New Thao & The Get Down Stay Down

"Holy Roller" is taken from the forthcoming Thao & The Get Down Stay Down album We The Common out February 05, 2013 in North America and February 04, 2013 in rest of the world.

New Video: Thao and the Get Down Stay Down - "When We Swam"

Thao and the Get Down Stay Down: "Know Better Learn Faster"

Our blog has quickly become inundated with great new music videos-- weird to actually call them music videos -- what is this the "10 Spot?" Thao and the Get Down Stay Down (still a complete bitch-of-a-band name for writer) recently released this video for a track of their newest record, Know Better Learn Faster titled, "When We Swam." Our feelings toward this album are mainly positive, but there are some of us in the Stark camp that feel the album lacks a bit of continuity and seems a bit rushed -- regardless, the positives outweigh the negatives on this fantastic sophomore release from Thao & Co. Hey, after We Brave Bee Stings, they can really do no wrong in our eyes. Hopefully this video can warm you up a bit -- cause the weather outside is freakin frightful.

Thanks and happy Friday. Holla weekend.

New Thao: "Know Better, Learn Faster"

[mp3] Thao and the Get Down Stay Down: "Know Better Learn Faster"

If you've been with us over the past few weeks, you know how excited we are for the new Thao and the Get Down Stay Down album Know Better Learn Faster. On Friday, we got our first taste of the album - the title track from the record that also features fellow N.Westerner Andrew Bird. True to rumors, this track reflects Thao's more wistful side. Whereas her stellar debut We Brave Bee Stings and All featured bubbly summer pop, this new record promises more introspective lyrics and a softer more autumnal sound. That still doesn't take away from Thao and her band's utter badassity. Know Better Learn Faster is out October 13th on Kill Rock Stars.

Elsewhere in the Thao world...




The Portland Cello Project will be opening for and occasionally playing with Thao and her band on their current string of tour dates. The PCP could be the culprits behind Thao's new laid back sound, as Thao collaborated with them on their recent release The Thao and Justin Powers Sessions, which came out in June on KRS. The cello often provokes the most introspective of moods, so it's no surprise that the PCP tracks we've heard are downright gorgeous heartbreakers. Tour dates after the jump.

October 2009
15 - Santa Barbara, CA @ SoHo
16 - Los Angeles, CA @ Echoplex
17 - Santa Cruz, CA @ The Crepe Place
22 - Seattle, WA @ Chop Suey
23 - Vancouver, BC, Canada @ The Biltmore Cabaret
24 - Spokane, WA @ Empyrean Coffee
27 - Minneapolis, MN @ Cedar Cultural Center
28 - Milwaukee, WI @ Turner Hall
29 - Urbana, IL @ The Canopy Club
30 - Chicago, IL @ Empty Bottle
31 - Detroit, MI @ The Cafe at the Majestic Theater

November 2009
1 - Toronto, ON, Canada @ El Mocambo
2 - Montreal, QC, Canada @ Il Motore
3 - Cambridge, MA @ Middle East Downstairs
4 - New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom
5 - Philadelphia, PA @ First Unitarian Church
6 - Washington, DC @ Black Cat
7 - Richmond, VA @ The Canal Club Downstairs Lounge
9 - Atlanta, GA @ The Earl
11 - Houston, TX @ The Studio at Warehouse Live
12 - Austin, TX @ Mohawk
13 - Ft Worth, TX @ Lola's
14 - Lubbock, TX @ Jake's
17 - Phoenix, AZ @ Rhythm Room
18 - Tucson, AZ @ Plush
19 - San Diego, CA @ The Casbah
20 - Pomona, CA @ The Glass House

All shows are with Thao with the Get Down Stay Down, David Shultz

New Thao Record!

[mp3] Thao and The Get Down Stay Down: "Bag of Hammers"

You know we love Thao lots. Time is short this afternoon, but we're thrilled to offer the news that Thao and her band The Get Down Stay Down will release Know Better Learn Faster on October 13, 2009 (Kill Rock Stars). This will be the follow up to their amazing debut We Brave Bee Stings and All which ranked on almost everyone's end of '08 lists. Cannot wait to hear this. Album guests include Andrew Bird, Eric Earley of Blitzen Trapper, Laura Veirs, Nathan Crockett of Horse Feathers, and close friend and new 4AD artist Tune-Yards.  From the press release:

With super-producer and friend Tucker Martine (The Decemberists, Bill Frisell, Jim James) again at the helm, Know Better Learn Faster perfectly captures the band as their more mature, tastefully raucous, subdued and musically adventurous selves. Honed, trimmed and tightened over the last year and a half of constant touring, the now-trio delivers Thao’s cleverly crafted and emotionally evocative songs with vibrant, innovative instrumentation, incredible energy and a still-acutely-solid sense of what sounds good. The new batch of songs spans all genres and influences, all the while staying faithful to their distinct style, sharp wit, and the infectious and enamoring exuberance of their renowned live shows.

mr. Gnome - " Night of the Crickets" New Video, Free Album Stream & NYC Tour Date

mr. Gnome (lowercase spelling and all) is a Cleveland duo of vocalist/guitarist Nicole Barille and drummer Sam Meister. Following the release of their newest album, Deliver This Creature, Barille and Meister have begun to draw some hefty musical comparisons: Cat Power, Portishead, Blonde Redhead, Thao and the Get Down Stay Down and Death Cab round out the list. The duo's newest video for "Night of the Crickets" is animalistic, a bit morbid and well, kind of creepy-- Barille's raspy female voice laid atop the somewhat psychedelic percussion of Meister works and keeps you listening. Also, when you have the "Sand People" from Star Wars make an appearance in your video, there is not much that can go wrong.

Check out mr. Gnome live:
09/04 Brooklyn, NY @ Union Hall
09/05 New York, NY @ Knitting Factory

Follow the link below to stream Deliver This Creature: http://www.fanaticpromotion.com/projects/mrgnome/ecard/

Enjoy.

Stark heads to Seattle...

Hey all,
Stark is heading to Seattle, not for musical purposes, but rather to celebrate a wedding. We are hoping to perhaps meet up with a few Kill Rock Stars personnel albeit that may be easier said than done.

Please check back next week for our exclusive Ezra Furman interview. We like him. He is funny. You will soon like him too. Also we will be reviewing the Thao/Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson (MBAR) show at the Bowery next week as well.

Until then, keep your chin up and your head on a swivel.

Here are a few things we came across in this week's Hot Sheets...A.K.A blogs and such we read:

FADER - On the road w/ MBAR

Gorillavsbear - Lykke Li Remix

Brooklyn Vegan - All things Girl Talk

Pitchfork - Conor Oberst Review

Stereogum - Jenny Lewis "Acid Tongue"

Take Away Show w/ Man Man

~Best,
Stark

After the jump.

Nashville Review: Personal Thao Concert

Ask most concert-goers in Nashville about Thao and The Get Down Stay Down and they will respond, "who?" "You know, the band that has been opening for Rilo Kiley all summer..." Still nothing. Well, I know who Thao and the boys are and last night they played an empty dive bar, much to my personal enjoyment - did I mention they were the headliners?

I ended up traveling solo to the show, and I am glad I did. Thao, drummer Willis, and bassist Adam were just sitting at the bar when I arrived. Immediately striking up a conversation with the trio over Red Stripes, we ended up hanging out together for the rest of the evening. They didn't know anyone at the show, and neither did I. We had that in common.

Willis explained that they had been on the road with Kiley going on six weeks now and they were looking forward to some time off. Thao admitted that she was tired and ready to head back to her current residence in San Francisco after the tours end. I had a chance to ask the band what they have been listening to record-wise while on the road and they cited Santogold, Fleet Foxes and a few others that slip my mind.

It was amusing talking to Thao about her newest record, We Brave Bee Stings & All and how some, if not most, reviewers find it a "summery" album. She laughed and said that it was obviously not her goal when she began writing, but she couldn't disagree. Thao soon slipped away to sit by herself, awaiting the call to the stage.

12:00 a.m. - Thao, Willis and Adam take the stage ripping into an amazing set, that fell mainly upon deaf ears, save a few. Come on Nashville you are better than this. Thao's beautiful auburn-hollow bodied guitar, coupled with her expert and unique playing style made for a rich sound. Stripped down to a trio, Thao becomes even more of the focal point, as does her playing ability. Willis and Adam did well to sit back, lay down the grooves and let Thao do what she does. Unusually soft spoken off stage, Thao becomes an act to behold on stage, gyrating around and screaming vocals with an unrestrained elegance. The band's presence was too big for the venue. The evening's set list read: (order of songs not exact)
-Beat (Health, Life And Fire)
-Geography
-Feet Asleep
-Bag of Hammers
-Violet
-Swimming Pools
-Travel
-Fear and Convenience

I was seemingly the only Thao fan in the audience, and after the show, the band expressed their gratefulness - they will be heading to Athens, GA., for a recording session at Paste magazine, then Virginia and then back home to D.C. Check them out if you can, and say Vince from Nashville sent you.

Thao Myspace


After the jump.