Quirky NY Chick

Wednesday, February 17, 2010

Video: The Phenomenal Handclap Band - "Baby"

The Phenomenal Handclap Band have released a new video for their song "Baby," a smooth back in the day sounding groove. The video was directed by Steven Agnew. I feel like I've taken a trip in the Wayback Machine and witnessing a movie trailer for a 70's horror flick. Check it out below.

Band member Sean Marquand said about the filming of the video, "we went upstate to our friend Paddy's house, which was incredible, but the surreal serial killer aspect colored everyone's mood. Even when we weren't filming, there seemed to be someone sneaking up on us in the forest. The video reflects some of the highs and lows of our weekend. There's kinship and celebration there but there's also an underlying paranoia attached to being at such a remote location."

New York, The Phenomenal Handclap Band are doing a free show over at Brooklyn Bowl on February 21. They put on a fun show. What more can you ask for? A fun show, for free at a bowling ally!

Tour Dates:

2/21 Brooklyn, NY - Brooklyn Bowl (FREE SHOW)
3/03 Manchester, UK - Deaf Institute
3/04 Leeds, UK - A Nation of Shopkeepers
3/05 Glasgow, SCOTLAND - Captain's Rest
3/06 Liverpool, UK - Kazimier
3/07 Nottingham, UK - Bodega Social Club
3/09 London, UK - Cargo
3/11 Bristol, UK - Start the Bus
3/12 Brighton, UK - Coalition

www.myspace.com/phenomenalhandclap
twitter.com/PhenomHandclap

Kate Miller-Heidke To Release US Debut Record + MP3

Australian singer-songwriter Kate Miller-Heidke is set to release her US debut record, Curiouser, on March 16. For those of us who like to check out live shows, she's also hitting the road. She'll show New York some love when she plays Joe's Pub on March 15. If you miss her then, you'll still have the opportunity to see her as she'll be back in town with Ben Folds. They will be playing Town Hall on April 12 & 13. Check out the MP3 "Politics In Space" below as well as the video for "Caught In The Crowd."

“We had no songs," she said. "What we had was a huge burst of inspiration. We went into this album with a vision. We mapped out how we wanted it to sound; the aesthetic, the spirit of it. Experimental, hooky, unashamedly pop . . . we wanted to exploit everything that's unique about my music.”

“We” includes Kate’s partner in life and music, husband/guitarist/collaborator Keir Nuttall.

Recording with Los Angeles producer Mickey Petralia (Beck, Peaches, eels, Dandy Warhols), who had the right mix of humor, enthusiasm and weird old electronic stuff to offer the new tunes, Miller-Heidke, Nuttall, bassist Ben McCarthy and drummer Steve Pope spent two months crafting Curiouser. With his strict 4pm to 4am shifts (with no days off), Petralia's studio wizardry turned out to be the perfect galvanising force for Miller-Heidke’s and and Nuttall’s carefully detailed home demos.

“To me,” she said, “it sounds like a modern album, a forward-looking album.” To everyone else, however, it sounds like one of the best Australian records in recent memory – a set embraced by an enthusiastic audience and one lauded with critical acclaim.

"Caught in the Crowd"

Tour Dates

March 15 - New York, NY - Joe's Pub

SXSW - Austin, TX

March 17 - Dakota Lounge - Manic Fest Destiny Party (afternoon)
March 18 - Antone’s - SIN Sony Music International party
March 18 - Hotel Café at The Parish - official SXSW showcase (evening)
March 19 - Troubadour Saloon - All Together Now Showcase
March 20 - Maggie Mae’s - Aussie BBQ/official SXSW showcase

Opening for Ben Folds

April 6 - Boston, MA - House of Blues
April 7 - Bridgeport, CT - The Klein
April 9 - Montclair, NJ - Wellmont Theatre
April 10 - Hershey, PA - Hershey Theatre
April 12 - New York, NY - Town Hall
April 13 - New York, NY - Town Hall
April 16 - Indio, CA - Coachella
April 18 - Dayton OH - University of Dayton
April 19 - Chicago, IL - Vic Theatre
April 20 - Chicago, IL - Vic Theatre
April 21 - Chicago, IL - Vic Theatre

MP3 Grab: "Politics In Space"

www.katemillerheidke.com
www.myspace.com/katemillerheidke
www.facebook.com/katemillerheidke
twitter.com/KMillerHeidke

Tuesday, February 16, 2010

Red Pens Release New Album & Set To Play NYC

Minneapolis duo Red Pens released their debut record, Reasons, today, February 16 via Grain Belt Records. The band consists of guitarist and lead vocalist Howard W. Hamilton III and artist-turned-drummer Laura Bennett. The pair dish up an album full of fuzzy, somewhat low-fi songs, filled with distorted guitars. I'm in lust with "Children And The Kids" personally. The album is certainly worth checking out.

New York, Red Pens will be in town next week. They'll be on the LES over at Pianos on Friday, February 26. Swing by and check them out.

Track List

Hung Out
Baby Alligator
Cave Something
Children And The Kids
Blue Lighters
Weekdays
Reasons
Street Issue
Kick Me
Don't Be Sane
Stay Small
Phase You Out

www.myspace.com/redpensband

Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings Add 2nd NYC Show

Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings have added a second show at New York's famed Apollo Theatre. In addition to the show on April 30 (tickets HERE), an additional show has been scheduled for May 1. Tickets for the show go on sale Friday, February 26. The tour is in support of their upcoming album I Learned The Hard Way, due April 6th.

2nd Show Added!

Saturday, May 1st @ The Apollo Theatre
253 West 125th Street, New York, NY
TICKETS GO ON SALE FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 26th

Tour Dates:

March 26 - Rutland, VT - Snoe Down Festival
April 10 - Berlin, Germany - Astra
April 13 - Paris, France - Trabendo
April 14 - London, UK - Koko’s
April 15 - Amsterdam, NL - Paradiso
April 17 - Live Oak, FL - Wanee Music Festival
April 22 - Lafayette, LA - Festival International de Louisiane
April 23 - New Orleans, LA - The Howlin’ Wolf
April 24 - Oxford, MS - Double Decker Festival
April 30 - NYC RELEASE PARTY @ The Apollo Theater
May 1st - New York, NY - The Apollo Theatre
May 6 - Richmond, VA - Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden
May 7 - Annapolis, MD - Ram’s Head Onstage
May 8 - Charlottesville, VA - Jefferson Theater
May 9 - Norfolk, VA - The NorVa
May 11 - Carrboro, NC - Cat’s Cradle
May 12 - Asheville, NC - Orange Peel
May 13 - Atlanta, GA - Center Stage Atlanta
May 14 - Nashville, TN - Cannery Ballroom
May 15 - Nelsonville, OH - Nelsonville Music Festival
May 17 - Newport, KY - The Southgate House
May 18 - Detroit, MI - Majestic Theatre
May 21 - Chicago, IL - Vic Theatre
May 22 - Milwaukee, WI - Pabst Theater
May 23 - Indianapolis, IN - The Vogue
May 25 - Toronto, ON - The Sound Academy
May 26 - Montreal, QC - Le National
May 27 - Boston, MA - House of Blues
May 28 - Hartfod, CT - New England Dodge Music Center
May 29 - Hartford, CT - New England Dodge Music Center
June 20 - Vancouver, BC - The Commodore Ballroom
June 21 - Seattle, WA - Showbox Sodo
June 22 - Portland, OR - Crystal Ballroom
June 25 - San Francisco, CA - Warfield Theatre
June 26 - Los Angeles, CA - The Wiltern
June 27 - Solana Beach, CA - Belly Up Tavern

www.facebook.com/sharonjonesandthedapkings
twitter.com/DaptoneRecords

Bettie Serveert To Release New Album + MP3

Dutch rockers Bettie Serveert will be releasing their new record, Pharmacy Of Love on March 23 via Second Motion Records in the US. Pharmacy Of Love marks the bands first release in four years.

With the band employing a "back to basics" approach, Pharmacy of Love captures the kind of raw, contagious energy that has long characterized Bettie Serveert's live shows. Recorded earlier this year in a Belgian recording studio, founding members Carol van Dyk (vocals/guitar), Peter Visser (guitar) and Herman Bunskoeke (bass) were joined on the new album by special guest Joppe Molenaar (of the Dutch band Voicst) on drums. From the urgent "Deny All" to the anguished album closer, "What They Call Love," Pharmacy of Love is a masterful collection of songs that are by turns raucous, shimmering and shiver-inducing as they examine the vagaries of life and love.

"Deny All"

Can't wait for Pharmacy Of Love? You can pick up the Deny All EP via iTunes. In addition to the single "Deny All" it also contains a long version of "Calling (XL)," a small version of "Souls Travel," and "Waiting for Control," a bonus track that will not appear on Pharmacy Of Love.

MP3 Grab: "Deny All"

www.bettieserveert.com
twitter.com/bettieserveert
www.myspace.com/bettieserveert

Kaki King To Release New Record, Announces Tour

Singer/songwriter and guitarist Kaki King has a new record coming out. Junior, King's fifth record will be released on April 13.

Junior delivers twists-and-turns: lyrically from exuberance and anger to heartbreaking melancholy; and sonically from experimental pieces to accessible pop. While there is plenty of the dazzling musicianship King has been renowned for, Junior showcases her further maturation as a well-rounded artist who defies categorization and expectations.

"I never made records for other people," she says. "My evolution from record to record has been personal not commercial."

The first leg of King's North American tour has been announced. New Yorkers, just days after the release of Junior, she will be rockin' two dates for us. On April 15, she will be at Music Hall of Williamsburg. The following night, April 16, she will be at Bowery Ballroom.

Kaki King Tour Dates
April:

15 - Music Hall of Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY
16 - Bowery Ballroom, New York, NY
17 - Middle East, Boston, MA
19 - Iron Horse, Northampton, MA
20 - Port City Music Hall, Portland, ME
21 - Higher Ground, Burlington, VT
28 - Theater of the Living Arts, Philadelphia, PA
29 - The 9:30 Club, Washington, D.C.
30 - Cat's Cradle, Carrboro, NC

May:

1 - The Variety, Atlanta, GA
2 - 3rd & Lindsley, Nashville, TN
4 - Beachland, Cleveland, OH
5 - The Ark, Ann Arbor, MI
6 - Park West, Chicago, IL
7 - High Noon, Madison, WI
8 - The Varsity, Minneapolis, MN
9 - The Waiting Room, Omaha, NE
11 - The Fox, Boulder, CO
12 - Belly Up, Aspen, CO
14 - Neumos, Seattle, WA
15 - Wonder Ballroom, Portland, OR
16 - W.O.W. Hall, Eugene, OR
19 - Knitting Factory, Reno, NV
20 - Mystic Theater, Petaluma, CA
21 - The Fillmore, San Francisco, CA
22 - El Rey Theater, Los Angeles, CA
24 - Belly Up, San Diego, CA
25 - Glasshouse, Ponoma, CA

www.myspace.com/kakiking
www.facebook.com/kakiking

Monday, February 15, 2010

ResidentBand Features Jules Larson

Our friends over at ResidentBand have put together another stellar production. Episode 024 features "Love Crazy" by Jules Larson. The song is insanely catchy and I'm totally digging it. The song is off of Larson's record Strangers which was released late 2009 and is a nice piece of pop rock work. If Larson looks familiar you've probably seen her with her previous band Overnight Lows who were featured on ResidentBand early last year. You may also recognize her voice and song "Almost Blows My Mind" from Special K commercials. Check out Episode 024 below.

www.residentband.tv
www.myspace.com/residentbandtv
www.juleslarson.com
www.myspace.com/juleslarson

Around New York ... February 15 - February 21, 2010

Upcoming shows in the New York area ...

February 15 -- VV Brown at Brooklyn Bowl
www.brooklynbowl.com
February 16 -

- Jump Into The Gospel (pictured) at Webster Hall
www.websterhall.com
February 16 -- Yes at Wellmont Theatre
www.wellmonttheatre.com

February 16 -- Imani Uzuri at Joe's Pub
www.joespub.com
February 17 -- El Perro Del Mar / Taken By Trees at Knitting Factory
bk.knittingfactory.com
February 17 -- Daniel Lanois' Black Dub at Bowery Ballroom
www.boweryballroom.com
February 17 -- Hurricane Bells / Falcon / Scout at Union Hall
www.unionhallny.com
February 18 -- Lemonade / Brahms / Future Trends / Unsolved Mysteries at Glasslands Gallery
glasslands.blogspot.com
February 18 -- Savoir Adore / The Bloodsugars at Cake Shop
cake-shop.com
February 18 -- Trevor Hall / Jer Coons at Mercury Lounge
www.mercuryloungenyc.com
February 18 - 19 -- Eric Clapton / Jeff Beck at Madison Square Garden
www.thegarden.com
February 19 --

Caitlin Krisko & The Broadcast (pictured) at Blue Note
www.bluenote.net
February 19 -- Dawes / Cory Chisel & The Wandering Sons at Bowery Ballroom
www.boweryballroom.com
February 19 -- Ghost Of A Saber Tooth Tiger / Mi-Gu at Union Pool
www.myspace.com/unionpool

February 19 -- Lee Fields & The Expressions at Music Hall of Williamsburg
www.musichallofwilliamsburg.com
February 19 -- Editors / The Antlers / The Dig at Terminal 5
www.terminal5nyc.com
February 19 -- Paperdoll / MyNameIsJohnMichael at Mercury Lounge
www.mercuryloungenyc.com
February 20 -- Wakey! Wakey! / Harper Blynn at Mercury Lounge
www.mercuryloungenyc.com
February 21 -- Sam Moore at Highline Ballroom
www.highlineballroom.com
February 21 -- George Clinton & the P-Funk All-Stars at B.B. King Blues Club & Grill
www.bbkingblues.com
February 21 -- Honor By August at Rockwood Music Hall
www.rockwoodmusichall.com

Saturday, February 13, 2010

Video: Semi Precious Weapons - "Semi Precious Weapons"

Semi Precious Weapons had an orgy, called it a concert. They filmed it and made a porn, um, I mean a music video. I like to call it Semi Precious Porn but I'm quirky that way. Okay, it's not really porn! So, all of you prudes don't go getting your giant panties all in a wad.

Watch the gorgeous goodness below and sing along. I'll help you get started ... "I can't pay my rent but I'm fuckin' gorgeous!" Yes you are baby and we love you for it!

UPDATE: As of 2/17 ... scroll down, I've added the YouTube version as well for those who can't view the MySpace version.

Semi Precious Weapons

Semi Precious Weapons | MySpace Music Videos

www.semipreciousweapons.com
www.myspace.com/semipreciousweapons
www.facebook.com/semipreciousweapons

Friday, February 12, 2010

Seabear To Play NY During Their First North American Headlining Tour

Icelandic band Seabear are preparing for their first North American headlining tour. The band will perform songs from their upcoming record, We Built A Fire. They will be joined Via Tania and Seabear multi-instrumentalist Sóley. Sóley plays solo with occasional back-up by other Seabear members. Her Theater Island EP is set for release in March.

Seabear's We Built A Fire is scheduled for release on March 5. The exclusive iTunes pre-release will have six bonus tracks from the While The Fire Dies EP ... out a full month before We Built a Fire's official March 5th release.

New York, you can catch Seabear for two shows. They'll be at Mercury Lounge on March 25 on the LES and at Brooklyn's Southpaw on March 26.