W♥M (Archive)

Minneapolis Shows (March 2012)

Okay, we're nearing the end of March and since I posted my March schedule, I am adding a few more shows and working on my April schedule.

THE MYNABIRDS
themynabirds.com

The Mynabirds recently announced their Record Store Day release of "Generals" on 7", flipside is a non-album track, "Fallen Doves". The special 7" is available in five different paint colors (all hand-spray painted and numbered by band leader Laura Burhenn) and limited to 1,000 copies on black vinyl. The song, "Generals", is the title track from their June 5th album.

The GENERALS album is described as both a protest and concept album. In conjunction with the album, Burhenn has launched portrait project called The New Revolutionists. I looked around the website, it looks like they're portraits of American women who are active on political issues; women making a difference.

They are playing in Minneapolis tomorrow, with Big Harp, and ending their tour in Omaha, Nebraska on Friday. You can grab "Generals" song for free.

PS, I didn't know this at the time, but I have seen Burhenn before, hanging out with Bright Eyes.

CONDUITS
facebook.com/ConduitsMusic

Didn't I tell you that Cursive is going to sell out their show at the 400 Bar in February? I have been told that the show on March 23rd (Friday) is sold-out. If you're a hardcore fan, I suggest showing up and being the first 10 or 20 in line because from experience, I know they reserve a few tickets at the door. I also know from experience that it's one ticket per person, which means you can't buy two or three tickets for a friend in waiting.

So if you show up early, one of the two opening bands is called Conduits.

Conduits' self-titled LP just came out Tuesday (March 20th) via Team Love, and the description I have is that the band is a bit shoegaze and draws inspiration from Jason Spaceman (Spiritualized), Beth Gibbons (Portishead) and Slowdive. You can probably throw in Mazzy Star and Blonde Redhead. Notice all those links? That's because we like those bands.

Conduits kick off their tour with Cursive and Cymbals Eat Guitars tomorrow:

Thu-Mar-22 Iowa City, IA The Mill Fri-Mar-23 Minneapolis, MN 400 Bar Sat-Mar-24 Madison, WI High Noon Sun-Mar-25 Chicago, IL Lincoln Hall Mon-Mar-26 Champaign, IL High Dive Tue-Mar-27 Ann Arbor, MI Blind Pig Wed-Mar-28 Pittsburgh, PA Mr. Smalls Thu-Mar-29 Cleveland, OH Grog Shop Fri-Mar-30 Buffalo, NY Mohawk Sat-Mar-31 Toronto, ONT Horseshoe Tavern Mon-Apr-02 Boston, MA Middle East (Downstairs) Tue-Apr-03 New York, NY Bowery Ballroom Wed-Apr-04 New York, NY Bowery Ballroom Thu-Apr-05 Philadelphia, PA Union Transfer

Fri-Apr-06 Washington, DC Black Cat Sat-Apr-07 Raleigh, NC Kings Barcade Sun-Apr-08 Atlanta, GA The Earl Mon-Apr-09 St. Augustine, FL Café Eleven Tue-Apr-10 Orlando, FL The Social Wed-Apr-11 Tallahassee, FL Club Downunder Fri-Apr-13 Houston, TX Fitzgeralds Sat-Apr-14 Austin, TX Mohawk Sun-Apr-15 Dallas, TX Trees Tue-Apr-17 Memphis, TN Hi Tone Wed-Apr-18 Lexington, KY Cosmic Charlies Fri-Apr-20 St. Louis, MO Off Broadway Sat-Apr-21 Columbia, MO Mojos

NADA SURF
nadasurf.com

Nada Surf is one of the few bands that we have covered since the start of W♥M. We've always liked them, and if you were lucky enough to be at SXSW this year, they played a few shows down there.

They are stopping in Minneapolis on March 31st at First Ave. You know that Saturday's First Ave shows ends around 10:30, or so, because of the nightclub that happens afterward. A staff at First Ave tried to make me stay because she thinks I'd get a kick out of seeing some of the clienteles. Maybe one day, I'll stay in after a show… just not March 31st because of Fanfarlo coming to town.

The Stars Are Indifferent to Astronomy is Nada Surf's first album in almost four years. Their last album, Lucky, which we reviewed, was in 2008. Reading about making of this new record, it sounded like it was tough, because their home recording studio in Brooklyn wasn't soundproof. According to singer/guitarist Matthew Caws, "We couldn't do vocals late at night, because the music from the bar downstairs would come through the floor."

When it's all said and done, Caws admitted that making The Stars Are Indifferent to Astronomy was a whole lot of fun. And they want to share that fun and excitement with you on their tour - see below.

03/23/12 Portland, OR - Wonder Ballroom 03/24/12 Seattle, WA/12 Neptune 03/25/12 Vancouver, BC - Rickshaw 03/27/12 Salt Lake City, UT - Urban Lounge 03/29/12 Denver, CO - Summit Music Hall 03/30/12 Omaha, NE - The Waiting Room 03/31/12 Minneapolis, MN - First Avenue 04/02/12 Chicago, IL - The Metro 04/04/12 Toronto, ON - The Opera House 04/05/12 Montreal, QC - The Corona Theatre 04/06/12 Boston, MA - Paradise Rock Club 04/07/12 New York, NY - Webster Hall 04/09/12 Phila, PA - Theatre of the Living Arts 04/10/12 Washington, DC - 9:30 Club

06/19/12 Lancaster, PA - Chameleon Club 06/20/12 Pittsburgh, PA - Stage AE 06/21/12 Cleveland, OH - Beachland Ballroom 06/22/12 Ann Arbor, MI - Blind Pig 06/23/12 Indianapolis, IN - Deluxe 06/24/12 Louisville, KY - Headliners Music Hall 06/25/12 St. Louis, MO -The Old Rock House 06/27/12 Little Rock, AR - Juanita's 06/28/12 Dallas, TX - Granada Theatre 06/29/12 Austin, TX - La Zona Rosa 06/30/12 Houston, TX - Fitzegerald’s 07/02/12 Birmingham, AL - Bottletree 07/03/12 Atlanta, GA - The Loft 07/05/12 Baltimore, MD - Rams Head Live

LOVEDRUG
lovedrugmusic.com

Lovedrug's "Wild Blood" video came on MTV Buzzworthy last week, calling the song "the perfect soundtrack for your next road trip". You can watch it on youtube.com. The song is the title track from their Wild Blood album that came out in early March.

I'm pretty certain that they'll be doing songs from that album on their upcoming tour. They are stopping in at the Cause (previously known as The Sauce) in Minneapolis on April 1st. If you've ever been to a show at this place, it's a very, very tiny little place. I believe it's even smaller than 7th Street Entry, which everyone will agree that 7th Street is tiny. Once The Cause gets to a certain level, the door person will turn you away because of fire hazard safety codes, so I suggest if you really want to see them - show up early.

Tour dates below:

Mar 21 Duling Hall Jackson, MS Mar 22 A&M Theatre Panama City, FL Mar 23 BACKBOOTH Orlando, FL Mar 24 The Masquerade Atlanta, GA Mar 25 New Brookland Tavern West Columbia, SC Mar 28 Doc's Muncie, IN Mar 29 Radio Radio Indianapolis, IN Mar 30 Beat Kitchen Chicago, IL Apr 01 CAUSE SPIRITS & SOUND BAR Minneapolis, MN Apr 04 Lemonjello's Holland, MI Apr 05 Frankies Toledo, OH Apr 06 Musica Akron, OH Apr 07 RUMBA CAFE Columbus, OH Apr 08 Mohawk Place Buffalo, NY Apr 11 Bug Jar Rochester, NY Apr 12 Bowery Electric New York, NY

Apr 13 North Star Bar Philadelphia, PA Apr 14 Chameleon Lancaster, PA Apr 15 Brillobox Pittsburgh, PA Apr 16 Whiskey's Annapolis, MD Apr 17 Kingdom Richmond, VA Apr 18 Jammin Java Vienna, VA Apr 19 Blue Nile Harrisonburg, VA Apr 27 Aquadome Kirksville, MO Apr 28 Music Union Hall Ottumwa, IA Apr 29 The Granada Lawrence, KS Apr 30 The Scene-Ary Wichita, KS May 01 Hi-Dive Denver, CO May 03 Kilby Court Salt Lake City, UT May 06 Soda Bar San Diego, CA May 10 Bootleg Bar Los Angeles, CA May 16 Someday Lounge Portland, OR

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

Cover Lover: Totally 80s

DUNCAN SHEIK
duncansheik.com

You all remember Duncan Sheik, he found massive success with his single "Barely Breathing" from his self-titled debut album from Atlantic Records. He won a Grammy for "Best Male Vocal Performance, Pop", you know, no big deal.

So it's been a while, but Duncan Sheik returns to pop music, and it's obvious that Sheik wears his influences on his sleeve with his all covers album, Covers 80s (released earlier this month via Sneaky Records). I can only imagine that Sheik is a bit of an anglophile, considering the artists covered here: The Cure, The Smiths, Howard Jones, Love & Rockets, Tears for Fears, Japan, Talk Talk, Blue Nile, The Psychedelic Furs, Depeche Mode, Thompson Twins, New Order. No Cyndi Lauper, no Madonna, no cheesy Def Leppard.

I can tell that Sheik loves these songs, it really shows in his covers, and especially the song choices. The Smiths' "William, It Was Really Nothing" isn't one of their more popular songs, and even the almost-random The Blue Nile (from Glasgow) song, "Stay" doesn't quite belong, but he loves it enough to include it on the album. The pronunciation is a little off on the Smiths cover, it sounds like Duncan is saying "Willie-um", which may be a disservice to one Steven Patrick Morrissey.

If you like 80s synth, which many of these artists are, especially Depeche Mode, Howard Jones, and Japan, you may be disappointed that the synthesizers are nowhere to be found on Duncan Sheik's covers... which are more low-key. This is a good thing, in my opinion. Sheik is trying to put his own spin on these songs, and like or hate it, I feel it's the right course.

Other notable mentions is that Holly Brook and Rachael Yamagata appears on the record. I am assuming that is Yamagata singing with Sheik on "Shout" and Brook on "Hold Me Now", which is my favorite cover on the album.

Covers 80s, the seventh studio album by Duncan Sheik is out now.

THE ASTEROIDS GALAXY TOUR
theasteroidsgalaxytour.com

Yeah, you know the story. I think these guys are great, calling them top for 2008, and to this day, I sometime hear "Around the Bend" at clubs - which is pretty amazing how far the band's come.

I finally got a copy of The Golden Age EP for review. Guess what? The Asteroids Galaxy Tour covered "Safety Dance", what perfect timing since I just saw Men Without Hats (they are still alive and breathing). The Asteroids Galaxy Tour's version has a bit more horns and that unique Danish vocals from Mette Lindberg. Their version doesn't take into account the extended remix, but that's just fine, it's a perfect pop song.

As for the rest of the EP, lots of horns, giving it a more 70s flavor to it. It is obvious to me that these songs are meant for the dance floor, especially for "Fantasy Friend Forever" and "Safety Dance" cover ("because if your friends don't dance...") If you don't believe me, listen for yourself on their soundcloud set. If video's your poison, their 2+ million youtube video is 70s spectacular: one-eyed villain, kungfu and a spy flutist (yes, it's also a Heineken commercial).

Here's what left of their galaxy tour on Earth:

7/01 – Poland, Open’er Festival
7/10 – Hungary, Balaton Sound Festival
9/23 – Brazil, Rio de Janeiro, Rock in Rio

What Difference Does It Make

STRANDED HORSE
theestrandedhorse.com

I love covers and I love the Smiths, and if my math is right, I should love all Smiths covers. That isn't always the case, especially when I heard Emily Browning's "Sing Me To Sleep" on the awful, awful, awful Sucker Punch movie. The song is about suicide, hearing it as a pop song is just.... but anyway, Stranded Horse's cover of "What Difference Does It Make" is actually pretty good. If you listen to it (available as a free download at soundcloud.com), it's basically deconstructed to just singer Yann Tambour's vocals and plucky kora acoustics. It has a very medieval/madrigal feel to whole thing.

Stranded Horse is not actually not a brand new band, it's just shorten from his ex-band, "Thee, Stranded Horse", and just to give you a little background on Tambour, he is French, but based on the Smiths cover and And The Shoreline It Withdrew In Anger, his English is impeccable. His latest album, Humbling Tides was written and recorded in Bristol, UK, but he is returning and touring to France this Fall:

sept, 10 • Bordeaux • Festival Ouvre la Voix
oct, 01 • Bruxelles (b) • Festival 'Comme à la maison'
nov. 03 • Pau • la Centrifugeuse
nov. 04 • Bayonne • le Microscope
nov. 08 • Clermont Ferrand • l'hôtel des vils
nov. 09 • Allonnes (72) • la péniche w/ Arlt
nov. 17 • Martigues • Scène Nationale, Théâtre des Salins w/ Piers Faccini
nov. 18 • Katowice (p) • Festival 'Ar Cameralis'
nov. 24 • Paris • la maroquinerie w/ Arlt

LOVEDRUG
www.lovedrugmusic.com

These guys, I only know because I liked their cover artwork. They make attractive CDs.

Their best of album, strangely titled Best of I AM LOVEDRUG is not really a best of Lovedrug, but a best of covers by "I Am Lovedrug". I know, it's confusing.

You can see the songs covered for yourself at freefallmediagroup.net, the album is available now (June 28th). You can download their cover of Fleetwood Mac's "Dreams" for free via their Facebook-thingy.

They didn't list the artists, but here's what I've compiled:

Only Shallow (My Bloody Valentine)
Dreams (Fleetwood Mac)
Hysteria (Def Leppard)
Me and My Arrow (Harry Nilsson)
Talk To Me (Stevie Nicks)
Plug In Baby (Muse)
Zombie (Cranberries)
Pure Imagination (Willy Wonka)
Billie Jean (Michael Jackson)
God of Wine feat. Kevin Cadogan (Third Eye Blind)
Endless Day (The Kinks)

 

vu () ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ podcast.weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com/weheartmusic

 

Salinthia wrote:

It's called 'Best of I AM LOVEDRUG' b/c all the recordings are from fans pledging for cover songs as part of their PledgeMusic campaign which was called I AM LOVEDRUG (www.IamLovedrug.com).

Posted Tuesday, 05 July 2011 at 01:05 PM

Human A.D. - Scarecrow

 

 

Human A.D. - Scarecrow

Human A.D.

I ran into Steve the other day (which is funny because I rarely go outside). I didn't really know what to say, so I was telling him some random things. Like how I almost bought Lovedrug's new album, based on the package of their CD. The package was so cool, there's horses and flowers and artsy... but I had to talk myself out of buying it because I have never heard of this band.

So, anyway, Steve's in this metal band called Human A.D. (link is pointing to myspace, as it looks like humanad.org is down). I saw them a few years ago, and I have to admit I have never gotten into metal. It's too loud for my sissy self. But if you like metal, maybe you'll appreciate this (seeing as we don't cover metal on this music blooggie at all).

My choice of music to share was easy enough, as I could not download any of their songs (this is no surprise as I have had nothing but problems with myspaz lately). The only song I could download is called "Scarecrow"... hmmm human scarecrow. According to the id3 tags, it's the fourth track from V2.0.

Bonus: Apparently they have two myspace account for sharing even more music: myspace.com/humanad2

vu