Via Huffington Post:

"...this is about exchanging ideas... it's about getting a message out. It's about empowering people by giving them a voice. I know not everyone believes what I say is what they think. But like I said before.. ya know.. red and blue is not black and white. We're all together. It's a record about unification." -Neil Young (4/18/06)

Check it out Living With War.

Posted by freewilliamsburg at 12:14 PM | Comments (0)

RBally has a great set of MP3's documenting an early REM performance in 1984:

This show is a reminder of when the band was the poster child for independent music and college radio, when Peter Buck still only knew three chords, and Mike Stipe mumbled his lyrics. And given the band's current mainstream success, it's easy to forget that the band toured and recorded non-stop through the early eighties, slowly building, and earning, the fan base that started reaching critical mass with Green (when the cool kids jumped ship)

Check 'em out here.

Posted by freewilliamsburg at 09:59 AM | Comments (1)

The always generous Aquarium Drunkard has a new live show posted today in his "Live Upload Series." Betraying the ultimate hipster taboo, he admits he likes the Grateful Dead. It's okay, folks, settle down. Some of the band's early stuff was actually pretty good. Check out Cornell '77 here. Many insiders (aka stoners in tie dyes) say it's the band's best show ever. Start with "Dancing in the Streets." We admit to playing this one a few times in high school. Aquarium Drunkard has more live shows too:

Live Upload Series I :: James Booker
Live Upload Series II :: Steely Dan
Live Upload Series III :: The Meters
Live Upload Series IV :: My Morning Jacket
Live Upload Series V :: Ryan Adams
Live Upload Series VI :: The Meters II
Live Upload Series VII :: Undertow Orchestra
Live Upload Series VIII :: Foamfoot (1-8-94)

Posted by freewilliamsburg at 10:05 AM | Comments (0)

We meant to post this yesterday, but RBally has an excellent Wilco show available for download: live at the Fillmore, May, 10, 1997. The show includes a few covers (Ramones, Replacements, Black Sabbath, and David Bowie) and showcases the band at their alt-country peak.

Dowload the first set of songs here. And the rest here. Thanks for the tip, Kevin.

Posted by freewilliamsburg at 09:47 AM | Comments (2)

Last year's top record, Sufjan Stevens' Illinois, is the gift that keeps giving. Now that we've finally managed to listen to the whole, sprawling record, Asthmatic Kitty is preparing to release "The Avalanche," a collection of outtakes from Sufjan's masterpiece:

[Asthmatic Kitty via BKVegan]The little secret behind the Illinois record is that it was originally conceived as a double album, culminating in a musical collage of nearly 50 songs. But as the project began to develop into an unwieldy epic, common sense weighed in—as did the opinions of others—and the project was cut in half. But as 2005 came to a close, Sufjan returned to the old, forsaken songs on his 8-track like a grandfather remembering his youth, indulging in old journals and newspaper clippings. What he uncovered went beyond the merits of nostalgia; it was more like an ensemble of capricious friends and old acquaintances wearing party outfits, waiting to be let in at the front door, for warm drinks and interesting conversation. Among them were Saul Bellow, Ann Landers, Adlai Stevenson, and a brief cameo from Henry Darger's Vivian Girls. The gathering that followed would become the setting for the songs on The Avalanche: Outtakes and Extras from the Illinois Album.

Sufjan gleaned 21 useable tracks from the abandoned material, including three alternate versions of Chicago. Some songs were in finished form, others were merely outlines, gesture drawings, or musical scribbles mumbled on a hand-held tape recorder. Most of the material required substantial editing, new arrangements or vocals. Much of the work was done at the end of 2005 or in January the following year. Sufjan invited many of the original Illinoisemakers to fill in the edges: drums, trumpet, a choir of singers. The centerpiece, of course, was the title track—The Avalanche—a song intended for the leading role on the Illinois album but eventually cut and placed as a bonus track on the vinyl release. In his rummaging through old musical memorabilia, Sufjan began to use this song as a meditation on the editorial process, returning to old forms, knee-deep in debris, sifting rocks and river water for an occasional glint of gold. "I call ye cabin neighbors," the song bemuses, "I call you once my friends." And like an avid social organizer, Sufjan took in all the odd musical misfits and gathered them together for a party of their own, like good friends.

A careful listener may uncover the obvious trend on this record: almost every song on the Illinois album has a counterpart on the outtakes. Carl Sandburg arm-wrestles Saul Bellow. The aliens landing near Highland salute Clyde Tombaugh, the man who discovered Pluto. The loneliness of "Casimir Pulaski Day" deepens even further in the foreboding soundtrack to "Pittsfield." At its best, The Avalanche is an exercise in form, revealing the working habits of one of the most productive songwriters today. As an illustration, the avalanche refers to the snow and rubble that falls off the side of a mountain, or, in this case, the musical debris generously chucked from an abundant epic. It's unlikely you'll find a mountain in the Prairie State so the metaphor will have to do.

Posted by freewilliamsburg at 09:50 AM | Comments (4)

Wed. April 5 at Glasshouse Gallery
38 South 1st street (between Kent and Wythe)
(with Bloody Panda + Skeletonbreath)
FREE - show starts at 8pm
read Kevin K.'s review here or download some tracks here

Posted by freewilliamsburg at 09:42 AM | Comments (0)

April 1: Todd P presents Akron/Family & Plants at a secret space in Williamsburg this Saturday. You can pick up tickets at Eat Records. Show location will be announced to ticket holders only.

Posted by freewilliamsburg at 09:50 AM | Comments (1)

We've really been enjoying the new SubPop release, Band of Horses' Everything All the Time. It's reminiscent of My Morning Jacket, Rogue Wave, and The Shins. Check out the album stream here. [via Brooklyn Vegan]

Posted by freewilliamsburg at 10:40 AM | Comments (3)

Cat Power, who cancelled her tour early this year for alleged "health reasons," has announced new tour dates. Frustratingly, she's yet to announce any info about refunds for all of us dumb enough to buy tickets for her New York performances in Feb. Anyone have any info on this? (We truly hope she's well, but given Chan Marshall's track record for erratic behavior and bailing on shows, we are skeptical about her claims in February).

Posted by freewilliamsburg at 10:54 AM | Comments (5)

The incomparable Aquarium Drunkard has a collection of rare MP3's chronicling Dylan and Cash performing together in 1969. If you are a fan of their wonderful record Nashville Skyline, check these out.

Posted by freewilliamsburg at 10:14 AM | Comments (1)

by Kevin K.

The music blog rbally has been on fire since launching in December and the first person to turn a hose on it is a dead man. Jennings recently posted two great live recordings that you can snag for free: Parliament/Funkadelic from 1978 and Blur from 1997.

I think I'm going to name my new hard drive "rbally."

MORE BOOT FOR YOUR BUCK: Solo Neil Young from '71 at An Aquarium Drunkard

Posted by freewilliamsburg at 08:34 AM | Comments (1)

by Kevin K.

Quasi's new dense, rock-heavy album When The Going Gets Dark (mixed by the gold-fingered Dave Fridmann) is coming out a week from today (3/21) and their label Touch & Go is streaming the whole album here. T&G has also posted an MP3 of the track "The Rhino" and music blog I Guess I'm Floating has two more for you to enjoy. You can check Quasi out live at two NYC venues in April: Knitting Factory on 4/10 and Northsix on 4/11.

Posted by freewilliamsburg at 06:53 AM | Comments (2)

by Kevin K.

Locals O'death will be playing a cool little benefit house party for Katrina victims tomorrow night (3/10) in Bushwick (along w/ the Good Good, Hi-Red Center, and Schmendricks). The tracks from their new CD Head Home on their Myspace site sound dang fine (I'll be reviewing the release later in the month) and they're already getting some great buzz in the music blog world.

From An Aquarium Drunkard:

The O'death sound: Imagine a slightly disturbing blend of old-world Appalachian folk music crossed with Tom Waits fronting a modern-rock/folk band. Insanity works for the band, and it's clearly captured on the album. It's the soundtrack to your worst nightmare...or perhaps a bad experience with hallucinogens, but in a good way somehow.

Some "live" photos of O'Death (and a very ecstatic endorsement) can be found at Sucka Pants.

FUN FACT: I was once at a bluegrass festival where the legendary Ralph Stanley sang "O Death" and someone in the audience had a heart attack during the song and later died. That evening, during his second appearance of the day, Ralph sang the song again. I guess he wanted to see if he was God or something. Nobody died the second time.

Posted by freewilliamsburg at 07:09 AM | Comments (2)

by Kevin K.

Via Tiny Mix Tapes we see that the White Stripes' Jack White has been getting a little batty about the tepid response to Get Behind Me Satan on his unnavigable psuedo-blog:

"What a funny album, coming from divided critics to supposed disappointing sales, to going platinum in several countries, to making most critics top ten lists, to winning a Grammy. That's funny right? When that happens pitchfork has to call spin to confer on whether to ignore or make fun of it They lose perspective, the sewer workers below their lower east side Manhattan hipster bar out smarts them every time. They all play a coward's game. Only one side to their playground. Such an easy fight that way. The faceless opinion of print and the internet. What is it teaching all of us? Back when there was a time when we had great writers, and respected journalists who had earned their position as tastemakers, and won peoples' respect with their knowledge and insight, it was much easier to understand a written opinion because at least you knew who it was coming from. Now those printed opinions are probably coming from the person sitting next to you in the mall. Why should you care about their opinion? Why shouldn't you? ... Personally I go to senior citizen community centers for my dose of editorial. At least I know those people have lived long enough that they deserve respect. Critics are the only public expression that isn't "allowed" to be critiqued. Be careful children, you don't have to listen to all those opinions out there, and not even this one you are reading. Remember the person's opinion you are reading probably knows less about less about the topic you are interested in than you do."

Children, you could dig deep into the psyche of White and come up with some really juicy stuff (he also accuses veteran garage rocker Billy Childish, who has been recording since White was 4-years-old, of plagiarism), but it's much easier to just point to the part (with a snicker or three) where he chest-thumps about his Grammy—the most embarrassing award to win next to a Razzie—and finally understand how Renee Zellweger could go from dating Jack to marrying Kenny Chesney. Mystery solved.

Posted by freewilliamsburg at 10:12 AM | Comments (9)

by Kevin K.

Akron/Family's split album with Michael Gira's Angels of Light (titled, oddly enough, Akron/Family & Angels of Light) was one of the most criminally neglected releases of 2005. I've yet to see A/F live, but I've heard very good things and according to Todd P, A/F is going to be playing a secret show at an undisclosed Brooklyn location on April 1st (tix only available @ Eat Records in Greenpoint).

I went to a secret show in north Williamsburg many moons ago that featured those zany New Bomb Turks as the headliners. It was in an old warehouse and candles provided the only light in the service elevator you had to take to get to the space. I don't know how in the hell she found out about it (being a dork and all), but MTV's old VJ Kennedy was there. I found that to be very distracting, but had a helluva time. I'm fairly certain the A/F show will be great, too, but if Jesse Camp's there, I'm hurling him off the roof.

Listen:
Akron/Family's "Dylan Pt. 2" from A/F & A of L (MP3)

Posted by freewilliamsburg at 08:49 AM | Comments (2)

Aquarium Drunkard has a great unreleased Ryan Adams record, called 48 Hours. Download it here. And he's got some unreleased Whiskeytown stuff here.

Posted by freewilliamsburg at 12:09 PM | Comments (0)

RBally has a great Shins live show from 2004 available for download. In case you haven't paid him a visit, he's got some great shows including Ryan Adams, Jeff Tweedy, and PJ Harvey.

Posted by freewilliamsburg at 10:43 AM | Comments (0)

A big thanks to RBALLY, who has lots of new live MP3's available on his blog. He's got everyone from Cat Power to Art Brut to Sleater Kinney. Here are some highlights from recent BBC performances [Via BrooklynVegan]

Belle and Sebastian on BBC
The Blues Are Still Blue
Dress Up In You
Funny Little Frog
To Be Myself Completely

Jenny Lewis on BBC
Intro
Interview Part One
Rise Up With Fists
Interview Part Two
You Are What You Love
Interview Part Three
Melt Your Heart

Posted by freewilliamsburg at 10:15 AM | Comments (2)

Kevin from catch.com turned us onto a great new compilation, "Cowboys In Scandinavia: The New Folk Sounds From Northern Europe." All the songs are sung in English and there are more than a few gems. Put out by Fargo, Andrew Bird's label, it's one of our favorites thus far this year.

EverythingIsFire has some MP3's:

4. Nicolai Dunger - Soul Rush (mp3)
8. Dusty Fingers - Quite Alright (mp3)
12. Johanna Berhan - To Hide This Way (mp3)

And you can listen to a few others here.

Posted by freewilliamsburg at 01:52 PM | Comments (1)

[From Daily News] A Busta Rhymes video shoot ended with a hail of gunfire that killed the rapper's bodyguard in Brooklyn early yesterday, feet from some of the biggest names in hip hop - including 50 Cent, DMX and Mary J. Blige, police sources said.

At least a dozen bullets flew after burly bodyguard Israel Ramirez got into a scuffle during the shoot in a Greenpoint film studio that also drew Missy Elliott and Lloyd Banks, a member of 50 Cent's G-Unit. Cops were investigating whether anyone involved in the bloodshed - and the dispute that sparked it - was a member of any of the big-name rappers' entourages, sources said last night.

Shortly before the gunfire erupted at 12:25 a.m., video crew members tried to keep the noise level under control as they shooed extras and hangers-on out of the building. That spurred one enraged self-proclaimed ex-con to shout, "Who the f--k are you to tell me to be quiet? I'm on .parole, mother-----r!

"You don't tell me to shut up," added the man, who sported a G-Unit jacket, witnesses said.

Moments later, as people were pouring outside, Ramirez got into a fight - sparking a barrage of bullets. [read the rest]

Posted by freewilliamsburg at 10:10 AM | Comments (3)

Scenestars has three songs from Neko's new one: Fox Confessor Brings The Flood. Check them out here. We all love Neko, let us know what you think about her new songs in comments.

Posted by freewilliamsburg at 10:25 AM | Comments (2)

It's available at Scenestars. Check it out here,

Posted by freewilliamsburg at 10:45 AM | Comments (0)

This should be a great show, coinciding with the release of her record The Greatest on January 24. Chan will be playing with The Memphis Rhythm Band for this show. Download the title track here. And tickets are available here.

[From the Matador site] For 'The Greatest' (not a greatest hits, but the brand-new studio album), Marshall returned to Memphis, pursuing this time the slinky Hi Records sound of the 70s, famed for its sensuous feel and beguiling rhythms. She got Al Green’s guitarist and songwriting partner Mabon "Teenie" Hodges to play guitar on the whole album (Teenie co-wrote "Love and Happiness" and "Take Me to the River," among other soul classics). With Teenie came his Hi Rhythm bandmate (and brother) Leroy "Flick" Hodges, who plays on half of the album (Memphis A-team bassist Dave Smith supplements). Anchoring the band is Steve Potts, whose reputation on drums was solidified when the surviving members of Booker T. and the MG’s asked him to replace their late drummer, Al Jackson. Other top Memphis musicians guest on keyboards, horns and strings.

Posted by freewilliamsburg at 10:22 AM | Comments (0)

The new video from Of Montreal's "Requiem for O.M.M. 2" from The Sunlandic Twins is available. Check it out. We LOVE this underated record. It was our number two of 2005.

Posted by freewilliamsburg at 10:42 AM | Comments (0)

David Cross in the The Strokes' video "Juice Box"

This is better than MTV, though that's not saying much these days. DoCopenhagen has posted the top 50 indie music videos of 2005. Watch them all here.

Posted by freewilliamsburg at 01:36 PM | Comments (0)

So Much Noise has MP3's from an Arcade Fire concert on Sept. 29 and another live set from Calexico and Iron & Wine. Grab 'em all here.

Posted by freewilliamsburg at 10:10 AM | Comments (1)

Edith Frost released It's a Game on Novemebr 15. Songs Illinois has a few MP3's here. And there are a few outtakes here.

Posted by freewilliamsburg at 09:55 AM | Comments (1)

Download the hilarious Goldfrapp video "Number 1" from her upcoming Supernature. [Via Brooklyn Vegan]

Posted by freewilliamsburg at 10:24 AM | Comments (1)

They're one of the most underated bands in indie rock. We're glad to see them getting some props on Brooklyn Vegan and elsewhere.

Check out their new single: Gore Veil (from Porcella)

Posted by freewilliamsburg at 12:12 PM | Comments (1)

We sadly missed the American Analog Set shows when they recently came to New York, but the kind people at Bradley's Almanac have got our back. Check out a complete set of MP3s from their recent live show in Cambridge. [Via Brooklyn Vegan]

Posted by freewilliamsburg at 09:34 AM | Comments (2)

We don't usually do posts to promote other blogs, but if you haven't discovered Songs Illinois do yourself a favor and check it out. It's the perfect antidote to the New York blogs that are always discussing the same two or three bands. Their specialty is alt-country and folk—in the realm of Will Oldham and Mendoza Line—and best of all, they always turn us onto music (and labels) we've yet to discover by providing lots of free downloads. Check 'em out here. We recommend downloading Arena Rock's Winechuggers, as per their suggestion.

Posted by freewilliamsburg at 09:53 AM | Comments (0)

Information Leafblower posted their blog poll of the top bands in America. It's a strange list that could be more aptly titled "Top 40 Bands in America That East Coast Bloggers and Pitchfork Obsessed Over in 2005." That said, blogger obsession number one, "Clap Your Hands Say Yeah," are strangely not on the list. We obsessed about them too this year, because they're damn good. The National secured the number two spot on the list. Come on guys, they're just not that exciting. Fiery Furnaces also secured a top spot when they would be better served with a stern punishment. Their 2004 release Rehearsing My Choir is unlistenable. And the king of hype, Kanye West, got a top billing since indie kids have to always include a hip hop artist to be well-rounded. There were also the obligatory ironic choices like Kelly Clarkson. That said, it's a decent overview of today's top indie bands put together by most of our favorite bloggers, One Louder and Brooklyn Vegan are impeccable. Best of all, the list correctly put Sufjan in the number one spot, where he should be. On another note, we were sad to see Of Montreal, The Shins, Deerhoof, Will Oldham, Grizzly Bear, Chad Vangaalen, nearly all metal bands, and any electronic band not associated with DFA excluded. Check out the full list here.

Posted by freewilliamsburg at 10:14 AM | Comments (3)

Every year, the indie icons do a series of shows in the intimate setting of Maxwell's. Each night features a special guest. The shows make the trip to Hoboken worthwhile. They sell out quickly, so get your tix while they last. [via Brooklyn Vegan]

Posted by freewilliamsburg at 10:02 AM | Comments (0)

Cat Power has a new record coming out and will be at Tribeca Performing Arts Center on Nov 14.

Recorded at Memphis, TN's Ardent Studios over the summer by Stuart Sikes, 'The Greatest' while the most confident and life-affirming work of Chan Marshall's career, is as intensely personal, haunting and provocative as any of its predecessors. The album's players are a bona fide All-Star team of Memphis musicians, including Al Green sideman Teenie Hodges on guitar, Leroy "Flick" Hodges and David Smith on bass, Rick Steff on keys, Jim Spake on sax and trumpteer Scott Thompson amongst others

Check out an MP3 of the title track "The Greatest." [Thanks Matador}

Posted by freewilliamsburg at 09:33 AM | Comments (0)

We are VERY sad to hear this news about DMBQ:

DMBQ's van rolled from I-95 in Delaware en route from Baltimore to Brooklyn this afternoon. All members of the band have been hospitalized, as well as Michelle Cable from Panache Magazine and booking, who has been managing their tour.

Mana "China" Nishiura did not survive the accident. China was DMBQ’s drummer, as well as a former drummer in Shonen Knife. China will be missed.

Michelle Cable is conscious following surgery for a head injury. Shinji Masuko is still in the hospital but is expected to be released soon. Toru Matsui and Ryuichi Watanabe have been released from the hospital.

There is a benefit show tonight. Click here for more.

Posted by freewilliamsburg at 04:02 PM | Comments (2)

B Real has posted almost the entire, blunt-smoking catalog. Click here. [Via Brooklyn Vegan]

Posted by freewilliamsburg at 12:03 PM | Comments (0)

They'll be playing at Irving Plaza Dec 2-3. Plus they'll be filming it for their first ever DVD. Tickets will go on-sale TODAY via Dinosaur Jr. ticketing at 12:00pm:

Dinosaur Jr. - who has never before released a DVD - has finally announced plans to issue an official Dinosaur Jr. DVD release. This full length concert DVD, which will feature the band in its original line-up, will be filmed at New York's legendary Irving Plaza during the bands upcoming two night stand on December 2-3, 2005. The DVD will be directed by Gold In Berlin, which is run by Mascis' own brother in-law, German filmmaker Phillip Virus. With unfettered access to this famously elusive band, fans can expect complete backstage access to Dinosaur Jr.'s recent reunion tour, one-on-one interviews, behind the scenes goings-on and a full set of performances of Dinosaur Jr. favorites. The DVD will be packed with bonus materials that any fan of the band - seasoned or brand new - will find thrilling and entertaining. Look for the DVD to be released during the first half of 2006.

Posted by freewilliamsburg at 10:17 AM | Comments (0)

Metro Area

There's a great audio stream scheduled tonight on All Songs Considered:

Hear the rock duo The White Stripes in a live, audio webcast from the Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, MD tonight (September 27). The full concert will stream on NPR.org along with opening acts M. Ward and The Shins. It's the latest in NPR Music's live concert series from All Songs Considered.

Click here for more info.

And don't miss the Katrina benefit at APT tonight featuring FREEwilliamsburg favorite Metro Area. If you're not familiar with the infectious Metro Area, check out an MP3 at OneLouder.

Posted by freewilliamsburg at 01:26 PM | Comments (0)

Sure, the incredibly talented — and, incidentally, incredibly nice — Anton Newcombe has a notoriously short fuse (see Dig!), but getting your van and equipment stolen is enough to piss anyone off. Give the band their shit back. We were hoping to see Brian Jonestown Massacre play an all acoustic show tonight at Pianos. Hopefully, the show will go on. More on the theft via Brooklyn Vegan. (We tried to catch BJM at Northsix for CMJ on Saturday, but when we arrived at the club at 1am some Wiccan, Black Sabbath obssessed band named Witch who was slotted before them was still setting up. We were too drunk to hang around and were afraid of Witch's drummer who looked like a cross between Garth Algar and a professionally certified chaotic evil D&D dungeon master with infinite hit points.)

Drunk fans love to heckle Anton, knowing he'll lash out. Warning: he may kill you if you heckle him Tuesday night if the show goes on as scheduled. In the mean time, be on the look out for these things on Ebay and in pawn shops.

Posted by freewilliamsburg at 09:47 AM | Comments (3)

LA band Goldspot is in town for CMJ tonight

Our friends at OneLouder introduced us to Goldspot. They rule. You can listen to them on their myspace page here. And while everyone else is at the overated, melodramatic Arcade Fire show tonight, check Goldspot out at Pianos at 8:30. We plan on swinging by right after the New Pornographers show at the Bowery. The NPs new record isn't that exciting (despite what the typically braindead Pitchfork has to say about it), but they usually play lots of shit from their masterpiece, Mass Romantic. Plus Neko Case is hot.

As a nightcap, we highly recommend seeing Of Montreal at The Knitting Factory. The don't come on until 1am, but are one of the best live acts we've seen. Ever. And their new record is one of the best this year.

Posted by freewilliamsburg at 01:38 PM | Comments (1)

Check out "Mr. Ambulance Driver" here on Rupert Murdoch's MySpace. Or click here to directly load the movie. The band will be performing the song tonight on Conan O'Brien.

Posted by freewilliamsburg at 04:51 PM | Comments (1)

WARNER Music Group (WMG) is to begin releasing music by artists in “clusters” of three or four tracks rather than as whole albums, heralding the first big shift away from the record industry’s traditional business model.

Edgar Bronfman Jr, chairman and chief executive, yesterday revealed plans to create an “e-label” that would rely on digital downloads instead of compact discs that, if successful, would fundamentally change the way in which the record industry distributes music. The new business model will involve artists releasing batches of three or more tracks every few months, rather than producing an album every year or two. Initially, it will target artists that are either emerging or those that are past their prime but with a small number of dedicated fans.

read the whole article here.

Posted by freewilliamsburg at 02:13 PM | Comments (0)

Check out this hilarious video from Joel Lava, "Who's Lovin' Your Mama." It's hilarious, tasteless, and we even kinda dig the song. (It's clean enough for work provided you have headphones.)

Click here to watch

[thanks OneLouder who also has a funny story about Ali G]

Posted by freewilliamsburg at 01:53 PM | Comments (2)

October 12 + 13 - New York, NY - Webster Hall
September 15 - New York, NY - Bowery Ballroom - CMJ show - 7.30pm

Their new record got a great review on Pitchfork yesterday. The Sept/Oct live line-up will feature all of your favorite New Pornographers members including A.C.Newman, Neko Case and Dan Bejar. All dates after the jump.

August In Stores
8/22 Seattle CA Sonic Boom Ballard "Midnight" street date instore
8/24 San Francisco CA Amoeba SF Instore performance 7 PM
8/25 Los Angeles CA Tower Sunset Instore performance 7 PM
8/27 San Diego CA Lou's Records Instore performance 2 PM

Tour dates so far:
8/26 Santa Ana CA Galaxy Theatre
9/22 Victoria BC Sugar
9/23 Vancouver BC Commodore Ballroom
9/24 Seattle WA Showbox
9/25 Portland OR Wonder Ballroom
9/27 San Francisco CA Bimbo's 365 Club
9/28 San Francisco CA Bimbo's 365 Club
9/29 Los Angeles CA Henry Fonda Theater
9/30 Solana Beach CA Belly Up Tavern
10/1 Tucson AZ Rialto Theatre

10/3 Denver CO Gothic Theatre
10/5 Lawrence KS Granada
10/6 St. Louis MO Mississippi Nights

10/7 Newport KY Southgate House
10/8 Kalamazoo MI Club Soda
10/9 Toronto ON The Docks
10/10 Montreal QC Cabaret La Tulipe
10/11 Boston MA The Roxy
10/12 New York NY Webster Hall
10/13 New York NY Webster Hall
10/14 Philadelphia PA Trocadero
10/15 Washington DC 9:30 Club
10/16 Carrboro NC Cat's Cradle
10/17 Atlanta GA Variety Playhouse
10/18 Nashville TN Mercy Lounge
10/20 Chicago IL Metro
10/21 Madison WI Barrymore Theatre
10/22 Minneapolis MN First Ave
ALL DATES with DESTROYER (Dan Bejar) AND IMMACULATE MACHINE (Katherine
Calder)

Posted by freewilliamsburg at 11:26 AM | Comments (6)

Robert A. Moog, whose self-named synthesizers turned electric currents into sound and opened the musical wave that became electronica, has died. He was 71. (From CNN)

Posted by freewilliamsburg at 02:11 PM | Comments (2)

Dominorecordco.com has the video to the excellent new Smog single here. It features Chloe in a chambermaid costume wearing an eyepatch. It thankfully does not feature Vincent Gallo's Republican cock in her mouth. The new Bonnie Prince Billy video is available as well.

Posted by freewilliamsburg at 12:34 AM | Comments (0)

Vice presents their first benefit song satire, featuring:

Beck, Sum 41, The Arcade Fire, Sonic Youth, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Sloan, Peaches, Feist, Devendra Banhart, Wolf Parade, Postal Service, Buck 65, Comedian David Cross, Sex Pistols' founder Malcolm McLaren, Elvira, 60s soul legend Gino Washington, and more!

Click here to check it out.

Posted by freewilliamsburg at 12:14 AM | Comments (1)

image care of Brooklyn Vegan

Clap Your Hands Say Yeah were amazing last night at the South Street Seaport's free show. David Byrne even showed up to see this new "it" band. He must have caught wind of the comparisons being made about The Talking Heads and CYHSY. Highlight of the night was a song we'd never heard before with a catchy singalong chorus all about our good friend Satan. Can't wait to hear it on an upcoming release. We look forward to Ted Leo and The Sugar Hill Gang in coming days.

Posted by freewilliamsburg at 10:11 AM | Comments (0)

Ernest Tubb

[From WFMU via Brooklyn Vegan]

All these periodic payola inquiries would lead you to believe that the only way to get a song played on the radio is by delivering duffel bags full of cash, cocaine and Adidas sneakers to a station's doorstep. Not so. For several decades, another time-tested method was to shamelessly hitch your tune to an already established single, a phenomenon known as the Answer Song

Click here for 28 free Answer Song downloads including Ernest Tubb and the Bar-Kays.

Posted by freewilliamsburg at 12:08 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack

http://www.thisbirdhasflown.com/

Posted by freewilliamsburg at 07:03 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

We're happy to see MIA, Bloc Party, and Antony and the Johnsons made the list. Who the hell is K T Tunstall?

Bloc Party - Silent Alarm (5/1)
Hard-Fi - Stars Of CCTV (9/1)
Kaiser Chiefs - Employment (4/1)
MIA - Arular (10/1)
The Magic Numbers - The Magic Numbers (7/1)
Coldplay - X&Y (8/1)
The Go! Team - Thunder, Lightning Strike (12/1)
Antony And The Johnsons - I Am A Bird Now (12/1)
KT Tunstall - Eye To The Telescope (6/1)
Maximo Park - A Certain Trigger (10/1)
Seth Lakeman - Kitty Jay (14/1)
Polar Bear - Held On The Tips Of Fingers (12/1)

[thanks OneLouder]

Posted by freewilliamsburg at 11:13 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBack

Download Ten Decemberists Covers Care of MyOldKentucky.

Posted by freewilliamsburg at 11:32 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

You probably heard that Sufjan Stevens' new record Illinoise was pulled from shelves yesterday. Turns out, DC Comics wasn't pleased about the inclusion of Superman on the cover. They issued a cease and desist.

While we patiently await a new release date, why not cool down with three Sufjan Xmas records. With this awful humidity, God knows we could use a little December right now. And in case you missed our prior post, here's a MP3 from Illinoise.

[Thanks OneLouder for the tip.]

Posted by freewilliamsburg at 11:52 AM | Comments (3) | TrackBack

Download Islands MP3's (thanks Simple Mission) here

From Simple Mission

I know you've been wondering. Where is Nick Diamonds? Where is J'aime? Montreal? LA? NYC? Since winning the hearts of the masses as two/thirds of the French Canadian band the Unicorns, the pair have been busy traveling around this country and theirs working on various musical projects— including a brand new fantastique pop group called Islands.

Diamonds describes his group's new music as "F-14 tomcat blah, blah," which is really French-Canadian slang for fiery, shiny and shimmering madcap pop. Really though, it's wonderful stuff and I couldn't be happier to be the first kid on the block to bring it to you.

Posted by freewilliamsburg at 10:37 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack

This isn't until September, but worth mentioning:

9/24 - Coney Island, NY (at Keyspan Park)
White Stripes with The Shins and Brendan Benson

Posted by freewilliamsburg at 05:59 PM