Sam" here: http://snd.sc/18aGNONWatch "Chill Spot" video here: http://youtu.be/Xejoe0comV4Download a hi-res image and album art here: http://pitchperfectpr.com/a_gd.html