Around New York ... February 22 - February 28, 2010

Upcoming shows in the New York area ...

February 23 - 28 -- Joe Lovano "Us FIVE" (pictured) w/Esperanza Spalding at Village Vanguard
www.villagevanguard.com
February 24 -- The Subjects / Arms / Uninhabitable Mansions / Frances at The Bell House
www.thebellhouseny.com
February 24 -- Electric Tickle Machine / Hooray For Earth / The Creeeps at Cake Shop
cake-shop.com
February 25 -- Via Audio / Pattern Is Movement at Union Hall
www.unionhallny.com
February 25 -- Black Joe Lewis & The Honeybears at Bowery Ballroom
www.boweryballroom.com
February 26 -- Radical Sons / Red Pens / Right On Dynamite at Pianos
www.pianosnyc.com
February 26 -- North Mississippi Allstars / City Champs at Highline Ballroom
www.highlineballroom.com
February 26 -- Lisa Bianco at Arlene's Grocery
www.arlenesgrocery.net
February 26 -- Astrid Pierce / Clusterfuck at Cameo Gallery
www.myspace.com/cameogallery
February 27 -- Ha Ha Tonka / Zigmat / Mia Riddle at Union Pool
www.myspace.com/unionpool
February 27 -- The Sadies at Mercury Lounge
www.mercuryloungenyc.com
February 28 -- Wild Beasts / Violens / Still Life Still (pictured) at Music Hall of Williamsburg
www.musichallofwilliamsburg.com

Seabear Prepare For North American Tour Dates + Video

Icelandic band Seabear have an upcoming record, We Built A Fire, coming out. It is scheduled for release on March 5. In celebration of the upcoming album and tour, they've made a video for their song, "I'll Build You A Fire." It was directed by Mani Sigfússon, brother of Seabear's Sindri Már Sigfússon. Check out the video below.

New York Seabear will make two stops here while they're touring. They'll be at Mercury Lounge on March 25 on the LES and at Brooklyn's Southpaw on March 26.

"I'll Build You A Fire"

Tour Dates:

• Wed. Mar 17: Austin, TX @ SXSW
• Thu. Mar 18: Austin, TX @ SXSW
• Fri. Mar 19: Austin, TX @ SXSW
• Tue. Mar 23: Washington, DC @ Black Cat backstage
• Wed. Mar 24: Philadelphia, PA @ Kung Fu Necktie
• Thu. Mar 25: New York, NY @ Mercury Lounge
• Fri. Mar 26: Brooklyn, NY @ Southpaw
• Sun. Mar 28: Cambridge, MA @ TT the Bear's
• Tue. Mar 30: Montreal, QC @ L'escogriffe
• Wed, Mar 31: Toronto, ON @ Horseshoe Tavern
• Thu. Apr 01: Cleveland, OH @ Grog Shop
• Fri. Apr 02: Chicago, IL @ Schuba's

www.myspace.com/seabear

Shout Out Louds Get Remixed By Passion Pit

Swedish group Shout Out Louds are showing fans some love by giving away a free MP3. The goodie, "Fall Hard (Passion Pit Summertime Radio Remix)." The non-remixed version of the song is the first single from their upcoming album, Work, which will be released on Merge Records, February 23.

And if you need a live fix of Shout Out Louds, they'll be here in New York. They're playing on March 1 in Brooklyn at Music Hall of Williamsburg. If you don't already have tickets for that one, you're out of luck, it's sold out. But, you can still catch them at Webster Hall on May 5.

Work is the band's third album and second for Merge. It was recorded in Seattle and produced by Phil Ek (The Shins, Fleet Foxes, Band of Horses). After a year of touring behind their acclaimed second record, Our Ill Wills, the band went their separate ways -- singer/main songwriter Adam Olenius to Melbourne, Australia, keyboard/vocalist Bebban Stenborg to Los Angeles, drummer Eric Edman, bassist Ted Malmros and guitarist Carl von Arbin back to Stockholm - and took a much needed break. Olenius wrote many of the new songs in Australia in a tiny room, with a little synthesizer, an acoustic guitar and Garageband on his laptop. He passed them on to the others who listened closely from their corners of the world, questioning and challenging him until the songs that make up Work had all passed the test.

Check out the video for "Fall Hard" below. It was directed by Shout Out Louds bass player Ted Malmros and his brother Tom Malmros.

Shout Out Louds - Fall Hard from Merge Records on Vimeo.

Tour Dates:

• 01 Mar - New York / Brooklyn, Music Hall of Williamsburg SOLD OUT!
• 02 May - Washington, 9:30 Club
• 03 May - Philadelphia, First Unitarian Church
• 05 May - New York, Webster Hall
• 06 May - Boston, Paradise
• 07 May - Montreal, Cabaret Music Hall
• 08 May - Toronto, Mod Club
• 10 May - Chicago, Lincoln Hall
• 11 May - Minneapolis, Varsity Theater
• 14 May - Vancouver, Commodore Ballroom
• 15 May - Seattle, Neumos
• 16 May - Portland, Doug Fir
• 18 May - San Francisco, Great American Music Hall
• 21 May - Los Angeles, El Rey

MP3 Grab: "Fall Hard (Passion Pit Summertime Radio Remix)"

www.shoutoutlouds.com
www.myspace.com/shoutoutlouds

The Low Anthem Release 7-inch & Prepare For Headlining Tour

Rhode Island's The Low Anthem announced that they will release a limited edition 7-inch of their single "Charlie Darwin" on March 2. The B-side will include two live songs, "Sally Where'd You Get Your Liquor From" (originally by Rev. Gary Davis) and "Don't Let Nobody Turn You Around" (originally by Blind Willie McTell), a bonus track previously only available on iTunes.

Fellow New Yorkers, The Low Anthem will be doing a couple of shows for us. They'll play the The Bowery Ballroom on April 14 and then they'll head over to Brooklyn's The Bell House for a show on April 16.

After making their late night TV debut on the Late Show with David Letterman, the band is preparing for their first headlining tour, playing dates across the country with support from Timber Timbre, Lissie, The Wheel, Annie and the Beekeepers, and more along the way. They will also hit this year's SXSW and Sasquatch Festivals. Before embarking on their headline dates, the band will support The Avett Brothers on 10 mostly sold out shows.

Tour Dates:

• Feb 23 - Pittsburgh, PA @ Club Cafe
• Feb 24 - Athens, OH @ Ohio University - Memorial Auditorium*
• Feb 26 - Ithaca, NY @ The State Theatre* - SOLD OUT
• Feb 27 - Cleveland, OH @ House Of Blues Cleveland* - SOLD OUT
• Feb 28 - Indianapolis, IN @ Egyptian Room at the Murat Theatre* - SOLD OUT
• Mar 2 - Columbia, MO @ Missouri Theatre* - SOLD OUT
• Mar 3 - Midwest City, OK @ Rose State College*
• Mar 5 - Minneapolis, MN @ First Avenue* - SOLD OUT
• Mar 6 - Milwaukee, WI @ The Riverside Theatre*
• Mar 7 - Chicago, IL @ House Of Blues* - SOLD OUT
• Mar 9 - Ann Arbor, MI @ Michigan Theater*
• Mar 11 - Washington, DC @ Kennedy Center Concert Hall (FREE SHOW)
• Mar 11 - Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club w/ Lissie (LATE SHOW)
• Mar 12 - Philadelphia, PA @ First Unitarian Church^
• Mar 13 - Carrboro, NC @ Cat's Cradle^
• Mar 14 - Atlanta, GA @ Smith's Olde Bar^
• Mar 15 - Nashville, TN @ Belcourt Theatre^
• Mar 17 - Dallas, TX @ Granada Theater w/Admiral Radley (Members of Grandaddy and Earlimart)
• Mar 18 - Austin, TX @ SXSW - Paste Magazine at Galaxy Room
• Mar 18 - Austin, TX @ SXSW - Rolling Stone Official Showcase at Beauty Bar Ballroom
• Mar 19 - Austin, TX @ SXSW - HearYa Day Party at Beauty Bar (Outside)
• Mar 19 - Austin, TX @ SXSW - Live at the Apple Store (Barton Creek)
• Mar 19 - Austin, TX @ SXSW - Official Showcase at St. David's Sanctuary
• Mar 20 - Austin, TX @ SXSW - Hotel San Jose
• Mar 22 - Santa Fe, NM @ Santa Fe Brewing Company+
• Mar 23 - Tucson, AZ @ Plush+
• Mar 24 - Los Angeles, CA @ Largo+
• Mar 25 - Los Angeles, CA @ Bootleg Theater+
• Mar 26 - San Francisco, CA @ Great American Music Hall+
• Mar 28 - Portland, OR @ Doug Fir Lounge+
• Mar 30 - Vancouver, BC @ St. James Hall+
• Mar 31 - Seattle, WA @ Crocodile Cafe +
• Apr 2 - Salt Lake City, UT @ The State Room w/ Nathaniel Rateliff & The Wheel
• Apr 3 - Boulder, CO @ Fox Theatre w/ Nathaniel Rateliff & The Wheel
• Apr 5 - Rock Island, IL @ Huckleberrys Great Pizza w/ Nathaniel Rateliff & The Wheel
• Apr 6 - Chicago, IL @ Lincoln Hall w/ Nathaniel Rateliff & The Wheel
• Apr 7 - Ann Arbor, MI @ The Ark w/ Nathaniel Rateliff & The Wheel
• Apr 10 - Toronto, ON @ Church of the Redeemer w/ The Barr Brothers (of The Slip)
• Apr 12 - Montreal, ON @ Gesu w/ The Barr Brothers (of The Slip)
• Apr 14 - New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom+
• Apr 16 - Brooklyn, NY @ The Bell House+
• Apr 17 - Northampton, MA @ Iron Horse Music Hall+
• Apr 18 - Keene, NH @ Heberton Hall+
• Apr 20 - Boston, MA @ Paradise Rock Club+
• Apr 21 - Providence, RI @ Lupo's Heartbreak Hotel+
• Apr 22 - Montpelier, VT @ Bethany Church+
• Apr 23 - Portland, ME @ Space Gallery+
• Jul 22 - Floyd, VA @ Floydfest

*w/ Avett Brothers
^w/ Annie and the Beekeepers & Lissie
+w/ Timber Timbre

www.lowanthem.com

Carter Hulsey To Play Free Show @ Arlene's Grocery 3/8

Singer-songwriter Carter Hulsey will be taking the stage at Arlene's Grocery, Monday, March 8. The Joplin, MO based Hulsey has been signed to Loveway Records and recently completed an album produced by Ed Rose. The first single from the record will be released late spring. Swing by and check him out. You can't say you're too broke for the cover charge so that will be no excuse for not showing up!

Who: Carter Hulsey
When: March 8 @ 7pm
Where: Arlene's Grocery, 95 Stanton Street, NYC
FREE

www.myspace.com/carterhulsey

Album Review: April Smith And The Great Picture Show - Songs For A Sinking Ship

Retro, sassy, fun and quirky, those are the words that spring to mind when listening to the new record by April Smith and the Great Picture Show. Songs For A Sinking Ship, for all of it's whimsical fun is a sophisticated work piece of work.

Smith has all of the ingredients to make a top notch album and that's just what she did. There is good songwriting, good musicians and killer vocals. One minute Smith is swinging, the next she's doing a torch song, the next she's pulling off a 40's style "girl" singer song. There are a wealth of instruments and good old fashioned hand claps on the record to the create the delightfully retro sound. There's organ, horns, accordion, Mellotron, suitcases, ukulele and did I hear a kazoo? Did I?

Wakey!Wakey! Album Release Party, 2/20

New York band Wakey!Wakey! are having an album release party this Saturday, February 20 at Mercury Lounge. The album, Almost Everything I Wish I'd Said The Last Time I Saw You, was released on Family Records. You can stream the album below so you'll be ready to sing-a-long when you get to the show.

Wakey!Wakey! Album Release
Saturday 2/20, 8pm @ Mercury Lounge
Tickets: HERE
21+, $14 w/ Harper Blynn

www.wakeywakeymusic.com
www.myspace.com/wakeywakeymusic
twitter.com/WakeyWakey
thefamilyrecords.com/wakeywakey

Lawrence Arabia Set To Release New Record + MP3

The new record from New Zealand’s Lawrence Arabia is scheduled to be released March 9. The record, Chant Darling, is being released on Bell Union Records via the Yep Rock Label Group. The first single from the record, "Apple Pie Bed" received the Silver Scroll award, New Zealand's highest songwriting honor, this past September. Check out the video for the single below.

about Lawrence Arabia:

A former member of bands like The Ruby Suns (Sub Pop), The Brunettes and The Reduction Agents as well as a touring member of Okkervil River, Lawrence Arabia – the savant-like songwriting alter ego of James Milne -- is shedding his sideman status and stepping alone into the bright light of the U.S. music scene with Chant Darling. The album is his first full-length on Bella Union, the UK-based label credited with discovering hallmark influencers Fleet Foxes, Midlake, Beach House and Explosions in the Sky among others.

"Apple Pie Bed"

Track Listing

• Like a Fool
• The Undesirables
• Apple Pie Bed
• Auckland CBD Part Two
• The Beautiful Young Crew
• Eye A
• The Crew of the Commodore
• Fine Old Friends
• I've Smoked Too Much
• Dream Teacher

MP3 Grab: "Apple Pie Bed"

www.myspace.com/lawrencearabia
twitter.com/lawrencearabia

Video: Corinne Bailey Rae Premieres "Paris Nights/New York Mornings"

Corinne Bailey Rae released a video for her song "Paris Nights/New York Mornings" today. It's the second video from her recently released record The Sea. Check out the video below.

Oh, and New Yorkers, don't forget she's going to pay us a visit. She'll be at Webster Hall on May 3.

The Sea entered The Billboard 200 at No. 7, selling upwards of 53,000 copies in its first week of release. The album was also #2 on the R&B album chart, #3 on the digital album chart and #6 on the internet album chart. Corinne will return to the States for appearances on “Late Show with David Letterman” (March 1st), “Jimmy Kimmel Live” (March 8th) and “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno” (April 4th).

www.corinnebaileyrae.net
twitter.com/CorinneBRae

The White White Lights To Release Debut EP

Austin band The White White Lights are releasing their debut EP, Medium Head Boy, on February 27 via Indierect Records with a full-length record available in April. For some reason, the lead song on the EP reminds me of the B-52's if they were a bit harder rockin'. The album should certainly satisfy those of us who have dance rock needs. Vocalist Jenny Gacy leads us through a lyrical whirlwind with more than capable vocals.

The White White Lights have become known for tearing down the house during their intense live shows. The haunting vocals and raw, introspective lyrics of Jenny Gacy collide with Deluxe Peroux's masterful production and intoxicating swirls of guitar build-ups to create half whispered and half screamed walls of sound. The precision and potency provided by the band's core, Daxter McGarnigle on bass and Davy Hamrick on drums, brings a firm foundation to let the sound expand continuously throughout their sets.

Just as they rarely repeat a set list, experimentation and diversity are a foundation of their writing, yielding an uncommonly large catalog from their weekly recording sessions that assemble a mountain of sound from raw beauty and musicianship rather than overdubs.

www.myspace.com/thewhitewhitelights
www.facebook.com/thewhitewhitelights