Captain Ahab @ The Smell - June 17, 2009 - Photos by la underground

via Wikipedia:

Captain Ahab is an electropop duo based in Los Angeles, California. They refer to their sound, a DIY take on dance music, as ravesploitation. The band is made up of Jonathan Snipes and Jim Merson. A typical Captain Ahab live performance consists of playback of recorded beats from a computer and vigorous singing by both members of the band. While performing, members of Captain Ahab are usually partially undressed, covered in sweat, and constantly forcing themselves into physical contact with members of the audience. While their lyrics are satirically misogynistic, their live performance is thoroughly homoerotic.

Blue Roses @ Borderline - London - May 15, 2009 - Photo by crazybobbles

Hey, we have new music to share. Blue Roses aka Laura Groves self-titled debut album comes out July 21st on XL Recordings. Enjoy!

via press bio:

Yorkshire is full of towns where nothing much happens, or so they’d have you believe. Laura Groves either didn’t hear, didn’t believe or simply knew better and on the edge of seventeen began writing songs.

With an old family piano and a borrowed guitar, thinking of the records she loved, lyrics that broke her heart, phrasing that made it race, composers cradling her aspirations. Influences spanning genres and generations; from Bartók to Bush, Tiersen to Tears For Fears, Debussy to Du Maurier. She dreamt of writing, arranging, performing and producing an album that would be as treasured by someone else, and hopefully inspire them in the same way.

Blue Roses - Doubtful Comforts.mp3

Shiny Toy Guns @ Bottleneck - June 29, 2009 - Photos by Todd Zimmer

Hey remember Shiny Toy Guns? Lets reminisce back to 2005 when Le Disko was unleashed on their MySpace page and when Shiny Toy Guns were still considered part-time emo borderline indie rockers much like The Killers were the year before. Well, every once in a while, I like to check up on my favorite indie skeletons of the past and see what they've been up to. Apparently, Le Disko star, Carah Charnow was booted off the band in 2008 and replaced by Sisely Treasure (pictured above). Last night, they played in front of a handful of dedicated fans at the Bottleneck in Kansas. Call it one of those super trendy intimate shows.

The Feelies @ Pritzker Pavilion - June 29, 2009 - Photos by Kirstie Shanley

Last night, The Feelies made their triumphant return to Chicago after breaking up in 1992 and deciding to reunite last year.

via Chicago Sun Times:

Aptly titled--the Feelies' trademark is a hyper-frenetic version of the Bo Diddley/Velvets beat augmented by percussion and propelled by frantic rhythm guitars--the group didn't sound or look like any other: These were mad scientists who took the art-nerd personas of the Modern Lovers or the Talking Heads to a new extreme. Yet though they developed a devoted cult following and were hailed by the Village Voice as the best underground band in New York...

Heralded as one of the most influencial indie bands of the early eighties, The Feelies paved the way for bands such as R.E.M.

They will be playing three consecutive nights at Maxwell's in their hometown of New Jersey July 2-4. So welcome back Feelies!

Check out the Dirty Projectors' new llama filled, choreographed wolf chasing siberian husky walking video for Stillness Is The Move!

I still can't get over Breakfast At Sullimay's old folks review of Stillness Is The Move when our favorite senior citizen indie critics sat down to listen to the Dirty Projectors for the first time. Perplexed over breakfast, they asked "Is This American? Is this english?" followed by "These people make a living at this right??? I'm waiting for the geisha girls to come in." Sorry guys, no geishas in this one but it features the lovely Dirty Projector girls dancing in the mountains.

Grizzly Bear has been riding high on the wave of indie and now mainstream success thanks to their latest album Veckatimest. Pictures cannot capture the harmonious beauty of this band, but check them out anyways.

Cursive

Cursive@ El Rey Theatre - June 28, 2009 - Los Angeles, CA

It's hard to imagine Cursive has been around for over ten years now as the band has evolved and grown through the years. Tim Kasher's introspective track "What Have I Done?" off of their latest album Mama, I'm Swollen is one of my favorite songs this year.

Full Gallery at Under The Radar Mag



Mt St Helens Vietnam Band


Opening for Cursive, Mt St Helens Vietnam Band from Seattle. Still not sure how I feel about bands with the word 'Band' in it. Or 'Vietnam'. Or even 'Mt' or 'St' (excluding St Vincent of course). The group is mainly composed of singer Benjamin Verdoes, his percussion banging wife Traci Eggleston-Verdoes, and their adopted 14 year old son on drums. Not exactly the Partridge Family, but they do produce some catchy rock.

Dese'Rae Stage took some radical pictures of Miss Derringer last week. So we decided to post some pictures and stuff from her show in New York. Check it out!

Their new album Winter Hill will be coming out July 14th.

Jeff Tweedy and Feist sing "You And I" @ The Wiltern - June 25, 2009 - Photo by pneyu

This may have to turn into a regular news item. Not long ago, we mentioned Feist rejoined her Broken Social Scene mates in Toronto. Last Thursday in Los Angeles, Feist showed up unexpectedly at a sold out show at The Wiltern to perform a duet with Wilco on stage. Jeff Tweedy and Feist sang "You and I" for the first time live together - a track off of their upcoming release Wilco (The Album) in which Leslie contributes.

If you were lucky enough to be there, it's probably the equivalent of seeing Peter, Bjorn, & John perform Young Folks with Victoria Bergsman, the original songstress on that album. And something you won't see happen that often.

And if you haven't had enough, Feist was also spotted singing with Grizzly Bear in Toronto earlier this month.


Grizzly Bear and Feist @ Phoenix - Toronto, ON - June 5, 2009 - Photo by Jackman Chiu

She does get around doesn't she? Lets just hope Jeff Tweedy and Ed Droste don't get too heartbroken when Feist moves on to duet with another band in the near future.

St Vincent aka Annie Clark press photo - Photo by Annabel Mehran

There's been a plethora of indie artists on television this past week. The highlight, St. Vincent made her network television debut on Letterman last Wednesday with a fantastic rendition of Marrow.

She really pulled out all the stops one this one didn't she with the extra color coordinated horn players and backup singers in the background. Must've sounded even more amazing live, and the clip is a good example of how much better it is to experience St. Vincent live vs listening to her cd in your car. If this nationally televised performance doesn't open up a few eyes and ears to Annie then nothing will!

What else was on TV?

Iggy Pop w/ BPA on Letterman 6/22
MSTRKRFT w/ John Legend on Letterman 6/23
Bat For Lashes performing Daniel on Jimmy Kimmel 6/24
Wilco on Conan 6/24
Dinosaur Jr on Jimmy Fallon - 6/25

Photo by Dese'Rae Stage

Our beat music photographer Dese'Rae Stage happened to be hanging out at the Apollo Theater last night to capture the atmosphere of fans who had gathered to celebrate and mourn the life and death of pop legend Michael Jackson.

via NY Daily News:

The crowd sang, cried and moonwalked their way through an all-night vigil, beneath a brightly-lit marquee bearing words still hard to comprehend: "IN MEMORY OF MICHAEL JACKSON." "Part of me can't believe he's gone," said Reina Allen, a 24-year-old college student. "It just seems so crazy." Fans snapped photos of the Apollo marquee, while Jackson's music blasted from passing cars. Freshly-minted T-shirts were hawked, paying tribute to Jackson's too-short life.

Port O'Brien @ The Independent - June 25, 2009 - San Francisco, CA - Photo By Amber Gregory

Last night we sent photographer Amber Gregory to capture hometown indie folk-rock favorites Port O'Brien at their much anticipated show at The Independent in San Francisco.

We have high hopes for Port O'Brien this year as they prepare their sophomore album hopefully coming out later this year. Their debut record in 2007 showcased their shout-out-loud potential with I Woke Up Today which was good enough to earn a coveted blogotheque video and a daytrotter session.




And in case people had forgotten. The venue played classic Michael Jackson tunes through their sound system before the show as a homage to our fallen popstar. RIP MJ.

More pictures soon!

Broken Social Scene w/ Feist @ NXNE - June 17, 2009 - Photo By Matt Braga

In case you missed it, we found photographic evidence (thanks Matt) of Leslie Feist rejoining her Broken Social Scene bandmates for a 'reunion' of sorts during the Arts & Crafts NXNE Showcase in Toronto. And from the look of things, the chemistry between Kevin Drew and Feist on stage seems to be well-intact after a short hiatus by Miss Feist.

Billed as 'special guests', BSS took the stage around midnight as they celebrated the release of their not-too-cleverly titled book "This Book Is Broken: A Broken Social Scene Story " which chronicles the history of this Canadian super-collective. Yes, they have a book already.

via Amazon:

This Book Is Broken is a lively oral history of Broken Social Scene, the Toronto cult indie-rock band that doubles as a collective, cottage industry, and self-described beautiful mess. Writer Stuart Berman has pieced together the band’s story through interviews with all 18 members, as well as their Toronto peers, international allies, and childhood heroes. Exclusive photos, gig posters, and artwork — most of it provided by band members and associates — expand the text with a composite picture of this influential group of "baroque popsters."

Oh those lovable Canadians and their "baroque popster" music. I'm sure it's easy reading considering they've only been around for less than nine years or so. So if you work near a Borders book store, here's your chance to head on over during your lunch break and skim through Broken Social Scene's "lively oral history".

YouTube: Broken Social Scene - 7/4 Shoreline

"no raccoons were harmed during the making of the album artwork"

There's been a slew of album covers being revealed lately, and we would've mentioned The Dodo's album art yesterday if it wasn't as interesting as ex-Pavement member Spiral Stairs aka Scott Kannberg's spazzed out raccoon cover for his new album The Real Feel coming out on October 20.

via Matador Record's blog:

After a pair of albums under the group nom de plume Preston School Of Industry, Pavement co-founder Scott Kannberg, aka Spiral Stairs, makes his bona fide solo debut with an October 20 LP/CD/digital album release of ‘The Real Feel’ (OLE 858). Following an extended sojourn in Melbourne, Spiral returned to Seattle rejuvenated at the end of ‘08, and commenced recording with a collection of pals including members of PSOI, the Posies, guitarist Ian Moore, Gersey, and Broken Social Scene’s Kevin Drew. Mixed by the Posies’ Jon Auer, this album is by far the most crafted and introspective of Spiral’s post-Pavement works.

Speaking of Pavement, their super-fancy four LP collection Brighten The Corners: Nicene Credence Ed. was released on vinyl yesterday. If you lived out your indie youth in the 90's, you probably earn a decent wage by now so why not go to a local record store and pick one up?

Bonnaroo Music Festival - June 13, 2009 - Photo by Lori

I'm certain by now you've already seen Conan O'Brien's Triumph the Insult Comic Dog clips at Bonnaroo Festival, but have you seen his duet with Jenny Lewis?



I must admit, I was rather impressed by Triumph's singing abilities during Carpetbaggers, but I shouldn't be surprised after listening to his 2003 album Come Poop With Me where he croons such classics as Underage Bichon and Lick Myself. Even though Triumph flubbed on his cue to backup Jenny on "I'm going to rob you blind", I think we can forgive him for his inappropriate yet hilarious improvisation of that line later in the video.

Hey, that's Todd Barry in the audience!

Jenny Lewis is on tour through the end of August so do what you must to catch her.