Iron & Wine are getting back on the road, (dates courtesy of Paste). Hitting a couple of warm up dates on the west coast, then hitting Europe (who could blame them), and then back to the US for a few more. The new “Kiss Each Other Clean” gets its release tomorrow, and I like the few I’ve heard so far.

I had no idea that Brandon Flowers of The Killers was releasing a solo album in September, but now that I have heard the first released song and watch the epically badass video, I cannot wait. Enjoy.

Mark Kozelek’s Sun Kil Moon will release a new album entitled “Admiral Fell Promises” on June 13th. Help yourself to a pre-taste over at Caldo Verde Records.

 
Releasing a series of four albums is a huge undertaking for any band, but with the release of Renmin Park (streaming free at their official site or simply looking under the seats right here), the band has already started this endeavor and is apparently going in a whole new direction for the band; described as completely starting over as they are now “completely free of any recording contracts and obligations.“

Thanks to RSL for allowing us to embed this track titled “Cicadas” from his site.

Cowboy Junkies – Cicadas by rslblog.com

The tracks I’ve heard so far sound great and are perfect for relaxing late night on the patio after a night of heavy drinks or maybe a blistering summer afternoon on the porch with some icy lemonade. Haunting and lovable at times, southern and gritty at others, the album soothes for a plethora of moods.

This album will soon be followed by Demons, on which Cowboy Junkies will cover the songs of their late friend Vic Chesnutt, who passed away in December 2009. “His catalog is so deep and, for the most part, so overlooked,” says Michael. “It will be a labor of love.” The final two volumes of the Nomad Series will be titled Sing in My Meadow the contents of which are still being discussed and The Wilderness, a full album of new songs.

 
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Self-described “Keane purists” have been groaning for a while now about their push towards a new sound. There has been an even louder collective groan over their newest single, which infuses hip hop with their signature Britpop piano rock.

I am here to say that all of these naysayers are wrong. “Stop for a Minute,” which feature Canadian hip hop artist K’naan, is absolutely, positively one of Keane’s best songs in their fifteen year career. I whole-heartedly support the evolution of this band and the new direction that they have been taking. It’s bloody brilliant.

Their latest album is an EP titled Night Train, which was recorded during their tour for their 2008 album Perfect Symmetry. Check it out and keep an open mind, because it’s awesome.

Picked up The National’s newest effort today and it’s likely their best yet. “High Violet” has been getting pretty high marks around the nets today and to help celebrate both the release of this great new album and also the prospect of getting to see them live again this summer, the band has released a new video for the song “Bloodbuzz Ohio”. The video is a little uninspired, but it fits with the mood of the song pretty well. Which, by the way, is just so hard not to close your eyes and just revel in. You can see and listen below…

Available now for your streaming pleasure.

Sea Of Cowards

In this musical era where lip-syncing, generic computerized beats, and auto-tuning can get just about anyone to the top of the charts, it’s always refreshing to hear a new band break out who distances itself from the absurdity of mainstream music. Radio Empire does just that with their new album, Wishing Well, blending the familiar sounds of power-pop and punk rock, all while harnessing the increasingly rare beauty of actually being made up of talented musicians (*gasp* real instruments!).

Led by frontman Tyler James, one might be inclined to cite Fall Out Boy and Dashboard Confessional as influences to the Erie, Pennsylvania band – and while these comparisons may hold some weight, with Wishing Well, the band (much due to James’s unique vocals and their self-aware, lets-have-fun attitude towards music) succeeds at molding their own distinct and varied sound, be it the head-banging “Forgive, Never Forget,” the solely acoustic “Baby Doll,” or the anthem-worthy album-closer “For the Record Pt. II.” With heavy lines by bassist T-Woody and energetic drumming by Jess Scutella that’d make Dave Grohl proud, the album is an eclectic and fun mix of catchy tunes.

Wishing Well is light enough to play in the morning, it rocks hard enough to jam out to in concert, and for those who prefer to reflect on music in solitude, the lyrics are well-written, relatable to any young person, and brutally honest with issues ranging from life in a band, to girls, to religion, love, memories, and moving on. This is an exciting new album and I definitely look forward to hearing more from Radio Empire. If I were a betting man, I’d wager that it’s only a matter of time before these guys are signed and on the road to even more success.

Title Single

Tracklist:
01. For The Record pt. I
02. Wishing Well
03. Girls from the Show
04. Thousand Other Chances
05. Baby Doll
06. Forgive, Never Forget
07. Memories
08. Dress to Impress
09. Self Medicating
10. For the Record pt. II

Connect with Radio Empire
Radio Empire’s Official MySpace
Radio Empire’s Official Facebook Page
Radio Empire’s YouTube
Radio Empire’s last.fm Page
Radio Empire’s Pure Volume Page

Buy Radio Empire’s Wishing Well
iTunes
Amazon

As far as I am concerned, no one can rock quite like Dave Grohl. Whether leading the show with the Foo Fighters or passionately (and comically) destroying the drums with Them Crooked Vultures (concert review), the man is not only a musical genius, but a born entertainer. In my house, when a Foo Fighters album drops, it’s an event and as the release date approaches, anticipation grows to almost unbearable levels.

So, I’m pretty excited to hear that Dave is getting back to work with the Foo Fighters in September to work on their follow up to 2007′s Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace – and this time, they’ll be going back to their harder rock roots and bringing former Nirvana producer Butch Vig on board to help out.

“It’s the first album the two of us have made together in 20 years,” Dave told BBC. “There’s something that Butch does that helps a song become a bigger song. At this point I just want to rock. We’ve done a lot of acoustic stuff, the last couple of records have had a lot of pianos and mandolins. This one, I just want it to be on ten. We’re going to do it in my garage. It’s just a garage, it’s got junk and a refrigerator in it.”

Dave went on to say that while on tour for their last album, they wrote enough material to immediately put out another album, but they knew that meant another immediate tour and after years and years on the road (and with Dave having a recent newborn), they decided they needed a break. They are looking forward to getting back to work though and doing things the old-fashioned way.

“The way you make an album dictates the way it sounds,” Dave explained. “One of my favourite records we made was our third one which we made in my basement in Virginia. We had sleeping bags that we nailed on the wall for sound proofing. The general vibe on that record is really comfortable. I’d got upstairs and make chilli and come downstairs and do a vocal on a couch. It’s the same idea. To me it’s about switching up the process, we’ve been using pro tools and all that computer stuff the last couple of records. We’re putting that stuff in the closet and getting our old tape machines out so that we can just do it like we used to do it.”

Awesome. I can’t wait. In the meantime, I’m glad I have the recent Them Crooked Vultures album (and the memories of being front row to see them a few months ago) to hold me off.

p.s. I totally snapped that photo of Dave Grohl that you see above. He sweat on me.

One of my favorite bands will finally release their third album, after closing in on three years since their sophomore release. The label hasn’t been announced yet, but Pitchfork has revealed that Band of Horses is dropping their latest album, titled Infinite Arms, on May 18. Below are their scheduled tour dates, none of which are in my area, so hopefully I can line up a short vacation with one of the days that they are playing.

You can expect to be updated on anything and everything related to this – including single releases – as soon as we find out. In the meantime, listen to some of their older stuff, via their MySpace.

03-15 Boulder, CO – Fox Theater
03-16 Denver, CO – Ogden Theatre
03-18 Austin, TX – Stubbs BBQ
03-19 Austin, TX – Central Presbyterian Church
04-08 Paris, France – La Fleche D’or
04-09 Brussels, Belgium – Orangerie
04-10 Rotterdam, Netherlands – Motel Mozaique
04-12 London, England – Koko
04-14 Cologne, Germany – Kulturkirche
04-16 Oslo, Norway – Rockefeller
04-17 Gothenburg, Sweden – Tradgarn
04-18 Copenhagen, Denmark – Vega
04-23 Raleigh, NC – Walnut Creek Amphitheater *
04-24 Raleigh, NC – Walnut Creek Amphitheater *
04-27 Gainesville, FL – University of Florida’s Rion Ballroom
04-28 Miami, FL – The Fillmore
04-29 Orlando, FL – House of Blues
05-01 New Orleans, LA – Jazzfest
05-30 Bend, OR – Les Schwab Amphitheater #
05-31 George, WA – Sasquatch
06-05 Bangor, Ireland – Ward Park !
06-09 London, England – Roundhouse
06-12 Glasgow, Scotland – Bellahouston Park !
06-19 Toronto, Ontario – Olympic Island $
09-25 Los Angeles, CA – Greek Theatre

* with Widespread Panic
# with She & Him
! with Snow Patrol
$ with Pavement, Broken Social Scene

Smashing Pumpkins released the third track today from their massive “Teargarden by Kaleidyscope” 44 song project. This is easily the best of the three released so far and well worth a listen. Nice mid tempo strummer and a flash of what Billy Corgan is still capable of.

Over the past 18 months or so I’ve become increasingly tired of lyrics. That sounds like an over generalization and a bit melodramatic, but I love just spacing out and getting into the groove with a strictly instrumental group these days. Call me a shoe-gazer if you want, but these types of band (think Explosions in the Sky) are right up my alley when taking in live musical soundage.

Red Sparowes are among some of my current favorite bands. I was sad to see Josh Graham go, but more thrilled about them bringing in a chick to fill the void in Emma Ruth Rundle – I’ve also been partial to chick bands as of late. They still have their same great sound and it might even be more listenable – time will tell. The trailer for the latest album is wicked awesome. Gut-pounding, melodic riffs that build and sustain before taking it down a notch into a sliding “Darkside of the Moon” sounding musical soliloquy. Take a listen below and maybe I’ll see you at the Minneapolis leg of the tour (full schedule dates are under the seats).

Enjoy!

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If you’ve never heard of Lali Puna, now is as good of a time as any; even if their last full album (“Faking the Books”) was released almost five years ago. Maybe you’re more familiar with their anchor, Markus Acher of The Notwist. The band is part of the Morr Music label, which is a German label responsible for putting out quality electronic music in the early part of this decade.

While I usually instinctively cringe at the mention of electronica, the term is actually much broader than I originally once thought and I’m trying to train myself away from that instinctual wince. Electronica doesn’t always have to be a repetitive thumping dance beat that’s only good for xtc fried teenagers to rave to. Case in point, Lali Puna: a melodic melding of electronica and bubblegum pop along with layers of various, interesting instruments and beautiful vocals reminiscent of something like Radiohead. I like music that builds very slowly for several minutes before finally cresendoing into something bright and spectacular and then know when to cut.

With that in mind, the new album, “Our Inventions” is due out on April 1st and judging from the first single that was released, I guess I’m pretty much looking forward to adding more of this electronica to my iTunes playlist. Take a listen to the new single below (for sample purposes only – please support the band by purchasing the record!)…

[display_podcast]

Erie, Pennsylvania indie power-pop band Radio Empire formed less than a year ago and they’ve already made quite an impact on the western Pennsylvania music scene. Having already released an EP in the spring of 2009, shortly after their formation, the band is set to release their first full-length album at their official CD release show on February 17, playing with the likes of Chicago-based pop-rock band The Audition (who have played at Warped Tour and opened for Jack’s Mannequin, New Found Glory, Boys Like Girls) and Maryland-based The Dangerous Summer.

Their new album, titled “Wishing Well,” is going to have more emphasis on the power rather than the pop. As lead vocalist and guitarist Tyler James said in a recent interview, “Anything that was catchy before is twice as catchy now. Anything that was harder is twice as hard now. We took everything to the next level.”

Radio Empire has the title song of their new album (and all of the songs from their previous EP) up on the band’s MySpace and after listening to it a few times, it’s obvious that the band, which includes Tyler Woodruff and Jess Scutella and a current fill-in show guitarist, has benefited from the chemistry that their summer EP tour provided and they have musically matured over the past year, James’s vocals particularly standing out in the new song.

Considering the explosion of their popularity in less than a year and the promise that the new single offers, this is a band to watch out for. If you’re in the Erie area, you’ll be able to snag their album at the February 17th show (which I am hoping to make) – otherwise, you’ll have to wait until March when its available online via their MySpace, Amazon, and [hopefully] iTunes.

Expect a full album review and maybe even an interview with the band within the coming weeks. In the meantime, here’s the video for “Thursday Calls for No Surprises”, a song from their EP.

Spoon’s new album Transference drops on January 19th. Here’s the first single from the album, titled “Written in Reverse.” This band is consistently great and has managed to have their own unique voice in the midst of an overly-crowded market. This is the first album where lead singer Brit Daniel did all of the producing himself and if the rest of the album is this catchy, I’m going to be expecting another deliciously addictive album from these guys. Enjoy.