Thursday, February 16, 2012 @ 3:32pm
Must See: The Asteroids Galaxy Tour @ Neumos

The Asteroids Galaxy Tour is a Danish pop band consisting of vocalist Mette Lindberg and producer Lars Iversen who expand to a six piece soul and jazz infused tour de force when on the road. Now, I can't say 'tour de force' from personal experience as that's just what I've read of the band from several reviews of their live shows but I do plan to experience the hype this Saturday night when they take over Neumos.

A brief history of The Asteroids Galaxy Tour: Soon after being recorded, the band's demo was heard by Amy Winehouse who asked the group to be her opening act in Copenhagen. This was the band's first proper live show. Not long after that, the track 'Around The Bend' from debut album Fruit was chosen by Apple to be used in the new iPod Touch commercial. The band has supported Katy Perry on several sold out dates and their song 'The Golden Age' is featured in the Heineken commercial 'The Entrance' from just last year.

Check the latest single from their new record Out of Frequency, 'Heart Attack'...

Neumos and Trashed present:
The Asteroids Galaxy Tour, VACATIONER, Hotels
Doors at 8pm - $13 ADV - 21+
Buy tickets here

thanks wiki for some of your help with the facts.

sean.

Wednesday, February 15, 2012 @ 11:33pm
DJ Kicks: The Exclusives

Once called 'the most important DJ-mix series ever' by British electronic music magazine Mixmag, DJ Kicks is about to release DJ Kicks: The Exclusives, the latest in a string of massively successful mix albums for independent record label !K7 Records. Past mixes have included such names as DJ Cam, Annie, Four Tet, Chromeo, The Juan MacLean and Hot Chip just to name a few of the music creators you need to know about. What's cool about this series is that each new volume contains at least one piece of music not available anywhere else. That said, what makes DJ Kicks: The Exclusives a bit different and awesome from the ones previous is that this volume contains only the tracks that the artists cut exclusively for the DJ Kicks series. Having been a member of the Fabric Label series for the past several years and a faithful one at that, I'm fairly new to the DJ Kicks world but from what I've been hearing from the exclusives, I may be talked into converting.

Tracklist:

1. Four Tet – Pockets
2. Henrik Schwarz – Imagination Limitation
3. Hot Chip – My Piano
4. Chromeo – I Can’t Tell You Why
5. The Juan MacLean – Feel So Good
6. Holden – Triangle Folds
7. Kode9 – You Don’t Wash (Dub)
8. Apparat – Sayulita
9. Soul Clap – Lonely C feat. Charles Levine
10. Motor City Drum Ensemble – L.O.V.E.
11. Scuba – M.A.R.S.
12. Gold Panda – An Iceberg Hurled Northward Through Clouds
13. Photek & Kuru – Fountainhead

sean.

Tuesday, February 14, 2012 @ 5:31pm
Win tickets to see Viper Creek Club this Thursday + Hot Lights EP, chat here

Viper Creek Club is the continuously evolving project of Mat Wisner and the rotating cast of characters he's recruited over the years to contribute to his records. Since 2010 and the release of VCC's debut record Letters, Mat's unveiled his much buzzed about hip hop remix album, Viperlust which features remixes of some of Seattle's freshest acts like Sol, Fresh Espresso, Blue Scholars, Mad Rad and several other artists that had The Stranger's Charles Mudede saying of the record that it is... 'the first solid, artistic connection between local indie rock and indie hip hop… In Viper Creek Club’s remixes, we hear a connection that’s convincing and alive with an energy that’s genuinely new.' Not too shabby.

Viper Creek Club's latest and greatest release is their Hot Lights EP which is available today for your listening pleasure and I have a couple of copies to give to you. Viper Creek Club is also hosting a CD release show this Thursday at Neumos and I have a pair of tickets to give to you as well. Email sean@tbtl.net with VCC Show in the subject line and the first e-mail I get, wins the tickets. If you want a CD just type Hot Lights EP in the subject line.

I had the chance to chat with Mat and we discuss what it's like to have some of your music featured on The Young & The Restless and The Real World, how Mat is handling the fact that he is a millionaire, his new EP, why it is exactly that he doesn't care for Garbage Pail Kids Cards and we play a rousing game of Name That Tune. Listen to Interview with Viper Creek Club

Also, some tunes from Viper Creek Club.

Check out some older Viper Creek Club. 'Eliza' from VCC's debut, Letters...

Neumos presents:
Viper Creek Club CD Release, SPORTS, The Fascination Movement, Tito Ramsey
Doors at 8PM
$8 at the door 21+
All attendees will receive a free Viper Creek Club CD

sean.

Friday, February 10, 2012 @ 6:39pm
New Music: Knowa Knowone, 'Champagne and Kittens'

Knowa Knowone is a Bay Area turntablist and producer, co-owner of the record label Street Ritual and I did not know of Knowa until I ran across a blog called Waxhole. Thank you Waxhole for knowing from good music. Knowa Knowone creates tracks that are super glitchy, have more crunch than the crispiest Braeburn apple you've ever tasted and running beneath it all is a healthy dose of heavy, heart stopping bass.

Champagne and Kittens is his latest release and I suggest listening to the tracks below, if you know what's good for ya.

sean.

Thursday, February 9, 2012 @ 3:32pm
New Music: Platinum Unicorn Collection

Before starting her own label, Mal Harper was a snowboarder by day and party promoter for the Bay area kids by night. Now two years on and 25 releases deep, Mal has every reason to celebrate MalLabel, the brand she has been able to procure and expand in just a small amount of time which now boasts some of the most original and diverse underground bass music artists from around the globe. Platinum Unicorn Collection is an anthology of the label's most successful work from over the years and it's also a testament to the amount of talent and ambition of not only the artists but everyone behind the label as well.

If you have absolutely no idea about dubstep and want to get ahead of the curve with artists you have no idea about (but should), I suggest Platinum Unicorn Collection to whet your appetite. Upon first listen your brain will be left in shambles (that's a good thing) and I promise that you will be bass hunting for days to come, searching far and wide for your next head hurting high.

sean.

Tuesday, February 7, 2012 @ 5:47pm
New Music: The Darcys cover Steely Dan's Aja

The Darcys are an art rock band from Toronto whom I've just discovered thanks to a message from someone on Twitter mentioning that the band had just covered Steely Dan's 1977 masterpiece, Aja. Now armed with some new and important knowledge, my first thought was that this album was going to be a sh*t show and a complete and utter failure. How could this band who call themselves The Darcys have the gall to even think about replicating an album that has not only permeated the minds and souls of, let's just say, everyone in the world but also holds a special place in the hearts of all music lovers? Who the hell are The Darcys anyway? After I finished asking myself these hard hitting questions I decided to investigate the record and what I found was a moody, atmospheric interpretation of the 1977 work that does not sound like a Steely Dan record nor does it pretend to sound like one either. When you listen, you may think that The Darcys have gone completely mad what with having such a dark, almost bleak sounding record be the end result but remember that Steely Dan records are totally effing dark to begin with so really, The Darcys have in a sense, nailed it.

The Darcys self-titled debut was released just this past October, 2011 and it is the first in a trio of planned full-length records. Second in the trilogy is the aforementioned Aja album which was released this past January. A third original studio album is planned for late 2012.

Stand out tracks: 'Black Cow', 'Peg', 'I Got The News', 'Josie'

The Darcys - AJA by Arts & Crafts

Go here to download The Darcys Aja record for free.

Also! The Darcys will be playing along side Bombay Bicycle Club this coming February 18th at the Crocodile.
Buy tix here.

sean.

Thursday, February 2, 2012 @ 5:25pm
Gimme Shelter Concert Event featuring The Dusty 45's, The Maldives and more...

Bindle: a term used to describe the bag, sack, or carrying device stereotypically used by the commonly American sub-culture of hobos. The person carrying a bindle was called a bindlestiff, combining bindle with the Average Joe sense of stiff.

Do you want to help eradicate homelessness and the abundance of bindles? Have you been itching to see a handful of Seattle's coolest bands all in one place, playing the coolest tunes? Well, have I got just the thing for ya. Seattle favorite The Dusty 45's are proud to partner with DESC (Downtown Emergency Service Center) for the 4th annual Gimme Shelter benefit concert which is happening this Friday, February 3rd at Showbox at The Market.

Here's a bit from the press release about why The Dusty 45's own Billy Jo Huel has such an interest in this cause...

Huel's older brother, Matt, spent years living on Seattle streets, in mental hospitals, and even jail before his family was able to find him and seek help. Once a successful Wall Street professional and world traveler, Matt was struck with schizophrenia in his early thirties. Undiagnosed and untreated, the disease soon unraveled his once successful and happy life. Gimme Shelter is a tribute to Huel's brother who, with the help and support of DESC, has struggled to overcome homelessness and manage his mental illness. Today Matt and nearly 1,000 other previously homeless members of our community are living stable, productive lives through DESC's programs of permanent homes, clinical care, emergency shelter, meals, and job training.

Gimme Shelter will feature performances by The Dusty 45s, The Maldives, Lazy Susan, The Young Evils, Betsy Olson, Davidson Hart Kingsbery, and The Purrs. If you didn't already know, The Maldives are completely rad and they dropped by the mixtape a couple of months ago and you can listen to that chat here.

Check out some video of The Maldives on King 5's New Day Northwest...

GIMME SHELTER - A Benefit Concert to End Homelessness
The Dusty 45s with The Maldives, Lazy Susan, The Young Evils, Betsy Olson, Davidson Hart Kingsbery, and The Purrs
Fri, Feb 3, 2012
Doors open: 7:00 PM
Ages: 21 & Over
Ticket Prices: $15.00-$18.00
Buy tickets here.

All proceeds benefit DESC and their programs to end homelessness

sean.

Tuesday, January 31, 2012 @ 4:13pm
Doomtree rocked Crocodile; video here

As I was driving to the Crocodile this past Friday night I couldn't help but wonder if I was actually going to be on the 'list'. Having the job that I have I get certain perks and privileges that completely rule. One of those perks is getting into shows for free and then being able to bring to you, the (hopefully) constant reader, my experience which I would like to think helps you find new music that you have no idea about and will then enjoy day after day. The reason I was wondering if I was going to be on the list this past Friday night is because I have gotten completely screwed in the past on several occasions and I am now forever paranoid?, skeptical?, about whether or not I will be able to get into a particular show. This paranoia I am now afflicted with also affects whether or not I choose to ask a friend (or lover. that's right. lover.) to accompany me to a show, and if I do bring someone along I now find that I give each person the same spiel about how I may or may not be on the list, blah, blah, blah. This time around I was fortunate enough to be able to partner up with a very competent PR person and everything worked out fine. Whew.

After a silent rejoice about the fact that I was on the appropriate list I made my way into the main stage area of the Crocodile mere moments before Doomtree were to take the stage. To my surprise the place was completely packed. I say 'to my surprise' not because I in any way doubted the talent and awesomeness of Doomtree but because before this last Friday night I had only a minimal knowledge of the group and I had just started my journey into the investigation of the collective. Doomtree is a group of seven friends (Dessa, Mike Mictlan, Lazerbeak, P.O.S., Cecil Otter, Papertiger and Sims) who come to us by way of Minneapolis and have been on the scene for a solid decade showing off their skills to audiences all over the U.S. to great acclaim. The lights went down, the crowd went berserk and Doomtree broke out 'Bangarang', a cut from their brand new LP No Kings, which you can witness below...

As the night wore on the members of Doomtree not only acted as a collective rocking the rhymes on time (which didn't seem tricky at all), but several members of the crew also broke off on an individual basis taking ownership of the mic, showing off their ability to go solo. Check out Dessa of Doomtree below...

This past Friday night the Crocodile was completely crackin' and I'm positive that if Doomtree were to have played all night long (all night) the Seattle crowd would have dried off their sweaty, glistening bodies, enjoyed a drink from the bar and then would have taken over the dancefloor for the rest of the evening with absolutely no plans of leaving.

If you happen to get a chance to catch Doomtree on their current tour I swear to you that even if you go into the show knowing nothing of the collective, you will leave wanting to know everything.

sean.

Friday, January 27, 2012 @ 5:17pm
More new Miike Snow + 2012 Tour Dates

Swedish pop trio Miike Snow are releasing their second LP, Happy To You this upcoming March and I absolutely cannot wait for this thing. The guys have been steadily releasing singles from the new record over the past few months and now a brand new song called 'Black Tin Box' feat. Lykke Li has just surfaced. As far as I know The Knife doesn't have a B side or even a C side record but if they did, this song would be on it.

Miike Snow - Black Tin Box (Feat. Lykke Li) by Ernestime

Check this other tune from Miike Snow...

Paddling Out by miikesnow

Even more Miike Snow here.

TOUR DATES:
03/23/12 ULTRA MUSIC FESTIVAL – MIAMI, FL SOLD OUT
04/10/12 PARAMOUNT – SEATTLE, WA
04/11/12 ROSELAND THEATER – PORTLAND, OR
04/12/12 FOX THEATER – OAKLAND, CA
04/14/12 COACHELLA – INDIO, CA SOLD OUT
04/21/12 COACHELLA – INDIO, CA SOLD OUT
04/24/12 TERMINAL 5 – NEW YORK, NY
04/25/12 TERMINAL 5 – NEW YORK, NY
04/27/12 ELECTRIC FACTORY – PHILADELPHIA, PA
04/29/12 HOUSE OF BLUES – BOSTON, MA
05/01/12 SOUND ACADEMY – TORONTO, ON
05/02/12 METROPOLIS – MONTREAL, QC

sean.

Friday, January 20, 2012 @ 9:07pm
New Music: Elephant and Castle - En Memoria Feat. tUnE-yArDs

Elephant & Castle is David Reep, a man who has the ability to create music that is hazy and atmospheric and will make you sink into your lazy chair never to be heard from again. And that's a good thing. Transitions, Elephant & Castles's new LP to be released via Plug Research this March 13th, will house a song called En Memoria feat. Merrill Garbus who is the force behind another band you should know about called tUnE-yArDs. En Memoria is soft and melancholic but also strangely uplifting thanks to the beautifully unruffled vocals from Merrill Garbus.

Here's a bit what David had to say about new LP Transitions via the press release...

"Anything emotion-based is usually my favorite kind of music. With this project, I chose music that resonated with me because I've found that if I get a strong emotional reaction from something, chances are other people will feel it too."

05 En Memoria feat. Tune-Yards by Plug Research

sean.

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Podcasts

• The Maldives
• Cymbals Eat Guitars
• Mux Mool: Decibel Festival 2011
• Grand Hallway: Bumbershoot 2011
• Motopony: Bumbershoot 2011
• Prussia
• Rubik
• Braids
• Motopony
• Motopony part 2: Panther Palace
• RYAT
• Revolver
• Voodoo Terror Tribe
• The Marketts
• Brent Amaker & The Rodeo (live performance)
• Brent Amaker
• Perfume (live performance)
• X-Ray Press
• Dovekins (live performance)
• Army Navy
• Justo of The Physics and Mario Sweet
• Thig Natural of The Physics
• Blake Sennett
• The Royal Bear
• Doxology
• Levi Fuller (live performance)
• The Underwater Tiger (live performance)
• Mux Mool
• Perry Acker
• Teezer (live performance)
• Endope
• Ivan & Alyosha
• Chicago Afrobeat Project
• Ryan Tedder
• Handful of Luvin' (live performance)
• Ravenous (live performance)
• Dutch
• Jeremy Burk (live performance)
• HLAK
• Jason Bitner
• Gordon Raphael part 1
• Gordon Raphael part 2
• Doug Benson
• Tom Boros (live performance)
• Vibrant Society (live performance)
• The Glass Notes (live performance)
• Concour d Elegance
• In Cahoots (live performance)
• Guns and Rossetti (live performance)
• The Heavy
• Boys Noize
• Freelance Whales
• The Lonely Forest