W♥M

Tame Impala at First Avenue, Minneapolis (03/04/13)

Tour Dates 03/08/13 Columbus, OH Newport Music Hall 03/09/13 Toronto, ON Kool Haus 03/11/13 Montreal, QC Metropolis 03/12/13 Boston, MA House Of Blues 03/16/13 Mexico City, Mexico Foro Sol 04/14/13 Indio, CA Empire Polo Club 04/21/13 Indio, CA Empire Polo Club 05/26/13 Portland, OR McMenamins 05/27/13 Vancouver, BC Commodore 05/29/13 Oakland, CA Fox Theater 06/25/13 London Hammersmith Apollo 07/13/13 Madrid, Spain La Riviera Desire Be Desire Go Solitude Is Bliss Apocalypse Dreams It Is Not Meant to Be Endors Toi Music to Walk Home By Elephant Why Won't You Make Up Your Mind? Feels Like We Only Go Backwards Auto-Prog Be Above It Alter Ego Mind Mischief Half Full Glass of Wine -- Nothing That Has Happened So Far SET LIST Read More Tame Impala Tame Impala is touring the U.S. again in support of their album, Lonerism. Kevin and crew have definitely crafted a piece of art. Loud, incredibly groovy.…

Tame Impala showed up to First Avenue on one of their stops of their sold-out North American tour. If you recall, Jess said, “[. . .] I have a feeling they will forever receive a warm welcome from any American city they chose to hypnotize from here on out. “ Sure enough, these guys are well received by critics and fans alike. Playing all sold-out shows in the US in a matter of a couple of years. They are definitely very hyped, but they deserve it; Kevin Parker has a gift for groove. His lyrics are to the point of ambiguity at times but within the music’s context, they strike a chord deep within me and I can really relate. And that’s what really matters to me. Not how quirky or intelligent your lyrics are (Which is a plus if they are.), but how much they speak. Lyrics aside, the way he crafts a melody also resonates. It’s like he knows exactly what you’ll want to hear next.

I fell in love with Tame Impala's music when a friend of mine from Australia sent me a link to a youtube video with a few thousand hits. The song was ,“Solitude is bliss,” and I enjoyed it so much I bought Innerspeaker right away. And as soon as the opening of “It Is Not Meant to Be” hit my ears I was in another world . Now I do think he sounds like Lennon and that his music draws from his rock idols: Pink Floyd, The Beatles, Led Zepplin, and The Flaming Lips, etc. But I wouldn’t say he’s making revivalist psych. It has a modern twist; you can definitely tell that all of the songs have been tinkered with in the studio. In my humble opinion that’s the beauty of the songs. They sound magnificent on headphones and turned up to 11 on a system.

As for their live show, this time around they changed up their songs a bit. I enjoyed the change, making it sound fresh but at the same time, I wish I could just hear both albums played from start to finish. Kevin and the gang looked like they were in a trance as they pummeled their respective instruments. I enjoyed that a good mix of Innerspeaker and Lonerism were applied. They started with “Desire Be Desire Go” which I thought was a good intro to “Solitude is Bliss.” When they got to “It Is Not Meant to Be,” I lost myself completely. It reminded me of the first time I heard the record “Dopesmoker” by Sleep. Groovy, repetitive, but soothing. His set; dreamy and groovy sent me into a parallel universe where the whole freaking planet was rumbling with bass and reverb. The show really became alive when “Elephant” was played, and people were cheering loudly. I'm sure that bass line for “Elephant” was really be felt throughout the entire venue. The song itself was as loud and catchy live as I had hoped it would be. My favorite line of the song was “He pulled the mirrors off his Cadillac, ‘Cause he doesn’t like it looking like he looks back.” I just think the imagery of that song is humorous. The set thundered on, with other great singles such as “ Feels Like We Only Go Backwards,” “Alter Ego” and "Half Full Glass of Wine." The latter of which was an epic closer for their formal set. Although I will admit their encore had washed over me at that point. I believe it was “Nothing That Has Happened So Far.” Kevin put on a great show; he sounded like he was singing from atop of a mountain and his tunes truly captured the feeling and sound of dreamy space psych.

Tame Impala at First Avenue, Minneapolis (03/04/13) Photo by Steph Paxton

oscar ♥ tameimpala.com

Tame Impala: Lonerism

Discography [2010] Innerspeaker [2012] Lonerism Read More Tame Impala Crescive crowds gather in anticipation for Tame Impala, the experimental rock band who’s known for bringing back old-school illustrious studio sounds. This psychedelic five piece (onstage) emerged from Perth, Australia ...

Tame Impala is touring the U.S. again in support of their album, Lonerism. Kevin and crew have definitely crafted a piece of art. Loud, incredibly groovy and hypnotizing; this record is a sure indicator that if you go see them live, you will have a good time. Their growth is evident through their album’s use of ambient sounds, samples, drum machines, synths, collaborative songwriting amongst members, and the use of Dave Fridmann’s talents. Last time they were in Minneapolis, they played at the 7th St. Entry; Mainly to a small crowd of devoted fans. I believe that this time it may be different. I expect a bigger and more diverse crowd this year since they’re playing First Avenue’s mainroom; especially because they got a lot of attention from the critics for Innerspeaker. They also ended at the top of the lists for Lonerism, receiving an 88/100 from Metacritic and at least 4 stars from most of the big critics out there. (Spin, Pitchfork, NME, etc.) There’s been a lot of talk on sites such as reddit.com about Tame Impala and I’ve heard a lot of their songs played in retail stores.

At weheartmusic we are big fans of Tame Impala. Fellow writer Jess saw them at the Fonda in L.A.. As Jess said, “I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, these guys, on the record and live, sound like you’re sitting amongst a Beatles-like Revolver studio session. Kevin’s vocals are as if he’s singing from a mountaintop, and the heavy guitars and organs make you feel like you can climb that mountain alongside him. Jay Watson shakes his impressive hair around as he keeps up the infectious rhythm on drums, and Dominic Simper is more than impressive on bass.. . . . I have a feeling they will forever receive a warm welcome from any American city they chose to hypnotize from here on out. "

TAME IMPALA US TOUR DATES

02/19/13 - Terminal 5 - New York, NY 02/20/13 - 9:30 Club - Washington, DC 02/21/13 - Cat’s Cradle - Carrboro, NC 02/22/13 - The Orange Peel - Asheville, NC 02/23/13 - The Georgia Theater - Athens, GA 02/25/13 - Fitzgerald’s - Houston, TX 02/26/13 - Stubb’s Waller Creek - Austin, TX 02/27/13 - Granada Theater - Dallas, TX 02/28/13 - Cain’s Ballroom - Tulsa, OK

03/02/13 - Headliner’s Music Hall - Louisville, KY 03/03/13 - Turner Hall Ballroom - Milwaukee, WI 03/04/13 - First Avenue - Minneapolis, MN 03/06/13 - Vic Theater - Chicago, IL 03/07/13 - St. Andrews Hall - Detroit, MI 03/08/13 - Newport Music Hall - Columbus, OH 03/09/13 - Kool Haus - Toronto, ON 03/11/13 - Corona Theater - Montreal, QC 03/12/13 - House Of Blues - Boston, MA

oscar ♥ tameimpala.com

 

Gloss at Cause Spirits and Soundbar (11/17/12)

Gloss Setlist photo courtesy of Jack Woolsey   Read More BNLX I've already spotlighted Dan Deacon and his America album, so I'll just quickly mention that he's got an app on iTunes and Android. Apparently, during the show …

If you guy's haven't noticed, I am really fond of Gloss. And if you were at the 2nd day of BNLXFest, you were privy to why that is.

The five-piece Gloss definitely carries all the wonderful energy of every great shoegaze and dream-pop band from past years. As the crowd packed into the cozy little venue they started with some brand new instrumental material. The instrumental was a hit, Jordan on the drums was killing it. The crowd was grooving and they cheered graciously as the song finished. Gloss definitely has that early Cure influence, but you can tell that Jeff and crew are big fans of DIIV, Wild Nothing, MBV and Sonic Youth, to name a few.

Their set was as equally as venue-shaking as any of those bands, and as beautiful as the most cryptic Robert Smith lyric. Most of the material were new debut’s, some untitled. The band told me that the two tracks after the instrumental were just titled “80’s Cheese” for now. The next two tracks sounded as if members of The Cure had enlisted a young Morrissey to douse his pained vocals with reverb. The brand new track after all the 80’s cheese is called “Jan’s Dream.” And it made their set flow beautifully. They ended it with a solid take on their single, “Front Porch.”

These guys definitely rocked it out and impressed the crowd. Very loud cheers and applause were given for a band who help start the night out great. The word is that these fellows might be releasing something physical soon, via small Minnesota based indie label;manic pop! records. Stayed tuned, but for now check out the hypnotizing single, “Front Porch” on their Bandcamp. And catch them at the Kitty Kat Club Dec. 3rd with Carroll, Wild Cathedral, and Strange Relations.

Wiping Out Thousands photo courtesy of Ashley Ackerson

Next up was Wiping Out Thousands, I had  never heard of them so I was excited when they turned out to be really fun and mesmerizing. Their set sounded like Portishead meets LCD Soundsystem. Tortured electro funk is the best I can describe them as. Their stand outs were definitely “Feed,” and “Hips.” Especially “Hips,” that song was so groovy and seductive I don’t think anyone had their eyes off of Alaine Dickman; the adorable lead singer.

Cause Spirits and Soundbar is a lovely little joint. It’s cozy, and the staff is very hospitable. I was very hungry so I gave their food a shot. I ordered a zesty steak sandwich on ciabatta and it was god tier. Most importantly though, the sound was loud and clear! It helped propel the beautiful reverb of the bands that played. You could feel the music around you so perfectly.  Unfortunately I started to get a massive migraine so I couldn’t catch the other bands that followed Wiping Out Thousand.

I did just listen to the new BNLX LP, and I’m sad I missed their performance. Their first proper LP is a beautiful take on Sonic Youth inspired alt-rock, with a heavy political message. All the songs have great pop hooks with the bite of the best sounding noise rock I’ve heard in awhile. I think everyone should listen to their great new single, “1929.” Catch it here on their Bandcamp. Or just buy the whole album! It’s worth every penny you want to spend. (It’s available as a “Name your own price” deal.

A special thanks to Ashley Ackerson for the wonderful photos of Gloss and Wiping Out Thousands. Setlist image taken from Jack Woolsey, Gloss bassist’s Facebook page.

Gloss at Cause Spirits and Soundbar, Minneapolis (11/17/12) photo courtesy of Ashley Ackerson

oscar ♥ facebook.com/glossband ♥ wipingoutthousands.com

BNLXFest 2012

Read More BNLX If you want to pick up your copy, head over to one of their BNLXFest happening on November 16 and 17. I believe both dates are at the Cause in Minneapolis. …

BNLX are at it again, this time with their first full length LP, which is currently available for purchase at the Susstones website. You can also purchase it on their bandcamp. To celebrate their rowdy LP they are hosting BLNXFest at the Cause Spirits and Soundbar, LynLake, Minneapolis. Friday 11/16 & Saturday 11/17. Doors at 9:00 PM for both shows.

The days have the following bands performing:

On Friday the 16th: International Karate BNLX Two Harbors Blue Sky Blackout Fury Things

On the 17th: Pink Mink BNLX Me and My Arrow Wiping Out Thousands Gloss

It’s a good showcase of the fuzzed out rockers we got n the twin cities; old and new alike.

Fury Things and Gloss are relatively new. Fury Things has an EP out at the moment and you can check it out at their Bandcamp and download it for whatever price you decide. It’s some good shoegaze-y garage rock. They are the special guests for Friday the 16th show.

Following suit is super brand new Gloss. They released their first single October 11th, 2012. You can catch it on their Bandcamp. It is also for “Name your own price” sale that has become popular with up and coming bands. Gloss can be described as shoegaze or dream pop. Their new single kicks ass and is one of my favorite songs at the moment. I’m very excited to see them perform it live. They have been featured on the local show and they were Current "Song of the Day" last Friday the 9th.

If you haven’t bought the new BNLX yet, you can listen to it at their Bandcamp. They do have past EP’s that they put out throughout the years. Here is a good sample of those EPs:

MP3: BNLX - Do Without

MP3: BNLX - Frogger (Laissez les bon temps rouler)

MP3: BNLX - Blue and Gold

MP3: BNLX - When Doves Cry

Should be a good night, full of energy and good vibes. So come out and support some good local music.

oscar ♥ bnlx2day.com

Dan Deacon at the Cedar Cultural Center, Minneapolis

Of The Mountains The Crystal Cat Konono Ripoff No. 1 Lots Crash Jam Guilford Avenue Bridge Snookered True Thrush Wham City Trippy Green Skull USA I: Is a Monster USA II: The Great American Desert USA IV: Manifest   SET LIST Tour Dates 11/09 Toronto, ON - Lee's Palace* 11/10 Montreal, QC - SAT* 11/11 South Burlington, VA - Higher Ground* 11/12 Portland, ME - SPACE Gallery* 11/13 Boston, MA - Paradise Rock Club* 11/14 Brooklyn, NY - Music Hall of Williamsburg* 11/15 Philadelphia, PA - Union Transfer* 11/16 New York, NY - Bowery Ballroom* 11/17 Washington, DC - 9:30 Club* 12/06 Tallahassee, FL - Club Downunder 12/09 Jacksonville, FL - Underbelly 12/10 Savannah, GA - Safe // Sound 12/11 Athens, GA - 40 Watt Club 12/13 Pensacola, FL - Handlebar 12/14 Gainesville, FL - Double Down Live 12/15 Tampa, FL - Crowbar * = Dan Deacon Ensemble w/ Height With Friends, Chester Endersby Gwazda, Alan Resnick Read More Dan Deacon I've already spotlighted Dan Deacon and his America album, so I'll just quickly mention that he's got an app on iTunes and Android. Apparently, during the show …

I really love the Cedar Cultural Center. It has a great feeling of homely novelty. I arrived for Dan Deacon’s Nov. 3rd gig, Minneapolis, MN. I caught the last opener just as they were going on-stage. Baltimore-based Height with Friends was pretty engaging. They had a very funky, hip-hop, chilled out sound. Like a pack of jazzy stoners with a polite triumph. They kept the audience entertained and bobbing their heads.  I’d keep tabs on them.

Dan Deacon started off his set with a “Bohemian Rhapsody” light show. (The few of you who do not know what song that is, it is probably Queen’s most popular and sung-along to song.)The light show had pretty awesome looking visuals. The crowd really got into it, dancing and singing along... It reaffirmed my belief that this show is high energy and highly agreeable to people; a feel good dance show! When Dan comes on stage he greets the audience and jests about how pretentious that intro made him seem. But it’s all okay because he’s incredible. If you have ever attended a Dan Deacon show, you won’t disagree. The guy is pretty awesome. Right away without any music, he convinces the audience to sit on one knee and point at the ceiling to a spot that most represents our greatest moment of cowardice. Then he got us to point to whoever wasn't participating and he was made fun of for his lame Netflix queue.

After the little game, Dan started up the set with a funtastic rework of, "Of the Mountains" that comes from the fabulous ‘09 effort, Bromst. After a great version of “Crystal Cat” Deacon had us form a giant circle as big as we could, using up the whole room. So that we could have a dance floor set up, and the rules were, #1, be sassy as fuck. And #3, no cowards. He set up two individuals to start it off and tag people to go in, for a bit it was just 2 people then it started going fast enough to where there were multiple folks in the pit. Of course I was hiding in fear of being picked because I really can’t dance worth squat. He also got everyone to split in half and get on either side of the venue. Then he picked out two fellows and they lead us on a 'Simon Says' sort of deal.

On a side note, I saw Dan Deacon in on May 5th, 2009, at the Triple Rock. Now that was a great show. Bromst was the record he was touring after and that record had made me fall in love. I had heard about his live show but I wasn’t ready for the interactive dance party he brought. I was incredibly taken by the experience and so when I heard he was coming back I knew I had to be there. So thus, speaking of interactive experiences, during the Triple Rock show he got people to make a hand bridge tunnel using the entire crowd and go out as far as there are people and loop back into the venue. That tunnel was quite big. Well, this time, during “Guilford Avenue Bridge.” Dan Deacon instructed us to do the same thing with the Cedar Cultural crowd. This tunnel was probably 10 times bigger than the last one I was involved in. It was probably quite the sight to see at Cedar Ave, on a Saturday night!!! Dan even went through the tunnel, and from what I heard it lasted 2 songs?? Wowza. Dan said that it was the longest tunnel yet.

After that spectacle, Dan instructed everyone who had followed the prompt and downloaded the concert app to pull out their smart phones. During the song, the phones that had the app were turned into a multi-colored strobe light and there were roughly 60 phones out in a dark room. “True Trush” was crazy fun! I guess it’s to encourage a party mood, but I feel like Dan has a rave worthy reworks of all his songs for his live performance. To close of the set Dan played “Wham City” and “America I, II, and IV.” which ended the performance with a celebratory feeling that followed you all the way home and through the week. If you haven’t seen Dan Deacon live, do yourself a favor and experience the next performance that comes to town.

Dan Deacon is currently on tour in support of America, out now on Domino Records.

oscar ♥ dandeacon.com

Passion Pit/Youngblood Hawke/Hollerado at First Avenue, Minneapolis (10/30/12)

SET LIST photograph by Steph Paxton Tour Dates 11/01 Milwaukee, WI – Riverside * 11/02 Detroit, MI – Royal Oak Music* 11/03 Columbus, OH – LC Pavilion * 11/04 Covington, KY – The Madison House * 11/06 Pittsburgh, PA – Stage AE * 11/28 Los Angeles, CA – Roxy (KROQ show) Read More Passion Pit Passion Pit took the stage to much acclaim and the occasional fangirl squeal (mostly directed to oh-so-dreamy keyboardist, Ian Hultquist). The first song, “Make …

At First Ave. on the 30th for LA based pop quintet Youngblood Hawke. This was the 2nd sold out day they opened for Passion Pit in Minneapolis.

HOLLERADO photo by Steph Paxton

I walked in as the always hyper Hollerado was hitting the stage. I saw them awhile back when they opened for Free Energy at the 400 Bar. It was a similar high energy performance. The thing is as with any opener, it’s hard to play for an audience that may not have heard of you before or because they are mainly there for the headliner. Hollerado definitely tried their best. They talked a lot more than the last time I saw them. Maybe a little too much. They also tried some stage tricks like spitting beer up in the air in unison.  Anyway, I saw some people get into it. Although in my opinion playing all ages shows is easier for a band. Younger folks are easier to impress. . .

Next up was Youngblood Hawke. I had never heard of them before last month but I dug their single “We Come Running.” That song specifically reminded me of Passion Pit’s newest, maximalist album. Their set was actually very full force, like their single, they started strong and finished strong. On the first song the lead singer had broken a drum stick he was bashing on his single tom. Those guys were really having a blast. In the first few songs, two drumsticks and a snare were broken. The only time they took to have a bit of a break was when they covered Notorious B.I.G.’s “Juicy.” Which even then, it was still a very feel good vibe. Quite a bit of the audience knew who they were, and were singing along joyfully to the lead single “We Come Running.” They definitely did a bit of genre bending during their set. Some of their songs sounded like throwback rock and roll anthems  that were very, very glossed out, and some were pop to the max.  Overall I was very impressed, I’d definitely like to check these guys out in a headlining gig.

PASSION PIT photo by Steph Paxton

Youngblood Hawke did a good job at ramping the audience up, and when Passion Pit came on stage they were very well received. They started out with “Take a Walk,” then went right into “The Reeling.” This took the crowd by surprise and they went ballistic in response. The pit was so crowded that I couldn’t tell people apart, just arms and heads, all pulsing up, down, left, and right. That was definitely a “passion pit” if I’ve ever seen one. From then on the show was just phenomenal. The crowd ate up every song, and they sang along to everything they could. Michael even stopped a few times to thank his fans. That it meant a lot to him that they weren’t on their iPhones and snapping pics the whole time. He made it clear he had no problems with recordings or photos; it was just flattering to have such a dedicated audience. They closed the set with “Sleepyhead,” which almost caused a riot in the crowd. Then they came back and gave a wonderful two piece encore of “Moth’s Wings” and “Little Secrets.” The latter of which even  I was even being hysterical about.

Overall it was an amazing show, P Pit really knows how to put on a show and they sure picked winners with Youngblood Hawke. High energy all night with these guys. So if they are stopping by your town and it hasn’t sold out, don’t wait any longer, grab a ticket!!! Or get it off someone who isn’t going.

Youngblood Hawke at First Avenue, Minneapolis (10/30/12) photograph by Steph Paxton

oscar + stephanie ♥ passionpitmusic.com ♥ youngbloodhawke.com ♥ hollerado.com

Minneapolis: BNLX, Brute Heart, Story of the Sea, Pony Trash, and Gloss

Read More BNLX What do Prince, Rihanna, Black Flag and Can have in common? Nothing. Fortunately no one bothered telling that to BNLX, whose new album, “EP#4” is ...

BNLX
bnlx2day.com

Finally, BNLX's LP, entitled LP, is arriving November 7th, 2012. We've been writing and reviewing BNLX for a while now, but if you aren't hip: this is Ed & Ashley Ackerson's band. Ed Ackerson is from the 90s band Polara, who I saw in 1995.

Anyway, I saw BNLX's very first gig and got a chance to briefly talk to Ed. He said he was very excited about BNLX, it was his first band that he's doing outside of Polara.

What I like about BNLX is that they give away most of their music, but makes it up with live shows and amazing handmade limited EPs and clothing. Look for a very limited 12" of LP this November.

Also announced is "BNLXFest" this November 16 and 17th:

BNLXFest Friday Nov. 16 BNLX with special guests Two Harbors Blue Sky Blackout International Karate and very special mystery guest

BNLXFest Saturday Nov. 17 BNLX with special guests Pink Mink Me and My Arrow Wiping Out Thousands and another very special mystery guest

BRUTE HEART
facebook.com

I like Minneapolis' Brute Heart, having randomly caught them live last year. This is a trio of women and they had a very medieval sound to their performance, which I think would fit well to a soundtrack for an old film. And that's what they've done with a live score of The Cabinet of Doctor Caligari (1920).

Brute Heart Performs a live score to The Cabinet of Doctor Caligari

plus: soundscapes by MAKR
shadow projections by Christopher Allen
off-stage sets by Jonathan Kaiser
Price: $8

Friday, October 19 - Doors at 7:00, Film plays at 8:00 sharp!
The Cedar Cultural Center, Minneapolis

STORY OF THE SEA
storyofthesea.com

I was never meant to have seen Story of the Sea, but I caught them as a last minute replacement for another band. I previously mention that their music sounded like "classic progressive rock," although their biography said that they sounded like "No one else specifically, really."

They are about to release a double self-titled album, half instrumentals and half B-sides. This will be their first release in four years, and it is coming out November 9th.

Their CD release shows as follows:

Turf Club, St Paul - November 9th, 2012 - $7
Story of the Sea
The Life and Times
Two Harbors

Other CD release shows:
November 10th, 2012 @ The Firebird in St. Louis
November 11th, 2012 @ The Beat Kitchen in Chicago

PONY TRASH
facebook.com/PonyTrash

Minneapolis' Pony Trash will be releasing a self-titled 12" on November 27th. The vinyl is strictly limited to 150 copies with hand-printed cover artwork by Casey Deming.

The record is described as "the greatest make-out record of the year", other people described it as shoegaze/dreampop.

Pony Trash is a new band comprised of various members of already-established bands: The Chambermaids, Polica, Vampire Hands and Gospel Gossip (who incidentally, has a new 7" coming out very soon.)

They have a show coming up on October 25th, and their CD-release show will be on November 23rd.

10/25 Pony Trash, Robust Worlds, Dreamweapon Turf Club St. Paul
11/23 Pony Trash, Web of Sunsets, Velveteens Turf Club St. Paul

GLOSS
facebook.com/glossband

I’m very in love with this brand new band named Gloss. They are a 5 piece band from Minneapolis, MN. Their music can be described as Dream-pop, shoe-gaze, and jangle-pop. And if you give them a listen they will probably sound to you like Slowdive, DIIV, or Wild Nothing. Honestly they would make the perfect opener for any of these bands. The thing with these guys is, they have a way of infusing energy into this standby of mine. I really felt like I was hearing something incredibly new as opposed to just another shoe-gaze track. They currently have one recorded track, but I’m eagerly awaiting a full release. I will post more info on future shows or releases when I hear of any.

Listen to their fabulously dreamy track, “Front Porch” on their Bandcamp.

BRIEFLY:

PORTAGE facebook.com/portagemn Minneapolis-based Portage is releasing their second album, Landings, coming out November 27th. Look for their new single, "Down to the Floor," from Landings, as a free download via portage.bandcamp.com The album is described as "somber melodies and soul-filled ballads." It was recorded at Crazy Beast Studio in Minneapolis with engineer Ben Durrant. There will also be a Landings album release show, taking place at Ice House, in Minneapolis, on Saturday, December 1st, with support from Chastity Brown.

NYTEOWL facebook.com/NyteowlMusic Nyteowl (otherwise known as Jeremiah) is a producer/DJ/mixer from Minneapolis. He's just finished his debut album called Life. The album was produced by Chris Heidman and is said to be a "lo-fi take on" disco, soul and R&B. Look for Life on November 13th. You can get a taste of what's to come on his sampler page. When playing live, Nyteowl is a full band, complete with synth and backup singers by gospel quartet SeVy.

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

The Young and the Restless

YOUNG DREAMS
youngdreams.no

Norway's Young Dreams are releasing their first single, "Fog Of War", off their forthcoming debut album, due in early 2013. You can grab the free download at Pitchfork. The "Fog of War" single will be available digitally this week; the USA market will get it tomorrow, October 16th.

Matias Tellez from Young Dreams, explained the song (even though he doesn't like telling people what a song is about): "If I have to say something about "Fog of War" it would be that it's about not seeing clearly what's happening on the other side. It creates a need for help in a desperate situation - hence "Fog of War" and the cry for help from Athena (Athene) who is the goddess of wisdom, courage and inspiration in Greek mythology."

The band is heading out to tour Europe with their label-mates Tame Impala.

10/19 Rockefeller - Oslo, Norway * 10/21 Pustervik - Gothenburg, Sweden * 10/22 Vega - Copenhagen, Denmark * 10/23 Postbahnhof - Berlin, Germany * 10/26 Magazzini Generali - Milan, Italy * 10/27 Les Docks - Lausanne, Switzerland * 10/29 Paradiso - Amsterdam, Netherlands * 10/30 Brixton Academy - London, UK *

11/01 HMV Ritz - Manchester, UK * 11/02 Leadmill - Sheffield, UK * 11/03 02 ABC - Glasgow, UK * 11/08 Parkteateret - Oslo, Norway ** 11/10 Bergen Kjott - Bergen, Norway ** * with Tame Impala ** with Casiokids

YOUNGBLOOD HAWKE
youngbloodhawke.com

Youngblood Hawke is a 5 piece indie-pop band from Los Angeles. They bring a sound that is very energetic and wild. They are currently tour mates to Passion Pit which they are akin to in many aspects, sonically. The band is following Passion Pit on tour to promote their fabulous self titled EP. Their full length album should be ready early next year. If you want to check these very hip and happening dudes out, you can do so by going to Soundcloud and stream the EP and the very hot new single, “We Come Running.” Don’t miss out on their amazing live show with Passion Pit, it’s going to be a dance-tastic night!

Dates with (*) indicates with Passion Pit:

10/15 – Washington, DC – 930 Club * 10/16 – Washington, DC – 930 Club * 10/18 – Raleigh, NC – Disco Rodeo * 10/19 – Charleston, SC – Music Farm * 10/20 – Atlanta, GA – Masquerade * 10/22 – Orlando, FL – House of Blues * 10/23 – Hollywood, FL – Arts Park Amphitheatre * 10/24 – Gainesville, FL – Stephen O’Connell Center * 10/26 – Oxford, MS – Lyric Oxford *

10/27 – Memphis, TN – Minglewood * 10/29 – Minneapolis, MN – First Ave * 10/30 – Minneapolis, MN – First Ave * 11/01 – Milwaukee, WI – Riverside * 11/02 – Detroit, MI – Royal Oak Music Theater * 11/03 – Columbus, OH – LC Pavilion * 11/04 – Covington, KY – The Madison House * 11/06 – Pittsburgh, PA – Stage AE * 11/28 – Los Angeles, CA – The Roxy (KROQ show)

YOUNG LOVE RECORDS
youngloverecords.com

I've already listed all the parties and events at CMJ 2012, but here is one more from Young Love Records.

Setting Sun, who I previously briefly mentioned, will once again be playing the CMJ Festival this Saturday.

Pete's Candy Store
Saturday, Oct 20th - 11pm - FREE!

It's free, but you can let them know you're attending at facebook.
Address and additional details on petescandystore.com.

In other Setting Sun news, apparently they are very close to finishing up a new record.

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

WHY? at the Cedar Cultural Center, Minneapolis (09/08/12)

Dirty Glass These Few Presidents Waterlines Strawberries Jonathan's Hope Brook and Waxing The Hollows The Plan Probable Cause Twenty Seven A Sky for Shoeing Horses Under Thirst Crushed Bones The Vowels Pt. 2 Paper Hearts -- Simeon's Dilemma Fatalist Palmistry Tour Dates 09.13 Brooklyn, NY: Music Hall 09.14 Philadelphia, PA: Union Transfer 09.15 Durham, NC: Motorco Music Hall 09.16 Asheville, NC: Grey Eagle 09.17 Atlanta, GA: The Earl 09.18 Nashville, TN: Mercy Lounge 10.05 Düsseldorf, Ger: New Fall Festival 10.06 Evreux, France: L'Abordage 10.07 Paris, France: Maroquinerie 10.08 Brighton, England: Old Market 10.09 London, England: Electric Ballroom 10.10 Manchester, Eng: Central Methodist 10.11 Bristol, England: Fleece 10.12 Glasgow, Scotland: SWG3 10.13 Oxford, England: The Bullingdon 10.15 Berlin, Ger: Volksbühne 10.18 Cincinnati, OH Lois & Richard 10.20 Pittsburgh, PA Altar 10.24 Richmond, VA Canal Club 10.25 Athens, GA 40 Watt 10.26 Jacksonville, FL Jack Rabbits 10.27 Orlando, FL The Social 10.28 Tampa, FL Crowbar 10.29 Tallahassee, FL Club Downunder 10.30 Mobile, AL Alabama Music Box 10.31 Baton Rouge, LA Spanish Moon 11.01 Houston, TX Walter's 11.02 Dallas, TX Sons of Hermann Hall 11.03 Austin, TX Fun Fun Fun Fest 11.05 St. Louis, MO Luminary Arts Read More WHY? The Cincinatti based indie trio will be releasing Sod in the Seed EP on August 14th via Anticon (City Slang in the UK). Their new LP, ,i>Mumps, etc. will follow…

It’s not until recently that I realized WHY? have five albums (one in the making)! I remember really liking 2008’s Alopecia, yet for some reason, I never checked out anything else by Yoni Wolf and the band. So I guess you could call me a casual when it comes to WHY?. I really shouldn’t be, from what I witnessed at their show at the Cedar Cultural Center in Minneapolis. For those of you who are not familiar with WHY?, they are an alternative hip-hop band from Cincinnati, Ohio (originally Berkley, California). Their catalogue spans, four EP’s, four full length albums with one on the way (Mumps, etc., due out October 9th.)

I got to the Cedar a bit late that night, since I was not sure about the openers. Seems that the show started late anyway, I caught the last of Serengeti's set and he was actually pretty humorous. I really loved the song, I later learned was, “Dennehy.” A song about a guy who loves his Chicago sports, hot dogs , O'Doul's, and his wife Juelz. Then came a bizarre set from former WHY?’s personal friend, Doseone. It was so ridiculous, I found myself with a goofy smile when it was over. It can only be described as Anti-hip-hop.

This is all why I think that I didn’t go to a concert, I went to the experience. It was as if someone had painfully crafted an event, step by step. From getting there late, to only catching the last of Serengeti’s set, to experiencing Doseone’s bizzaro-anti-hip-hop. It was definitely a bizarre trip crafted from the insane mind of a man like, Yoni Wolf, the band's protagonist.

Funny enough, he wasn’t even on stage when they started out with an intro to “Dirty Glass” that sounded like a heavenly choir of angels backed by the Dirty Projectors. The WHY? band crafted a hauntingly beautiful tune, then came in Yoni. He was in the zone. His stage presence godlike as, the crowd of college and post-college adults, and some high schoolers, sang along with him religiously. Along with showmanship, Yoni has flow, and a pleasant voice and hilarious lyrics. And from then on, with that, he kept the momentum up the whole show. Even through the unfamiliar material of their new jam, Mumps, etc. I liked that they seemed to re-interpret songs, and how they mixed their old and new in so well. Especially the cuts from their album Alopecia.

They ended their set with “Paper Hearts” and dutifully delivered a show-stopping encore. And that is 'why', the fans stay and only multiply.

WHY? at the Cedar Cultural Center, Minneapolis (09/08/12)

oscar ♥ whywithaquestionmark.com

Active Child/Chad Valley 7th Street Entry Minneapolis (09/17/11)

Tour Dates 09/19/11 Denver, CO Hi-Dive* 09/20/11 Salt Lake City, UT Urban Lounge* 09/21/11 Boise, ID Neurolux Lounge* 09/23/11 Seatle, WA The Crocodile* 09/24/11 Vancouver, BC The Electric Bowl* 09/25/11 Portland, OR Doug Fir Lounge* 09/28/11 San Francisco, CA Bottom of the Hill 09/30/11 Los Angeles The Echo 10/13/11 Reykjavik, Iceland Iceland Airwaves 10/13/11 Bergen, Norway Perfect Sounds Festival 10/16/11 London, England Binnacle Festival 10/16/11 London, England Binnacle Festival 10/16/11 London, England St. Pancras Church 10/30/11 Asheville, NC Moogfest * w/ Chad Valley

Man/Miracle

Now I didn’t even know who Man/Miracle were before the show. Nor did I know they were playing before Chad Valley, but this energetic trio from Oakland, CA surprised me that night. Maybe it was their somewhat western, somewhat math rock sound. Or was it that they seemed to stick out like a sore thumb on a night full of synth, mechanical drums, and vocoded vocals? No matter what the case was, in the end I really enjoyed hearing their bouncy, fun and spaztic bass and guitar riffs.  Dylan rips it up on the guitar and his buddy play the baritone guitar like a madman.

Chad Valley

Chad Valley is the solo effort of Hugo Manuel. UK producer and front-man of the group Jonquil. For Chad Valley Hugo takes his beautiful vocals and surrounds them with Balearic beats infused with funk and soul. I had not really heard much of Chad Valley prior to a week ago, so I didn’t recognize many of the songs except “Fast Challenges” and “Now That I’m Real (How does it feel?)” So I just let myself get lost in his set. The way his voice dances with the beats really does transport you. In my case I was transported to a party in a tropical oasis where everyone is moving in slow motion while the setting sun drenches the oasis in it’s soft pink light.

Whoever set up this gig, knows that Chad Valley’s Balearic, soul-funk synergies well with Active Child’s lush and dreamy experimental R&B. Active Child is the solo project of L.A.’s Pat Grossi. Pat sang for the Philadelphia's Boys Choir when he was younger and in that choir he fine tuned a set of vocal chords, so beautiful he could woo the angels. Live, Pat enlists a drummer to play his mechanized drum beats, and a bassist/synth player while he mans the harp, synth and vocals. When he came on stage he opened up with my favorite track from his newest album, “Hanging On.” And with that he set a ethereal tone for the rest of his set. Pat’s live performance is so enchanting that his last albums indecisiveness can be forgiven. His beautiful warm, but grieving vocals tug at your heart strings, while his beats mesmerize you and elevate you to another level. From what I heard it’s pretty self evident that his strongest points are when he goes with his experimental R&B tracks. If you get a chance to see these two guys live, don’t hesitate.

Active Child at 7th Street, Minneapolis (09/17/11)

oscar () ♥ activechildmusic.com ♥ chadvalley.tumblr.com ♥ facebook.com/mslashm