Chief, the latest artist on Domino records, gives

us first song from album due in August 2010.

Formed in New York before returning to their original turf in Caleefornya, Chief's debut album, Modern Rituals, is scheduled for August 17, 2010 on the phenomenal Domino records. First cut "Night and Day" (not the Cole Porter song) bonds like Band of Horses and shines like the Shins. -Kenyon

“Night and Day” - [mp3]

dates with the nite:

May 28 Philadelphia, PA World Cafe Live (downstairs)
June 2 New York, NY Mercury Lounge
June 5 Brooklyn, NY Union Pool (early show)
June 8 San Francisco, CA Hotel Utah
June 10 Seattle, WA The Crocodile
June 11 Portland, OR Doug Fir Loung
June 13 Santa Barbara, CA Muddy Waters
June 14 Los Angeles, CA Troubadour
June 15 San Diego, CA House Of Blues (Salvation Alley Stage)

movies left for dead

Let's Scare Jessica to Death (1971) A psychological chiller rarely mentioned, Let's Scare pre-dates some of horror's most influential films, allowing it to walk its own path. While it does have that 1970s horror film atmosphere, the movie only plays mind games with the namesake character and ultimatly the viewer. The emotional mess Jess has recently left a mental hospital. She, her husband and a pal move to a big house in rural Connecticut, where Jess starts seeing things and hearing voices. It's not clear if all the images she sees are real or in her mind. Meanwhile, they are acquainted with a woman who they find already living in the house. She turns out to be either a vampire, a ghost or just a sick and twisted drifter who strums a stringed instrument with audio dubbed over it (yes!). In the early 70s this must have spooked people, but with a lack of meaning and no closure, the film--even with its moments of suspense--comes up short in its attempt to scare. [rating: $5] -Kenyon

---------------------------

They (aka Invasion from Inner Earth) (1981) The cheapest of cheap effects (smoke bombs), non-existent action and excessive speaking from the main characters is what this abomination of film making relies on. Providing little to no sense at all, They makes Plan 9 from Outer Space look like the Day the Earth Stood Still. For most of the 90 minutes, five people sit around in a secluded cabin, speculating about the chaos in the world supposedly caused by aliens who are never even shown! It's assumed it is the aliens randomly communicating over ham radio in robotic voices, saying things like, "how many are you"? Adding to the beyond amateur low budget is the method of making people disappear. Mmmbop they are there, mmmbop they're gone! Why that even happens isn't explained. As if things weren't confusing enough, this "movie" has been under at least three different titles with various cover arts that are all misleading. The cover of my copy has only the face of a reptilian-like creature with fangs. [rating: $0] -Kenyon

Midnight Juggernauts > new video + gigs + album May 28, 2010
Finally something that sounds and looks like it's from 2010, all futuristic and fresh space travel rock n roll. I got dibs to DJ this, i called it! Those twisting liquified people though, geez why are they doing that? Just to show that they CAN? The Crystal Axis blops May 28 digitally and August 31 physically. -Kenyon


dates with the nite

Thursday, July 22 @ Santos - New York, NY
Friday, July 23 @ Voyeur - Philadelphia, PA
Saturday, July 24 @ Brooklyn Bowl - Brooklyn, NY
Monday, July 26 @ The Echo - Los Angeles, CA
Tuesday, July 27 @ Cinespace - Los Angeles, CA

First album from Versus in ten years out August 3, 2010

Holy wowzer, another 1990s indie rock staple on Merge records has new material. Here's a track from the upcoming On the Ones and Threes.

"Invincible Hero" - [mp3]

Superchunk announces East Coast tour dates!


One of the backbones of 1990s indie rock and the founders of Merge records, Superchunk is working on their first full-length album since 2001. After a handful of festival dates this summer, they will do the headlining thing in the east. -Kenyon

9/17 Washington, DC- 930 Club
9/18 New York, NY - Bowery Ballroom
9/19 Brooklyn, NY- Music Hall of Williamsburg
9/21 Boston, MA- Royale
9/22 Philadelphia, PA- Trocadero

holy jesus monkey b*lls the new song from SCISSOR SISTERS!

....nope, guess not, some stupid company keeps removing the video on youtube and vimeo. how does that make sense for them? dummies.

Seinking Ships features first vocals from Lush's Miki Berenyi in like ten years.

Mainly instrumental project Seinking Ships is Eric Matthews (ex-Cardinal and at one time signed to Subpop) and Christopher Seink. They convinced 1990s dreampop queen Miki Berenyi to add some vocals and as a result we have "You Didn't Love Me," from the upcoming S-Curve records release Museum Quality Capture. Her soft, enchanting voice always provides solace. -Kenyon

"You Didnt Love Me" [mp3]

new videos from two indie pop bands

Club 8 > "Western Hospitality"

For their seventh record, Swedish indie pop duo Club 8 travelled to Brazil for inspiration, bought vintage records in Western Africa and worked with a percussion player from Cuba. "Western" accurately reflects that path. Arriving next week, The People's Record (Labrador), comes from a duo (Karolina Komstedt and Johan Angergård, also of The Legends and Acid House Kings) who never play live and rarely give interviews in regards to Club 8. The video appears to follow a young Asian girl to Club 8's office to intern, but instead she dances. -Kenyon

-----------
The Pains of Being Pure at Heart > "Higher Than the Stars"

The New York City band is going on a short tour with two radical groops, Surfer Blood and Hooray for Earth (a line-up not to miss!). It's in support of the "Say No to Love" single, out June 8 on Slumberland Records. "Higher Than the Stars" is reminiscent of the lighter 1990s dream pop from bands such as the Rosemarys and Riverside. The video shows us that furries and non-furries can co-exist. -Kenyon

dates with the nite:

06/03 Milford, CT Daniel Street
06/04 Rochester, NY The German House
06/05 Buffalo, NY The Tralf
06/06 Cleveland, OH Beachland Ballroom
06/08 Memphis, TN Hi Tone Cafe
06/09 Birmingham, AL Bottletree Cafe
06/10 Tallahassee, FL The Engine Room
06/11 Orlando, FL Club at Firestone
06/12 Miami, FL Grand Central - Poplife 11
06/13 Jacksonville, FL Jack Rabbits
06/15 Carrboro, NC Cat's Cradle
06/16 Washington, DC Black Cat

The Black Keys > dino-myte video for "Next Girl" from new album out next week + tour kicking off + late night TV May 25, 26.


There are three ways to experience this: read the bottom, look at the pretty girls, or listen to mr. dinosaur sing one of the dirtiest blues-rock songs of 2010. Ahhh snap, i hear some Hendrix in there. The new album, Brothers (out next week on Nonesuch), also includes the Danger Mouse-produced song “Tighten Up." The day after the record release, the Black Keys will play a small gig at the Bookstore Cafe in NYC, with all monies from tickets going to charity. From the end of May to early October they're gonna be all over the place on a HUGE tour, opening for Pearl Jam, the Flaming Lips and Kings of Leon. -Kenyon

New York activity:

May 20 Madison Square Garden (with Pearl Jam)
May 25 Late Show with David Letterman
May 26 Late Night with Jimmy Fallon
July 27 Central Park SummerStage
July 28 Central Park SummerStage

Two upcoming horror movie remakes

One should be bloody fun, the other looks like crap. Both originals are from 1978.

Piranha 3D (end of August). One of the few that actually calls for a remake, the 2010 version has an all-star cast and, obviously, monstrous mutant fish in 3D. This can't go wrong, it just can't.

I Spit on Your Grave (end of October) Sharing a similar tone and story with the original Last House on the Left, the original I Spit is infamous for its violent subject matter. This unnecessary re-doing already has a low-grade look.

Holly Miranda and her band played at the University Cafe in Stony Brook last nite, following tour dates with Tegan and Sara. Last nite was two days before Matt & Kim play at the Stony Brook ARENA with a hip-hop guy named Wale. As it's $25 for non-students, you can count me out on that one. Holly Miranda, also of the band Jealous Girlfriends, can be counted IN for her mystical timezone marriage of Jeff Buckley and Fiona Apple. Holly is on the roster of the indispensable XL recordings, which just issued The Magician's Private Library.

Kele Okereke of Bloc Party has a solo album on the way (June 21 on Wichita/Polydor). The first jam is pretty hot. Lots of websites are reporting that while making the album he had a mental breakdown and compared himself to Britney Spears.

not to be confused with anything by Bobby Brown!

Thrill Jockey records> new artist

It is time to give some big big LOVE to Thrill Jockey, cause they've been a big part of the indie music circuit for years now. TJ has supported all kinds of post-rock artists such as Tortoise, Mouse on Mars and Oval. Thrill's latest addition is Lazer Crystal from Chicago. Yes another band with "crystal," can you believe this? The first full album MCMLXXX (1980) just hit the world last week and the band just hit Europe for tour.

"Love Rhombus" - [mp3] - features afterhours electro glossed with a sleepy lead vocal and a youth group vocal hook resembling "Cry Little Sister" from Lost Boys. Some of their other stuff sounds like Joy Division underwater. -Kenyon

Stereo Total > new tracks + tour dates

Euro duo Stereo Total have just released their ninth album through Kill Rock Stars. "Baby Ouh!" is a further sample of ST's lo-fi indie electronic which has been defining cool since the mid-90s. -Kenyon

"Baby Ouh!" - [mp3]

Dates with the nite

August 2010
25 - New York, NY @ Le Poisson Rouge
26 - Cambridge, MA @ Middle East
27 - Montreal, QC, Canada @ La Sala Rossa
28 - Toronto, ON, Canada @ El Mocambo
29 - Detroit, MI @ Magic Stick
30 - Chicago, IL @ Empty Bottle
31 - Seattle, WA @ Chop Suey
September 2010
1 - Portland, OR @ Doug Fir
2 - San Francisco, CA @ Slim's
3 - Los Angeles, CA @ Echoplex
4 - Austin, TX @ Mohawk

Primus > tour dates with Gogol Bordello
+ new album planned for 2011.

July 27 Toronto, ONT Sound Academy
July 29 Essex Junction, VT Midway Lawn at Champlain Valley*
July 30 Brooklyn, NY Williamsburgh Waterfront*
July 31 Bridgeport, CT Gathering of the Vibes
Aug 1 Charlottesville, VA Charlottesville Pavillion*
Aug 3 Cleveland, OH Time Warner Cable Amphitheater*
Aug 5 Columbus, OH LC Pavillion *
Aug 6 Nashville, TN Ryman Auditorium
Aug 7 Milwaukee, WI The Rave
Aug 9 Council Bluff, IA Stir Cove at Harrah's *
Aug 10 Kansas City, MO Uptown Theater *
Aug 12 Denver, CO Red Rocks *
Aug 13 Salt Lake City, UT The Rail *
Aug 14 Las Vegas, NV The Joint
Aug 15 Santa Barbara, CA County Bowl w/Wolfmother

*with Gogol Bordello

Rooney > new song > summer tour + tour with Hanson

Rooney's next album, Eureka, will be out June 8, 2010 via California Dreaming Records via Warner Music Group's Independent Label Group. "I Don't Wanna Lose You," another breezy pop rock song from the band--fronted by a nephew of Francis Ford Coppola--is free at their webby site. After their regular headlining tour, which includes a date in LONG ISLAND, they jump onto tour with Hanson. Yes, mmmbop Hanson. -Kenyon

Dates with the nite (with Black Gold and Young Veins):

June 16 Wave House San Diego, CA

June 17 House of Blues Anaheim, CA

June 19 Henry Fonda Los Angeles, CA

June 20 Canyon Club Agoura Hills, CA

June 22 Slim's San Francisco, CA

June 23 The Boardwalk Orangevale, CA

June 24 Wonder Ballroom Portland, OR

June 26 El Corazon Seattle, WA

June 27 Knitting Factory Boise, ID

June 28 Urban Lounge Salt Lake City, UT

June 29 Marquis Theatre Denver, CO

June 30 Waiting Room Omaha, NE

July 1 Blue Note Columbia, MO

July 2 Juanita's Cantina Ballroom Little Rock, AR

July 3 The Collective Shreveport, LA

July 5 Republic New Orleans, LA

July 6 Seville Quarter Pensacola, FL

July 7 The Social Orlando, FL

July 8 Common Grounds Gainesville, FL

July 9 Crowbar Tampa, FL

July 10 The Loft Atlanta, GA

July 11 Amos' Southend Charlotte, NC

July 12 Handlebar Greenville, SC

July 14 Irving Plaza New York, NY

July 15 Bottle & Cork Dewey Beach, DE

July 16 Chameleon Club Lancaster, PA

July 17 Crazy Donkey Farmingdale, NY

July 18 Toad's Place New Haven, CT

July 19 School of Rock Hackensack, NJ

late July to late August tour with Hanson

Fol Chen new track + tour with Liars

West coast indie art pop ensemble Fol Chen are ready to release the follow up to last year's Part I: John Shade, Your Fortune's Made with Part II: The New December (on Asthmatic Kitty July 6, 2010). The album features members of Liars, who are taking Fol Chen on tour with them. "In Ruins" shows the band proud and confident with their mixture of hard-to-identify sounds and female vocals that bring to mind the best of Luscious Jackson. Also, find their law-defying cover of Pink Floyd's "In the Flesh" at their myspace. -Kenyon

"In Ruins" - [mp3]

dates with LIARS
04/27 San Francisco, CA Slim's
04/29 Portland, OR Hawthorne Theatre
04/30 Vancouver, BC VenueCanada
05/01 Seattle, WA Neumo's
07/13 Minneapolis, MN First Avenue
07/14 Madison, WI High Noon Saloon
07/15 Milwaukee, WI Turner Hall
07/17 Detroit, MI Magic Stick
07/18 Newport, KY The Southgate House
07/20 Nashville, TN Exit / In
07/21 Bloomington, IN Rhino's Youth Center
07/22 St. Louis, MO Firebird
07/23 Lawrence, KS Bottleneck
07/24 Denver, CO Bluebird

Bret Michaels suffers brain hemorrhage, rushed to hospital Thursday nite.

Portugal. The Man Signs with Atlantic records. Tour dates in June.

Portland by way of Alaska artist Portugal. The Man hits the West coast in June. Earlier this month, its creative escapist rock earned them a contract with big wig Atlantic records.

dates with the nite
5/29 - Sasquatch! Festival - George, WA
6/17 - Harlow's Night Club - Sacramento, CA
6/18 - The Fillmore - San Francisco, CA
6/19 - House of Blues - Anaheim, CA
6/20 - Hotel Congress - Tucson, AZ
6/23 - Club Sound - Salt Lake City, UT
6/25 - Neumos Crystal Ball Reading Room - Seattle, WA
6/26 - Roseland Theater - Portland, OR