5 Acts: January 2009

Saturday, January 31, 2009

Asobi Seksu - Me & Mary

Friendly Fires - Skeleton Boy

Telepathe - So Fine

Nous Non Plus - Loli

Vulture Whale - Sugar

Friday, January 30, 2009

WOXY.com Lounge Act: Passion Pit

Passion Pit is one of my favorite bands around right now and in my opinion Chunk Of Change was the best EP in 2008. The band is currently working on their full-length with the amazing Chris Zane and a preview of that can be heard today on WOXY.com. Don't miss out on Passion Pit's Lounge Act performance at 1:30 pm ET.

Passion Pit on MySpace

Passion Pit on The Hype Machine

Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Lilofee

San Francisco, CA

The Only Years is one record I can't stop listening to these days. Highly highly recommended for all fans of great electro pop.

"Lock And Key"

Lilofee on MySpace

Lilofee on The Hype Machine

You, You're Awesome

Cincinnati, OH

I'm amazed with yet another Cincinnati act.

"Two Muffins"

You, You're Awesome on MySpace

You, You're Awesome on The Hype Machine

Larytta

Switzerland

Difficult Fun is out now, and I love every second of it.

"Bauch Amp"

Larytta on MySpace

Larytta on The Hype Machine

This Is Pop

Hockey

Portland, OR

These guys were just recently signed to Virgin. Good luck with that!

"3 AM Spanish"

Hockey on MySpace

Hockey on The Hype Machine

Sunday, January 25, 2009

Loney Dear - Airport Surroundings

Flosstradamus/Caroline Polachek - Big Bills


Antony And The Johnsons - Epilepsy Is Dancing

Animal Collective - My Girls


The BPA - He's Frank

Saturday, January 17, 2009

Fever Ray - If I Had A Heart

Metronomy - A Thing For Me


Ladyhawke - My Delirium

Q-Tip - Manwomanboogie

Morrissey - I'm Throwing My Arms Around Paris

Friday, January 16, 2009

WOXY.com Lounge Act: Peasant

Make sure to tune in to WOXY.com today at 3:00 pm ET for Peasant, the first Lounge Act performance of the new year.

Peasant on MySpace

Peasant on The Hype Machine

Thursday, January 15, 2009

tonight at DC9: Anya Marina

Anya Marina is the latest addition to the Chop Shop record label; Slow & Steady Seduction: Phase II will be available January 20. Tonight she's in town at DC9 opening up for Greg Laswell along with Jenny Owen Youngs. Doors open at 8:30 and the show starts at 9:00.

Anya Marina on MySpace

Anya Marina on The Hype Machine

Wednesday, January 14, 2009

Cymbals Eat Guitars

New York, NY

Why There Are Mountains - my favorite record right now.

"And The Hazy Sea"

Cymbals Eat Guitars on MySpace

Cymbals Eat Guitars on The Hype Machine

The Soft Hands

Long Beach, CA

You can definitely hear influences from bands like The Minutemen and Mission of Burma from this California crew.

"Harbor"

The Soft Hands on MySpace

The Soft Hands on The Hype Machine

Lanterns On The Lake

We Swim You Jump

Groningen, Netherlands

We Swim You Jump just released their first EP on Subroutine Records, an independent label in the Netherlands.

"Sparks Fade Out"

We Swim You Jump on MySpace

We Swim You Jump on The Hype Machine

Cotton Jones

Cumberland, MD

New music from Michael Nau and Whitney McGraw of Page France. Paranoid Cocoon is out January 27 from Suicide Squeeze.

"Blood Red Sentimental Blues"

Cotton Jones on MySpace

Cotton Jones on The Hype Machine

Tuesday, January 13, 2009

East Hundred

Philadelphia, PA

I was easily drawn to East Hundred from the comparison to Denali. Passenger is out today from this Philly five-piece, and I highly highly recommend it.

"Slow Burning Crimes"

East Hundred on MySpace

East Hundred on The Hype Machine

Sexy Kids

Glasgow, Scotland

Who can resist smashing post post-punk pop from the Scots?

Peter Adams

Cincinnati, OH

Here's a 2008 track from Peter Adams that I didn't start loving until here recently. I think you'll agree - it's very addictive.

"Ziggurat"

Peter Adams on MySpace

Peter Adams on The Hype Machine

Anathallo

Chicago, IL

I really like the latest album from Anathallo more than previous, but the cover is freaky as hell.

"The River"

Anathallo on MySpace

Anathallo on The Hype Machine

Heartless Bastards

Cincinnati, OH

Heartless Bastards will start touring the end of this month is support of their new disc The Mountain, which is out February 3 from Fat Possum.

01.30.09 - Young Ave Deli - Memphis, TN
01.31.09 - Martyr’s - Chicago, IL
02.03.09 - Great Scott - Boston, MA
02.04.09 - Maxwell’s - Hoboken, NJ
02.05.09 - Electric Factory - Philadelphia, PA
02.06.09 - Terminal 5 - New York, NY
02.07.09 - Terminal 5 - New York, NY
02.10.09 - Gravity Lounge - Charlottesville, VA
02.12.09 - Bottle Tree - Birmingham, AL
02.13.09 - Government Street Grocery - Ocean Springs, MS
02.14.09 - Last Concert Café - Houston, TX
02.28.09 - Hailey’s - Denton, TX
03.15.09 - The Pageant - St. Louis, MO
03.16.09 - Liberty Hall - Lawrence, KS
03.17.09 - Cain’s Ballroom - Tulsa, OK
03.18.09 - SXSW - Austin, TX
03.19.09 - SXSW - Austin, TX
03.20.09 - SXSW - Austin, TX
03.21.09 - House of Blues - Houston, TX
03.23.09 - Lyric Oxford - Oxford, MS
03.29.09 - Mr. Smalls - Pittsburgh, PA
04.02.09 - Turner Hall - Milwaukee, WI
04.03.09 - The Bottom Lounge - Chicago, IL
04.04.09 - Varsity Theater - Minneapolis, MN
04.07.09 - The Warehouse - Calgary, AB
04.08.09 - The Starlight Room - Edmonton, AB
04.10.09 - The Plaza Nightclub - Vancouver, BC
04.15.09 - The Boardwalk - Sacramento, CA
04.16.09 - Slim’s - San Francisco, CA
04.21.09 - The Clubhouse - Tempe, AZ
04.24.09 - Gothic Theater - Denver, CO

"The Mountain"

Heartless Bastards on MySpace

Heartless Bastards on The Hype Machine

Saturday, January 10, 2009

Larytta - Souvenir De Chine

Anathallo - Bells

Popular Workshop - Reptilians

Franz Ferdinand - Ulysses

Blitzen Trapper - Furr


Wednesday, January 07, 2009

tonight: Title Tracks at Black Cat

If you've been waiting for the perfect local band to kick off your new year with a great DC show, tonight's the night. Title Tracks will be playing the backstage in between Edie Sedgwick and Imperial China tonight at Black Cat. Doors open at 9:00 and tickets are just $8.

Title Tracks on MySpace

Title Tracks on The Hype Machine

Monday, January 05, 2009

San Francisco’s Finest Dearest and
Empty Rooms to Release a Split EP

San Francisco bands Finest Dearest and Empty Rooms will celebrate the release of a new split EP entitled the "Wedding EP" on January 31 at the Makeout Room. The Wedding EP is a manifestation of the friendship between the two bands, but also a celebration of the marriage of two of their respective members. Chris Clark (Empty Rooms, guitar) and Carly Schneider (Finest Dearest, vocals) met in the year 2000 at SF's beloved Pop Scene at 330 Ritch through mutual friends. As a natural progression of their eight year courtship they finally tied the knot this past summer among their family and friends. The two bands have been long time friends, sharing a practice space and mutual enthusiastic support for each other's projects.

The split release, which offers two new songs from each band, was recorded live in one night (and part of an early morning!) at Different Fur studios in San Francisco. Only 100 copies of the release will be distributed.

The release show will include performances by Finest Dearest and Empty Rooms during a special happy hour show at the Makeout Room. The show starts at 7:30 PM on Saturday, January 31 and costs $7.

About Finest Dearest - In early summer of 2004, “Bay Area pop darlings” Finest Dearest began practicing in a basement bedroom, hashing out concepts and ideas. Through a series of musical chairs in the lineup, the band cultivated a sound often described as dark and edgy indie rock circa the early 90s, which is showcased on their 2008 self-titled full length album. The band plays frequently in and around San Francisco, and has toured the West Coast several times. Finest Dearest completed a successful US tour in April 2008, which included in-studio spots at XM Satellite Radio in DC and WOXY in Cincinnati, among others. The band’s releases also include the Pacemaker EP (2005), Offsides (7” 2006), and participation in the Bay Bridged, Volume 1 in 2007. Finest Dearest is currently working on material for their sophomore album, and planning their next big trip.

About Empty Rooms – San Francisco based Empty Rooms played their first show in the summer of 2004, after many years of being close friends. This close friendship would ultimately provide the basis for their “dark and dusty” soundscapes which “ooze with composure” and “unfurl solemnly” on their 2 self-released EPs Empty Rooms (2005) & Lacuna (2008). The band has definitely needed these close relationships as 4 tours, a motorcycle accident which put one member in a wheel chair and a job transfer which landed another member in Los Angeles has put the occasional strain on the band. Fortunately, the members are all healthy, mobile members of San Francisco now and are hard at work on a follow-up to their 2008 EP.

Finest Dearest on MySpace

Finest Dearest on The Hype Machine

Empty Rooms on MySpace

Empty Rooms on The Hype Machine