Artist: Vivid Monk
Hails From: Bath, UK
Release Date: February 12, 2012
Featured Track: “Wolf at The Window”
A nice SoundCloud discovery by this Brit pop group from the UK called Vivid Monk. A very retro sound a la The Smiths, Belle and Sebastian that’s pretty irresistible. Reminiscent of today’s Jeremy Jay, which is a good thing. Enjoy.
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Artist: Electric Flower Group
Album: EP II
Release Date: March 27, 2012
Featured Track: “Eclipsed”
Not quite a post about new music, but an inspiration for all trying to inject some creativity into their life and work. Steal Like an Artist is a book by Austin Kleon that revolves around a list of 10 things he wished he’d heard as a young writer and creator…”a manifesto for creativity in the digital age.” The essence of his message is that creativity is “a mashup of what you let into your life” and urges us to:
Draw the art you want to see, start the business you want to run, play the music you want to hear, write the books you want to read, build the products you want to use — do the work you want to see done.
If you’re suffering from FFS (Festival Fatigue Syndrome), a growing disdain for festival fashion, feathers and face paint, I have the cure for you: The Huichica Music Festival. Organized by music nerd and winemaker, Jeff Bundschu, the annual event is hosted on the lovely grounds of his very own winery – Gundlach Bundschu in Sonoma, California. If you’ve ever dreamt of a festival in your backyard kind of experience, with good wine, food and friends, this is the event for you. Last year was a memorable one for me. Tickets are on sale now.
Artist: Pond
Album: “Beard, Wives, Denim”
Release Date: March 6, 2012
Hails From: Australia
RIYL: Tame Impala, 70’s tinged psych rock
Featured Track: “Moth Wings”
One of my more anticipated albums of 2012, the lastest release by Australian group Pond features two members of Tame Impala‘s touring band, Nick Allbrook and Jay Watson, and a lot of that Tame Impala- esque psych rock goodness you’ve come to know and love. They’ve just announced an extensive US Tour and will be announcing SXSW show dates soon! Stream the new album in it’s entirety on Hype Machine now.
POND US TOUR DATES
Sun March 11th || Fitzgerald’s || Houston, TX
Sun March 18th || Low Key Arts || Hot Springs, AR
Mon March 19th || Grimey’s Record Store || Nashville, TN (in-store show)
Tues March 20th || Johnny Brenda’s || Philadelphia, PA
Wed March 21st || Bowery Ballroom || New York, NY
Thurs March 22nd || Brighton Music Hall || Boston, MA
Fri March 23rd || Casa Del Popolo || Montreal, QC
Sat March 24th || Café Dekcuf || Ottowa, ON
Sun March 25th || The Drake Hotel || Toronto, ON
Tues March 27th || Lincoln Hall || Chicago, IL
Wed March 28th || Taylor University || Upland, IN
Fri March 30th || Cactus Club || Milwaukee, WI
Sat March 31st || The Maintenance Shop || Ames, IA
Mon April 2nd || 7th Street Entry || Minneapolis, MN
Wed April 4th || A Club || Spokane, WA
Thurs April 5th || Sunset Tavern || Seattle, WA
Fri April 6th || The Biltmore Cabaret || Vancouver, BC
Sat April 7th || Jinx Art Space || Bellingham, WA
Sun April 8th || Squeak & Squawk Music || Tacoma, WA
Mon April 9th || Mississippi Studios || Portland, OR
Wed April 11th || Rickshaw Stop || San Francisco, CA
Fri April 13th || The Echo || Los Angeles, CA
One of my favorite UK singer/songwriter discoveries will be making his debut tour here in the US, kicking it off with some SXSW dates. He’ll be hitting San Francisco’s The Independent on May 8 supporting The Jezebels.
March 20th – Homegrown Hamilton / Hamilton, Ontario (HEADLINE)
March 21st – Raw Sugar Cafe / Ottawa, Ontario (HEADLINE)
March 22nd – CMW Cameron House / Toronto, Ontario (HEADLINE)
March 23rd – CMW Supermarket / Toronto, Ontario (HEADLINE)
March 25th – E Bar / Guelph, Ontario (HEADLINE)
March 26th – Call The Office / London, Ontario (HEADLINE)
March 28th – 2nd Cup / Buffalo, New York (HEADLINE)
March 29th – Vibe Lounge / Syracuse, New York (HEADLINE)
April 3rd – Cafe Nine / New Haven, Connecticut (HEADLINE)
April 4th – Club Cafe / Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (HEADLINE)
April 5th – Music Gallery / Baltimore, Maryland (HEADLINE)
April 10th – Bowery Ballroom / New York (w/ The Jezabels)
April 11th – The Knitting Factory / Brooklyn, New York (HEADLINE)
April 13th – Johnny Brendas / Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (w/ The Jezabels)
April 14th – Red Palace / Washington, D.C (w/ The Jezabels)
April 16th – Brighton Music Hall / Boston, Massachusetts (w/ The Jezabels)
April 17th – Divan Orange / Montreal, Quebec (w/ The Jezabels)
April 18th – Mod Club / Toronto, Quebec (w/ The Jezabels)
April 19th – The Active Room / Detroit, Michigan (HEADLINE)
April 20th – Lincoln Hall / Chicago, Illinois (w/ The Jezabels)
April 21st – Triple Rock / Minneapolis, Minnesota (w/ The Jezabels)
April 23rd – WECC / Winnipeg, Manitoba (w/ The Jezabels)
April 24th – Amigo’s / Saskatoon, Saskatchewan (w/ The Jezabels)
April 26th – Sarlite / Edmonton, Alberta (w/ The Jezabels)
April 27th – SAIT / Calgary, Alberta (w/ The Jezabels)
April 28th – The Royal / Nelson, British Colombia (w/ The Jezabels)
April 30th – The Longhorn / Whistler, British Columbia (w/ The Jezabels)
May 1st – Venue / Vancouver, British Columbia (w/ The Jezabels)
May 2nd – Lucky Bar / Victoria, British Columbia (HEADLINE)
May 3rd – Crocodile / Seattle, Wasshington (w/ The Jezabels)
May 4th – Mississippi / Portland, Oregon (w/ The Jezabels)
May 8th – Independant / San Francisco, California (w/ The Jezabels)
May 9th – Soho / Santa Barbara, California (w/ The Jezabels)
May 11th – Troubadour / Los Angeles, California (w/ The Jezabels)
May 12th – Casbah / San Diego, California (w/ The Jezabels)
Who doesn’t love an infographic? They’re all the rage and I’m just waiting for the Portlandia episode to emerge that mocks it. With SXSW fast approaching and over 1,400 bands and artists set to play at the festival, MusicMetric, a company that specializes in tracking all of that new data about music and entertainment, has assembled this fun infographic outlining which of those artists are getting the most online buzz and activity.
Artist: King Tuff
Album: Wild Desire 7″
Hails From: San Francisco
Release Date: April 3, 2012
Featured Track: “Wild Desire”
I love King Tuff! And while we anxiously await his next full length album, we’ll have to make do with the “Wild Desire” b/w “Hole in My Head” 7″ that drops April 3 as part of the Suicide Squeeze Single series featuring some other fantastic bands like The Coathangers, Dalvia 666 and White Woods. You can pre-order the King Tuff single or a sweet little bundle of all of the above artists right now. SXSW goers and Left coasters, be sure to catch the man called @kingtuffy at the following shows:
Thursday, March 15, 2012
Scoot Inn, Austin TX
SXSW Thrasher / Converse showcase – free!!
Friday, March 16, 2012
Red 7 Patio (TX), Austin TX
SXSW Sub Pop Showcase!!
set time: 10PM Outside
Friday, March 23, 2012
Thee Parkside, San Francisco CA
Saturday, March 24, 2012
The Observatory, Santa Ana CA
Artist: Polarsets
Album: Morning
Hails From: Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK
Featured Track: “Sunset”
This is exactly the kind of band you need 8 hours into your SXSW schedule when you need a serious jolt of energy. Luckily the Newcastle trio will be making the journey to Austin this year, appearing at several showcases and previewing new material off their forthcoming ‘Tropics EP’ due out in May.
16/03/12 – Sea Now Party, venue tbc
16/03/12 – Neon Gold party, Karma Lounge
17/03/12 – Northern Party, Latitude 30
17/03/12 – Filter Party, Bar 96
I had the pleasure of dining with Academy Award nominated documentarian Sam Green a while back when I heard of this amazing SF MOMA art project and collaboration with indie super stars Yo La Tengo he was masterminding called, “The Love Song of R. Buckminster Fuller.” To put it in context, the SF MOMA is on the verge of launching an exhibit honoring Buckminster Fuller – the eccentric designer, inventor, theorist and futurist forever associated with the creation of the famed geodesic dome. The exhibit will open at the SF MOMA on March 31. Part of the programming schedule will feature a documentary retrospective by Sam Green exploring Fuller’s utopian vision. Green’s imagery and narration will be backed by live music from Yo La Tengo. Two live performances will take place May 1 at 7PM and 9PM. Tickets are on sale now through the San Francisco Film Society. An event not to be missed, so get on it now! They won’t last.
the OCMD 