popwreckoning

Seattle five piece Minus the Bear have announced the release of their new album, Omni, set for a May 4th release on their new label Dangerbird Records. Produced by Grammy Award winning producer Joe Chiccarelli (The White Stripes, My Morning Jacket), Omni showcases the quintet’s remarkable gift to craft visionary and gripping compositions, revealing new layers in their songwriting as they pursue the next level in their inimitable musical style.

Omni is a riveting new album of rich soundscapes illustrated by Minus The Bear’s trademark precision and tremendous growth as artistic lyricists and songwriters.

With deep bass lines, mesmerizing syncopated guitar riffs, provocative lyrics and stimulating keyboards, Omni explodes with a bursting energy and unpredictable experimentation. From lead-off single, “My Time,” which explores the band’s widescreen synth rock, to the punch of dueling guitars and keyboards on “The Thief,” from the intense psychedelic sounds of “Animal Backwards” to the driving rock of “Hold Me Down,” Omni continues Minus The Bear’s shape-shifting evolution and is a culmination of their past influences and present inspirations.

Beginning April 21st, Minus the Bear will embark on a 6-week North American tour premiering these new tracks. Dates, along with the record’s tracklisting, to be announced shortly so check back for details.

Minus the Bear: website | myspace

Photo Credit: David Belisle

Polyvinyl Records is proud to release Aloha‘s latest effort, Home Acres, on March 9, 2010. The band has announced a string of April tour dates in support of the album. After 2006′s Some Echoes and 2007′s Light Works, Aloha has put in three hard years for Home Acres, which pushes the tempos and dials up the guitars, with the band’s slow-burn intensity sometimes overflowing into huge moments. But even as the energy surges, Aloha casts an otherworldly glow, serving up ambience and attack with equal measure.

Album opener “Building a Fire” pairs gritty, persistent bass and drums with celestial, elusive melodies. An explosion of drums and a Peter Hook-high bass riff leads “Moonless March” into a minor-key catharsis. As the album hits its head-nodding, toe-tapping stride, you begin to realize that there’s darkness lurking under Tony Cavallario‘s luminous melodies. In “White Wind,” ethereal harmonies stoke the flames as an era burns to the ground. Everywhere things seem to be slipping away, fading from view, going in and out of focus. Fuzzed-out marimbas, reverb-soaked organs and floating strings decorate wistful, chiming guitar chords while Cale Parks pounds away, powering the proceedings from behind the kit.

Lyrically, Home Acres (named for a quaint old suburb of Rochester, NY) tries to sort through the wreckage of the Great Lakes region and a way of life. Left abandoned “waiting for a getaway car that never came” in the record’s arena-rock-by-way-of-Silver Apples closer “Ruins,” we re left to think that maybe we ought to have dreamt bigger and fought the urge to disengage. A suggestion that Aloha has taken to heart for its biggest, brightest record to date.

Download “Moonless March” and  “Waterwheel” from Home Acres here.

Tour Dates:
Apr 09 – Terrace Club / Princeton, NJ
Apr 10 – Kung Fung Necktie / Philadelphia
Apr 12 – Will’s Pub / Orlando
Apr 13 – Drunken Unicorn / Atlanta
Apr 14 – Local 506 / Chapel Hill, NC
Apr 15 – DC9 / Washington DC
Apr 17 – Knitting Factory / Brooklyn
Apr 18 – The Middle East / Cambridge, Ma.
Apr 21 – The Pike Room / Pontiac, Mi.
Apr 22 – Empty Bottle / Chicago
Apr 24 – Grog Shop / Cleveland
Apr 25 – Brillobox / Pittsburgh

Aloha: myspace

Photo: Shawn Brackbill

Philadelphia’s Free Energy is set to release their debut album, Stuck On Nothing, produced by DFA’s James Murphy, digitally on March 9th with the physical copy to drop on May 4th via Astralwerks/DFA Records.

Opening the album and lead by a simple cowbell, the 70’s inspired self titled track “Free Energy” will get stuck in your head for days! “All I Know,” a lovesick pop-ballad, highlights the band’s unique sound seamlessly by incorporating dirty guitar riffs and bongo drums. The beat-driven repetitive lyrics of “Bang Pop” make for an irresistible  party anthem.

To pimp the album, Free Energy is embarking on a national tour throughout February and March with Foreign Born, kicking off tonight at the Echo in Los Angeles (all dates below).

Free Energy – “Hope Child”

Track Listing:
01. Free Energy
02. Dream City
03. Bang Pop
04. All I Know
05. Bad Stuff
06. Dark Trance
07. Young Hearts
08. Light Love
09. Hope Child
10. “Wild Winds”

Tour Dates:
Feb 22 – The Echo / Los Angeles
Feb 23 – Spaceland / Los Angeles
Feb 24 – Rickshaw Shop / San Francisco *
Feb 25 – Popscene / San Francisco
Feb 26 – Mississippi Studios / Portland, Or. *
Feb 28 – Chop Suey / Seattle *
Mar 03 – 7th Street Entry / Minneapolis *
Mar 04 – The Frequency / Madison, Wi. *
Mar 05 – Empty Bottle / Chicago *
Mar 06 – Video Saloon / Bloomington, In. *
Mar 08 – Beachland Tavern / Cleveland *
Mar 09 – El Mocambo / Toronto *
Mar 10 – Big Orbit’s Soundlab / Buffalo *
Mar 11 – Mercury Lounge / New York City *
Mar 12 – Knitting Factory / Brooklyn *
Mar 13 – Marathon Lounge / Philadelphia *
Mar 14 – DC9 / Washington DC *

* = with Foreign Born

Free Energy: website | myspace | @ tla w/ Tinted Windows

Owen Pallett is pleased to announce a North American tour in support of Heartland, his third full-length and first for Domino Records.

Download the new Simon Bookish remix of Heartland track “Keep The Dog Quiet” here.

Tour Dates:
Apr 08 – Queen Elizabeth Theatre / Toronto
Apr 10 - Lincoln Hall / Chicago
Apr 11 – Varsity Theater / Minneapolis
Apr 12 – Turner Hall / Milwaukee
Apr 13 – Wexner Center / Columbus, Oh.
Apr 14 – Andy Warhol Museum / Pittsburgh
Apr 15 – Black Cat / Washington DC
Apr 18 - Coachella Festival / Indio, Ca.
Apr 20 - Institute of Contemporary Art / Boston
Apr 22 – Webster Hall / New York City
Apr 25 – First Unitarian Church / Philadelphia
Apr 27 – The Earl / Atlanta
Apr 29 – Granada Theater / Dallas
Apr 30 – The Mohawk / Austin
May 05 – The Independent / San Francisco
May 08 – The Crocodile / Seattle
May 09 – The Vogue Theatre / Vancouver
May 10 – Alix Goolden Hall / Victoria, BC
May 11 – Aladdin Theater / Portland, Or.

Owen Pallett: myspace

After finishing a US run with Neko Case late last year, Deer Tick completed a three week European tour – upon their return to the US on Dec. 13 the band entered the studio to put the finishing touches on its as-yet-untitled third album, which will be released in the first half of this year.

The band’s first big show of 2010 will be in Los Angeles, as part of the First Fridays series at the Natural History Museum, then in April and May they’ll head out with Those Darlins, Holy Sons and Dr. Dog where they’ll hit almost every major tour market in the country, including a stop at Coachella. The More Fuel For the Fire EP, which was previously an iTunes exclusive, is now available via all digital services.

Tour Dates:
Mar 05 – Natural History Museum / Los Angeles
Mar 13 - Fountain Square / Cincinnati
Mar 15 – Mojo’s / Columbia, Mo.
Mar 17-20 – SXSW / Austin
Apr 02 - Jerky’s / Providence, Ri. #
Apr 03 – Firehouse 13 / Providence, Ri. #
Apr 04 - Space Gallery / Portland, Me. #
Apr 05 – Il Motore / Montreal #
Apr 06 – Horseshoe Tavern / Toronto #
Apr 07 – Magic Stick / Detroit #
Apr 08 – Bottom Lounge / Chicago #
Apr 09 – Triple Rock Social Club / Minneapolis #
Apr 10 – The Mill / Iowa City #
Apr 11 – Jackpot Music Hall / Lawrence, Ks. #
Apr 12 – Conservatory / Oklahoma City
Apr 14 – The Trunkspace / Phoenix
Apr 16 – Coachella / Indio, Ca.
Apr 20 – Crystal Ballroom / Portland, Or. %
Apr 21 – Biltmore Cabaret / Vancouver %
Apr 22 – Tractor Tavern / Seattle %
Apr 23 – WOW Hall / Eugene, Or. %
Apr 24 – Crepe Place / Santa Cruz, Ca.
Apr 25 – Great American Music Hall / San Francisco *
Apr 27 - Henry Fonda Theatre / Los Angeles *
Apr 28 – Beauty Bar / Las Vegas
Apr 29 – Sante Fe Brewing Company / Sante Fe *
Apr 30 – The Loft / Dallas *
May 01 – Emo’s / Austin *
May 02 – Warehouse Live Studio / Houston *
May 03 – Majestic Lounge / Fayetteville, Ar. *
May 04 – Sticky Fingerz / Little Rock
May 05 – Workplay / Birmingham, Al. *
May 06 – Cannery Ballroom / Nashville *
May 07 – Headliners / Louisville *
May 08 – Beachland Tavern / Cleveland
May 09 – Castaway’s / Ithaca, NY
May 10 – Valentines / Albany, NY
May 11 – Paradise / Boston *
May 12 – Paradise / Boston *
May 13 – Electric Factory / Philadelphia *
May 14 – 9:30 Club / Washington DC *
May 15 – Terminal 5 / New York City *

* = w/ Dr. Dog
# = w/ Those Darlins
% = w/ Holy Sons

Deer Tick: myspace

New York’s Jupiter One recently created their brand new Van Pilates video to help all you touring artists, musicians, and music fans alike to jump start that New Year’s resolution to get in shape! Spending a good portion of the latter half of 2009 on the road with Regina Spektor, Jupiter One is excited to shares moves like The Sub-Dominator, The Long Distance Relationship, and the Pelvis Costello with you so you can lose that unsightly tour fat, too. BOOSH!

Catch a fit and trim Jupiter One at Philadelphia’s North Star Bar on Saturday, January 9th with Run To Sandy, The Levee Drivers and Evergreen. Doors at 9PM, $8, 21+. Buy tickets now. Hope to see you there!

Jupiter One: website | myspace

Top 3 Albums of 2009

• N.A.S.A. - The Spirit of Apollo (Anti) :: review
• Kevin Devine – Brother’s Blood (Favorite Gentlemen) :: review
• Zee Avi - Zee Avi (Brushfire)

Best Show of 2009

• N.A.S.A. at Emo’s Annex during SXSW. Wild dance party, dancing on stage with Orion slave girls and aliens, high fiving the DJs, being escorted off stage by security, and hanging out backstage. All around aces. (read about it)

Most Anticipated for 2010

• Basia Bulat – Heart of My Own (Rough Trade); even though I’ve got it and have been rocking it for a while

Most Overrated of 2009

• Passion Pit. F’real.

Best Music Memory

• Spending an entire day in a VIP lounge at SXSW making friends, drinking free drinks, eating free food, schmoozing with hotshots, hanging with An Horse and Langhorne Slim, running out to go catch Fight Like Apes and sneaking in the rest of the PW crew. Bar none the greatest music day of 2009.

Here’s to an even better 2010. Have a safe, fun and exciting New Year’s Eve!

Never having been to Saxbys, I almost drove past is on Lansdale’s Broad Street, seeing first only the sign for the coffee house’s other half, Abington Bank (photo evidence). It was a little odd to be sipping a [delicious] chai latte and listening to Philly folk artist Kevin James Devine play his CD Release show while people were applying for loans about 15 feet away, but Saxbys was charming and provided the perfect backdrop for a guy with his acoustic to connect with his audience.

I arrived during sound check, along with a dozen or so others who sat gossiping and drinking hot beverages on the cold night. Following sound check, Devine’s shoeless friend Matt Leece, in whose basement Devine’s Through the Fields was recorded, opened with a short three song set on his acoustic. While Matt’s vocals seemed slightly flat, his guitar playing was outstanding, my favorite stretch coming at the end of his final song. The fast and catchy strumming was oddly out of place amongst the mellow backdrop of the song, but was nonetheless invigorating.

Devine took to the “stage” immediately following his opener, beginning with “Winter,” a mellow and melodic tune inspired by loneliness. The recorded version features Devine’s talent on the harmonica, while this night’s live version was enhanced by a twangy tinge from accompanist Leece on guitar. Devine’s soulful harmonica playing came out, much to my delight, on follow up “As Long As I Love You So,” a sweet love song; “Doesn’t matter where we go / As long as I love you so.”

“Carry Me” displayed Devine’s great potential for songwriting and his talents on the guitar and harmonica. Still green in the world of music, it seems as if Devine isn’t yet utilizing his full vocal range and would benefit from some vocal training to actualize his full talents. Yet, with such an eclectic sound, from the upbeat “Dancing in the Streets” to the tender and emotional “Wait For Me,” it’s no wonder that Devine is garnering attention through local radio including Drexel’s WKDU, Delaware’s WSTW, and Elizabethtown’s WWEC to name a few.

Many thanks to Kevin for the Popwreckoning shout out following a wonderful rendition of fellow Philadelphians’ Good Old War‘s “Coney Island” (watch below and the original here). The dark and lovely “Love You Well” followed, accompanied by a wonderfully complex rhythm guitar part by Leece.

Devine ended the set with the first single from Through The Field, “Long Way To Go” (watch below). Leece’s flourishes on the rhythm guitar seemed a bit odd, but the lively song was the perfect end to a great show.

Set List:
Winter
As Long As I Love You So
Carry Me
Dancing in the Streets
Wait For Me
Honey Island (Good Old War)
Love You Well
Dark is the Night
City of Steel
Long Way To Go

Kevin James Devine: myspace | interview with

Photo: my blackberry.

Last month, Metric took Philadelphia by storm on the eve of Thanksgiving. Attendance initially seemed sparse — it being the night before a holiday, no doubt a lot of people were out of town to celebrate the most delicious holiday of the year with family. I myself, regrettably, showed up just 3 mere songs before openers Band of Skulls left the stage. I blame an early start time, but I may have been a little late to the party. Luckily I didn’t miss the entire reverb heavy set. And it was hard not to compare Emma Richardson to a Ramone.

I’ve been a long time fan of Metric, in particular one Ms. bad ass Emily Haines. Their bouncy indie joints and high energy antics really made the show something special. Em totally owned the stage, running and jumping around in a fantastic sequined, backless LBD (little black dress) with an infectious energy. Touring on their latest, Fantasies, the band tore through a great deal of the record while keeping long time fans happy with key selections off previous albums including Live It Out‘s “Monster Hospital” and “Combat Baby” from Old World Underground, Where Are You Now?

I first became acquainted with Kevin James Devine when I happened upon a listing for a show of his at Philadelphia’s The Fire. I was wildly excited, but mostly confused because, “Why is Kevin Devine playing The Fire?” Well friends, therein laid the problem: I immediately assumed it was Brooklyn’s Kevin Devine, with whose music I’ve had a love affair since it was introduced to me back in 2003. Nay! It was Philadelphia’s very own Kevin James Devine. Upon this discovery, I was intrigued that Philadelphia, too, has a Kevin Devine. I was also slightly annoyed that I had been had.

After another KD-KJD mix up the following week, I tweeted “Philly singer/songwriter Kevin JAMES Devine is *really* fucking my shit up.” You can find this in the archives of this very website (though we no longer have a weekly Twitter recap). Mr. K. J. Devine happened upon this entry and he and I have been in talks since then. On the eve of his debut album’s release, he’s been kind enough to answer some questions that I’m happy to share with all of you.

Jessica, Popwreckoning: How long have you been making music and what got you started?
Kevin James Devine: I received an electric guitar in 9th grade, but my hands were too small to play.
Sometime during my senior year of high school I heard “Like a Rolling Stone” by Bob Dylan. I wondered who this guy was. So I picked up a greatest hits sort of thing and from there just became so obsessed with the man and his music that I had to play a guitar and harmonica–I just had to.
So I asked for an acoustic guitar and some harmonicas for Christmas and played them for like hours that day and taught myself the chords and stuff (laughs). That was almost two years ago.
So since that time, I began writing my own songs. I went off to Point Park University for acting; I found myself skipping class and staying home writing songs constantly. I knew that I had to let people hear my songs. I played my first show some time in January 2009 at Saxby’s in Lansdale and now I’ll be releasing an album there in December 2009. I guess you could say I’m bringing it all back home. And you could say that I’ve been an active musician for almost a year.

PW: As a local artist, just outside of Philadelphia in Lansdale, how do you find the flourishing Philly folk scene amongst the like of Langhorne Slim, Hezekiah Jones, Sisters3, etc?
KJD: Langhorne Slim?! Let’s talk about how beautiful “Diamonds and Gold” is (laughs). I’m a big fan of Hezekiah Jones. [Front man] Raphael Cutrufello and the band are extremely talented–they’re regulars at the Fire in Northern Liberties, which is facing some hard times. Everyone can donate money to this great venue at my Saxby’s release show and by attending the World Cafe Fire Benefit Show on December 13th. I’m telling you that place is like our CBGB.
I actually talked to Raphael about possibly setting up a show with him sometime, but right now he’s touring with one of PA’s great bands, Good Old War. Sisters 3 is a great group. They just have this beautiful sound going for them and I really dig it. It’s great. I feel extremely lucky to be a part of the flourishing Philly folk scene. I’m surrounded by a large group of talented musicians and to be included in that is just a dream come true.

PW: How did you get hooked up with ToFo Records, to which you are the first signed artist? Congrats for that, by the way!
KJD: Thank you so much! It was all started by a couple of college students: Carter Fox, Dan Toll, and Ryan Hall. I went to high school with Carter and he was pretty big on Lansdale’s jazz scene as the head of his own group (The Carter Fox Group). Once I quit college and came home, he was going to school for music stuff and he told me, “Hey, I’m starting this indie label and I really want to put out your music. And I knew he was a good guy and so we went with it and so far, I must say, things are really looking up.

PW: That’s good to hear! I love hearing about DIY labels that work so hard to get great music heard. You recently recorded your debut record, Through the Fields, which will be released on ToFo this week. Explain the process for recording the album.
KJD: This first album I recorded in my friend Matt Leece‘s basement. He heads his own production company: Leece Productions. ToFo offered to put me up in a studio and everything to finish out the songs, but I already had some of them recorded and didn’t remember how certain parts went. So there are some really lo-fi songs on the album that I recorded before I started working with Matt and then there are the songs that I recorded with Matt that were supposed to have a lo-fi sound, but actually came out sounding like they had that studio quality.
They’re also all mastered by Sean Comber who does a lot of odd jobs for ToFo Records like mastering, recording, graphic designing–he’s a brilliant guy. The process of recording was a lot of fun. We spent about nine hours on the single, “Long Way to Go” and we finished the album on December 11th just seven days before the release. It was a thirteen hour session and I went straight from Matt’s basement to work at 6:30 in the morning. After working with a guy like Matt, I really like how all of the songs sound and I’m really hoping that people will enjoy them, too.

PW: What have you learned from your first go at record making with Through the Fields that you’ll apply to future albums?
KJD: I will never again announce a release date until the album is finished. We did that and it almost killed us (laughs). Every time we record, I find myself using the Phil Spector “Wall of Sound” technique and I think I will always use that.

PW: I love that! It’s so lively. The CD Release show at Saxbys in Lansdale — what can the fans expect?
KJD: Me on an acoustic guitar and harmonica with Matt opening and playing some lead guitar on my songs. I just really want to show them the songs as they were before anyone heard them. When it was just me, a guitar and a few words on a page. I also wanted to do the first release in a coffee shop because a lot of my friends will be there and I want to be able to connect with everyone. It’s harder to do that at a larger music venue.

PW: Aside from a few shows in late January, what does 2010 have in store for Kevin James Devine?
KJD I’m not sure what 2010 has in store for me, but I know that I have another release in store for 2010. MAYBE 2011. I’ll be playing shows on and off and attempting to make an album that really captures the sound of summer nights in Philadelphia and that one week you always spend at the Jersey shore. And I’m not talking about the TV show.
PW: Ha! I’ve heard so much about that show and am so glad I’ve never seen it. I am, however, looking forward to the next album from the idea of it. Thanks for taking the time to answer some questions for Popwreckoning. Best of luck with the record and the CD release show.

Through the Fields CD Release Show
Friday, December 18 || 7 PM
Saxbys Coffee Shop
401 South Broad Street
Lansdale, PA 19446

Kevin James Devine: myspace

Photos: Erika Smith