Alexander Laurence's Blog, page 2544

Washed Out: 2014 West Coast Tour Dates

Washed Out Announces 2014 North American West Coast Tour January 27th - February 2nd In Support Of Paracosm
Watch “All I Know” Videohttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9l2C27jP4Kw
Washed Out has scheduled a 2014 North American west coast tour in support of his critically acclaimed second album, Paracosm.  The trek begins on January 27th in Los Angeles, CA at the El Rey and ends on February 2nd in Bellingham, WA at Western Washington University’s Viking Union.  Additionally, Washed Out has a handful of December dates to mention:  December 7th in Acapulco, MX at Tropico Festival;  December 11th in Nashville, TN at Exit / Inn; December 12th in Columbus, OH for commercial radio station CD 102.5’s Holiday Show; December 13th in Philadelphia, PA for the Electric Factory’s Winterwaltz; An Ernest Greene DJ set December 14th at The Gramercy Theatre; and a New Year’s Eve show in Atlanta, GA at Terminal West. Please find a full list of tour dates below.
Paracosm has earned Washed Out praise from the likes of the New York Times, Entertainment Weekly, Rolling Stone, Billboard, FILTER, AV Club, Paper, USA Today, The Guardian, Vogue, Pitchfork, Alternative Press, Slant, All Music Guide, MixMag, Q, Mojo, Uncut, Loud and Quiet, and more. The album was also spent three weeks at no. 1 on the CMJ Top 200 Chart.
Paracosm is now available in North America on Sub Pop and in Europe via Weird World. The album, featuring the singles (and videos) for  “All I Know,” “It All Feels Right,” and “Don’t Give Up,” was recorded by Ernest Greene with returning producer Ben Allen in Athens and Atlanta, Georgia.
What People Are Saying About Washed Out:“It’s a realm of leisurely melodies and keyboard chords that wash in and drift away, of calm vocal harmonies and burbling electronics, of lavishly blended acoustic and electronic instruments and echoes of reassuring pop from past eras...Paracosm sounds warmer, more enveloping; precisely because it’s so much more spacious, it’s cozier.” [Playlist] - New York Times
“A sun-dappled, intricately layered, indie pop beauty.” [#2 / “Must List”] - Entertainment Weekly
"Greene's meticulous creations are still slow-rolling and thickly layered, but this time he and returning Animal Collective producer Ben Allen slather on less futuristic sounds: Mellotron, bongos, children laughing. Harplike arpeggios herald the beginning of the title track like the launch of a Technicolor reverie, but the nine-song LP’s dreamiest tune is ”All I Know,” a nostalgic stunner that glows like a jar of fireflies." [Review, 3.5/5 Stars] - Rolling Stone
“...Eerily beautiful” [Review, 3/4 stars] -  USA Today
“There’s something so distinctly summery about the Washed Out sound...the much-anticipated follow-up Paracosm seems as essential to the season as flip-flops and sunscreen...But unlike Washed Out’s previous efforts, in which frosty digital-age samples and drum machines served as the sonic backbone, Paracosm has a lush, natural feel, beginning with a bird-chirping, harp-scaling overture inspired by the rural Georgia retreat.” [Feature]  - Vogue
“Paracosm is a beautiful, beautiful album.” [Review, 88%] - FILTER
“It All Feels Right” bumps with light reggae upticks before momentarily collapsing into a sunstroke, while “Great Escape” leans off the beat just enough to generate a little bit of Southern soul…However, Greene is growing in terms of melodic construct, as the chorus of “Don’t Give Up” is the strongest and trickiest he’s ever written." [Review] - Pitchfork
Tour DatesDec. 07-  Acapulco , Mexico - Tropico FestivalDec. 11 - Nashville, TN - Exit / InnDec. 12 - Columbus, OH - LC Pavillion [CD 102.5 Holiday Show]Dec. 13 - Philadelphia, PA - Electric Factory [Winterwaltz]Dec. 14 - New York, NY - Gramercy Theatre (ERNEST GREENE DJ SET)Dec. 31 - Atlanta, GA - Terminal West Jan. 27 - Los, Angeles - El Rey TheatreJan. 28 - San Francisco, CA - The FillmoreJan. 30 - Portland, OR - Crystal BallroomJan. 31 - Seattle, WA - NeptuneFeb. 01 - Vancouver, ON - Commodore BallroomFeb. 02 - Bellingham, WA - Viking Union (Western Washington University)
Buy tickets via www.washedout.net

Rough Trade's album of the year is JOHN GRANT'S 'Pale Green Ghosts'

JOHN GRANT'S PALE GREEN GHOSTS IS  ROUGH TRADE'S    

Watch: Official video for "GMF" 
Watch: John Grant live on Jools Holland 

Q Awards: Nominated for best solo artist
UK Independent Music Awards -  Nominated for best 'difficult' second album & independent album of the year
Attitude Magazine: Man of the Year
NPR: "GMF" included in 50 Favorite Songs of 2013 (so far) list
TIME Magazine: "GMF" included in 50 Favorite Songs of 2013 (so far) list

 TWO FINAL US SHOWS IN 2013:
December 2nd - Music Hall of WilliamsburgDecember 3rd - Rough Trade NYC In-store

"With his own beautiful baritone softening the blows, Grant somehow finds the beauty, and even the comfort, that tempers life's cruelties" - NPR  "It's an intense, angry record of inconsolable heartbreak, crooned with authority  over luscious electro." - Pitchfork  "John Grant is one of the most enigmatic, endearing vocalists   making music today." - Paste Magazine  "Grant's booming baritone that conveys the impact of cathedral doors flung open during a recital" - Under The Radar
"Ultimately, the record begs your attention as an example of a consummate songsmith at work." - Filter Magazine
"This is a serious use of new sounds, confident and patient, resulting in real music,   not just window dressing" - The Big Takeover
"Introspective and wrenching" - Chicago Tribune
"Take any chance you get to see him live" - Brooklyn Vegan

Cloud Control Announce North American Tour Dates

 

CLOUD CONTROL
Photo Credit: Hollie FernandoCloud Control are today announcing their return to the US with a string of dates scheduled for early 2014. The band will be playing songs from their recently released Dream Cave LP which is out now on Votiv, the complete schedule is listed below. The four-piece have also released a new video for the song "Promises" which Clash Music describe as "one of the anthemic standouts on new album" going further to say the track is "an example of the Australian band's soaring, inspiring approach to song craft."Click Here To Watch "Promises" Video
Cloud Control stopped by the Relix offices the last time they were in New York to play an acoustic set in their roof top boiler room, you can check out the results  here .North American Tour Dates /01.11.14 - Rough Trade - Brooklyn, NY
01.13.14 - Boot & Saddle - Philadelphia, PA
01.14.14 - Schubas - Chicago, IL
01.15.14 - Barboza - Seattle, WA
01.16.14 - Biltmore Cafe - Vancouver, BC
01.18.14 - Mississippi Studios - Portland, OR
01.21.14 - Rickshaw Stop - San Francisco, CA
01.22.14 - Satellite - Los Angeles, CA

alt-j Release Remix EP; December Tour Dates

ALT-J TO RELEASE REMIX EP, SUMMER, ON NOVEMBER 25
DECEMBER TOUR DATES ON SALE NOW
  
alt-J, the Mercury Prizing winning foursome from Leeds UK, will be releasing an EP of remixes titled Summer on November 25. Jim James, Dave Sitek, Odd Future's the Internet, Ben Lovett (of Mumford & Sons), Hanz and Ben De Vries all remixed songs from the band's debut album An Awesome Wave. That album just reached Gold in Canada last week and has now sold more than 250,000 albums in North America.
Stream, Share, and Grab "Tessellate (Ben de Vries Remix)" on SoundCloud:https://soundcloud.com/ben_de_vries/tessellate 
alt-J will be on tour this December for a series of shows. The shows kick off on December 2 in Portland, Oregon at the Crystal Ballroom and will make stops down the west coast from Seattle to San Diego before heading to St. Louis, Chicago and then ending on December 12 in Milwaukee for the Big Snow Show 8. A list of dates is below and tickets can be purchased here:http://www.altjband.com/tickets/ 
Tour Dates:12/2 - Portland, OR - 94/7 December to Remember12/3 - Seattle, WA - Deck the Hall Ball 201312/4 - Sacramento, CA - Radio 94.7 Electric Christmas12/5 - Reno, NV - 104.1 KRZQ's Oh Snow You Didn't12/7 - San Francisco, CA - Live 105 Not So Silent Night12/8 - San Diego, CA - 91x WREX The Halls12/9 - Los Angeles, CA - KYSR's The ALTimate Rooftop Christmas Party 12/10 - St. Louis, MO - 105.7 The Point's Ho Ho Show12/11 - Chicago, IL - Q87.7 The Night We Stole Christmas12/12 - Milwaukee, WI - Big Snow Show 8

Dylan Fest Takes NY, Heads to SF

DYLAN FEST RETURNS FOR TWO TRIUMPHANT SHOWSIN NEW YORK CITY
SAN FRANCISCO SHOW ON WEDNESDAY  Dylan Fest returned to New York City last week for two epic, sold-out performances at Bowery Ballroom, raising more than $25,000 for Sweet Relief. Backed all night by the legendary Cabin Down Below Band, more than 30 artists sang their favorite Bob Dylan songs, including Norah Jones ("Just Like A Woman"), Dhani Harrison (who took on his father George's version of "If Not For You"), Doyle Bramhall II ("I Shall Be Released"), The Hold Steady ("Where Are You Tonight?"), Lady Antebellum's Charles Kelley ("Corrina, Corrina"), Elvis Perkins ("Motorpsycho Nightmare") Jason Isbell ("Lay Lady Lay"), Karen Elson ("Cold Irons Bound") and the Wild Feathers (who harmonized on "You Ain't Goin' Nowhere").
The balcony at Bowery Ballroom was also full of stars, including Roger Waters, Leonardo DiCaprio and Orlando Bloom.
Rolling Stone  said, "The three hour show chose celebration over tribute, treating Dylan's music as the soundtrack to a great party."
On Wednesday, November 20, Dylan Fest will travel to San Francisco for an intimate, one-night-only show at Great American Music Hall, featuring Doyle Bramhall II, Sly & The Family Stone's Cynthia Robinson and Jerry Martini, Heartless Bastards' Erika Wennerstrom, Elvis Perkins, Ruby Amanfu, The Hold Steady's Craig Finn & Tad Kubler, Midlake's Eric Pulido, Chuck Prophet, Nicki Bluhm, Boots Riley, Lukas Nelson, Rayland Baxter, Kelley Stoltz, Neal Casal, Chase Cohl, and, just added to the bill, The Doobie Brothers' Tom Johnston.  More surprise guests will be featured as well.
The Best Fest is proud to be sponsored by Jameson Irish Whiskey.  Once again, every penny of ticket sale proceeds will benefit Sweet Relief.  In the past year, the Best Fest has teamed up with Jameson Irish Whiskey and Sweet Relief got help raise hundreds of thousands of dollars to help provide financial assistance to all types of career musicians who are struggling to make ends meet while facing illness, disability or age related problems.  
A handful of tickets are still available for San Francisco. Don't miss the chance to witness this joyous celebration of the music of Bob Dylan. 

Neneh Cherry Shares "Blank Project"

NENEH CHERRY SHARES DETAILS OF NEW ALBUM, BLANK PROJECT, OUT FEBRUARY 25, 2013 ON SMALLTOWN SUPERSOUND
LISTEN TO "BLANK PROJECT" NOWhttps://soundcloud.com/neneh-cherry/blank-project
  Following last month's announcement that Neneh Cherry will release her first solo album in 16 years - a collaboration with RocketNumberNine, produced by Four Tet, and featuring a guest appearance byRobyn - Neneh is now ready to share further details of this forthcoming record with the world. The 10-track album, recorded and mixed over a 5-day period, will be titled  Blank Project , and it will be outFebruary 25th, 2014 on Smalltown Supersound. It follows 2012's  The Cherry Thing , a collaborative record with free jazz, noise collective The Thing, which featured new versions of songs by The Stooges, MF Doom, Ornette Coleman, amongst others.
While her energy and demeanor may not have changed since the days of Rip Rig + Panic, musically, Blank Project  is a departure from anything Neneh has previously done, initially written as a means of working through personal tragedy. What stands out upon first listen is the album's sparseness: loose drums and a few synthesizers are the only accompaniment to Neneh's wildly poetic, sometimes-spoken, sometimes-screeching, soul-flooded and raw vocals. The space created by this minimal aesthetic leaves room for occasional pistes and flurries of rapid, yet throbbing and thunderous instrumentation. Featuring combined elements of beat poetry, avant-electronica and beautiful vocal melodies, it's a record that uses simple ideas to create something entirely original. And despite the personal struggles Neneh was working through in writing this new material, the songs are far from introverted.
As many are aware, the stories from Neneh's early years are astonishing. She spent her childhood living 50/50 between a loft in New York and in the South of Sweden with her mother and stepfather, the legendary jazz musician Don Cherry. She's been lifted onto Miles Davis' lap, Allen Ginsberg regularly passed through their home in an evening and as she got older, she could pop in on Arthur Russell, Talking Heads and The Modern Lovers who all lived in the same loft complex in Long Island City, New York. At 14, she started taking trips to Harlem with Ari Up of the Slits at a time when few would venture so far uptown. Soon after, she left home and moved to London, and spent the next 20 years inside the crucial developments in British subculture. As post-punk became the site of 80s Britain's artistic and political resistance, she helped form the anarchic multi-ethnic, multi-genre Rip, Rig + Panic, and she was one of the first to bring hip-hop culture to a British audience with "Buffalo Stance" and  Raw Like Sushi . Although at points her career had brushes with the mainstream, Neneh remained staunchly counter-culture.
Through post-punk's adherence to mixed-race line-ups and anti-government stance, to UK rap's refusal of the conventions of pop, trip-hop's connection with the politicized elements of rave culture and, through 1996's  Man , where Neneh introduced elements of Senegalese language to mainstream audiences for the first time via the mammoth "7 Seconds" single featuring Senegalese singer Youssou N'Dour, and now, with Blank Project, Neneh continues to arrive at moments in musical history when there is an opportunity to subvert ideas of popular culture. She is subverting once again, only this time, although this record is musically bold, Neneh sees the stasis she's challenging isn't musical or societal, but her own.
LISTEN TO/SHARE NENEH CHERRY'S "BLANK PROJECT" - https://soundcloud.com/neneh-cherry/blank-project
Blank Project Tracklisting:01. Across The Water02. Blank Project03. Naked04. Spit Three Times05. Weightless06. Cynical07. 42208. Out Of The Black (featuring Robyn)09. Dossier10. Everything

WIRE @ Echoplex tonight

photo: Angel Ceballos WIRE are playing at Echoplex tonight. w/ Chastity Belt

WIRE @ Echoplex November 17th 2013

WIRE @ Echoplex November 17th

WIRE plays its first LA show in five years this Sunday. They have been doing punk, post-punk, art rock, noise, shout rock before anyone, and have been imitated relentlessly, by many bands who have played Echo/Echoplex. They played Coachella in 2011, but this is the first actual LA show since 2008. Now they have a new album Change Becomes Us. WIRE has also played many festivals this year. They bring their own DRILL fest to Seattle next week. It's shocking that they have been active as a band and solo projects since 1976. Change Becomes Us is the 13th WIRE album.

WIRE will play shows in LA and SF.

Nov 17th: The Echoplex, Los Angeles, USA
Nov 18th: Slim's, San Francisco, USA

Also show in Portland and Seattle this week.

Photo: Angel Ceballos

Chelsea Wolfe @ Royce Hall UCLA

All photos taken in NYC by Daniel Murtagh.

CHELSEA WOLFE plays at Royce Hall tonight, Saturday November 16th 2013.

Toro Y Moi @ The Wiltern

Listen to Toro Y Moi on KCRW

TORO Y MOI also playing at the WILTERN tonight!!!

Photo: Angel Ceballos