New Alela Diane, Housing Works Show Tonight

[mp3] Alela Diane: "To Begin"

We've been huge fans of Ms. Diane's since her first record Pirate's Gospel in 2006. It's been fantastic watching her develop her songs from simple (but lovely) stripped down folk gems, to mature, full-blooded, compositions that work solo and with a full band. We just received the new record, ALELA DIANE & WILD DIVINE (out on April 5th via Rough Trade) today, so it's tough to really comment editorially, other than the fact that we're big fans, and very excited. Alela Diane and her band Wild Divine play TONIGHT at Housing Works in Manhattan. Tune in to hear more on WNYC Soundcheck at 2:30pm est today. From the press release:

Alela has changed her tune a bit since her last album, 2009's critically acclaimed To Be Still. This album is evidence of the things in her life that have influenced her over the last couple of years....lots of touring, marriage, relationships, family, illness etc...

Penned on the road whilst touring in 2009, Alela Diane & Wild Divine was completed in 2010. Wild Divine refers to husband and bassist-turned-guitarist Tom Bevitori and the rest of her band – father and guitarist Tom Menig, bassist Jonas Haskins and drummer Jason Merculief.

Yours Truly Does Warpaint

Yourstru.ly Presents: Warpaint "Undertow" from Yours Truly on Vimeo.

Yourstru.ly Presents: Warpaint "Bees" from Yours Truly on Vimeo.

[mp3] Warpaint: "Undertow"

We've posted enough about Warpaint, and Yours Truly for yall to know how much we love both of them. So, for now, just sit back and enjoy what happens when they both meet. Warpaint's debut LP The Fool is out now on Rough Trade, we would suggest grabbing it, um now. Warpaint are on tour with another Stark favorite, Family Band - check out those dates below.

11/30 – Boston, MA @ Great Scott #
12/01 – Brooklyn, NY @ Music Hall Of Williamsburg #
12/03 – Philadelphia, PA @ First Unitarian Church #
12/04 – Washington, D.C. @ Rock And Roll Hotel #
12/12 – Los Angeles, CA @ Troubadour

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New Warpaint: "Undertow"

[mp3] Warpaint: "Undertow"

By far one of our most anticipated albums of the Fall, Warpaint's The Fool drops 10/25 on Rough Trade. Check out the new tune "Undertow" above. Depending this record, these West Coast gals from way back, could be massive. Will be an interesting rest of the year! They're hitting the road w/ the XX in a few.

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Rough Trade Signs Dylan LeBlanc

[mp3] Dylan LeBlanc: "If Time Was For Wasting"

Judging by what we've heard, Rough Trade has landed another gem of an artist with Dylan LeBlanc. This Louisiana native who splits his time between his Shreveport home and Nashville, records with a full and warm sound, lacing each song with generous amounts of pedal steel and organ swells. Yet, it's LeBlanc's vocals that keep his music from falling into the everyday singer/songwriter bin. Falling somewhere between Neil Young and Robin Pecknold, there is a distinct southern flair to his delivery and that intangible quality that makes the melodies memorable. The 20 year old LeBlanc's debut album Pauper's Field comes out August 24 on Rough Trade. You can read Geoff Travis' compelling story behind LeBlanc's signing after the jump. Dylan LeBlanc plays Joe's Pub in New York July 21st.
ABOUT SIGNING DYLAN LEBLANC – by Geoff Travis

Dylan LeBlanc came into my life quite by chance. A friend called Jon Tiven was visiting from Nashville. He was trying to interest me in a Souhern Rock Opera that he had written and recorded with a view to getting me to release it. It has some illustrious soul singers from yesteryear singing lead on some of the tracks. However I am pathologically averse to going back into the past, having flirted disastrously with this idea previously. The Sandie Shaw project instigated by Morrissey springs to mind, being in a hotel room with the lovely Roger McGuinn and having to tell him that the new songs he had just played me on his twelve string guitar were not actually my cup of tea, trying to convince Arthur Lee that David Roback should be producing his new record, when all he wanted to talk about was the fact that he had himself played every note on the early Love records, are just a few examples.

I was chatting to Jon and his partner Sally when they casually mentioned that they had recently seen a young man that had completely mesmerized them. They said he had a voice that fell somewhere between Ray La Montagne and Neil Young and that he was one of the best they had ever seen.

They were not his managers or his agents or his lawyers or his accountants. They just liked him as an artist. Now these two people are not just ordinary music folk. They count Steve Cropper amongst their best friends and they seem able to get Teenie Hodges, the sublime guitar player who adorns so many great Al Green records, on the phone. Something in me snapped to attention and I asked who this young man was that they were describing. They said he was called Dylan LeBlanc and he lives in or near Shreveport in Louisiana and they had seen him play in a small club in Nashville.

Dylan is now signed to Rough Trade and his story is just beginning. But like all stories of this kind, he has been preparing for it all his life. He was signed to Fame Music which is the publishing arm that grew out of the great Muscle Shoals recording complex. Rick Hall is it's head and you can find his name on the credits of some of the greatest records to ever come out of the American South. Wilson Pickett and Aretha Franklin amongst them. Rick signed Dylan to Fame Music. He was signed as soon as he was legally of age to do so. Part of the deal was that Dylan got access to the studio, where he recorded his debut album.

Pauper’s Field, which was mixed by Trina Shoemaker in Nashville in March of this year will be his first release. Dylan turned 20 years of age recently and he has been performing since he was 15 years old. Playing around the Louisiana area, often travelling by himself to play in a tiny bar hundreds of miles from home, learning his craft and trying out new songs - always writing and trying out new ideas and soaking up the rich culture of his southern homeland.

He sounds like he has lived several lives already and has the melancholy soul of a great Southern soul singer many times his age. In reality he is just a young man making his first steps into the world of music. A world he has had no choice but to participate in. It is in his blood and it is in his soul. I feel lucky to be able to help bring these songs to your attention.

Morning Benders, Shark?, and Cuddle Magic at Housing Works Tonight

[mp3] The Morning Benders: "Excuses"

We're super excited to be heading out to this special show tonight at Housing Works featuring the amazing Morning Benders, After the Jump faves Shark?, and Cuddle Magic. The Morning Benders' Chris Taylor produced new record Big Echo is fantastic and comes out March 9th on Rough Trade. Dig their new single "Excuses" above.

Any show at an intimate venue (read: amazing charity-based bookstore) like Housing Works is worth braving the elements to get to, and the fact that the headliner is Morning Benders, is even more incentive. Admission is $5 along with a used CD for the CD swap which will also be taking place. Cool, fun times to be had in the snow. Show is sponsored by Hype Machine and hosted by Max Silvestri. See you there. Morning Benders' and Shark? tour dates after the jump, including a show this Saturday with Surfer Blood at Market Hotel.

Morning Benders - 2010 Tour Dates
Feb 25 Housing Works (HYPE MACHINE CD SWAP) New York, New York
Feb 27 Market Hotel (w/ Surfer Blood) Brooklyn, New York
Mar 10 Johnny Brendas Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Mar 11 Black Cat DC, Washington DC
Mar 12 Local 506 Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Mar 13 Drunken Unicorn Atlanta, Georgia
Mar 15 The Bottletree Birmingham, Alabama
Mar 17 SXSW (SHOWS TBA) Austin, Texas
Mar 17 ROUGH TRADE SHOWCASE @ Emo's JR - 1:00 AM Austin, Texas
Mar 20 STEREOGUM RANGE LIFE @ THE PARISH Austin, Texas
Mar 23 Rhythm Room Phoenix, Arizona
Mar 25 The Troubador Los Angeles, California
Mar 26 The Casbah San Diego, California
Mar 27 Detroit Bar Costa Mesa, California
Mar 28 Muddy Waters Santa Barbara, California
Mar 30 The Independent SAN FRANCISCOOOOOO!, California
Apr 01 Holocene Portland, Oregon
Apr 02 Crocodile Cafe Seattle, Washington
Apr 03 Media Club Vancouver, British Columbia
Apr 05 Club Velour Provo, Utah
Apr 07 Hi-Dive Denver, Colorado
Apr 09 The Vaudeville Mews Des Moines, Iowa
Apr 10 The Maintenance Shop Ames, Iowa
Apr 11 Huckleberry's Pizza (Daytrotter Presents) Rock Island, Illinois
Apr 12 Schubas Chicago, Illinois
Apr 14 The Drake Hotel Toronto, Ontario
Apr 15 La Sala Rossa Montreal, Quebec
Apr 16 The Monkey House Winooski, Vermont
Apr 17 TT The Bear's Boston, Massachusetts
Apr 22 Mercury Lounge New York, New York

Shark? - 2010 Tour Dates
Feb 25 Hype Machine/Ampeater show @ Housingworks Bookstore Manhattan
Mar 04 Glasslands w/ Gunfight, Quiet Loudly, Scary Living Brooklyn
Mar 13 Hexagon Space w/ Pianowire, the Moderate Baltimore
Mar 16 SXSW Party w. holy wave dikes of holland and dinosaur feathers Austin
Mar 17 TOUR - SXSW - TBA Austin
Mar 18 TOUR - SXSW - TBA Austin
Mar 19 SXSW house party!! Austin

Basia Bulat: New Album + NY Pre-release Party

[MP3] Basia Bulat - "Gold Rush"

We would like to begin by saying, we love Rough Trade Records -- now that that is out of the way, we are happy to announce Basia Bulat's newest record titled, Heart of My Own, releases on January 26, 2010. Freaky -- 2010 -- not ready for you yet. In celebration, Bulat will be playing a pre-release show on Oct. 7 at the Bellhouse in Brooklyn, NY! To get a taste of what's to come, check out her new MP3 above for "Gold Rush" -- this is the first track released into the dark, foreboding and scary blogosphere.

See cover art and tracklist after the jump


Heart Of My Own:

Go On

Run

Sugar and Spice

Gold Rush

Heart Of My Own

Sparrow

If Only You

I'm Forgetting Everyone

The Shore

Once More, For The Dollhouse

Walk You Down

If It Rains

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. 

New Alela Diane Video & EP

[mp3] Alela Diane "White as Diamonds"

Yeah, we're huge suckers for her it's true. Alela Diane's most recent release To Be Still (Rough Trade) will be in my (Matt's) top albums of the year for sure. Above is a new video (with her Dad) from the DUMBO West Sessions for the haunting album closer "Lady Divine." We're bummed we're going to miss her show in New York with the equally fantastic Sharon Van Etten August 14th at Union Hall, but hey, the beach is the beach. (We're going on vacation. Yes, bloggers do like the sun sometimes.)

Alela is releasing a new EP with her bandmate and fabulous vocalist Alina Hardin on October 6th via Rough Trade. To Be Still is out now.

Gold Soundz Returnz!

After a brief hiatus, which included a move back to his home state of Wisconsin our loyal friend Mike Bailey returns to his Gold Soundz column - this week features a short but enlighteneing piece on Galaxie 500. Good to have you back Mike.

Contributor Mike Bailey enjoys talking about records from yesteryear -- the 70's, 80's and 90's -- that influenced what's happening today. Thus, Gold Soundz was born. (Props to Pavement for the perfect name.) In this piece, Bailey takes a different seminal indie record every week and examines its significance and impact on the present.

GALAXIE 500

On Fire

Rough Trade 1989

Galaxie 500 was a Boston trio lead by Dean Wareham (who later went on to front Luna). Their reference point was the Velvet Underground.   On Fire burns slow, with minimal light.  Rich textures, warm tones and fluid lines all drenched in reverb.  Pastoral lyrics and simple melodies reveal themselves in repetitive, yet powerful songs.   Dreamy, minimal, dirge-like, Galaxie 500 kept everything simple.  “Blue Thunder”, “Strange”, “When Will You Come Home”, “Leave the Planet” will change your life…   Ride the fiery breeze of Galaxie 500…    

 

Has Jarvis Gone Rock?

"No - but during the course of touring his last record he discovered that , with this band, he COULD rock & so he'd be a fool not to. (When the situation demanded it)."

[MP3]
Jarvis Cocker: "Angela"

That's right folks, a new Jarvis Cocker record, this time produced by ace-rock-knob-twiddling-legend, Steve Albini. Fans of the softer side of Jarvis shouldn't fret though; this isn't a full on blasting rock affair. As Jarvis comments above, when the situation demands it, he brings the house. Further Complications was written as: "more of a group effort than the last one. So we had worked songs out in rehearsal rather than me delivering them fully-written & now I wanted to record them in an environment where we could all play at the same time & hopefully capture something of the spirit of a band all working together, all aiming in the same direction." Further Complications comes out May 19 via Rough Trade.

The Veils -- Sun Gangs

Photo credit: Nicole Kai Kobilansky and Ritchie Harvey

When: April 7, 2009
Label: Rough Trade
MP3: "Killed By The Boom"
Myspace
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The Veils have been on our radar since their underappreciated release of Nux Vomica in 2006. Three years later, highly charismatic frontman Finn Andrews and crew are set to release their third record, Sun Gangs. While tunes fron Nux such as "Calliope," "Not Yet" and "Pan" show a knack for devastatingly powerful rock-pop recordings (play "Killed By The Boom" now) this band thrives live. We caught The Veils at the Mercury Lounge in NY weeks after Nux's release and simply put, we were not drunk enough. Andrews' on-stage gyrations (see him laying prone on-stage straddling the microphone stand while extinguishing vocal chords) were intoxicating and not at all forced. We left sufficiently tight. There are high hopes from the Stark camp concerning Sun Gangs; we are currently spinning the record and hope to have a review up in due time. Until then, enjoy the MP3 above.

Alela Diane Video "White as Diamonds" - mp3

Alela Diane "White as Diamonds" mp3

We're hoping this is going to be a great year for Alela Diane. We loved The Pirate's Gospel...Old time folk songs with nautical themes? Come on! (In Gob Bluth voice). In all seriousness, she's a fantastic songwriter and has an amazing voice. Diane releases her new LP To Be Still on Rough Trade Feb. 17. We can't wait to hear more of this record. For now we'll just enjoy the new video directed by Ryan Jeffery. Via p4k.tv

Little Joy Record Streaming on Myspace

Little Joy - "Keep Me in Mind"

It's no secret we dig the new Little Joy record featuring Fab from the Strokes. Yet, there have been some dissenting opinions in the Stark ranks about the quality of the record (we can't all agree people!). Thankfully, the good folks from Little Joy are streaming their self-titled debut on their myspace page, so you, the listener, can decide for yourself. The official release is Nov 4 on Rough Trade. Enjoy, or don't enjoy. It don't matter to the Jesus.