Maps: We Can Create (Mute)
release: June 19, 2007
style: lovely electronic with vocals
similar: M83, Luke Slater
rating: ****
This is what i'm talking about. Maps (James Chapman) is many good things: psychedelic, soothing, cosmic. We Can Create is neck deep in synth strings, Chapman's whispery, layered vocals and percolated percussion. All done on a 16-track without computer. Spectacular. -Kenyon

Fairmont: Wait & Hope (Go For Broke)
release: June 12, 2007
style: raw indie rock
similar: the Hold Steady
rating: *1/2
These guys are pissed off. They went through some hell with previous record labels, so you can't blame them. The lyrics are emo-like but who knows, this venting might be directed at business associates rather than girls. Check it out- "you ruined everything/you're the reason why i sing" and then the very next song the guy is like, "i'd do anything to ruin you." jeez. Okay that's all fine and good and depressing music is great but then in "At the End of the Movie" it's "let's quit our jobs, kill our pets, bury them in our backyard." jesus, enough. Add to that the throaty/whiney/annoying vocals and Wait & Hope, with the exception of "Today i was Thinking About You," is a big bummer. -Kenyon

Chris Benoit. wow. this is wacked.

whoa . whoa. whoa. the Cure.
65daysofstatic opening all dates.

Thu-Sep-13 Tampa - St Pete Times Forum
Sat-Sep-15 Atlanta - Gwinnett Center
Mon-Sep-17 Charlotte - Charlotte Bobcats Arena
Wed-Sep-19 Washington DC - Patriot Center
Fri-Sep-21 Philadelphia - Wachovia Spectrum
Sun-Sep-23 New York City - Madison Square Garden
Tue-Sep-25 Boston - Agganis Arena
Wed-Sep-26 Montreal - Bell Centre
Thu-Sep-27 Toronto - Air Canada Centre
Sat-Sep-29 Chicago - Allstate Arena
Tue-Oct-02 Denver - Red Rocks Amphitheatre
Thu-Oct-04 Salt Lake City - E Center
Sat-Oct-06 San Francisco - Shoreline Amphitheatre - Download Festival
Mon-Oct-08 Seattle - Key Arena
Tue-Oct-09 Vancouver - General Motors Place
Thu-Oct-11 Santa Barbara - Santa Barbara Bowl
Sat-Oct-13 San Diego - Cox Arena
Sun-Oct-14 Los Angeles - Hollywood Bowl
Tue-Oct-16 Houston - Toyota Center
Wed-Oct-17 Dallas - American Airlines Center

Vince McMahon- fake dead. Chris Benoit - dead for real?

July 10, 2007.

first single at the myspace and interpolnyc.com.

The Polyphonic Spree
The Fragile Army (TVT/Good)
release: June 19, 2007
style: huge symphonic pop
similar: no one!
rating: ****
Dizzying yet blissful, the third work from the 20+ member Polyphonic Spree (now with matching black military outfits with peace symbols patched on) opens with a jolt of energy which contains so much instrumentation and vocal parts it will make you spin. So several more listens will be required till the spinning stops. One of the fullest sounding records in memory, the Fragile Army is also more musically powerful and less (for them at least) sunshiney than their two other albums. There's a few spots that even have a dark undertone. "Watch Us Explode (Justify)", "The Championship" and other "sections" can be applied like instructions for celebrating and overcoming any obstacle. This is what heaven sounds like. Did someone say that already? Darn. Well if they didn't I'm saying it now. And if they did....this is what *love* sounds like. -Kenyon

The Loose Salute: Tuned to Love (Graveface)
release: June 5, 2007
styles: gentle Americana indie pop
similar: Call and Response, latter day Mojave 3, Oh Laura
rating: ***1/2
Ex-drummer of Mojave 3 and (near the end of its existence) Slowdive. I'm so in. Like Mojave 3, the Loose Salute goes the way of soft and sunny country-leaning pop (and Mojave 3 also has a record with "tune" in the title). Pedal steel, bells, Farfisa (?) and xylophone all surface here, while the quintet is just as strong with the somber, quieter efforts as they are with lively pop numbers. Although drummer McCutcheon does sing, he teases us with some vocals on the opening of Tuned to Love, then sits back and lets Lisa Billson handle the majority. He returns for lead vox a few times, where his singing could be the result of listening to lots of Ian Brown and Nick Drake. Good times. -Kenyon

i feel like i've just seen the entire film...

look at Bonnaroo LIVE RIGHT NOW (friday, saturday, sunday). wow, i love it.

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girl you know it's NEW. mp3s from bands we've never heard of!

J. Forté and the Secret Pop Band- "Come Back Now Baby (Your Data Is Good)" + "Analyze". data so good there's two MP3s posted. lo-fi upbeat pop.
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Spiritual Mansions- "The Tumbler" strangely psychedelic soft rock meets rolling stones. out june 19 on Afternoon records.
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Moonbabies: At the Ballroom (Hidden Agenda)
release: May 29, 2007
styles: atmospheric indie pop with electronics
rating: ***1/2
The Moonbabies are travellers in outerspace. I know this because they are dressed in astronaut gear in their press photo and video for "War on Sound." At the Ballroom isn't completely drugged-out space rock though. The Swedish duo's fourth album (oh wow, i remember getting an early recording on cassette!) is equal parts indie pop, space rock and electronic. The trippy "Cocobelle," featuring old-sounding orchestra strings, is something else altogether, comparable to the Flaming Lips' otherworldlyness. And check "Shout it Out"- got some Magnetic Fields in there. No i mean seriously. It's the melody from "Saddest Story Ever Told." Moonbabies are go! -Kenyon

girl you know it's new.
They Might Be Giants- "With the Dark".
from the next record, out July 17, 2007.
Lovable video, confusing and complex song. worlds away from "Don't Let's Start." cool!

Underworld. Under f-ing World. tour dates.

SEPTEMBER 9- HOLLYWOOD BOWL, LOS ANGELES, CA
SEPTEMBER 11- RED ROCKS , MORRISON, CO
SEPTEMBER 14: CENTRAL PARK SUMMERSTAGE, NEW YORK, NY

kenyon DJing at Galapagos Art Space in Brooklyn friday june 8!

classic vintage video.
Adam & the Ants: "Stand and Deliver" (1981) There's no reason to make fun of this video. It exists in its own realm. As you can see, Adam Ant was a revolutionary. And it appears he does his own stunts too! Spectacular!

VHS or Beta in the hooouusssseeee! third record slated for late August. SLATED.

they used to sound like Daft Punk but with live instruments. werd, that was cool.

as a band:
7/12 Murfreesboro, TN Sweetwater
7/13 Nashville, TN Mercy Lounge
7/14 Knoxville, TN Blue Cat's
7/15 Memphis, TN Hi-Tone
7/16 St. Louis, MO Blueberry Hill
7/17 Columbia, MO Mojo's
7/18 Champaign, IL The Canopy - Void Room
7/19 Indianapolis, IN Birdy's
7/20 Lexington, KY The Dame
8/02 San Francisco,CA Popscene
8/03 Los Angeles, CA Troubador

as DJs:
6/06 New York, NY Don Hill's
6/07 New York, NY Hiro
6/15 Columbia, SC Club Fusion
6/16 Washington DC Rock n Roll Hotel
6/29 Jacksonville, FL The Pearl

no one ever told me the Rentals did a cover of Gary Numan's "We Have a Technical".