THE NEW NOW WITH PATRICK WATSON

Last Friday I got to see truly how experimental Patrick Watson is with his music. From his homemade backpack to a bowed saw, it was something right off a Hollywood sound stage.

Check out this special performance & interview with Patrick for Yahoo's The New Now.

LIVE SESSION WITH LOW VS DIAMOND

A few months ago, the people at Daytrotter invited LVD into their studios in Rock Island, IL to record a few tracks live.

You can check it out here !

NEW RELEASE SPECIAL OFFER

The Sounds return with their third album, Crossing The Rubicon, a career-defining twelve song set that demonstrates the type of growth that can only come from a band in total command of their talents. Their synth-pop, guitar driven sound still takes center stage, but there's an ambition and sophistication to both the songs and production that reveals new layers of depth to the overall aesthetic.

Recorded in Sweden, Los Angeles and New York, Crossing The Rubicon continues to deliver the big, fist pumping, arena sized anthems the band are known for. These songs have an undeniable energy. From the electro, club banger, "Beatbox," to the cocksure beauty of the album's first single "No One Sleeps When I'm Awake," the new album presents a more fully formed version of the sound that established them as both a fan and critics favorite.

Over the last few years, The Sounds have garnered a massive fanbase built upon non-stop touring, two acclaimed records, great film/TV and video game placements and an organic word of mouth reaction. Renowned for their intense and exuberant live shows, The Sounds have captivated fans around the world, playing more than 500 shows in support of 2006's Dying To Say This To You, selling out major venues in over 25 countries worldwide, including the legendary Hollywood Palladium (to the delight of 4000 fans), and selling half a million records world wide.

Crossing The Rubicon promises to be the band's best record to date. And they have already been confirmed to support No Doubt all summer long, book-ended by a series of headline-tours in the spring and fall.

Pre-Order the upcoming release, Crossing The Rubicon by The Sounds and get a limited autographed CD Booklet with purchase!


PRE-ORDER YOUR COPY HERE!!

TAKE A SHOT AT REMIXING EMPIRE OF THE SUN

Attention DJs, remixers and producers: Empire Of The Sun are the featured artist for the second installment of FILTER's monthly remix series! We want to hear your interpretations of EOTS' track "Walking On A Dream" from their album Walking On A Dream. Click HERE or the flyer below to download the 24-stem bundle and return your finished track to remix@filter-mag.com.

Click HERE for more details.

The winning track will be selected by Empire Of The Sun with lots of love and appreciation to follow. Submissions to enter the contest are due to remix@filter-mag.com no later than June 7th, 2009.

KCRW WELCOMES MARIA TAYLOR

Maria Taylor stopped by KCRW Morning Becomes Eclectic and gave the world a taste of her angelic voice.

KCRW has some AMAZING artists coming up in the next few weeks. Take a peek at who's coming...

Thursday, May 14 -- Extra Golden
Friday, May 15 -- The Decemberists
Monday, May 18 -- Loney, Dear
Tuesday, May 19 -- Other Lives
Wednesday, May 20 --Zee Avi
Thursday, May 21 -- Sara Watkins
Friday, May 22 -- Passion Pit

All live performances begin at 11:15am PST on KCRW and KCRW.com (audio and videocast). Sessions are available in the archives within 24 hours.

TORI AMOS ANNOUNCES SINFUL ATTRACTION TOUR

Tori Amos has announced her “Sinful Attraction Tour” in support of her forthcoming album Abnormally Attracted to Sin, in stores next Tuesday, May 19. The tour will launch this July in Seattle, with dates across the US.

Known for her dynamic live performances and ever-changing set lists, Tori is one of the most active touring artists in the world, having played over 1,000 shows since her first world tour over a decade ago.

The groundbreaking singer/songwriter will release her Universal Republic debut album, ABNORMALLY ATTRACTED TO SIN, on May 19, 2009. A DVD of corresponding ‘visualettes’ for each track will accompany the deluxe version of ABNORMALLY ATTRACTED TO SIN. These interlocking episodic films bring to life the narrative arc of the album. The footage was captured over the past year and shot with a noir twist in HD and Super 8.

Stay posted at www.toriamos.com for on-sale information.

TOUR DATES:
07/10: Seattle, WA @ WaMu Theater
07/11: Portland, OR @ Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall
07/13: Oakland, CA @ Paramount Theatre
07/14: Oakland, CA @ Paramount Theatre
07/16: San Diego, CA @ Humphrey’s
07/17: Los Angeles, CA @ Greek Theatre
07/18: Phoenix, AZ @ Dodge Theatre
07/20: Salt Lake City, UT @ Abravenal Hall
07/21: Denver, CO @ Paramount Theatre
07/23: Kansas City, MO @ Starlight Theatre
07/24: Grand Prairie, TX @ Nokia Theatre
07/25: Austin, TX @ The Long Center for the Performing Arts
07/27: Atlanta, GA @ Chastain Park Amphitheatre
07/28: Orlando, FL @ Bob Carr Performing Arts Center
07/29: Miami Beach, FL @ The Fillmore Miami Beach @ The Jackie Gleason Theater
07/31: Durham, NC @ Durham Performing Arts Center
08/01: Washington, DC @ DAR Constitution Hall
08/03: Chicago, IL @ Chicago Theatre
08/04: Milwaukee, WI @ Riverside Theatre
08/05: Minneapolis, MN @ State Theatre
08/07: Indianapolis, IN @ Murat Theatre
08/08: Detroit, MI @ Detroit Opera House
08/10: Toronto, ON @ Massey Hall
08/11: Montreal, QC @ St. Denis Theatre,
08/13: New York, NY @ Radio City Music Hall,
08/15: Upper Darby, PA @ Tower Theatre
08/17: Boston, MA @ Bank of America Pavilion

PATRICK WATSON PHOTOS

Check out some pix from the Patrick Watson show at the Hotel Cafe last Friday courtesy of Patrick Watson SUPER fan, Doug Kresse. Thx Doug!




If you're a super fan and you have pix you wanna share with us, send them our way and we just might post em!

PHOTOS: DOUG KRESSE

TONIGHT AT THE HOTEL CAFE

Carina Round tonight at the Hotel Cafe!! If you haven't seen her - do yourself a favor and come see her!! She is absolutely FANTASTIC!! Tix are just 10$ and she is worth every penny!

AWAY WE GO

You can tell the summer is near just by the big box offices films being released or on the verge of release. But amongst all those BIG SUMMER BOX OFFICE HITs are those little movies that sometimes make the most impact. This one is my pick for the underdog film that is sure to be a hit! If it's any indication by the song in the trailer, it looks as though the soundtrack is going to be just as successful.

Exploring the comedic twists and emotional turns in one couple’s journey across contemporary America, Away We Go (which Focus Features releases June 5 in N.Y. and L.A., and in June in select cities) is the new movie from Academy Award-winning director Sam Mendes, from the first original screenplay by novelists Dave Eggers & Vendela Vida, and featuring the music of singer/songwriter Alexi Murdoch.

During the filming of Away We Go, Mendes began thinking about the music that would be the sound and soul of the film. When he first heard Murdoch’s acclaimed debut album, Time Without Consequence, he knew he had found what he was looking for.

Over the past 5 years, Alexi Murdoch’s music has been quietly engaging a fast-growing audience across the globe. After the unprecedented indie success of a first home-spun EP in 2003, which ultimately sold over 50,000 copies, Murdoch released the critically acclaimed debut album Time Without Consequence through his own label, Zero Summer Records, in 2006. Rolling Stone quickly named Murdoch one of that year’s “10 Artists to Watch,” while Interview lauded his “ability to directly communicate a wellspring of deep emotion,” Alternative Press awarded the album a 5 out of 5 rating, and similar raves came in from Entertainment Weekly, Paste, The Onion, and may more.

While his songs have been featured in such films as Gone Baby Gone and Garden State, as well as the trailer for Academy Award-nominated foreign film Paradise Now, his work on Away We Go represents the first instance where Murdoch is the primary musical voice of an entire film.

In addition to the tracks from Time Without Consequence that captivated Mendes, the Away We Go soundtrack album (available digitally June 2 and in stores June 23, from Zero Summer) features three previously unreleased Murdoch songs; “Towards The Sun,” “The Ragged Sea,” and the bonus track “Crinan Wood.” On the soundtrack, Murdoch finds himself in fine company with classics from Bob Dylan, The Velvet Underground, George Harrison, and The Stranglers.

A total of eight of Murdoch’s songs are featured in Away We Go which opens, fittingly, with “All My Days,” also the opening track from Time Without Consequence. The song has also been used in its entirety in the movie’s theatrical trailer, which is already creating a buzz about the film’s music.

IN CASE YOU MISSED EM...

The National performed "So Far Around The Bend" on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon. This single is off the album Dark Was The Night, a compilation curated by the National for AIDS awareness.

WORLD PREMIERE VIDEO - ANGUS & JULIA STONE

Check out ANGUS AND JULIA STONE'S - MUSIC VIDEO for "WASTED". The dynamic duo's 11th Music Video from their series and again another FUN animated piece from their latest album release - "A BOOK LIKE THIS"

RED NIGHTS

Yesterday, (RED) and Live Nation announce the (RED)NIGHTS series, an innovative slate of 26 live concerts in the U.S., which will raise money and awareness for the ultimate goal of eliminating AIDS in Africa. To kick off the series, (RED)NIGHTS artists, Santigold, Gomez, O.A.R., Fall Out Boy, Lisa Hannigan, The Veronicas and The All-American Rejects will turn one of their upcoming concerts (RED).

“I believe no person deserves to suffer from a preventable, treatable disease simply because they can’t afford medicine,” said Marc Roberge of O.A.R. “If bringing awareness to what (RED) is doing helps one person receive antiretroviral treatment and live a healthy life, we have accomplished our goal.”

(RED) will present the (RED)NIGHTS concert series at select Live Nation clubs and theaters across the country. (RED) and Live Nation are collaborating to link acclaimed artists with their fans to join the fight against AIDS in Africa. Information about the events already scheduled for the (RED)NIGHTS concert series can be found at http://www.livenation.com and http://www.joinred.com/rednights.

“(RED) was looking to engage more people in its mission, to help eliminate AIDS in Africa. The (RED)NIGHTS series is an innovative concept that combines the power of Live Nation's live music platform and venues to use people’s passion for music to raise awareness and, ultimately, generate more money to help eliminate AIDS in Africa.” said Russell Wallach, President of North American Alliances for Live Nation. “We’re building a great line up of artists for (RED)NIGHTS, and believe we can help (RED) successfully deliver its message by connecting them with music fans all over the country.”

Bringing the (RED) experience to life in a new way, (RED)NIGHTS and the community of participating artists will come together to use great live music to raise awareness of (RED)'s primary objective—to help eliminate AIDS in Africa. With each live show, (RED)NIGHTS hopes to inspire fans to participate in (RED)'s mission, highlight the many ways to get involved beyond the concert and encourage people to share the message and experience with others. Ultimately, it is the goal of (RED)NIGHTS to build a community—of artists, concertgoers and music fans everywhere—that is passionate about helping to save lives in Africa. A portion of the proceeds of each (RED)NIGHTS concert goes directly to the Global Fund (theglobalfund.org).

“(RED)NIGHTS is one more way for people to become (RED) and support our efforts to eliminate AIDS in Africa,” says Jenifer Willig, Director of Partners and Marketing at (RED). “We're so honored to have incredible artists turning their shows (RED) and look forward to bringing (RED)NIGHTS to fans across the country.”

(RED)NIGHTS arrives on the heels of (RED)WIRE™, the innovative new digital music service from (RED). The (RED)NIGHTS artists will join an impressive community of (RED) artists who are participating in (RED)WIRE, including U2, Coldplay, The Killers, Jay-Z, Elvis Costello, John Legend, Sheryl Crow, Neko Case, Noel Gallagher, Conor Oberst, TV On The Radio, Death Cab For Cutie, Michael Franti and many more. (RED)NIGHTS and (RED)WIRE mark the first time (RED) has moved into the music arena and are a mutual extension of (RED)'s mission, whereby the music community is coming together as a vehicle to raise awareness and funds to help fight AIDS in Africa.

KCRW WELCOMES PATRICK WATSON

Last Friday I was able to check out the AMAZING Patrick Watson at the Hotel Cafe in Hollywood. A super fantstic show that I will talk more about in an upcoming post, but in the meantime, check out his KCRW Morning Becomes Eclectic session from Friday.

FOR WHOM THE BELLS TOLL

Nettwerk Music Group is proud to announce the signing of Australian rock n rollers HOWLING BELLS. The breakout group is set to release their sophomore album and N. American debut RADIO WARS on July 28th in the US and Canada, with their smoldering first single "Cities Burning Down" out June 2nd on iTunes. They'll celebrate early by joining COLDPLAY on their North American tour this May and June.

The UK-based band--lead vocalist Juanita Stein, guitarist brother Joel Stein, bassist Brendan Picchio and drummer Glenn Moule--formed in Australia in 2004 and shortly after moved to London, where they recorded their 2006 self-titled debut album with producer Ken Nelson (Coldplay). Since the first guitar strums of their stellar eponymous debut, the group has delivered a dark and razor sharp rock n roll sound that has left fans and media swooning in their wake. Driven by singles "Setting Sun" and "Low Happening," the success of Howling Bells saw the foursome tour with the likes of The Killers and Placebo in Europe and Snow Patrol in Australia.

Already a top 30 album in the UK, their sophomore release Radio Wars sees the band expanding their darkly majestic sound and seems certain to elevate the group to a wider consciousness. The dark subject matter that marked the first remains, but it's a set of songs that are far more adventurous and diverse sounding, yet equally as melodic. For Radio Wars, the band partnered with Dan Grech-Marguerat, who has engineered records alongside producer Nigel Godrich, including Radiohead, Air and Paul McCartney.

The UK press have continued to pour on critical praise, declaring Radio Wars "unashamedly epic in it's scope, awash with windswept beauty and darkly romantic lyrics..." (UNCUT). The DAILY MAIL observes: "Singer Jaunita Stein's breathless vocals evoke vintage Debbie Harry while nodding towards the swagger of Garbage's Shirley Manson."

Now fresh off a triumphant homecoming show at V Festival in Melbourne, the group has the distinct pleasure of joining Coldplay this May and June as they tour across the US and Canada. Concertgoers will do best to be punctual as the Bells have been known to put on an intoxicating live performance. Says NME,"Take one magnificent frontwoman, one guitar genius, and a set of incredible songs, and what do you get? Total brilliance, obviously."

Check out the Video for 'Cities Burning Down'

Tour Dates:

05/20/09 - Virginia Beach, VA @ Verizon Wireless Amphitheater
05/21/09 - Bristow, VA @ Nissan Pavilion
05/23/09 - Hartford, CT @ Comcast Theater
05/24/09 - Hershey, PA @ Hershey Park Stadium & Star Pavilion
05/26/09 - Camden, NJ @ Susquehanna Bank Center
05/27/09 - Saratoga Springs, NY @ Saratoga Performing Arts Center
05/29/09 - Scranton, PA @ Toyota Pavilion at Montage Mountain
05/30/09 - Burgettstown, PA @ Post-Gazette Pavilion
06/01/09 - Darien Center, NY @ Darien Lake Performing Arts Center
06/02/09 - Clarkston, MI @ DTE Energy Music Theatre
06/04/09 - Cincinnati, OH @ Riverbend Music Center
06/05/09 - Noblesville, IN @ Verizon Wireless Music Center
06/06/09 - Nashville, TN @ Sommet Center
06/09/09 - New Orleans, LA @ New Orleans Arena
06/10/09 - San Antonio, TX @ AT&T Center
06/12/09 - Des Moines, IA @ Wells Fargo Arena at the Iowa Events Center
06/13/09 - Omaha, NE @ Qwest Center Omaha
06/15/09 - Winnipeg, MB @ MTS Centre
06/17/09 - Calgary, AB @ Pengrowth Saddledome
06/18/09 - Edmonton, AB @ Rexall Place
06/20/09 - Vancouver, BC @ General Motors Place
06/21/09 - Vancouver, BC @ General Motors Place

BUT I THOUGHT SHE SAID 'MAPLE LEAVES'?

So, as many of you all know, Musicbleep are a huge fans of the recent Swedish music invasion in the US. However, there is one individual that is at the top of my list, and that would be the whimsical, the wonderful, the talented JENS LEKMAN! We have reported on him several times from his performances in LA, San Francisco, and Coachella '07; however, I am so excited to say that he is making a surprise visit to us here in Los Angeles, and it just so happens to fall on my birthday !! Jens will be playing two nights in Echo Park at, well, the Echo on Wed. May 27th and Thurs. May 28th (my birthday)! So you should all come and see this magical, ukulele playing cherub. Check him out at www.jenslekman.com! And watch the following video!

Story by Cory