Tapes ‘N Tapes may be buys writing away for their upcoming new album. And sure we have even less details on what the hell its going to be like and no idea of a release date except ‘this year’. But we come baring gifts all the same. The group has just announced a spring tour – specifically set to test new material for all to enjoy. Mark you calendars, boys and girls.

Bootleg Tapes Tour:

02-23 Fitzgerald Theater - St Paul, MN
03-10 MX Beat @ Deportivo - Mexico City, Mexico
04-16 Blue Note - Columbia, MO
04-17 Creepy Crawl - St.Louis, MO
04-18 Mercy Lounge - Nashville, TN
04-20 Gypsy Tea Room - Dallas, TX
04-21 Emo's - Austin, TX
04-22 Numbers - Houston, TX
04-27 COACHELLA - Indio, CA
05-02 Great American Music Hall - San Francisco, CA
05-04 Dante's - Portland, OR
05-05 Neumo's - Seattle, WA
05-06 Plaza Club - Vancouver, BC
05-09 Bluebird Theater - Denver, CO
05-10 Sokol Underground - Omaha, NE
05-11 Vaudeville Mews - Des Moines, IA
05-12 The Abbey (Two shows) - Chicago, IL
05-15 Le National - Montreal, QUE
05-16 Lee's Palace - Toronto, ON
05-18 Irving Plaza - New York, NY
05-19 Paradise Rock Club - Boston, MA
05-23 The Basement - Columbus, OH
05-24 Southgate House - Newport, KY

›› reviews: Tapes ‘N Tapes The Loon

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Acoustica is changed forever. On the road in February to support his sophomore album, Love and Other Planets, Adem Ilhan will be joined by fellow ex-acousticanato himself Badly Drawn Boy in the US as support.

H2 Not Supported Tour:

02-01 Other Music Instore - New York, NY
02-01 Union Hall - Brooklyn, NY
02-02 Carnegie Hall - New York, NY
03-03 TLA - Philadelphia, PA *
03-05 Somerville Theatre - Boston, MA *
03-06 9:30 Club - Washington, DC *
03-07 Webster Hall - New York, NY *
03-09 Majestic Theatre - Detroit, MI *
03-10 Metro - Chicago, IL *
03-11 Fine Line Music Café - Minneapolis, MN *
03-13 Exit/In - Nashville, TN *
03-14 The Loft - Atlanta, GA *
03-16 SXSW - Austin, TX
03-18 Fox Theatre - Boulder, CO *
03-19 Urban Lounge - Salt Lake City, UT *
03-21 House of Blues - San Diego, CA *
03-22 El Rey - Los Angeles, CA *
03-23 Great American Music Hall - San Francisco, CA *
03-25 Aladdin Theatre - Portland, OR *
03-26 Neumo's - Seattle, WA *

* with Badly Drawn Boy

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Post punk and pop are quickly becoming the new sound once again. The Makes Nice hailing from the Bay Area are ready to ride the train. What was once an intended instrumental R&B outfit somehow evolved into a vintage rock sound. The assistant guitar playing you will hear in our sample tracks is none other than Phil Manley of Trans Am fame.

And no, we have no idea what the rabbit is about either.

Choice Sounds:

The Makes Nice ‘Candy Wrapper’
The Makes Nice ‘California Sun’

›› mp3: The Makes Nice ‘Candy Wrapper’
›› mp3: The Makes Nice ‘California Sun’

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The last time Sea and Cake blessed us with an album, we were debating if George Bush Jr. should get a second term. While the album One Bedroom rocked, the presidency didn’t. Now, the band is ready to announce a new album in the works under the titled Everybody. The LP, which is scheduled to hit stores on May 8th had some expert tutelage from Wilco producer Brian Pualson.

Track Listing:

01 Up on Crutches
02 Too Strong
03 Crossing Line
04 Middlenight
05 Coconut
06 Exact to Me
07 Lightning
08 Introducing
09 Left On
10 Transparent

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The Bay Area is where it’s at, yo! And Anticon knows it. The label has signed Thee More Shallows – a underrated ‘near-orchestral post pop’ outfit. The trio consisting of Dee Jason and Chavo began their original and much beloved LP More Deep Cuts on a $50 keyboard, an acoustic guitar, and a distortion pedal. That was then. This is now with the full on violins and percussion section equal to that of a Philharmonic. The band is readying a new release of Book of Bad Breaks due out April 24th. The band is also scheduled to tour around the albums release but no details are made public as of yet.

Track Listing

01 D.Shallow
02 Eagle Rock
03 The Dutch Fist
04 Night At The Knight School
05 Int. 1
06 Proud Turkeys
07 Int. 2
08 Fly Paper
09 Int 3
10 Oh Yes, Another Mother
11 The White Mask
12 Chrome Caps
13 Mo Deeper

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Feel like dancin’ some more? Get your tight pants ready and clear your March calendar because the pop outfit Scissor Sisters are heading back to the US for a second tour.

DOOL Tour:

03-02 Electric Factory – Philadelphia, PA
03-03 Theater at Madison – New York, NY
03-04 9:30 Club – Washington DC
03-08 State Theatre – Detroit, MI
03-09 Riviera Theatre – Chicago, IL
03-11 Myth – Maplewood, MN
03-12 The Pageant – Saint Louis, MO
03-13 Uptown Theater – Kansas City, MO
03-15 Palladium Ballroom – Dallas, TX
03-16 Verizon Wireless Theater – Houston, TX

As previously reported, those of you daytime Passions fans out there (and according to Nelsons there are a lot of you), the band is making a appearance on the show February 8th and 9th performing two songs ‘I Don’t Feel Like Dancin’ and ‘Land of a Thousand Words’; both of which are from their recent release Ta-Dah.

Check out our review for more on the album.

›› review: Scissor Sisters Ta-Dah

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I remember when they were still in the unknown. Now multi platinum Coldplay are ready to strut their hits with a box set of singles. The set, aptly titled The Singles: 1999-2006 will also include B-Sides. What makes it interesting though is that as of now its only a vinyl release. Collectible freaks, here you go. The set will go on sale in the UK only on March 26th care of Parlaphone. As of yet, no US date has been announced.

Track Listing:

The Blue Room EP
Shiver
Yellow
Trouble
Don't Panic
In My Place
The Scientist
Clocks
God Put a Smile Upon Your Face
Speed of Sound
Fix You
Talk
What If
The Hardest Part

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Gruff Rhys, frontman for the act Super Furry Animals, is readying a solo tour across the UK starting next month. The tour will coincide with the release of a download only single ‘Gyrru Gyrru Gyrru’ taken from his second solo LP Candylion. The single, to be released on March 12th, will be paired with the brand new lick ‘Y Cradur’.

While the Super Furry Animals are still very much alive, Rhys has often times explored solo projects and tours on the side with little to no known damage to his bands ecosystem. In fact, the band is working on their new album – eighth in fact – to be released this spring. The album, currently untitled, is the follow up to 2005’s Love Kraft.

One Man Migration Tour:

02-26 Riverfront Arts Theatre – Newport, UK
03-01 Komedia – Brighton, UK
03-02 Queen Elizabeth Hall – London, UK
03-03 South St – Reading, UK
03-04 Theater Brycheiniog – Brecon, UK
03-06 Glee Club – Birmingham, UK
03-07 Deco – Northampton, UK
03-12 Junction – Cambridge, UK
03-13 Arts Theatre – Norwich, UK
03-31 Vicar Street – Dublin, UK
04-19 Parc And Dare Theatre – Treorchy, UK
04-20 Queens Hall – Narberth, UK
04-23 Cluny – Newcastle, UK
04-24 Bridge Picture House – Hebden, UK
04-25 Philharmonic Hall - Liverpool, UK
04-27 Lemon Tree – Aberdeen, UK
04-28 Renfrew Ferry – Glasgow, UK
04-29 Liquid Rooms – Edinburgh, UK

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… in your hearts they are number one. But according to Billboard, Sub Pop’s new darlings The Shins are number two this week with LP sales. The bands newest effort, Wincing The Night Away, was released last week and has catapulted to the second to top spot selling over 118,000 copies of the LP. That’s like, 1000 fold what their previous effort – the much Zach Braff ballyhooed Chutes Too Narrow.

This marks the best opening effort for Sub Pop and the band as well – not to mention indie music as a whole. Want to know more about the album? Like if it’s worth the hype? Want to hear and watch the Shins change your life? Check out the links below for all the coverage you’ll need.

And in case you haven’t heard, the band is also wincing the night away on the road.

02-08 First Avenue - Minneapolis, MN
02-09 Eagles Ballroom - Milwaukee, WI
02-10 Congress Theater - Chicago, IL
02-11 Pageant - St. Louis, MO
02-12 Liberty Hall - Lawrence, KS
02-13 Liberty Hall - Lawrence, KS
02-15 Fillmore Auditorium - Denver, CO
02-16 In the Venue - Salt Lake City, UT
02-17 Egyptian Theatre - Boise, ID
02-20 Paramount Theater - Seattle, WA
02-21 Crystal Ballroom - Portland, OR

›› review: The Shins Wincing The Night Away
›› mp3: The Shins 'Phantom Limb'
›› Video: The Shins 'Phantom Limb'

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What the hell does the world have against Jack White anyway? First it was Pete Townsend calling out the White Stripes frontman and now Kele Okereke – recently out of the closet frontman for Bloc Party doing the same but this time for politics. In a recent interview with UK based magazine NME, Kele had this to say:

"I was amazing when Jack White said it wasn't his job to be critical about foreign policy because he was being paid to be an entertainer. I thought that was treacherous because it's complicit with the capitalist society.

"Selling more records is the only thing that's important to him, not provoking debate."

I’ve never been one to mix politics with music but this is just getting silly. Kele has gone on record saying that the bands forthcoming release Weekend In The City continues with political thought as did 2005’s Silent Alarm. Too bad so far it feels like a snoozer in comparison.

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Artists like Wolfmother, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, and Devendra Branhart are working on a benefit of which band designed t-shirts will go to their favorite charities. The aid organization, Yellow Bird Project, was founded on the idea of seeking out musical artists take on shirt design.

Most of them should remember their early days before they went indie-radar when they designed their own shirts for a tour. The Yellow Bird group will donate all proceeds to the artist requested charity. For more info go to yellowbirdproject.com.

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God created pain, RJD2 created the premix. Artist and DJ extraordinaire RJD2 is allowing unreleased material to be remixed by his fans. The song ‘Sweet Piece’ is part of his upcoming album but he is allowing folks who trek to rjd2premix.imeem.com to pre-mix the song for him. The site goes on to explain:

“Here’s your opportunity to remix one of my songs…before its even released. I’m giving you all the parts from this song so mess around with them and see what you come up with.”

We’ve linked the files to use below in order to work on the premix:

Wave Files: here
SND Files: here

For the details on how to upload and all other rules, check out the site for further detail. In other RJD2 news, the artist is also readying a trek around the states starting in March.

Mix Tour:

03-09 Wexner Center - Columbus, OH
03-10 The Dame - Lexington, KY
03-11 Exit In - Nashville, TN
03-14 Hailey's - Denton, TX
03-15 SXSW - Austin TX
03-17 Warehouse Live - Houston, TX
03-19 House of Blues Parish - New Orleans, LA
03/20 Variety Playhouse - Atlanta, GA
03-21 Cat's Cradle - Carrboro, NC
03-22 Satellite Ballroom - Charlottesville, VA
03-24 Sonar - Baltimore, MD
04-11 Starlight Ballroom - Philadelphia, PA
04-12 The Crazy Donkey – Farmingdale, NY
04-13 Webster Hall - New York, NY
04-14 Middle East Downstairs – Cambridge, MA
04-15 Pearl Street Nightclub – Northampton, MA
04-16 La TuLipe – Montreal, QC
04-17 Phoenix Concert Theatre – Toronto, ON
04-18 Magic Stick - Detroit, MI
04-19 Grog Shop - Cleveland Heights, OH
04-20 Metro - Chicago, IL
04-21 First Avenue – Minneapolis, MN
04-22 The Picador - Iowa City, IA

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The ‘loudest quiet’ rock group out there is readying their fourth LP. Calla, composed of Aurelio Valle, Wayne Magruder, and Peter Gannon are laying down Strength In Numbers care of Beggars Banquet on February 20th. After what seems like an eternity, the band is off their 4 year hiatus and ready to prove their worth to the waiting underground fan base. You can sample the new single ‘Bronson’ from their upcoming release by clicking below and become entangled in their guitar rock that keeps you on your toes.

Track Listing:

01 Sanctify
02 Defenses Down
03 Sylvia's Song
04 Sleep In Splendor
05 Rise
06 Stand Paralyzed
07 Bronson
08 Malo
09 Malicious Manner
10 A Sure Shot
11 Le Gusta El Fuego
12 Simone
13 Dancers in the Dust

Calla is also on the road in the months leading up to Spring. Catch them if you can at a venue near you.

Calla’ At Ya Tour:

02-09 Bug Jar - Rochester, NY
02-10 Johnny Brenda's – Philadelphia, PA
02-11 Bar Night Club - New Haven, CT
02-15 The Annex - New York, NY
03-08 Club Café - Pittsburgh, PA
03-09 Southgate House - Newport, KY
03-10 Jackpot Saloon - Lawrence, KS
03-11 Opolis - Norman, OK
03-25 Casbah - San Diego, CA
03-28 Rickshaw Stop - San Francisco, CA
03-29 Popscene - San Francisco, CA
04-01 Crocodile Café - Seattle, WA
04-07 Empty Bottle - Chicago, IL
04-13 The Middle East - Cambridge, MA
04-14 Bowery Ballroom - New York, NY

›› mp3: Calla ‘Bronson’

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Quickly becoming the footnote of scandalous news, Babyshambles front man Pete Doherty and Supermodel-under-fire Kate Moss are back in rehab. The fiancé couple checked into London’s Capio Nightingale drug treatment center this week according to the Sun.

Now, while it’s print, it don’t make it so but apparently records show that Doherty will be a full time resident while Kate will be allowed to move in and out freely.

In an ongoing circus of drug trials, possession charges, and romance, the Kate Moss and Doherty sands continue thru the hour glass.

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Arguably one of the best albums he’s ever put out when taken as a whole, Beck’s stellar Information will receive the redux treatment earlier than expected. Although the album just saw light in October, it didn’t take long for a remixed version to hit the shelves. Atop of the normal bonus features that will include previously unreleased tracks, the album will include videos for all the tracks and remixes at the hands of Ellen Allien, Andrew Sitek, Jamie Lidell and more. The Information Special Edition will hit store shelves February 27th.

Disc One Tracklist:

01 Elevator Music
02 Think I'm In Love
03 Cellphone's Dead
04 Strange Apparition
05 Soldier Jane
06 Nausea
07 Dark Star
08 Movie Theme
09 We Dance Alone
10 No Complaints
11 1000 BPM
12 Motorcade
13 The Information
14 New Round
15 The Horrible Fanfare/Landslide/Exoskeleton
16 Inside Out (bonus track)
17 This Girl That I know (bonus track)
18 O Menina (bonus track)

Disc Two [REMIXES] Tracklist:

01 Cellphone's Dead: Ellen Allien Remix
02 Nausea Pirates Mix: Bumblebeez Remix
03 Dark Star: David Andrew Sitek Remix
04 Nausea: The Chap Remix
05 Cell Phone's Dead: Jamie Lidell Limited Minutes Remix
06 Cell Phone's Dead VILLALOBOS: Ricardo Villalobos Remix

Disc Three [VIDEOS] Tracklist:
(directed by Beck and Nigel Godrich except as noted)

Elevator Music
Think I'm In Love
Cellphone's Dead
Strange Apparition (directed by Beck and Autumn Dewilde)
Soldier Jane
Nausea
Dark Star (directed by Beck and Autumn Dewilde)
Movie Theme
We Dance Alone
No Complaints
1000 BPM
Motorcade
The Information
New Round
The Horrible Fanfare/Landslide/Exoskeleton
Inside Out
This Girl That I Know
Cellphone's Dead (directed by Michel Gondry)
Nausea (directed by Patrick Daughters)

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The feel good musical movie of the year is about to hit the DVD lovefest. No, it isn’t Dreamgirls. It’s Danielson! The documentary that had a small window release across the country has be thrust onto DVD for all to enjoy. Watch as Daniel Smith and his group under the title of Danielson tour the country exploring their sound. Hear the seeds of wisdom given by Daniel Smith to then unknown Sufjan Stevens about the frightening music business. Fear all the extras on the DVD!

Check out some of the movie clips here. You can even hear the NPR interview of the band about the docudrama by clicking here.

›› mp3: Danielson NPR Interview
›› video: Danielson Movie Clips
›› news: Danielson Movie Details

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Radio went video went DVD it seems today as all acts are jumping on the DVD bandwagon in these cold winter months. And the band named after the symbol of winter themselves should be no different! The Decemberists are ready to release their Live release entitled A Practical Handbook to the masses on March 20th as previously reported. We now know more info on the set wich will feature the band’s November 2005 beloved performance in Roseland Theatre. Also included will be a documentary shot during the recording of the bands fab 2006 album The Crane Wife [reviewed here].

As if that wasn’t enough, the band is also going to include short films shot during the process of the bands 2005 album Picaresque and Her Majesty. Band friend and collaborator Carson Ellis will also contribute artwork and illustrations to the DVD set.

December in Spring Tour:

03-21 Loews Theater - Jersey City, NJ *
03-22 Loews Theater - Jersey City, NJ *
03-23 Avalon - Boston, MA *
03-24 Avalon - Boston, MA *
03-26 Strathmore Music Center - North Bethesda, MD *
03-27 Tower Theater - Upper Darby, PA *
03-29 Wellesley College - Wellesley, MA *
03-30 Center for the Arts - Buffalo, NY *
03-31 Messiah College - Grantham, PA *
04-01 The Norva - Norfolk, VA *
04-02 Meymendi Concert Hall - Raleigh, NC *
04-04 Tennessee Theater - Knoxville, TN
04-05 City Hall - Nashville, TN
04-06 Tabernacle - Atlanta, GA
04-08 Hard Rock Live - Orlando, FL *
04-09 The Moon - Tallahassee, FL *
04-10 Alabama Theater - Birmingham, AL *
04-11 New Daisy Theater - Memphis, TN *
04-13 Brown Theater - Louisville, KY *
04-14 The Pageant - St. Louis, MO *
04-15 Foellinger Auditorium - Champaign, IL *
04-16 Pabst Theater - Milwaukee, WI *
04-18 Riviera Theater - Chicago, IL *
04-19 Riviera Theater - Chicago, IL *
04-20 Orpheum Theater - Madison, WI *
04-21 Uptown Theater - Kansas City, MO *
04-22 Fillmore Auditorium - Denver, CO *
04-25 Warfield Theater - San Francisco, CA *
04-26 Warfield Theater - San Francisco, CA *
05-03 McDonald Theater - Eugene, OR *
05-04 Paramount Theater - Seattle, WA *
05-05 Western Washington University - Bellingham, WA *

* with My Brightest Diamond

›› news: Decemberists Set Sail for US Tour
›› review: Decemberists The Crane Wife

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As the Damon Albarn and Paul Simonon collaboration hits stores this week, the Gorrillaz and Clash bassist (respectively) are gearing up for a spring tour that will see the band in sparse locations across the US.

As previously reported, the band that also houses Verve guitarist Simon Tong have released the new album The Good, The Bad, and the Queen which houses an amazing mix of dark ballads and rock anthems.

The Bad, The Awful, The Insane US Tour:

03-11 Kool Haus – Toronto, CAN
03-12 Webster Hall – New York, NY
03-14 Club 9:30 – Washington, DC
03-16 Stubbs [SXSW Festival] – Austin, TX
03-18 Republic – New Orleans, LA
04-28 Coachella Valley Music Arts Festival

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When you stir the pot, like poet and activist Sage Francis, people start to take notice. Best known for his rapping and humor, Sage is releasing Hum The Death Dance May 8th care of Anti/Epitaph Records. The effort will feature collaborations with the likes of Jolie Holland, Mark Isham, Buck 65 and more. The Northeastener may have grown up in Providence but he knows his politics and controversial social issues. Even Hollywood is taking note. Hum The Death Dance will feature material to be used in Edward Norton and Collin Farrell’s upcoming film ‘Pride & Glory’. Look for more info on the album as it arrives.

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The five-piece storytellers, better known as the Rosebuds, are readying the release of their newest effort entitled Night of the Furies. The album, due out April 10th, is reportedly a hybrid of dance and pop that will explore a darker side to the band. What’s up with the dark sides these days? All bands are going the shadowed route. Hopefully, this trip makes the transition well. Apparently, the album isn’t even wrapped yet and there are already acts like Portastatic, Roger O’Donnell (of The Cure), Luna’s Dean and Britta and Gary Go working on remix contributions.

The band is also looking to catch the egg head nostalgia of café folk by opening for Yo La Tengo. Of course, they will be flexing their medulla muscles this year at SXSW in March.

Blossoming Tour:

02-06 Cat’s Cradle - Carrboro NC *
02-08 Star Hill Music Hall - Charlottesville, VA *
02-09 Sonar - Baltimore, MD *
02-10 Trocadero - Philadelphia, PA *
02-11 Union Hall - Brooklyn, NY
02-24 B1 Maximum Club - Moscow, Russia
03-07 Kings - Raleigh, NC
03-08 Bellafesta - Wilmington, NC
03-09 Map Room - Charleston, SC
03-10 Art Bar - Columbia, SC
03-11 The Earl - Atlanta, GA
03-12 Spanish Moon - Baton Rogue, LA
03-14 Antone’s [SXSW Merge Records Showcase] – Austin, TX

* with Yo La Tengo

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April 17th will be the day that The Comas wake up and release their new album, Spells. The anticipated follow-up to 2004’s Conductor will be the bands fourth full length but first under rising label Vagrant. Overseeing the project was Flaming Lips and Rogue Wave producer Bill Racine. The ten track event was recorded in the Catskill Mountains and reportedly openly reflects the isolation the band felt while on site. For now, it is finished and mastered but the camp is keeping mum on track listings.

The band will also be a part of SXSW coming up in March. As of right now, though, they are keeping indoors to relax after finishing a winter stint on the road while putting the final touches on their upcoming album.

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