Thursday, July 31, 2014

VALKYRIE Sign to Relapse Records; Complete Recording New Album

Relapse Records is proud to announce the signing of Virginia hard rock riff worshippers VALKYRIE. Formed in 2002, VALKYRIE consists of brothers Jake and Pete Adams (Baroness, Samhain) on guitar and vocals, Alan Fary (Earthling) on bass and Warren Hawkins on drums. Drawing heavily from the classic eras of hard rock and heavy metal, VALKYRIE play guitar driven rock n’ roll replete with infectious solos and catchy, powerful vocals. The band has drawn numerous comparisons to greats like Thin Lizzy, Scorpions, Black Sabbath, early Iron Maiden, and Deep Purple. 




The quartet has released two full-lengths along with a series of EPs and singles. VALKYRIE recently recorded their first full-length in over 7 years at Earth Analog Studios in Champaign, IL with producer Sanford Parker (Nachtmystium, Pelican) earlier this month.  The eight song album will see an early 2015 release via Relapse.

Guitarist / vocalist Jake Adams commented on the signing and new material:


We are really excited about this new record. Some of these songs we have been working on for many years and we are glad to see them have a proper release on an excellent label. This new record will be a step up in terms of song dynamics and musicianship from the previous albums. We think our fans will dig the fresh approach to the classic Valkyrie sound.”

Stay tuned for more VALKYRIE news and updates. Songs from the band’s previous albums can be streamed via their official Bandcamp page here




HIGH ON FIRE Announces North American Tour Dates

HIGH ON FIRE have announced summer tour dates. The globally celebrated heavy metal pioneers will kick off the must-see live performances on August 12 in Cambridge, MA as headliners of the inaugural Converse Rubber Tracks Live Tour. The just-announced run will continuewith stops in Toronto (Aug. 14), Brooklyn (Aug. 15), Los Angeles (Aug. 19) and San Francisco (Aug. 20). Tickets for the Converse Rubber Tracks Live Tour are free (see below for ticketing links) and the jaunt will coincide with Converse Rubber Tracks “pop-up” recording studios in each city, providing opportunities for emerging artists to unleash their creative spirit.


 


Additionally, HIGH ON FIRE will appear among the featured acts at the 2014 Hopscotch Music Festival, set to take place September 4-6 in Raleigh, NC. HIGH ON FIRE, who feature guitarist/vocalist Matt Pike, drummer Des Kensel and bassist Jeff Matz, will headline the Lincoln Theater on Saturday, Sept. 6 as part of the festival, with Witch Mountain, Subrosa and Demon Eye opening the evening’s festivities. HIGH ON FIRE will showcase at Hopscotch alongside fellow headliners Mastodon, St. Vincent, Sun Kil Moon, The War on Drugs and more. For full details, visit HopscotchMusicFest.com.








 Finally, HIGH ON FIRE will take its audio annihilation to the sea as part of the inceptive Motörhead’s Motörboat. Described as “the ultimate music festival cruise vacation”, the seafaring soiree will set sail September 22-26 from Miami, FL aboard a Carnival Cruise ship, christened as “The Loudest Boat In The Wörld”. Joining HIGH ON FIRE will be Motörhead (natch), Megadeth, Anthrax, Zakk Wylde, DOWN, Testament and more. Visit MotorheadCruise.com for full details.


 


   HIGH ON FIRE North American tour dates:

** = Converse Rubber Tracks Tour presents HIGH ON FIRE

# = Blackest supports

% = Arctic supports

August 12    Cambridge, MA        The Sinclair  ** #  (LINK)

August 14    Toronto, ON             Adelaide Hall ** #  (LINK)

August 15    Brooklyn, NY            Music Hall of Williamsburg ** #  (LINK)

August 19    Los Angeles, CA      Echoplex ** %  (LINK)

August 20    San Francisco, CA  The Chapel ** %  (LINK)


September 6     Raleigh, NC         Hopscotch Festival  (w/ Mastodon, Sun Kil Moon, St. Vincent, Valient Thorr, etc.)


September 19   Tampa, FL          The Orpheum

September 20   Miami, FL            Grand Central

September 21   Orlando, FL        Will’s Pub    ​

September 22  THE MIDDLE OF THE OCEAN as part of Motörhead’s Motörboat (w/ Megadeth, Anthrax, DOWN, etc.)

September 27   Portland, OR       Dantes


 

WATCH: HIGH ON FIRE “Fertile Green” (YouTube)









   HIGH ON FIRE have begun work on their new, as-yet-untitled studio album. The group has convened for strategic writing sessions in both New Orleans, LA and Oakland, CA, with early reports indicating the band’s new material to be both “epic” and “sonically huge”. A 2015 tentative release date via eOne Music is expected for the new LP, the follow-up to 2012′s De Vermis Mysteriis, which has been hailed as “not for the faint of heart ” by The New Yorker and “a fantastically constructed bloodbath” by Entertainment Weekly.







   “Everyone is asking what the new High on Fire music sounds like,” says Des Kensel. “Chew on some mescaline and listen to side B of Sabbath’s “Master of Reality” backwards at 78 RPM and it might give you an idea.”
HIGH ON FIRE is available to speak with interested media now. To chat with the band, simply contact Carl Schultz @ ACTION! PR via any of the means listed below. Updated news and tour information will be made available via HIGH ON FIRE online (website / facebook) and ACTION! PR online (website / facebook / twitter).

“HIGH ON FIRE is the sludgy resin from 30 years of super-hard-rock history transubstantiated into three men from Oakland with low-slung jeans” - THE NEW YORK TIMES


     About HIGH ON FIRE:


Universally recognized as one of the most potent acts in music today, HIGH ON FIRE creates modern heavy metal that merges primal fury and aggression, hesher bombast and hall of fame heaviness.  Described as “a supersonic exercise in conquest by volume,” HIGH ON FIRE has rewritten the hard rock rule book since its formation in 1998, forging a style and sound that is both critically celebrated and absolutely unique.  The group features vocalist and cult guitar hero Matt Pike – also a founding member of the famed underground band SLEEP — along with powerhouse drummer Des Kensel and talented bassist Jeff MatzHIGH ON FIRE‘s most recent studio album De Vermis Mysteriis was released on April 3, 2012.




Keys N Krates Announce New EP Every Nite

















Keys N Krates are about to be rewarded by Every Nite, the fresh new EP from the Canadian musical masterminds. Still flying high off the success of their undeniably catchy hit “Dum Dee Dum,” Keys N Krates are ready to launch into the next phase of their journey with this 6 track offering, which aptly demonstrates their evolution as a band, as well as their loyalty to the unique fusion of hip-hop and electronic music that they’re known for. Set for release on September 23 on Dim Mak Records, Every Nite displays the seamless blend and complementary juxtaposition between the drums, keys, turntables, and live sampling that so clearly distinguishes Keys N Krates

.


Ahead of the EP, Keys N Krates are presenting the first single “Are We Faded,” which is set for release August 26. About “Are We Faded,” Billboard says, “The new single, ‘Are We Faded,’ is dizzyingly sexy, pushing along at a slower tempo that’s ideal for sweaty, middle-of-the-dance-pit grooving. It’s carried by choppy female vocals that bounce around in tandem with the synths, vanishing every once in a while to let a low voice chime ‘f-f-faded.’”


Keys N Krates have celebrated recent success with “Dum Dee Dum” (off their SOLOW EP) nearing the 100k downloads sold mark (99,659 as of July 30), and with the accompanying video amassing more than 2.2 million views on YouTube. Other recent achievements include the Tove Lo flip of “Habits” into “All The Time,” which has collected over 5 million Soundcloud plays, as well as the entirety of their acclaimed SOLOW EP, including “Treat Me Right,” which shot to #1 on Hype Machine, received instantaneous support from figureheads such as Diplo and Flosstradamus and was debuted by Annie Mac in the UK. They have also been featured on some of the biggest and best festival stages around the world including HARD in Los Angeles, Voodoo Festival in New Orleans, and Lollapalooza in Chicago, with USA Today singling them out as emerging artists to catch.


In celebration of the Every Nite EP, Keys N Krates are embarking on a massive fall tour, co-headlining with Gladiator and with support from Thugli, that will take them across the expanse of North America. Aside from their noteworthy talent as producers and studio musicians, Keys N Krates truly set themselves apart by their performances, where they bring their live electronic instrumentation to the stage together as a band. With stops in Los Angeles, Denver, Boston, Philadelphia, Phoenix, and countless more, Keys N Krates are canvassing the continent making sure no fan gets left behind.


Loudpvck & Gladiator’s new track “Tony” is set for release on Ultra Music August 12, following Gladiator’s collaboration with A-Trak, a remix of Foster the People’s “Best Friend.” Also Joining Keys N Krates on the tour are fellow Torontonians, Thugli. Loved by Diplo, A-Trak, Flosstradamus and Bauuer for their distinctive sound, described as a hybrid of dirty south rap combined with a love of melodic builds and heavy synth, Thugli will be releasing their debut EP this fall, and their remix of Diplo & GTA’s track “Boy Oh Boy” features on Diplo’s new album.


Every Nite Tracklist:


1. Understand Why

2. Hypnotik

3. Are We Faded

4. Yes We Faded

5. Your Love

6. She’s So High


Keys N Krates & Gladiator Every Nite Tour Dates:


9/18 – Phoenix, AZ – Monarch Theatre

9/19 – San Diego, CA – House of Blues++

9/20 – Los Angeles, CA – El Rey Theatre++

9/24 – Seattle, WA – Showbox Theatre @ SoDo (Decibel Festival)

9/27 – COMING SOON

9/28 – Fairburn, GA – Tomorrowworld**

9/30 – Whistler, BC – Garfinkles

10/1 – Revelstroke, BC – Treverse

10/3 – Edmonton, AB – Encore

10/4 – Sacramento, CA – Launch Festival**

10/5 – Calgary, AB – Commonwealth

10/7 – Boise, ID – Revolution Center

10/8 – Salt Lake City, UT – The Depot

10/9 – Denver, CO – Gothic Theatre

10/10 – Ft. Collins, CO – Aggie Theatre

10/11 – Colorado Springs, CO – Rawkus

10/14 – Tulsa, OK – Cain’s Ballroom

10/15 – Austin, TX – Empire

10/16 – Baton Rouge, LA – Varsity Theatre

10/17 – Biloxi, MS – Kress Live

10/18 – New Orleans, LA – House of Blues

10/19 – Birmingham, AL – Workplay Theatre

10/21 – Murfreesboro, TN – Tempt

10/22 – Chattanooga, TN – Track 29

10/23 – Asheville, NC – Orange Peel

10/24 – Charlotte, NC – Chop Shop

10/26 – Buffalo, NY – Waiting Room

10/28 – Syracuse, NY – Westcott Theater

10/29 – COMING SOON

10/30 – Boston, MA – Middle East

10/31 – COMING SOON

11/1 – COMING SOON

11/5 – Pittsburgh, PA – Rex Theater

11/6 – COMING SOON

11/7 – COMING SOON

11/8 – COMING SOON

11/9 – Carborro, NC – Cat’s Cradle


**KEYS N KRATES ONLY

++ KEYS N KRATES W/ SPECIAL GUEST & THUGLI















Keys N Krates
Online
Facebook








Wednesday, July 30, 2014

Shudder Inside My Head CD Review

Inside My Head is the current release from Detroit’s Shudder, providing listeners with a solid collection of tracks that paint a full picture of the band’s styles, influences, and technical skills. Black and White is a track that blends together the technical virtuosity of bands like Tool with the emotional fury of metalcore acts. Of particular note during this track has to be the sizzling guitar work and the supremely intricate drum line that weave their way through the effort. Change? Gets things much more gritty and grungy, while the band crafts a track that would work nicely on rock radio rotation. The production of Inside My Head allows each of the disparate elements of Shudder to shine even as each subsequent effort showcases a cohesion that few bands could create.


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Clarity is the final full track on Inside My Head, and it begins with a guitar line that has all of the speed of Avenged Sevenfold and the technical ability of Dragonforce. The groove that Shudder gets into will immediately draw fans in, while there is a narrative that is created before the vocals kick in that locks listeners firmly to chairs. When the vocals take the spotlight, what results is something hard, heavy, and utterly passionate.


Make sure to visit the band’s website for information about tour dates, the band members, and a store for all of the Shudder merchandise. Here’s to hoping that the band will be able to create a full length in the next year that builds off of some of the same trends, styles, and influences that were touched upon with the Inside My Head EP. Check out the band at Birchfest (Birch Run, MI) on August 9th and in Akron, Ohio at Chucks on August 23rd.


Top Tracks: Clarity, Black and White


Rating: 9.0/10


Shudder Inside My Head CD Review / 2014 Self / 8 Tracks / www.reverbnation.com/shuddermusic / www.facebook.com/ShudderDetroit / www.shudderdetroit.com/


Superfix Feature

Superfix is a Los Angeles-centered band that features Kalen Chase (formerly of Korn) that is poised to take the hard rock genre by storm. The Lion’s Storm has sharp guitar work, emotive vocals, and a drum line that is authoritative and ground-shaking. There are hints of A Perfect Circle, Deftones, and Incubus here even as the guitars continually set the act in bold new directions.


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Of particular note in Superfix has to be Jonas Blomqvist, which is the glue that holds the band together. More than merely crafting large parts of the instrumental arrangements for Superfix, Jonas’ backing vocals provider a fullness for the band’s compositions that allows them to stick around long after the track has ceased.  On compositions like Cry Wolf and Soul Survivor, Jonas’ guitar work shines through brightly. Cry Wolf is a track that showcases the spontaneous nature of Superfix, with chugging guitar lines that rapidly yield ground to ropy bass lines and in your face drum strikes. The cherry on top of this sundae has to be Kalen’s vocals, which are pushed to an entirely new plateau through form-fitting guitar lines. What is particularly impressive about Superfix has to be the complexity that the band inserts into each track; the interplay between each separate element provides considerable replay value as listeners attempt to dissect these dense and fulfilling compositions. Mind slows things up, allowing Superfix ample time to craft a brooding and darkly emotive composition. As was the case with Cry Wolf, Mind is an effort that has the band tackle a wide variety of styles. Jonas’ guitar work during Mind are reminiscent of Corrosion of Conformity and Megadeth, allowing Superfix yet another tool in their repertoire.


Make sure to visit the band’s website at www.superfixband.com for information about Superfix, further updates about their music, live dates, and the wide array of their merchandise. The band also maintains an active profile on Facebook (  www.facebook.com/superfixband ), Twitter (twitter.com/superfixband) , and ReverbNation (www.reverbnation.com/superfixband ). If you are in the Los Angeles area on August 3rd, make sure to visit The Canyon to see Superfix perform alongside Queensryche. Here’s to hoping the act will be able to create a full length album that expands upon the styles and unique qualities that were originally broached during efforts like Soul Survivor and The Dream. Superfix is an act that looks to redefine what hard rock and metal bands can do and succeeds each time they cut a track.


SON LUX REVEALS VIDEO FOR "LANTERNS LIT"


Joyful Noise Recordings is excited to share the video for Son Lux‘s “Lanterns Lit” from their 2013 full-length Lanterns. The video premiered via Noisey, where they noted that “Son Lux makes music that is bewitching. Elements of electronica and classical music are gently folded together beneath a beautiful cracking voice.” Noisey called the video “Beautifully shot… something absolutely worth watching again, and then again, and then again.” The clip was directed and produced by SJ Finlay, with visual effects by Nisha Kumkeaw and coloring by David Tomiak (Brass Tacks Films). About the process of creating the video, Finlay said “This music video was made while shooting promotional materials for Hope for the Nations as well as a short film to help children at risk in South East Asia. To keep updated about the release of that film, follow #ChildrenofChange.””Lanterns Lit” is available to stream or embed HERE.

 


 

Son Lux will embark on West Coast US tour starting on September 19 at The Roxy in Los Angeles and concluding on September 24 at the Decibel Festival in Seattle. After those shows, the group will start a string of European dates, beginning at the Soy Festival in Nantes, France and ending at the Circolo Degli Artisti in Rome, Italy. The current list of tour dates can be found below.

 



The tour follows the May 27 release of the Alternate Worlds EP, which featured reimagined versions of the tracks from LanternsIn addition to “Build A Pyre (Begin Again),”Alternate Worlds features a collaboration with Lorde on “Easy (Switch Screens),” which came to be after the New Zealand breakout star began covering the original version live.





Released to much praise late last year, Lanterns sees Son Lux (aka Ryan Lott) at the helm of an impressive ensemble of instrumentalists and singers, including Chris Thile (The Punch Brothers), Peter Silberman (The Antlers), DM StithLily & MadeleineDarren King (Mutemath), Ieva Berberian (Gem Club) and yMusic (Dirty ProjectorsBon Iver). Meditative but heaving with energy, Lanterns finds a peculiar congruency between futuristic soul and ancient sentiment. Driving orchestral pop (“Lost It To Trying,” “No Crimes”) is placed alongside creepy minimalism (“Pyre,” “Enough Of Our Machines”), often starkly juxtaposing densely layered arrangements with Lott’s intimate voice.



Beyond releasing Alternate Worlds and worldwide touring, Son Lux released an album with Sisyphus, his collaborative project with Sufjan Stevens and rapper Serengeti, whose self-titled debut was released on March 18th via Joyful Noise / Asthmatic Kitty. Additionally, Lott is a featured songwriter, producer and performer on “Troubled World” off WinterSpringSummerFall, the new mixtape from Beyonce producer BOOTS. Son Lux also recently scored the upcoming film The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby, due this September. Lott, equal parts producer and composer, has been delving into further collaborations as Son Lux, with more details to be unveiled in the coming months.







Alternate Worlds 

tracklist:




1. Alternate World (Alternate Age)



4. Lost It To Trying (Mouths Only Lying)



Son Lux tour dates:

9/19 – The Roxy – Los Angeles, CA

9/20 – Independent – San Francisco, CA

9/22 – Doug Fir Lounge – Portland, OR

9/23 – Biltmore Cabaret – Vancouver, BC

9/24 – Decibel Festival @ The Crocodile – Seattle, WA

10/29 – Soy Festival (Stereolux) – Nantes, FR

10/30 – Rockomotives Festival (Le Minotaure) – Vendome, FR

10/31 – Pitchfork Festival (Grande Halle de la Villette) – Paris, FR

11/1 – B Sides Festival – Lucerne, CH

11/2 – Beautés Soniques Festival – Namur, BE

11/4 – Meet Factory – Prague, CZ

11/5 – Pod Minoga Club – Poznan, PL

11/6 – Basen – Warsaw, PL

11/8 – Iceland Airwaves – Reykjavik, IS

11/22 – Le Guess Who Festival – Utrecht, NL

11/23 – Nochtspeicher – Hamburg, DE

11/24 – Schwutz – Berlin, DE

11/25 – Gebäude 9 – Cologne, DE

11/26 – Ground Zero Festival (Le Grand Mix) – Lille, FR

11/27 – La Cartonnerie – Reims, FR

11/28 – Le Consortium – Dijon, FR

12/1 – Arena – Vienna, AT

12/3 – Circolo Degli Artisti – Rome, IT




GERARD WAY TO RELEASE DEBUT SOLO ALBUM, HESITANT ALIEN


My Chemical Romance frontman Gerard Way will release his debut solo album, entitled Hesitant Alien, on September 30th via Warner Bros. Records. The new album will be available for pre-order at all digital retailers beginning Tuesday, August 19th. Exclusive album bundles will also be available for pre-order on GerardWay.com on the same date. Fans who pre-order the album will receive the track “No Shows” instantly as a free download. The music video for “No Shows” will also be released on August 19th. Please see below for the full track-listing.





Working with producer Doug McKean, Way knew immediately what he wanted Hesitant Alien to sound like. “I wanted to make the small things sound big,” he says. “My intention was to make 100 percent uncompromised art, using the currently least radio-friendly instrument, the guitar. I knew there would be lots of fuzz pedals. I knew I would play Fender instruments. I knew I would look at who my guitar heroes were in art school, Mary Timony and Carrie Brownstein, and I drew a lot of influence from shoe-gaze and Britpop. I want the record to sonically galvanize people.”   Hesitant Alien was mixed by Tchad Blake (Arctic Monkeys, Black Keys).


Lyrically, Way wrote about what he knew at the time, “which was struggle, beginnings, finding a newness in the mundane and the abstract,” he says. “I looked to the Britpop poets like Jarvis Cocker and Damon Albarn, drawing upon every day life. I also experimented with the abstract, and looked at Frank Black’s work both with the Pixies, and as a solo artist. There was no concept and no call-to-arms.”



Fans will get their first listen to some of the songs on Hesitant Alien when Way performs his first solo shows at the Reading and Leeds Festivals in England. He will perform at Reading on August 22nd and at Leeds on August 23rd.


Listen to “Action Cat” here.



Photo credit: Eric Ray Davidson



The track-listing for Hesitant Alien is as follows:


Bureau


Action Cat


No Shows


Casting Shadows


Millions


Zero Zero


Juarez


Drugstore Perfume


Get The Gang Together


How’s It Going To Be


Maya The Psychic













Gerard Way - Hesitant Alien [9.30.14]
Gerard Way – Hesitant Alien [9.30.14]


www.gerardway.com


Tuesday, July 29, 2014

Primus Announce New “Primus & the Chocolate Factory” Album out October 21


Les Claypool, guitarist Larry LaLonde, and drummer Tim Alexander – is back together and set to release their first full-length studio set in nearly 20 years, ‘Primus & the Chocolate Factory,’ due out on ATO Records on October 21.  “The idea was to combine the Frog Brigade and Primus, and do this record,’ says Claypool. I think like a good portion of the planet, we were all pretty put off by the remake of the ‘Willy Wonka’ movie – the Tim Burton version. I really wanted to pay homage to a film [1971's 'Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory,' starring Gene Wilder] that was very important to me as a kid and very influential to me musically. So that’s what we did. And as opposed to just going in and recording the songs and playing them the way they are in the film, we twisted them up a bit…twisted them up a lot.” Listen to classic track “Pure Imagination” re-imagined, which just premiered on Rolling Stone.

It felt so good, in fact, that he decided to take Primus into the studio to prepare the soundtrack for an album release.  Claypool admits that he’s always, “in some way, wanted to be Willy Wonka,” and, also, that he’s always wanted to work a cover of “The Candyman” — a memorable number from the film’s soundtrack — into Primus sets.  “Hell, I’ve been doing the line from the boat ride on stage since the ‘80’s,” then Les sings, ”There’s no earthly way of knowing, which direction we are going…”


“The thought was that I wanted to take on some kind of sacred cow, and the whole Wonka thing was a massive part of my childhood,” Claypool explains.  “It just seemed like the perfect project to take on, in part because those tunes are all so strong.”


“The recording is about my early perception of the original Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory film,” says Claypool.  “The notion wasn’t so much to go in and redo the soundtrack note for note as much as it was to utilize the classic elements of the music yet try to reflect some of the darker undertones of the Roald Dahl books, because when you read those books, there is an eerie and somewhat menacing aspect implied.”


With the album drop scheduled for October 21, Primus plans to tour the Chocolate Factory beginning the very next day.  “We’re going to do some touring with it and we put together this pretty abstract stage production,” says Claypool, “We’re going to take it out there, around the planet, and see what happens. And, in light of the record business being gutted by the internet, we’ve made some PRIMUS brand chocolate bars to peddle as well.”


Of course, Claypool realized that it was risky business to adapt a cinematic classic that is so close to so many people’s hearts.  And, naturally, he realized that it was dangerous waters to swim in the wake of Gene Wilder, who portrays Willy Wonka in the original film.  The band pulls it off by making something that is truly their own, without taking anything away from the movie.  When asked about the fairly recent Tim Burton attempt at bringing the Roald Dahl story to the screen Claypool comments, “Look, I love me some Tim Burton, when he writes his own stuff, and I respect what Johnny Depp has done over the years.  Hell, Ed Wood is one of my favorite films, but that (Charlie and the Chocolate Factory) is just unwatchable and believe me I’ve tried…twice as a matter of fact,” Les continues, “Even my kids hated it”.


“Our project is an homage to Gene Wilder and David L. Wolper’s, Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory and the effect it had on me in my youth,” spouts Les, “Now we get to sell PRIMUS bars and hang out with demented Oompa Loompas. Plus to top it off, it gives me an excuse to wear a purple, velvet waistcoat and brown top hat for the next 18 months.”


Catch Primus & The Chocolate Factory on Tour


10/22 – Tower Theatre – Upper Darby, PA
10/24 – Palace Theatre – Albany, NY
10/25 – Orpheum Theatre – Boston, MA
10/26 – Flynn Center for Performing Arts – Burlington, VT
10/28 – Palace Theater – Waterbury, CT
10/29 – Hippodrome – Baltimore, MD
10/31 – Beacon Theatre – New York, NY
11/01 – State Theatre – New Brunswick, NJ
11/02 – Main Street Armory – Rochester, NY
11/03 – The Fillmore Detroit – Detroit, MI
11/05 – Peabody Opera House – St. Louis, MO
11/07 – Taft Theatre – Cincinnati, OH
11/08 – Tabernacle – Atlanta, GA
11/09 – Hard Rock Live – Orlando, FL
11/11 – The Fillmore Miami Beach at The Jackie Gleason Theater – Miami Beach, FL
11/12 – Ruth Eckerd Hall – Clearwater, FL
11/14 – Hard Rock Hotel & Casino – Biloxi, MS
11/15 – ACL live at the Moody Theater – Austin, TX
11/16 – The Majestic Theatre – Dallas, TX
11/17 – Majestic Theatre – San Antonio, TX
11/19 – Orpheum Theatre Phoenix – Phoenix, AZ
11/21 – Orpheum Theatre LA – Los Angeles, CA



 



     Pre-Order album here: smarturl.it/PrimusChocFactory 

       Tour Pre-Sale: primusville.com/tour.html
Club Bastardo Pre-Sale: smarturl.it/PrimusChocPreOrder

Calle 13 Releases New Music Video "Ojos Color Sol"

Directed by René Pérez Joglar and Kacho Lopez Mari, the video is brought to life by Mexican actor Gael García Bernal and Spanish actress María Valverde. The concept of the video was created by René Pérez Joglar and revolves around the idea of a kiss so powerful it defies time and the laws of gravity.



With many metaphors embedded within the song, Joglar, Calle 13s lead singer, explains he wanted a concept that complimented the story behind the lyrics.


I concentrated on a kiss; something that not only intensifies our physical and emotional sensations, but also alters our perception of reality. I wrote the script, including camera angles, and I sent it to Kacho. Although I was in Spain and he was in Argentina, we collaborated throughout the production process. He would send me the footage and I would make comments and suggestions to keep the video in line with my original concept.

Mari, who also edited the film, describes the creative process with Joglar. “This work embodies our shared artistic vision that allowed us to bring our ideas to life. The video for ‘Ojos Color Sol’ is the result of a collaborative relationship that has matured over a year of hard work.” Kacho has also worked on projects such as “Multiviral”, “Adentro” and “El Aguante”.


While Joglar has always been involved in the creation of his music videos, this marks the first time he has officially assumed the role of director.

I’ve always been very hands on with my work.  I’m constantly in contact with the director and reviewing the details, from casting to post-production, but this is the first time I’ve actually directed a music video,” says Joglar. “I’ve worked with many great directors and I’ve learned a lot along the way. Although Kacho is humble in the best sense of the word, he truly understands the craft and never hesitated to share his input. The entire process has truly been a learning experience.

Joglar and Mari agree that Gael and María are two unique, talented actors. “The chemistry between the two is clearly visible, which gives the video a natural and effortless feel. Because they are incredible actors, it makes my job as a director not only easy, but enjoyable,” said Mari.


Gael García Bernal is known for his work as an actor both onstage and onscreen. Bernal made his acting debut in the Oscar-nominated film, Amores Perros, directed by Alejandro Gonzáles Inárritu. Since then, he has worked on films such as El Crimen Del Padre Amaro, The Motorcycle Diaries and Pedro Almodovar’s, La Mala Educación.


At the age of 16, Spanish actress María Valverde first appeared in the film The Weakness of the Bolshevik, a role that earned her a Goya for Best New Actress, the highest award given by the Film Academy of Spain. Since then, Valverde has worked under several internationally acclaimed filmmakers, including starring alongside Christian Bale in Ridley Scott’s latest project, Exodus.

Ojos Color Sol” is the result of a collaboration between producer Eduardo Cabra, also known as “Visitante”, and Cuban music legend Silvio Rodríguez. The track has proven to be one of the most popular songs off of Calle 13s latest album, MultiViral, and is the first music video to feature Silvio Rodríguez on its soundtrack.



Calle 13 recently wrapped up their tour through Spain with a concert at the Complutense University of Madrid. The U.S. leg of their MultiViral tour will kick off on September 6th with a performance at the Best Buy Theater in New York. Calle 13 will then travel to California, where they will perform at the House of Blues in San Diego on September 8th, followed by San Francisco on the 10th, and Los Angeles on the 11th, with additional shows to be announced.




Monday, July 28, 2014

Kate Callahan Two Doors EP Review

Kate Callahan place six cuts on her Two Doors EP that provide a great introduction to her music. The titular track on Two Doors showcases interesting narration and a pepy, catchy set of vocals. The instrumentation gradually takes a more focal role until it threatens to dwarf Kate’s vocals; the dramatic climax of this track places each side at a completely higher plateau.album_1553


Earthsong has a very close-knit sound that makes it seem as listeners are in the same room as Callahan. The drums’ slight muffled sound do the most to create this sound, but there is such a special quality to Callahan’s vocals during this track that fans will be able to envision her clearly. The track is another effort that could easily make it onto college or alternative radio stations, and provides a nice counterpoint to Swing Low. Swing Low is an update of the classic spiritual, allowing Callahan ample opportunity to properly adorn the effort. The wide-spread guitar lines and dusty vocals present here makes this into a must-hear track, linking together a classic effort with something bold and new.


Half Moon slows things up and further presses on the rich narration that marked the first efforts of the Two Doors EP. While the guitar intersperses itself alongside Callahan’s vocals, fans will be immediately focusing in on the tale that is weaved. The track raises and falls in a very natural way, gradually speeding up as Callahan talks about being free – hints of Tori Amos can be discerned here. The Two Doors EP is available at iTunes; keep an ear firmly to the ground for any follow-up recordings from Callahan.


Top Tracks: Two Doors, Swing Low


Rating: 8.4/10


Kate Callahan Two Doors EP Review / 2014 Self / 6 Tracks / www.kate-callahan.com / www.facebook.com/KateCalSings


Western Education Let Your Secrets Out CD Review

Peace is a high energy track that links together emotive rock, Franz Ferdinand, New Order, and the Psychedelic Furs. With a deft blending of electronic and raw human emotion, the music that is crafted on Let Your Secrets Out is impressive. With each side of the band chugging away at high gear, the band will have the minds and hearts of listeners by the end of the introductory track on Let Your Secrets Out.


album_1573


I Can’t Heal keeps thing quick as the vocals are given a spotlight. The guitars do their duty in establishing further narrative, while the rest of the instruments fill the gaps to create a wall of sound that will ultimately destroy anyone listening in. There is nary a place to breathe on Let Your Secrets Out, something is shown quite clearly during Ashes and Sea. While Ashes and Sea has more tender moments, the ferocity that bubbles underneath the twinkly instrumental arrangements keeps the momentum of Let Your Secrets Out while further bolstering the band’s deep palette.


Western Education slows things down with Lost Art, a track that would work perfectly in any eighties movie (e.g. Breakfast Club, The Chocolate War). The usage of darkly brilliant synthesizers during this track provides the perfect counterpoint to the soaring dual-part vocals of the track. Ideal Situation is a track that slides in nicely to the works of bands like Chromeo or late-career Good Charlotte; this disco-esque romp keeps things happy and bouncy even as a forlorn sadness creeps into the background. Let Your Secrets Out is currently available on iTunes. Visit the band’s Facebook or domain for more information about this album, live dates, or further information.


Top Tracks: I Can’t Heal, Ashes and Sea


Rating: 8.8/10


Western Education Let Your Secrets Out CD Review / 2014 Self / 11 Tracks / www.facebook.com/westerneducationband / www.westernedrock.com/


 


The AJAY Project "You Made Me" Single Review

The AJAY Project has just released their first track, You Made Me, on Mother’s Day. You Made Me is a track that The AJAY Project has written as an ode to mothers. The tremendously emotional track touches upon the work of Seal, R. Kelly, and mid-nineties R&B while having a classical fullness that makes the track unforgettable.


album_1523While the track’s meaning is simple and heartfelt, I feel that the underlying intensity and complexity of the instrumentation provides considerable replay value to the release. There are multiple voices that command the focal point of the single, but the front-center aspect of the male vocals (laid down masterfully by Everett Ryan) are the most earnest and memorable here.


For those that are fluent in Hindi, The AJAY Project has released a Hindi and a Multilingual version of the You Made Me single. The track can be purchased from iTunes, with the proceeds raised from the track being sent to ten worthy charities throughout the world. The AJAY Project’s Facebook is updated on a regular basis to discuss the latest news and track releases from Satsangi.


Rating: 8.4/10


The AJAY Project “You Made Me” Single Review / 2014 Self / 4:29 / 3 Tracks / www.facebook.com/AJAYProject / theajayproject.com/


Sonali Wake Up EP Review

Wake Up is the first track on Sonali’s new EP, and it provide listeners with a confident female singer-songwriter that deftly blends together country, oughts pop, and wraps up the resulting track with a production that immediately establishes the track as one that could easily make it onto radio rotation. Who We Are links together vocals and guitars to make for a wide-open composition replete with lyrics that will stick around with listeners long after the track has ceased.4PAN1T


The track’s shifts in tempo will keep listeners on the edges of their seats, all while Sonali continues to create a style that will appease fans of nineties, oughts, and current pop and alternative music genres. Find Your Way slows things up and showcases the softer and more tender side of Sonali, with the track speaking volumes to anyone that has loved and lost their other half. When the instrumentation builds up, the resulting fullness of the track allows the composition to be one of the most memorable on the Wake Up EP. September is the final track on the Wake Up EP, representing a stellar inclusion to the overall styles and genres broached during this release while providing fans with a good idea where Sonali may yet go on subsequent releases. The presence of a male set of vocals establishes a wholly different sound from that heard on Wake Up, while the instrumentation unites the track with the rest of the release’s brethren.


Make sure to visit Sonali’s Twitter and Facebook for more information about the Wake Up EP, live dates, and the latest in news about this alluring and impressive singer-songwriter.


Top Tracks: Wake Up, Who We Are


Rating: 9.0/10


Sonali Wake Up EP Review / 2014 Self / 5 Tracks / www.twitter.com/itsmesonali / www.facebook.com/itsmesonali


WORMWOOD SHARES SINGLE TODAY

Wormwood is an anthemic electronic duo comprised of multi-instrumentalist/vocalist Christina Willatt and multi-instrumentalist/producer Andrew Wenaus. Originally from Saskatchewan, Canada, the band is currently situated in London, Ontario. Their sound is perhaps best described by Jim DiGioia of Quick Before It Melts who stated “if 18th century ghosts haunted 21st century dance clubs, they’d probably sound exactly like Wormwood.” The duo’s striking sound combines elements of pop, post-rock, folk, punk, noise, classical, electronica, bebop, avant-garde, IDM, and film sound design. The impetus for the group stems from the members’ ambivalence towards the overwhelming sense of ubiquity and simultaneity in contemporary pop culture: beauty and mystery, simplicity and chaos, pleasure and angst, responsibility and fantasy, group heterarchy and the haunting of celebrity hierarchy. These tensions are expressed in both the form and content of the songs. The result is a combination of melodic lyricism with bursts of rapid-fire rhythmic precision, a conflation of traditional song writing combed through and capturing bursts and bits from the excessive mediascape. This is not simply the representation of eclecticism and syncretism in contemporary recording arts, but rather an affective response to the anxiety and ecstasy of the acceleration of pop art and information.

Wormwood’s debut album Sunfloating (2013) received positive reviews on No Fear of Pop, ChartAttack, Quick Before It Melts, Greyowl Point, The Green Majority, and Open Til Midnight. Sunfloating won the “Forest City Fan Favourite Award” at the 2013 CHRW Local Album of the Year Awards in London, Ontario. The album was included in the Top 30 Albums of 2013 in the Toronto electronic indie magazine Silent Shout, and the song “Leaves Like Lemons” was included on the magazine’s Top 100 Songs of 2013. Their recent EP Microdot, released on Punctum Records, is the first in a series of Microdot EPs. The band is currently working on a second full-length album.



 



Wormwood


Microdot


(Punctum Records)

May 27, 2014


1. Softly Light Limbs

2. 268

3. Dark

4. Spherecube

5. Sunrise

6. Morning



LEPROUS announce North American Tour

Norwegian cutting-edge prog metallers LEPROUS have announced a short but sweet string of North American dates. 



The seven-date jaunt sees them playing North America’s largest prog-friendly festival, Atlanta’s ProgPower, after which the band heads west then north into Canada, ending up with dates in New York City and Virginia before heading home.



Leprous appeared only once before in America, when in 2010 they played a ProgPower pre-festival gig in Atlanta. The band members played the festival itself a year later as back-up band for Ihsahn (the solo excursion of Emperor’s guitarist/vocalist), a role they have fulfilled for nearly 10 years. This is Leprous’s first-ever multi-show trip through North America. They will be supporting their phenomenal Coal album, released in 2013 on InsideOut.



DATES:


09/12/2014 – ProgPower USA – Atlanta, GA


09/16/2014 – The Token Lounge – Detroit, MI


09/17/2014 – Reggie’s – Chicago, IL


09/18/2014 – El Mocambo – Toronto, ON


09/19/2014 – Mavericks – Ottawa, ON


09/20/2014 – Studio @ Webster Hall, New York, NY


09/21/2014 – Empire – Springfield, VA




LEPROUS online:


www.facebook.com/leprousband


  


KAREN O RELEASES VIDEO FOR “RAPT”

Karen O is releasing the video for “Rapt” from her forthcoming Crush Songs, out September 9 on Cult Records. The video was directed by Barney Clay with production design from K.K. Barrett, who is known for his work with Sofia Coppola and Spike Jonze and was recently nominated for an Oscar for Best Production Design for Her. Watch the video here.


Crush Songs will be available for preorder on iTunes starting tomorrow, July 29, with “Rapt” as a free download with preorder. All album formats and several bundles, including a limited t-shirt and pillowcase, are available for preorder now via Cult Records here: bit.ly/ShopKarenO. See below for tracklist.


Crush Songs will first be available as a limited, special vinyl edition incorporating Karen’s own personal drawings, handwritten lyrics and more (see the album cover, right, and a note from Karen, below). In addition to this limited edition, the album will be released on standard vinyl, CD and digitally from September 9.


“When I was 27 I crushed a lot,” says Karen of the new record. “I wasn’t sure I’d ever fall in love again. These songs were written and recorded in private around this time. They are the soundtrack to what was an ever continuing love crusade. I hope they keep you company on yours.”


 


Recorded in 2006 and 2007, the record is an intimate collection of lo-fi, bedroom recordings in the vein of Karen’s Oscar-nominated “The Moon Song.”

Karen O is the frontwoman of Yeah Yeah Yeahs. In addition to Karen’s recent Academy Award nomination for Best Original Song for “The Moon Song,” Yeah Yeah Yeahs have been nominated for three Grammy awards. The band has released four studio albums—2003’s Fever to Tell, 2006’s Show Your Bones, 2009’s It’s Blitz and 2013’s Mosquito—to incredible critical acclaim and has played countless festivals including Glastonbury, Coachella, Lollapalooza and Bonnaroo and curated its own All Tomorrow’s Parties.Cult label founder Julian Casablancas says, “So excited, lucky and proud to be involved with such a classic album—I just wanna listen to it all day. Karen is an all-time great.”


Cult Records is helmed by Julian Casablancas. In addition to Karen O, the Cult roster includes Albert Hammond, Jr., Cerebral Ballzy, Har Mar Superstar, Rey Pila and more.


CRUSH SONGS TRACK LIST


 


1. Ooo


2. Rapt


3. Visits


4. Beast


5. Comes the Night


6. NYC Baby


7. Other Side


8. So Far


9. Day Go By


10. Body


11. King


12. Indian Summer


13. Sunset Sun


14. Native Korean Rock


15. Singalong


 


www.karenomusic.com


www.facebook.com/officialkareno


www.twitter.com/KarenO


www.cultrecords.com