The String Cheese Incident: new album "Song In My Head" 04/29

Colorado bluegrass jam band The String Cheese Incident will release a new studio album on April 29th. Song In My Head is their first offering of studio tracks since One Step Closer (2005). The album was produced by Jerry Harrison.

Live dates:

• 04/24 Fox Theater, Oakland, CA
• 04/25 Fox Theater, Oakland, CA
• 04/26 Fox Theater, Oakland, CA
• 05/01 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, New Orleans, LA
• 05/02 Georgia Theatre, Athens, GA
• 05/03 Georgia Theatre, Athens, GA
• 05/04 Beale Street Music Festival, Memphis, TN
• 05/22-25 DelFest, Cumberland, MD
• 06/05-08 Wakarusa, Ozark, AR
• 06/26-29 Electric Forest Festival, Rothbury, MI
• 09/04-07 Lockn' Festival, Arrington, VA

» stringcheeseincident.com

Triggerfinger: "Perfect Match" single, new album "By Absence of the Sun" 04/22

photos: Thomas Willi

Belgian rock powertrio Triggerfinger have released Perfect Match, the lead single from their forthcoming new studio album By Absence of the Sun (April 22 on Excelsior). They recorded it at Sunset Sound in Hollywood, CA.

Perfect Match is available on iTunes.

Live dates:

• 03/26 Paris, France @ Le Trianon
• 03/28 Bremen, Germany @ Nordlicht Festival
• 04/19 Schijndel, The Netherlands @ Paaspop
• 04/27 Dresden, Germany @ Groovestation
• 04/28 Konstanz, Germany @ Kulturladen
• 04/29 Saarbrucken, Germany @ Garage
• 05/11 Berlin, Germany @ Heimathafen
• 05/12 Hamburg, Germany @ Übel & Gefährlich
• 05/13 Strom Munich, Germany @ Strom
• 05/29 Hellendoorn, The Netherlands @ Dauwpop
• 06/28 Luxembourg, Luxembourg @ Rock-A-Field
• 07/04 Arras, France @ Main Square Festival
• 07/05 Werchter, Belgium @ Rock Werchter

» triggerfinger.net

Les Claypool's Duo De Twang: secret Brooklyn show tonight

photo: Jeremy Scott

Les Claypool's Duo De Twang will a perform a not-so-secret show in Brooklyn tonight at 7 pm at the Brooklyn Rod & Gun Club at 59 Kent Ave. A 21+ show, entry is first come first serve and $10 at the door, cash only.

Live dates:

• 02/27 Brooklyn Rod & Gun Club, Brooklyn, NY (7 pm)
• 02/27 The Heath at the McKittrick Hotel, New York, NY (11pm)
• 02/28 Bearsville Theater, Woodstock, NY
• 03/01 The Sinclair, Cambridge, MA
• 03/03 Jefferson Theater, Charlottesville, VA,
• 03/04 Mr. Smalls Theatre, Millvale, PA
• 03/06 The Kent Stage, Kent, OH
• 03/07 Majestic Theatre, Detroit, MI
• 03/08 The Vogue, Indianapolis, IN
• 03/09 Plush, Saint Louis, MO
• 03/11 George's Majestic Lounge Fayetteville, AR
• 03/12 SXSW, Austin, TX
• 03/13 SXSW, Austin, TX
• 03/14 SXSW, Austin, TX
• 03/15 Howlin Wolf, New Orleans, LA

The duo's debut album Four Foot Shack will be released on ATO Records on February 4.

» lesclaypool.com

HCTF review of Four Foot Shack.

Deep Purple: "Made in Japan" reisssue

One of rock greatest live albums will be re-released yet again. Deep Purple's Made in Japan hits the shelves in a plethora of formats: on CD/DVD (4CD+DVD | 2CD | 1CD), vinyl (9LP | 2LP | 7″ single), Blue-ray and downloads of the 2CD | 1CD | Blue-ray | remix | remaster). The aforementioned 7″ is a special Record Store Day single. The Highway Star has posted a full rundown.

Made in Japan will be released thru Universal on May 19, 2014.

» Made in Japan on Wikipedia

City Reign: See What It's Worth

Manchester quartet City Reign peddle rough around the edges garage rock with a melodic twist. They have made a video for their new single See What It's Worth. Pretty basic but catchy stuff with hard-hitting drums and passionate vocals - the kind of band you hope to run into in a pub who dares to book bands to entertain their clientele.

Singer Chris Bull and lead guitarist Michael Grice met each other at a Ryan Adams concert and decided to name the band after his City Rain, City Streets. They are currently working on their second full-length.

See What It's Worth will be released on Car Boot Records.

City Reign:
Ryan Ashton: bass
Duncan Bolton: drums
Chris Bull: guitar and vocals
Michael Grice: lead guitar

Live date:

• 03/21 Gullivers, Manchester

» cityreign.net

The Pink Floyd Exhibition – Their Mortal Remains

A huge Pink Floyd exposition will be open to the public in Milan (September 19 – October 19:

Fran Tomasi, Pink Floyd’s Italian promoter, has announced plans for ‘The Pink Floyd Exhibition – Their Mortal Remains’ which will open in Milan’s La Fabbrica Del Vapore on 19 September 2014. This vast and innovative exhibition will take the visitor on a surreal, multi-sensory journey through Pink Floyd’s extraordinary worlds, chronicling the music and art of Pink Floyd, from their debut album ‘The Piper At The Gates of Dawn’ to the present. The Pink Floyd Exhibition is the first international retrospective of one of the world’s most pioneering and influential bands and the active involvement and collaboration of the three band members in all planning aspects has been crucial to the execution of it.

» pinkfloydexhibition.com

Tim Knol: "Enjoy the Spectacle" video

Dutch singer-songwriter Tim Knol has released another single from his Soldier On album. Watch the video for Enjoy the Spectacle. The clip was made by James Murray.

Live dates:

• 02/28 Cultura, Ede
• 03/01 De Nieuwe Regentes, Den Haag
• 03/05 Theater de Purmaryn, Purmerend
• 03/06 De Kom, Nieuwegein
• 03/07 Deventer Schouwburg, Deventer
• 03/08 Theater de Schalm, Veldhoven
• 03/11 Schouwburg De Kampanje, Den Helder
• 03/13 Het Kielzog, Hoogezand
• 03/14 Stadsschouwburg De Harmonie, Leeuwarden
• 03/16 De Kleine Komedie, Amsterdam
• 03/17 De Kleine Komedie, Amsterdam
• 03/19 Theater aan de Parade, Den Bosch
• 03/20 Stadsgehoorzaal, Vlaardingen
• 03/21 DOK 6, Panningen
• 03/22 Theater de Kattendans, Bergeijk
• 03/26 Rabo Theater de Meenthe, Steenwijk
• 03/28 Theater het Kruispunt, Barendrecht
• 03/29 Zaantheater, Zaandam
• 04/02 Rabotheater, Hengelo
• 04/03 Theaters Tilburg, Tilburg
• 04/04 Isala Theater, Capelle a/d IJssel
• 04/05 De Flint, Amersfoort
• 04/08 Posthuis Theater, Heerenveen
• 04/09 Theater De Vest, Alkmaar
• 04/11 ZINiN Theater, Nijverdal
• 04/12 Hoftheater, Raalte
• 04/16 Odeon De Spiegel, Zwolle
• 04/17 Theater De Molenberg, Delfzijl
• 04/19 Theater Heerlen, Heerlen
• 04/22 Stadsschouwburg - Utrecht
• 04/23 Stadsschouwburg, Utrecht
• 04/25 Theater De Nieuwe Kolk, Assen
• 04/30 Leidse Schouwburg, Leiden
• 05/01 Schouwburg Orpheus, Apeldoorn
• 05/02 De Oosterpoort, Groningen

» timknol.nl

Secret Colours: "It Can't Be Simple" video

Watch the Secret Colours video for It Can't Be Simple, a track from their EP Positive Distractions Part I. The retro psychedelic quartet from Chicago will release it on vinyl and cassette as a bundle with Positive Distractions Part II in April.

Live dates:

• 03/01 Township, Chicago, IL
• 03/15 Parish Underground, Austin, TX

» secretcolours.com

HCTF reviews of Positive Distractions I and Positive Distractions II.

I Am Oak & The Black Atlantic: Black Oak

Dutch folk artists I am Oak (Thijs Kuijken) and The Black Atlantic (Geert van de Velde) have been admiring each other's music for years. Both singers deliver their tunes with their upper register vocals right upfront. They finally got together to cut the split EP Black Oak. Three tracks each: a new one, a collaboration and a cover. The songs are drenched in melancholy, with gentle acoustic guitars and carefully placed strings and dreamy backing vocals. An EP that feels like a comfy blanket, especially when their voices melt together as one.

Pre-order the Black Oak – Split EP from Snowstar Records. The vinyl 10"" is limited to 555 copies

Side A:

1. The Black Atlantic - Fracture
2. The Black Atlantic (feat. I Am Oak) - Rove
3. The Black Atlantic - Curt

Side B:

1. I Am Oak - How Long
2. I Am Oak (feat. The Black Atlantic) - Thaw
3. I Am Oak - Reverence For Fallen Trees

The projected joint tour is currently being rescheduled, due to family related matters. I am Oak had to cancel the dates in Switzerland.

» iamoak.com
» theblackatlantic.com

American Fiction: "Dumb Luck" stream

Stream Dumb Luck, the debut single by Memphis rockers American Fiction. The track was produced by Eddie Kramer.

Live dates:

• 02/28 Poplar Lounge, Memphis, TN
• 03/22 The Blue Monkey, Memphis, TN
• 04/24 Soulshine Pizza Factor, Nashville, TN

» American Fiction on Facebook

HCTF review of the Dumb Luck.

Chris Cape: Baritone

South African indie pop singer Chris Cape directed his own video for Baritone, the sad tale of a struggling musician who loses his girl to another guy who can bring home the bacon. He follows them home and kills them both. Backing vocals by Toni Wiseman.

» chriscape.com

Appletop: Brave Mountains

Lo-fi garage rock goodness from France anyone? Appletop, a trio from Hyères, serves a tasty mix of The Replacements and Half Japanese. Their new album Brave Mountains centers around the dry sound of Pierre Cristofari's lead guitar.

With their back-to-basics attitude and well-placed syncopation to keep it interesting, they switch between slow moving distortion (New Again), gentle acoustic (Nikolai) and powerpop with a Pixies twist (Madonna in Love). The loud-quiet-loud album's closer Somehow We Got Lucky has written live favorite all over it.

Appletop:
Pierre Cristofari: vocals, guitars
Olivier Cancellieri: vocals, bass
Nicolas Faou: drums

Brave Mountains is released thru Armellodie. Release date; March 10.

Tracks:

1. Headstrong
2. Twenty-Five
3. Burning Land
4. Nikolai
5. New Again
6. Johnny’s Theme
7. Nebraska
8. Madonna in Love
9. Portland
10. Somehow We Got Lucky

Live dates:

• 02/28 Aubagne, France @ Escale
• 03/15 Toulon, France @ Crep des lices

» appletop.fr

M. Lockwood Porter: Judah's Gone

Singer-songwriter M. Lockwood Porter grew up on a farm in Oklahoma and now lives in Berkeley. Those two world collide on his debut album Judah's Gone, a lo-fi album alternating between solo acoustic Americana and electric country-rock. With wavering vocals that require some patience to fully appreciate Porter looks at himself, his love affairs and his roots.

Obviously inspired by the likes of Jeff Tweedy, Neil Young (Osage County sounds a bit too much like Helpless), Ryan Adams and his childhood hero Bruce Springsteen, he is an artist to watch. And don't let some slick producer try to clean up his sound. The warts-and-all of these recordings only add to his appeal.

M. Lockwood Porter: vocals, acoustic & electric guitar, bass, piano, Rhodes, organ, harmonica
Peter Labberton: drums, percussion, bass on “Osage County”
Bevan Herbekian: bass on “There’s Something Wrong With Me” and “Judah’s Gone”, backing vocals on “Osage County”
Josh Yenne: pedal steel on “Judah’s Gone”, “There’s Something Wrong With Me”, and “Darkside”
Dayna Hamman: backing vocals on “Judah’s Gone”

Judah's Gone is a self-released album. Buy it from his website.

Tracks:

1. Judah's Gone
2. Now My Time Has Come
3. There's Something Wrong With Me
4. Stephen
5. Menelaus
6. Down At The Lake
7. Tonight
8. Darkside
9. Higher Home
10. Osage County
11. Retraction

» mlockwoodporter.com

Eddie Van Halen: the 1978 Guitar Player interview

Guitar Player has unearthed first ever interview with Eddie Van Halen, orginally published in 1978:

I do whatever I want. I don't really think about it too much-and that's the beauty of being in this band. Everyone pretty much does what they want, and we all throw out ideas, so whatever happens, happens. Everything is pretty spontaneous. We used to have a keyboard player, and I hated it because I had to play everything exactly the same with him. I couldn't noodle in between the vocal lines, because he was doing something to fill it up. I don't like someone else filling where I want to fill, and that's why I've always wanted to play in three-piece bands.

About his main guitar:

It is a copy of a Fender Stratocaster. I bought the body for $50 and the neck for $80, and put in an old Gibson PAF pickup that was rewound to my specifications. I like the one-pickup sound, and I've experimented with it a lot. If you put the pickup really close to the bridge, it sounds trebly, if you put it too far forward, you get a sound that isn't good for rhythm. I like it towards the back-it gives the sound a little sharper edge and bite. I also put my own frets in, using large Gibsons. There is only one volume knob-that's all there is to it. I don't use any fancy tone knobs. I see so many people who have these space-age guitars with a lot of switches and equalizers and treble boosters-give me one knob, that's it. It's simple and it sounds cool. I also painted this guitar with stripes. It has almost the same weight as a Les Paul.

» Guitar Player

Hellenica: They Are Out For Blood

Jim Demos, experimental guitar player form Montreal who goes by the stage name Hellenica, has managed to create a prog rock Spaghetti Western soundtrack on his own. His EP They Are Out For Blood comes with three densely textured tracks, putting the bad guy in the listener's mind's eye.

By adding layers of acoustic and electric guitar topped off with wordless chanting Demos creates a movie filled with swinging saloon doors, tumbleweeds and staring matches, before riding off to the horizon, guitar strapped across his back. Recommended if you like Neu!, Can and Ummagamma-era Pink Floyd.

They Are Out For Blood is a self-released EP. Buy it (pay-what-you-want) from his website.

Tracks:

1. Night Creeper
2. The Lost and Forgotten
3. Morning Of The War Horn

» hellenicamusic.com

Curtis Eller's American Circus: How to Make It in Hollywood

photo: Alex Maness

Curtis Eller's American Circus have pity on the working man. They sing about big shots who lost out in the end (Richard Nixon, General Lee, Sonny Liston), and major disasters (the economic collapse of 1929 and the horrors of war). Main man and banjo player Curtis Eller is there to tell the tale, like a field reporter from the good old days.

How to Make It in Hollywood is a cheerful album about things going bad, filled to the rafters with old time folk songs wrapped in old time jazz. It could have been recorded a couple of decades ago, but its contents still ring true in the 21st Century. Feel free to sing along and drink to their health.

Curtis Eller's American Circus:
Curtis Eller: banjo & lead vocal
Louis Landry: drums, percussion, organ, piano, accordion, melodica, vocals
Shea D. Broussard: harmony vocal, hand percussion
Dana Marks: harmony vocal
Shea D. Broussard, Joseph Dejarnette, Douglas Vuncannon: upright & electric basses

How to Make It in Hollywood is a self-released album. Buy it from their website.

Tracks:

1. Old Time Religion
2. 1929
3. Butcherman
4. Battlefield Amputation
5. Three More Minutes with Elvis
6. The Heart That Forgave Richard Nixon
7. If You're Looking for a Loser
8. Moses in the Bulrushes
9. Busby Berkeley Funeral
10. Thunder & Beehives

USA dates:

• 03/06 Rest-au-rant, New York, NY
• 03/07 Pete's Candy Store, Brooklyn, NY

UK dates:

• 03/23 The Kitchen Garden Cafe, Birmingham
• 03/24 The Bell, Bath
• 03/26 The Musician Pub, Leicester
• 03/27 Mad Ferret, Preston
• 03/28 The Ruby Lounge, Manchester
• 03/29 Cube Cinema, Bristol
• 03/30 Kenn Village Hall, Somerset
• 03/31 The Old Queen’s Head, London
• 04/03 The Adelphi / New Adelphi, Hull
• 04/04 Assembly Rooms, Presteigne
• 04/05 The Heeley Institute, Sheffield
• 04/06 The Maze, Nottingham
• 04/07 The Tin at The Coal Vaults, Coventry
• 04/10 Civic Theatre, Barnsley
• 04/11 Seven Arts, Leeds
• 04/12 The Hop, Wakefield

USA dates:

• 06/28 Mystery Brewing Company - Taproom Hillsborough, NC
• 07/23-27 Floydfest 2014, Floyd, VA

» curtiseller.com

Neil Young & Crazy Horse: Colmar added to Summer tour

Neil Young & Crazy Horse have added a show in Colmar, France on Friday 8th August.

Live dates:

• 07/07 Laugardalshöllin - Reykjavík, Iceland
• 07/10 Live at the Marquee - Cork, Ireland
• 07/12 Hyde Park - London, England
• 07/15 KüçükÇiftlik Park - Istanbul, Turkey
• 07/17 Yarkon Park, Tel-Aviv - Israel
• 07/20 Münsterplatz - Ulm, Germany
• 07/21 Collisioni Festival - Barolo, Italy
• 07/23 Wiener Stadthalle, Wien, Austria
• 07/25 Warsteiner HockeyPark - Mönchengladbach, Gemany
• 07/26 Filmnächte am Elbufer - Dresden, Germany
• 07/28 Zollhafen Nordmole - Mainz, Germany
• 07/30 Forum - Copenhagen, Denmark
• 08/01 Bergenhus Festning - Koengen, Bergen, Norway
• 08/05 Lokerse Feesten - Lokeren, Belgium
• 08/08 Alsatian Wine Fair - Colmar, France

» neilyoung.com

(Thru: Neil Young News)

Starlight Girls: tour dates

Brooklyn retro-pop band Starlight Girls hit the road for a Winter tour. If indie had exited in the late Roaring Twenties, it would have sounded like them.

Live dates:

• 02/28 Glasslands, Gallery Brooklyn, NY
• 03/01 North Star Bar, Philadelphia, PA
• 03/03 Sixth & I Historic Synagogue, Washington, DC
• 03/04 Local 506, Chapel Hill, NC
• 03/05 Star Community Bar, Atlanta, GA
• 03/06 Ringling Museum of Art, Sarasota, FL
• 03/06 Savannah Stopover Festival 2014, Savannah, GA
• 03/08 The Fox Hole / Club Eighty-five, Columbus, GA
• 03/09 Gasa Gasa, New Orleans, LA
• 03/11 SXSW 2014, Austin, TX
• 03/14 Independent Music Festival 2014 Hot Springs, AR
• 08/11 Sziget Festival 2014, Budapest, Hungary

» starlightgirls.net

HCTF review of the Starlight Girls EP.

Starar: Unbelievable

Indie duo Starar tip their toes in the mainstream with their new single Unbelievable. Singer Jenna Starar and multi-instrumentalist Steven Starar have come with a soft-spoken shoegaze song with a meandering backbeat. The levels are a bit off, but that only adds to the charm.

Unbelievable is a self-released single. Free download from Soundcloud.

» starar.net

Danko Jones: Garage Rock! - A Collection Of Lost Songs From 1996 – 1998

Canadian rocker Danko Jones has been rummaging through his early recordings and selected the best bits for his new album Garage Rock! - A Collection Of Lost Songs From 1996 – 1998:

If a band continues past the gesticulation stage, the term “Garage Rock” is usually rendered unusable. Back in the 90′s,the Garage Rock scene, as I knew it, was a warts-and-all approach that favoured low-fi recordings and rudimentary playing over any modicum of musical prowess in order to glean some Rock N’ Roll essence. However, once a band got better at their instruments, songwriting and stage performance, the inevitable crossroads would eventually appear. Deliberately continuing to play against their growing skill would only evolve into a pose. There were a lot of bands who did exactly this in order to sustain scenester favour. We did the opposite.

What you hold in your hands is a document of what we were and where we came from. We didn’t know how to write songs and could barely play but we wanted to be near to the music we loved so badly. We ate, slept and drank this music. We still do. That’s why we have never had to reunite because we’ve never broken up. After 18 years, we’ve stayed the course, got tough when the going did and, above all else, we have never stopped. This album is the proof.

The album (vinyl, CD, digital) will be released on Bad Taste Records on April 4th.

Live dates:

• 02/27 Peterborough, ON @ The Red Dog
• 02/28 Ottawa, ON @ Mavericks
• 03/01 Kingston, ON @ Merchant Tap House
• 03/07 Windsor, ON @ The Dominion House Tavern
• 03/08 London, ONll The Office
• 03/14 Toronto, ON @ Danforth Music Hall

» dankojones.com

Cover Me: Sweet Child O' Mine

Singer Miche Braden NOLAfies Sweet Child O' Mine, the Guns N' Roses classic. Video made by Scott Bradlee who is busy creating an alternate universe of pop songs through Patreon.

Miche Braden: vocals
Tom Abbott: clarinet
Jason Prover: trumpet
Robert Edwards: trombone
Adam Kubota: bass
Allan Mednard: drums
Scott Bradlee: piano

(Thanks: Dave Anderson)

Planovel: Digital Life

Dutch electronic duo Planovel go back to the heyday of analog Eighties synths with their new single Digital Life. Treated vocals a la Gary Numan and pretty nifty interplay with a howling guitar before fading out into a shoegaze dreampop coda. The city of Leiden has another contender (Kraak & Smaak, Armin van Buuren) for the dance market.

Their previous EP Sun can be downloaded (pay-what-you-want) from Bandcamp.

Live date:

• 03/26 Supermarkt, The Hague, Netherlands

» planovel.com

Ike Willis w/ ZAPPATiKA: "Just Passin' Thru" tour venues

The venues for the Ike Willis with ZAPPATiKA "Just Passin' Thru" have just been announced. Tickets sale starts February 22.

Live dates:

• 05/15 Party Centre Number Four, Utrecht, The Netherlands
• 05/16 Thameside Theatre, London, UK
• 05/17 Phoenix Art Centre, Exeter, UK
• 05/18 Zanzibar Club, Liverpool, UK

» ZAPPATiKA on Facebook

Axxa/Abraxas: Axxa/Abraxas

photo: Sarah Wingate

Ben Asbury is an old soul who fell in love with late Sixties psychedelic rock and analog synths. He has released a string of CD-R's and cassettes before landing a deal with Captured Tracks to handle the debut album of his latest project Axxa/Abraxas.

Based in the musical hotspot of Athens, GA, he put together a band that is well versed in dreamy off-kilter pop repertoire. With whirling keyboards, tugging bass, muffled drums and a twin guitar front line the self-titled debut bubbles and flows gently. Asbury is a piedpiper who has designed his own costume, a patchwork of old things and new.

Gabby Young & Other Animals: I've Improved

Watch the new Gabby Young & Other Animals for I've Improved, the lead single for their new album One Foot in Front of the Other. The London based vaudevillian big band will be on tour in the and Europe. A splendid time is guaranteed for all.

USA tour dates:

• 02/27 Horniman Museum, London, UK
• 03/01 House Show, Seattle, WA
• 03/02 House Show, San Francisco, CA
• 03/06 El Cid, Los Angeles, CA
• 03/07 The Crest, Los Angeles, CA
• 03/09 Studio, Redlands, CA
• 03/10 Alley Katz (Record In-Store), Redlands, CA
• 03/12 SXSW Festival, Austin, TX
• 03/12 SXSW Official show - Esther's Follies, Austin, TX

European tour dates:

• 03/27 AB Club, Brussels, Belgium
• 03/28 Moritzbastei, Leipzig, Germany
• 03/29 Postbahnhof, Berlin, Germany
• 04/01 Ampere, Munich, Germany
• 04/04 Chollerhalle, Zug, Switzerland
• 04/05 Mühle Hunziken, Rubigen, Switzerland
• 04/06 Theatrehaus, Stuttgart, Germany
• 04/07 Colos Saal, Aschaffenburg, Germany
• 04/09 Harmonie, Bonn, Germany
• 04/11 Kulturbahnhof, Bad Homburg, Germany
• 04/12 Pavillon, Hannover, Germany
• 04/13 Tivoli Spiegelbar, Utrecht, The Netherlands
• 04/16 L'Astrolabe, Orleans, France #
• 04/17 6PAR4, Laval, France #
• 04/18 Le VIP, Saint-Nazaire (Gard), France #
• 04/24 L'epicerie Moderne, Feyzin, France
• 04/26 Cave a Musique, Macon, France #
• 05/03 Leamington LAMP, Leamington Spa, United Kingdom
• 05/22 Kulturtage, Oldenburg, Germany
• 05/24 ELBJAZZ Festival, Hamburg, Germany
• 06/19 Cast, Doncaster, UK

# Supporting Brigitte

» gabbyyoungandotheranimals.com

John Gorka: Bright Side of Down

photo: Jos van Vliet

It's been 5 years since John Gorka's latest studio album. There was the Red Horse collaboration with Lucy Kaplansky and Eliza Gilkyson in 2010 and they both turn up as backing vocalists on his forthcoming new album Bright Side of Down. Gorka has a warm baritone, the kind that fits his gentle storytelling folk songs like a glove, using a full band with a lonesome fiddle or going solo with his acoustic guitar, showing his picking skills.

Gorka is an artist's artist. His less is more approach and carefully executed songs earned him a small but loyal fanbase. Twelve albums and counting, John Gorka has added another chapter to his songbook that will continue to inspire his fellow Americana artist.

Bright Side of Down is released on Red House Records. Release date: March 4.

Tracks:

1. Holed Up Mason City
2. Bright Side of Down
3. High Horse
4. More Than One
5. She's That Kind of Woman
6. Outnumbered
7. Don't Judge a Life
8. Honeybee
9. Procrastination Blues
10. Thirstier Wind
11. Mind to Think
12. Really Spring

Live dates:

• 02/21 The Mishawaka Amphitheatre, Bellevue, CO
• 02/22 Swallow Hill Music Hall, Denver, CO
• 03/06 Rogue Valley Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, Ashland, OR
• 03/07 Alberta Rose Theatre, Portland, OR
• 03/08 The Triple Door, Seattle, WA
• 03/09 St. James Hall, Vancouver, British Columbia
• 03/14 McCabe's Guitar Shop, Santa Monica, CA
• 03/15 San Dieguito United Methodist Church, Encinitas, CA
• 03/16 Fiddler's Crossing, Tehachapi, CA
• 03/27 SubCulture, New York, NY
• 03/28 The Sellersville Theater 1894, Sellersville, PA
• 03/29 The Birchmere, Alexandria, VA
• 04/03 Flying Goose Brewpub, New London, NH
• 04/04 Chandler Music Hall, Randolph, VT
• 04/05 Center for Arts in Natick, Natick, MA
• 04/06 St. Lawrence Arts at St. Lawrence Church, Portland, ME
• 04/24 CSPS, Cedar Rapids, IA
• 04/25 City Winery, Chicago, IL
• 04/26 Wheeler Community Arts Center, Indianapolis, IN
• 04/27 The Ark, Ann Arbor, MI
• 05/08 Auburn Public Theater, Auburn, NY
• 05/09 Eighth Step at Proctors, Schenectady, NY
• 05/10 Walkabout Clearwater Coffeehouse, White Plains, NY
• 05/16 Spring Gulch Folk Festival, New Holland, PA
• 06/06 Minstrel Coffeehouse at Morristown Unitarian Fellowship, Morristown, NJ
• 06/07 Congregational Church of Huntington, Centerport, NY
• 06/08 Godfrey Daniel's, Bethlehem, PA
• 06/21 Guthrie Center, Great Barrington, MA
• 06/28 Crossings at Carnegie, Zumbrota, MN
• 09/05 Rubin Museum of Art, New York, NY
• 09/13 Creekside Folk Music Festival, Atascadero, CA
• 09/20 Chatfield Center for the Arts, Chatfield, MN
• 10/24 Stone Mountain Arts Center, Brownfield, ME
• 12/05 Fiddle & Bow Society at Community Arts Cafe, Winston-Salem, NC
• 12/07 Mountain Spirit Coffeehouse at UU Asheville, Asheville, NC

» johngorka.com

HCTF review of Red Horse.

Mike Gordon: in-store in Boston 02/25, stream "Overstep"

Mike Gordon will be doing an in-store @ Newbury Comics in Boston on February 25th, the release date of his new album Overstep.

The full album is streaming via Rolling Stone.

Live dates:

• 02/28 Syracuse, NY @ Westcott Theatre
• 03/01 New York, NY @ Webster Hall
• 03/02 Philadelphia, PA @ Union Transfer
• 03/04 Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club
• 03/06 Asheville, NC @ The Orange Peel
• 03/07 Pittsburgh, PA @ Stage AE
• 03/08 Chicago, IL @ Park West
• 03/09 Madison, WI @ Barrymore Theatre
• 03/11 Minneapolis, MN @ Varsity Theatre
• 03/12 Lawrence, KS @ Liberty Hall
• 03/14 Boulder, CO @ Boulder Theatre
• 03/15 Park City, UT @ Park City Live
• 03/17 Los Angeles, CA @ The El Rey Theatre
• 03/18 San Francisco, CA @ The Fillmore
• 03/19 Portland, OR @ Wonder Ballroom
• 03/21 Seattle, WA @ The Neptune
• 03/22 Vancouver, BC @ Rio Theatre
• 03/28 Boston, MA @ House of Blues
• 03/29 Plymouth, NH @ Flying Monkey
• 03/30 Woodstock, NY @ Bearsville Theater
• 04/04 Tarrytown, NY @ Tarrytown Music Hall
• 04/05 North Adams, MA @ MassMOCA
• 04/06 Burlington, VT @ Higher Ground

» mike-gordon.com

HCTF review of Moss.

Secret Colours: Positive Distractions Part II

photo: Lenny Gilmore Photography

Secret Colours, retro psychedelic quartet from the Windy City, go all out on Positive Distractions II, the second part of their two EP project. Quite a lot of echo on the vocals and piano parts that sound surprisingly British. They even get way with channeling The Monkees in Mrs. Bell. Early Floyd and Love shake hands in the stand-out track Heavy & Steady Technicolor pop for sunny Spring afternoons. Too bad that one filler track, the throwaway bubblegum song Quite Like You, made the cut. Recommended if you like Jacco Gardner and The Luck of Eden Hall.

Positive Distractions Part II is a self-released EP. It will be released digitally in April and on vinyl and cassette with Positive Distractions Part I.

Tracks:

1. Into You
2. I Know What You Want
3. Mrs. Bell
4. Heavy & Steady
5. Quite Like You
6. Positive Distractions

Live dates:

• 02/21 Martyrs, Chicago, IL
• 03/15 Parish Underground, Austin, TX

» secretcolours.com

HCTF review of Positive Distractions I.

The Fallen Drakes: Anymore Cinema

There is a thin line between pathos and pathetic but Dublin foursome The Fallen Drakes don't cross it with their latest EP Anymore Cinema doesn't shun broad gestures and the wall-of-sound production pushes the songs to their limits. Soothing for the lovesick and otherwise hurt people who could use a couple of heartfelt songs to brighten up their day.

Anymore Cinema is a self-released EP. Buy it from iTunes or Amazon

Tracks:

1. Anymore Cinema
2. The Ones That Got Out
3. Final Hour
4. Anymore Cinema (Acoustic)

» thefallendrakes.com

Mother Falcon: "MF Computer" live album

Austin collective Mother Falcon reinvents Radiohead's OK Computer on a new live album (release date: March 18). Rearranging the material for strings and voices must have been a tedious task, but if the video for Let Down is an indication the results were quite satisfactory.

Live dates:

• 02/18 San Diego, CA @ Soda Bar
• 02/19 Los Angeles, CA @ The Echo
• 02/25 San Diego, CA @ Soda Bar
• 02/26 Los Angeles, CA @ The Echo
• 02/27 San Francisco, CA @ The Chapel for Noisepop 2014
• 02/28 Davis, CA @ Veteran's Memorial
• 03/03 Fresno, CA @ Audies Olympic
• 03/10 Austin, TX @ Spider House Patio, "That Little Party" (11 pm)
• 03/12 Austin, TX @ Spider House Ballroom, "UNITY Party" (5.30 pm)
• 03/13 Austin, TX @ Central Presbyterian Church, "Red Ryder Official Showcase" (11.30 pm)
• 03/15 Austin, TX @ Peckerheads on 6th St, "The Duture of Pop Music" (3 pm0
• 03/15 Austin, TX @ Austin Convention Center, "Brooklyn Vegan Presents Flatstock" (5.30 pm)

» motherfalconmusic.com

John Medeski: 6-night residency @ The Stone in NYC

John Medeski kicks off his 6-night residency at The Stone in New York tomorrow.

• 02/18 John Medeski (keyboards) Thomas Workman (various instruments) Mike Rivard (bass)
• 02/19 John Medeski (keyboards) Ben Perowsky (drums) Chris Speed (reeds)
• 02/20 John Medeski (keyboards) Billy Martin (drums) with special guests
• 02/21 John Medeski (keyboards) Marc Ribot (guitar) Calvin Weston (drums)
• 02/22 John Medeski (keyboards) Tisziji Munoz (guitar) Don Pate (bass) Tony Falco (drums)
• 02/23 John Medeski (keyboards) Adam Deitsch (drums) Skerik (reeds)

» John Medeski on Facebook

Banned From Utopia: tour dates

Frank Zappa alumni band Banned From Utopia hit the road for an European tour, playing shows in The Netherlands, Germany, France and Austria:

(...) the group is not merely a tribute band, content to mimic their own performances through the years with Zappa. Rather the values and influences instilled by playing with Frank are the biggest part of Banned From Utopia’s focus. The compositions Frank wrote are a part of each member's body and soul, put there by years of rehearsal, recording, and concert appearances. But rather than stagnate through self imitation, the Banned builds on that solid foundation, constantly exploring and expanding the material and mining new gems from it, as Frank always sought to do.

Live dates:

• 03/25 Heerlen, The Netherlands @ Nieuwe Nor
• 03/26 Zoetermeer, The Netherlands @ Boerderij
• 03/27 Hannover, Germany @ Blues Garage
• 03/28 Herne, Germany @ Kulturbrauerei
• 03/29 Heiligenhaus, Germany @ Der Club Heiligenhaus (tba)
• 04/01 Ludwigshafen, Germany @ Das Haus
• 04/02 Mulhouse, France @ La Filature
• 04/03 Paris, France @ La Java
• 04/04 Tübingen, Germany @ Sudhaus
• 04/05 Hard, Austria @ Kammgarn (tba)
• 04/08 Cottbus, Germany @ Glad-House

Tickets info on Bobby Martin's website.

» Banned From Utopia on Facebook

In Memoriam: Lou Reed

photo: Timothy Greenfield-Sanders

Dozens of written mementos have been posted on Lou Reed's official website. Here is the one by John Cale. It was read by Moe Tucker on December 16 @ the memorial in the Apollo Theater in NYC.

mar 2nd 1942 somewhere in NY a life is born. on the other side of the world a few days later on mar 9th of the same year - another new life brought into the big wide world. who knew what lay ahead for either ?

during these past few weeks i've struggled to put this into some sort of perspective. tried to find words of comfort to share with those of us who knew him and those who wanted to know him. my heart swinging like a pendulum - sorrow, anger, frustration, disbelief, curiosity, emptiness - empty, empty, hollow. staring at walls. crying. yelling, sobbing my fool head off. wringing my hands with frustration of not being able to yell at Lou for not taking care!

We both have that same damn bad liver -- of all the things not to do - watch our liver Lou!

so much was shared with the boy i met some 48 years ago. no other person seemed to get me the same way.

we got each other. he was wordy from the start, me, with my strange foreign accent that no one could understand - lou didn't need me to slow down or re-explain my odd syntax or unrecognizable formation of words - he got me -

and i got him.

much will always be made of the band we formed together in my dingy little living room apartment - i'll leave those remarks for others - i prefer to consider how much i gained from my friendship with Lou - the part the rest of the world is not privy to. the dreams, ideas and plans we shared and to a degree, achieved. Lyrics that went straight to the unconscious and trawled the corners - the darker the better - but always to make things better - and better - and better - it was a relationship of many colors - from red hot to ice blue -- never dull and always true.

much has been made of our differences - but throughout it all - we managed to remain attached. regardless of our differences - we never really drifted too far from what initially brought us together.

I guess that's what real friendship is - and i really miss my friend.

» loureed.com/inmemoriam

Carsick Cars: tour dates

photo: Charles Saliba

Chinese inside noise rockers Carsick Cars will be on tour in the USA and Canada. A bit of Sonic Youth, a dash of the Velvets and quite a lot of the guitar part of David Bowie's Heroes are crammed into 15 Minutes Older, the lead single from their forthcoming new album 3, out on February 28 thru Maybe Mars.

Live dates:

• 03/12 Brick & Mortar Music Hall, San Francisco, CA
• 03/13 Los Globos, Los Angeles, CA
• 03/15 Cafe Stritch, San Jose, CA
• 03/17 Habesha Lounge, Portland, OR
• 03/18 The Guest House, Olympia, WA
• 03/19 Chop Suey, Seattle, WA
• 03/20 Copper Owl, Victoria, BC
• 03/21 Pat's Pub, Vancouver, BC
• 03/22 Kootaney Coop Radio, Nelson, BC
• 03/23 Local 510, Calgary, AB
• 03/24 Wunderbar, Edmonton, AB
• 03/25 Vangelis Tavern, Saskatoon, SK
• 03/26 West End Cultural Centre, Winnipeg, MB
• 03/27 Cause Minneapolis, MN
• 03/28 The Burlington, Chicago, IL
• 03/30 Iizakaya Sushi House, Toronto, ON
• 04/03 Baby's All Right, Brooklyn, NY
• 04/05 Bowery Ballroom, New York, NY

» carsickcars.com

Words about music (330): Johnny Cash

You've got a song you're singing from your gut, you want that audience to feel it in their gut. And you've got to make them think that you're one of them sitting out there with them too. They've got to be able to relate to what you're doing.

Johnny Cash

Sam Page: Shine Your Little Light

Orange County singer-songwriter Sam Page is sharing another single from his forthcoming his second album. The new single Shine Your Little Light can be downloaded for free from Soundcloud. An upbeat powerpop song wiht shor but sweet guitar solo. Sound engineer Jim Moreland once again lend a hand on drums.

» sampagemusic.com

HCTF review of Waiting for Another Spring.

Ike Willis w/ ZAPPATiKA: "Just Passin' Thru" tour

Breaking news: Ike Willis will be joining ZAPPATiKA for four shows in The Netherlands and the UK. The Just Passin' Thru tour comes to Utrecht, London, Exeter and Liverpool:

Ike Willis (b. November 14, 1955) is an American singer and guitarist who was a regular sideman for Frank Zappa, first joining Zappa's band for the fall 1978 tour and remaining in the band for several years, also touring with Zappa for his final two tours in 1984 and 1988.

He is most recognized for his involvement in Zappa records such as playing Joe in Joe's Garage, providing vocals on Tinsel Town Rebellion, You Are What You Is, and The Man from Utopia, and as the title character and narrator in Zappa's off-Broadway-styled conceptual musical Thing-Fish.

Ike will be on tour,with UK/Dutch tribute band ZAPPATiKA, from 14-18 May, on their "Just Passin' Thru" tour which will see 3 shows back-to-back in Holland and the UK, taking in Utrecht, London & Exeter. The show will feature 100% Zappa music and will, of course,feature Ike on vocals and guitar!

Ike and ZAPPATiKA last joined forces on stage with a dynamic 3 hour show at the Zappanale Festival in Germany in 2010 and so now, they are all really looking forward to these shows.

Live dates:

• 05/15 Utrecht, The Netherlands
• 05/16 London, UK
• 05/17 Exeter, UK
• 05/17 Liverpool, UK

» ZAPPATiKA on Facebook

Cover Me: Common People

Watch My Chemical Romance tackle the Pulp classic Common People. Recorded for a BBC Live Lounge session. First broadcasted on March 31, 2011.

» mychemicalromance.com

Black Oak: I am Oak and The Black Atlantic release split EP

It makes perfect sense for Dutch indie acts I am Oak and The Black Atlantic to team up for a joint recording session.

They are on the same label, Snowstar Records. A limited edition (555 copies) 10" vinyl with six tracks - a new song, a collaboration and a cover from each artist - will be released on February 24th, coinciding with the start of their joined tour which takes them to Germany, Switzerland and The Netherlands.

Live dates:

• 02/24 Kontorkeller, Greifswald
• 02/25 Waschhaus, Potsdam
• 02/26 Cinema Quadrat, Mannheim
• 02/27 Treppenhaus, Rorschach
• 02/28 BScene Festival, Basel
• 02/01 Kulturladen KFZ, Marburg
• 02/02 Privatslbub, Berlin
• 03/03 Ostpol, Dresden
• 03/04 Wärmehalle Süd, Leipzig
• 03/05 Molotow, Hamburg
• 03/06 FFT, Düsseldorf
• 03/07 Burgerbahnhof, Wuppertal
• 03/08 Cafe Nun, Karlsruhe
• 03/09 Hafen 2, Offenbach
• 03/10 Musikbunker, Aachen
• 03/14 Asteriks, Leeuwarden

Pre-order the Black Oak – Split EP from Snowstar Records.

» iamoak.com
» theblackatlantic.com

Quiet as a Mouse: "Casketcase" b/w "Dandelion Tea"

Edinburgh based alt-rock foursome Quiet as a Mouse are following the trail that was made by bands liek The Jesu and Mary Chain and The Pixies. Their new single with the loud > quiet > loud fuzzy feedback Casketcase and the gentle acoustic Dandelion Tea (leave it to Brits to write a song about that) is a badly needed a new lease on life. In years Alex Moran might be considered to be the Scottish answer to Alex Turner of the Arctic Monkeys.

Quiet as a Mouse:
Alex Moran: vocals & guitar
Kevin Turner: bass guitar & vocals
Steve Allen: lead guitar & vocals
Graham Longbottom: drums

Live dates:

• 02/22 Broadcast (Supporting The Orwells), Glasgow
• 03/28 Sneaky Pete's Supporting Coasts, Edinburgh

» quietasamouseofficial

Spottiswoode & His Enemies: tour dates

photo: Clare Elliot

Spottiswoode & His Enemies will celebrate the release of their new album with a show at Joe's Pub, NY. The first dates for their English Dream tour have been confirmed.

Live dates:

• 04/17 Joe's Pub, New York, NY
• 04/19 Club Helsinki, Hudson, NY
• 05/01 World Cafe Live @ The Queen, Wilmington, DE
• 05/10 St. Lawrence Arts Center, Portland, ME

» spottiswoode.com

HCTF review of Wild Goosechase Expedition.

Amanda Homi: Till I Reach Bombay

photo: Carlos Henriquez

World music qualifies as the stupidest tag ever invented. It is used for anything that isn't rooted in Western musical tradition. But it makes sense for an album that ties together the sounds from Greece, Italy, India, Colombia, Egypt and Spain. NYC singer Amanda Homi is like a kid in a candy store, sampling the goods and finally deciding she wants it all for her new album Till I Reach Bombay.

With Graham Hawthorne in the producer's seat she embarks on a worldwide musical journey, writing a song during each stopover. Her crystal voice ties it together, no matter whether she reminisces about her stay in the cultural hotspot of Athens as an 18-year old (Kaisariani) or about her collection of Shoes (with a joyous accordion as the lead instrument), she finds a way to tame the eclecticism and make the song a part of her musical vocabulary. She pays tribute to her heroes in literature Federico García Lorca and Gabriel García Márquez (Una Promesa) and serves an alternate theme song for Vittorio De Sica's classic film Ladri di biciclette.

Till I Reach Bombay a jigsaw puzzle made out of moods, smells and flavours. It all fits, but it will keep the listener occupied for hours.

Amanda Homi: lead & backing vocals, zills, harmonium
Ara Dinkjian:00ud, cümbüş, cura saz
Gary Schreiner: keyboards, accordion, harmonium, chromatic harmonica
Jon Albrink: acoustic guitar, backing vocals
Paul Frazier: bass, backing vocals
Graham Hawthorne: drums, percussion
Joey Cardello: percussion

Till I Reach Bombay is a self-released album. Buy it from CD Baby or her website.

Tracks:

1. Dancing Girls
2. Samba Feliz
3. Shoes
4. Lorca's Desire
5. Till I Reach Bombay
6. Senseless
7. Cards Coins & Chaos
8. Kaisariani
9. Danger Be Damned
10. Ladri Di Biciclette
11. Una Promesa

» amandahomi.com

Soundgarden: tour dates

Grunge rockers Soundgarden will be traversing the globe this year, playing shows in South America, Europe, Israel and the USA.

Live dates:

• 03/27 Explanada del Estadio Monumental, Lima, Peru
• 03/29-30 Lollapalooza 2014, Santiago, Chile
• 04/01-02 Lollapalooza 2014, Buenos Aires, Argentina
• 04/05-06 Lollapalooza 2014, São Paulo, Brazil
• 06/08 Wuhlheide, Berlin, Germany
• 06/10 Tivoli Vredenburg, Utrecht, Netherlands
• 06/11 013, Tilburg, Netherlands
• 06/13-15 Nova Rock Festival 2014, Nickelsdorf, Austria
• 06/13 Koenigsplatz, Munich, Germany
• 06/17-18 New Festival 2014, Tel Aviv-Jaffa, Israel
• 06/20 Hallenstadion, Zürich, Switzerland
• 06/24 Rockhal Box, Esch Sur Alzette, Luxembourg
• 06/25 Hanns-Martin-Schleyerhalle, Stuttgart, Germany
• 06/27 Mosir Stadium, OswieÇim, Poland
• 06/27-29 Graspop Metal Meeting 2014, Dessel, Belgium
• 07/04 Gorge Amphitheatre George, WA
• 07/06-07 Sasquatch! Music Festival 2014 George, WA

» soundgardenworld.com

Mike Gordon: "Overstep Sessions ((Part I))" video

Mike Gordon has posted the first part of a behind the scenes video of the making of his new studio solo album. Overstep will be out on February 25th on ATO Records. The clip features snippets of three tracks: Tiny Little World, Peel, and Long Black Line.

Live dates:

• 02/28 Syracuse, NY @ Westcott Theatre
• 03/01 New York, NY @ Webster Hall
• 03/02 Philadelphia, PA @ Union Transfer
• 03/04 Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club
• 03/06 Asheville, NC @ The Orange Peel
• 03/07 Pittsburgh, PA @ Stage AE
• 03/08 Chicago, IL @ Park West
• 03/09 Madison, WI @ Barrymore Theatre
• 03/11 Minneapolis, MN @ Varsity Theatre
• 03/12 Lawrence, KS @ Liberty Hall
• 03/14 Boulder, CO @ Boulder Theatre
• 03/15 Park City, UT @ Park City Live
• 03/17 Los Angeles, CA @ The El Rey Theatre
• 03/18 San Francisco, CA @ The Fillmore
• 03/19 Portland, OR @ Wonder Ballroom
• 03/21 Seattle, WA @ The Neptune
• 03/22 Vancouver, BC @ Rio Theatre
• 03/28 Boston, MA @ House of Blues
• 03/29 Plymouth, NH @ Flying Monkey
• 03/30 Woodstock, NY @ Bearsville Theater
• 04/04 Tarrytown, NY @ Tarrytown Music Hall
• 04/05 North Adams, MA @ MassMOCA
• 04/06 Burlington, VT @ Higher Ground

Pre-order at Mike's Store and Phish Dry Goods (CD, 2-LP blue vinyl).

» mike-gordon.com

HCTF review of Moss.

The Dirty Nil: Smite

Most bands release a bunch of songs. Other acts unleash them and set them free upon an unsuspecting world. Rock trio The Dirty Nil firmly fits into the latter category with their Smite EP. They issued two warnings with the singles Nicotine and Wrestle Yü To Hüsker Dü and have added three more high energy tracks on their Smite EP. Howling feedback in Pale Blue, fast basic riffs a la The Damned in Beat and Stooges sneering New Flesh. Garage punk rock is alive and well in Dundas, ON, Canada.

The Dirty Nil:
Luke Bentham: guitar, vocals
Kyle Fisher: drums
Dave Nardi: bass

Smite is a self-released EP. It will be released on February 18 on white vinyl and cassette.

Tracks:

1. Nicotine
2. Beat
3. New Flesh
4. Wrestle Yü To Hüsker Dü
5. Pale Blue

Live dates:

• 02/18 Philadelphia PA @ Kung Fu Necktie
• 02/19 Trenton NJ @ Millhill Basement
• 02/20 Brooklyn NY @ Shea Stadium
• 02/21 New Haven CT @ Anna Liffey’s Pub
• 02/22 Cambridge MA @ Tasty Burger
• 02/28 Guelph ON @ Jimmy Jazz
• 03/02 Sudbury ON @ Theatre Cambrian
• 03/06 London ON @ Call The Office
• 03/21 Toronto ON @ Silver Dollar
• 03/28 Saint Catharines ON @ Detour Music Hall
• 03/29 Hamilton ON @ The Spice Factory

» The Dirty Nil on Facebook

Darlia: tour dates

Blackpool rock trio Darlia cross the Channel for one-off show at the Dutch Where The Wild Things Are Festival. Their next UK tour as headliners kicks off in Manchester.

Live dates:

• 03/09 Where The Wild Things Are Festival, Zeewolde, The Netherlands
• 03/28 Sound Control, Manchester
• 03/29 Unit, Southampton
• 03/31 The Cellar, Oxford
• 04/01 Water Rats, London
• 05/03 Live at Leeds Festival Leeds
• 05/09 Great Escape Festival (Concorde 2), Brighton
• 07/18 Truck Festival, Oxford
• 08/01 Y Not Festival, Derbyshire

» darlia.co.uk

HCTF review of Knock Knock.

Inventionis Mater: Does Humor Belong In Classical Music?

Does Humor Belong In Classical Music? Good question. Firenze based Pierpaolo Romani (clarinet & bass clarinet) Andrea Pennati (classic guitar) have a simple answer; yes, it does. They rearranged some of Frank Zappa's music for their instruments of choice and put them on an album that got a thumbs up from Frank's son Dweezil.

It would have been easy just to pick instrumentals like Peaches en Regalia and Sofa N° 2. A challenging task to rework them for duo like this, but what they came up with for songs as Catholic Girls and Let's make the water turn black is nothing short of amazing. A clarinet can sing and a single guitar can be a full rhythm section.

Does Humor Belong In Classical Music? is a self-released album. Buy it from CD Baby or the duo's website.

» inventionismater.com

The Dandy Warhols: new album "Thirteen Tales From Urban Bohemia: Live at the Wonder" 03/25

Alternative rock band The Dandy Warhols will release their first live album Thirteen Tales From Urban Bohemia: Live at the Wonder on March 25 thru The End Records.

The songs were recorded in June 2013 at a show in their hometown Portland, OR. They revisited their third studio album Thirteen Tales from Urban Bohemia on their 13/13/13 tour, playing all songs in chronological order - a bit faster and often quite sloppy. The vinyl version contains two bonus tracks.

Tracks:

1. Godless
2. Mohammed
3. Nietzsche
4. Country Leaver
5. Solid
6. Horse Pills
7. Get Off
8. Sleep
9. Cool Scene
10. Bohemian Like You
11. Shakin
12. Big Indian
13. The Gospel
14. Genius (LP Bonus Track)
15. Pete International Airport/Boys Better (LP Bonus Track)

Live dates:

• 04/23 San Francisco, CA @ The Independent
• 04/24 Sacramento, CA @ Ace of Spades
• 04/25 Los Angeles, CA @ The Roxy
• 04/26 Los Angeles, CA @ The Roxy
• 04/28 Phoenix, AZ @ Crescent Ballroom
• 04/29 Santa Fe, NM @ Santa Fe Sol Stage
• 05/01 Houston, Texas @ Fitzgeralds: Upstairs
• 05/03 Plano, Texas @ Suburbia Festival
• 05/04 Plano, Texas @ Suburbia Festival
• 05/05 Nashville, TN @ Mercy Lounge
• 05/06 Louisville, KY @ Mercury Ballroom
• 05/08 St. Louis, MO @ The Ready Room
• 05/09 Kansas City, MO @ The Riot Room
• 05/10 Boulder, CO @ Fox Theatre

» dandywarhols.com