FREE SONG FROM THE DECEMBERISTS

As most of you may already know, The Decemberists are preparing to release their fifth full-length album, The Hazards of Love, on March 24. The album is a 17-song suite that demands to be listened to from start to finish and reveals more with each subsequent play. It is rooted in ancient language and imagery, yet entirely modern and accessible.

The Portland-based quintet of Colin Meloy, Chris Funk, Jenny Conlee, Nate Query and John Moen are eager to share a bit of the new music with fans before street date -- The Decemberists are making “The Rake’s Song” available as a free download beginning today at:

www.decemberists.com



The album began when Meloy – long fascinated by the British folk revival of the 1960s – found a copy of revered vocalist Anne Briggs’s 1966 EP, titled The Hazards of Love. Since there was no actual song with the album’s title, he set out to write one, but was soon immersed in something much larger.

The Hazards Of Love tells the tale of a woman named Margaret who is ravaged by a shape-shifting animal; her lover, William; a forest queen; and a cold-blooded, lascivious rake, who recounts with spine-tingling ease how he came “to be living so easy and free” in the aforementioned “The Rake’s Song.” Lavender Diamond's Becky Stark and My Brightest Diamond's Shara Worden deliver the lead vocals for the female characters, while My Morning Jacket's Jim James, Robyn Hitchcock and the Spinanes' Rebecca Gates appear in supporting roles. The range of sounds reflects the characters’ arcs, from the accordion’s singsong lilt in “Isn’t it a Lovely Night?” to the heavy metal thunder of “The Queen’s Rebuke/The Crossing.”

“There’s an odd bond between the music of the British folk revival and classic metal,” says Meloy. “A natural connection between, like, Fairport Convention and Black Sabbath – of course, Sandy Denny from Fairport even sang with Led Zeppelin on ‘The Battle of Evermore.’ I think there’s a shared sense of narrative and ambience, of moving beyond the first person in your writing. And I thought it would be interesting to mess around with that.”

The Decemberists will tour this spring, playing The Hazards Of Love straight through for the show’s first half and older material for the remainder. Tour dates will be announced shortly.

DIRTY DIRTY RICH RICH

After she returns from an opening stint with The Pussycat Dolls on their sold-out European tour in January/February, Lady Gaga will return to the U.S. to headline "The Fame Ball" – a tour experience unlike any other, sponsored by Dylan George Jeans. Also featuring White Tie Affair and Chester French (whose debut album, 'Love the Future', will be out in March), "The Fame Ball" kicks off on March 12th in San Diego, CA at The House of Blues.

"The Fame Ball" Tour Dates

March 12 – San Diego, CA – House of Blues
March 13 – Los Angeles, CA – Avalon
March 14 – San Francisco, CA – Mezzanine
March 16 – Seattle, WA – The Showbox / The Market
March 17 – Portland, OR – Wonder Ballroom
March 18 – Vancouver, BC – The Commodore Ballroom
March 21 – Denver, CO – Gothic Theatre
March 23 – Minneapolis, MN – Fine Line Music Café
March 24 – Chicago, IL – House of Blues
March 25 – Pontiac, MI – Crofoot Ballroom
March 26 – Toronto, ON – Elements
March 27 – Ottawa, ON – Bronson Center
March 28 – Montreal, QC – Metropolis
March 30 – Boston, MA – House of Blues
March 31 – New York, NY – Webster Hall
April 1 – Philadelphia, PA – Theatre of the Living Arts
April 2 – Washington, DC – 9:30 Club
April 3 – Richmond, VA – Toad’s Place
April 6 – Orlando, FL – House of Blues
April 7 – Tampa, FL – The Ritz
April 8 – Ft. Lauderdale, FL – Revolution
April 9 – Atlanta, GA – Centerstage

WORLD PREMIERE VIDEO - THE NEW YEAR

With the winter holiday season just coming to a close, many of us are freshly familiar with the lonely, transitional feel that can come from too much time spent waiting in or traveling through our nation’s airports. Similarly, this post-holiday time acquaints some with the notion of calling in sick an additional day or two, or just staying on permanent vacation. The New Year’s video for “Seven Days and Seven Nights” (Airport) captures these ‘what if’ feelings and the mounting nostalgia for a vacation nearly over.

END OF THE ROAD

It's a sad day in Los Angeles...one of my favorite radio stations in L.A. has shut their doors. Indie 103.1 is no longer playing music via radio, but will continue online. This is a message from Indie that was posted on their website today.

This is an important message for the Indie 103.1 Radio Audience -

Indie 103.1 will cease broadcasting over this frequency effective immediately. Because of changes in the radio industry and the way radio audiences are measured, stations in this market are being forced to play too much Britney, Puffy and alternative music that is neither new nor cutting edge. Due to these challenges, Indie 103.1 was recently faced with only one option --- to play the corporate radio game.

We have decided not to play that game any longer. Rather than changing the sound, spirit, and soul of what has made Indie 103.1 great Indie 103.1 will bid farewell to the terrestrial airwaves and take an alternative course.

This could only be done on the Internet, a place where rules do not apply and where new music thrives; be it grunge, punk, or alternative - simply put, only the best music.

For those of you with a computer at home or at work, log on to www.indie1031.com and listen to the new Indie 103.1 - which is really the old Indie 103.1, not the version of Indie 103.1 we are removing from the broadcast airwaves.

We thank our listeners and advertisers for their support of the greatest radio station ever conceived, and look forward to continuing to deliver the famed Indie 103.1 music and spirit over the Internet to passionate music listeners around the world.

PLAY GEARS OF WAR 2 WITH GYM CLASS HEROES

Alternative indie and hip-hop band Gym Class Heroes will be on Xbox LIVE® January 16 to play members in Gears of War® 2.

If you're an Xbox LIVE Gold member, and you want a chance to play with Gym Class Heroes, send a friend request to the Gamertag "Gym Class GWF" and be online half an hour before (12:30 p.m.) the Game with Fame session starts on Friday, January 16, 2009 at 1:00 p.m. EST.

Gym Class Heroes have released two EPs and four studio albums, the latest of which is The Quilt, a mind-expanding record that also features appearances from Busta Rhymes and Daryl Hall of Hall and Oates. The album follows on the release of their gold-certified As Cruel As School Children, and their reception of the 2007 MTV Video Music Award Best New Artist designation. The band consists of Travis McCoy (vocals), Matt McGinley (drums), Disashi Lumumba-Kasongo (guitar), and Eric Roberts (bass).

Check out the Music Showcase page for Gym Class Heroes:

http://www.xbox.com/en-US/live/marketplace/musicshowcase/gymclassheroes/default.htm

If you get a chance to play with Gym Class Heroes, Xbox wants to hear about it! Send an e-mail to xlmail@microsoft.com with the subject: "GWF – Gym Class Heroes." Be sure to include your Gamertag and hometown.

Who: Gym Class Heroes

Date: Friday, January 16, 2008

Time: 1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. EST (10:00 a.m. - Noon PST)

Game: Gears of War 2

Gamertag: Gym Class GWF

Link: http://www.xbox.com/en-US/community/calendar/gamewithfame/2009/0116-gymclassheroes.html

Tour Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RMOxqZCK6c4

LUCK BE A LADY

MARIA TAYLOR'S THIRD SOLO EFFORT LADYLUCK TO BE RELEASED APRIL 7 THROUGH NETTWERK MUSIC GROUP

"TIME LAPSE LIFELINE" WILL BE AVAILABLE DIGITALLY JANUARY 13

"Listen in a dark room, with a candle or two with headphones, maybe in the bath, but definitely horizontal" -Maria Taylor


January 12, 2009 (Los Angeles, CA)-- Critically acclaimed songstress MARIA TAYLOR is set to release her third solo album titled LADYLUCK on April 7. Teaming up with producer friends Andy LeMaster (Bright Eyes, Azure Ray and a host of Saddle Creek label mates), Mike Mogis and Lukas Burton and featuring collaborations with Michael Stipe, Nate Walcott of Bright Eyes and Mckenzie Smith of Midlake, LadyLuck showcases Taylor's ability to pull at your heart strings while proving she's not a woman down on her luck.

Additionally, two tracks from the forthcoming album, "Time Lapse Lifeline" and "Orchids," will be available digitally prerelease on January 13. "Time Lapse Lifeline," with its orchestral strings and grand melody, tells the story about fast life moves and how everything can change in one moment. Appropriately, the song is punctuated by both a driving beat and lingering plaintive vocals, with breaks of near silence for poignant turns of phrase. "Oh we dreamed a life/ it was just like that was just like that/ and just like that and just like that it's done," Taylor sings as lone strings fade out.

"Orchids" will also be available exclusively on iTunes on January 13. You'll hear the song on the January 22 episode of Private Practice. The two tracks from the album will be a sneak peek of Taylor's most stunning effort to date. For those who can't wait until Tuesday to listen to the new songs, check out Myspace.com/mariataylor.

MARIA TAYLOR will also be touring in support of LadyLuck. Stay tuned for dates.

IN CASE YOU MISSED EM...

The All American Rejects stopped by Leno and performed their hit "Gives You Hell." I'm not too sure what I think about Tyson's outfit...

THE BIRD AND THE BEE BUZZ WITH U.S. TOUR DATES

the bird and the bee, the irrepressible L.A. duo made up of singer Inara George and keyboardist/producer Greg Kurstin, have announced that they will hit the road for a short run of U.S. tour dates on the heels of the January 27 release of Ray Guns Are Not Just The Future, their second full-length album, which finds them charting new sonic terrain as they take their stylish ’60s pop and Brazilian influence deeper into the psychedelic period of rock and the Tropicalia era.

the bird and the bee will also be making appearances on two major late night TV shows, performing January 26 on NBC’s The Tonight Show With Jay Leno, and February 4 on ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live! Their 11-city tour kicks off in San Diego on February 5, includes a show in Los Angeles at the Natural History on February 6, and wraps up in New York at Carnegie Hall’s intimate Zankel Hall as part of the WFUV Live at Zankel series on March 7. See all dates below.

The iTunes pre-order for Ray Guns Are Not Just The Future launched today January 13 featuring the Totally Rude Remix of “Polite Dance Song” as an exclusive bonus track. Streaming of the album will also be featured as an AOL Spinner Full CD Listening Party beginning January 19.

The duo recently premiered the video for the album’s lead single “Love Letter to Japan” on MySpace. The video was directed by Barney Clay who has worked with Gnarls Barkley, Dirty Pretty Things, Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, Zero 7, and Bonde Do Role.

Check it out here: (Quicktime | Windows Media)


the bird and the bee – tour dates

Jan 26 — Los Angeles, CA — Tonight Show with Jay Leno
Feb 4 — Los Angeles, CA — Jimmy Kimmel Live
Feb 5 — San Diego, CA — Casbah
Feb 6 — Los Angeles, CA — Natural History Museum
Feb 7 — Santa Barbara, CA — Soho
Feb 9 — San Francisco, CA — Independent
Feb 11 — Portland, OR — Doug Fir
Feb 12 — Seattle, WA — Chop Suey
Mar 3 — Fairfield, CT — Stage One
Mar 4 — Vienna, VA — Barnes at Wolf Trap
Mar 5 — Philadelphia, PA — Tin Angel

KATY PERRY ACOUSTIC AND HURTING

Katy Perry let all her emotions hang out during an accoustic set at L.A.'s Hotel Cafe Monday night.

"It hurts right now," said the singer of her recent split with boyfriend Travis McCoy.

"When you breakup with someone you move on," she said softly. "You don't really want to move on ... but you have to because they don't give you any choice," she added before forcing herself to declare, "But I'm over it!"

Despite battling a bad case of the flu, Perry, who promised the crowd that she'd be healthy again for her tour starting Jan. 23, performed tunes laced in heartbreak and yearning including her hit "Hot 'N' Cold" and a cover of Sam Sparro's "Black and Gold."

Though she constantly looked to her friends, who were sitting just below the stage, for support, she kept a smile on her face and cracked jokes between songs.

ARTICLE: PEOPLE.COM

WORLD PREMIERE VIDEO - ERIN MCCARLEY

Erin McCarley’s music video for Love, Save the Empty premiered on Yahoo this week. Her debut album Love, Save the Empty was released on January 6th! The track is also featured on the trailer for the movie “He’s Just Not That Into You” so you will see clips from the movie in the video.

KATY UNPLUGGED

Credit: Adrian Varnedoe/Pacific Coast News

Katy Perry arrives at her acoustic performance at the Hotel Cafe in Hollywood on Monday night. She spoke to the crowd between songs and even opened up about her recent breakup with Travis McCoy. Katy begins her tour at the end of the month.

ROCKING OUT AT THE ROCKVILLE, CA TCA

Yesterday, I had the opportunity to check out the Rockville, CA TCA session with the cast and creator of this new upcoming music-themed scripted web series created by Josh Schwartz (“Gossip Girl,” “Chuck,” “The O.C.”).

Basically, a TCA session is a Q&A between the media and cast/creators, etc... I was soo excited to participate in the event, because my Music Supervisor Idol, Alexandra Patsavas ("Gossip Girl", "The O.C., "Grey's Anatomy") was also on the panel.

It started off with a performance by upcoming singer/songwriter Anya Marina performing her song "Move You." It was just a short 30 minute session, but after Anya the cast and creator spoke and we were treated to a preview of Rockville. I actually have access to a few of the episodes; however, I haven't had the chance to check em out.

This show is a groundbreaking, musically driven romantic comedy for TheWB.cm that features the trials and tribulations of a Los Angeles indie music venue, Club Rockville, and its cast of regulars. During each webisode, rousing musical performances by actual up-and-coming rock bands will be featured as selected by Alexandra Patsavas. Bands include Kaiser Chiefs, Phantom Planet, Travis, The Duke Spirit, Eagles of Death Metal, Earlimart, Frightened Rabbit, The Kooks, The Little Ones, Lykke Li, Nico Stai, Passion Pit, White Lies, Anya Marina, Bishop Allen, The Broken West, Cass McCombs, Lights, Oppenheimer and The Republic Tigers. It was filmed entirely at Los Angels indie music venue The Echo, which is transformed into Club Rockville for the show.

I am super excited to check this show out! I will try and post some pictures of the Q&A soon.

The show begins on 3/17/09!!

NEW MUSIC TUESDAY!

I'm not a big fan of Monday, but I love me some NEW MUSIC TUESDAYS! I can always find some great music, new and old as I peruse iTunes.

Today on my radar is a band called Late of the Pier from the UK. Check em out and pick up your copy today!

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT...

It's been a slow and steady climb, but Lady Gaga finally made it to the top spot! She has earned her first #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles Chart with her Grammy-nominated smash single, "Just Dance"! After 22 weeks, this was the longest climb to the top since Creed's "With Arms Wide Open" in November 2000.

To celebrate her latest victory, she appeared on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno and gave another show-stopping performance of "Just Dance"! Check out Lady Gaga as she tears it up again!

LIVE SESSION: SNOW PATROL

You must check out Snow Patrol’s live session for Yahoo’s Pepsi Smash!

It’s a great live session and interview with the full band performing “Crack The Shutters”, “Chasing Cars” and “Take Back The City."

Here is a link to the session: http://music.yahoo.com/promo-42778155-54-20090106-autoplay

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT...

I hope you all had as nice of a weekend as I did! It was about 80 degrees yesterday in Southern California, which means beach weather! I was able to hang out on my friends boat in the MDR (Marina Del Rey) and soak up some of the sun. Uh-May-Zing!!! It's hard to believe that just a few weeks ago I was in shit 20 degree weather.

In case you didn't spend NYE watching all the live coverage of the NYC events on TV, like myself. You probably didn't catch Katy Perry performing her latest single, "Thinking of You" on Carson Daly's NYE special. Well, now you can watch it right here...ENJOY!