The beautiful people who write cinematic pop lullabies, otherwise known as GREAT NORTHERN, are setting out to join the illustrious Gutter Twins for their first tour.
Fellow Silver Lakers SILVERSUN PICKUPS’ third single “Little Lovers So Polite” is at radio and picking up steam weekly. Both “Lazy Eye” and “Well Thought Out Twinkles” hit the Top 10 on the Alternative charts and we feel confident this will too. Office pool anyone? Keep your eyes peeled [to notable video channel we can’t name in the coming weeks]. The Joaquin Phoenix-directed video was shot in lovely downtown Los Angeles. No, he wasn’t in Johnny Cash character. But we did beg and plead. Oh… CARNAVAS [Dangerbird Records] is over 300k sold and still going…
In other Los Angeles news, GRAN RONDE – appropriately meaning a “fine large valley” – have just egressed from the depths of their recording space, to release their debut EP, ON AND ON [Filter Recordings] via iTunes. These boys don’t get much of a rest, as their eagerly anticipated LP, SECRET ROOMS [Filter Recordings], is following closely on its heels with an April 8 release.
Moving on from LA to Paris, ladies and gentlemen, we bring you FANCY! If we had streamers and boas and noisemakers, we would be using them! Let’s put it this way, if you were a Darkness fan, read on… Co-writers of Justice’s hit, “D.A.N.C.E.,” this androgynous, hedonistic, glam rock quartet is coming to the States to join their fellow Parisian pals on their Myspace-sponsored tour. The two bands are currently warming up with shows overseas, and this past Sunday, the U.K.’s notoriously snotty daily, THE INDEPENDENT, roared: “Fancy are the most entertaining rock ‘n’ roll band I’ve seen in a long time.”
Next stop, Scotland. Wow, wow, wow. You know when you get that record that lands on your desk… and next thing you know, you can’t stop listening? And you go from listening once a day, to twice… then it’s in your car, your house… you make your friends listen to it… you dream about it. Stalker tendencies start to emerge… Ok, too far. This little record we speak of is from Glaswegian trio FRIGHTENED RABBIT and their sophomore release THE MIDNIGHT ORGAN FIGHT is due April 15 on FatCat records, home to Sigur Ros and Animal Collective.
Please fasten your seatbelts, we’re taking off. This time landing in the U.K., we arrive at ED HARCOURT. This prolific songwriter is on his fifth record and its finally found a home in the States! Congrats to Dovecote Records who are the proud parents of Harcourt’s album, THE BEAUTIFUL LIE, to be released June 3.
There are no planes that travel to the universe of TWILIGHT SLEEP. Their ethereal galaxy consists of diamonds falling from crimson skies and carousel-like spinning clouds. The electro-rock quintet will land on March 6 at the Echo in LA, to celebrate the release of EP, RACE TO THE BOTTOM OF THE SEA.
Surf’s up again for the Wolf. Our favorite, and one and only, WOLF, will join Nada Surf for more dates this spring. He’s quickly distinguished himself from the pack with his critically acclaimed debut LP, LEAVES IN THE RIVER [Dangerbird Records] and is taking a bite out of the competition one symphonic pop song at a time. Meanwhile, listen for the howl of “You’re A Wolf” coming to a Chevy commercial near you… And that does it, we have officially broken the record for most animal references in a single posting. Well done everybody.
So since we’re back in sunny Cali, it’s time to chime in on DARKER MY LOVE. If we said this new record is amazing and incredible it would feel like we’re just saying it because we have to. But oh… Just you wait! Dave Cooley (Silversun Pickups) produced this forthcoming gem and that’s really the only way to describe it. You’ll like it if you like: Brit-pop, stoner-rock, the Beach Boys. Or if you can picture a stoned Brian Wilson playing My Bloody Valentine covers. Or something like that… It’s coming this summer on Dangerbird Records. You may be seeing advances quite soon.
Back to the beach we go with avid surfer ERIC AVERY. Wait… you may actually recognize him as the seminal bassist and founding member of Jane’s Addiction. His first-ever solo effort, HELP WANTED [Dangerbird Records], will be released April 8. Help is exactly what he got – from friends Shirley Manson, Flea, and Taylor Hawkins – for this beautiful gothic and melodic collection.
Maybe it’s the cold, maybe it’s the isolation, maybe it’s the water from Lake Erie but Michigan surely does something to the boys of Mason Proper. Whatever it is… we like it. If Edgar A. Poe was alive today, he’d probably have this bizarre, dark band perched atop his Myspace top friends list next to that annoying raven. Get a glimpse into their weird world March 25 when their four-song SHORTHAND EP is released on iTunes via Dovecote Records.
GRAY KID + OLIVER FUTURE = SPIRIT ANIMAL. Yup, that’s it. For now.
MIDNIGHT MOVIES new six-song collection, NIGHTS EP, is something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue. The union features a little psychedelic pop and some dance floor-ready jams, with a cover in two languages to boot. “Mes Reves Satin” – which translates to “Nights in White Satin” – and if you guessed Moody Blues’ classic, you win the prize. Remixes of LION THE GIRL tracks “Souvenirs” and “Patient Eye” compliments of Nick Zinner (Yeah Yeah Yeah’s) and James Iha (Smashing Pumpkins).