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| Minature Tigers to Tour with Ben Folds Posted: 30 Jan 2009 03:25 PM CST Miniature Tigers will be kicking off their 2009 touring, in support of their forthcoming debut album Tell It To The Volcano, as support for Ben Folds for nearly three weeks beginning February 11th in Princeton, NJ, and concluding March 1st in Charlotte, NC. The following day, Miniature Tigers will hook up for a March tour with Dear and the Headlights winding their way into SXSW. The band is thrilled to announce the addition of Phantom Planet's Darren Robinson to their touring band. Robinson's mainstay gig has gone on an indefinite hiatus, allowing him time to work with some new collaborators. “Cannibal Queen” Front man Charlie Brand wrote the album while on the lam – not from the law, but rather from a relationship he described as "brutal." He left Phoenix to clear his head, landing in Los Angeles and collaborating with his friend Rick to complete the long-gestating album. It was his catharsis – with cannibals and volcanoes stepping in for the real-world problems that had both beset and inspired him. In the end the album represents Charlie's effort to codify, examine, and ultimately move past a 2-year stretch of his life. Tell it to the Volcano is currently available on iTunes, as well as a limited-edition letterpressed CD package and on vinyl at shows and via the band's web site. They'll be touring through the winter of 2009, when the album will find its way to stores through an official retail release on February 17th. Tour Dates: * w/ Ben Folds Minature Tigers: website | myspace  Related Posts |
| Posted: 30 Jan 2009 01:56 PM CST
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| Posted: 30 Jan 2009 01:23 PM CST |
| Blind Pilot - 3 Rounds and a Sound Posted: 30 Jan 2009 11:28 AM CST I was passed 3 Rounds and a Sound by Portland rockers Blind Pilot and had heard it was very “Arcade Fire meets Jack Johnson.” Umm, whoever told me that is deaf because I wholeheartedly disagree! Decidedly piqued, I figured I would give this indie pop duo a fair shot anyway. And after a couple of listens, it’s safe to say I’m glad I did. If you’re looking for the musical equivalent to what The Shins would sound like if they jumped out of bed and immediately began playing music without the chance to caffeinate themselves, it’s time to let Blind Pilot navigate your music player of choice. They already generated buzz as an “iTunes Song Of The Week” this summer for their “Go On, Say It”. This track lead to a cool 2 million downloads, which I find kind of impressive for a burgeoning indie band in a sea of burgeoning indie bands. Perhaps, the niftiest little fun fact about them is the environmentally friendly tour they went on… on bike! Talk about being as green as possible. After completing this tour from Vancouver to San Francisco, co-captains and bandmates Ryan Dobrowski and Israel Nebeker were then able to come home and officially record their debut album. I actually read somewhere they were hoping to keep biking down to Mexico on tour, but their sole means of transportation were stolen in San Francisco. Maybe bicycles are the San Francisco treat du jour, but shame on you, NorCal! Now, the vocals. I really dig lead singer Israel Nebeker’s voice. It’s clear and easy on the vibrato, which I usually prefer in male vocals. His clarity actually reminds me of Kevin Griffin, the lead singer of 90s outfit Better Than Ezra. The uncomplicated and laid-back vocals are a perfect match for their equally uncomplicated and laid-back style. And the music? It’s very singer-songwriter, minimalistic folky indie pop rock. Between Nebeker’s acoustic guitar and Dobrowski’s sparse drumming, they manage to create a sound that’s gentle, melodic, and relaxing. They also manage to do this in a completely non-boring way, which is more than I can say for a lot of the other no frills acoustic-ish indie rock out there. In fact, their songs are pretty darn catchy. They have the tendency to infuse creative musical elements, like blasts of horns or a well-placed string section that add a sweet texture to their music without overcomplicating things. The album’s best examples of this are during “I Buried A Bone” (one of my personal favorites) with the mariachi-style trumpets or the use of violins during “Things I Cannot Recall”. These musical additions aren’t just there to prove they’re multi-instrumentalists; instead, they add sophistication and help polish a sound that already boasts a sweet simplicity. This album may qualify as a grower since it did take me some time to really get into who they are and what they’re all about. But now I’m flying into “I can’t stop playing it” territory. Their songs make me want to sing along, clap my hands, and bang a tambourine against my hip during a campfire sing-along with friends. And I don’t know about you, but that’s usually the mark of a stellar debut album worth checking out. Blind Pilot’s 3 Rounds and a Sound is available now through Expunged Records. Tracklisting: Tour Dates: Blind Pilot: website | myspace | @ aladdin theatre  Related Posts |
| Posted: 30 Jan 2009 09:11 AM CST Though San Francisco outfit Dead to Me’s Little Brother EP is a new release, it feels like being back in the 90s. Each song is awash with old school punk rock guitar riffs with a hint of reggae. And while some may look back on the 90s fondly, this EP reminds why some things are better left to the past. These guys cram a lot into a thirteen minute EP. In fact, vocally, they cram too much. As much as I didn’t mind the instrumentals, the lyrics grow weary and the overdone vibrato on the vocals become unbearable. Instead of five individual tracks it sounds more like one monotonous song. At least the guys get a little more experimental in the title track “Little Brother”. They, too, must have felt this was their best song and consequentially gave it twice the length that the other songs got. I hear Dead to Me put on a good live show, so perhaps that is worth checking out, but this EP is not. Little Brother is available now on Fat Wreck Chords. Tracklisting: Dead to Me: myspace  Written by: Bethany Related Posts This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
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