[RH First Glance] Korallreven: "Try Anything Once" (Feat. Cornelius)
The latest from Swedish pair, Koralleven is an electric-tinged odyssey featuring production help from Japanese artist Cornelius who lends his vocals throughout the track. The records builds as it goes on and definitely fits with much of what has come out of Scandinavia, while also staying truly unique. Check out the track below.
[Album] Grizzly Bear: "Shields: Expanded and Shields: B-Sides"
Brooklyn, NY indie-gods Grizzly Bear had plenty off goodies for their fans as they announced the November 12 release of Shields: Expanded and Shields: B-Sides, further versions of their stellar 2012 album, Shields. The Expanded version is Shields, plus eight B-sides, remixes, and demos. B-Sides is just the eight tracks. B-Sides will be available on 12" vinyl and digitally while Expanded is available as a two CD set. Check out the track-listing below, along with a new song, "Will Call (Marfa Demo)" recorded before they started in on the album officially.
http://youtu.be/B-ifqEZVQxQ
[Video] Arctic Monkeys: "Hold On, We're Going Home"
Drake is everywhere. Even indie rockers, the Arctic Monkeys got in on the Drake frenzy that has heated up as leaks of Nothing Was The Same began hitting the internet. Turns out, Wu Tang Clan aren't the only ones with their own rendition of a Drake song. Yesterday, video of the band covering the song at BBC Radio 1's Live Lounge series came available. Check it out below.
http://youtu.be/RvA3q0ZU-NQ
Phantogram: “Black Out Days”
Phantogram is back after a long break since their critically-acclaimed 2011 release, Nightlife. "Black Out Days" is a perfect reminder for avid listeners familiar with Sarah Barthel and Josh Carter's crafty production and sinewy vocals. They have been lending their talents as features for other acts for awhile now and "Black and White" is the first inkling of a potential release in the near future from the duo, check out the stream below.
[RH First Glance] Crystal Antlers: "Rattlesnake"
California rockers, Crystal Antlers, released their video for "Rattlesnake" via Noisey earlier today. The artistic look at contemporary urban waste and emptiness and clever editing recall the Dogtown days in L.A. and rightfully so, as the video was shot by surf/skate/graffiti legend CR Stecyk III and matches the aesthetic of the mellow, grooving sound of "Rattlesnake," the first single off the band's upcoming album, Nothing is Real, due out October 15 on Innovative Leisure. Along with the video, Crystal Antlers also announced a North American tour which kicks off the day after the album release at Soda Bar in San Diego. Check out the video and dates below.
http://youtu.be/XmYn3evl0OI
Upcoming Tour Dates /
10/16 - Soda Bar - San Diego, CA
10/17 - Last Exit Live - Phoenix, AZ
10/19 - Mohawk Inside Room - Austin, TX
10/20 - The Foundry - Dallas, TX
10/21 - Hi-Tone Cafe - Memphis, TN
10/22 - The End - Nashville, TN
10/23 - Drunken Unicorn - Atlanta, GA
10/24 - The Moth Light - Asheville, NC
10/25 - The Pinhook - Durham, NC
10/26 - Comet Ping Pong - Washington, DC
10/27 - Kung Fu Necktie - Philadelphia, PA
10/28 - Glasslands Gallery - Brooklyn, NY
10/30 - Il Motore - Montreal, QC
10/31 - Zaphod Beeblebrox - Ottawa, ON
11/01 - Silver Dollar - Toronto, ON
11/02 - Call the Office - London, ON
11/03 - Empty Bottle - Chicago, IL
11/05 - Replay Lounge - Lawrence, KS
11/06 - Moe's - Denver, CO
11/07 - Kilby Court - Salt Lake City, UT
11/08 - Neurolux - Boise, ID
11/09 - Bunk Bar - Portland, OR
11/10 - Electric Owl - Vancouver, BC
11/11 - Comet Tavern - Seattle, WA
11/13 - Hemlock Tavern - San Francisco, CA
[RH Interview] Sandra Vu of SISU
Transitions aren't easy. For some, change comes easy and they slide into the new routine, for others it's a bit more difficult to adjust. Sandy Vu of the Los Angeles-based band Dum Dum Girls falls somewhere between the former and latter. Vu, who entered the scene as the drummer for Dee Dee Penny's all-female project steps out from behind the drum set on a new venture of her own, SISU. Where she was a moving part in the Dum Dum Girls, Vu is free to creatively express herself with the new band, moving about from on instrument to another and crafting a sound that is wholly hers. The transition hasn't been an easy one though. As anyone with a lot on their plate can attest to, starting a new band while in another is no easy task. I caught up with Sandy, who plays The Empty Bottle in Chicago tomorrow night, as she was just getting out on tour with Dirty Beaches in support of her upcoming album, Blood Tears, out on Mono Prism September 17th.
Jake: Tell me a bit about the tour and opening for Dirty Beaches.
Sandy: We have been super excited to play with Dirty Beaches, I met him about two years ago now when Dum Dum Girls did a tour with him and it's just going to be special because we're all family at this point. Their tout manager is our good friend and stuff so it's kind of like a big reunion party.
Jake: What was the transition like coming from the Dum Dum Girls?
Sandy: The Dum Dum Girls have been in town rehearsing and learning the new songs for the new record and we're doing rehearsals for the tour for SISU, so if I didn't have anything else to do and I just had to go to these rehearsals it wouldn't be that bad but my days are just stacked with things I needed to do to get ready for the tour. Switching gears is not hard, it's maybe a little bit stressful learning a lot of new material in a short amount of time. Going from Dum Dum Girls to SISU, in itself, isn't that big of a deal to me.
Jake: Do you ever find yourself at a Dum Dum Girls rehearsal accidentally playing a SISU song?
Sandy: No (laughs), I think it occupies two totally different areas of my brain to just play drums compared to leading the band so it feels so different. In Dum Dum Girls it's like I kind of turn off my brain a little bit. That band is set up so I just learn all of the songs and just play them (laughs).
[RH First Glance] Courtney Barnett: "Avant Gardener"
They are taking music seriously in Australia. It seems like every week a new artist emerges from Australasia and this week it is the supremely talented singer/songwriter Courtney Barnett, who's debut album, The Double EP: A Sea of Split Peas is due for release October 15 on House Anxiety/Marathon Artists has been steadily making a name for herself via the web. "Avant Gardener," the lead single off the upcoming project was released as a "Best New Track" on Pitchfork. In the song, Barnett croons, "I should have stayed in bed today, I much prefer the mundane," in a voice that can be most-accurately described as a dynamic female Bob Dylan. Barnett will make her US debut later this Fall at CMJs in New York City, for now, pre-order the album here or check out the track below.
Courtney Barnett: "Avant Gardener" (SoundCloud)
Disappears to play Empty Bottle 9/20
The Disappears are heading out on tour again, with a stop scheduled at the Empty Bottle on September 20 with Weekend in support of their album,Era, due out August 27 on Kranky Records. The Chicago Reader described the lead single "Ultra" by saying, "Disappears have always infused their songs with spooky and creepy vibes, but "Ultra" is way weirder, heavier, and bleaker than anything they've done before." Check out the song below and The Disappears' upcoming tour dates.