Old Crow Medicine Show have a new record, Carry Me Back, July 17 on ATO Records. This is one of those bands I THINK have like 20 records out. In fact this is their fourth studio effort. They just seem sort of ubiquitous. It just seems I have been hearing the name since I was a kid (which isn’t true). The new record was recorded at Sound Emporium in Nashville, a studio with some history. But the guy at the board and the band are what make the sound. NOW, this record was produced by Ted Hutt (Flogging Molly, Gaslight Anthem, Dropkick Murphys) which should be a good thing.

The band is also heading out on tour this summer and the dates are below—playing with some other interesting acts along the way.

June 30 - Owensboro, KY @ ROMP Festival
July 19 - Indianapolis, IN @ Egyptian Room
July 20 - St. Louis, MO @ The Pageant
July 21 - Kansas City, MO @ The Crossroads
July 26 - Louisville, KY @ Palace Theatre
July 27 - Cincinnati, OH @ Taft Theatre
July 28 - Nashville, TN @ The Woods at Fontanel with Special Guests
August 1 - Richmond, VA @ Maymont Park w/The Milk Carton Kids and Special Guest
August 2 - Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club w/The Milk Carton Kids and Special Guest
August 3 - Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club w/The Milk Carton Kids and Special Guest
August 4 - Philadelphia, PA @ Electric Factory w/The Lumineers & The Milk Carton Kids
August 6 - New York, NY @ SummerStage, Central Park w/The Lumineers & The Milk Carton Kids
August 8 - Portland, ME @ State Theatre w/The Lumineers & The Milk Carton Kids
August 9 - Boston, MA @ House of Blues w/The Lumineers & The Milk Carton Kids
August 10 - Burlington, VT @ Waterfront Park w/The Lumineers & The Milk Carton Kids
August 12 - Pittsburgh, PA @ Stage AE w/The Lumineers
August 17 - Salem, VA @ Salem Civic Center w/The Lumineers
August 18 - Cary, NC @ Koka Booth Amphitheatre w/The Lumineers
August 19 - Charlottesville, VA @ nTelos Wireless Pavilion w/The Lumineers & Pokey LaFarge and the South City Three
August 23 - Birmingham, AL @ Alabama Theatre w/The Lumineers & Milk Carton Kids
August 24 - Knoxville, TN @ The Tennessee Theatre w/ The Lumineers & Milk Carton Kids
August 25 - Atlanta, GA @ The Fox Theater w/The Lumineers & The Milk Carton Kids

Matisyahu and The Dirty Heads are playing the Congress Theater in Chicago as part of Riot Fest on Thursday, August 7, 2012. Tickets are on sale at  congresschicago.com. The event is presented by Congress Theater and Riot Fest.

Matisyahu has apparently shaved too and is no longer billed as the “Chassidic reggae superstar.” Now he is just a regular reggae superstar. He does have a new record coming out soon and the first single from that, Sunshine, was made available on the Matisyahu website.

The Congress Theater is located at  2135 N Milwaukee Avenue .

Total Slacker have two new split singles. The second, with Friends, Friend Crush ,comes out in late June. The  first, Brain Slime comes out out June 20th. Physical copies will be limited to 300 worldwide. The band is also on tour with their friends Night Manager on the Touch Yourself USA Tour. The dates are below and some are DIY house shows. One is a Daytrotter Session.

The band plays psych-lo-fi-garage noise (they add “gaze” in there but I think that is just awkward). They are out of Brooklyn and in the past 18 months or so they have played over 100 shows, releasing tons of music in short and long play format. Check them out if you get a chance. 

Tour
6/2 - BROOKLYN, NY @ Cheap Storage
6/3 - PHILADELPHIA, PA @ Pi Lam (3914 Spruce Street)
6/4 - HARRISONBURG, VA @ My Mansion (265 W. Market St.)
6/5 - PITTSBURGH, PA @ Garfield Art Works
6/7 - DETROIT, MI @ Magic Stick
6/8 – Day Trotter Live Session  @ 2 PM CST
6/8 - CHICAGO, IL @ Township w/ White Mystery 
6/10 - MILWAUKEE, WI @ Turf Club
6/12 - BLOOMINGTON, IN @ The Bishop
6/13 - COLUMBUS, OH @ Ace Of Cups
6/14 - BALTIMORE, MD @ Bell Foundry w/ Weekends
6/15 - BOSTON, MA @ Liz Pelly’s (Secret house show/contact for details)

Alcoholic Faith Mission has a new video for their track, Alaska. This is the third record from their most recent recording. For some reason I always liked this band’s name. No idea why. The group’s new record, Ask Me This, is out now and the band is finishing up their tour (dates below).

The band hail from Denmark and have appeared at a number of festivals and toured in the USA this spring.

Benjamin Francis Leftwich is a singer songwriter from the UK who just finished his first tour of the US of A in support of The Jezabels. He shot some songs on this tour with In The Open. One of these, Pictures, is available for viewing now.  It is of the artist at the Golden Gate Bridge. Go HERE to check it out.

 

California Wives have signed with Vagrant Records. Do not let the name fool you, these are Chicago boys. They released a self-titled EP a few years back that seemed to blow up the collective dress of the music media. They harkened back to an 80s sound that held nostalgia—but the band wasn’t reviving anything but incorporating the old with the new to create their own distinctive “thing.”

And you can hear what that is below by listening to, and downloading, their tune, Marianne. The band is finishing up their full length right now and a release date is coming soon.

Life is the latest single from Summer Camp. The track is off their upcoming Always EP which is the first new music since their debut, Welcome to Condale. The new EP comes out July 10 in North America.

The group will also be touring the UK and dates are below.

 The group’s first full length came out at the end of last year. By Christmas they were apparently working on new music. These are dedicated musicians (or they have OCD). Check out the new single and be sure to see them live in the UK.

If you want to know more about the band, and you should, head to www.wearesummercamp.com.

Univision Radio recently announced that their H20 Music Festival’s second location would be Los Angeles. The festival will take place August 25 at the Los Angeles State Historic Park. Acts include Snoop Dog, Alejandro Sanz, Paulina Rubio, Alex Cuba, Chino y Nacho, Romeo Testa and more acts (lots more) to be announced

The Los Angeles State Historic Park  has a main stage emerging bands, local artists and top acts. There has been a contest, ongoing, to choose some of the emerging artists. Bands can upload a video or mp3 ont H20MusicFestival/YourBand in the Chevron Brings Your Band to the Stage” promotion. And they promise to not spill any oil. On May 14 30 finalists will be featured online and listeners can vote for the five who will appear at the festival

There will be vendors, cool down tents, food and more—as well as DJs from Univision Radio,

This fest follows the earlier one in Dallas. To check out the complete line ups head to www.H2OMusicFestival.com.

Blind Benny is an ethereal rock band.  You would think those two things mutually exclusive but I assure you they are not. They are releasing a debut EP, September 4, 2012 but you can see the video for their track, No Honor, below. You can also download it free HERE.

The band will be playing at Pianos (we assume the one in NYC) on May 31 for a preview performance of the EP.

Originally performing as Jade (the name of the band’s singer) but changed the moniker to be more all inclusive.  Jade, herself, released a solo ep, It’s My Heart, Cookie.

Have a listen, check out their show and wait patiently for September.

The Dig’s new record, Midnight Flowers, comes out May 29 and the band has some dates set up—record release shows, all of which are below. I saw them play. I remember being impressed. They were opening for someone and I recall thinking; the main band must be pretty damned good to have a group like THIS opening for them.

I probably thought it more eloquently than that.

The band is also lending a track to the charity compilation, Turn the Tide: Songs for Last Call at the Oasis. This music goes along with a movie of the same name and relates to the worldwide water crisis. A good cause. You can check out the single and download it below. But do remember the film.