Music Under Fire

Band of Horses announced earlier this week a slew of shows to prelude the first days of summer and their newest work. Just hours ago they announced how to get those tickets.

Having recently taken time to revisit Echo Mountain Studios in Asheville, NC, where they most recently recorded Cease To Begin off of Sub Pop Records, the group will be now teaming up with Baltimore grunge-rockers Arbouretum for six of the seven shows on the tour (Bonnaroo). Among these shows on the tour includes an acoustic set at New York's Carnegie Hall.

Check out the dates as well as a video from over a year ago when we saw the group rock out Philly's TLA at the Fillmore.

MP3: Band of Horses - No One's Gonna Love You (buy)

Those on the BoH mailing list should receive pre-sale info. Head to their MySpace to sign up.

6/10 The Norva Norfolk, VA
Tickets go on sale to the public Saturday, February 28th at 10am here
6/11 Carnegie Hall New York, NY
Tickets go on sale this Friday, February 27th at 11am EST at www.carnegiehall.org
*IMPORTANT – you should register yourself with the Carnegie Hall website in advance of the onsale.
6/12 Ram’s Head Live Baltimore, MD
Tickets go on sale to the public Saturday, February 28th at 10am here
6/14 Bonnaroo Festival Manchester, TN
Tickets on sale now at www.bonnaroo.com
6/16 Orange Peel Asheville, NC
Tickets go on sale to the public Saturday, February 28th at Noon here
6/17 Neighborhood Theatre Charlotte, NC
Tickets go on sale to the public Thursday, February 26th at 10am here
6/18 House of Blues Myrtle Beach, SC
Tickets go on sale to the public Saturday, February 28th at 11am here

This year has been sentimental to look back on, and although we'd love to revel in what we've discovered this year, in the great tradition of music, we must prey on what greatness is to come.

The list below is a compilation of artists we've been following over this past year, have learned to love and feel their next move could be the one that will make the blogosphere go bonkers. Although if there was one group we could really have on this list, The Shout Out Louds, who have been speculated to come out with an album in 2009, they will most likely be a bit longer. There's no doubt in our minds the bands below will be drawing much attention to themselves.

The Answering Machine

This may be the group MUF has been partial to since we named them one of our 'band you must know' back in February. Playing the role of a group in the small clubs of London this past year while inching their way towards , The Answering Machine was signed to Heist or Hit in November recording with Dave Eringa and are all ready to release their first album entitled Another City, Another Sorry. Their first single will be out in Spring 2009.

MP3: The Answering Machine - Lightbulbs (buy UK Link)

If you're a fan of the Strokes or even Tokyo Police Club, these guys have the right mix for you. The Answering Machine has found their niche. If you're looking to see what these guys can do, check out "Lightbulbs", which was finished over a year ago.

Video: The Answering Machine - Lightbulbs


Fair

These guys have been tinkering around for a few months now perfecting their subtle rock style in the studio. Even though their sophomore album is not yet completed, you can catch up with their album The Best Worst-Case Scenario released in 2006. The lead singer has a great voice, the band has a great deal of chemistry, and their music is quite good. You can check updates on their official site or on their MySpace.

From the band:

It's been almost a year since we started. The finish line is closer than before.

Band of Horses

As if everyone doesn't know about BOH already, they're currently on tour, and will be touring through the very end of December playing a New Years Eve show in Atlanta, GA. In the meantime, they've been keeping us updated with lots of photos on their tour blog.

The band announced on October 14th on their MySpace page that they would begin recording a new record. Although they haven't specified that they would finish it in 2009, they already had three months of a jump in 2008. Looking forward to lots of Band of Horses news to come in the coming months...

Wilco



Yes, Wilco is due out for their umpteenth album with Jeff Tweedy at the helm once more. "Impossible Germany" was our highlight of Sky Blue Sky, and the band seems to be carrying more and more momentum year after year. We're giddy just thinking about it.

Apparently this time around, according to Paste, Tweedy "kinda hates" all six albums to date. This is quite typical for our finickey friend whose neural system will not let him sleep over anything less than perfection. Alas, we have great confidence that Wilco can yet again achieve their overachiever status once more in 2009.

MP3: Wilco - Sunny Feeling (buy)
MP3: Wilco - One Wing (buy)

Thus far the band has shown their fans a peek at two of their songs in recent concerts with "One Wing" and "Sunny Feeling".

Vdieo: Wilco - One Wing (Live from Lalapalooza)


Doves

Its been a tough four-year gap for Doves fans as their last album left them lingering for 3 years (will be 4 in 2009). Well, the wait is over and the Doves are back with their fourth album and follow up to their most widely acclaimed album Some Cities. According to Pitchfork, the band has not yet released a title for the album, but their first single will be called "Kingdom of Rust". Sounds tasty, eh?

As of the beginning of December recording has almost been finished, which will lead the way for lots of polishing up and mixing the tracks in the months to come. The band has expressed excitement for other tracks such as "Jetstream", "The Outsiders" and "Winter Hill".

Dirty Projectors

The Dirty Projectors are back with their sixth studio album. We would love to give you a giant breakdown of everything that will be tied into this album, but Stereogum already did that. If you'd like to learn more visit their update on them.

The Strokes

According to their official site, the Strokes posed the question back in June whether they would be getting back together to continue their triumphant tour of the world with more classic Strokes songs you'll be bragging are: "Just too easy to play... why are they so famous"? Although you may admit to not having all the mojo The Strokes have managed to suck the world in with, we can assure you they'll be back at it again in February of 2009 - says bassist Nikolai Fraiture.

In the meantime, be sure to keep your hands clean of any Strokes mp3s floating out there - Sony BMG will be sure to suffocate your blog and maybe eat up a post or two of yours, which we've been hearing about so much lately. So be safe, kids...



Silversun Pickups

These guys may just pop into our #1 excitement slot in terms of upcoming albums. Carnavas, Silversun Pickups' highly touted sophomore released in 2006 and sent forth an army of newborn fans akin to the bands tumultuous rockability, snapping drums and all of the fury held by the genius himself, Brian Aubert.

Silversun Pickups new album, Swoon, does not yet have a release date, but we do know it will be comprised of 17 tracks. Aubert says "some songs are very quiet and delicate, others are just fucking loud".

MP3: Silversun Pickups - Little Lover's So Polite (Grayarea Remix) (buy)

Video: Silversun Pickups - Lazy Eye



The Radio Dept



As mentioned in our post in mid November, we said The Radio Dept would be back in 2009 with Clinging To A Scheme. Their original projection of their new album was to be in the Fall/Winter of 2008. Well as of right now, their projection looks to be a bit off and will be in 2009. After their news of a new album following their EP Freddie and The Trojan Horse

Well, this isn't really news, but we get a lot of questions. So... we really don't have a release date for The Radio Dept. album. Sorry! We will however set a release date as soon as they've finished the recordings. And don't worry friends, it's well worth the wait!

While the albums date has passed, the release date will most likely not be pushed back further past 2009. Look for Clinging To A Scheme to drop this next year.

MP3: The Radio Dept - What Will Give? (buy)

The Appleseed Cast

The Appleseed Cast (Christopher Crisci and Aaron Pillar with Nate Whitman and John Momberg) have taken quite a break from their music dating their last full album release back to their 2006 Peregrine. Now back with some enlightening news, the band has not only announced that their new album will be released in January of 2009, but their first single is already on their MySpace page, called "Raise the Sails". As expected, it sounds great.

If you're looking for more Appleseed Cast in the meantime, go to their MySpace and you can purchase a song titled "The New Stage (For So Long)". You won't be dissapointed.

MP3: Appleseed Cast - Raise The Sails (buy)
MP3: Appleseed Cast - On Reflection (buy)

Video: The Appleseed Cast - Steps and Numbers

Costumes are pretty pointless every day of the year except Halloween. Music fits the bill every day of the year, but when you want to get specialized and jazzed up, you get a Halloween playlist to set things off right. We've intricately selected some ghoulishly delightful songs to get your inner zombie in the right mood.

Also, since candy is so important on Halloween, we want you to check out Candy Blog. If you need costume ideas, head to CricketSoda's Top Blogger or find out what you should be with the Halloween Costume Generator. If you're looking to snack healthy this year, check out 365Halloween. Now get dressed up and let MusicUnderFire's Halloween playlist light the way.

MP3: Jason Segel - Dracula's Lament (buy)
MP3: Filligar - Ghost Town (buy)
MP3: The Rosebuds - Cape Fear (buy)
MP3: The Airborne Toxic Event - Sometime Around Midnight (buy)
MP3: Umbrellas - Ghost (buy)
MP3: Mystery Jets - Scarecrows in the Rain (buy)
MP3: TV on the Radio - Wolf Like Me (buy)
MP3: Fields - Skulls And Flesh And More (buy)
MP3: MGMT- Of Moons Birds and Monsters (Holy Ghost! Remix) (buy)
MP3: The Black Ghosts - Any Way (Boy 8 Bit Mix) (buy)
MP3: Band of Horses - Is There A Ghost (buy)
MP3: Armor For Sleep - Basement Ghost Singing (buy)
MP3: Cut Copy - So Haunted (buy)
MP3: Explosions In The Sky - Welcome, Ghosts (buy)
MP3: The Postal Service - We Will Become Silhouettes (Matthew Dear's Not Scared Mix) (buy)
MP3: Does It Offend You, Yeah - Dawn of the Dead (buy)
MP3: City And Colour - The Death of Me (buy)
MP3: Anberlin - The Haunting (buy)
MP3: Gorillaz - Dracula (buy)
MP3: M83 - Graveyard Girl (buy)
MP3: Jeniferever - A Ghost In The Corner Of Your Eye (buy)
MP3: Apartment - Ghost of an Unforgivable Past (buy)
MP3: Mogwai - Kids Will Be Skeletons (buy)
MP3: Bloc Party - Hunting For Witches (buy)

This begins yet another long saga for one of MUF's favorite bands as Band of Horses enter the studio and we just have to stick it out with updates on their progress until the day comes we can listen to it. We don't have any date the band has set, there is no name of the album, in fact, Ben Bridwell and his buddies are just entering the Muscle Shoals Sound Studios in Alabama. Their studio selection should come as no surprise, since the band has grown with the sounds of Lynyrd Skynyrd through the years, who also just so happened to record here.

There's a small joke for your Band of Horses fans in their note below and it might seem odd, but could you imagine a record of theirs with more than 10 songs? Both Cease To Begin and Everything All the Time are 10 each. Really anything these guys touch turns to gold regardless of how many songs they make this time around, so in this case, the more the better.

MP3: Band of Horses - Detlef Schrempf (buy)

If you missed our review of their show at the TLA in Philly, you can check it out here as well as a video we shot of them performing a CCR cover of "Effigy".

From the band:

Now we begin to also never start stopping again :-)

We're headed to historic Muscle Shoals Sound Studios in Muscle Shoals, Alabama this week to officially start the jammering. You've more than likely heard many of the fantastic records birthed there, but just in case http://www.blogger.com/www.muscleshoalssound.org has a complete discography and awesome slide show available for your curious viewing pleasure.

We're extremely excited to get back at the business of recording songs. Here are a couple things I can safely say this album will include:

*More Than 10 Songs!!!!
*Songs written by all members of BoH (Ryan, Creighton, Bill, Tyler, and me)
*Christopher Wilson brand beautiful artwork
*Not The Funeral
*Music

So here we go. It's hard to say how long this will take to complete, so I'm not even gonna speculate for fear something will go terribly wrong. Thanks always to all of you who've supported us throughout this past year and beyond. We really love you.
xoboh

Live @ the TLA at the Fillmore, Philadelphia

On Tuesday, January 22, solo artist Tyler Ramsey and the group Cass McCombs opened up for Band of Horses in front of a packed house on South Street's finest music venue. With facial hair and enthusiasm at a premium, the crowd came to life with every set.

Band of Horses


Apart from already having reached #35 on the Billboard Top 200 with Cease to Begin, Band of Horses once again emitted an array of harmonious sounds their hit album didn't cover. When they performed Tuesday, January 22 in downtown Philadelphia, the crowd beckoned to the bubbly bearded fellows of BoH.

The organic and sappy voice of Ben Bridwell sang dearly to the audience from start to finish while members Creighton Barrett (drums), Rob Hampton (guitar), Ryan Monroe (keyboard/backup vocals), Tyler Ramsey (guitar) and Bill Reynolds (bass) all backed him with a sensatious orchestrated melody.

Bridwell's presence emulated as they opened up with "Monsters". This song proved quite perfect as the show started up somewhat quiet, then as the song kicked in about two minutes into the song. The drums and bass kicked in, complimented by the lights all at once; a light feeling ran through my fingertips as the four guitarists on stage played the light BOH melodies in accord.

The show truly took off once "Is There A Ghost", a crowd favorite off of Cease to Begin, was plucked away, then built up into a placid fan fury. Soon following up was "The Great Salt Lake" and "Marry Song", two songs dwelling on upbeat patterns careening off of the high notes. At this point in the show, Bridwell was playing to the fans and song titles were being yelled out, yet not played, such as "No One's Gonna Love You", "Ode to LRC" and their most popular song to date "Funeral".

Band of Horses - Effigy (live) (Creedence Clearwater Revival Cover)

A few things came into light as the show went on: "Ode to LRC" was their crowd pleaser, as the sell-out crowd sung along, "Laaaa, laaaa. de, daaa, daaaaa!". Videographers on the sides of the stage pointed their cameras to the crowd capturing the delight of the crowd as they sung in unison "The world is such a wonderful place!" This was truly the bands moment of zen for the night. The wholesome lyrics, the elated feeling of the crowd, and pure love for the band was felt all around.

Finalizing "LRC" with a swift pull back from the mic, Bridwell leaned forward and spoke to the crowd, "This is a song about living...." and began to play Band of Horses best song, lyrically that is, "The Funeral". The lyrics of this song truly hit home seeing this live:

Set List (below)
I'm coming up only to hold you under
I'm coming up only to show you wrong
And to know you is hard and we wonder
To know you all wrong, we were

Really too late to call, so we wait for
Morning to wake you; it's all we got
To know me as hardly golden
Is to know me all wrong, they were

At every occasion I'll be ready for a funeral
At every occasion once more is called a funeral
Every occasion I'm ready for the funeral
At every occasion one brilliant day funeral (x2)

I'm coming up only to show you down for
I'm coming up only to show you wrong
To the outside, the dead leaves, they all blow (alive is very poetic)
For'e (before) they died had trees to hang their hope

As you can see, we have their set list, which was not followed through as depicted, but is tit-for-tat for the most part. Also notice, the second song is listed as "Snow", which is actually their demo version of "The First Song" from Everything All The Time. You can listen to their demo version on their MySpace page. Their last song on the set before the encore was "Writers", which Bridwell sung with his long time friend and keyboardist, "... since he was 4 years old" (says Bridwell), Ryan Monroe.

Band of Horses - The Great Salt Lake (live)

When they finally walked off stage, empty beer bottles in hand, the crowd summoned the band back on stage, and soon played the recent fan favorite, "No One's Gonna Love You" (see our top songs for 2007) . Their set was finalized by a Creedence Clearwater Revival cover, "Effigy", which we caught on video. The show captured more than originally expected from Band of Horses. Their breakdowns and rock anthem riffs were truly stimulating. If they ever do release a live album, I would highly recommend buying, as many of the songs they played are dulled down by the studio recording aspect for the louder, upbeat songs. A+++

Cass McCombs

Before BoH took the stage, Cass McCombs and his three companions stroked through a 45-minute set. Formed around the talents of McCombs and his guitar, the almost jittery foursome careened through one cascading song after another.

With a feeling to their sound of southern country rock, the rhythm keyed around a jogging tempo through the repetitious ambling of the two guitars, the bass and the drums. The changing moment for the group's sound came about 20 minutes into their set when the bass began to overshadow the lyrics and the other instruments. At this point, the TLA was rumbling and hypnotically swaying to the thudding of McComb's tempo.

A noticable disjunction appeared throughout the set as sound checks ensued and the group lackadaisically spoke to each other. Towards the end of the set McCombs mentioned something to the degree that they were still working on the one song which they just played. Despite being generally giddy on stage with each other, the group seldom spoke to the crown, not even mentioning their own group name.

Check Out 'Cass McCombs' on iTunes!

Tyler Ramsey

With Tyler Ramsey performing first in the lineup, we noticed a certain theme was about to be carried throught he course of the show: Flannel shirts and beards. Tyler was quite stunning to listen to. There is only so much that can be done as a solo performance as far as layers of sounds go, but the twangs and guitar artistry were done quite well. We were suprised to see him performing later with Band of Horses and had originally suspected he was merely helping the band set up their equipment before Bridwell and Monroe carried their equipment on stage. It was just that, his quiet and friendly misdemeanor would make you think he was that nice a guy.

There were easy comparisons to draw against the American rock band, My Morning Jacket's Jim James. Ramsey's subtle long-winded vocals appealed to most in the audience, particularly, with his song , "A Long Dream". His sound was folksy and simmered with a motionless and restful caddy. Although the singing was kept to minimal, Ramsey kept to what he does best, and that's to play the guitar. The eloquence of the playing reminded me of the great Gordon Lightfoot. Ramsey was so focused on this guitar playing, he barely looked up to the crowd, even between songs. His performance was focused and well executed. Tyler was a great added bonus to the lineup and his skills, honed in with Band of Horses made it that much more enjoyable.

Please help support Tyler Ramsey by buying through iTunes. Check out his music on MySpace too!