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 Download And Dates From Hollands

I loved Butane Variations, so naturally I was psyched when I found the following in our mailbox over the weekend:

Her dad plays avant-jazz guitar. His mom is a classical flautist. She plays the violin. He plays everything else. Meet New York City’s Hollands, a band whose “serious music” chops and theory-head pedigree makes their sidestepping of the garish hipsterdom stalking the streets of the LES a bit less perilous. And be thankful for that, cause who needs another chillwave buzz band, right? Instead, former Butane Variations frontdude John-Paul Norpoth and violinist Jannina Barefield opt for something far more lived-in and relatable: fuzzed out, whisky-scented power pop that never met a quirk it didn’t like. Think Flaming Lips trying their hand at Cheap Trick or Wilco doing the Dead. On their latest short-player, Mother, Norpoth and Barefield do their parents proud, showing off that classically-trained acumen beneath undeniable pop backbones. The result is earnest, experimental and downright rewarding.

Sometimes a lean folk outfit, shooting reverent nods at greats like Paul Simon, and at others an expansive rock orchestra, Hollands delivers in just about any setting. There’ll only be a few of those over the coming month, however, as Hollands is sticking to the Northeast with three shows Brooklyn and Ithaca. We wish we had better news for the rest of the country, but good things come to those who wait. And trust us when we say it’ll be well worth it.

Dec. 5, 2009 Ithaca, NY The Nines
Dec. 19, 2009 Pete's Candy Store, Brooklyn, NY
Dec. 31, 2009 New Years Eve @ Don Pedro's, Brooklyn, NY

Hollands - "Air Conditioned Heart" mp3

Hey Pillow Fight Fans! The New Har Mar Superstar Video Is Here.

Regular readers of extrawack! know that we are suckers for the amazingly perfect pop sounds of Har Mar Superstar, so it'll be no surprise that we are psyched about his new album Dark Touches.

To prove that we've got good taste, here's the video and mp3 for the album's first single, "Tall Boy". The track was produced and co-written by The Bird and the Bee’s Greg Kurstin (who has also produced tracks for Lily Allen, Britney Spears and Kylie Minogue), and the video stars Har Mar's pals Eva Mendes, Alia Shawkat (from "Arrested Development" and Whip It), and Eric Warheim (from "Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job!") . Check the tour dates at the bottom of the page.

Har Mar Superstar - "Tall Boy" Video:

Har Mar Superstar - "Tall Boy" mp3

Har Mar Superstar Tour Dates:
10/23: Baltimore, MD @ Sonar Club Stage
10/25: Philadelphia, PA @ Kung Fu Necktie
10/26: Brooklyn, NY @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
10/27: New York, NY @ Mercury Lounge
10/28: Boston, MA @ Great Scott
10/30: Montreal, QC @ Club Lambi
11/01: Toronto, ON @ Horseshoe Tavern
11/02: Detroit, MI @ Magic Stick
11/03: Chicago, IL @ Darkroom
11/05: Minneapolis, MN @ Triple Rock w/ Kool Keith
11/06: Minneapolis, MN @ Varsity Theater
11/08: Fargo, ND @ The Aquarium
11/09: Omaha, NE @ The Waiting Room
11/11: Kansas City, MO @ The Brick

Blog Action Day for Climate Change, Take Action Here, And Grab A Track From Thao.

Once a year, the initiative known as Blog Action Day calls on bloggers around the world to post something about a specific concern, all on the same day. This year's topic is climate change.

Since my day job involves campaigning and lobbying to convince lawmakers and world leaders to address the effects of climate change, and especially it's effect on the world's poorest people, this one's easy for me...

So I'll ask you to take this opportunity to tell President Obama to help poor communities at the Global Climate Summit in Copenhagen this December, by signing this petition from Oxfam America.

Poor people are hit first – and worst – by natural disasters and climate change. People are fighting back by deploying early warning systems, planting better crops, storing grain, building shelters, and replanting trees. But they need our help.

The world's poorest people need your help on this urgent issue at the upcoming global climate summit. Please take a moment to sign the petition.

And while I have your attention, I hope you'll take a moment to read the poignant Climate Change-related blog entry my friend Thao Nguyen (from Thao with the Get Down Stay Down) wrote today for the Oxfam America blog. In the post, Thao says, "If you keep turning a blind eye to climate change it will probably be injured in a surprise gale force wind." Ain't that the truth.

And to keep it lighter, please enjoy this download:
Thao with the Get Down Stay Down - “Know Better Learn Faster” mp3
courtesy of The Fader

Now here's a tour...Dears, Great Northern, & Eulogies

For a music fan in this jacked-up economy, there is nothing worse than shelling out big bucks for what turns out to be a lame show. If you are obsessed with making sure every one of your hard-earned pennies is well spent, have we got a triple-bill of goodness for you...

The Dears (pictured left), Great Northern, and Eulogies are heading out next week on tour, and as I look around at all the other shows listed for May & June, this package seems to pack the most punch.

The Dears' "Missiles" was one of last year's best, Eulogies "Here Anonymous" is one of our fave new releases of April, and Great Northern's excellent "Remind Me Where The Light Is" is out today.

Seriously...why pay more?

The Dears, Great Northern and Eulogies Tour:

5/1/2009 - Bell House - Park Slope, NY

5/2/2009 - Valentines - Albany, NY

5/4/2009 - Bowery Ballroom - New York, NY

5/5/2009 - Johnny Brenda's - Philadelphia, PA

5/7/2009 - Black Cat - Washington, DC

5/8/2009 - Diesel - Pittsburgh, PA

5/9/2009 - Grog Shop - Cleveland, OH

5/10/2009 - Skully's - Columbus, OH

5/11/2009 - Magic Stick - Detroit, MI

5/13/2009 - Lakeshore Theatre - Chicago, IL

5/14/2009 - Mojo's - Columbia, MO

5/16/2009 - Hailey's - Denton, TX

5/17/2009 - Warehouse - Houston, TX

5/18/2009 - The Parish - Austin, TX

5/21/2009 - Rhythm Room - Phoenix, AZ

5/22/2009 - Casbah - San Diego, CA

5/23/2009 - Echoplex - Los Angeles, CA

5/24/2009 - Independent - San Francisco, CA

5/26/2009 - Doug Fir Lounge - Portland, OR

5/27/2009 - Crocodile Cafe - Seattle, WA

The Dears - "Crisis 1&2 (boy/boy version) mp3

Great Northern - "House" mp3