After a laborious, fulfilling year and half of writing and recording, The Rest is set to release their sophomore album, Everyone All At Once, this April. This Canadian septet found themselves leaving their respective cities in favor of a more secluded and natural environment to write the album. They returned to their urban settings for rehearsal and recording, the latter involved attempting to corral the songs and each individual's energy into a preserved piece of electronic data. The fruits of the labors are emotionally charged shoegaze-esque indie rock gems.
England’s Finn Daniel recently established indie label Stickman Records, named after the only think he’s able to draw (stick figures), to release his debut EP, Settle. Straightforward and passionate about his craft and his business, Daniel is sure to win you over with his earnest songwriting. Daniel picked up the acoustic guitar after years of classic piano training due to coming from a family that was deeply entrenched in performing music. The 24 year old Daniel has created a beautifully harmonic EP lush with beauty and creativity.
Crystal Antlers Later this year, Long Beach’s Crystal Antlers will release Tentacles, the follow-up to last year’s lauded self-titled EP, on April 7th via Touch and Go Records. In support of the record, Crystal Antlers will hit the road with Cold War Kids this spring in a short trek along the West Coast. Their psychedelic garage punk is sure to incite a riot in venues around the world (the band is currently touring Europe) and will have you questioning all other musical forms.
The lovely and talented Birdie Busch will be opening for Popwreckoning favorite Rachael Yamagata in hometown Philadelphia’s Theatre of Living Arts, more commonly referred to as the TLA, on March 12th. You can buy tickets through Live Nation, though if you’d rather not pay the outrageous and obnoxious $8.00 service and $1.00 facility fees, I suggest hitting up the box office.
Rachael Yamagata w/ Birdie Busch Theatre of Living Arts 334 South Street Philadelphia, PA 19147 Doors: 8PM / Show: 9PM $14 adv. / $17 dos
If you’re not signed up for The Decemberists‘ mailing list, you’re truly missing out on a gem of a mass email. Each lovingly crafted newsletter is saturated with the wit and intelligence you’ve come to expect from these left coasters. The band has announced the preorder of their forthcoming record, The Hazards of Love, due March 24th.
In the meantime, we have an offer for you, our loyal inner circle of the Mailing List Recipiency (that is a word, by the way, though my spell check is apparently too plebe to let if fly): you can AT THIS VERY MOMENT put your dibs on a copy of The Hazards of Love and it will be delivered to you in a timely fashion on the date of its release. You may choose either Compact Disc or Double 180 Gram Gatefold Vinyl. But move fast: if you are one of the first 750 CD orderers or 250 vinyl orderers, your copy will arrive at your doorstep tidily signed by each member of the band. Jenny may even grace your copy with her much-imitated “smiley-face” rendering.
But get this: one lucky CD or vinyl orderer will win (by dint of a random drawing, I suppose) a Baglama Saz signed by the band. This strange Turkish 3-string banjo-like instrument will not only create an aura of “indie-worldliness” about you to impress your friends, but it, too, will come festooned with signatures from the Decemberists. And if you’re the cynical sort for whom such a gift is not enough, we’d like to give you and a friend free access to the Decemberists concert of your choice from the upcoming “A Short Fazed Hovel” Tour 2009.
In addition to the new album, the band also has two new shirt designs: 1) a gorgeous portrait of the Rake from The Hazards of Love and 2) The Ilamat, both designed by Carson Ellis, The Decemberists’ personal Illustratrix/Art Slave.
If you can’t access the band’s webshop, attribute it to the masses scrambling to get their copies of the record. It’ll be worth it.
The Decemberists - “The Rake’s Song”
Tracklisting: 01. Prelude 02. The Hazards of Love 1 (The Prettiest Whistles Won't Wrestle the Thistles Undone) 03. A Bower Scene 04. Won't Want for Love (Margaret in the Taiga) 05. The Hazards of Love 2 (Wager All) 06. The Queen's Approach 07. Isn't it a Lovely Night? 08. The Wanting Comes in Waves / Repaid 09. An Interlude 10. The Rake's Song 11. The Abduction of Margaret 12. The Queen's Rebuke / The Crossing 13. Annan Water 14. Margaret in Captivity 15. The Hazards of Love 3 (Revenge!) 16. The Wanting Comes in Waves (Reprise) 17. The Hazards of Love 4 (The Drowned)
On Monday, Annualswill be hitting Kansas City’s Record Bar and you can enter to win a pair of tickets to the show, as well as a pair of passes to Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art! You can also enter for any of the other city/museum match-ups below. Just head here to select the city where you live and fill in some contact info
For the Annuals’ show, Record Bar is letting people in for half price with a Modest Mouse ticket stub. You can check out Annuals, Jessica Lea Mayfield, and What Laura Says for the low price of $6 with your MM stub. Sweet!
Tour Dates: Feb 27 - Kilby Court / Salt Lake City, UT (Passes are for Utah Museum of Fine Arts) Feb 28 - Hi-Dive / Denver (Passes are for MCA Denver) Mar 02 - The Record Bar / Kansas City (Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art) Mar 03 - The Gargoyle / St. Louis (Passes are for Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis) Mar 04 - South Gate House / Newport, Ky. (TBA) Mar 06 - Exit/IN / Nashville (Passes are for Frist) Mar 07 - The Earl / Atlanta (Passes are for High Museum of Art Atlanta)
Waxploitation Records has confirmed a May 5th release date for Causes 2, the second album in the label’s ongoing benefit series for Darfur. 100% of the profits from the release go to Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières, Human Rights Watch and Oxfam America.
The album includes rare and exclusive songs from some of the most compelling artists in the indie and alternative worlds: Black Moth Super Rainbow, The Decemberists, Devendra Banhart, Diplo, Gnarls Barkley, LCD Soundsystem, My Morning Jacket, Neon Neon, RJD2, and Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings, as well as a contribution from Adult Swim’s Tim & Eric.
“It’s easy for fatigue to set in when a crisis goes on for a number of years, but no one has given up hope that things can change for the better in Darfur. There are untold numbers of people committed to changing the outcome. It takes humanitarian assistance, tenacity and political will.” -Jeff Antebi, Waxploitation founder
Tracklisting: 01. Black Moth Super Rainbow - happy melted city 02. The Decemberists - After the Bombs (exclusive live version) 03. Devendra Banhart - White Reggae Troll 04. Diplo - Wassup Wassup (exclusive Samim remix) 05. Federico Aubele - Luna Y Sol 06. Gnarls Barkley - Mystery Man 07. LCD Soundsystem - Starry Eyes Original 08. My Morning Jacket - Highly Suspicious (exclusive VHS or Beta remix) 09. Matthew Dear - When She Don’t Need Me 10. Mum - Asleep In A Hiding Place 11. Neon Neon - I Lust U featuring Cate Le Bon (DJ Eli Escobar remix) 12. RJd2 - Wherever 13. Sharon Jones & Dap-Kings - It Hurts To Be Alone 14. Tim & Eric - Petite Feet (Devlin & Ghostdad Remix featuring Sylvia Gordon)
Special Dallas, Texas Popwreckoning correspondent Jeffrey Irish caught the amazing DeVotchKaearlier this month at Pontiac Garage. As always, the band put on a fantastic show the displayed both their exemplary musicianship and savvy showmanship. DeVotchKa’s inspired live show isn’t to be missed.
Set List: Enemy Guns Poland Head Honcho The Clockwise Witness Queen of the Surface Streets Along The Way Venus in Furs We’re Leaving How It Ends I Cried Like A Silly Boy Transliterator Loser Basso Profundo Ranchero // You Love Me Klezbo/C’est Ce La
Tour Dates: Mar 16 - The Beaumont Club / Kansas City Mar 17 - The Pageant / St. Louis Mar 18 - People's Court / Des Moines Mar 19 - Myth / St. Paul Mar 20 - The Rave / Milwaukee Mar 21 - The Riviera Theater / Chicago Mar 22 - Agora Theater and Ballroom / Cleveland Apr 30 - Sala Sinopoli / Rome May 07 - Cine Teatro Plaza / Estarreja May 08 - Casa Das Artes / Famalicão May 09 - Teatro Virginia / Torres Novas May 23 - 2009 Sasquatch! Music Festival / George, Washington Jun 20 - Red Rocks Amphitheatre / Morrison, Co. (w/ David Byrne)
The NYC indie rock scene has always been a force to be PopWreckoned with, and Brooklyn-based Project Jenny, Project Jan is adding more fuel to an already fiery and definitely enviable indie music scene. You can count on these dudes for irresistibly fun, poppy electronica meets danceable indie– basically, the kind that’s a must-have to get even the lamest of lame parties started. Having toured with the likes of Vampire Weekend and Chairlift, PJPJ is no stranger to crowds who have a jones for music you can get down to. They’re currently sharing the stage with Fujiya & Miyagi(dates below) in support of their upcoming collaboration, The Colors EP, which will be released on April 14th. Expect to find F&M on there, as well as a little help from their other friends: Clack Singles Club, Adam Matta, Mixel Pixel, and So Percussion.
I was able to get in touch with vocalist Jeremy Haines and programmer / keyboardist Sammy Rubin to chat about touring, covering awesomely cheesy 80s songs, NYC-based charities, and their cameo in Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist. So here goes Eleven Questions with Project Jenny, Project Jan:
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Mona, PopWreckoning: I’m sure you get asked this all the time, but our readers would love to know the origins of the band name “Project Jenny, Project Jan” since neither of you appear to be women or men named Jenny and/or Jan? Jeremy and Sammy, Project Jenny, Project Jan: It’s not meant to be taken so literally, so we have created our own imagery to reinforce it, but it can be whatever you want it to be.
PW: While touring with Fujiya & Miyagi, what has been your favorite tour stop/city/venue to play so far? PJPJ: Our favorite so far has been Orlando, which was a total surprise. The crowd was very receptive and we had a great night.
PW: I’ve read that your upcoming Colors EP is a multi-artist collaboration featuring several other bands, including Fujiya & Miyagi. How did you get involved with them? Longtime friends? PJPJ: We were introduced to Fujiya & Miyagi by our friend, Rod Sherwood, who manages Au Revoire Simone. They were coming to the States to play Pitchfork and we toured with them and became good friends. The others we have been friends with for awhile, with the exception of Clack Singles Club, which one of the members of the group One Watt Sun started. We just happened to be a fan.
PW: I love that a percentage of the EP’s proceeds will go to the 826NYC Organization. That’s awesome! How did you guys decide on this charity over the millions of others here? PJPJ: We appreciate what Dave Eggers‘ aims are through his program. It’s important that kids get encouraged at an early age to find their voice creatively and have an outlet for it.
PW: I recently stumbled across a pretty rad cover of Laura Branigan’s 80s classic “Self-Control” (love it!) and found your choice pretty surprising. Of all the songs from the 80s, why did you choose this one? PJPJ: It’s a great song to dance to, and to sing along with. We both have liked this song our whole lives and thought it could use a make-over.
PW: Do you ever perform other covers while on tour? If so, what are your favorite ones to play? PJPJ: We have been playing “Go!” by Tones on Tail. It’s been rocking!
PW: So, Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist. I have yet to see it and have heard it was shot all over New York (particularly Brooklyn). Not only are you featured on the soundtrack (”Negative”), but you have a cameo in the movie, as well. How the hell did that happen!? PJPJ: Peter Sollett, the director of the movie, approached us after hearing about us through a number of things we had done. When he saw our live show, he decided to have Jeremy come read for the part of Randy, and liked it enough to cast him. We also perform our song, as the band, “Are You Randy”.
PW: Did either of you catch the acting bug after being around a movie set? PJPJ: We both caught the bug but it was only a 24 hour virus.
PW: Cute answer. Anything interesting happen on the set of the movie you think your fans would be interested in hearing about or should look out for in the clip? PJPJ: Jeremy has an amazing make-out scene. It’s actually kind of gross, too.
PW: Well, if you could go on tour supporting any musician/band out there today, who would you pick and why? PJPJ: It would be fun to do a tour with Beck. Our musical sensibilities are similar and it would make for a great show.
PW: And finally… if you could describe your music and sound in one word, what would you choose? PJPJ: Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious.
And there you have it, folks.
Tour Dates: Feb 28 - Palladium Loft / Dallas # Mar 02 - Rhythm Room / Phoenix # Mar 03 - Echoplex / Los Angeles % Mar 05 - The Independent / San Francisco % Mar 06 - Doug Fir Lounge / Portland % Mar 07 - Neumos / Seattle % Mar 13 - Harrisburg Midtown Arts Center / Harrisburg
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