Wild Beasts: "Bed Of Nails" Video

Brit band Wild Beasts' latest single from the album ,Smother, "Bed of Nails", is now a video directed by Daniel Brereton. In a refreshing change of pace the band play instruments and perform the song itself. What a concept....

The Features: 'Wilderness' Stream + MP3

      photo: marv watson

The Features, who I have written about in the past (2004) look poised to finally start buzzing and buzzing hard. Tapes n' Tapes-like hard. They made an impressive splash on Jimmy Kimmel last night (whoever that is), to promote the new record Wilderness... here's the evidence (not that the sound is very good, in fact it sucks... wtf, Kibbel).




You can download the first track off the record, "Content", here.

STREAM THE ENTIRE RECORD: Released July 26, 2011 on Bug Music/Serpents And Snakes.


And a treat, here's how they sounded way back in 2004.
the beginning [MP3]

TOUR DATES:
07.29.11 - The Satellite - Los Angeles, CA
08.19.11 - Cosmic Charlies - Lexington, KY
08.25.11 - Zanzabar - Louisville, KY
08.26.11 - The Earl - Atlanta, GA
08.27.11 - Mercy Lounge - Nashville, TN
09.06.11 - Club AE - Pittsburgh, PA
09.07.11 - Musica - Akron, OH
09.08.11 - Magic Stick - Detroit, MI
09.09.11 - Bottom Lounge - Chicago, IL
09.10.11 - Old Rock House - St. Louis, MO
09.11.11 - Record Bar - Kansas City, MO
09.13.11 - Marquis Theatre - Denver, CO
09.14.11 - Kilby Court - Salt Lake City, UT
09.16.11 - El Corazon Lounge - Seattle, WA
09.17.11 - Bunk Bar - Portland, OR
09.19.11 - Bottom of the Hill - San Francisco, CA
09.20.11 - The Wire - Upland, CA

Mystery Pills: They've Got the Hooks, You've Got the Cash

I heard from a musician early this morning via email, a fella who calls Rapid City, South Dakota home. He told me that I had written about his previous band around five years ago, probably closer to six. He had only signed his first name in the message and that name was Jason. Now, it didn't take me very long to figure out who he and his previous band were, but they would like to remain anonymous (and mysterious, I presume).

As a mysterious spokesperson for Mystery Pills said:

“If we come right out and tell people who's playing what, their brains immediately begin to mentally arrange people on a stage and put instruments in their hands. If we use the standard indie rock storyline and tell people about how we recorded in the attic of our grandmother's cabin on the beach, those are just more visual details that peoples' brains start to fill in that distract it from the sonic elements we're hoping they will focus on."

“No one really knows who we are or what to expect from a band from South Dakota anyway.”

His new project for the past year, or so, has been Mystery Pills. They've got two songs produced by the band and mixed by Stuart Sikes (Walkmen, White Stripes, Cat Power), and now, at the tail end of a campaign to raise money to press some 7 inch singles, they need a little help. The campaign for "Anti-Pattern" and its B-side "Vital Signs" wraps up August 5, 2011 at 3pm MDT.

GO HERE to learn more about Kickstarter and to help out the band.

Now we've got the cash part out of the way, now on to the hooks. A-Side "Vital Patterns" is punchy, catchy, and percolates until you're ready for the sugar and cream. Something is happening here, what it is ain't exactly clear... until I read this from the mysterious spokesperson again:

"Even though we're trying to make things sound electronic, we're generally using real instruments... We really only use samplers and synthesizers to approximate some instrument or machine that is too impractical to use or too expensive or hard to find."

Mystery pills - anti-patterns by hipstereo

Neon Indian: "Fallout" MP3 + Stream

Neon Indian's upcoming effort, Era Extraña, comes out September 13 on Neon Indian Chief Alan Palomo's Static Tongues label. But you can check out the track "Fallout" right now.

Check tour dates here.

fallout [mp3]

Neon Indian - Fallout by hipstereo

Gem Club: 'Breakers' + 'Acid And Everything'

Boston's Gem Club make music which is minimal and atmospheric. But to me that phrase, 'minimal and atmospheric', is relative, for I feel that the more minimal something is the stronger the atmosphere which it creates. I should add the caveat that minimalism, minimalism which is striking, desires strength in it's parts. Those parts should have a distinct personality, and they should compliment each other... so to make a long idea short; minimalism is not easy to do well. Gem Club not only do it easily, they do do it well. So well in fact that they create not only the atmosphere, but the tiny planet on which the listener stands (if only for the length of a song); and that is no mean feat.

This is the title track off the full length, Breakers, out Sept. 27th on Hardly Art.


+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +


And this is their full length from last year (July 2010).

Tribute to The Strokes: Is This It feat. Peter Bjorn & John and More

There is a free download album called Stroked: A Tribute To Is This It, now available at Stereogum. With contributions from Owen Pallett, Peter Bjorn & John , Austra, Frankie Rose, Wise Blood, the morning benders, Heems, Computer Magic, and more.

Here's what you can expect to find:

Owen Pallett - "Hard To Explain"
Owen Pallett - Hard To Explain by hipstereo

Peter, Bjorn, and John - "Is This It"
Peter Bjorn And John - Is This It by hipstereo

Clap Your Hands Say Yeah: "Maniac" New MP3

Yes, this will get you up and out of bed. "Maniac" is the cup of coffee you need, or possibly never had before. This should have come out at least a month ago, a great track for summertime.

"Maniac"
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah -- Maniac by hipstereo

Clap Your Hands Say Yeah's upcoming release, Hysterical, will arrive in stores September.

Hysterical Track List:
Same Mistake
Hysterical
Misspent Youth
Maniac
Into Your Alien Arms
In a Motel
Yesterday, Never
Idiot
Siesta (For Snake)
Ketamine and Ecstasy
The Witness' Dull Surprise
Adam's Plane

Bjork: "Crystalline" Video

The first sounds we heard from Bjork's upcoming album, Biophilia (September 27 on Nonesuch/One Little Indian), was the song Crystalline. So, it only stands to reason that the first video is also Crystalline. It may be directed by Michel Gondry, but it is unmistakably from the world of Bjork.

Lykke Li: Summer and Fall Tour dates 2011

Lykke Li has plans to tour in support of her latest, Wounded Rhymes, straight through until late November. If you haven't given this album a chance... here's your, uh... chance.

Lykke Li - "Get Some" x 3


Lykke Li 2011 Tour Dates:
07/29 – Ostersund, SE @ Storsjo Yran Festival
08/01 – New York, NY @ Central Park Summerstage !
08/03 – Los Angeles, CA @ Greek Theatre *
08/05 – Chicago, IL @ House of Blues ^
08/06 – Chicago, IL @ Lollapalooza
08/12 – Oslo, NO @ Oya Festival
08/13 – Helsinki, FI @ Flow Festival
08/20 – Hasselt, BE @ Pukkelpop
08/21 – Biddinghuizen, NL @ Lowlands Festival
08/27 – Stockholm, SE @ Popaganda
08/28 – Paris, FR @ Rock en Seine
09/02 – Dorset, UK @ End of the Road Festival
09/03 – Stradbally, IE @ Electric Picnic
09/24 – Melbourne, AU @ Parklife Festival
09/25 – Perth, AU @ Parklife Festival
10/01 – Brisbane, AU @ Parklife Festival
10/02 – Sydney, AU @ Parklife Festival
10/03 – Adelaide, AU @ Parklife Festival
10/30 – Glasgow, UK @ ABC
10/31 – Manchester, UK @ Academy 2
11/01 – London, UK @ Roundhouse
11/05 – Austin, TX @ Fun Fun Fun Fest
11/07 – Pomona, CA @ Fox Theater #
11/09 – Oakland, CA @ Fox Theater #
11/11 – Denver, CO @ Ogden Theater #
11/13 – Minneapolis, MN @ First Avenue #
11/15 – Toronto, ON @ Sound Academy #
11/17 – Montclair, NJ @ Wellmont Theater #
11/19 – Asheville, NC @ Orange Peel #
11/20 – Atlanta, GA @ Buckhead Theater #
11/21 – New Orleans, LA @ Tipitina’s #

! = w/ Timber Timbre
* = w/ Best Coast & Fool’s Gold
^ = w/ Foster the People
# = w/ First Aid Kit