Thomas Wilde

Beth Orton has went back to her roots on her new album, Kidsticks, as it was inspired both by the wide-open nature of Los Angeles and the spirit of Beth’s earliest recordings (electronic work with producers like William Orbit, Andrew Weatherall and Kieran Hebden as well as groove-based music with Red Snapper).

Kidsticks was co-produced by Beth and Andrew Hung from F*ck Buttons. It was recorded with various musician friends of Beth’s in California (including George Lewis Jr. from Twin Shadow on electric guitars, Grizzly Bear’s Chris Taylor on backing vocals and bass guitar and Dustin O’Halloran from A Winged Victory for the Sullen who provided piano and string arrangements). Vocals were recorded by Alain Johannes (Queens of the Stone Age/Mark Lanagan Band) and mixed by David Wrench (Caribou/Hot Chip).

Black Mountain has returned with the thunderous “Mothers of the Sun,” video. The debut single off their forthcoming album, IV (out 4/1 on Jagjaguwar) comes to us in this wild video, one replete with a four-armed Stephen McBean, a ceremonial dagger, prisoners bound in chains, and too many expressions of insanity to list here.

Also don’t bail too early as this track is a slow burner and at about the 3:29 moment you will know what I mean. Check out Black Mountain’s upcoming tour dates below.

BLACK MOUNTAIN TOUR DATES:
3/19/16 – Azores, PT @ Tremor Festival
3/26/16 – Porto, PT @ Hard Club
3/28/16 – Lisbon, PT @ Musicbox
3/31/16 – Madrid, SP @ Sala Arena
4/1/16 – Barcelona, SP @ Bikini
4/2/16 – Bilbao, SP @ Kafe Antzoki
4/4/16 – Turin, IT @ Spazio 211
4/5/16 – Bologna, IT @ Lokomotiv
4/6/16 – Zurich, CH @ Bogen F
4/7/16 – Geneva, CH @ PTR Usine
4/8/16 – Paris, FR @ La Fleche D’Or
4/9/16 – Brighton, UK @ Concorde 2
4/10/16 – Leeds @ Brudenell Social CLub
4/12/16 – London, UK @ Electric Ballroom
4/13/16 – Brussels, BE @ Botanique
4/14/16 – Tilburg, NL @ Roadburn Festival
4/15/16 – Amsterdam, NL @ Melkweg Oud Zaal
4/16/16 – Berlin, DE @ Lido
4/21/16 – Bellingham, WA @ The Shakedown
4/22/16 – Seattle, WA @ Tractor Tavern
4/23/16 – Portland, OR @ Doug Fir
4/25/16 – Santa Ana, CA @ Constellation Room
4/26/16 – San Diego, CA @ The Casbah
4/27/16 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Masonic Lodge at Hollywood Forever
4/28/16 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Masonic Lodge at Hollywood Forever
4/29/16 – San Francisco, CA @ The Independent
4/29/16 – 5/01/16 – Austin, TX @ Levitation
5/03/16 – Phoenix, AZ @ Valley Bar
5/04/16 – Albuquerque, NM @ Launchpad
5/5/16 – Colorado Springs, CO @ The Black Sheep
5/6/16 – Denver, CO @ Larimer Lounge
5/7/16 – Denver, CO @ Larimer Lounge
5/10/16 – Milwaukee, WI @ Cactus Club
5/11/16 – Madison, WI @ High Noon Saloon
5/12/16 – Chicago, IL @ Lincoln Hall
5/13/16 – Minneapolis, MN @ 7th Street Entry
5/14/16 – Fargo, ND @ The Aquarium
5/15/16 – Winnipeg, MB @ Pyramid Cabaret
5/17/16 – Saskatoon, SK @ Amigos
5/18/16 – Edmonton, AB @ Starlite Room
5/19/16 – Calgary, AB @ Marquee Beer Market + Stage
5/21/16 – Vancouver, BC @ The Commodore Ballroom

Holy Wave have a new video for the first single “California Took My Bobby Away” from their upcoming LP, Freaks of Nurture. Freaks of Nurture will be out March 11 on Reverberation Appreciation Society.

Freaks Of Nurture is the bands third LP. It was recorded at Cacophony Recorders in Austin, TX by Erik Wofford (Explosions In The Sky, The Black Angels, My Morning Jacket). The album is now up for pre-order HERE which gives you 160g clear cream vinyl + insert, and is limited to 500 copies.

Pete Astor is previously of The Loft and The Weather Prophet which were on Creation Records back in the 80’s. Since then, he has released several solo records and some more experimental material, while also teaching at University of Westminsteras.

His new record, Spilt Milk, is out today and reviewed HERE. This video just captures his presence perfectly and highlights why you should check out his new album via Slumberland Records.

Portland garage pop mainstays, Hey Lover have announced the upcoming release of their third album, Sinking Ships. Justin and Terah Beth (husband and wife) formed Hey Lover nearly a decade ago, playing their first show on their wedding night.

Their new single, “Nancy,” comes accompanied with this catchy animated music video by Cain Hendricks which takes viewers on a strange and captivating journey that leaves them wanting more. The LP, Sinking Ships, will be released in May, after which the band will play a week-long west-coast tour and a two-week run in Spain + Portugal. Dates to be announced in the coming months.

Here is a new video entitled “Punch It” from Canadian alt rock/crossover quartet Bad Reed. The band is currently on tour in Southeast Canada in support of their EP that you can find HERE.

R. Ring is a group that we have been quietly following since 2012 that is comprised of The Breeders’ Kelley Deal (Dayton, OH) and Ampline’s Mike Montgomery (Dayton, KY). From their first 7″ release to some of their most recent singles they have lived up to the under current of hype for what we have hoped would lead to a full length.

If fact, I actually had a chance to ask Kelley about that LP release several years ago and her polite response was ” it will be coming out when you write it.” Of course it was all in fun but now the group has recently recorded tracks for a full length that hopefully should see the light of day this year.

This track for sure shows their potential and you can catch them out on tour at the dates below.

Tour Dates
February 17 MOTR Cincinnati, OH
February 18 The Bishop Bloomington, IN
February 19 the end. Nashville, TN
February 20 Cosmic Charlies Lexington, KY
March Dates
Wed 3/16/2016 Louisville KY Haymarket Whiskey Bar
Thu 3/17/2016 Murray KY Terrapin Station
Fri 3/18/2016 Memphis TN Hi Tone
Sat 3/19/2016 Hot Springs AR The Valley of the Vapors Independent Music Festival (The VOV)
Sun 3/20/2016 Little Rock AR Vino’s Pizza-Pub-Brewery
Mon 3/21/2016 Chattanooga TN JJ’s Bohemia
Tue 3/22/2016 Charlotte NC Snug Harbor
Wed 3/23/2016 Raleigh NC @Neptunes with @fleshwounds
Thu 3/24/2016 Washington, DC IOTA Club & Cafe with Flesh Wounds
Fri 3/25/2016 Baltimore MD Reverb with Flesh Wounds
Sat 3/26/2016 Youngstown OH @Historian Session
Sun 3/27/2016 Akron, OH @Annabelles-Bar with RELAXER

Nada Surf has released the first video from their new album You Know Who You Are. The clip was directed by Spencer Gentz and features something a little different happening at the office. For those of us that have been there, I believe we only wish everyday was like a day with Nada Surf on the speakers!

Their eighth record is out March 4, and was produced by long-time buddy Tom Beaujour at Nuthouse Recording in Hoboken, NJ. The album marks the band’s first as an official quartet with the core unit – singer/ songwriter/guitarist Matthew Caws, bassist Daniel Lorca and drummer Ira Elliot – joined by Doug Gillard on guitar.

Nada Surf has confirmed the first leg of a North American tour that begins in Chicago, IL, on May 12, 2016 and ends in Boston, MA, on June 4. The complete tour dates are below.

NORTH AMERICAN TOUR DATES:

MAY
12 – Chicago, IL – Thalia Hall
13 – Minneapolis, MN – Fine Line
14 – Omaha, NE – Waiting Room
17 – Vancouver, BC – Venue
18 – Seattle, WA – Neptune Theatre
19 – Portland, OR – Wonder Ballroom
20 – San Francisco, CA – Great American Music Hall
21 – Los Angeles, CA – Teragram
22 – San Diego, CA – Irenic
24 – Denver, CO – Bluebird
25 – Kansas City, MO – Crossroads
27 – Austin, TX – Parish
28 – Dallas, TX – Granada
29 – Houston, TX – White Oak Music Hall

JUNE
1 – Washington, DC – 930 Club
2 – Philadelphia, PA – World Café Live
3 – Toronto, ON – Lee’s Palace
4 – Boston, MA – Paradise

Founded by brothers Jad & David Fair in 1975, Half Japanese is credited with pioneering the DIY and lo-fi movements while influencing everyone from Sonic Youth and Neutral Milk Hotel to Daniel Johnston and Kurt Cobain (who had the band open Nirvana’s In Utero tour.)

Today, Half Japanese have just released their new LP, Perfect! “We Cannot Miss” is your chance to check out a track and enjoy the hand-drawn animations by Jad Fair that brings the band’s playful lyrics to life. You can order up a copy of the album HERE over at Joyful Noise Recordings.