W♥M

Finding Nemo

I hope everyone in the Northeast is safe and sound - after they had just experienced a record-breaking snowstorm last night. It's reported that in some areas that more than three feet of snow are on the ground ("with more to come")! You've all read the headlines: don't bother flying or visiting the Northeast area today or in the next few days.

COLD SPECKS
coldspecks.com

"When the City Lights Dim" is the new single from Cold Specks (lead by Al Spx), which is coming out March 5th, 2013, via Mute Records. The track is taken from last year's debut album, I Predict A Graceful Expulsion, from this Canadian singer/songwriter.

The album was a short-list for Canada’s Polaris Prize and was eMusic’s highest praise as the #1 Album of 2012.

Cold Specks will be doing some brief promotional shows in the Canada area:

03/15/13 Montreal, QC Virgin Mobile Corona Theatre
03/16/13 Montreal, QC Virgin Mobile Corona Theatre
03/18/13 Kingston, ON Sydenham St United Church
03/19/13 London, ON London Music Hall
06/08/13 Toronto, ON Historic Fort York

Can't wait for "When the City Lights Dim"? Hear "Holland" now:

SNOWDEN
snowden.info

I've seen Snowden twice. The first time, there was this huge blizzard in Minneapolis and then the second time for free because the headliner pulled out at the last minute. Snowden decided to continue on with the show.

The band is heading back to Minneapolis as part of their mid-to-late February tour and may preview some songs from their upcoming album, No One In Control, which will be released by Kings of Leon's record label, Serpents and Snakes.

You can preview their first single, "The Beat Comes", at Stereogum.

02/19 - Boston - TT The Bears
02/20 - Philadelphia - Johnny Brendas
02/22 - DC - DC9
02/23 - NYC - Mercury Lounge
02/24 - Chicago - Subterranean
02/25 - Minneapolis - Triple Rock
02/26 - Denver - Larimer Lounge
02/28 - Seattle - Barboza
03/01 - Los Angeles - Satellite Lounge
03/03 - Atlanta - The Earl

BRIEFLY:

LOVE IS COLDER THAN DEATH lictd.com The new Love is Colder Than Death (LICTD) album is called Tempest and it's coming out next week: February 15th, 2013. LICTD is a 90s dark wave German band, named after the 1969 Fassbinder film "Liebe ist kälter als der Tod".

FREEZE-TAG blogspot.com Freeze-Tag I (Marcus Alan Ward) is releasing Eskimo sometime in March 2013. According to his blog, "Taking time to finish the EP up.. But the video looks gorgeous.." Currently mixing at Field Day Recordings. Hear the title track now:

vu () ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ podcast.weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com/weheartmusic ♥ +W♥M

Girls Girls Girls: Sky Ferreira, Amanda Palmer, Laetitia Sadier

This is #12 in the Girls Girls Girls series.

Read More Sky Ferreira That might explained her "Sex Rules" title ? It's actually not what you'd think, it's the rules of nature, not that "it's totally awesome".

SKY FERREIRA
skyferreira.com

Sure, the single, "Red Lips," was released a few months ago (June), but I don't care. I think Sky Ferreira is awesome and we've been following her career since 2010.

"Red Lips" was written by Sky, Greg Kurstin, and … Garbage's Shirley Manson! The song is said to contain a new direction for Sky. Personally, it just sounds more or less in the same attractive pop/dance style, but with more guitars and less lo-fi.

Listening to "Red Lips," you wonder if Sky Ferreira is commenting on some other "little bitch" or on herself. I think you can read it both ways, but if that's the case, then certainly Ferreira know that she's playing that game … and if she's lost, then she'll walk. Then again, two-minute pop songs can't be all that smart, right?

Anyway, Ferreira's been quiet this past month, but expect a new EP from her next month, in September. The debut album, currently with a title of I'm Not Alright (changed from Wild At Heart), is coming out this year.

Check out her sexiest video yet: "Red Lips." The video featured Sky in her undies, lots of red lipsticks, and a lucky Toby the tarantula.

AMANDA PALMER & THE GRAND THEFT ORCHESTRA
amandapalmer.net

You may remember that seeing Amanda Palmer at the Cedar in 2010 was one of the best shows I've ever seen. It was hard to describe, but it wasn't just a regular rock n roll show, it was also part theater and part circus act.

I'm hoping to catch her again, this October at First Avenue. Will it live up to her Evelyn Evelyn show? I'll report back when I see her again. But hearing Palmer explain her latest work as "Rocky-Horror-meets-Scavenger-Hunt-meets-Interactive-Art-Happening," it sounds just as fun. Also, I am hoping to spot her hubby Neil Gaiman at the Minneapolis show.

Palmer's last album, Amanda Palmer Goes Down Under, was geared towards Australian, I still found the album to be fun and creative. The forthcoming album, under the Amanda Palma & The Grand Theft Orchestra banner is called Theater is Evil, and it will be out on September 11th on her own label, 8ft Records. You can preview one the song, "The Killing Type," on NPR.

Her tour dates starts September 10th.

09/10: Philadelphia, PA @ Theatre Of Living Arts 09/11: New York, NY @ Webster Hall 09/12: Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club 09/14: Carrboro, NC @ Cat's Cradle 09/15: Atlanta, GA @ Variety Playhouse 09/17: New Orleans, LA @ Tipitina's Uptown 09/18: Houston, TX @ Fitzgerald's Upstairs 09/19: Austin, TX @ Stubbs (Outside) 09/21: Denver, CO @ Gothic Theatre 09/22: Phoenix, AZ @ Crescent Ballroom 09/24: San Diego, CA @ House Of Blues 09/25: Los Angeles, CA @ The Music Box 09/26: San Francisco, CA @ The Fillmore 9/28: Portland, OR @ Wonder Ballroom 09/29: Vancouver, BC @ Commodore Ballroom 09/30: Seattle, WA @ Neptune Ballroom 10/03: Minneapolis, MN @ First Avenue 10/23: London @ Koko

10/24: Manchester @ Cathedral 10/25: Glasgow @ Oran Mor 10/27: Amsterdam @ Melkweg 10/28: Berlin @ Festsaal Kreuzberg 10/29: Prague @ Palac Akropolis 10/30: Zurich @ Abart 11/01: Antwerp @ Trix Club 11/02: Paris @ La Maroquinerie 11/03: Cologne @ Gebaude 9 11/05: Vienna @ Arena 11/09: Toronto, ON @ Phoenix Theatre 11/10: Chicago, IL @ Metro 11/11: Milwaukee, WI @ Turner Hall 11/13: Detroit, MI @ St. Andrews Hall 11/15: Boston, MA @ Paradise Rock Club 11/16: Boston, MA @ Paradise Rock Club 11/17: Boston, MA @ Paradise Rock Club

LÆTITIA SADIER
myspace.com/laetitiasadier

You might know Lætitia Sadier from Stereolab.

Confession: Before the internet, in the early 90s, I thought this band came out of France. Not a surprise because singer Lætitia Sadier is French, however I thought they were French, up to 2008!

Anyway, Lætitia Sadier just released her second solo album, Silencio!, last month (July 24th) on Drag City.

The album is said to be about "the noise" preventing you from society and commercialism and the marketplace … so, yes, buy the album!

Sadier will be heading out on tour this September, along with Orca Team, a band that Lara likes. If it all works out, Lara is reviewing Sadier's show at the 400 Bar this September 30th.

09/15/12 Chicago, IL @ Schuba's 09/16/12 Pontiac, MI @ Pike Room at Crofoot 09/18/12 Toronto, ON @ Drake Hotel 09/19/12 Montreal, QC @ Pop Montreal Festival 09/20/12 Cambridge, MA @ Middle East Cafe 09/21/12 New York, NY @ Mercury Lounge 09/22/12 Brooklyn, NY @ Knitting Factory 09/23/12 Philadelphia, PA @ Johnny Brenda's 09/25/12 Washington, DC @ DC9 09/26/12 Pittsburgh, PA @ Thunderbird Cafe 09/27/12 Cincinnati, OH @ Midpoint Music Fest 09/28/12 Urbana, IL @ Pygmalion Music Fest 09/29/12 Madison, WI @ University of Wisconsin 09/30/12 Minneapolis, MN @ 400 Bar

10/03/12 Seattle, WA @ Barboza 10/04/12 Portland, OR @ Bunk Bar 10/05/12 San Francisco, CA @ Bottom of the Hill 10/06/12 Los Angeles, CA @ Culture Collide Fest 10/10/12 Denver, CO @ Hi-Dive 10/11/12 Lincoln, NE @ Lincoln Calling 11/05/12 Manchester, UK @ Deaf Institute 11/06/12 Glasgow, UK @ Captains Rest 11/07/12 Edinburgh, UK @ Sneaky Pete's 11/09/12 Dublin, IE @ The Workman's Club 11/10/12 Galway, IE @ Roisin Dubh 11/12/12 Cardiff, UK @ The Globe 11/13/12 London, UK @ XOYO 11/14/12 Brighton, UK @ Sticky MIkes

Briefly:

BLONDFIRE facebook.com Blondfire is a brother/sister duo (Bruce and Erica Driscoll), they've been around for a while. They recently announced that they've signed with Warner Bros Records and they are in the middle of mixing and recording new songs for a forthcoming album in 2013. To celebrate, they're giving you a sneak peak at their catchy new song, "Waves," at Soundcloud:

THE HERMIT CRABS myspace.com Scottish indiepop band The Hermit Crabs is back with a new EP called Time Relentless. This mark the first new material since their 2009's Correspondence Course EP. Time Relentless is strictly limited to 1,000 custom minijacket sleeve and available exclusively through Matinée Recordings. Download "Stop This Now" at Soundcloud:

CUUSHE cuushe.net Cuushe is a Japanese singer, and she's back with a THREE new EP Girl, You Know That I am Here, and But the Dream. She's offering a remix by Slow Magic of "You Know That I am Here" via, what else?, soundcloud.

BETH JEAN HOUGHTON bjh.tumblr.com Just quickly, but Beth Jeans Houghton & The Hooves of Destiny has a new music video for "Dodecahedron." The video was directed by Sasha Rainbow, you can catch it on Vevo.com She'll be in Ireland in September: 09/16/12 Cork, Ireland Cyprus Avenue 09/17/12 Dublin, Ireland Whelans

vu () ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ podcast.weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com/weheartmusic ♥ +W♥M

When in Rome

ROMANIA, IF YOU WANT TO
asphalt-tango.de/fanfare

Romania's Fanfare Ciocarlia is heading out on a brief-eight city North American tour this year. The New York Gypsy Festival founder Mehmet Dede best summed up this band with this quote, "Fanfare Ciocarlia's wicked fast trumpets, tenor and baritone horns, tubas, clarinets, saxophones, bass drum and percussion from the Carpathian mountains are a sight and sound to behold. This tour is way overdue for the beloved Gypsy brass band tradition." Hopefully, if it works out, I'll report back if it's true at Minneapolis' Cedar Cultural Center, the last date on their tour.

2012 North American Tour
09/19/2012 Quebec City Le Cercle
09/20/2012 Montreal, Rialto Theatre (PopMontreal)
09/21/2012 Toronto, The Hoxton
09/22/2012 New York, Schimmel Center for the Arts
09/23/2012 Durham, NC - Duke Performances
09/24/2012 Pittsburgh, PA - Brillo Box
09/25/2012 Chicago, IL - City Winery
09/26/2012 Minneapolis, MN - Cedar Cultural Center

ALL ROADS LEAD TO ROME
landobservations.blogspot.co.uk

Coming out on September 4th, 2012, is Roman Roads IV-XI, the debut album from Land Observations.

Land Observations is the exciting solo project of James Brooks, who previously was in another band, Appliance.

Look for Roman Roads IV-XI on CD, vinyl, and digital, as well as a very cool packaging featuring original drawings by Brooks, via Mute Records.

ROMAN ROADS IV-XI track listing
01. Before the Kingsland Road
02. Aurelian Way
03. From Nero's Palace
04. Via Flaminia
05. Appian Way
06. The Chester Road
07. Portway
08. Battle Of Watling Street

THE FALL OF ROMINA
rominaarena.com

Romina Arena's album, Morriconne.Uncovered, will be arriving in the fall (September 18th, 2012), via Perseverance Records. However, Italian stores will be able to carry the album next week, August 27th.

With the second single on its way ("The Woman in Me"/"What Can I Do?"), fans will be able to get a taste of what's to come on Morriconne.Uncovered. As you can guess, these are all songs written by the legendary Ennio Morricone, spanning from his various soundtracks from "Once Upon a Time in America" to "Loita" to "For a Few Dollars More."

“Morricone.Uncovered” full track listing
01. “Ti Ho Amato” from “Once Upon a Time in America”
02. “What Can I Do” from“The Legend of 1900”
03. “Il Cuore Mio – Mi Corazon” from “La Piovra”
04. “The Woman in Me” from “Lolita”
05. “Saying Goodbye” from the motion picture “The Untouchables” (based on “Death Theme”)
06. “Gioco D’Amore” from the motion picture “Love Affair”
07. “Solo Noi” from the motion picture “Malena”
08. “Ritornerai Dolce Amore” from the motion picture “Casualties of War”
09. “Return to Me” from the motion picture “A Time of Destiny”
10. “Le Vent et le Cri” from the motion picture “Le Professionel”
11. “E un Attimo” from the motion picture “The Legend of 1900”
12. “Requiem for Love” from the motion picture “Per Amore” (duet with Marcello Giordani)
13. “Il Tempo Sa” from the motion picture “For a Few Dollars More” (based on “Sixty Seconds to What?”)
14. “Morir D’Amore – I Die a Little” from the motion picture “For Love One Can Die”
15. “Se Non Fossi Tu/ This Kind of Love” from the motion picture “Questa Specie D’Amore”

THE ROMANS ARE COMING
romansarealive.com

I am told that New York's Romans are "back in action," with their second new single for the summer called "Somedays."

Their music takes the best parts of doo wop, glam, and britrock, because, as singer Jeremy Fury puts it, "If you go far enough into the future and look back at a specific period from the past, everything seems to blend together."

I think the band is fairly new, based on the lack of cover artwork (I just put quickly put together a cover art) and ungoogleable band name (the results will bring you five million other "Romans" bands, including a Catholic band and a Georgian band). And it may sound cruel, but I predict in a few years' time, the name 'Romans' won't be around.

vu () ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ podcast.weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com/weheartmusic ♥ +W♥M

Erasure: Tomorrow's World

Read More Erasure Selections from the Essential Q Quiz Book: Name two members of Erasure.

Synthpop was big in my late teen and young adult years, which was about 15 to 20 years ago. Given that fashions and trends seem to make a comeback after about the same frame of time has passed, I see that today’s young generation is taking part in ‘80s nostalgia, and electronica and synthesizer genres are experiencing a resurgence. Sometimes I blink twice when I see teens wearing the same sorts of clothes that were popular when I was their age, but I smile a bit looking on the music scene and seeing names I recognize.

Vince Clarke is one of those names, and he’s been quite busy lately reprising many of his early musical collaborations. He was one of the founding members of Depeche Mode, and he recently teamed up with Martin Gore as VCMG, and the album Ssss is set to released next month. He also reunited with Alison Moyet as the duo Yazoo for a recent tour. And of course, he hasn’t stopped creating music with Andy Bell as Erasure. Tomorrow’s World is Erasure’s latest offering, released last October. The track “Fill Us With Fire” was released as a single last week, and Mute UK sent us a press release to help promote the album and the single.

I’m a big fan of music videos as promotional tools; no surprise, I think, as I grew up when MTV started.  Normally I take comments from YouTube users with a large grain of salt, yet I do think this top comment was worth a mention:

Erasure produced one of their best albums last year, and they got "this" aka 3rd hit music video from Mute? actually a lack of respect to the treasure they represent to the world pop music scene.

I think the frustration is understandable. I caught a good number of their music videos by way of Pop! The First 20 Hits DVD, which I watched with a couple of buddies back in high school. The videos were a mixed bag in my opinion; some were good and a few were lacking. Compared to their colleagues, and considering their success, yes, Erasure could use a better music video. I don’t expect something so rich and expensive as the Pet Shop Boys have done in the recent past, but I think it might be possible for Erasure to collaborate with someone like Anton Corbijn, who is very well noted for his involvement with U2 and especially Depeche Mode. Diehard fans collect videos just as much as albums, or at least that was my experience with the Depeche Mode mailing list in the mid to late 1990’s. I was connected to fans that had seemingly gargantuan, almost bottomless collections. One superfan, DJ Daniel “The Brat” Barassi, seemed to have everything and anything that was ever connected with DM, and was not long before he became the webmaster for DM’s official website.  We were all envious of his treasure trove. Video media matters, and it very much matters to dedicated fans.

There is one last little goodie that Mute offered us to share with you:

Enjoy. I’m hoping we’ll hear from Mute again when Ssss from Vince Clarke and Martin Gore as VCMG is released.

jaklumen () ♥ www.erasureinfo.com

I'm From Barcelona - Forever Today

Free Download Download "Get in Line" via Pitchfork (direct link). Tour Dates 05/07/11 Popadelica Huskvarna SWE 05/21/11 Strand Stockholm SWE Discography [Apr 2006] Let Me Introduce My Friends [Oct 2008] Who Killed Harry Houdini? [Jan 2010] 27 songs from Barcelona [Apr 2011] Forever Today Read More I'm From Barcelona I'm From Barcelona are a massive band started by Emanuel Lundgren. I love the city of Barcelona so it was with natural curiousity I purchased their debut album, "Let Me Introduce My Friends" and what a lot of friends Emanuel has! 29 musicians contribute to the majority of the songs on this album.

Cristina and I crowned Sweden's I'm From Barcelona as the largest/oversized band in the world, with its twenty-nine, count 'em, twenty-nine band members. Unlike the creepy chorus singers of The Polyphonic Spree (which changes rosters depending on touring location), the majority of I'm From Barcelona band members actually write and record and play instruments in the band (at least twenty-seven of them did solo-artist songs on their last record, 27 songs from Barcelona).

With that introduction, you'd expect the other twenty-eight band members to have their spot in the sun, but in reality, the majority of their music is written and sung by the band's founder, Emanuel Lundgren. This is not necessary a bad thing, you do need a leader to chart the course and direction of the music, otherwise you'll have a bunch of random songs that doesn't fit together.

I've been listening to their latest album, Forever Today a lot lately. This is not a difficult album to get into, hearing the first few notes on "Charlie Parker" or "Can See Miles", you know that this album is designed for the Spring or Summer. It's catchy, it's feels good, and it's definitely a lot of fun.

Some people might poo-poo simplistic/dumb lyrics like "we don't want to get in line, no we don't want to get in line, no we don't want to get in line" in "Get In Line" (which incidentally is the new single from the band, hear the song remixed on their Facebook) or "I want to be fast/I want to be slow/I want to have somewhere to go/I want to be high/I want to be low" in "Always Spring", but I think they forget that when you hear this song on a stage with all twenty-nine band members doing their parts - you'll love the easy-to-follow lyrics. Yes, that means you'll find yourself hand-clapping and singing along to these songs... even if you've never heard of them!

My favorite track is "Skipping A Beat", which sounds like they borrow the song from an old New Order classic. I also like "Come On", which is about taking it easy and not worrying too much. The only problem I have with this song is that the way "lights" is sung on the song, they made it out like there's three syllables. I understand it, I know they're just following the melodies.

If you like upbeat, happy pop music, you'll absolutely fall in love with I'm From Barcelona. The album, Forever Today, will be released in the US on April 19^th via Mute Records.

vu () ♥ www.imfrombarcelona.com