Keane Announce US Album Release Date

UK group Keane announced the release date of their upcoming new record. Night Train, will be released on May 11 here in the US, via Cherrytree/Interscope Records. While dates haven't been announced yet, they will tour North America this spring.

Night Train features eight powerful new tracks which were written and recorded during the band's Perfect Symmetry world tour that saw them playing to packed arenas in 28 countries.

The album takes its title from the band's favorite mode of transportation during the tour, and includes Keane's genre-busting collaborations with Somali/Canadian rapper K'Naan, 'Stop For A Minute' and 'Looking Back'.

"I think these tracks show us in a completely different light." says Keane frontman Tom Chaplin.

www.keanemusic.com

Nada Surf Album Details, Tour Dates + MP3

Nada Surf has a new record coming out. if i had a hi-fi, a covers record, is initially only going to be available for purchase at shows. But, after their spring tour, the band has announced that the record will be available digitally and on CD/LP via the the bands label, Mardev Records and distributed through ADA. Nada Surf's spring tour kicks off with three sold-out shows here in New York and ends in May at the Sasquatch Music Festival. To get you all nice and ready for the tour and the record, Nada Surf is giving fans a preview of the upcoming record. You can download their cover of Bill Fox's "Electrocution" in the MP3 Grab below.

if i had a hi-fi is full of inspired, unexpected choices: from avant-pop Kate Bush to underground power-pop classicist Dwight Twilley. There are some intriguingly obscure numbers, like Spanish band Mercromina's "Evolution" and under-documented Bill Fox's "Electrocution." The as yet little known Fox, of Cleveland cult band The Mice, inspired local groups like Guided by Voices and Death of Samantha. Doug Gillard, who was in both of them, lends his highly evolved guitar skills to "Electrocution" as well as the Twilley and Go-Betweens songs.

That was another benefit of these sessions. Says lead singer and guitarist Matthew Caws, "It was a great excuse to have friends of ours sit in on something without having to wait another two years." Guest players include Martin Wenk (Calexico), Phil Peterson (Kay Kay and the Weathered Underground), Joe McGinty (Losers Lounge, Psychedelic Furs) and Holly Miranda.

CareFusion Jazz Festival New York Announces Schedule

Today, festival producer George Wein and medical device company CareFushion announced the schedule for the 2010 CareFusion Jazz Festival New York.  The Festival will take place June 17 - 26 with 45 concerts at 20 venues, full schedule below. 

“I am grateful that CareFusion came forward to re-ignite the tradition of New York’s annual jazz festival in June. With more than 1,000 jazz events taking place throughout New York every month, it’s an exciting challenge to program a 10-night festival, said Mr. Wein, CEO of New Festival Productions, LLC. “We booked the festival using the underlying theme of “accentuate the positive,” which includes partnering with some of the city’s hottest venues from Manhattan to Queens, from Brooklyn to the Bronx. Together, we have booked a stellar festival filled with great music for all tastes and at all prices.”

Tickets for concerts at Carnegie Hall and The Town Hall go on sale Monday, March 22. For more information on events and tickets, please visit www.nycjazzfestival.com. 

Circa Survive's Blue Sky Noise Time Lapse Video + Track List

Circa Survive have a new record coming out titled Blue Sky Noise. It is scheduled to be released on April 20. The album cover was painted by Esao Andrews. A slick time lapse video of Andrews painting the cover has been released. Check it out below.

Track Listing

• Strange Terrain
• Get Out
• Glass Arrows
• I Felt Free
• Imaginary Enemy
• Through the Desert Alone
• Frozen Creek
• Fever Dreams
• Spirit of The Stairwell
• The Longest Mile
• Compendium
• Dyed in the Wool

www.circasurvive.com
twitter.com/circasurvive
www.myspace.com/circasurvive

Ash To Release A-Z Vol. 1 On 4/19

Back in October 2009, Ash launched their singles collection series. They set out to release 26 singles, bi-weekly, over a year long period. Well, they're approaching the halfway mark on this project. To celebrate, they'll be releasing A-Z Vol. 1 on April 19. The compilation will contain singles A-M as well as a bundle of bonus material.

Oh my lovelies, but that's not all! Not only can you pre-order the album now, you also have options. A-Z Vol. 1 will be available as a limited edition (5,000 copies worldwide) CD/DVD combo too. It will feature an A-Z Tour documentary that was filmed last fall. So, you have two physical options to get your Ash fix.

Subscribe to the A-Z Series before Feb 25 and get the dark new bonus track "Night Terrors"

As the band describes it: "Lyrically 'Night Terrors' tongue-in-cheek humor starkly contrasts an angry tale of wished comeuppance upon a despicable individual. This song is for anyone who's known a loved one to have been royally fucked over, to the degree that you'd like to see the guilty party suffer eternally in the grip of their own diabolical insanity."

Who hasn't?

And like "Gallows Hill" and "Lay Down Your Arms," "Night Terrors" won't be available anywhere else.

So, head on over to the bands site HERE and subscribe.

Track Listing:

• A. True Love 1980
• B. Joy Kicks Darkness
• C. Arcadia
• D. Tracers
• E. The Dead Disciples
• F. Pripyat
• G. Ichiban
• H. Space Shot
• I. Neon
• J. Command
• K. Song Of Your Desire
• L. Dionysian Urge
• M. War With Me
• ...plus 4 unreleased bonus tracks

www.ash-official.com
www.myspace.com/ash
twitter.com/ashofficial
www.facebook.com/ash

April Smith And The Great Picture Show Listening Party On Spinner

Songs For A Sinking Ship, the new record from April Smith And The Great Picture Show was released earlier today. The sassy and fun record is being featured on Spinner.com. So, for those of you who haven't heard it, you can listen to the album in its entirety via Spinner's listening party. And, as a treat, you can grab the opening track from the self-released record, "Movie Loves A Screen" in the MP3 Grab below.

And New York, you should head on over to Mercury Lounge on March 10 to catch April Smith And The Great Picture Show live!

Songs For A Sinking Ship Listening Party

Tour Dates

• 2/24: Crocodile Cafe---Seattle, WA #
• 2/25: Knitting Factory---Spokane, WA #
• 2/27: Urban Lounge---Salt Lake City, UT #
• 2/28: Larimer Lounge---Denver, CO #
• 3/10: Mercury Lounge---New York, NY
• 3/13: Rock N Roll Hotel---Washington D.C. *
• 3/15: The Earl---Atlanta, GA *
• 3/19: Ale House (SXSW)---Austin, TX
• 3/22: Off Broadway Nightclub---St. Louis, MO
• 3/23: Schuba's---Chicago, IL
• 3/24: Beachland Ballroom---Cleveland, OH
• 3/25: Club Cafe---Pittsburgh, PA
• 4/11: WVU Creative Arts Center (NPR Mountain Stage)---Morgantown, WV

# w/ Fanfarlo
* w/ Here We Go Magic

MP3 Grab: "Movie Loves A Screen"

www.aprilsmithmusic.com
www.myspace.com/aprilsmithmusic
twitter.com/aprilsmithmusic

Speak Release Video + MP3 & SXSW Dates

Electro-pop group Speak have a new music video out for their song "Carrie (Mindfull)." Blender.com premiered the video this week. The song, is from Speak's new record, Hear Here (or Speak - EP as it's listed on iTunes) which came out on February 9. You can grab the MP3 for "Carrie (Mindfull)" and check out the video, both below.

Gaining momentum, SPEAK is poised to take their hometown Austin by storm this March with 2 scheduled SXSW performances and more to be announced. Make sure to check out their official showcase as well as our very own Sneak Attack showcase with Twin Tigers, Jukebox The Ghost, and more!

• March 17th - SXSW Official Showcase @ Encore
• March 19th - Sneak Attack / Coast 2 Coast Day Show

MP3 Grab: "Carrie (Mindfull)"

www.myspace.com/hearspeakhere
playingintrafficrecords.com/hearspeakhere

The Morakestra To Release Special Edition 7" Vinyl + Video & MP3

The Morakestra have released a new video for their song "Tell You Something." It was directed by Tao Ruspoli and features Megalyn Echikunwoke of CSI Miami. The song is the second track from their Witness To Connection album that was released last summer. You can grab the song below.

In addition to the video, the band will be releasing a special-edition 7" vinyl of their Witness To Connection album. The vinyl edition will be released March 16.

Tour Dates:

• 2/26 – Phoenix, AZ @ Alice Cooperstown
• 3/19 – Austin, TX @ Scholz Garten – Texas Music Magazine Party
• 4/1 – Las Vegas, NV @ Beauty Bar
• 4/2 – Los Angeles, CA @ CU-USC
• 4/3 – West Hollywood, CA @ Viper Room

MP3 Grab: “Tell You Something”

www.myspace.com/themorasband
www.morakestra.com

Freelance Whales Release Debut Single "Generator 2nd Floor"

Freelance Whales are set to release their record Weathervanes on March 16 via Frenchkiss/Mom + Records. Check out the debut single, "Generator 2nd Floor," from the album below.

They've got a slew of tour dates coming up. New York, they're playing a sold-out show at Brooklyn's Music Hall of Williamsburg on March 1 with Shout Out Louds. If you don't already have tickets for that one, you'll have to wait until they come back through town. And, as booking would have it, they'll be back on April 13 at Bowery Ballroom.

Tour Dates

• 3/1- Webster Hall - New York, NY (With Shout Out Louds)
• 3/5 - Johnny Brenda’s – Philadelphia, PA
• 3/6 – Rock N Roll Hotel – Washington, D.C
• 3/7 – Local 506 – Chapel Hill, NC
• 3/9 – The End – Nashville, TN
• 3/10 – Pilot Light – Knoxville, TN
• 3/11 – The Earl – Atlanta, GA
• 3/12 – Harvest Of Hope Festival – St. Augustine, FL
• 3/13 – Will’s Pub – Orlando, FL
• 3/14 – The Engine Room – Tallahassee, FL
• 3/16 – Mango’s – Houston, TX
• 3/22 – The Rhythm Room – Phoenix, AZ
• 3/23 – The Casbah – San Diego, CA
• 3/24 – The Echo – Los Angeles, CA
• 3/25 – Bottom Of The Hill – San Francisco, CA
• 3/28 – Crocodile Café – Seattle, WA
• 3/29 – The Biltmore Cabaret – Vancouver, BC
• 3/31 – Kilby Court – Salt Lake City, UT
• 4/1 – Hi Dive – Denver, CO
• 4/2 – Replay Lounge – Lawrence, KS
• 4/3 – Turf Club - St. Paul, MN
• 4/4 – Schuba’s – Chicago, IL
• 4/6 – El Mocambo Club – Toronto, ON
• 4/7 – Il Motore – Montreal, QB
• 4/8 – The Middle East – Boston, MA

MP3 Grab: "Generator 2nd Floor"

www.MySpace.com/TheFreelanceWhales
www.freelancewhales.com

Portugal. The Man To Release American Ghetto 3/2

Portugal. The Man will be releasing their new record, American Ghetto on March 2. The upcoming record is the bands follow-up to their 2009 release, The Satanic Satanist. You can download "The Dead Dog" from the new album using the handy widget below.

In the words of singer John Gourley:

"As much as it was discussed, we honestly feel that 'American Ghetto' is something best left for all of you to do with as you please. On March 2nd we will make this record available to you, press, radio, retail, etc. Nobody gets the record early; we will not be soliciting reviews, airplay or any support from the industry. It is up to you to tweet about #americanghetto or to share or to send friends to buy. If you want to write/blog/play 'American Ghetto,' March 2nd is your opportunity. It will be the same for everyone."

(To read singer Gourley's full release, click HERE)

Tour Dates

• 02.24.10 - The Aquarium Fargo, ND
• 02.25.10 - Varsity Theatre Minneapolis, MN
• 02.26.10 - Lincoln Hall Chicago, IL
• 02.27.10 - The Gargoyle St. Louis, MO
• 03.03.10 - House of Blues Dallas, TX
• 03.04.10 - Warehouse Live Houston, TX
• 03.05.10 - The Parish Austin. TX
• 03.06.10 - The Parish Austin. TX
• 03.09.10 - Common Grounds Gainesville, FL
• 03.10.10 - Crowbar Ybor City, FL

portugaltheman.net
www.myspace.com/portugaltheman
twitter.com/portugaltheman