JULY 18, 2009
The Strokes are working away in the city on their next record. The album is still on schedule for early next year release as previously announced. We’ll keep you updated here.

Spotify

As this concept was mentioned several times during my travels, I think that everyone should be in the know about it. Spotify is a free, online music site that lets you build playlists to stream as much music as you'd like. (mind you, the files are not 'for keeps'). It's really a fantastic idea..a custom radio of sorts. There's also going to be some sort of app for compatible phones that lets you carry the Spotify service with you anywhere.

Unfortunately, this is not yet available in the US because of copyright law and general greed of record labels who refuse to accept that there is simply no profit in sale of recorded music any longer.

If you are an international reader, perhaps it's available for you.
See for yourself at http://www.spotify.com.

scrooge

Arctic Monkeys, your favorite kids from Sheffield, are
back and pressing their new album Humbug like
woah. We're talking big tour (including headlining
several festivals in Europe and the US) and a special
online gig via their official website to showcase tracks
from the album on July 30 at 9pm BST.

Trailer for the gig here.
Your concert time HERE

Bird's Eye View

This is probably the best picture from my travels,
taken on the flight home from LA.
Isn't that so lame?
But you gotta admit, New York is beautiful at night.

companion track for this photograph:
The Dodos- Fools

(ie dodo bird. double meaning post title!!)

FYI The Dodos are releasing their third album soon.
Enjoy!

why don't you beam me up?

GO BACK TO THE ZOO
...is a fun indie pop-rock act from Amsterdam.

They don't speak English.

But they sing in English!

They're pretty scarce in the American market right now,

but the video for the single Beam Me Up is down there ☺

YLT

Yo La Tengo has always kinda been an interesting indie-rock act. They've spanned a couple of decades now and are back with a new album Popular Songs that will drop September 8. A big North American/Europe tour will support. Available now on their website are two free songs from the new album: "Periodically Double or Triple" and "Here to Fall". You can grab them here (Links under the main picture of the album art).

Also highly rec'd: their video for "Sugarcube" -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d_LkAAzCQrQ

Several Birds + 1 Stone

I was away for a long time.

Here are some good albums, old+new, from along the way.

Foals/Antidotes/Electro-rock Britpop

Passion Pit/Chunk of Change EP + Manners (LP) /Electronic

CYHSY/CLHSY/Alt-Indie Rock

Dirty Projectors/Bitte Orca/Alt-Indie Rock

WARPY WEEKEND

It's WARP Records' 20th birthday!

To celebrate, they've got a weekend
lined up in New York. There's going to be
Warp Films' shorts running at the New Museum,
special rates/stuff in the rooms at the
new & cool Ace Hotel, a performance by Battles,
!!!, Prefuse 73, Pivot and some Warp DJs on Friday
at Terminal 5. On Saturday, there's a free show at
the World Financial Center with Clark, Hudson Mohawk.

September 3-6 / Labor Day Weekend:
Come on if you're in the New York area!

WOAH

Guys.

Julian Casablancas is alive.
And releasing.

Apparently he's going to be putting his album, Phrazes for the Young, out in the fall on RCA, followed by "a special series of U.S. dates shortly to be followed by a solo tour later in the year."
Nuts.


JULIANCASABLANCAS.COM

Fortnight Advent

So I'm going to be doing some programs for the next two weeks sans computer.
Appropriately, they have to do with the music business.
I'm not going to schedule any posts, but I will leave you with an advent calendar.
P.S. #5 is really cool

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Rant about The Strokes

I think it's like really, REALLY great that Albert Hammond Jr. bought a car and big house in the Catskills. (This is NME's idea of a good Strokes news story.) Ugh. There's been absolutely no new information on this alleged fourth album.
None.

Farmhouses! Range Rovers! Catskills! Oh my!
NME article can be found here.

Grahamarama

Graham, the Keyboardist from Tokyo Police Club, has
had his own solo projects for quite some time. He's
currently recording his own LP..while still working
on TPC's full length follow up to 2008's Elephant Shell.

His first solo EP, The Lakes of Alberta, was an mostly
acoustic piece that told a love story. Graham decided
to release it for free- you can download from above link.

He took the next step towards having a more upbeat sound
with his newest song Heavens Just for Moviemakers. It's
probably going to be on his LP and is a pretty nice track, check
it out on his myspace page. More info about TPC+G on his Blog.

It's On / Alexa Chung

Apparently this page has temporarily gone Phoenix crazy.

This is a nice, semi-acoustic (toned down) version of 1901.
And, what's that in the back there? A drum machine/boombox? Aww. Kinda cute because there's a slightly awkwardly ending.

But it's great that It's On has non-rapping guests for a change.

Phoenix - It's On with Alexa Chung - MTV Shows

Steve Jobs Loves You

If you're an iTunes patron, check your email. They've got a free 20 song 'indie sampler' that's got Telekinesis, Grizzly Bear, The Horrors, Winter Gloves (A+ Canadan indie. Happy Canada Day, btw.) and a couple more good ones.

Hey, if Steve J. wants to give us $20 of indie music..it's all good. We can wear black turtlenecks and walk around holding up paper iPhones in appreciation.