Korda 3 Komp ft Ocean Blue, Innocence Mission & more

Korda Records has announced the release of the third volume in its Korda Komp series. Korda 3 Komp includes new, previously unreleased, and exclusive material from the Ocean Blue, Innocence Mission, the Owls, Deep Pool, Swiss Dot, Oed Ronne, Typsy Panthre, The Starfolk, and Jim Ruiz Set. The compilation will be released (and available) March 18th at the Korda Showcase in Minneapolis; fans can also pre-order the release from the Korda store now.

Korda Records was established in 2012 by David Schelzel (Ocean Blue), Allison LaBonne, and Jim Ruiz. The previous compilation Korda 2 Komp, is available to purchase and stream here.



Published February 29th, 2016

Iggy Pop shares "Sunday" off 'Post Pop Depression'

Iggy Pop shared another song from his forthcoming album Post Pop Depression. "Sunday" is the third track Pop has issued from the full length, which arrives on March 18th and features backing band Josh Homme, Dean Fertita, and Matt Felders. Stream "Sunday" below:



Don't miss Iggy Pop on tour this spring.

Iggy Pop -- North American tour

03/28 -- Seattle, WA - Paramount Theatre
03/29 -- Portland, OR - Keller Auditorium
03/31 -- San Francisco, CA - The Masonic
04/02 -- Denver, CO - Ellie Caulkins Opera House
04/04 -- Minneapolis, MN - Northrop Auditorium
04/06 -- Chicago, IL - Chicago Theatre
04/07 -- Detroit, MI @ Fox Theatre
04/09 -- Toronto, ON - Sony Centre for the Performing Arts
04/11 -- Boston, MA - Orpheum Theatre
04/12 -- New York, NY - United Palace Theatre
04/15 -- Philadelphia, PA - Academy of Music
04/19 -- Miami Beach, FL - The Fillmore Miami Beach
04/28 -- Los Angeles, CA - The Greek Theatre

Published February 29th, 2016

The Stone Roses announce NYC gig

The Stone Roses have announced their first U.S. show since performing at Coachella in 2013. The Manchester legends will perform at Madison Square Garden in New York City on June 30th. This is a one-off show and tickets go on sale Friday, February 26th.





Published February 23rd, 2016

Wire announce 'Nocturnal Koreans' LP & unleash new song

Wire announced the release of a mini-album, Nocturnal Koreans, on April 22nd. The post-punk veterans have been on a roll lately unleashing compelling new music which still sounds classic, yet modern and ahead of its time. The band's last record, the critically acclaimed Wire, was released less than a year ago. According to leader Colin Newman, Nocturnal Koreans was conceived around the time Wire was recorded, but the material came together quite differently than their self-titled record:

"The WIRE album was quite respectful of the band, and Nocturnal Koreans is less respectful of the band—or, more accurately, it’s the band being less respectful to itself—in that it’s more created in the studio, rather than recorded basically as the band played it, which was mostly the case with WIRE. A general rule for this record was: any trickery is fair game, if it makes it sound better."

Wire debuted the album's title track today -- Newman reveals "Nocturnal Koreans" is about a "sleepless night that Wire spent in a seedy Boston-area hotel" while on tour in 2013. Stream the track below and catch up with Wire here.



Published February 23rd, 2016

Sloan announces 'One Chord To Another' 20th anniversary tour

Sloan celebrates the 20th anniversary of One Chord To Another with a special tour this spring. The band will perform One Chord To Another in full, followed by a second set filled with other Sloan hits and fan favorites. The tour kicks off in April and includes a Detroit stop at St. Andrew's Hall May 12th. The general onsale for tickets is Friday, February 26th.

An anniversary edition of One Chord To Another is planned for later this year, but details have not yet been announced.





Published February 23rd, 2016

Richard Ashcroft announces 'These People' LP; debuts new single

Back in 2013 Richard Ashcroft revealed he had been working on new music and would be releasing new music soon. Soon is officially now, because today Ashcroft debuted his new single "This Is How It Feels."  He's also announced details for his new full length studio album These People which will arrive on May 20th. What are you waiting for? Stream "This Is How It Feels," the fantastic return to form below!



The 10 track album These People is available to pre-order on LP (limited edition blue vinyl or standard black vinyl), CD, and digital download, plus other bundle pre-order options are available at the official Richard Ashcroft store.

FYI, Ashcroft has previously stated that he's very committed to moving forward and releasing new music. Nostalgia and reunions are not his idea of a good time.  He put the kibosh on a Verve reunion during a 2013 interview with the BBC:

"No it's not happening...the whole nostalgia thing is getting very suffocating and it's difficult for younger acts, especially the festivals, if you look at some of the lineups you know, the lineups - I'm not ageist by any means - but what I'm saying is if it's dominated by nostalgia then we need the youth to create their own version of what potentially may be nostalgia but they don't have a place to do that...the big monster dinosaur acts mopping up all the money."

Published February 22, 2016

The Smart Studios Story: premiere, screenings & Record Store Day events announced

Smart Studios, located in Madison, Wisconsin and established in 1983 by Butch Vig and Steve Marker, was a crucial recording destination (and home) for noisy independent bands in the 80's & 90's.  Legions of bands recorded there over the years -- Killdozer, Tad, Nirvana, Smashing Pumpkins, L7, Archers of Loaf, Poster Children, Laughing Hyenas, Garbage, and SO many more. A feature length documentary about the famed studio featuring archival footage, interviews with musicians, producers, and other key players has been in the works since 2010, and now The Smart Studios Story is ready to make its world premiere.  The film premieres at the South By Southwest (SXSW) music festival on March 16th with a second screening (followed by a panel) on March 18th.

Additionally the Smart Studios Story has been named the Official Film of Record Store Day 2016 which means there will be special film screenings and promotional events scheduled to take place the week of Record Store Day (April 16). Some of the screenings and promotional events have already been announced, with more expected to be announced in the coming weeks.

Meanwhile, in conjunction with Record Store Day, a promotional audio cassette featuring songs recorded at Smart Studios in the 80's will be distributed in person by Butch Vig & Steve Marker at events in Chicago and Madison on April 16th. The cassette will also be available while supplies last at participating record stores nationwide on Record Store Day. So far the tracklisting for the cassette has not been released but more info will be announced March 8th during the official Record Store Day press conference, so stay tuned.

For now view the trailer for The Smart Studios Story along with a list of initial screenings/promotional events for the film below:




For more on the Smart Studios Story, visit the official website.

The Smart Studios Story -- Screenings/events

Mar 16 -- Austin, TX @ SXSW - The Paramount (world premiere)
Mar 18 -- Austin, TX @ SXSW - Alamo Ritz (followed by panel)
Mar 23 -- Madison, WI @ TONE CLUSTER w/ Wendy Schneider
Apr 09 -- Los Angeles, CA @ The Cinefamily
Apr 13 -- Chicago, IL @ CIMMfest Premiere
Apr 14 -- Appleton, WI @ FUNDRAISER
Apr 15 -- Chicago, IL @ CIMMfest Panel
Apr 16 -- Chicago, IL @ Record Store Day event @ Reckless Records at DRY HOP
Apr 16 -- Madison, WI @ Record Store Day event @ Madcity Music
Apr 17 -- Madison, WI @ WiFF - WISCONSIN PREMIERE​
Apr 17 -- Madison, WI @ High Noon Saloon (after party)
Apr 29 -- Winona, MN @ Mid West Music Fest

Remembering Tony Wilson

The late great Tony Wilson would have turned 66 years old today. The Factory Records/Hacienda kingpin died in 2007, but his legend and impact on music history will never be forgotten. R.I.P.

Lush premiere majestic new song "Out Of Control"

Lush premiered their first new material since 1996 and it truly feels (and sounds) like 20 years haven't passed! BBC Radio host Steve Lamacq debuted the heavenly track titled "Out Of Control" on his program today, and not long afterwards Lush rolled out the song's official video. Swoon in the majestic glory below via Pitchfork:



"Out Of Control" is one of four new songs that appear on the new Lush EP Blind Spot, which as previously reported will be out in April. Pre-order Blind Spot from the official Lush store here.

Blind Spot EP tracklisting

1. Out Of Control
2. Lost Boy
3. Burnham Beeches
4. Rosebud

Lush hit North America for a few dates in April and they'll return for more dates in September. Catch 'em if you can!

Lush -- North American tour

Apr 14 -- Los Angeles @ The Roxy Theatre
Apr 16 -- Indio, CA @ Coachella
Apr 17 -- San Francisco @ The Warfield
Apr 19 -- Portland, OR @ Crystal Ballroom
Apr 20 -- Seattle, WA @ The Showbox
Apr 21 -- Vancover, BC @ Commodore Ballroom
Apr 23 -- Indio, CA @ Coachella
Sep 14 -- New York, NY @ Terminal 5
Sep 15 -- Boston, MA @ Royale
Sep 18 -- Chicago, IL @ Vic Theatre
Sep 21 -- Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club
Sep 22 -- Philadelphia, PA @ Union Transfer

Psychedelica celebrated on new 5 disc set 'Psych Box'

Cleopatra Records compiled a new 5 disc psychedelic collection titled Psych Box. The collection is an excellent overview of the genre featuring bands from the 60's all the way up to present times. Many of the well known names are included -- Legendary Pink Dots, Iron Butterfly, Black Angels, BJM, Allah-Las -- along with lesser known artists, and a few bands that aren't technically psychedelic bands (MC5, A Place To Bury Strangers, Dum Dum Girls, the Fresh & Onlys, the Raveonettes), but still fit into the genre -- and this box set -- quite well.

View the tracklisting for Psych Box below and order from iTunes or Amazon. The physical version comes with a limited edition 7" featuring a spoken word piece by Timothy Leary, backed with a track by Jimmy Page. Order the physical version directly through Cleopatra Records.

DISC 1

01. The Brian Jonestown Massacre - Going to Hell
02. The Black Angels - Soul Kitchen
03. The Legendary Pink Dots - Damien
04. A Place To Bury Strangers - Sunbeam
05. The Warlocks - You Destroy
06. Hawkwind - Opa-Loka
07. Absolutely Free - Vision's
08. The Movements - Great Deceiver
09. Chrome - Meet You In The Subway
10. Nikola Tesla & Thee Coils - Sweet Rays
11. Rotten Mangos - Tent Rentals
12. The Thunderbeats - Something Inside Me
13. The Third Sound - For a While
14. Sula Bassana - Lost In Space
15. Brainticket - Black Sand

DISC 2

01. Wild Style Lion - Love Was In Me feat. Kim Gordon
02. The May Company - Wrap Around Porch
03. The See See - Big Bad Storm
04. The Syn - 14 Hour Technicolour Dream
05. Sons of Hippies - Mirrorball
06. The Deviants - Jamie's Song
07. Cambrian Explosion - The Sun
08. Surprise Party - Cut Me
09. Siena Root - In My Kitchen
10. The Spyrals - Sunflower Microphone
11. Studio 69 - Il Est Juste La
12. The Litter - Action Woman
13. Las Brujas - Sweaty Windows
14. Jovontaes - Forever
15. Spindrift - Red Reflection
16. Dum Dum Girls - Letter to Hermione

DISC 3

01. Nico - All Tomorrow’s Parties
02. Bonfire Beach - Black Tinted Moonlight
03. The Fresh & Onlys - In The Light
04. The Altered Hours - Smoke Your Eyes
05. Femme Accident - Everything Goes Wrong
06. The Ones - Lady Greengrass
07. Tales of Murder and Dust - Laid Bare
08. Dead Meadow - The Crystal Ship
09. The Sonic Dawn - Japanese Hills
10. MC5 - Gold
11. Tashaki Miyaki - Take It Or Leave It
12. Holy Wave - Do You Feel It
13. The Tulips - Winter Winds
14. Fade In Mona Lisa - Green Carnations
15. Electric Moon - Spaceman

DISC 4

01. Magic Wands - Jupiter
02. Nektar - It’s All In The Mind
03. The Chocolate Watchband - No Way Out
04. Brujas Del Sol - Occultation
05. Calliope - Iron Hand
06. Energy 2000 - Zodiacal Light
07. The Floormen - The Place Where The Flat Things Are
08. The Striped Bananas - Dark Peace
09. Indian Jewelry - Kashmir
10. Wight Lhite - Close To Odd
11. Surly Gates - Under Your Tongue
12. Aqua Nebula Oscillator - Innocent Tu Seras Incandescent
13. Pink Velvet - Allez prenons un autre verre
14. The Crazy World Of Arthur Brown - Devil's Grip
15. Black Delta Movement - MacBeth
16. Aura Blaze - A Glass Of Tears Half Empty

DISC 5

01. Iron Butterfly - Possession (Original 7” Version)
02. The Fuzztones - Hallucination Generation
03. Allah-Las - Stoned
04. Love, Hippies & Gangsters - This Is What We Want
05. onYou - National Strings Attached
06. Secret Colours - Get To The Sun
07. The Vacant Lots - Julia
08. Black Moon Circle - The Machine On The Hill
09. Ttotals - Life Thus Far Out
10. Nik Turner - Time Crypt
11. Shuggie Otis - Ice Cream Party (Instrumental)
12. Kim Fowley - The Trip
13. Landskap - South Of No North
14. The Lucid Experiment - She’s My Melody
15. The Raveonettes - The End

Published February 18th, 2016

Stream: The Limiñanas "Garden Of Love" ft Peter Hook

Peter Hook is featured on a delightful new song by French duo The Limiñanas. Stream the elegant "Garden Of Love" featuring Hooky's magnificent bass stylings below.



"Garden Of Love" is the first single from the Limiñanas' forthcoming full length Malamore, which arrives in April. View the trailer for the album below and catch up with the band on Bandcamp and Facebook.



As previously reported, Peter Hook brings his latest tour Substance: Joy Division & New Order to North America this fall. Tickets are on sale now.

Peter Hook North American tour

Sep 22 -- New York, NY @ Webster Hall
Sep 23 -- New York, NY @ Webster Hall
Sep 24 -- Los Angeles, CA @ The Wiltern
Oct 26 -- Detroit, MI @ St. Andrew's Hall
Oct 28 -- Chicago, IL @ Metro
Oct 29 -- Milwaukee, WI @ Turner Hall
Oct 30 -- Minneapolis, MN @ First Avenue
Nov 01 -- Vancouver, BC @ Venue
Nov 03 -- Seattle, WA @ The Market
Nov 04 -- Portland, OR @ Wonder Ballroom
Nov 05 -- San Francisco, CA @ The Fillmore
Nov 07 -- Salt Lake City, UT @ Urban Lounge
Nov 08 -- San Diego, CA @ House Of Blues
Nov 11 -- Dallas, TX @ Granada Theatre
Nov 12 -- Austin, TX @ The Mohawk
Nov 14 -- New Orleans, LA @ Republic
Nov 15 -- Atlanta, GA @ Terminal West
Nov 17 -- Orlando, FL @ Plaza LIve
Nov 18 -- Fort Lauderdale, FL @ Culture Room
Nov 19 -- Tampa, FL @ The Ritz Ybor
Nov 21 -- Asheville, NC @ The Orange Peel
Nov 22 -- Carrboro, NC @ Cat's Cradle
Nov 23 -- Washington, DC @ Howard Theatre
Nov 25 -- Philadelphia, PA @ The Trocadero
Nov 26 -- Boston, MA @ The Sinclair
Nov 27 -- Montreal, QC @ Theatre Fairmount
Nov 29 -- Toronto, ON @ Danforth Music Hall

Published February 18th, 2016

Pretty In Pink 30th anniversary screenings

In celebration of its 30th anniversary, Pretty In Pink returns to theaters for two nights only! Fathom Events and Paramount Pictures have teamed up for special showings of the John Hughes classic at select theaters nationwide on February 14th and February 17th. Theaters in Ann Arbor, Canton, Dearborn, Livonia, Sterling Heights, Walled Lake, Warren, and Ypsilanti are among the participating theaters in the Detroit area. Showtime is 2pm and 7pm. For details and to obtain tickets visit Fathom Events.

Free download: Utah Saints "Swansong D'Amour"

Utah Saints debuted their song "Swansong D'Amour" on UK radio a few months ago, and today they're offering up a track as a free download. According to the band it will be available for free for 24 hours, then it will "most likely disappear for good." Check it out below and download from Soundcloud.

James premiere new single; talk new LP

James is set to return with the new full length release Girl At The End Of The World, on March 18th. The 12 track album was written in Scotland in January 2015, only months after the release of 2014's Le Petit Mort. The record came together quickly because James recently signed a three record deal with BMG, and the label encouraged them to get back into the studio quickly to keep the momentum going. As a result, according to vocalist Tim Booth, the record was difficult and stressful to make, but ultimately the band is proud of the release. Bassist Jim Glennie further explained Booth's comments in a new interview with the Yorkshire Evening Post:

"There have been quite a lot of deadlines and time pressures...and I think we’ve all suffered a bit because of that but primarily it's difficult when you're a singer because you've got to write words, it's not just about getting the music right, it’s about coming up with what it is you want to sing about and I think we all felt quite a lot of pressure because of the deadlines"

Unlike the last record, which explored death and its aftermath, Girl At The End Of The World has no theme, so to speak.  Expect songs that are "personal, abrasive, warming, and uplifting" along with some "anthemic dance" grooves. Additionally, Glennie reveals the record features interesting and complex lyrics:

"There’s a few on the record where I don’t think he (Booth) knows completely what he’s singing about yet but it kind of becomes a bit clearer as things move forward. I like it when he writes those lyrics, they’re a bit weird, there’s a slightly confusing complexity to them."

Last fall James debuted the first song from the album "To My Surprise," and now they've premiered the first proper single from the record, "Nothing But Love," which is available to stream below:



Girl At The End Of The World is available to pre-order from iTunes, Amazon, or the official webstore.

Catch up with James on Facebook and their official site.



Published February 11th, 2016

Belly reunite for tour & new music

Belly announced they've reunited to play shows this year, plus new music is on the way. The reunion tour will take place later this year -- no dates have been announced yet, however according to the posting on the band's website, the U.S. portion of the tour is expected to take place in August and September. Meanwhile, Belly revealed they're working on a handful of new songs, which they're planning to release one at a time over the coming months via their website. Read the full statement about Belly's reunion here.



Belly broke up in 1996 and not long afterwards leader Tanya Donelly launched a successful solo career. Of late, Donelly collaborated with Patrick Fitzgerald (Kitchens of Distinction leader) on a song titled "Golden," which was released in 2015. The EP was released under Fitzgerald's solo monikor, Stephen Hero, and can be obtained here.



Published February 8th, 2016

Trashcan Sinatras unleash new music from 'Wild Pendulum' LP

In 2014 Trashcan Sinatras launched a crowdfunding campaign through Pledge Music to help fund their first full length record since 2009. The campaign for the new album, Wild Pendulum, was funded almost instantly, and the record is due out this spring. Near the end of 2015 the band gave pledgers exclusive sneak previews/downloads of new songs, but today they've decided to share two full length songs with everyone. Stream "Best Days On Earth" and "Ain't That Something" below. Learn more about Wild Pendulum and pre-order now through Pledge Music.

Sulk announce LP 'No Illusions' & premiere brilliant Manchestery single

Fans of Madchester, psychedelic, and britpop rejoice! London band Sulk are set to return with a new album No Illusions on April 15th. So far the album promises to be one of the year's best -- a few months ago they debuted the first single, "Black Infinity" and this week another magnificent track has premiered. Stream their sublime new song "The Tape Of You" below and catch up with Sulk here.





If you missed out on Sulk's 2013 album Graceless, be sure to get your baggy pants out and delve in. Start with the video for "Flowers" below:



Published February 4th, 2016

Fifty Dollar Famous unleash raging 'We Play Punk For Money' 7"

Fifty Dollar Famous is a two piece punk rock / hardcore project featuring Red Hot Rebellion members Jim Tramontana and Andris Devine. The DIY duo threw all caution to the wind, then wrote and recorded the songs for their debut release in under an hour. The 7" release We Play Punk For Money features the badass jam "Tiny House" b/w "Phone Tag" -- but take note: though they're calling it a 7" release, the songs are only available digitally, because as their press release states, they are "too punk to release it on vinyl." Check out the tracks below and purchase through iTunes, Amazon, Google Play and more.

NSFW (unless your workplace encourages f-bombs).





Published February 4th, 2016

Eagulls return with glorious Cure-influenced track "Lemontrees"

Eagulls are poised to return with the follow up to their 2014 self-titled debut album later this year. Though they aren't quite ready to announce details behind their second effort, they have shared the first song from the record, and it is a thing of beauty. Stream the stirring Cure-influenced track "Lemontrees" below, and purchase from iTunes or Amazon. Catch up with Eagulls here.



If Eagulls' debut album wasn't on your radar in 2014, be sure to check it out. Start off with the video for "Possessed" below:



Published February 3rd, 2016

New Order announces U.S. tour & premieres "Singularity" remix

New Order announced a U.S. tour in support of their excellent new album Music Complete.  Unfortunately, the dates are few and far between, so get ready to road trip. The general onsale for all of the shows (except NYC) go on sale February 5th, with pre-sales kicking off February 4th. The NYC show goes on sale February 13th.

New Order U.S. tour

Mar 10 -- New York, NY @ Radio City Music Hall
Mar 12 -- Philadelphia, PA @ Tower Theater
Mar 16 -- Chicago, IL @ Chicago Theater
Mar 19 -- Los Angeles, CA @ Shrine Auditorium
Mar 21 -- Las Vegas, NV @ The Cosmopolitan
Mar 23 -- Miami Beach, FL @ Fillmore

New Order also premiered an extended mix of their single "Singularity" which is available to stream below. The Singularity EP, featuring the extended mix along with three other mixes, will be released on March 18th.

UPDATE: New Order expanded the Singularity remix EP to include 9 versions of "Singularity" (single version & 8 remixes), plus the Tom Rowlands remix of "Tutti Frutti". View the new tracklisting here.



Published February 2nd, 2016

Bryan Ferry announces North American tour; plays Detroit

Bryan Ferry has announced a North American tour in support of his critically acclaimed 2015 album Avonmore. The general onsale for tickets, including the August 4th stop at the Fox Theatre in Detroit, is Friday, February 5th. A fan pre-sale starts tomorrow at 10am (use password "AVONMORE"). Dates are posted below, and more info on the tour is available here.



Bryan Ferry -- North American tour

Jul 19 -- Toronto, ON @ Massey Hall
Jul 21 -- Philiadelphia, PA @ Kimmel-Verizon Center
Jul 23 -- Washington, DC @ Lincoln Theatre
Jul 27 -- New York, NY @ Beacon Theatre
Jul 29 -- New York, NY @ Beacon Theatre
Jul 31 -- Boston, MA @ Blue Hills Bank Pavillion
Aug 02 -- Nashville, TN @ Ryman Auditorium
Aug 04 -- Detroit, MI @ Fox Theatre
Aug 09 -- San Francisco, CA @ Masonic
Aug 11 -- Los Angeles, CA @ Microsoft Theatre



Published February 1st, 2016