Swinging Mademoiselle

[mp3] Stone: "Fille ou garçon"

File this one in the "thank god for the internet" file. A friend sent this album to us last week, and it's been essential listening ever since. The Swinging Mademoiselle compilation is one of those records that you don't really want to know the back story on, and honestly, we haven't even looked it up. It's so great the way it is -- you don't want to wreck it. If you, the reader, feel like doing the research on this collection, by all means go forth. For us, it's all about the tunes, which include covers of "Sloop John B" (above) and "Paint it Black." The comp is filled with reverb, attitude, rock and melody. Here's to hoping you enjoy it as much as we are. Go to Spiked Candy who has more info and all the music. We're pretty sure this is a vinyl only rip, and it looks like there are a lot of imitations out there, so make sure you're getting the real deal. Thanks to "anonymous friend" and Spiked Candy.

Texas Soul: Fergus & Geronimo

Fergus & Geronimo: "Powerful Lovin'"

A friend of Stark directed us to this killer soul/blues/garage track from Denton, TX's Fergus and Geronimo. There's not much story here except that this band brings us soul throwback the true texas way, gritty, melodic and loud. You can check out an awesome live video of them from Yours Truly that we found by way of GVB. The band has a full LP in the works and also a smattering of 7 inches via Woodsist, Tic Tac Totally, and Transparent. If anyone has any more details on future releases, please be sure to share. 

Cut From A Different Fur - Fergus & Geronimo "Powerful Lovin'" from Yours Truly on Vimeo.

Crazy-Go-Nuts Tour

[MP3] The Grates - "Burn Bridges"

[MP3] Those Darlins - "Red Light Love"

Do you like Those Darlins? How about King Khan? No? How about now Australia-expats The Grates? Still no huh? How about Meat Puppets? You hate them? No way. Impossible. Fine then how about Dr. Dog? Ok now we're talking.

The Grates will be co-headlining this craziness of a tour with Those Darlins, featuring performances with all the aforementioned bands. Pure insanity to ensue on this massive set of dates kicking off on Sept. 8. For those not privy to The Grates' backstory, they are huge in Australia, but just relocated to good old Brooklyn and are set to release their sophmore record, Teeth Lost, Hearts Won on September 15 via Thirty Tigers/Dew Process. Traveling coast-to-coast, Those Darlins and The Grates will have their fingers in all sorts of music markets -- dirty.

Check out this massive tour after the jump. You must review closely -- this tour has more footnotes than Fitzgerald's This Side of Paradise (that was for StarkNY, known for pulling Amory Blaine's on weekends.)

SEPTEMBER

8 - Bloomington, IN @ The Bishop Bar
9 - Cleveland, OH @ Case Western Reserve University
10 – Newport, KY – Southgate House
11 - Circleville, OH @ Tootles
12 - Louisville, KY @ Original Highland Festival
17 - Nashville, TN - Americana Music Festival @ Mercy Lounge
18 & 19 - Bristol, VA @ Bristol Roots & Reunion Festival
26 - Cumberland, TN @ Bluegrass Underground
9/28 - Asheville, NC @ The Orange Peel *
9/29 - Atlanta, GA @ The Loft *

OCTOBER


1 - Baton Rouge, LA @ Chelsea's Café *
2 – New Orleans, LA @ One Eyed Jacks
3 – Oxford, MS @ Proud Larry’s
8 - Little Rock, AR @ White Water Tavern ++
9 - Norman, OK @ The Opolis ++
10 - Lawrence, KS @ Jackpot Music Hall ++
12 - Denver, CO @ Hi-Dive ++
14 - Salt Lake City, UT @ Kilby Court ++
16 - Seattle, WA @ Sunset Tavern ++
17 – Portland, OP - Scion/Vice Garage Fest
18 - Eugene, OR @ Sam Bonds Garage ++, ##
20 - San Francisco @ The Rickshaw Stop ++, ^
22 – LA @ Silverlake Lounge ++
23 – LA @ Hotel Café ++
24 – BARDOT (private party – invites only)
25 - Phoenix, AZ @ Modified Arts ++
27 - Albuquerque, NM @ Launchpad ++
29 - Dallas, TX @ The Cavern ++
30 - Austin, TX @ The Continental Club ++
31 - Houston, TX @ The Rudyard +

King Khan and BBQ Show Tour below!!!

WED 11/4 Atlanta, GA @ Lenny’s
THUR 11/5 Birmingham, AL @ Bottletree
TUE 11/10 MEMPHIS, TN Hi Tone **
THUR 11/12 ST. LOUIS, MO Off Broadway **
MON 11/23 VANCOUVER, BC The Red Room **
WED 11/25 CALGARY, AB Warehouse **
THUR 11/26 EDMONTON, AB Pawn Shop **
FRI 11/27 SASKATOON, SK Amigos **
SAT 11/28 WINNIPEG, MB Royal Albert **
SUN 11/29 MINNEAPOLIS, MN Triple Rock **
TUE 12/1 MILWAUKE, WI Mad Planet **
WED 12/2 CHICAGO, IL Logan Square **


MORE DATES TO BE ANNOUNCED SOON


* w/Dr. Dog
+ w/The Meat Puppets
** w/King Khan & BBQ Show
++ w/The Grates
# w/Digital Leather
^ w/Choir of Young Believers



After the jump.

#1 Music Video of the 2000s?

Love them or hate them, Pitchfork's decade in review, most notably their top 500 songs of the decade, has been heavily debated around the blogosphere. Today, we get their top 50 videos of the 2000s. Of course, their top 10 is going to inspire even more heated discussion. Pitchfork's #1 choice, the White Stripes' "Fell in Love With a Girl" holds a special place for me, as I remember watching this video on my 10 inch TV during my freshman year of college and being stopped dead in my tracks. I had sort of started listening to the White Stripes at this point, but the amazing song and seizure inducing lego madness solidified me as a fan for the long haul, or at least until Get Behind Me Satan came along. While it probably wouldn't be #1 for me, it's pretty high up there. See after the jump for Pitchfork's top 10 videos of the decade. 

10. OK Go
"Here It Goes Again"
[Dir: Trish Sie; 2006]

9. Fatboy Slim
"Weapon of Choice"
[Dir: Spike Jonze; 2001]

8. Justice
"D.A.N.C.E."
[Dir: Jonas & Francois; 2007]

7. Bat for Lashes
"What's a Girl to Do"
[Dir: Dougal Wilson; 2007]

6. Pulp
"Bad Cover Version"
[Dir: Jarvis Cocker/Martin Wallace; 2002]

5. Feist
"1234"
[Dir: Patrick Daughters; 2007]

4. The Avalanches
"Since I Left You"
[Dir: Rob Leggatt/Leigh Marling; 2001]

3. Weezer
"Pork & Beans"
[Dir: Matthew Cullen; 2008]

2. R. Kelly
"Trapped in the Closet"
[Dir: Jim Swaffield/Victor Mignatti; 2005]

New Tom Russell Featuring Calexico

[mp3] Tom Russell: "Santa Ana Wind"

Tom Russell has been flying under the popular radar for over 20 albums worth of dusty Texas country music. His influence can be seen in the names of the artists who have covered his material: Johnny Cash, k. d. lang, Guy Clark, Nanci Griffith, Ramblin' Jack Elliott, Iris Dement, Dave Alvin, and Suzy Bogguss among many. On his upcoming album Blood and Candle Smoke (9/15 Shout! Factory), Russell makes a play for Americana indie cred, tapping longtime masters of the dusty South West style, Calexico, to record and play on the record. Calexico guitarist Nick Luca Comments: "He encouraged us to pull out the stops and reach into our southwest-style bag of tricks. Like most records we make at Wavelab, you can hear the vast space and maybe some dust as well, I think this record has this quality in droves." Um. Yes, please. Here's a taste of the record, enjoy "Santa Ana Wind" above. Looking forward to hearing more from this pairing.

STARK DEBUT VIDEO: TRISTEN "Matchstick Murder"

Tristen: "Matchstick Murder" from Tristen on Vimeo.

[mp3] Tristen: "Eager For Your Love"

We here at Stark are delighted to bring you "Matchstick Murder" the debut video from amazing Nashville songwriter Tristen. You know her from her impressive NY debut at our Northside showcase and from our plentiful posts on her in the past. Jeff Wyatt Wilson filmed and directed this video as part of a feature on Tristen that will run in the September issue of American Songwriter magazine. Yet, Tristen conceived the storyline as well as all of the costumes and color coordination. Also featured in the video, are fellow Nashvillians cellist/guitarist Larissa Maestro, drummer Patrick Rodgers from the band And The Relatives, guitarist Buddy Hughen from the band Eureka Gold, and bassist Eric Lehning. "Matchstick Murder" will be a featured track on Tristen's upcoming debut LP Charlatans at the Garden Gate, which is being recorded now in Nashville for release later this year. See Tristen on the cover of the Nashville Scene with fellow Stark favorites Those Darlins and Caitlin Rose. 

"Don't Drop Out" Vintage Dolly Parton

[MP3] Dolly Parton - "Don't Drop Out"

There is a long, drawn-out story to how this song 1) made its way to our iTunes and 2) made its way to this post. Let's just say one MK and procrastination were involved, much to the chagrin of a specific Starkian. The song is simple pop construction at its finest -- highly repeatable, highly enjoyable and highly equipped to mentally infiltrate you: verese, chorus, verse, repeated chorus, out... Running time -- 2:30. Where did it come from? A '60s girl group compilation titled, One Kiss Can Lead to Another: Girl Group Sounds Lost and Found. Fantastic. Don't concern yourself with the creepy muffled speaking at the tune's beginning, just enjoy. Here you go! Finally.

Photo credit after the jump.

Photo Credit: http://chictrib.image2.trb.com/chinews/media/photo/2007-12/34232085.jpg

Taken by Trees: "East of Eden"

[mp3] Taken by Trees: "Watch the Waves"

In the blogosphere, if one doesn't post something the second it hits their mailbox, they feel behind, or that the time lag has somehow cheapened their post. Well, we call bullshit. Taken by Trees' absolutely stunning new record East of Eden isn't even out yet, but it's already making waves in the blog communities and has gotten some solid press. Well here we are to join the party. Produced by Dan Lissvik, East of Eden was recorded by Victoria Bergsman in Pakistan. Bergsman transcends the loveliness of her first Taken by Trees record Open Field  by adding new textures, darker instrumentation and a deeper more resonant sound. This album is a perfect listen on a gray day like today, or a sunny late August afternoon. East of Eden is out September 8th on Rough Trade. 

The Secrets of "Graceland" Revealed

[mp3] Nelcy Sedibe - "Holotelani"

[mp3] Udokotela Shange Namajaha - "Awungilobolele"

Much has been made of, and many have debated the ideas behind what Jon Pareles famously coined as "cultural imperialism" in his Rolling Stone review of David Byrne and Brian Eno's My Life in the Bush of Ghosts. "Does this global village have two way traffic?" Pareles asked. Paul Simon's famous 1986 album Graceland has fallen under the same attacks from many critical circles. Where does musical idea sharing end, and straight up stylistic plagiarism begin? Is there even a line at all? It's a complicated issue, with no real answers. Of course, musicians have lifted ideas and styles from each other from the beginning of time. It happens. Yet, it's wrong for anyone to believe that Paul Simon invented the styles of music at play on Graceland. Conversely, Paul Simon never claimed to have done so. Hm. See? Complicated. See what all this has to do with the above album after the jump.

So, what can we do to combat the idea and practice of "cultural imperialism" if it even exists?The answer, is to simply shine light upon, and promote the artists who helped develop the styles popularized in the West by artists such as Byrne and Simon. To show readers that artists had been playing stylized African-pop long before Graceland came out. Never have the styles embodied on Graceland been so apparent than on this collection called The Indestructible Beat of Soweto. It's an amazing amalgamation of the genres, songs and beats popularized in the 70s and 80s in the Soweto region of Africa. Oh yeah, and it sounds EXACTLY like Graceland. Get it today, before summer's over.  A big thanks to Aquarium Drunkard for posting on this yesterday. 

Camera Obscura Acoustic @ La Route du Rock

Last week we posted a video of Annie Clark (St. Vincent) performing acoustically at this very same venue. Today we bring you Camera Obscura, in all their glory. My Maudlin Career, the newest effort from these Brits, finds a darker tone than previous efforts before as the title would suggest; there is heartbreak at work here -- in the raw. Yet, the album is not with out some fantastic pop gems such as "French Navy," "The Sweetest Thing," and "Honey in the Sun." In this acoustic video, we have two out of the three of the latter -- "French Navy," "Honey in the Sun" and "James." The egg shaker guy in the background simply makes the entire video. Please enjoy.

Lazy Blogging? New Video: Fanfarlo - "The Walls are Coming Down"

Fanfarlo's new record, Reservoir, releases on Oct. 6, but has been spinning round the Stark camp for some time now. Dig the new video for "The Walls are Coming Down" above. Check out more about the album here.
Tour dates after the jump.

FANFARLO TOUR DATES
Sep 14*Chop Suey*Seattle
Sep 15*Troubadour*West Hollywood
Sep 17*Popscene*San Francisco
Sep 20*Kungfu Necktie*Philadelphia
Sep 21*Bowery Ballroom*New York
Sep 22*The Bell House*New York

Countdown to End Summer Playlist

Everyone else is doing it! Why can't we?

This will be our first foray into the world of online-playlist-offerings and we are OK with that.

Download: Countdown to End Summer Part I -

"Fangala" - Here We Go Magic

"Phones Don't Fued" - Holiday Shores

"Rush Apart" - Rural Alberta Advantage

"Cuddle Fuddle" - Passion Pit

"Gront Lys I Alle Ledd" - Casiokids

"Picture Book" - The Kinks

"Beach on the Moon (Recycled Lyrics) - Kurt Vile

"Islands" - XX

Download: Countdown to End Summer Part II -

" It Doesn't Have to Be Beautiful" - Slow Club

"Weak For Me" - Nite Jewel

"My Conversation" - Slim Smith & The Uniques

"My Boys" - Taken By Trees

"Tattoo" - Wye Oak

"Two" - The Antlers

"I've Been Born Again" - Phenomenal Handclap Band

"Just Like A Drummer" - The Wave Pictures

Photo credit after the jump.

New Music Go Music Video: "Just Me"

Music Go Music - Live on Face Time - Just Me from music go music on Vimeo.

[mp3] Music Go Music: "Warm in the Shadows"

Continue to love everything from them. Can't wait for the rest of the world to acknowledge their awesomeness. 
via gvb

New Langhorne Slim Album + Tour Dates + MP3

[MP3] Langhorne Slim - " I Love You, But Goodbye"

This suburbanite from Langhorne, PA (hence the name) cut his teeth with his self-titled debut in 2008. While the record reverberated mildly throughout the music world, he has a crack team behind him, and some fairly pleasant music to-boot. Now, hoping to avoid the dreaded sophomore slide, Slim is set to release his newest effort, Be Set Free (Kemado Records) dropping Sept. 29. Enjoy a new track from the album, "I Love You, But Goodbye" avove.

Full set of tour dates and cover art after the jump.

10/15 - Bell House - Brooklyn, NY
10/17 - TT The Bears - Cambridge, MA
10/21 - Grog Shop - Cleveland, OH
10/22 - Blind Pig - Ann Arbor, MI
10/24 - High Noon Saloon - Madison, WI
10/25 - 400 Bar - Minneapolis, MN
10/26 - Waiting Room - Omaha, NE
10/28 - Jackpot - Lawrence, KS
10/29 - Hi Dive - Denver, CO
10/30 - Urban Lounge - Salt Lake City, UT
11/02 - Tractor Tavern - Seattle, WA
11/03 - Media Club - Vancouver, BC
11/06 - The Independent - San Francisco, CA
11/08 - Troubadour - Los Angeles, CA
11/09 - Rhythm Room - Tempe, AZ
11/11 - Mohawk Outside - Austin, TX
11/13 - The Basement - Nashville, TN
11/15 - Cats Cradle - Carrboro, NC
11/16 - The Southern - Charlottesville, VA
11/17 - Rock N Roll Hotel - DC
11/19 - Johnny Brenda’s - Philadelphia, PA


Cover Art:



After the jump.

New J.Tillman mp3: Though I Have Wronged You

[mp3] J.Tillman: "Though I have Wronged You"

The new J.Tillman record Year in the Kingdom (9/22 Western Vinyl) has been a staple around here over the past month or more. While at times recalling the better parts of Ray Lamontagne, Tillman is able to retain a soft darkness to his songs, which keep them out of the straight ahead "singer songwriter" vein and in the more mysterious hard to pin down, "indie" genre. Being in the Fleet Foxes helps a lot too. Yet, Tillman was a well established songwriter in his own right, before being tapped to diddle the skins for the Foxes. He's a prolific musician that is well deserving of the attention he's been garnering of late. Let's hope it keeps up.

Golden Silvers: True Romance

[mp3] Golden Silvers: "True No. 9 Blues"

Don't know how we slept on this one so long. Even Rolling Stone managed to give this one a lot of love before us. Golden Silvers fall somewhere between Hot Chip, Friendly Fires and Elvis Costello in the realm of keyboard driven electro/acoustic pop. While at times soulful, this trio succeeds at conveying a funky (albeit very white) take on 2009 disco. Oh yeah, they are VERY English. Yet, the songs and production are sharp, clear, and very accessible. Their record came out July 7th on XL and has received mass quantities of praise from the UK Press (of course) and some major outlets in the US including NPR and the aforementioned Rolling Stone. Yet, rather bizarrely, we've seen very little to no coverage on US blogs, and a search on Pitchfork returns zero results. How can a debut this strong be so widely ignored in the US music community? Perhaps we're missing something glaring here, but this record is damn good, and if you're not writing about it and listening to it, you should be.  

Lazy Blogging: New Tegan and Sara Album

Tegan and Sara: Sainthood

Oct. 6, 2009

Sire Records

Cover:

Tracklist:

Arrow

Don't Rush

Hell

On Directing

Red Belt

The Cure

Northshore

Night Watch

Alligator

Paperback Head

The Ocean

Sentimental Tune

Someday

Get stoked on it, k? (via Tegan and Sara)

New Islands Mp3: "Vapours"

[mp3] Islands: "Vapours"

I really loved Islands for one magical year in 2006. The group was riding high on its magnificent debut album, Return to the Sea, just as I was becoming enamored with lo-fi bedroom indie pop. So, duh, perfect match. In fact, here's what my 18-year-old self had to say about the album when it hit number seven on my year-end list, exclusively published on my Xanga (remember that?) for 10 people to read:

It’s absolutely ridiculous. Guitars, pianos, strings, accordions, flutes, triangles, whistles, saxophones, steel drums, bongos, rap breakdowns. Indie at its best. Starting with the Arcade Fire-esque “Swans (Life After Death)”, which rolls on for nine and a half minutes, the band delves into every different style imaginable. “Don’t Call Me Whitney, Bobby” and “Jogging Gorgeous Summer” explore the Calypso world. “Tsuxiit” is a psychedelic instrumental that turns into a video game theme. This album sounds huge even when it’s quiet, and that’s all the more impressive when you consider it was recorded in a bedroom. A gorgeous, fun, outstanding album that can be played anywhere, anytime.

Basically, I still agree with what I wrote, but reading that description is just UGH CENTRAL. Luckily, I went to college and learned how to write. Point is, Return to the Sea was great, but Islands' 2007 follow-up, Arm's Way was boring. I don't really remember much about it, except something Broadway and something French. (BTW, those writing skills I honed in college are, at this point, debatable.) I'm still iffy on most of the group's post-Return output, but the title track from the new record, Vapours, has significantly piqued my interest.

"Vapours" trots along on a killer Motown backbeat with brass accompaniment, while leader Nick Diamonds croons typically vague lyrics to anyone who's listening. I've always admired the singer's ability to craft choruses out of afterthoughts, and it's no different here: "It's a bassline in your mind / It's a sexy way to cry / You know I've had my share of doubt / Until I saw the vapours in your eyes." Hell if we know what it means, but damnit if we aren't signing along to it by the time it finishes. Fist bump to Stereogum for the mp3.

Vapours hits stores 9/22 via Anti-.

New Video: Caitlin Rose "Shanghai Cigarettes"

For those of you keeping track, we somehow held off posting about Caitlin Rose since July 14. Recently featured on the cover of the Nashville Scene, Caitlin (known affectionately to some as Cato) joined local female artists Tristen and Those Darlins as they were profiled in an amazing feature by Scenester Tracy Moore (Holla!) -- a must read article for those interested in the fantastically talented and interwoven Nashville music underground.

Caitlin has been working hard to get her debut full-length off the ground (not yet given a street date,) but, no need, her EP Dead Flowers has not faded over time. In a YouTube exclusive, Caitlin performs a new tune off her upcoming LP titled, "Shanghai Cigerettes."

For an enchating rendition of the Louvin Brothers' "River of Jordan" and of her classic "Sinful Wishing Well" continue after the jump.
"River of Jordan" - The Louvin Brothers


"Sinful Wishing Well"

New A.A. Bondy MP3

[mp3] A.A. Bondy: "I Can See The Pines Are Dancing"

Today, Fat Possum offers up the new mp3 from A.A. Bondy "I Can See The Pines Are Dancing." This is another piece in what has turned out to be a pretty solid promotional campaign to support his wide ranging tour which includes the headlining dates we posted previously and support dates with The Felice Brothers and Elvis Perkins. Bondy's sophomore record When The Devil's Loose, is out 9/1 on Fat Possum. We've been listening for a good bit now, and while it isn't immediately as arresting as his debut American Hearts, it's proving to have some nice legs coutesey of the fleshed-out, full-band arrangements Bondy employs. Worth picking up for sure. Recommended. See all of his tour dates after the jump.

A.A. Bondy September headlining dates:

SEPT. 8 BOSTON, MA GREAT SCOTT
SEPT. 9 NEW YORK, NY MERCURY LOUNGE
SEPT. 10 WASHINGTON, DC ROCK AND ROLL HOTEL
SEPT. 11 PHILADELPHIA, PA KUNG FU NECKTIE
SEPT. 12 PITTSBURGH, PA BRILLOBOX
SEPT. 14 KNOXVILLE, TN PILOT LIGHT
SEPT. 15 CHAPEL HILL, NC LOCAL 506
SEPT. 16 ATHENS, GA TASTY WORLD

A.A. Bondy October European tour with The Felice Brothers:

OCT. 12 BERLIN, DE LIDO
OCT. 13 HAMBURG, DE UBEL UND GEFAHRLICH
OCT. 14 KOLN, DE KULTURKIRCHE
OCT. 15 MUNICH, DE ATOMIC
OCT. 17 LEEDS, UK BRUDENELL SOCIAL CLUB
OCT. 18 DUBLIN, IE WHELANS
OCT. 19 BIRMINGHAM, UK GLEE CLUB
OCT. 20 MANCHESTER, UK ACADEMY 3
OCT.21 LONDON, UK THE SOCIAL*
OCT. 22 LONDON, UK SHEPHERDS BUSH EMPIRE
OCT. 24 AMSTERDAM, NL PARADISO (upstairs)
OCT. 26 UTRECHT, NL TIVOLI
OCT. 27 FRANKFURT, DE BATSCHKAPP

* Bondy solo

A.A. Bondy November U.S. tour with Elvis Perkins in Dearland:

NOV. 3 CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA THE SOUTHERN
NOV. 4 ASHEVILLE, NC GREY EAGLE
NOV. 5 ATLANTA, GA THE EARL
NOV. 6 ST. AUGUSTINE, FL CAFÉ 11
NOV. 7 ORLANDO, FL THE SOCIAL
NOV. 9 TALLAHASSEE, FL CLUB DOWNUNDER
NOV. 10 BIRMINGHAM, AL BOTTLETREE
NOV. 11 NEW ORLEANS, LA THE PARISH
NOV. 12 HOUSTON, TX WALTERS ON WASHINGTON
NOV. 13 AUSTIN, TX THE PARISH
NOV. 14 DALLAS, TX CAMBRIDGE ROOM
NOV. 16 LITTLE ROCK, AR STICKY FINGERZ
NOV. 18 LOUISVILLE, KY ZANZABAR
NOV. 20 ST. LOUIS, MO GARGOYLE CLUB
NOV. 21 CHICAGO, IL TBA

Wavves: New Drummer + New Dates

Wavves from TERROREYES.TV on Vimeo.

Surprised? Not really. Yes, we are all sick of hearing about the melt-down, but we're sure it spurred this drummer-shift somehow. Let's be honest here, changing drummers for Wavves is essentially rebuilding his entire band -- there are only two of them. This should be called the "Recovery Tour" for more reasons than one. Stark has also championed touring partner Ganglians in the past as well. Dig the new video above.

Full tour dates w/ Ganglians after the jump.

Wavves - 2009 Tour Dates
Sat 09.05 - Los Angeles, CA LA Historic State Park w/ FYF Fest
Sun 09.06 - San Francisco, CA Rickshaw Shop *
Sun 09.13 - Salt Lake City, UT Urban Lounge *
Mon 09.14 - Denver, CO Larimer Lounge *
Tue 09.15 - Lawrence, KS Jackpot Music Hall *
Wed 09.16 - Minneapolis, MN 7th Street Entry *
Thu 09.17 - Grinnell, IA Gardner Lounge, Grinnel College *
Fri 09.18 - Champaign, IL Pygmalion Music Festival *
Sat 09.19 - Madison, WI Forward Music Festival *
Sun 09.20 - Chicago, IL Chopin Theater (Early All Ages) *
Sun 09.20 - Chicago, IL Empty Bottle (Late 21+) *
Mon 09.21 - Detroit, MI Majestic Cafe *
Tue 09.22 - Toronto, ONT El Mocambo *
Wed 09.23 - Montreal, QC Friendship Cove *
Thu 09.24 - New York, NY Santos Party House *
Fri 09.25 - New York, NY Todd P NYC *
Sun 09.27 - Boston, MA Great Scott *
Tue 09.29 - Philidelphia, PA First Unitarian Church *
Wed 09.30 - Baltimore, MD Ottobar *
Thu 10.01 - Washington, DC Rock and Roll Hotel *
Fri 10.02 - Chapel Hill, NC Local 506 *
Sat 10.03 - Athens, GA 40 Watt Club *
Sun 10.04 - Atlanta, GA The Earl *
Tue 10.06 - Oxford, MS Proud Larry's *
Fri 10.09 - Dallas, TX Pastime Lounge *
Sat 10.10 - Austin, TX Emo's w/ The Soft Pack
Thu 10.15 - Phoenix, AZ Rhythm Room *
Fri 10.16 - San Diego, CA Casbah *
Sat 10.17 - Los Angeles, CA Echoplex *
* w/ Ganglians

New Very Best: "Rain Dance" (Featuring MIA)

The Very Best: "Rain Dance" (Featuring MIA)

We don't have to go on any more about our love for The Very Best. Today, Fader posted the premire of their new mp3 "Rain Dance" featuring MIA. The Very Best (Esau Mwamwaya and Radioclit) worked with Diplo and MIA on their widely praised mixtape, so it's no surprise that MIA makes an appearance on newest record The Warm Heart of Africa coming out October 3rd on Green Owl. You can preorder it now on iTunes. This track killed live and does so on the record. It's less "happy", let's say, than the other more joyful tunes on the record, yet it drives with dark pulsing beats and an incredible plethora of samples that add to the dense mix.

Mariah Still Batshit, Now Smells of Lotus Blossom and Tuberose

Alright, we usually shy away from Perez Hilton style celebrity slag-off but c'mon Mariah, really? Though her new album has been pushed back twice, Mariah Carey is adding a third smell to her fragrance line! The new fragrance is called "Forever" and is described as having "notes of lotus blossom, tuberose, gardenia, exotic woods and white musk." In an official statement, Carey claims the new perfume is a gift from her to fans and "captures that glamorous feeling that [she] want[s] to share . . ." Thanks Mariah.

An unidentified source at Def Jam told Billboard.com that "the reason for the delay is that the singer hasn't completed the album and needs to return to the studio to record additional songs." Wait, so you're telling me you need to record songs to finish an album? What about auto-tune?

Tim Emmerick - Stark Contributing Writer

Yes Giantess Remix Passion Pit, Tour with Little Boots

[MP3] Yes Giantess - "You Were Young"

[MP3] Yes Giantess - "Sleepyhead (remix)"

Yes Giantess are four students from Berklee College of Music -- they just graduated and are now going on tour with Little Boots, MSTRKRFT and Calvin Harris. How did they do it? Remixes of Passion Pit, Asher Roth (the bastard), and more while also enlisting the help of ace producer and Passion Pit'er Al Adhamy, Hannah Robinson (Ladyhawke) and Charlie Hugall (Florence and the Machine). Their electroc-beats are catchy, but not highly original. Jury is still out of the "Sleepyhead" cover -- that song is fairly perfect in its own right. We'll see how these youngins do. 

Tour dates listed after the jump.

8/22 – Blisspop @ The Black Cat – Washington, DC

9/10 – Music Hall of Williamsburg w/ Calvin Harris – New York, NY

9/11 – Humber College w/ MSTRKRFT – Etobicoke, Ontario

9/14 – Wrongbar w/ Little Boots – Toronto, Ontario

9/16 – Bowery Ballroom w/ Little Boots – New York, NY

9/17 – The Empty Bottle w/ Little Boots – Chicago, IL

9/18 – The Roxy w/ Little Boots – Los Angeles, CA

9/19 – The Independent w/ Little Boots – San Francisco, CA

After the jump.

New Video: The Soft Pack

The Soft Pack 'Pull Out' from Felipe Lima on Vimeo.

Stark favorites, The Soft Pack (formerly The Muslisms) have been biding their time, working hard on a new record. They want to get it right and we commend them for that. Their new release will be through Kemado Records and should be coming out sometime this fall if all goes well. Regardless, the self-titled release under the Muslim moniker was plenty amazing to sell us on all things Soft Pack for sometime. The video above is for a new track titled "Pull Out." Rock! Word on the street is, more videos to come.

Via.

New Daniel Johnston: "Freedom"

Daniel Johnston: "Freedom"

For us here at Stark, Daniel Johnston sounds like the year 1994. That is in no means an attempt to categorize the legacy of such an influential and prolific artist such as Johnston; it merely represents what that songwriter means to us, and where we were when we were first introduced to him. It was that shaky rasp of a voice that contributed to the soundtrack of those teen-years, which we can all agree were the pinnacle of the alt-rock movement. Those were the bull years. The good times. So, fast forward to 2009. Where does an artist such as Daniel Johnston fit in? Clearly venerated by critics and fans alike and christened with a saint-like status, it will be interesting to see how his new project is received. Is And Always Was (Eternal Yip Eye Music / High Wire Music 10/6) is the first Daniel Johnston record in 6 years and first with ace producer and collaborator Jason Falkner. The new record promises lofty arrangements, and lots of Beatles influences. We have the first mp3 "Freedom" above. 

09/03/09 - Portland, OR @ Wonder Ballroom
09/04/09 - Seattle, WA @ Neumos
09/05/09 - Vancouver, BC @ The Venue
09/07/09 - Calgary, AB @ Knox United Church
09/08/09 - Edmonton, AB @ Meyer Horowitz Theatre
10/02/09 - Austin, TX @ Austin City Limits Festival
10/13/09 - Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club
10/14/09 - New York, NY @ Highline Ballroom
10/15/09 - Boston, MA @ Paradise Rock Club
10/16/09 - Montreal, PQ @ UK Fed
10/17/09 - Toronto, ON @ Mod Club
10/22/09 - San Francisco, CA @ Regency Ballroom
10/23/09 - San Diego, CA @ Caines
10/24/09 - Los Angeles, CA @ Henry Fonda Theatre

Billboard: A Retrospective on International Charts

Back in high school I used to write down the songs on Casey Kasem’s American Top 40 while listening on the radio. It took me a while to realize that those charts were published in Billboard, and that the newsstand across the street from our apartment building in the Bronx carried it. It was expensive (think it was $4), but I literally read it cover to cover. Because there was no way I could buy it weekly, I kept the same copy around for months at a time, studying it—and one of my favorite sections were the charts from other countries.

In 1980-81 at the height of my interest, songs by the Specials, OMD, Adam & The Ants, The Beat and The Teardrop Explodes all were top 10 singles in the UK. England as well that other countries in Europe, as well as Australia and even Japan were alternate realities where cool music was hugely popular.

~Michael Krumper, Stark Contributor

More on Billboard including Diane Birch, The Gossip and more after the jump.

Flash to this past week. Was looking at the Hits of the World Chart in Billboard, and saw that The Gossip has the #8 single in Germany and #10 in Australia with “Heavy Cross” and almost more impressively, Diane Birch has the #7 single in Japan with “Fools.”

Yep, I know that these countries have unbelievably crappy artists and songs that top their charts on a regular basis, just like we do. Somehow, I’m still left feeling the same way as I did way back when. I do love pop music--the new Miley single is great, sounds like “Genius of Love”- I’d just like to see “Stillness Is The Move”, “My Girls” and “Two Weeks” charting in the top ten next to her, not just in the NPR listeners top ten songs of the year. In a world of fragmentation, I’m somehow still dreaming of that alternate universe existing in the US—like they seem to have in other countries, sometimes.

The Limousines Dig Porn and Sloth, Sing Ultimate "iPod Song"

[mp3] The Limousines: "Very Busy People"

If you thought the "iPod Commercial" genre topped out with Feist's "1234" or "Bruises" by Chairlift, prepare to have your mind blown. San Francisco's bubbly new electro-pop duo The Limousines have officially taken the genre to the next level. Well, technically they aren't IN the "iPod Song" genre because they haven't licensed their tune to Apple, but c'mon, are we gonna split hairs? If Apple can't overlook a few self-abuse references to have the actual word "iPod" in a genuine indie rock tune they must be afraid of success. This tune is up-beat, hooky as hell and even sounds a little like MGMT . . . that's a winning lottery ticket if you ask me. I guess only time will tell if Apple will sack up and take ownership over the one song that was clearly made for them. In the meantime, have a listen to the tune above. 

-Tim Emmerick Stark Contributing Writer

New Video: St. Vincent (Acoustic) @ La Route Du Rock

Annie Clark is dreamy. Simple as that. This impromptu acoustic performance of "Actor Out of Work" and "The Strangers" from her new record Actor at France's La Route Du Rock fest, as we like to say, just makes sense. During this performance, all is right with the world. Enjoy your Friday.

New White Denim LP + US Tour Dates

White Denim - "Mirrored and Reverse"

With a new album, as always, comes a new tour. Austin's White Denim follow suit readying the release of their sophomore full-length, Fits, dropping on Oct. 20 via Downtown Music. Weird. At one point this record was slated for a June 22 release. Guess that didn't happen. Their debut, Explosion, ravaged the scene with its off-beat guitar stylings and intricate song structures, eventually landing itself at #8 on Vince's Best of 2008 list. Wow, that was a long time ago. Enjoy "Mirrored and Reverse" from the upcoming record.


Full US Tour Dates After The Jump!

US Tour Dates:

10/24 - Mohawk - Austin, TX
10/31 - Granada Theater - Dallas, TX
11/02 - Firebird - St Louis, MO

11/03 - Jackpot - Lawrence, KS
11/04 - 400 Bar - Minneapolis, MN
11/05 - High Noon Saloon - Madison, WI
11/06 - Lincoln Hall - Chicago, IL
11/07 - Grog Shop - Cleveland, OH
11/09 - Horseshoe Tavern - Toronto, ON

11/10 - Il Motore - Montreal, QC
11/11 - TT the Bears - Cambridge, MA
11/12 - Music Hall of Williamsburg - Brooklyn, NY
11/13 - Kung Fu Necktie - Philadelphia, PA
11/14 - Rock N Roll Hotel - Washington, DC

11/16 - The Basement - Nashville, TN
11/17 - The Bottletree - Birmingham, AL
11/18 - The Earl - Atlanta, GA
11/19 - The Social - Orlando, FL
11/20 - Cafe Eleven - St Augustine, FL
11/22 - One Eyed Jacks - New Orleans, LA

After the jump.

Slim Smith: "My Conversation"

[mp3] Slim Smith: "My Conversation"

Walking to work this morning, this song was pretty much the only thing from keeping me from just melting away in a fit of anger and sweat. Sometimes music supervisors, even for big shows, can find some real gems. I'd never heard of Slim Smith, and people that I've talked to haven't either. Maybe I'm just talking to the wrong people though. Allmusic describes Slim Smith as:

One of the most soulful and accomplished singers of Jamaica's ska, rocksteady, and early reggae eras, Slim Smith found his biggest success from 1965 until his premature death [by suicide] at age 25 in 1973. Although according to various reports stating he had a troubled and unstable life, Smith will best be remembered for his stunning contributions to reggae's vocal tradition.

This song "My Conversation" was featured in an episode of Lost (yup), and turned me onto Slim's awesome catalog. It's the 3 note piano melody that makes this tune; the line is remarkable in its simplicity, yet absolutely essential to the song. Enjoy and stay cool.

More After the Jump Fest '09!

Come hang out with us all day! Free Brooklyn Lager for the first hour each day!

Not to mention... A delicious food menu designed by former WD-50 chef, Scott Koshkoodi Live screenprinting by artist j.morrison from Space is the Place A GIANT hot pink elephant art installation by Snoozer Loser Organic and vegan bake sale by Jamie Cakes Plus other surprises throughout the weekend! *Added to the line-up is Helado Negro dj, The Octagon, Shark?, Captain Ahab and the Sea Crackens and Thing One Order your three day pass now, don't miss out on anything! Pre-order for a discounted rate of $25 and one day passes for $10 (http://www.littlefieldnyc.com/upcoming-events/). Door is $30 and $12.

 

Special Thanks to our supporters: Brooklyn Brewery ASCAP CMJ'09 Goldest Egg

AFTER THE JUMP IS ORGANIZED BY: themusicslut . batteringroom . ryspace . irockiroll . merryswankster . softcommunication . musicisart . bumpershine .themodernage . productshopnyc . subinev . punkphoto . poptartssucktoasted . jinners . nyctaper

WITH HELP FROM: watercoolergossip . brooklynskiclub . radioexile . starkonline . wesleyverhoeve.com

New Walkmen Video: "On the Water"

Via

Somebody Gonna Get Pregnant

Man, there are so many places you can go with a post like this. We'll keep it tasteful, I guess. Gotta say thanks to the brit ladies at Meserole & Humboldt for hipping us to Ninjasonik awhile back. We're not really massive fans of the Queens-based hip-hop group, but we're really glad to see them growing in notoriety and getting some solid attention in the media. We caught them live at the Mercury Lounge last year, and it was a pretty sloppy and way too stoned-out affair to really make a huge impression on us musically, but it was fun. Yet, one song stood out, and made us say "wow, this could be a huge hit." That song, was "Somebody Gonna Get Pregnant." Ninjasonik made a video for this tune. Unfortunately, the studio version needs some serious remixing and shots of energy to make it hit-worthy. Get a good producer in there and a little more pop in the chorus and you're gold. Just picture a 4' English girl with a bob dancing around singing the chorus (Eleanor). Pure hilarity. (via)

Crayon Angel: A Tribute to the Music of Judee Sill

[MP3] Daniel Rossen - "Waterfall"

[MP3] Frida Hyvönen - "Jesus Was a Crossmaker" 

Judee Sill released two acclaimed albums on Dave Geffens' Asylum Records in the mid-to-late '70s -- one self title, the other titled, Heart Food. Her music has since been heralded and cherished by modern musicans who found it fitting to come together to record a tribute record, Crayon Angel: A Tribute to the Music of Judee Sill dropping Sept. 22 on American Dust. Featured artists include Ron Sexsmith, Beth Orton, Daniel Rossen and Frida Hyvönen (Grizzly Bear), Marissa Nadler, Princeton and more.

Full featured artists and tracklist after the jump.


Various Artists
Crayon Angel: A Tribute to the Music of Judee Sill
(American Dust)
Street date: Sept. 22, 2009
01 Ron Sexsmith: "Crayon Angel"
02 Beth Orton: "Reach for the Sky"
03 Daniel Rossen: "Waterfall"
04 Frida Hyvönen: "Jesus Was a Cross Maker"
05 Shalants: "Lopin Along Thru the Cosmos"
06 Final Fantasy: "The Donor"
07 Nicolai Dunger: "Soldier of the Heart"
08 Trembling Blue Stars: "Lady-O"
09 Colossal Yes: "The Phoenix"
10 Marissa Nadler & Black Hole Infinity: "The Kiss"
11 Princeton: "Down Where the Valleys Are Low"
12 The Bye Bye Blackbirds: "There's a Rugged Road"
13 Meg Baird: "When the Bridegroom Comes"
14 Bill Callahan: "For a Rainbow"
15 P.G. Six: "Til Dreams Come True"

Ryan Adams: Songwriter, Sober, Married...Painter?

Apparently Ryan Adams paints. Who knew? Now, being that we at Stark are not art buffs, we are going to skip passing judgement on his work. But it we had to, we should say it has a kind of a muddled Ludwig Bemelman (author/illustrator of the Madeline book series) on LSD feel to it -- Bemelman is not a painter, but that's the first reference that came to mind. If you enjoy Adams' work, there will be an opening on Sept. 23 marking the start of his residency at the Morrison Hotel Gallery; his work will be auctioned off with proceeds going toward the Housing Works Bookshop. Adams' will be the first artist in residency at the Morrison Gallery. Sure.

Back to music.

Happy Antlers (and lots of others) Release Day!

mp3s

The Antlers: "Two"

Joe Henry: "The Man I Keep Hid" 

The Cave Singers: "Beach House"

Brendan Benson: "Feel Like Taking You Home"

Mount Eerie: "Stone's Ode"

Jay Reatard: "Wounded"

To celebrate the official widespread release of The Antlers' Hospice, they released a video for their fantastic song "Two" which debuted today on Pitchfork. While not enough time to fully cover all of these records, we at Stark strongly recommend you pick up the new records from Joe Henry, The Cave Singers, Brendan Benson, Jay Reatard, Simian Mobile Disco, Mount Eerie, Pissed Jeans, and maybe Jack Penate, depending on your taste really.