For every generation, the same musical question always pops up, and we are left scratching our heads: what happens when pop artists age? Sometimes, as in the case of the Beatles, they shed their poppy roots with the aid of some hallucinogenics, and completely redefine their sound. In the case of Imperial Teen, they get older and write more pop songs about being old. Keep Reading - Eric Silver

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MP3: Imperial Teen:: “Shim Sham” – The Hair the TV the Baby and the Band
Imperial Teen @ MySpace

The first video to emerge from Okkervil River’s superb indie noir record The Staged Names (Jagjaguwar) is a befitting piece of film, embracing the same cinematic, storytelling touch Will Sheff has been dressing the band’s music up in over all these years. A motel jam session in the middle of a crime scene, “Our Life is Not a Movie or Maybe” was directed by Margaret Brown, who received accolade from the likes of The New York Times for Be Here To Love Me, a documentary on country folk singer Townes Van Zandt, released back in ’05. - David Pitz


The band is also currently out on the road in support of The Staged Names.

08/31/07 Phoenix, AZ - The Brickhouse
09/01/07 Tucson, AZ - Club Congress
09/03/07 San Diego, CA - Casbah w/ Damien Jurado
09/04/07 Los Angeles, CA - Troubadour w/ Damien Jurado
09/05/07 San Francisco, CA - Independent w/ Damien Jurado
09/07/07 Eugene, OR - Wow Hall w/ Damien Jurado
09/08/07 Portland, OR - Berbati's Pan (MusicFest NW) w/ Damien Jurado
09/09/07 Vancouver, British Columbia - Richard's on Richards w/ Damien Jurado
09/10/07 Seattle, WA - Neumos w/ Damien Jurado
09/12/07 Salt Lake City, UT - Kilby Court w/ Damien Jurado
09/13/07 Denver, CO - Marquis Theatre w/ Damien Jurado
09/14/07 Omaha, NE - Waiting Room w/ Damien Jurado
09/15/07 Iowa City, IA - Picador w/ Damien Jurado
09/17/07 Milwaukee, WI - Pabst Theater w/ Damien Jurado
09/18/07 Chicago, IL - Logan Square Auditorium w/ Damien Jurado
09/19/07 Urbana, IL - The Canopy Club (Pygmalion Festival) w/ Damien Jurado
09/21/07 Toronto, Ontario - Lee's Palace w/ Damien Jurado
09/22/07 Hamilton, Ontario - Pepper Jack's Cafe w/ Damien Jurado
09/23/07 Montreal, Quebec - La Sala Rossa w/ Damien Jurado
09/24/07 Burlington, VT - Higher Ground w/ Damien Jurado
09/25/07 Boston, MA - Middle East w/ Damien Jurado
09/26/07 Northampton, MA - Iron Horse w/ Damien Jurado
09/28/07 New York, NY - Webster Hall w/ Damien Jurado
09/29/07 Philadelphia, PA - Johnny Brenda's w/ Damien Jurado
09/30/07 Washington, DC - Rock and Roll Hotel w/ Damien Jurado
10/02/07 Carrboro, NC - Cat's Cradle w/ Damien Jurado
10/03/07 Athens, GA - 40 Watt w/ Damien Jurado
10/04/07 Tallahassee, FL - Club Downunder @ FSU w/ Damien Jurado
10/05/07 New Orleans, LA - House of Blues w/ Damien Jurado
10/06/07 Houston, TX - Walter's on Washington w/ Damien Jurado

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MP3: Okkervil River:: “Our Life is Not a Movie or Maybe” – The Stage Names
Okkervil River @ MySpace

While thousands feasted on Feist, McCarren Park was hardly the only summer soiree going down in Williamsburg last Wednesday. No…just a few short clicks down the road, three party centric MCs…Hesta Prynn, Spero, and Sprout (aka Northern State)…popped the champagne cork on their long awaited new album Can I Keep This Pen (Ipecac Recordings) for a spirited gathering at Brooklyn’s Luna Lounge. Hosted by the very show biz savvy, Mr. Murray Hill, Northern State set their cerebral blend of hip hop beats, live rock riffs, and tight as a hipster’s belt buckle lyric delivery to a Wild West, show down at the OK coral theme. Yee haw ladies…Though we didn’t show in chaps as promised, the Baeble crew was there to film the engagement. More on that in the coming weeks… - David Pitz


- Photos by Mo Pitz

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Photos: Northern State:: “Live at Luna Lounge” – Brooklyn, NY
VIDEO: Northern State:: “Better Already”
Northern State @ MySpace

Three nights, three shows, three albums from first track to last. Call it a Ben Kweller fan’s dream come true. To perform their entire catalogue would seem like a lot to ask of from almost any musician or band. But few artists relish those devoted to them quite the way Kweller does. So the Texas tunesman brought all of his celebrated recorded material to Brooklyn’s Southpaw for a sold-out, three night stint. Our camera’s caught the engagement’s second evening, when Kweller and his three piece band brought On My Way to magnificent life on stage. While he couldn’t bring the wolves from the album’s cover he promised, Kweller certainly brought the music. And, in his own words, “if Sha Sha is Coca Cola, then that makes On My Way more like Whiskey”. In that case, make sure you order yourself a round of this unique, concert experience. - David Pitz

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VIDEO: Ben Kweller:: “Live at Southpaw” – Brooklyn, NY

When quirky Dischord recording artist Q and Not U called it quits in ‘05, drummer John Davis decided to shift his career in a less volatile direction. Teaming up with singer/songwriter Laura Burhenn, the two dubbed their multi-harmony, absurdly catchy project, Georgie James, a name that refers to an androgynous singer in the vein of Ziggy Stardust. What that has to do with the music, I don’t know. But the sunny disposition of songs like “Cake Parade” and “Need Your Needs” is decidedly less mysterious. Georgie James will be touring later this fall. Details below: - David Pitz

Tour Dates:
10.3.07 - Brooklyn, NY. - Europa
10.4.07 - Troy, NY. - Revolution Hall
10.5.07 - Montreal, Quebec
10.6.07 - Ottawa, Ontario - Barrymore
10.7.07 - Toronto, Ontario - The Mod Club
10.8.08 - Cleveland, OH. - Beachland Ballroom
10.22.07 - Chapel Hill, NC. - Local 506
10.23.07 - Atlanta, GA. - Drunken Unicorn
10.24.07 - Orlando, FL. - Taste
10.26.07 - Baton Rouge, LA. - Spanish Moon
10.27.07 - Austin, TX. - The Mohawk
10.29.07 - Phoenix, AZ. - Modified
10.30.07 - San Diego, CA. - The Casbah
10.31.07 - Los Angeles, CA. - The Echo
11.1.07 - San Francisco, CA. - Rickshaw Stop
11.3.07 - Portland, OR. - Holocene
11.4.07 - Seattle, WA. - Crocodile Cafe
11.6.07 - Salt Lake City, UT. - Kilby Court
11.7.07 - Denver, CO. - Hi Dive
11.9.07 - Grinnell, IA. - Gardner Lounge/Main Hall
11.10.07 - Minneapolis, MN. - 7th Street Entry
11.11.07 - Chicago, IL. - Schubas Tavern
11.16.07 - Washington, D.C. - Black Cat

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MP3: Georgie James:: “Need Your Needs” – Places
MP3: Georgie James:: “Cake Parade” – Places
Georgie James @ MySpace

Off –kilter jabbing of a single guitar opens “Devil’s A –Go-Go,” the opening track to Wild Mountain Nation(Long Duck Dong) by Blitzen Trapper, which features a quirky mix of 60s-style psychedelia, 70s stoner rock, prog rock and country...with lo-fi production. Sounds like a lot to pack into a three-minute song, but if you’re looking for a consistent output then head somewhere else. Nation is designed for the music fan with a short attention span, taking you on various excursions and throwing a dizzying amount of musical styles in your direction. Keep Reading - Stephon Johnson

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Blitzen Trapper @ MySpace

With LCD Soundsystem and Arcade Fire slated to share a bill at Randall’s Island on October 6th, we had the first Saturday of October circled in thick red ink for quite some time. But with Wild Light, Les Savy Fav, and Blonde Redhead now tapped for support, that 50 dollar price tag isn’t looking so bad, is it? We recommend snatching yourself up a ticket NOW, as that price will certainly go up once they are gone.

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VIDEO: Les Savy Fav:: “Live at Solar One” – NYC, NY

Is there some memo going around telling one-man acts that they have to choose plural names to perform under? Is it some kind of inferiority complex at being one person, or just the desire to hear newbie fans say, “Oh yeah, I love their stuff,” thus displaying their ignorance? The Streets, I’m looking at you. Coming onto this “I’m more than just one person” scene is James Chapman, a.k.a. Maps, with his debut album We Can Create (Mute). While the sounds all emanate from one source, they certainly rival anything coming from most bands. Keep Reading - Eric Silver

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Maps on MySpace

With fitting praise raining down from all the right places, the bleary eyed, lazy weekend soundings of Los Angeles songwriter Ferraby Lionheart’s wonderful new full-length album Catch the Brass Ring (Nettwerk) will be winning over a wealth fans when it is comes out on Sept. 4th. To celebrate the release, Lionheart will go streaking across the country for a month and a half long tour, kicking off with a local, CD release party at The Mercury Lounge on August 30th. Full details below:

Tour Dates With New Zealand's *The Brunettes

30-Aug-07 New York, NY Mercury Lounge (CD release show!)
5-Sep-07 Vancouver, BC Media Club*
6-Sep-07 Seattle, WA Crocodile Café*
8-Sep-07 Portland, OR Crystal Ballroom*
11-Sep-07 San Francisco, CA Cafe Du Nord*
12-Sep-07 Santa Cruz, CA Kuumbwa Jazz Center*
13-Sep-07 Los Angeles, CA Troubadour*
14-Sep-07 San Diego, CA Casbah*
15-Sep-07 Tucson, AZ Solar Culture*
18-Sep-07 Austin, TX Emo's*
19-Sep-07 Denton, TX Hailey's*
20-Sep-07 Norman, OK Opolis*
21-Sep-07 Kansas City, MO Record Bar*
22-Sep-07 Omaha, NB Slowdown*
24-Sep-07 Minneapolis, MN 400 Bar*
25-Sep-07 Madison, WI High noon*
26-Sep-07 Chicago, IL Schubas*
27-Sep-07 Detroit, MI Shelter*
28-Sep-07 Toronto, ON Horseshoe*
29-Sep-07 Montreal, QB Petit Campus*
1-Oct-07 Cambridge, MA Middle East*
3-Oct-07 Hoboken, NJ Maxwell's*
4-Oct-07 Philadelphia, PA Johnny Brenda's*
5-Oct-07 Washington, DC Rock and Roll Hotel*
7-Oct-07 Chapel Hill, NC Local 506*
8-Oct-07 Louisville, KY TBA*
9-Oct-07 Atlanta, GA The Earl*
10-Oct-07 Athens, GA Tasty World*
11-Oct-07 Nashville, TN Mercy Lounge*
12-Oct-07 Hattiesburg, MS Thirsty Hippo*
13-Oct-07 New Orleans, LA TBA*

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MP3: Ferraby Lionheart:: “Small Planet” – from American Hearts
Ferraby Lionheart on MySpace

The few, who remember AA Bondy from his days with the now defunct punk band Verbena, will be in for a surprise when they spin American Hearts (Superphonic Records). Lush acoustic guitars and spine tingling harmonicas lay the foundation for Bondy’s soulful twang. Athough never really establishing himself as anything different from the new collection of troubled troubadours like Ryan Adams, Jesse Malin, or M.Ward, Bondy does create an album that is beautiful in tone and harmony, while desolate and heartbreaking in subject matter. Keep Reading - Tom Duffy

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MP3: AA Bondy:: “There’s a Reason” – from American Hearts
AA Bondy on MySpace

“I wanna run away/I wanna bring you too” — this quintessential teenage snarl provides an appropriate opening for Liars’ forth full-length album. The three person art-rock outfit, known as much for their song-titles (think “We Fenced Other Houses With the Bones of Our Own”) as for their stylistic experimentation, has managed to put together a record that is distinctly stripped-down, but no less surprising. Says frontman Angus Andrew, “We…wanted to write songs that spoke for themselves in a more visceral way – like when you’re a teenager and things really mean a lot for you in a song.” Keep Reading - Claire Orpeza

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Liars @ MySpace

We knew the Daft Punk’s Coney Island show a few weeks back would be memorable. What we didn’t expect was a story quite like this. So here it is…a sprawling, narrative exploit detailing everything you might have missed. From The Rapture to bodily ruptures, this story ain’t no tall tail…just the story of Baeble contributor Eric Silver and the NYC concert of the summer. KEEP READING

There may still be tour clothing strewn across their apartment floors. And the van that carried them from Phoenix and Dallas, to Boston and New York may still sit hopelessly unpacked. None of that matter much to Bishop Allen…they apparently have no intentions of dropping off any of their recent road warrior relics for too long. Fresh off a slew of dates that culminated just last week at The Bowery Ballroom, the Brooklyn band won’t be getting too comfortable any time soon. Teaming up with John Vanderslice, the band’s excellent new album The Broken String will be getting another string of showcase dates when Bishop Allen jaunt across the entire country on a month long tour, kicking off in Orlando mid-September. The band has also sprinkled in a sputtering of dates this weekend for lucky locals in Lexington KY and Richmond IN. - David Pitz

Tour Dates With *John Vanderslice:
08/24/07 Lexington, KY - Icehouse
08/25/07 Richmond, IN - The Comstock Room at Earlham College
09/17/07 Orlando, FL - The Social*
09/18/07 St. Augustine, FL - Cafe Eleven*
09/19/07 Tallahassee, FL - Club Down Under*
09/20/07 Atlanta, GA - The Earl*
09/21/07 Durham, NC - Duke Coffeehouse*
09/22/07 Washington, DC - Rock and Roll Hotel*
09/24/07 Philadelphia, PA - Johnny Brenda's*
09/26/07 New York, NY - Bowery Ballroom*
09/27/07 Cambridge, MA - The Middle East*
09/28/07 Cambridge, MA - The Middle East*
09/29/07 Buffalo, NY - Buffalo Icon*
10/02/07 Ann Arbor, MI - Blind Pig*
10/03/07 Cleveland, OH - Grog Shop*
10/04/07 Athens, OH - Baker Theater*
10/05/07 Bloomington, IN - John Waldron Art Center*
10/06/07 Chicago, IL - Empty Bottle*
10/08/07 Minneapolis, MN - 7th St. Entry*
10/09/07 Omaha, NE - The Waiting Room*
10/11/07 Denver, CO - Hi Dive*
10/12/07 Provo, UT - Velour*
10/13/07 Salt Lake City, UT - Kilby Court*
10/15/07 Vancouver, WA - Red Room*
10/17/07 Seattle, WA - Neumo's*
10/18/07 Portland, OR - Doug Fir*
10/20/07 San Francisco, CA - The Independent*

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Bishop Allen: The Broken String – Album Stream
Bishop Allen @ MySpace

Mercury Prize nominated mystic, Bat for Lashes – helmed by British singer/songwriter Natasha Khan, has announced that she is bringing her hypnotic does of the semi-surreal back to the States for another round of touring. This comes after a short stretch this past summer, as well as the domestic release of Fur and Gold, back in July. Dates below… - David Pitz

Sep 23 - Johnny Brenda’s Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Sep 24 - Great Scott Boston, Massachusetts
Sep 25 - Bowery Ballroom New York, New York
Sep 28 - El Macambo Toronto, Ontario
Sep 29 - Petit Campus Montreal, Quebec
Oct 1 - The Basement Columbus, Ohio
Oct 2 - Empty Bottle Chicago, Illinois
Oct 3 - Varsity Theatre Minneapolis, Minnesota
Oct 5 - Larimer Lounge Denver, Colorado
Oct 9 - Troubadour Los Angeles, California
Oct 11 - Slim’s San Francisco, California
Oct 11 - Plaza Club Vancouver, British Columbia
Oct 14 - Crocodile Cafe Seattle, Washington
Oct 15 - Doug Fir Lounge Portland, Oregon
Oct 29 - KOKO London, Southwest

We also recently stumbled upon Khan’s video for “What’s A Girl To Do”.



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MP3: Bat For Lashes:: “Horse and I” – from Fur and Gold
Bat For Lashes @ MySpace

Feel like going a little mad this morning? Might I suggest Animal Collective’s newest video offering for “Peacebone”, the first single from their forthcoming Strawberry Jam album, for you to chew on. This monster movie is certainly a little spooky. ‘Course, it’s also a precious little love story, Boneface! - David Pitz


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Animal Collective @ MySpace

You might recall Orenda Fink’s voice. Back in the formative years of what once was a new decade, Fink, along with collaborator Maria Taylor, manned the then enchanting, Omaha by way of Athens dream pop duo, Azure Ray. Now three years since Azure’s ray official went dim, Fink returns with Art in Manila, a new outfit she’s rallied together over the course of several live solo outings. And on Set the Woods on Fire (Saddle Creek), that delicate landscape Fink originally sowed with her former outfit has cropped into full bloom. What was clearly the work of a duo has jettisoned into a richly conceived, full-band effort that picks apart Fink’s previous pastoral soundings with much meatier material. Thankfully though, such an aggregate approach doesn’t come at the expense of Fink’s trademark intimacy; it still lies delicately entrenched under the collective approach Art in Manila adopt. - David Pitz

Art in Manila on Tour w/ Rilo Kiley* and The Good Life this fall:**

09.13 - Omaha, NE - Sokol Auditorium*
09.23 - New York, NY - Webster Hall*
09.25 - Philadelphia, PA - Trocadero*
09.26 - Washington, DC - 9:30 Club*
09.27 - Washington, DC - 9:30 Club*
09.28 - Asheville, NC - The Orange Peel*
09.29 - Atlanta, GA - Variety Playhouse*
10.01 - Fort Lauderdale, FL - Revolution*
10.02 - Orlando, FL - House of Blues*
10.04 - New Orleans, LA - The Republic*
10.05 - Houston, TX - Warehouse Live*
10.24 - Phoenix, AZ - The Brickhouse**
10.25 - Los Angeles, CA - Troubadour**
10.26 - San Diego, CA - Epi Center**
10.27 - Pomona, CA - Glass House**
10.28 - Visalia, CA - Cellar Door**
10.30 - San Francisco, CA - Bimbo's**
11.02 - Portland, OR - Doug Fir**
11.03 - Seattle, WA - Crocodile Café**

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MP3: Art in Manila:: “Set the Woods on Fire” – Set the Woods on Fire
MP3: Art in Manila:: “The Abomination” – Set the Woods on Fire
Art in Manila @ MySpace

On his most recent album, listeners need not half a minute to hear why David Dondero calls Conor Oberst’s Team Love label home. Those quivering vocal lines, that handsome, fly-over country twang, the all-American story telling prose? Chasing anyone of Oberst’s albums with the familiar sounding Simple Love will certainly go down easy enough. But where Bright Eyes can always muster up a mall ready record, don’t anticipate Dondero to appeal to the suburban masses anytime soon. Those urban crooners longing for a taste of the country? Perhaps…But not the suburbs. - David Pitz

Simple Love comes out August 21st on Team Love.

*Dondero will hit the road with Matt & Kim and Against Me! this fall:

Aug 12, 2007 - Wilmington, NC - Bella Festa
Aug 20, 2007 - Clemson, SC - Bowmen Field at Clemson
Sept 3, 2007 - Raleigh, NC - Duke Coffee House - Duke University
Sept 4, 2007 - Poughkeepsie,NY - The Chance*
Sept 5, 2007 - Brooklyn, NY - Music Hall of Williamsburg*
Sept 6, 2007 - Northampton, MA - Pearl Street*
Sept 7, 2007 - Buffalo, NY - Town Theatre*
Sept 8, 2007 - Toledo, OH - Headliners*
Sept 11, 2007 - Lawrence, KS - Granada Theatre*
Sept 12, 2007 - Boulder, CO - Boulder Theatre*
Sept 13, 2007 - Albuquerque, NM - Sunshine Theater*
Sept 14, 2007 - Las Vegas, NV - Jillians*
Sept 18, 2007 - Reno, NV - Stoney's*
Sept 19, 2007 - Petaluma, CA - Phoenix Theatre*
Sept 20,2007 - Eugene, OR - WOW Hall*
Sept 23, 2007 - Portland, OR - Roseland Ballroom*
Sept 25, 2007 - Chico, CA - Senator Theatre*
Sept 26, 2007 - Santa Cruz, CA - The Catalyst*
Sept 27, 2007 - Anaheim, CA - The Grove of Anaheim*

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MP3: David Dondero:: “Rothko Chapel” – Simple Love
MP3: David Dondero:: “When The Heart Breaks Deep” – Simple Love
David Dondero @ MySpace

Like making my way back to a place once proud to call home, there is a solid sense of familiarity in the music of Sleeping States. The sedately strummed acoustic guitar, Kevin Starkie’s pretty as a peach vocals…these are variables that I have come to admire in many songwriters like the English Midlands-born artist. But there is something different about Sleeping States, much like there is something different about the Midwestern city I once claimed as my own. And on There the Open Spaces (Misra), Starkie cuts up slivers of oddly timed samples, and strews them across a less than lively life line. It’s uneasy, it’s lonely, it’s even cold at times. But suddenly feeling out of whack in what once were intimate borders, Open Spaces suits my own mood perfectly. Keep Reading - David Pitz

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MP3: Sleeping States:: “Rivers” – There the Open Spaces
Sleeping States @ MySpace

Masachusetts-based Marissa Nadler may not write the punk and hardcore songs that revitalized the DIY movement in the 80s, but the singer-songwriter has gone a similar route. For her first two albums, Ballads of Living and Dying and The Saga of Mayflower May, Nadler sent personalized copies to countless magazines and websites. Today, her
intimate, delicate songs, anchored by her haunted, otherworldly voice that belies the 26-year old’s age, are helping her reach a greater audience and preventing her from licking all her own stamps. Just don’t take a picture of her while she’s performing. KEEP READING - Jason Newman

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Marissa Nadler @ MySpace

“I’ve always written pop music,” says Ryan Ferguson, formerly of Southern California indie-rockers No Knife. “These songs aren’t too far off from what I’ve always done.” In this case, “these songs” refers to the eleven tracks on his latest solo effort, Only Trying to Help (Better Looking). True to his word, Ferguson has filled this album with glossy, pop-tinged rock. Keep Reading - Claire Orpeza

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Ryan Ferguson @ MySpace

While Sub Pop can probably never be considered a bad thing, the fellows in Rogue Wave have paddled themselves over to a befitting new home for their next release. On September 18th pro surfer turned musician, turned label head of Bushfire Records, Jack Johnson will be releasing the Oakland CA quartet’s third full-length, titled Asleep at Heaven’s Gate. And if new song “Lake Michigan”, which is currently featured over at the band’s MySpace Page, is indicative of the rest of the album, fans of the band’s swishy, vintage pop music should be pretty happy. For more of the juicy details, the band has made a video on the making of Asleep at Heaven’s Gate available: - David Pitz

In addition to Asleep, the band will hit the road in support of Feist this fall:

Sep 9 2007 - Flynn Theatre - Burlington, Vermont*
Sep 11 2007 - Ram’s Head Live - Baltimore, Maryland*
Sep 12 2007 - Tower Theatre - Upper Darby, Pennsylvania*
Sep 13 2007 - Carnegie Music Hall - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania*
Sep 14 2007 - Messiah College - Grantham, Pennsylvania*
Sep 15 2007 - Michigan Theatre - Ann Arbor, Michigan*
Oct 10 2007 - The Casbah - San Diego, California
Oct 11 2007 - El Rey Theatre - Los Angeles, California
Oct 12 2007 - Bimbo's 365 Club - San Francisco, California
Oct 15 2007 - Wonder Ballroom - Portland, Oregon
Oct 16 2007 - Neumo's - Seattle, Washington
Oct 19 2007 - Bluebird Theatre - Denver, Colorado
Oct 20 2007 - The Bottleneck - Lawrence, Kansas
Oct 21 2007 - The Waiting Room - Omaha, Nebraska
Oct 23 2007 - 400 Bar - Minneapolis, Minnesota
Oct 24 2007 - The Double Door - Chicago, Illinois
Oct 26 2007 - Mod Club - Toronto, Ontario
Oct 27 2007 - Cabaret Music Hall - Montreal, Quebec
Oct 29 2007 - Iron Horse Music Hall - Northampton, Massachusetts
Oct 30 2007 - Paradise Rock Club - Boston, Massachusetts
Nov 1 2007 - The Bowery Ballroom - New York, New York
Nov 2 2007 - Maxwell's - Hoboken, New Jersey
Nov 3 2007 - Johnny Brenda's - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Nov 5 2007 - The Black Cat - Washington, Washington DC
Nov 6 2007 - Satellite Ballroom - Charlottesville, Virginia
Nov 8 2007 - The Earl - Atlanta, Georgia
Nov 9 2007 - Mercy Lounge - Nashville, Tennessee
Nov 10 2007 - The Bottletree - Birmingham, Alabama

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Rogue Wave @ MySpace

The Baeble crew somehow managed to miss the classic dose of home town hip hop the Beastie Boys bombarded both Summer Stage and McCarren Park with last week. Will news of a few more dates bring sweet redemption? Not unless we jet set off to Chicago, Detroit, Montreal, and Toronto. Guess we blew it. But if you live in any of the tour stops below, it doesn’t mean you have to. - David Pitz

B-Boys On Tour:
August 16th - Denver, CO - Red Rocks Amphitheater
August 17th - Denver, CO - Fillmore
August 19th - Los Angeles, CA- Greek Theater
August 20th - Los Angeles, CA- Greek Theater
August 21st - Los Angeles, CA - The Wiltern
August 23rd - Santa Barbara, CA - Santa Barbara County Bowl
August 24th - San Francisco, CA - Warfield - A Gala Event
August 25th - Berkeley, CA - Greek Theater
September 20th - Montreal QUE - Bell Centre
September 21st - Toronto ONT - Air Canada Centre
September 22nd - Toronto ONT - Hummingbird Centre for Performing Arts
September 24th - Detroit, MI - Fillmore
September 26th - Chicago IL - Riviera Theatre
September 27th - Chicago IL - Charter One Pavilion

- Photo Courtesy of Brooklyn Vegan

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Beastie Boys @ MySpace

With his electro-psychedelic swagger, light headed melodies, and balmy bits of carefully calculated vintage throwback, the latest kaleidoscopic effort from Dan Snaith (aka Caribou) is the kind of woozy wandered Belle and Sebastian might feel compelled to knock off…though, if it happened, Snaith would certainly have it coming. Born of the teenage, petty theft of his high school music department’s sampler, Caribou is five albums deep into a trippy discography that seems to get better with nearly every release. Now calling the mighty Merge Records home, Caribou has readied Andora for an August 21st release. Along with the album come all the pre-release goodies, including a video for “Melody Day”, and four piece support on a full fall tour. - David Pitz



Caribou On Tour:
Sep 28 - The Casbah (Hamilton, ON)
Sep 29 - Starlight Lounge (Waterloo, ON)
Sep 30 - The Rivoli (Toronto, ON)
Oct 2 - Babylon (Ottawa, ON)
Oct 3 - La TuLipe Pop Montreal (Montreal, QC)
Oct 4 - Iron Horse (Northampton, MA)
Oct 5 - Middle East Upstairs (Cambridge, MA)
Oct 5 - The Collective Cabaret (Winnipeg, MB)
Oct 6 - Bowery Ballroom (New York, NY) Map
Oct 7 - SUNY Purchase (Purchase, NY) Map
Oct 8 - First Unitarian Church (Philadelphia, PA)
Oct 9 - Rock N' Roll Hotel (Washington, DC)
Oct 10 - Satellite Ballroom (Charlottesville, VA)
Oct 11 - Local 506 (Chapel Hill, NC)
Oct 12 - The Earl (Atlanta, GA)
Oct 13 - Common Grounds (Gannesville, FL)
Oct 14 - The Social (Orlando, FL)
Oct 16 - The Beta Bar (Tallahassee, FL)
Oct 17 - Spanish Moon (Baton Rouge, LA)
Oct 19 - Emo's Jr. (Austin, TX)
Oct 20 - Palladium Loft (Dallas, TX)
Oct 22 - Bottleneck (Lawrence, KS)
Oct 23 - Larimer Lounge (Denver, CO)
Oct 24 - Urban Lounge (Salt Lake City, UT)
Oct 25 - Plush (Tuscon, AZ)
Oct 26 - Troubadour (Los Angeles, CA)
Oct 27 - Slims (San Francisco, CA)
Oct 28 - Doug Fir Lounge (Portland, OR)
Oct 29 - Neumo's (Seattle, WA)
Oct 30 - Richards On Richards (Vancouver, BC)
Oct 31 - Sugar (Victoria, BC)
Nov 1 - The Starlite Room (Edmonton, AB)
Nov 3 - The Warehouse (Calgary, AB)
Nov 4 - Amigos (Saskatoon, SK)
Nov 6 - The Aquarium (Fargo, ND)
Nov 7 - Triple Rock Club (Minneapolis, MN)

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MP3: Caribou:: “Melody Day” – from Andorra
Caribou @ MySpace

Rarely does a band lose its edge quite this fast.

And if any quirky rockers were going to go fuzzy-pencil on their sophomore attempt, the listening world probably wouldn't expect it to be Junior Senior, the Danish garage-fabulous pop duo who challenged the term "dance music" in 2003 with their debut, D-D-Don't Don't Stop The Beat. Keep Reading - Dorit Finkel

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Junior Senior @ MySpace

For those devoted to Devendra Banhart, September 25th stands a bit too far off in the autumnal future…especially considering it marks the date that fans can get their hands on his long awaited follow-up to Cripple Crow. But a variety of different tastes of Smokey Rolls Down Thunder Canyon (XL Recordings) are beginning to surface from Camp Banhart. And with news that more is to come, it is looking like a fairly exciting time to follow the Laurel Canyon, folk laureate. To the goodies…

Set to the epic and altering sounds of Smokey’s “Seahorse”, a new documentary on the making of the album is available below:



Banhart is also offering tracks from the album on both his Official Site, as well as his MySpace Page. Word is, he will continue unveil more as the release date approaches. While we don’t know which ones specifically, we can bet they come from the full track listing of Smokey Rolls Down Thunder Canyon, offered below:

01 Cristobal
02 So Long Old Bean
03 Samba Vexillographica
04 Seahorse
05 Bad Girl
06 Seaside
07 Shabop Shalom
08 Tonada Yanomaminista
09 Rosa
10 Saved
11 Lover
12 Carmencita
13 The Other Woman
14 Freely
15 I Remember
16 My Dearest Friend

Finally, make sure you jump on your best opportunity to hear the new material when Banhart plays your town this summer.

09-01 - Vancouver, BC - Commodore Ballroom
09-02 - Seattle, WA - Bumbershoot Festival
09-04 - Portland, OR - Crystal Ballroom
09-06 - Santa Cruz - Rio Theater
09-07 - Berkeley, CA - Zellerbach Hall at UC Berkeley
09-10 - Denver, CO - Ogden Theater
09-12 - Omaha, NE - Sokol Auditorium
09-13 - Lawrence, KS - Liberty Hall Theater
09-15 - Minneapolis, MN - First Avenue
09-16 - Milwaukee, WI - Pabst Theater
09-18 - Chicago, IL - Portage Theater
09-19 - Detroit, MI - Majestic Theater
09-21 - Toronto, ON - Danforth Music Hall
09-22 - Montreal, QC - Theatre National
09-23 - Burlington, VT - Grand Ballroom
09-25 - Boston, MA - Roxy Ballroom
09-27 - New York, NY - Grand Ballroom
09-29 - Philadelphia, PA - Theater Of Living Arts
10-01 - Washington, DC - Sixth and I Historic Synagogue
10-04 - Nashville, TN - City Hall
10-06 - Dallas, TX - Granada Theater
10-07 - Austin, TX - La Zona Rosa
10-09 - Albuquerque, NM - Sunshine Theater
10-10 - Tucson, AZ - Rialto Theater
10-12 - Phoenix, AZ - Marquee Theater
10-13 - Los Angeles, CA - Orpheum

- David Pitz

An amateur’s eye rarely registers abstract art upon its’ maiden gaze. All aesthetic at first, what skill, touch, contrasting calm and chaos, and emotion that often lie at the heart of a modern piece can be easily lost if one lacks the understanding on where to find it. Not surprisingly, The Dirty Projectors’ Rise Above(Dead Oceans) presents a hard case for the fact that the same can be said of the extreme sect of experimental music these days. So forgive me if these words hardly sound accredited; I am no expert when it comes to the elegant mess of grooves, beats, harmonies, melodies, and other catastrophic soundings that one can expect to hear flailing around in the 11 songs Rise Above offers. Though, as the listening experience that surrounds the album evolves play after play, that may not always be the case; plenty is eventually revealed in Rise Above. Keep Reading - David Pitz

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MP3: Dirty Projectors:: “No More” – from Rise Above
Dirty Projectors @ MySpace

Doing justice to the two genres they have always plowed together, Bad Brains’ first video from their stunning return to form, Build A Nation, marries the brutal furry of “Give Thanks And Praises” and the narcotic dub of “Jah Love”. Shot on location at both the Sasquatch Festival and in Portland OR, the video was guided by System of a Down’s Shavo and captured by famed cinematographer Danny Hiele (U2, Green Day, Kanye West). Check out the video in full below:

It’s probably best to start off with a disclaimer: One man will never beat 130 bands. Last weekend, tens of thousands of people descended upon Chicago’s Grant Park for Lollapalooza. 3 Days. 11 hours each day. Nine stages. Each day must be planned with the tactical strategies of a Navy Seal and, no matter how many bands you get to see, the days are as much defined by who you missed as who you saw. Still, the sheer number of interesting bands at this year’s festival made it a wonderful problem to have.

Unlike other festivals that focus on up-and-coming bands (South by Southwest), attract diehards for selected groups (Coachella) or lean towards the 24-hour festival experience (Bonnaroo), Lollapalooza has re-emerged as a sort of Rock 101 Festival. Sure, Pearl Jam got some devoted fans to Chicago, but the majority of acts were seen by people more curious than enthusiastic. Maybe it’s an age thing. With an average age in the teens and early 20s, many festival attendees were in prime discovery mode.

So let it not be said that we can’t winnow 130 bands into easily-digestible lists. Baeble presents the Best and Worst of this year’s festival. KEEP READING - Jason Newman

Listening to AA Bondy’s “There’s a Reason”, no trick of the mind is needed to picture Scott Bondy - the once lead singer of the Dave Grohl admired trio, Vebena - quietly strumming his way through some spontaneous, yet oh so perfect, Catskill folk song. Wrapping circumstance (in this case, Bondy exiling himself from the punk rock code he lived his life by, and retiring from music all together) and emotion up in a warm layer of chords and voice, Bondy’s new record is the result of a fit of creativity that stirred an endless vat of authenticity from years without a guitar in his hand. “American Hearts, which was recorded in less than a month at The Red Barn in Palenville, NY, will be released September 18th on Superphonic Records. - David Pitz
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MP3: AA Bondy:: “There’s a Reason” – from American Hearts
AA Bondy on MySpace

Though Black Mountain’s Amber Webber and Joshua Wells have been trippin’ out audiences for years with their druggish, space rock, their side-project, Lightening Dust, (Jagjaguwar) is a project much more honed into a supremely, simplistic, sound. Webber claims the melodies that frequent the self titled album have been haunting her head for years, and with the floating piano and cello lines of “Highway” it is certainly easy to hear why. Stealing scenery from some luscious, ultra green hideaway, the video below, though a tad typical of the scenic, introspective, low budget craft too many bands have gotten into the habit of filming these days, stands in sharp contrast to the shadowy confines “Highway” was most likely recorded in. If you’re stuck in your office, “Highway” will carry you somewhere nice for a few moments. - David Pitz


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MP3: Lightening Dust:: “Listened On” – from Lightening Dust
Lightening Dust on MySpace

Forgive us…We are still scrubbing body paint from our burnt skin, and ringing the dye out of our hair. We’ll have a full recap of the weekend’s events starting tomorrow!

If you’ve gone to any shows for Death Cab for Cutie, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, or David Byrne, there’s a pretty good chance you’ve already been turned on to Architecture in Helsinki, and their eclectic sound. Or you might be from Australia, in which case you should probably just skip to all the parts about their latest album, Places Like This (Polyvinyl).KEEP READING - Eric Silver

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MP3: Architecture in Helsinki:: “Heart It Races” – from Places Like This
Architecture in Helsinki on MySpace

The recent release by They Shoot Horses, Don’t They?, a multi-instrumental and avant-garde group from Vancouver, showcases what’s right and wrong about the experimental side of indie rock. Pickup Sticks is an exercise in making people feel slightly unintelligent if they don’t understand what’s going on. But in reality, not much is.KEEP READING - Stephon Johnson

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MP3: The Shoot Horses, Don't They?:: “A Place Called LA” – from Pickup Sticks
They Shoot Horses, Don't They? on MySpace

Massachusetts duo Drug Rug, AKA Tommy Allen and Sarah Cronin, know a little about bands. Allen, a bartender at Boston’s The Middle East worked up the nerve to talk to Cronin, who covers sounds and live recordings for the venue, and the duo quickly got together both musically and romantically. After swapping each other’s music, the pair recorded some demos together and eventually grabbed the ear of Apollo Sunshine drummer/label head Jeremy Black. What emerged was their self-titled debut, a beautiful, fuzzy mix of blues, folk and lo-fi sounds that sees frequent vocal harmonizing and recalls both Elephant 6 and classic 60s vocalist duos. After getting to know them a bit, Baeble picked the brains of two people who, combined, have seen thousands of bands over the past five years to find out the biggest mistakes bands make. KEEP READING - Jason Newman

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Upcoming Drug Rug Shows:
8/9/07 – Cambridge, Massachusetts – T.T. The Bears
8/10/07 - New York, New York - The Mercurty Lounge
8/18/07 - Somerville, Massachusetts - Tribute to Daniel Johnston @ P.A.'s Lounge
9/18/07 - Cambridge, Massachusetts - Pipeline, 88.1 FM
9/21/07 - Somerville, Massachusetts - Somerville Ave - Record Release Party

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Drug Rug @ MySpace

Hardly a case of the Mondays, Baeble Music is proud to get the week started off on high note with the premiere of three new concerts.



For their biggest NYC show to date, Voxtrot worked their way through a set that pulled songs from all three EPs, their recently released full-length album, and a new track that somehow managed to mash their personalized pop soundings with 80s hair metal. While songs like “Mothers, Sisters, Daughters, and Wives”, “Kid Gloves”, “Steven”, and “Biggest Fan” reached for the lofty heights (courtesy of a string quartet) they always seemed destined for, it was “The Start of Something” that stuck out in the bunch. I guess that is what happens when a gang of goofballs (ok, Au Revoir Simone, Favorite Sons, and others) rush the stage at once. We were definitely a little jealous we couldn’t bounce around on stage with them. But we did get to freak out a little bit way up in the balconies.

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VIDEO: Voxtrot:: “Live at Webster Hall” – NYC, NY



Baeble’s lovely little Swedish obsession still hasn’t run its’ course. But really, why should it? Having filmed bands like Mando Diao and I’m From Barcelona (Look for it soon.), and now ,Shout Out Louds, the choice music that continues to be imported stateside provides reason upon reason to keep our cameras pointed at the country’s artists.

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VIDEO: Shout Out Louds:: “Live at Spiegeltent” – NYC, NY



Having earned themselves a slew of critical chatter for their independently released, Wild Mountain Nation, Portland experi-blazers Blitzen Trapper brought their rousing and rambling sound to a close-to-capacity show in NYC. Always wanting to decipher pandemonium from pretension, the Baeble crew piled into the Mercury Lounge to hear what all the frenzied fuss surrounding the band was all about.

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VIDEO: Blitzen Trapper:: “Live at Mercury Lounge” – NYC, NY

It is one of those band names that comes screaming from some nostalgic, daytrip down memory lane. In this case, it’s a dorm room covered in local show flyers and all hazy and musty with cigarette smoke. Matt Pond PA. Oh yeah! I remember that band. They are still around? Of course the arrival of a freshly pressed EP, If You Want Blood (Altitude Records), at Baeble HQ a few weeks back confirms they very much are. And after giving it a few spins, I’m glad they are.

While opener “Reading” isn’t too terribly stand out-ish, “Magic Boyfriend”, with its’ swinging banjo, zany guitar riff, and hoe down drums is. Feel free to place “Everything Until The East Coast Ends” in a favorable category as well. The song is just somber and sentimental enough…exactly the kind of thing that would have turned me on to Matt Pond PA way back when. Actually, I’m glad to know it still does. Other highlights include “If You Live” and, appropriately enough, “If You Want Blood”. - David Pitz

The band will also be releasing Last Light (Polyvinyl) on September 25th.

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Matt Pond PA @ MySpace

The inbox today brings news that our friends over at Astralwerks are prepping an autumn project definitely worth touching on. Queue the Fireworks!

Set for an August 28th release, the latest from Louisville KY natives VHS or Beta - Bring On The Comets - “provides heartfelt anthems with a newfound discovery of musical freedom, a shedding of previous expectation and boundary, and an undeniable attention to the craft of songwriting.”

To celebrate the release of this album (Hopefully with fireworks...), VHS OR BETA is proud to announce an extensive North American tour in August and September.

8/2 - San Francisco, CA - Popscene
8/3 - Los Angeles, CA - Troubador
8/28 - Boston, MA - Great Scott
8/29 - New York, NY - Bowery Ballroom
8/30 - Brooklyn, NY - Studio B
8/31 - Philadelphia, PA - Johnny Brendas
9/1 - Washington, DC - Rock N Roll Hotel
9/2 - Cleveland, OH - Grog Shop
9/4 - Chicago, IL - Subterranean
9/7 - Denver, CO - Larimer Lounge
9/8 - Salt Lake City, UT - Urban Lounge
9/10 - Seattle, WA - Chop Suey
9/11 - Vancouver, BC - Media Club
9/12 - Portland, OR - Doug Fir Lounge
9/14 - San Francisco, CA - Mezzanine
9/15 - Los Angeles, CA - Echoplex
9/17 - San Diego, CA - Casbah
9/18 - Tempe, AZ - Rhythm
9/20 - Dallas, TX - Granada Theatre
9/21 - Austin, TX - The Mohawk
9/22 - Houston, TX - Mink
9/24 - Decatur, GA - The Earl
9/25 - Athens, GA - 40 Watt Club
9/26 - Mt. Pleasant, SC - The Village Tavern
9/27 - Chapel Hill, NC - Local 506
9/28 - Lexington, KY - The Dame
9/29 - Louisville, KY - Headliners Music Hall

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VHS or Beta @ MySpace

Don’t let the name fool you. The Perishers, who hail from Umeå, Sweden, are not some kind of Nordic black metal band. The quartet, consisting of Pehr Åström, Martin Gustafson, Thomas Hedlund, and Ola Klüft, is much more likely to woo its audiences with its melodic, guitar-driven indie pop.

On their newest album, Victorious, these pop tendencies are put to good use. From the summery, Fountains-of-Wayne-ish “Carefree” to the infinitely hummable la-da-das of “Is It Over Now?” the band provides a listening experience that is often catchy, but never boring. Though the general tone of the album may be a bit bittersweet — on the second track, Klüft sings “I’m sure we’ll grow, but we’ll never bloom again” — the songs never wallows in clichés. KEEP READING - Claire Orpeza

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The Perishers @ MySpace