popwreckoning

To kick off their summer touring schedule, Los Angeles neo-soul group Fitz and the Tantrums are giving away a free MP3 download of “Don’t Gotta Work It Out (Live)” from the band’s official website.

Check out the dates below:

7/8, Minneapolis, MN @ Basilica Block Party
7/20, La Jolla, CA @ Birch Aquarium
7/22, Hollywood, CA @ The Music Box
7/27, Sydney, Australia @ The Basement
7/29, Melbourne, Australia @ Red Bennie’s
7/30, Woodford, Australia @ Splendor in the Grass
8/5, Kansas City, KS @ Kansas Speedway
8/6, Chicago, IL @ Lollapalooza
8/6, Chicago, IL @ Schubas
8/12, Boulder, CO @ Fox Theatre
8/13, Burlington, VT @ Waterfront Park
8/14, East Hampton, NY @ MTK Festival
8/18, Kiewit, Belgium @ Pukkelpop Festival
8/20, Stafford, UK @ V Festival
8/21, Chelmsford, UK @ V Festival
8/27, Annapolis, MD @ Silopanna Music Festival
9/4, Aspen, CO @ Snowmass Resort
9/5, Seattle, WA @ Bumbershoot Festival
9/9, Los Angeles, CA @ The Greek Theatre
9/10, Columbia, MO @ Roots ‘N Blues ‘N BBQ Festival
9/16, Telluride, CO @ Telluride Blues & Brews
9/17, Austin, TX @ Austin City Limits
10/28, New Orleans, LA @ Voodoo Festival

For more information visit www.fitzandthetantrums.com.

Snow Ball Music Festival kicks off festival season this weekend with three days against the gorgeous backdrop of Vail Valley, CO. A precursor to Coachella, Sasquatch, Ultra, and other upcoming music festivals, Snow Ball will feature a mix of well-known headliners as well as up-and-coming acts, including several Colorado-based bands.

Many of the local bands billed for Snow Ball, including Candy Claws, The Chain Gang of 1974 and Gauntlet Hair, have received notable national attention over the past year. Festival planner Latane Hughes says local acts will play a large role in Snow Ball’s inaugural year.

. “Snowdrift Wish” – Candy Claws

“The local talent is the soul of this festival,” he said. “We are depending on them to help us inspire and inform music lovers all over Colorado of this first year festival, and [we’re] also excited to have them bring their locally renowned live performances to a national crowd.”

Festival creator Chad Donnelly said his vision was to create a unique festival experience where attendees could experience both the music and the location.

“From the beginning, the idea was to really bridge the mountains and the music,” Donnelly said. “We are an entirely different type of festival across the board. The winter environment provides a backdrop unlike any other festival in the US. From skiing and snowboarding during the day, to the late night parties in the evening, I truly believe this experience will prove to be totally unique from start to finish.”

While festival goers are encouraged to plan for the chilly, unpredictable weather, Snow Ball will feature two covered and heated outdoor stages and one main stage, the “Dance Dome.”

“We have some really cool activation planned for the space, things that wouldn’t normally work during the summer months because of the temperatures.”

To see the full Snow Ball Music Fest lineup and to purchase tickets, visit here.

Written by Brianna Hernandez

This time of year, roads are finding extra wear from families driving to grandmas, airports are flooded with people returning home for the holidays and for those that can’t travel, they’re gathering their friends close together with holiday parties and chats over hot cocoa. This is because the point of Christmas isn’t commercial as some Scrooges might have you believe. The point, whether religious about the holidays or not, is about love and expressing that by being around the people you love. Taking Back Sunday’s new holiday tune, “Merry Christmas; I Missed You So Much” is all about returning to home and the people you love.

“Merry Christmas; I Missed You So Much” was recorded while the band has been in the studio working on its new album. The song starts off much like another song by the band, “Divine Intervention.” Just a strummed rhythm on acoustic guitar, while Adam sings, the title. Then the band expands it – a fingered guitar line, a marching drum roll and then the band’s famous vocal call and response. My personal favorite part of the song is when the “Ho-o-o-ome” lyric enters and is providing a harmony with “Merry Christmas; I Missed You So Much.”

You can listen to the new Christmas song on the band’s MySpace here.

Today on Twitter, The Decemberists‘ frontman Colin Meloy announced the title of the group’s upcoming album, The King Is Dead.

The album will be released January 18, 2011.

You can download a free track from the album called “Down By the Water” here.

Meiko‘s a sweet singer with some serious attitude. At a live show at L.A.’s Hotel Cafe, the singer put her sass to use and supported the food service industry with “You Gotta Fuckin’ Tip.” The tune is smart and funny and you can check it out for free below. Just right click and save or stream on our site. 

. “You Gotta Fuckin’ Tip (Live at Hotel Cafe)”

Meiko is currently in the studio recording her next album, which is tentatively scheduled for release in spring 2011. You can hear more of her work at meikomusic.com.

If Ireland’s Bell X1 isn’t on your radar, they should be.  The rockers have been around since 1999 and released four great albums, since that time. Though the band has been wildly popular in their homeland, it seems that many Americans have yet to discover them. Bell X1 is offering up a great opportunity to do that this fall when touring the states in support of the release of their recent Acoustic EP.

The Acoustic EP features a series of digital songs that the band has been offering up for free download. Some are original and some are special covers such as that of Justin Timberlake‘s “Like I Love You.” Check out and download the acoustic version of “Pinball Machine” from the band’s debut here.

The Fall tour sets will feature songs from their catalog, the Acoustic EP and new songs from their upcoming 2011 release. James Vincent McMorrow joins as support.

Tour Dates:
10/6 Philadelphia, PA@ Tin Angel
10/7 New York, NY @ Le Poisson Rouge
10/8 Cambridge, MA @ Brattle Theater
10/9 Northampton, MA @ Iron Horse Music Hall
10/11 Ann Arbor, MI @ The Ark
10/12 Toronto, ON @ The Drake Hotel
10/14 Chicago, IL @ Schuba’s
10/15 Louisville, KY @ Zanzabar
10/16 Pittsburgh, PA @ Club Café
10/17 Vienna, VA @ Jammin’ Java
10/20 Los Angeles, CA @Hotel Café
10/21 San Francisco, CA @ Swedish American Hall

Experimental rocker Brian Bonz is releasing The Triborough Odyssey October 26, but you can get an early taste for the album with a free download of “Honey Bee.”
The Triborough Odyssey is the follow up to Brian’s debut album, From Sumi to Japan, to which PopWreckoning gave a glowing review for its catchiness and fresh content.

Bonz recorded the album with the help of his musician friends known as The Major Crimes.

Download “Honey Bee” for free at his blog here.

Tim Kasher, the front man of Omaha’s The Good Life and Cursive, is set to release his debut solo album on Saddle  Creek Records.

The album, The Game of Monogamy, hits stores October 5, and is now available for pre-order. One of the songs, “Cold Love,” is also available for streaming and free download. Go here to either pre-order or download the song.

Kasher told Spin.com about “Cold Love” that it is: “Mostly, (the it’s about) really boring sex, couples who have run out of steam in their relationships, whose sex life is reduced to going through the motions.”

Eels is offering up a taste of the new Tomorrow Morning album by offering up a free download of “Looking Up.”

Download “Looking Up” at www.eelstheband.com. The album is said to be the “brightest and most overtly uplifting work of the EELS’ fourteen year career.”

Look for Eels on tour beginning August 3 and for Tomorrow Morning to hit stores August 24.

The drummer from UK electro-pop group, Hot Chip, likes to mix fresh new sounds of the synth with classic pop from thirty years ago.

When their drummer, Rob Smoughton, is not busy with Hot Chip, he’s busy as Grovesnor. As Grovesnor, he produces tunes even more of a throwback to the golden oldies sound he brings to the group, but he still keeps it fresh.

On May 25, Grovesnor will release his solo debut Soft Return. The first single is “Taxi from the Airport” and you can save a remix from Parisian remix master dÉbruit from the link below. It’s sure to make you clap and sing along. The remix and original track are like night and day, but still paint the perfect vibe of a taxi ride.

Expect tour dates from Grovesnor later this year. He plans on returning as a six-piece band after finishing touring with Hot Chip.

.“Taxi from the Airport” the dÉbruit Remix