2013 Album Of The Year

Imagine My Bloody Valentine mixed with Explosions In The Sky mixed with Slayer. Enter Deafheaven and their stunningly beautiful album Sunbather. Much of the focus of the album has been on its pink cover -- indeed an interesting choice for a black metal/blackgaze album -- but you'll forget about the album cover once you delve into the music. This most certainly isn't for everyone - the album will be off-putting for many shoegaze fans mainly due to the vocals - but do yourself a favor and give it a listen. It's a beautifully intense piece of work and the one album I couldn't stop listening to in 2013. Stream it in full here and enjoy a few tracks below:

"Dream House"



"Sunbather"



The eerie "Windows" includes samples of a preacher mixed along with audio of an actual drug deal featuring guitarist Kerry McCoy



Published on December 31st, 2013 @ 11:00 PM

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Video: Tanya Donelly joins the Breeders in Boston

The Breeders have been on the road celebrating the 20th anniversary of Last Splash. Last night the band returned to Boston, and much like their May 2013 show at the Royale in Boston, ex-Breeder Tanya Donelly joined the band to perform Pod classic, "Happiness Is A Warm Gun" (Beatles cover). Check out video of the performance filmed at Paradise in Boston below:



The Breeders wrap up the Last Splash LSXX tour in Austin, Texas on New Year's Eve.

12/19 - NYC @ Webster Hall
12/20 - NYC @ Webster Hall
12/29 - New Orleans @ One Eyed Jacks
12/31 - Austin @ The Mohawk

Published on December 19th, 2013 @ 11:08 AM

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Video: Chris Cornell performs new single "Misery Chain" on Letterman

Last night Chris Cornell performed his new single "Misery Chain" along with Joy Williams on Letterman. Watch the performance below. "Misery Chain" is available on Music From & Inspired By 12 Years A Slave.



Published on December 17th, 2013 @ 5:17 PM

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Gary Numan brings North American tour to Detroit in 2014

Gary Numan announced a winter North American tour in support of his fantastic new album Splinter (Songs From A Broken Mind). The tour kicks off in March and includes a Detroit area stop at the Crofoot Ballroom on March 28th. Tickets for most of the dates including the Detroit stop go on sale Friday. Check out the tour itinerary below and if you haven't already, be sure to check out Numan's excellent new album.



3/05 – Solana Beach, CA @ Belly Up
3/06 – Los Angeles, CA @ Mayan Theatre
3/07 – Las Vegas, NV @ Hard Rock Cafe
3/08 – Phoenix, AZ @ Marquee
3/11 – Dallas, TX @ Granada Theater
3/12-14 – Austin, TX @ SXSW
3/17 – Nashville, TN @ Mercy Lounge
3/19 – Cleveland, OH @ Beachland Ballroom
3/20 – Pittsburgh, PA @ Altar Bar
3/22 – New York, NY @ Webster Hall
3/23 – Philadelphia, PA @ Trocadero
3/24 – Boston, MA @ Paradise
3/25 – Montreal, QC @ Corona
3/27 – Toronto, ON @ Phoenix Theatre
3/28 – Pontiac, MI @ Crofoot Ballroom
3/29 – Chicago, IL @ Metro
3/30 – Minneapolis, MN @ Mill City Nights
4/01 – Milwaukee, WI @ Turner Hall
4/02 – St. Louis, MO @ Firebird
4/04 – Denver, CO @ Gothic
4/06 – San Francisco, CA @ The Fillmore

Published on December 16th, 2013 @ 10:42 PM

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Peter Murphy comments on drug arrest: "I'm a total teetotaler"

Peter Murphy has finally commented publicly on his March 17th arrest for hit & run and drug possession. Murphy admits to being involved in an accident, however he vehemently denies being in possession (or being a user) of methamphetamine. In an interview with the Australian music site The Music.co.uk (via Louder Than War), Murphy reveals he's a "total teetotaler" and has no idea where the meth police discovered came from:

"If you read the police reports you will see that my drug tests were completely clean. It’s not clear where the meth came from, but I can tell you that I have never touched the stuff."

Murphy escaped jail time and was sentenced to three months of probation in October. He'll release his tenth studio album, tentatively titled Lion, in 2014. The album was produced by Youth and is projected to be completed by year's end.

Earlier in the year, Peter Murphy guested on the new Dark Flowers album. Stream the track "Clean Break" from the album below:

"Clean Break"



Published on December 16th, 2013 @ 10:27 PM

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The Ocean Blue release two new songs on Korda 2 Komp

Fresh off the release of the new album Ultramarine, the Ocean Blue are back with two more new songs on the newly released Korda 2 Komp. The tracks "No Money In That" and "Latin Blues" are streaming below, plus the full compilation which includes contributions from the Owls, Starfolk, Jim Ruiz Set and more is available to buy and stream here.





Published on December 15th, 2013 @ 6:18 PM

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Video: Morrissey at the Nobel Peace Concert

Morrissey performed at the Nobel Peace Concert in Norway earlier today. The performance is his first live appearance since March 2013. Watch the three song performance below via Pitchfork.



01. People Are The Same Everywhere
02. Satellite Of Love
03. Irish Blood, English Heart

Published on December 11th, 2013 @ 6:59 PM

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Bob Mould celebrates 'Workbook' anniversary with reissue & tour

Bob Mould's brilliant debut solo album Workbook is turning 25 years old and to celebrate, Mould is reissuing the classic record and hitting the road for a (ridiculously short) tour. The Workbook 25 reissue includes the original material, the b-side "All Those People Know," plus an extra disc of mostly live material recorded in 1989 at Cabaret Metro in Chicago. The reissue will also be released on 2 LP vinyl [note - the vinyl version won't include the extra live recordings, only the extra b-side "All Those People Know."] Workbook 25 will be released through Omnivore Recordings on February 25th. For more details, visit Bob Mould's official site or Omnivore Records. The tracklisting for Workbook 25 is posted underneath the dates for Mould' short anniversary tour.



Workbook 25 Tour

02/27 – San Francisco, CA @ Noise Pop
03/01 – Chicago, IL @ Old Town
03/02 – Chicago, IL @ City Winery
03/04 – Minneapolis, MN @ Women’s Club
03/05 – Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club
03/07 – New York, NY @ City Winery
03/08 – New York, NY @ City Winery

Disc 1

01. Sunspots
02. Wishing Well
03. Heartbreak A Stranger
04. See A Little Light
05. Poison Years
06. Sinners & Their Repentances
07. Brasilia Crossed With Trenton
08. Compositions For The Young & Old
09. Lonely Afternoon
10. Dreaming, I Am
11. Whichever Way The Wind Blows
12. All Those People Know

Disc 2 - Live at Cabaret Metro

01. Sunspots
02. Wishing Well
03. Compositions For The Young & Old
04. Heartbreak A Stranger
05. Dreaming, I Am
06. If You're True
07. Poison Years
08. Sinners & Their Repentances
09. Lonely Afternoon
10. Brasilia Crossed With Trenton
11. See A Little Light
12. Whichever Way The Wind Blows
13. All Those People Know
14. Shoot Out The Lights
15. Hardly Getting Over It
16. Celebrated Summer
17. Makes No Sense At All

Published on December 10th, 2013 @ 6:15 AM

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Swervedriver premieres video for "Deep Wound"

Swervedriver's limited edition 7" of "Deep Wound" released earlier this year is now available as a digital download. "Deep Wound" b/w the dub version "Dub Wound" (featuring Ride's Mark Gardener on backing vocals) is available on Bandcamp, iTunes, and Amazon. Swervedriver premiered the official video for "Deep Wound" yesterday which includes footage taken from their live session at KEXP in Seattle last April. Check out the official video and KEXP performance from 2012 below:

"Deep Wound" (official video)



"Deep Wound" (KEXP session, April 4, 2012)



As mentioned above, the remix version of "Deep Wound" (titled "Dub Wound") includes backing vocals from Ride's Mark Gardener. The "Deep Wound" single was recorded at Gardener's OX-4-Sound studios in Oxford, England (the home of Swervedriver, Ride, and tons of other awesome bands).



As an aside, pretty cool to see old Ride bandmates Mark Gardener and Andy Bell tweeting to one another...

@Andybebop @SwervedriverUK Thanks Andy,I don't get out much these days ! It was a great night in @ox4sound with @AFBoltsofMelody !
— Mark Gardener (@MarkGardener) December 10, 2013

Published on December 9th, 2013 @ 6:00 AM

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The Ultimate Joy Division Quiz

Test your Joy Division knowledge by taking the Ultimate Joy Division Quiz over at Shortlist. Though there are a few throwaway/easy questions, only huge fans are going to ace this one. Take the 20 question test here.

Published on December 10th, 2013 @ 5:33 AM

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Pixies announce new touring bassist & premiere new video

The Pixies announced Paz Lenchantin (A Perfect Circle, ZWAN) will be joining the band as their touring bassist for their live dates in North America and Europe in 2014:

"We are really looking forward to playing with her on these dates,” said Lovering. “Working with different bass players is very new for the band, but we’re having a great time doing it."

Dates for their North American tour and summer festival schedule can be found below the band's new video for "Another Toe In The Ocean."



1/15 - Toronto @ Massey Hall
1/16 - Montreal @ Metropolis
1/18 - Boston @ Orpheum
1/19 - Port Chester, NY @ Capitol Theater
1/21 - Newark, NJ @ New Jersey Performing Arts Center
1/22 - New Haven, CT @ Shubert Theater
1/24 - Philadelphia @ Electric Factory
1/25 - Pittsburgh @ Carnegie Music Hall
1/26 - Washington DC @ Strathmore
1/29 - Richmond, VA @ National Theatre
1/31 - Durham, NC @ Durham PAC
2/01 - Asheville, NC @ Thomas Wolfe Auditorium
2/02 - Nashville, TN @ Ryman Auditorium
2/04 - Atlanta, GA @ Tabernacle
2/06 - St. Louis, MO @ Peabody Opera House
2/07 - Columbus, OH @ LC Pavilion
2/08 - Detroit, MI @ Fillmore Detroit
2/09 - Chicago, IL @ Riviera Theater
2/11 - Kansas City, MO @ Midland Theater
2/13 - Denver, CO @ Fillmore
2/14 - Aspen, CO @ Belly Up Tavern
2/15 - Salt Lake City, UT @ The Great Salt Air
2/17 - Vancouver @ Orpheum Theatre
2/18 - Seattle, WA @ Paramount Theatre
2/19 - Portland, OR @ Schnitzer
2/21 - Oakland, CA @ Fox Theater
2/22 - San Jose, CA @ Civic Theater
2/23 - Las Vegas, NV @ The Joint
2/24 - Phoenix, AZ @ Comerica Theatre
2/25 - Albuquerque, NM @ Kiva Auditorium
2/27 - Houston, TX @ Bayou Music Center
2/28 - Dallas, TX @ South Side Ballroom
3/01 - Austin, TX @ Music Hall
3/29 - 3/30 - Lollapalooza Chile
4/01 - Uruguay - Rock & Fall Festival
4/01 - 4/03 - Lollapalooza Argentina
4/03 - 4/05 - Bogota, Colombia
4/05 - 4/06 - Lollapalooza Brazil
5/29 - 5/31 - Primavera Sound
6/05 - 6/07 - Primavera Sound
6/08 - London @ Field Day
6/15 - Risskov, Arhus - Denmark - Northside
6/20 - Hilvarenbeek @ Best Kept Secret Festival
6/20 - 6/22 Neuhausen auf den Fildern - Southside
6/20 - 6/22 Hurricane Festival
6/22 - 6/22 Southside Festival
6/25 - Croatia
6/29 - Dublin, Ireland
6/30 - Cork, Ireland
7/05 - Rock Werchter Festival
7/06 - Beauregard Festival

Published on December 9th, 2013 @ 6:06 AM

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R.E.M.'s Peter Buck announces Detroit area date

R.E.M. guitarist, Peter Buck announced a Detroit area date - he's playing the Magic Bag in Ferndale on February 21st. Alejandro Escovedo is also performing at the Magic Bag that night.  Grab tickets here.

Peter Buck released his debut solo album last year as a limited edition vinyl pressing and is expected to release a follow up to that soon. Like the first record, the new record is likely going to be a vinyl only release - he told Salon earlier this year that he enjoys releasing music that way.

"...honestly, when I download a record, do I really care about it as much as if I’ve gone somewhere and actually walked a mile? So if you want my record you either have to write away to order it or you have to drive or walk somewhere to pick it up. I mean there’s less than 6,000. I’m not going to sell a million records."

Stream Buck's solo record below



Published on December 7th, 2013 @ 3:35 PM

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Swervedriver releases digital version of "Deep Wound"

Swervedriver's limited edition 7" of "Deep Wound" released earlier this year is now available as a digital download. "Deep Wound" b/w the dub version "Dub Wound" (featuring Ride's Mark Gardener on backing vocals) is on Bandcamp now and will be available through iTunes, Amazon, and Google Play on December 9th.  Stream both tracks below.





Published on December 7th, 2013 @ 9:40 AM

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Nine Inch Nails: Tension 2013 concert film

As reported previously Nine Inch Nails premiered their 90 minute concert film on Vevo today. The footage was shot November 8th at the Staples Center in Los Angeles as part of the Tension tour. The concert is streaming below, and a physical version (DVD/Blu-Ray) will be released next year. Those interested in obtaining the physical version can sign up for the mailing list over at the NIN website.

Also: NIN is doing a Reddit AMA (ask me anything) at 3PM ET today





Published on December 5th, 2013 @ 12:48 PM

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David Bowie premieres new video for "I'd Rather Be High"

David Bowie premiered a new video for the Venetian mix of "I'd Rather Be High." The new remix is featured on Bowie's forthcoming "Love Is Lost" single. The limited edition 12" single comes pressed on white vinyl and includes the James Murphy mix of "Love Is Lost" b/w "I'd Rather Be High" and the edited version of "Love Is Lost." The single will be released on December 16th.



Published on December 5th, 2013 @ 5:49 AM

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Mark Lanegan anthology coming in January + download free remix

Mark Lanegan releases his 32 track collection Has God Seen My Shadow? An Anthology 1989-2011 on January 14th. The collection features material from his solo career and includes 12 previously unreleased tracks.  Pre-order on vinyl or cd through Amazon.

Lanegan released a covers album titled Imitations in September and he release a single with Moby for Record Store Day in April. In May, Lanegan teamed up with Duke Garwood for the project Black Pudding. Download a remix of Black Pudding's "Cold Molly" below for free from Soundcloud:



In 2012 Mark Lanegan discussed several of the albums he's worked on over the years, plus talked about working with Josh Homme, Isobel Campbell, and his unfinished collaboration with Kurt Cobain. Read the article here.

Published on December 4th, 2013 @ 6:57 PM

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Black Francis writing a graphic novel + watch Pixies hourlong BBC session

A graphic novel by the Pixies' Black Francis titled The Good Inn will be published by SelfMadeHero in May. The book has been described as "a fantastical piece of illustrated fiction based on a yet-to-be-written soundtrack to a movie that doesn't yet exist." The Good Inn was co-written by Pixies biographer, Josh Frank. Read more about the book over at the Guardian.

Meanwhile, back in October, the Pixies played an hourlong session at the famed Maida Vale Studios in London for the BBC. The session includes 18 songs and a couple of short interview segments with Black Francis. Enjoy the Maida Vale session below:



Setlist

Bone Machine
Break My Body
Monkey Gone to Heaven
Bagboy
I've Been Tired
Hey
Indie Cindy
Gouge Away
Havalina
Velouria
Mr. Grieves
Another Toe in the Ocean
What Goes Boom
Isla de Encanta
Winterlong
Here Comes Your Man
Vamos
Where Is My Mind?

Posted on December 4th, 2013 @ 4:27 PM

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Nine Inch Nails premiere Tension '13 concert film

Nine Inch Nails are premiering a 90 minute concert film on Vevo tomorrow (December 5th) at noon ET. The footage was shot in Los Angeles on the November 8th stop of the Tension 2013 tour. While you're waiting for that, check out part 2 of NIN's behind the scenes look at the Tension tour below:



Trent Reznor also announced his streaming music service Beats Music launches in January. Find out more about that here.

Published on December 4th, 2013 @ 2:20 PM

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Morrissey releases "Satellite of Love" cover & 'Autobiography' in North America

Morrissey's cover of the Lou Reed classic "Satellite of Love" was released today in North America. The cover was recorded at The Chelsea Ballroom at the Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas on November 25, 2011 and is available as a digital single from iTunes or Amazon. A 7" picture disc of "Satellite of Love" will be released on January 28th, and will be backed with Moz's 1992 track "You're Gonna Need Someone On Your Side" produced by Mick Ronson (co-producer of Reed's original version of "Satellite Of Love" and its parent album, Transformer) as well as a previously unreleased live version of "You Say You Don't Love Me," recorded live in Hyde Park on July 4, 2008.

Autobiography by Morrissey is also out today.



Published on December 3rd, 2013 @ 5:05 AM

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Stream TOY's outstanding new LP 'Join The Dots' ahead of its release

TOY is one of the best bands around right now.  If you enjoy psychedelica and you're not familiar with this band, you need to stop everything and check them out.  Last year they released their debut full length album TOY (check out the epic "Kopter" from TOY below), and they've already followed up the debut with a brilliant new album titled Join The Dots.  The album arrives December 10th, which is well after every music publication known to man shuts down for the season so don't expect this to appear on too many year end lists (since they're already written). Stream Join The Dots in full ahead of its release over at the Guardian.





TOY have a North American tour planned for January. Go see them:

1/09 - Brooklyn, NY @ Glasslands Gallery
1/10 - New York, NY @ Mercury Lounge
1/14 - Toronto, ON @ Horseshoe Tavern
1/15 - Detroit, MI @ PJ's Lager House
1/16 - Chicago, IL @ Beat Kitchen
1/18 - San Francisco, CA @ The Chapel
1/19 - Los Angeles, CA @ The Echo

Catch up with TOY on the web.

Published December 2nd, 2013 @ 7:34 PM

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Kim Shattuck and the Pixies part ways

Kim Shattuck, who had been playing bass on tour with the Pixies for the past few months announced on Twitter yesterday that she's no longer going to be performing with the band.

Disappointed to learn that my time w/Pixies ended today. Amazing experience.Focusing attn on Muffs & new album. All the best to everyone.
— The Muffs: Kim (@TheMuffs) November 30, 2013

So far the Pixies haven't commented on Shattuck's departure, and the rumor mill is churning away at full speed. It's important to note that Shattuck never officially joined the Pixies - months ago the Pixies reported Shattuck as would be performing bass and backing vocals on tour, but never called her an official member of the Pixies. The Pixies have made several comments in interviews over the past few months stating that original bassist Kim Deal was always welcome to come back, and Shattuck's departure leaves fans wondering if Deal will be returning.

The Pixies hit the road in North America in January, so they'll likely be making some announcement regarding who will be playing bass shortly.

1/15 - Toronto @ Massey Hall
1/16 - Montreal @ Metropolis
1/18 - Boston @ Orpheum
1/19 - Port Chester, NY @ Capitol Theater
1/21 - Newark, NJ @ New Jersey Performing Arts Center
1/22 - New Haven, CT @ Shubert Theater
1/24 - Philadelphia @ Electric Factory
1/25 - Pittsburgh @ Carnegie Music Hall
1/26 - Washington DC @ Strathmore
1/29 - Richmond, VA @ National Theatre
1/31 - Durham, NC @ Durham PAC
2/01 - Asheville, NC @ Thomas Wolfe Auditorium
2/02 - Nashville, TN @ Ryman Auditorium
2/04 - Atlanta, GA @ Tabernacle
2/06 - St. Louis, MO @ Peabody Opera House
2/07 - Columbus, OH @ LC Pavilion
2/08 - Detroit, MI @ Fillmore Detroit
2/09 - Chicago, IL @ Riviera Theater
2/11 - Kansas City, MO @ Midland Theater
2/13 - Denver, CO @ Fillmore
2/14 - Aspen, CO @ Belly Up Tavern
2/15 - Salt Lake City, UT @ The Great Salt Air
2/17 - Vancouver @ Orpheum Theatre
2/18 - Seattle, WA @ Paramount Theatre
2/19 - Portland, OR @ Schnitzer
2/21 - Oakland, CA @ Fox Theater
2/22 - San Jose, CA @ Civic Theater
2/23 - Las Vegas, NV @ The Joint
2/24 - Phoenix, AZ @ Comerica Theatre
2/25 - Albuquerque, NM @ Kiva Auditorium
2/27 - Houston, TX @ Bayou Music Center
2/28 - Dallas, TX @ South Side Ballroom
3/01 - Austin, TX @ Music Hall

Published on November 30th, 2013 @ 9:22 AM

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Anton Corbijn reportedly films Depeche Mode concert in Berlin for DVD release

A new Depeche Mode live DVD is reportedly in the works.  Both of the band's shows in Berlin are rumored to be filmed by Anton Corbijn for a future DVD release. Depeche Mode played Berlin's O2 World last night and returns for a second show tomorrow. So far there's been no confirmation about the filming or release by Depeche Mode, but it seems likely, especially considering the band loves performing in Berlin. plus Corbijn was spotted by fans at the show.  Read a report about the DVD over at a Depeche Mode fansite via Side Line.

UPDATE (10/10/14): Depeche Mode has now officially announced the release of Depeche Mode: Live In Berlin, which arrives on November 17th. Additional details are posted here.

Video from last night's show is posted below:



Published on November 26th, 2013 @ 6:10 AM

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Mazzy Star on Late Night With Jimmy Fallon

Mazzy Star performed their new single "California" on Late Night With Jimmy Fallon yesterday. Watch the performance below. Mazzy Star's excellent new album Seasons of Your Day is out now.



Published on November 26th, 2013 @ 5:44 AM

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Morrissey performing live at annual Nobel Peace Prize celebration

Morrissey confirmed that he'll perform at this year's Nobel Peace Prize event December 11th in Oslo, Norway. The performance will be Morrissey's first live appearance since his ill-fated North American tour which was axed in March. Moz is set to perform three songs at the event. Previous Nobel Peace Prize concerts have been broadcast live to 130 countries including the United States and Canada, so it's likely fans across the globe will be able to watch Morrissey's grand return to the stage. More details are expected closer to the show. More info on the concert is posted here.

Morrissey has a busy December - besides the Nobel Peace Prize gig, his book Autobiography is out in North America on December 3rd; a hardcover version of Autobiography will be published in the U.K. December 5th; and he's releasing a live cover of Lou Reed's "Satellite of Love" as a digital download on December 5th.

Published on November 26th, 2013 @ 5:38 AM

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Shirley Manson performs with Goodbye Mr. Mackenzie's Martin Metcalfe

Shirley Manson was honored November 23rd at the Tartan Clefs (aka Scottish Music Awards) with the Innovation Award and later performed with Goodbye Mr Mackenzie’s Martin Metcalfe for the first time in 20 years [Manson was a member of Goodbye Mr Mackenzie before forming Angelfish, and later, Garbage]. Together Manson and Metcalfe paid tribute to Lou Reed with a cover of "Candy Says" and also performed the Angelfish song "Sleep With Me."

Other Tartan Clefs winners include Camera Obscura, Mogwai, and Twin Atlantic.  The annual awards ceremony recognizes musical achievement and doubles as a fundraising event - this year proceeds from the ceremony helped raise funds for Nordoff Robins Music Therapy charity. Pictures from the event are posted over at Herald Scotland.

Watch video featuring part of Manson and Metcalfe's performance below:

"Candy Says" (Lou Reed cover)



"Sleep With Me" (Angelfish cover)



Published on November 25th, 2013 @ 11:28 AM

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X-Radio-X samples Robert Smith & the Cure

Athens electro project X-Radio-X released a trio of albums on Bandcamp this month, including a free download album titled Igniis Fatuus.  The leadoff song on Igniis Fatuus is "Kyoto Minimal" - a song that isn't technically a remix of the Cure's "Kyoto Song" but it might as well be.  The song includes the melody of the Head on the Door track plus features samples of Robert Smith's vocals. Stream "Kyoto Minimal" below and download it for free (along with the rest of X-Radio-X's catalog) on Bandcamp:



Because why not, check out a live version of the Cure's "Kyoto Song" with a montage of cool Robert Smith pics below:



Published on November 23rd, 2013 @ 7:56 PM

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Kitchens Of Distinction premiere "Tiny Moments, Tiny Omens" video

Kitchens Of Distinction premiered the video for their new single, "Tiny Moments, Tiny Omens." The clip was filmed in Derbyshire, England; Versailles, France; and County Sligo, Ireland.  Check it out below:



"Tiny Moments, Tiny Omens" is available on the new Kitchen Of Distinctions album Folly, which was released in September. Meanwhile, a fantastic four song acoustic set (including a breathtaking version of "Drive That Fast") is available to stream here.

Published on November 23rd, 2013 @ 6:24 PM

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Morrissey featured in PETA's Vegetarian Celebrity 2013 Photostamp series

Morrissey is one of the stars included on PETA's 2013 edition of Vegetarian Celebrity U.S. PhotoStamps. Belinda Carlisle, Joan Jett, Russell Simmons, Bob Barker, and Pamela Anderson are some of the other celebrities included in the series.  Check out the full series here, and order here.

Published on November 23rd, 2013 @ 6:08 PM

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OMD posts update on drummer Malcolm Holmes

OMD posted an update on drummer Malcolm Holmes, who suffered cardiac issues after experiencing severe heat exhaustion while on tour in Toronto on July 19th:

"Malcolm's recovery continues slowly but surely. He is now driving, which makes life a little easier. The doctor says 6-12 months for him to be as fully recovered as he can be. Once again he thanks everyone for their continued good wishes"

After the July incident, OMD canceled all touring plans in 2013 to allow Holmes to recover. Andy McCluskey and Paul Humphreys recently announced a one-off show March 22nd, 2014 at the Night of the Proms festival in Poland.



Published on November 22nd, 2013 @ 6:03 AM

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Stream: Weekend's CMJ session

Weekend (the Brooklyn band, not the R & B artist) played a session inside a New York church at CMJ last month in promotion of their new album Jinx. The session was sponsored and professionally filmed by Seattle's KEXP.  Stream the five song set below:



Published on November 21, 2013 @ 8:07 PM

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Bask in the darkwave glow of New York's Suntalk

Ran into an excellent song today from a darkwavish New York band called Suntalk. Their impressive debut single "Darkness" is available now as a single download on Bandcamp and will also be released on the Darkness EP in January. If the rest of Suntalk's music is like "Darkness" I predict big things for these guys. Stream "Darkness" below and download it from Bandcamp.  Catch up with Suntalk on Facebook.



Published on November 20th, 2013 @ 7:01 PM

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DEMF celebrates Detroit's 313th birthday with festival at Campus Martius & Ford Field

Note: There has been some confusion behind today's DEMF announcement because over the years many people have been incorrectly referring to the annual Movement Festival as the DEMF. The annual Hart Plaza festival on Memorial Day weekend was originally called DEMF when it began in 2000, but after a few years (change in organizers, legal issues, and other city of Detroit drama) the festival was re-named Movement. Though many people have continued to refer to Movement as DEMF they are NOT the same thing. Movement Detroit is organized by Paxahau Event Productions, and the DEMF is organized by Carol Marvin (who was previously involved in the original DEMF festival at Hart Plaza and has retained the rights to the DEMF name).

Detroit gets two techno festivals in 2014 - the annual Movement Festival takes place Memorial Day weekend (May 24 - May 26) at Hart Plaza, and as announced earlier this morning, DEMF returns for the first time since 2002 to celebrate Detroit's 313th birthday (celebrating the 313 in the 313). DEMF takes place July 4th through July 6th and will actually be two simultaneous techno festivals - the free version of DEMF takes place at Campus Martius, and a paid version which has been named FEMT (Federation of Electronic Music Technology) takes place inside Ford Field. The lineup for DEMF/FEMT has not been announced yet other than Underground Resistance, Model 500, and Cybotron, which will be the legendary project's first live appearance ever!  Pre-sale tickets for FEMT are on sale now - there's a three day package for $250 and a three day VIP package for $1200.  General onsale is Friday, November 22nd and three day passes increase to $300; VIP passes increase to $1500, so get in on the pre-sale to save some money.  More info on DEMF/FEMT will be announced shortly, so it's not a bad idea to keep the DEMF Facebook page handy.

As previously announced, tickets for Movement went on sale last month.  Visit the official Movement Detroit website and Movement Detroit Facebook page for more info (official website was down earlier, may want to try again shortly).

Published on November 20th, 2013 @ 12:49 PM

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Skinny Puppy premieres skullcrushing video for "illisiT"

Industrial kings Skinny Puppy released their excellent album Weapon back in May, and this week they premiered the official video for the latest single "illisiT."  The video was directed by graphic artist Jason Alacrity (the man behind industrial/EDM project The Alacrity) and has a bit of everything you'd expect from a Skinny Puppy video: dark and textured graphic scenes, plenty of blood and gore, and even a few insects. Check out the awesomeness below:


Skinny Puppy: illisiT [OFFICIAL VIDEO] from Jason Alacrity on Vimeo.

Skinny Puppy hit the road for a tour of North America in 2014. Though Ogre recently revealed he has an allergy to red dye (apparently it makes him hoarse if he swallows it), Ogre confirmed his allergy isn't going to prevent Skinny Puppy from using blood on their tour.   

1/24 - Santa Ana, CA @ The Observatory
1/25 - San Diego, CA @ House of Blues
1/27 - Phoenix, AZ @ Marquee Theater
1/28 - Albuquerque, NM @ Sunshine Theater
1/30 - San Antonio, TX @ Backstage Live
2/01 - Houston, TX @ Warehouse Live
2/03 - New Orleans, LA @ Tipitinas Uptown
2/04 - Atlanta, GA @ Center Stage Theater
2/05 - Orlando, FL @ Beacham Theater
2/07 - Miami, FL @ Grand Central
2/08 - Tampa, FL @ The Ritz
2/10 - Charlotte, NC @ Amos Southend
2/11 - Silver Spring, MD @ The Fillmore
2/13 - Philadelphia, PA @ The Trocadero
2/14 - New York, NY @ Webster Hall
2/15 - Boston, MA @ Royale
2/16 - Montreal, QC @ Club Soda
2/18 - Toronto, ON @ Sound Academy
2/19 - Detroit, MI @ The Majestic
2/21 - Chicago, IL @ The Vic
2/22 - Minneapolis, MN @ Mill City Nights
2/23 - Lawrence, KS @ Granada Theater
2/24 - Denver, CO @ Ogden Theater
2/26 - Salt Lake City, UT @ Lo-Fi Cafe
2/28 - Vancouver, BC @ Commodore Ballroom
3/01 - Seattle, WA @ Showbox Market
3/02 - Portland, OR @ Wonder Theatre
3/04 - San Francisco, CA @ The Fillmore
3/05 - Los Angeles, CA @ Mayan Theater

Published on November 19th, 2013 @ 6:51 PM

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Morrissey pens lengthy essay 'The World Won't Listen'

Morrissey posted a new essay for True To You titled The World Won't Listen. The lengthy essay mostly attacks the recent celebrities who have proudly killed animals for sheer enjoyment. He also gives props at the end to Russell Brand, endorsing his view on voting and lamenting the end to thoughtful debate, calling the U.K. a "cabbagebrain" nation. Read the full essay over at True To You.

Published on November 19th, 2013 @ 6:12 AM

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Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds announce North American tour

Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds return to North America in 2014 in support of the album Push the Sky Away. The 19 date tour includes a stop at the Masonic Temple Theater in Detroit on July 29th, which should be an AMAZING place to see Cave. Tickets go on sale Friday, November 22nd, but there are several presales leading up to Friday's general onsale including an exclusive 24 hour presale through the Association of Alternative Newspapers (find out more about that here).  For more on the tour, visit the official Nick Cave website.

6/16 - Louisville, Ky @ Louisville Palace Theater
6/18 - Kansas City, MO @ @ Midland Theater
6/20 - Milwaukee, WI @ The Milwaukee Theater
6/21 - Minneapolis, MN @ State Theater
6/24 - Denver, CO @ The Buell Theater
6/27 - Calgary, Alb @ Southern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium
6/28 - Edmonton, Alb @ Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium
6/30 - Vancouver, BC @ Orpheum Theater
7/02 - Seattle, WA @ Paramount Theater
7/05 - Portland, OR @ Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall
7/07 - San Francisco, CA @ The Warfield Theater
7/11 - Los Angeles, CA @ Shrine Auditorium
7/19 - Austin, TX @ ACL Live At Moody Theater
7/21 - New Orleans, LA @ Mahalia Jackson Theater
7/23 - Washington D.C. @ Dar Constitution Hall
7/25 - Philadelphia, PA @ The Mann Center
7/26 - New York, NY @ Prospect Park
7/29 - Detroit, MI @ Masonic Temple
7/31 - Toronto, Ont @ Sony Centre

Published on November 18th, 2013 @ 10:12 PM

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Alison Moyet rips through Yaz classics & solo material in San Francisco

Alison Moyet was in North America last week performing a woefully short tour (3 dates!) in support of her new album the minutes. Some fan filmed video shot at the November 11th show in San Francisco has appeared on You Tube. Check out Moyet ripping through a few songs including Yaz/Yazoo classics below.













Published on November 18th, 2013 @ 5:42 AM

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Johnny Marr + Andy Rourke belt out Smiths' classics in New York City

Johnny Marr played Webster Hall in New York City last night and brought out a special surprise guest - his old bandmate Andy Rourke (kinda like he did back in May in Brooklyn). Rourke joined Marr for two Smiths' classics "Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want" and "How Soon Is Now?" At the end of "Please, Please, Please" Marr gave Rourke props, calling him "Andy Fucking Rourke." Watch the awesomeness below:



Here's closer up video of Please, Please, Please but more distorted audio






Published on November 17th, 2013 @ 7:56 AM

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R.E.M. reunites (sort of) in Athens

Michael Stipe, Peter Buck, Mike Mills, and Bill Berry all hung out at Athens, Georgia's 40 Watt Club on November 14th to watch Buck perform as the warm up act for Drivin' & Cryin' leader Kevn Kinney.  As it turned out, an impromptu semi-R.E.M. reunion took place when Buck, Mills, and Berry took the stage to perform the classic "(Don't Go Back To) Rockville." Stipe opted to sit things out, perhaps because he didn't feel like singing (Buck revealed in an October interview with Salon that Stipe "isn't really into performing publicly right now"), or maybe it was because R.E.M. wanted to stay true to their word about never reuniting. Whatever the case, it's still pretty awesome to see most of R.E.M. up on stage together rocking out. Check out the performance of "(Don't Go Back To) Rockville" below via Gigwise. Fun fact: cover for the night was a mere five bucks.



Published on November 16th, 2013 @ 6:14 PM

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Manchester By Piano: Classic Manchester anthems recorded on piano

Fans who enjoyed Stone Roses for Piano will swoon over Manchester By Piano - Manchester classic anthems from Joy Division, New Order, the Smiths, James, Inspiral Carpets, Charlatans, Chameleons and Oasis beautifully covered on piano.  Check out the awesomeness below:





















Published on November 16th, 2013 @ 9:27 AM

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Morrissey releases 'Autobiography' as hardcover with new cover art

Morrissey is releasing his worldwide bestseller Autobiography in North America on December 3rd. Now comes news that a hardcover edition will be available through Penguin U.K. on December 5th, which is the same day as the release of the audiobook version of Autobiography (narrated by actor David Morrissey). The hardcover edition has different cover art (hardcover art posted above). It appears the hardcover edition doesn't have a North American release yet, so fans interested in the hardcover edition may either want to purchase the import or wait it out a little longer.

Morrissey announced earlier this week that he's releasing a live version of his cover of "Satellite of Love" as a tribute to Lou Reed. The cover will be available as a digital download on December 2nd and will have a physical release in early 2014.

Published on November 16th, 2013 @ 8:59 AM

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Johnny Marr rocks Jimmy Fallon & confirms autobiography

Johnny Marr played Late Night With Jimmy Fallon last night. He performed "Generate, Generate" from his solo album The Messenger, then played "Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want" as a web-exclusive. Check out both performances below:





Meanwhile, in light of Morrissey's recent autobiography, Johnny Marr was asked if he's writing his own. Marr revealed to Brooklyn Vegan that he's indeed going to release an autobiography some day:

"There is gonna be one, yeah. I've had so many offers and so many people advising me that my story is worth it, but I understand it's something that I have to do."

In the meantime, Marr fans may want to check out the newish biography on the Smiths titled A Light That Never Goes Out: The Enduring Saga of The Smiths. Marr was interviewed by author Tony Fletcher for over 15 hours for the biography, which is the first Smiths biography to be published in years.

Marr continues on his tour of North America. Dates are posted below:

11/16 – New York, NY @ Webster Hall
11/17 – Baltimore, MD @ Rams Head
11/19 – Carrboro, NC @ Cat’s Cradle
11/20 – Asheville, NC @ Orange Peel
11/22 – Nashville, TN @ Marathon Music Works
11/23 – Atlanta, GA @ The Loft
11/24 – Jacksonville, FL @ Freebird
11/25 – Orlando, FL @ The Beacham Theatre
11/26 – Fort Lauderdale, FL @ Culture Room

Published on November 16th, 2013 @ 8:48 AM

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Catherine Wheel's Rob Dickinson steers to new career

Doesn't look like a Catherine Wheel reunion will be happening anytime soon. Vocalist Rob Dickinson is spending his time these days restoring Porsche 911 vehicles with his company Singer Vehicle Design. Dickinson likens restoring cars to making an album, and though he says he enjoyed the 10 years he spent making music, his passion lies in restoring cars. Check out a video of Dickinson discussing his passion for restoring Porsche 911 cars below:



Dickinson is clearly focused on cars over music -- he said in the video above that for him, "music has come and gone, but cars have always been constant." Though he's not actively pursuing music at this time, he told Forbes he may return in the future:

"Singer has been my overriding priority for the last three years and has very much monopolized my creative time. Music has taken a back seat although I don’t doubt the passion will find me again soon enough."

Read the full interview with Dickinson in Forbes here, get up close and personal with a restored Porsche 911 here, and check out the official Singer Vehicle Design website here.

We should have all seen this coming in 1993, no? 

"Car" Catherine Wheel 



"Car" was the b-side to the "Show Me Mary" UK single, and was eventually released in North America in 1996 on Like Cats & Dogs.

Thanks to Chris for the heads up on the story.

Published on November 14th, 2013 @ 6:11 AM

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Weekender: Brilliant psychedelic, shoegaze & dreampop grooves

Weekender is an amazing psychedelic shoegazey dreampop band out of Philadelphia.  Earlier this year they released a five song ep titled Spanish Peaks which was available as a 'name your own price' download. The ep was just picked up by the smart folks at PaperCup Music and Spanish Peaks was re-released this week. If you love sweet melodies with reverbby vocals and swirling guitars (more psychedelic than shoegaze, but fans of either genre will dig it) you'll get sucked in on the very first song and swoon through all five tracks. Do yourself a favor and check out Spanish Peaks - the title track is streaming below and the full ep is available to download from iTunes and Amazon.



Catch up with Weekender on Facebook and Twitter.

Published on November 13th, 2013 @ 11:07 AM

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R.E.M. "California Dreaming"

Warm yourself up with R.E.M.'s live performance of "California Dreaming." The video was recorded at the band's show in Manchester in 1984.



Published on November 13th, 2013 @ 10:28 AM

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Jonny Greenwood from Radiohead celebrates birthday with erotic cake

In homage to Larry, Jeff & Funkhauser - an erotic birthday cake from Lucie and @huntingowls. Next, a curb marathon! pic.twitter.com/UMrMCg4TG2
— Jonny Greenwood (@JnnyG) November 8, 2013

For more on Jonny's birthday cake, click here.

Published on November 11th, 2013 @ 9:55 PM

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Morrissey releases live cover of "Satellite of Love"

Morrissey is set to release a cover of Lou Reed's "Satellite of Love" as a digital download on December 2nd. The cover is a live recording taken from Morrissey's November 25th, 2011 show at the Chelsea Ballroom at the Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas.  According to True To You, the song will also get a physical release in January (date TBA) as a heavyweight 12" disc and 7" picture disc supported by additional live tracks.

Here's fan filmed video of that November 25th, 2011 performance in Vegas



Morrissey previously paid tribute to Reed after his passing on October 27th and released the following statement:

"No words to express the sadness at the death of Lou Reed.  He had been there all of my life.  He will always be pressed to my heart.  Thank God for those, like Lou, who move within their own laws, otherwise imagine how dull the world would be.  I knew the Lou of recent years and he was always full of good heart.  His music will outlive time itself.  We are all timebound, but today, with the loss of liberating Lou, life is a pigsty."

Published on November 11, 2013 @ 9:06 AM

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Bauhaus/Love & Rockets producer & engineer Derek Tompkins, R.I.P.

Derek Tompkins, producer and engineer for Bauhaus and Love & Rockets died on November 6th. Peter Murphy and David J offered their condolences publicly on Twitter (Daniel Ash has not publicly commented). The picture Peter Murphy posted below on Twitter is taken from the very first Bauhaus recording session (recorded only four weeks after Bauhaus, who were at that time called Bauhaus 1919). The five track demo was recorded in Tompkins' own studio which he established in 1969. Read more about the release here.

R.I.P. Derek Tompkins.

Learned today of Derek Tompkins passing. Bauhaus Engineer, Producer, and Mentor. All We Ever Wanted Was Everything. pic.twitter.com/5EZg7BRTaq
— Peter Murphy (@petermurphyinfo) November 9, 2013

Derek Tompkins, Bauhaus / Love & Rockets co-producer / engineer passed away on November 6. He was a lovely man and will be greatly missed

— David J (@davidjhaskins) November 9, 2013

Published on November 11th, 2013 @ 6:16 AM

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New & awesome: Louis Barrabas & the Bedlam Six "Waiting For Bad News"

Love this new song from Manchester's Louis Barabbas & the Bedlam Six titled "Waiting For Bad News." Barabbas is a former mime and street sweeper who is quite obviously a talented musician and he's also co-owner of indie label Debt Records. Some of Barabbas' previous recordings draw comparisons to Tom Waits (growling Waits-esque vocals), though the new single "Waiting For Bad News" is a bit of a departure from past material, both musically and vocally. Check out the video for "Waiting For Bad News" below. The more you listen, the more it infects you.



A full length album from Louis Barrabas & the Bedlam Six titled Youth is expected out soon (details to be announced shortly). In the meantime, download the digital single for "Waiting For Bad News" on Amazon.

For more on Louis Barrabas & the Bedlam Six, visit the official site here.

Published on November 11th, 2013 @ 5:53 AM

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Stream: Kitchens of Distinction live session

Kitchens of Distinction played a live session for Seattle's KEXP in support of the band's new album Folly. KEXP will upload the video from the session (they usually post the archives a month or so after the event) but in the meantime, Kitchens of Distinction uploaded the audio. Check out the audio below.  Folly from Kitchens of Distinction is out now.

"Oak Tree"



"I Wish It Would Snow"



"Photographing Rain"



"Drive That Fast"



Published on November 10th, 2013 @ 7:57 AM

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Nine Inch Nails play Jimmy Kimmel Live

Nine Inch Nails played a five song mini-concert on the Jimmy Kimmel Live Soundstage on November 7th. Last night Kimmel aired the performance of "All Time Low" on his late night show. Check out video of "All Time Low" and "Various Methods Of Escape" plus other fan-filmed footage from the concert below:

"All Time Low"



"Various Methods Of Escape"



"The Hand That Feeds"



"Sanctified"



"Came Back Haunted"



Published on November 8th, 2013 @ 5:54 AM

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