We're Moving...

We're finally making the jump over to a properly hosted and laid-out blog. Please change your bookmarks, RSS feeds, and however else you keep track of us to:

www.extrawack.com.

See you over there!

Thao & Dianna Agron From "Glee" Debut New Video for Oxfam America

Dianna Agron (Quinn from Fox's Glee) recently shot a video for our friends Thao with the Get Down Stay Down's song "Body", which debuted exclusively on the Oxfam America website.

As Thao explains:

“Last winter, Dianna contacted me to see about directing her first music video for my band. I so readily agreed, the internet could not deliver my consent fast enough. We met one day on Skype while I was on tour in Europe and Dianna was on set. "Body" (from the band's latest record Know Better Learn Faster) was shot on Valentine's Day on Dianna's bed.

Dianna and I offered the exclusive premiere to Oxfam America in hopes of directing traffic to Oxfam's site and encouraging action to support Oxfam's efforts, particularly on behalf of the world's poorest, who are hit hardest by the effects of climate change.”

The video also features a candid (and funny) three-minute spoken introduction from Dianna and Thao, giving fans some insight into their friendship, Thao’s work with Oxfam, and how the video came to be.



Thao with the Get Down Stay Down - "Know Better Learn Faster" mp3

Take Action with Oxfam America! Tell your Senators: The hardest hit communities can’t wait another decade!

Take to the high seas with The Dead Weather in NYC Monday night!

Jack White's always reminded me of a pirate character, so it's kind of fitting that our friends at FILTER are throwing a listening party for the new album from The Dead Weather, "Sea Of Cowards" on a Hudson River cruise boat Monday night:



RSVP here.

Learn how to Tweet to get a free mp3 from the new album here.

Caribou on tour with Toro Y Moi

I love this double bill! At first they might seem very different, but when you think about it, the echoey trance-like softness of Toro Y Moi and the more earthy, rhythm-driven flourishes of Caribou make a perfect juxtaposition. I saw both bands at the Middle East in Boston the other night and it was a (literally) hot, frenetic, noisy (two drummers for Caribou!), and joyous experience.

And there's a lot more of the tour left to come. Check them out on the dates below:

May 6th - Cambridge, MA @ Middle East Downstairs
May 7th - Brooklyn, NY @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
May 8th - New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom
May 9th - Philadelphia, PA @ First Unitarian Church
May 10th - Washington, D.C. @ Rock n Roll Hotel
May 11th - Charlottesville, VA @ Jefferson Theatre
May 12th - Carrboro, NC @ Cat's Cradle
May 13th - Atlanta, GA @ The Earl
May 14th - Baton Rouge, LA @ Spanish Moon
May 15th - Houston, TX @ Warehouse Live
May 16th - Austin, TX @ Emo's Alternative Lounge Outside
May 18th - Tempe, AZ @ The Clubhouse
May 19th - Los Angeles, CA @ The El Rey Theatre
May 20th - San Diego, CA @ The Casbah
May 21st - Mexico City, MX @ Teatro Fru Fru
May 22nd - Monterrey, MX @ Escenica
May 23rd - San Francisco, CA @ The Independent
May 24th - San Francisco, CA @ The Independent
May 26th - Portland, OR @ The Hawthorne Theater
May 27th - Seattle, WA @ Neumos
May 28th - Victoria, BC @ Sugar
May 29th - Vancouver, BC @ The Rickshaw Theatre
May 31st - Calgary, AB @ The Republik
June 1st - Edmonton, AB @ Starlite Room
June 2nd - Saskatoon, SK @ Amigos
June 3rd - Winnipeg, MB @ Royal Albert Arms
June 4th - Minneapolis, MN @ First Avenue
June 5th - Chicago, IL @ Empty Bottle
June 6th - Lawrence, KS @ The Granada Theatre
June 7th - St. Louis, MO @ Firebird
June 8th - Louisville, KY @ Zanzabar
June 9th - Cleveland, OH @ Beachland Ballroom

That same night, I picked up the 7 inch of Toro y Moi's dreamy "Blessa," which is probably one of my favorite songs of 2010 so far. Click here to download "Blessa" on MP3.

-- Anna K

New "Making Of" Video From Band Of Horses

In advance of the May 18th release date of their new album Infinite Arms, Band of Horses have released this "Making Of" video, which gives a bit on insight into how the new work came together:

And get the the album's opener, "Factory" here, gratis:

Concrete Blonde Reunites and Tours

On the occasion of the 20th anniversary of their "Bloodletting" album, Concrete Blonde have announced they're reforming and hitting the road with a set list celebrating the album and their career. Released in 1990, Bloodletting spawned the top 20 hit “Joey,” as well as alt-radio staples “Tomorrow, Wendy”, “Caroline”, and “The Sky Is a Poisonous Garden”.

Lead singer Johnette Napolitano explains how the tour came about: “People started emailing me and calling me up and telling me that it was the twentieth anniversary of Bloodletting, which had “Joey” on it and was a big hit for us all over the world. My dad passed away recently and was a big fan of the band and it occurred to me that a twentieth anniversary’s only going to happen once and that my dad would have said that it’s a good idea and that we should do it. So we knocked it together and it looks like it’s going to be fun, doing twenty-year-old vampire songs should be fun.”

Beyond Bloodletting, the band is responsible for classic alternative songs including “Still in Hollywood”, “God is a Bullet”, and their iconic cover of Leonard Cohen’s “Everybody Knows”.

Here's where you can catch the tour:

6/8: Boston, MA @ Royal Boston
6/9: Fairfield, CT @ Stage One
6/10: New York, NY @ Webster Hall
6/11: Columbus, OH @ Newport Music Hall
6/12: Chicago, IL @ Vic
6/13: Detroit, MI @ Majestic
6/15: Washington, DC @ 930 Club
6/16: Atlanta, GA @ Variety Playhouse
6/17: New Orleans, LA @ Republic
6/18: Dallas, TX @ Granada
6/19: Austin, TX @ Emos
6/21: Denver, CO @ Arvada Center
6/22: Salt Lake City, UT @ Depot
6/24: Seattle, WA @ Showbox
6:25: Portland,OR @ Roseland
6/26: San Francisco, CA @ Regency
6/28: Hollywood, CA @ Henry Fonda Theater

Here's their cover of "Everybody Knows":

JJ: Seaside Sounds

JJ no.3 actually came out last month, while winter was still lingering here in Boston. But as the sun re-emerges and the air warms with the promise of spring, I find myself listening to the Swedish duo’s third album more or less constantly—right now, their tropical-tinged, sample-inflected hazy pop songs just sound perfectly uplifting.

On “Let Go,” Elin Kastlander’s voice is as gentle as an ocean breeze and as gritty as sand—striking a perfect balance between sweetness and salty melancholy. When she sings, “Let go / let your skin show / that you’ve been in the sun today / let’s go / let your mind blow / all your sorrows away,” I’m ready to start making plans for my next beach vacation.

Download JJ’s “Let Go” on MP3 (sunscreen not included).

- Anna K

Patrick Watson Brings Distinctive Sound to US Tour

Montreal musician/self-titled band Patrick Watson—whose clanking, clattering, crooning, unpredictable Wooden Arms was one of my favorite albums from 2009—are heading out on their first US tour for a long time. Catch Watson and his band at the dates below… but why no Boston, hmm, guys? Don't tell me I'm going to have to go all the way to NYC to get my fix.

Patrick Watson - 2010 Tour Dates
Apr 21 Rimouski @ Salle Desjardins-Telus Rimouski, Quebec #
Apr 22 Sept-Iles @ Salle de Spectacle Jean-Marc Dion Sept-Iles, Quebec #
Apr 23 Baie-Comeau @ Théâtre de Baie-Comeau Baie-Comeau, Quebec #
Apr 25 Québec @ L'Impérial de Québec Québec, Quebec #
May 04 Laval QC @ Église Sainte-Rose Laval, Quebec
May 06 Brooklyn NY @ Bell House Brooklyn %
May 07 New York NY @ 92YTribeca New York %
May 08 Washington DC @ Rock & Roll hotel Washington %
May 17 Chicago IL @ Schuba's Chicago
May 19 Denver CO @ Larimer Lounge Denver
May 22 Los Angeles CA @ Hotel Café Los Angeles
May 24 San Diego CA @ Casbah San Diego
May 26 San Francisco CA @ Café du Nord San Francisco
May 28 Portland OR @ Doug Fir Portland, Oregon *
May 29 Quincy WA @ Sasquatch Festival Quincy
# w/ Timber Timbre
% w/ Doveman
* w/ Laura Marling

And to get a feel for the band's distinctive sound, download the rain-spattered, string-haunted lament “Tracy's Waters” on MP3.

-- Anna K

New Album From The Futureheads in June, Get The Single Here Now.

The Futureheads' fourth album, The Chaos, gets a US release on June 1 via Dovecote Records.

Here's the first single, a slice of the kind of punky-pop the band is best known for:

The Futureheads - "Struck Dumb" mp3

The Futureheads on Myspace
The Futureheads Official Website
The Futureheads Twitter

Cover Song Of The Week: Girl In A Coma - "Transmission"

I have (and I'm sure you have too) heard Joy Division's "Transmission" covered about a hundred times, but I've never heard it quite like this. Watch Girl In A Coma take on this classic song live at Casbeers in San Antonio, Texas this past January.



Girl In A Coma's covers project, "Adventures In Coverland" is out next Tuesday on Joan Jett's Blackheart Records. They're

They start a tour with legends The Wedding Present this Sunday night, and continue on the road with Sia through May:


Apr 8, 2010 9:00 PM The Basement Nashville, TN
Apr 11, 2010 8:00 PM Bowery Ballroom w/The Wedding Present New York, NY
Apr 12, 2010 7:30 PM Middle East Downstairs w/The Wedding Present Cambridge, MA
Apr 14, 2010 8:30 PM Horseshoe Tavern w/The Wedding Present Toronto, ON
Apr 15, 2010 8:00 PM Pike Room w/The Wedding Present Pontiac, MI
Apr 16, 2010 8:00 PM Double Door w/The Wedding Present Chicago, IL
Apr 17, 2010 8:00 PM 400 Bar w/The Wedding Present Minneapolis, MN
Apr 20, 2010 8:00 PM The Biltmore Cabaret w/The Wedding Present Vancouver, BC
Apr 21, 2010 8:00 PM The Crocodile Cafe w/The Wedding Present Seattle, WA
Apr 22, 2010 8:00 PM Doug Fir w/The Wedding Present Portland, OR
Apr 25, 2010 7:00 PM Vic Theatre w/Sia Chicago, IL
Apr 26, 2010 7:30 PM St.Andrews Hall w/Sia Detroit, MI
Apr 30, 2010 8:00 PM Club Soda w/Sia Montreal, QC
May 1, 2010 6:30 PM House Of Blues w/Sia Boston, MA
May 2, 2010 7:30 PM Theatre of the Living Arts w/Sia Philadelphia, PA
May 4, 2010 7:30 PM 9:30 Club w/Sia Washington, DC
May 6, 2010 7:30 PM Terminal 5 w/Sia New York, NY

Girl in a Coma - "Clumsy Sky" mp3

Eastergaze with Serena-Maneesh and the Depreciation Guild

Instead of hunting for eggs or using peeps to recreate 20th-century masterworks, I spent my Easter Sunday at TT the Bear’s, having my eardrums vibrated by the fuzz-drenched double bill of Serena-Maneesh and the Depreciation Guild .

The latter’s forthcoming Spirit Youth has already found a home on my spring playlist, especially songs like “Trace,” “My Chariot,” and the elated, giddy guitar-swirl of “Dream About Me.” Despite a slightly muddy live sound mix that buried Kurt Feldman’s soft vocals, the Depreciation Guild played a tight and energetic live set, with fluttery synths and tight drums sharpening the intensity of their blurred, noise-drenched sound.

Download The Depreciation Guild – "My Chariot" MP3

Meanwhile, headliners Serena-Maneesh started a little short-handed with the absence of core member Hilma—I have to admit I missed not only her distinctive stage presence, but also her whispery-soft vocals, which add a fascinating lightness to the band’s more abrasive moments. However, singer-guitarist Emile Nikolaisen more than made up for her absence, draped in a ragged blanket and shaking maracas frantically on new songs like the addictive “Ayisha-Abyss” from the newly released No:2: Abyss in B Minor. I picked up a vinyl copy after the show, and if it’s even half as awesome as their last, self-titled album, it will definitely be a worthwhile purchase.



The tour is almost over, alas, but if you move quickly you can catch both bands on these (non-religious-holiday) dates:

4.5 - Milford, CT @ Daniel Street
4.6 - Philadelphia, PA @ Kung Fu Necktie
4.7 - Washington, DC @ DC9
4.8 - New York, NY @ Le Poisson Rouge

-- Anna K

The Besnard Lakes Tour US, Make the Sound of Dreams

Last night I dreamed about watching the Besnard Lakes perform a live concert in a giant underground cave, stalactites dripping from the ceiling. It's not surprising, I guess, since their towering, cinematic new album The Besnard Lakes are the Roaring Night has been on repeat in my iPod since its release last month. The album sounds even better (and has a cooler title) than it did when I first heard some of it live last October.

Make sure you check out the Besnard Lakes as they embark on an epic tour across the US later this month. Not sure if any underground cave dates are scheduled, but they seem to be playing just about everywhere else. (Here's hoping they remember the fog machine this time.)

And finally, if you haven't yet enjoyed the bittersweet, soaring drone of their new single "Albatross", well, you've been missing out. Click here for the MP3.

Besnard Lakes Tour Dates 2010

04/27/10 Minneapolis, MN - 7th St Entry
04/28/10 Winnipeg, MB - The Royal Albert Arms
04/29/10 Regina, SK - The Exchange
04/30/10 Saskatoon, SK - Amigos
05/01/10 Edmonton, AB - Pawn Shop
05/02/10 Calgary, AB - Broken City
05/04/10 Victoria, BC - The Lucky Bar
05/05/10 Vancouver, BC - The Media Club
05/07/10 Portland, OR - Mississippi Studios
05/08/10 Eugene, OR - W.O.W. Hall
05/10/10 San Francisco, CA - The Independent
05/12/10 San Diego, CA - Casbah
05/13/10 Los Angeles, CA - Troubadour
05/14/10 Tempe, AZ - Sail Inn
05/15/10 Tucson, AZ - Plush
05/20/10 Dallas, TX - Granada Theater
05/24/10 Chicago, IL -
05/25/10 Bloomington, IN - The Bishop w/ Early Day Miners
05/26/10 Cleveland, OH - Beachland Ballroom
05/27/10 Washington, DC - Black Cat
05/28/10 New York, NY - Bowery Ballroom
05/29/10 Philadelphia, PA - Johnny Brenda's
05/30/10 Boston, MA - TT the Bear's Place

-- Anna K.

New Jason Collett Video For "Love Is A Dirty Word", New Tour Dates, Too.

Here's the first video for the first single off Jason Collett's new album, Rat A Tat Tat, which hit stores in March on Arts & Crafts. Collett is in the midst of a six week North American tour with backing band Zeus.



"Love Is A Dirty Word" was directed by Peter Lynch, shot in the Rex Hotel in downtown Toronto, and features the guys in Zeus as well as Gentleman Reg, making a guest cameo. Tourdates below.

4/1/10 – Calgary, AB @ The Legion
4/2/10 – Regina, SK @ The Exchange
4/3/10 – Winnipeg, MB @ West End Cultural Ccentre
4/4/10 – Minneapolis, MN @ 7th St. Entry
4/5/10 – Rock Island, IL @ Daytrotter
4/6/10 – Madison, WI @ Majestic Theatre
4/12/10 – Hamilton, ON @ Casbah
413/10 – Waterloo, ON @ Starlite
4/14/10 – Ottawa, ON @ Zaphod’s
4/15/10 – Montreal, PQ @ Petit Campus
4/16/10 – Peterborough, ON @ Red Dog Tavern
4/17/10 – Kingston, ON @ Grad Club
4/20/10 – Philadelphia, PA @ World Café Live
4/21/10 – Northampton, MA @ Iron Horse
4/23/10 – New York, NY @ Mercury Lounge
4/24/10 – Brooklyn, NY @ Union Hall
4/29/10 – Chicago, IL @ Schuba’s

New EP, Tour Dates From Wye Oak. Download A Track Here.

Less than a year after releasing The Knot, Baltimore’s Wye Oak offer My Neighbor / My Creator, a killer 5-track EP. My Neighbor / My Creator is out today via digital download in the Merge store. The EP will be available at all other digital outlets on April 20 and the CD will be in stores on June 8. You can also buy the CD from Wye Oak at their spring tour dates:

03.12.2010 Frederick, MD Cafe Nola
03.13.2010 Pittsburgh, PA Brillobox
03.14.2010 Indianapolis, IN Vollrath Tavern
03.15.2010 Memphis, TN Hi-Tone Cafe
03.24.2010 Atlanta, GA The Earl
03.25.2010 Chapel Hill, NC Local 506
03.26.2010 Washington, DC Rock and Roll Hotel
03.27.2010 New York, NY Bowery Ballroom
03.28.2010 Philadelphia, PA Johnny Brenda's
03.30.2010 Cambridge, MA TT The Bear's
03.31.2010 Montreal, QC La Sala Rossa
04.01.2010 Toronto, ON Lee's Palace
04.02.2010 Ithaca, NY Castaways
04.03.2010 Cleveland, OH Beachland Tavern
04.04.2010 Chicago, IL Lincoln Hall
04.05.2010 Milwaukee, WI Mad Planet
04.06.2010 Minneapolis, MN 400 Bar
04.07.2010 Grinnell, IA Gardner Lounge - Grinnell College
04.08.2010 Lawrence, KS Bottleneck
04.09.2010 Norman, OK The Opolis
04.10.2010 Dallas, TX The Loft
04.22.2010 Phoenix, AZ Rhythm Room
04.23.2010 Tucson, AZ Club Congress
04.24.2010 Los Angeles, CA Spaceland
04.25.2010 San Francisco, CA Bottom of the Hill
04.27.2010 Portland, OR Doug Fir Lounge
04.28.2010 Vancouver, BC The Biltmore Cabaret
04.29.2010 Seattle, WA Triple Door
04.30.2010 Pullman, WA The Bell Tower
05.01.2010 Boise, ID Neurolux
05.02.2010 Salt Lake City, UT the State Room
05.04.2010 Denver, CO Walnut Room
05.05.2010 Albuquerque, NM Launchpad
05.07.2010 Austin, TX The Parish

Here's a taste:
Wye Oak - "I Hope You Die" mp3

Headed to SXSW? Here are a few parties you'll see us at...

Here are a few parties we consider unmissable...see you there!

Phantogram rocks Boston, releases new album

When they stepped onto the stage at Boston's Great Scott last night, Phantogram's Sarah Barthel and Josh Carter looked remarkably young and fresh-faced, not unlike the college kids who made up the majority of the crowd. For some reason, I expected the duo to be older—maybe just because the assured songs on their debut full-length Eyelid Movies (released just in time for last night's show) seem to reflect the confidence of long experience.

Phantogram's sound--which whips together bright, ringing guitars, smooth vocals, and dense, hip-hop-esque beats--sometimes reminds me of vintage Portishead or Bowery Electric, minus the feeling of stoned relaxation. Instead, songs like "Bloody Palms" and "Running from the Cops" combine languid melodies with an edgy, beat-driven intensity, while even the slower tracks, like "You Are the Ocean," seem to throb with anxiety. Though a few songs (like album closer "10,000 Claps") sound less fully developed than others, Eyelid Movies makes for a cohesive whole, filled with a compelling, seductive energy.

That energy was on full display last night at the show, when a small but adoring crowd danced, bounced up and down, sang along, and otherwise displayed their devotion. It may have been the band's relative inexperience that brought a slight initial tentativeness to their live show; it took them a few songs to really pick up the energy from the album. Still, for a two-person band (Carter on guitar and vocals, Barthel singing and dancing behind a daunting bank of synthesizers) Phantogram generated a remarkably big sound. They saved "When I'm Small" for last, and with good reason: it's probably the best song they've written yet, and it sounded incredible live, closing the show with a sexy, energetic swagger. As time goes on, I have no doubt they'll be able to harness that potential over a long-lasting career.

Download "When I'm Small" on MP3

- Anna K

Reflections on a silver soul

In honor of yesterday's release of the new Beach House album, Teen Dream, thought I'd share the video for my current favorite track, "Silver Soul." Singer Victoria Legrand directed this video, one of several included on a DVD when you buy the album; it features some truly mystical hula hooping in, you guessed it, hues of silver:


Download: Beach House - Norway MP3

-- Anna K

Tomorrow, in a year

Last fall, a friend of mine traveled to Copenhagen with the express purpose of seeing "Tomorrow, in a year," the Knife's opera based on the life of Charles Darwin. (Apparently, it was well worth the journey.)

The rest of us fans of the Knife may not be quite as devoted, but we can at least share in the awesomeness on March 1, 2010, when the Knife will release "Tomorrow, in a year" in album form. A collaboration with the artists Mt. Sims and Planningtorock, the opera will also be performed live in select European cities in 2010, according to their website.

For now, you can sign up to their mailing list at the link above to get a free MP3 of a new song. Called "Colouring of Pigeons," the 11-minute epic rides a slow build of thunderstorm rainforest percussion into elegantly operatic vocals by an unknown singer, before the familiar voice of Karin Dreijer Andersson winds its way out of the shadows. Stream it below:

Colouring of Pigeons by The Knife

- Anna K

Spoon Interviews Master Masterer Howie Weinberg

The guys in Spoon recently sat down with album-mastering legend Howie Weinberg to chat about the mastering process, and his thoughts on Spoon's new album "Transference". The results are pretty hilarious:



Spoon's "Transference" is out January 19th, and can be pre-ordered here.

Spoon - "I Turn My Camera On" mp3

Team Band Yens for Jens, Puts Out Lekman Tribute EP.

OK, so you are sitting around in your post-New Years Eve haze, thinking to yourself, "I love the pop-stylings of Jens Lekman, but I really wish I could hear his songs as played by snotty, loud riff-meisters from Chicago."

Well, as fast as you can say "Whoomp there it is", here it is, courtesy of our friends, Team Band:















Deeee-licious.

Stream 'em here:






And download for yourself at Team Band's website.