Music Under Fire

Doves, who were one of our most anticipated artists of 2009, offered a free mp3 to their fans via their official site this past week, and they've already had over 13,000 downloads!

The track itself features a high bpm with an advanced sound from what their fans may be accustomed to. The beats are tightly looped, the guitar bridges their old sound and there's a large load of production layered into the buildups and breakdowns. We really can't applaud it enough.

Being fans of the Vangelis film score, 'Blade Runner', we always wanted to write an imaginary song for the closing credits on Ridley Scott's classic... It's called Jetstream...

Doves new album Kingdom of Rust will be available on April 6th on Astralwerks. You can also preorder the album through their website. We also recommend joining their mailing list to be the first to know anything else from the band. You can catch up on their previous albums by checking out their songs on iTunes.

MP3: Doves - Jetstream (buy)

MySpace - http://www.myspace.com/dovesmyspace
Official - http://www.doves.net/

Beirut are getting quite the tour of the world right now, riding high off of their 2007 album The Flying Club Cup. Their last album, which appeared on many best of 07' lists cleared the way for their upcoming EP, March Of The Zapotec. Their EP will be available on February 17th.

Tracklist:
1. El Zocalo
2. La Llorona
3. My Wife
4. The Akara
5. On a Bayonet
6. The Shrew
7. My Night With the Prostitute From Marseille
8. My Wife, Lost in the World
9. Venice
10. The Concubine
11. No Dice

MP3: Beirut - Nantes (buy)

Upcoming Tour Dates:
Feb 4 2009 - Music Hall of Williamsburg brooklyn, New Mexico
Feb 6 2009 - Brooklyn Academy of Music brooklyn, New York
Feb 7 2009 - Brooklyn Academy of Music brooklyn, New York
Feb 19 2009 - Lunaria Auditoria Mexico City, Distrito Federal
Feb 20 2009 - Lunario Auditoria Mexico City, Distrito Federal
May 3 2009 - Fabrik Hamburg, Hamburg
May 5 2009 - Paradiso Amsterdam
May 6 2009 - Cirque Royal Brussels
May 8 2009 - Forum London
May 9 2009 - All Tomorrows Parties Minehead
May 12 2009 - Bataclan Paris

Video: Beirut - In the Mausoleum from The Flying Club Cup

As releases are building up on our 2009 music calendar, we continue to find more of our favorite bands of yesteryear showing up at our door again. This time the Junior Boys are on our radar with their release of their album two-years in the works, Begone Dull Care, due out on April 7th (March 24th for their fellow Canadians) on Domino Records.

The album was named after Norman McLaren's (oscar winning animator and composer) short film named 'Begone Dull Care'. McLaren made his presence known back in the 1930s - 1940's with many of his short films (one which you can see below). Keep in mind these were done at the same time World War II was happening, Jackie Robinson played baseball. Roosevelt was president and Gone With The Wind hit theatres. Its easy to see McLaren was way ahead of his time, which makes it so fitting the Junior Boys were affected so much by his work, their album had been inspired by it.

MP3: Junior Boys - In The Morning (Hot Chip Remix) (buy)
MP3: Sally Shapiro - Jackie Junior (Junior Boys Remix) (buy)

From their latest track, "Parallel Lines", the synths are done just as well as we could imagine, the glibs of sputtering appregiated keyboards makes the song flow just as their old work did. Although we still have another three months to wait, surely this album shows much promise already.

You can check out the new song "Parallel Lines" streaming over at Domino Records.

Tracklist:
1. Parallel Lines
2. Work
3. Bits And Pieces
4. Dull To Pause
5. Hazel
6. Sneak A Picture
7. The Animator
8. What It's For

Video: Norman McLaren - Dots (1940)

Rating: 7.3/10

For anyone familiar with Animal Collective, the release of Merriweather Post Pavillion was nothing of note. Like syrup in a glass bottle, the foursome always provide a fresh taste on whatever plate they come out on. What must be noted though would be that MPP provided the music community with a touch of normalcy and perhaps some of the visceral emotions that epitomize Animal Collective.

The dance around the table begins with wave upon wave hitting the shore in "In the Flowers". This delightfully progressive opening track clicks and chirps a natural aura before gradually blending into the beat-box jungle that follows in the next 10 tracks.

Attuned for remixers and electro-maniacs alike, "My Girls" delves right into the symmetry Animal Collective has spread so often in their past - repititious refrains and keyboard looping. When the loops swing around two or three times, the lyrics have stuck, so the next time "I just want four walls and adobe slats for my girls" sings, it has become a household song. The track "Bluish" chimes to this pattern of catchy refrains with personal tidbits while "Summertime Clothes", the album's lyrical juggernaut, goes into a tirade that wows at every turn.

Merriweather Post Pavillion continually drifts back towards its organic origins. "Also Frightened" and "Lion in a Coma" play the part of ensuring the album throws in its fair share of natural sounds, whether that be through owls hooting, insects crawling or the didgeridoo.

When the bells and whistles aren't ricocheting out of the speakers, the people behind the music (Panda Bear, Deakin, Avey Tare, Geologist) really shine. Sentimental lyrics such as "I really want to show to my girl that I want her" from "Guys Eyes" and "Friends I once had turn their thoughts away from me" from "No More Runnin" break away to a heartfelt side that can be missed on a casual listen.

Despite a low overall rating, the diversity in sounds and studio enhancements on this album made it worth listening to. Although they have alluded my ears for a live show, countless fans have heralded the group for what they bring to the road. Below we have clips from their show at the Bowery Ballroom in New York, courtesy of http://animalcollective.org/.

MP3: Animal Collective - My Girls (live at Bowery Ballroom)
MP3: Animal Collective - Guys Eyes (live at Bowery Ballroom)
MP3: Animal Collective - Brother Sport (live at Bowery Ballroom)

Cold War Kids will promote their new album, Loyalty to Loyalty, with a performance tonight, Jan. 28 2009, on Late Night with Conan O'Brien. The Conan performance coupled with another sold-out event tonight at New York's Mercury Lounge will jump-start their upcoming tour which will make its way back to the states after a few international stops.

The band has also signed on with the Death Cab for Cutie spring tour which will kick off April 7 at the Tower Theater in Upper Darby, PA. Cold War kids will be on the ticket for the month of April, while Matt Costa will handle the following dates. Ra Ra Riot will be the opening act for all shows. Tickets will go on sale this weekend.

1/28/09 Late Night with Conan O’Brien New York, NY
1/28/09 Mercury Lounge - SOLD OUT New York, NY
2/2/09 Metropolis Concert Club Perth, Western Australia
2/3/09 Governor Hindmarsh Hotel Adelaide
2/4/09 Palace Theatre Melbourne, Victoria
2/6/09 The Arena Brisbane, Queensland
2/7/09 Playground Weekender Festival Sydney, New South Wales
3/7/09 Bicentennial Park – Langerado Music Festival Miami, FL
3/26/09 4th & B Concert Theatre San Diego, CA
3/27/09 Orpheum Theatre Los Angeles, CA
4/2/09 Wilbur Theatre Boston, MA
4/3/09 Terminal 5 New York, NY
4/4/09 Water Street Music Hall Rochester, NY
4/07/09 Tower Theatre Upper Darby, PA #
4/08/09 DAR Constitution Hall Washington, DC #
4/09/09 John Belk Arena Davidson, NC #
4/10/09 The Louisville Palace Louisville, KY #
4/11/09 Orpheum Theatre Memphis, TN #
4/12/09 The Brady Theater Tulsa, OK #
4/13/09 Holland Center Omaha, NE #
4/15/09 Roy @ WIlkins Auditorium St. Paul, MN #
4/17/09 Aragon Ballroom Chicago, IL #
4/18/09 Breslin Events Center East Lansing, MI #
4/19/09 Van Male Fieldhouse Waukesha, WI #
4/20/09 Gothic Theatre Denver, CO
4/21/09 Commodore Ballroom Vancouver, British Columbia
4/22/09 The Showbox at The Market Seattle, WA
4/23/09 Doug Fir Lounge Portland, OR
4/24/09 McCarthey Athletic Center Spokane, WA #
4/25/09 The Morrison Center Boise, ID #
4/27/09 Memorial Auditorium Sacramento, CA #
4/28/09 The Fillmore San Francisco, CA

# w/ Death Cab for Cutie and Ra Ra Riot

Nightmare of You started 2009 off with a 'bang' by headlining Brooklyn on the 18th of this month. Among other things, they've visited DC and have a slew of other stops lined up come April (tour dates below). The band has also leaked some studio footage, including some music to a few songs, one of which is called "Gavi". From what it sounds, Nightmare of You's sound has developed itself a bit.

Some of the lyrics include:

I'm making up all of this honey, I'll give you anything you want, but it has to
cost money...

The special part about Nightmare of You are the constant sexual plays on words and adrenaline tickling melodies throughout their music. As most of their previous music from their self-titled album showed, this album will most likely include much of the same - musings of daydreams about women and long-lost lovers and quite a bit of that pick-me-up attitude they've been revered for by their fans.

MP3: Nightmare of You - You're Very Dear To Me (buy)

The videos below include some of the band's studio recordings and after watching the entire thing, I would say that this next album will have much of that same great sound the band bridged with their Bang EP, featuring one of favorite NMOY songs "I Was Never A Normal Boy". Below the two videos are upcoming tour dates featuring their last show for two months up in Boston, MA. They will be headlining a tour on the remaining dates in the UK as well, so if you see them coming your way, they're a must-see!





Tour Dates:
Jan 29 - The Middle East Boston, Massachusetts
Apr 18 2009 - The Peel Kingston
Apr 19 2009 - Joiners Arms Southampton
Apr 20 2009 - Barfly Birmingham
Apr 21 2009 - Roadhouse Manchester
Apr 22 2009 - The Tunnels Aberdeen
Apr 23 2009 - King Tuts Glasgow
Apr 24 2009 - The Corporation Sheffield
Apr 25 2009 - Rock City Nottingham
Apr 26 2009 - The Cavern Exeter
Apr 27 2009 - The Engine Rooms Brighton
Apr 28 2009 - Water Rats London

While everyone else is sifting through Animal Collective this year, we've been following these guys for quite some time and its time we spread the wonderful news: Jeniferever's upcoming album Spring Tides will be released on April 13th, 2009! The band will be releasing their latest off of Monotremere Records with whom they signed on January 19th.

To accompany the album, German label Denovali Records will release both Spring Tides and Choose A Bright Morning on vinyl around the time of the official release of Spring Tides in April.

The Nangijala EP, which we wrote about in November, has preempted an even more elaborate orchestration for this album. Although we're still running high on the tracks laid down on Choose A Bright Morning with its strings, horns and mellow atmospheric rock, Spring Tides looks to be another excellent effort given the free track the band offered below. Keep updated with Jeniferever via their MySpace page.

MP3: Jeniferever - Green Meadow Island (buy)