Remember when Chairlift tried to do handstands for you? Aaron Pfenning, co-founder of Chairlift, gives you Rewards. His other group, Rewards, has a new acoustic video for the single, I Used To. You can also check out, and buy, some music via his Soundcloud page (linked below). These include the songs Equal Dreams and Asleep With The Lights On.

Pfenning is a hardworking guy. He not only played multiple instruments, wrote songs, produced and sang on the Chairlift debut, he did the same on his own project. He has toured recently with We Are Scientists, Brandon Flowers and Warpaint. In that time he has also been releasing singles.

Paul McCartney is releasing an orchestral dance record, Ocean’s Kingdom which was commissioned by the New York City Ballet. The piece will be conducted by John Wilson and performed by the London Classical Orchestra.

McCartney has never written an orchestral score for dance before. The piece will premiere at the New York City Ballet Fall Gala, September 22, 2011. The score will be released October 4th. It will be available digitally, on CD and also on vinyl.

OK Go recently teamed up with The Muppets for The Muppets: The Green Album. Can you imagine getting to record a record with The Muppets? It would be like getting to record one with the Rolling Stones but with less likelihood of Keith Richards throwing up on you.

The band will be playing on the Jay Leno Show on August 31.

Check out the Keys N Krates Remix of the band’s song, All Is Not Lost, below. And go to band website, www.okgo.net, for other OK Go information.  

Young Circles, sometimes compared to Radiohead and never compared to Foghat,  are allowing free downloads of their debut  full-length record, Jungle Habits, today ONLY at the band website. You will be asked for your email address and be added to the band mailing list.  If you miss this August 23 special you can still hear the record HERE at AOL Spinner (a great place to check out new music incidentally).

The band had an ep, Bones, out earlier this year and have been playing a great deal in the New York City area. A tour is in the works to support the record and will be announced soon.

Johanna & The Dusty Floor are in the midst of their first US Tour. Right in the middle of all that mayhem she is making the video for her cover of Kate Bush’s Cloudbusting available to the masses. Check it out below.

The band’s debut record, Northern Lights, is out and that is the point of the tour—supporting that. They are on tour with Brooklyn’s Bird Call. They also made the track, Witch Shoes, available for the perusal of the general public. It is below as well.

Johanna (whose last name was never given and therefore is likely in witness protection) was born in Australia and moved to NYC. She has been compared to Bush and St. Vincent. If you like what you hear below there is more at the band Soundcloud page.

Tour (remaining dates)

8/24: San Diego, CA @ Tin Can *
8/25: Los Angeles, CA @ The Mint *
8/27: San Francisco, CA @ Brick & Mortar *
8/28:  Berkeley, CA @ Rasputin Music  *
10/14: Brooklyn, NY @ Cameo *
*w/Bird Call

Years ago I worked at a small record company in Los Angeles (and in Chicago) and one of the most odious tasks was the demo bin. I was not required to listen but some sort of perversion made me. Sometimes, however, you’d find something good, even great.

One of those bands was Collide. It has been awhile since Collide released a new studio record (they did put out an excellent live DVD not too long ago). The band says they have been working on this new record, Counting to Zero, for the past two years. It comes out September 27, 2011.

The band is a true independent. They have no label (they once did, I am sure someone evil) but they make music that blend the popular with dance, with a hint of industrial (but not industrial rock so much). If you know them, you should be thrilled about the new effort. If not this is a good way to find out about the band. 

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CSS, from Brazil, released their new record today.  La Liberacion includes collaborations with Ratatat, Bobby Gillespie (Primal Scream) and keyboardist Mike Garson (played with David Bowie back when). CSS has played in the USA at Coachella and on a co-headline tour with Sleigh Bells. They plan a full US tour in October.

The music is a mélange of reggae, punk and dance music. Another one of those hard to label acts (Brazil seems to have a lot of them). The band has also toured with bands including Klaxons, Ladytron and Gwen Stefani. The band are total road warriors, traveling all around the world playing. It is to be expected they will tour extensively to support the new record as well.

Download a copy of the single, Hits Me Like A Rock, at www.csssuxxx.com.

MC Chris is releasing his seventh record, Race Wars, on September 2. He is also heading out on a two month long headlining tour with support from MC Lars, Mega Ran and Adam WarRock. (on the first part of the tour).

Race Wars is a sort of concept record. It is a quasi-soundtrack to a nonexistent movie akin to the Mad Max films.

He is also know for his evil, rapping spider alter-ego, MC Pee Pants from the Aqua Teen Hunger Force (he is also the voice of Hesh on Sealab 2021). He has had an interesting career, he has worked with Michael Moore, as an animator, writer, voice actor and more. Check out the tour dates below. Could be a fun tour to hit.

Tour
9/1 – Brooklyn, NY @ Death By Audio (Birthday/Record Release Party) (solo)
9/4 – New York, NY @ UCB Theatre (Solo)
9/6 – Milvale, PA @ Mr. Smalls Theatre
9/7 – Cleveland Heights, OH @ Grog Shop
9/8 – Grand Rapids, MI @ The Intersection – Front Room
9/9 – Louisville, KY @ The Vernon Club
9/10 – DeKalb, IL @ The Middlewest Fest – The Egyptian
9/11 – Ann Arbor, MI @ Blind Pig
9/12 – Milwaukee, WI @ The Cactus Club
9/13 – Minneapolis, MN @ 7th Street Entry
9/15 – Chicago, IL @ Subterranean
9/16 – Madison, WI @ Inferno Nightclub
9/17 – Iowa City, IA @ Blue Moose Tap House
9/18 – Omaha, NE @ The Waiting Room
9/20 – Denver, CO @ Marquis Theatre
9/21 – Salt Lake City, UT @ Kilby Court
9/22 – Boise, ID @ Neurolux
9/23 – Seattle, WA @ El Corazon
9/24 – Portland, OR @ Hawthorne Theater
9/25 – San Francisco, CA @ Slim’s
9/26 – Santa Cruz, CA @ The Catalyst Atrium
9/27 – West Hollywood, CA @ The Troubadour
9/28 – San Luis Obispo, CA @ SLO Brewing Company
9/29 – San Diego, CA @ Ruby Room
9/30 – Scottsdale, AZ @ Martini Ranch
10/2 – Oklahoma City, OK @ The Conservatory
10/3 – Houston, TX @ Fitzgerald’s
10/4 – Austin, TX @ Emo’s Alternative Lounging (indoor)
10/6 – Lawrence, KS @ Granada
10/7- Columbia, MO @ Mojo’s
10/8 – Little Rock, AR @ Juanita’s
10/9 – Birmingham, AL @ Bottle Tree
10/10 – Baton Rouge, LA @ Spanish Moon
10/12 – Orlando, FL @ The Social
10/13 – Jacksonville, FL @ Jack Rabbits
10/14 – West Columbia, SC @ New Brookland Tavern
10/15 – Atlanta, GA @ Drunken Unicorn
10/16 – Carrboro, NC @ Cat’s Cradle
10/17 – Baltimore, MD @ The Ottobar
10/19 – Philadelphia, PA @ First Unitarian Church
10/21 – Portland, ME @ The Asylum
10/22 – S. Burlington, VT @ Higher Ground- Showcase Lounge
10/24 – Syracuse, NY @ Westcott Theater
10/26 – Buffalo, NY @ Mohawk Place
10/27 – Northampton, MA @ Pearl Street
10/29 – Brooklyn, NY @ Knitting Factory

Brandt Brauer Frick, a German trio known for their odd musical hybrids (can you say techno meets classical?), have a new record coming, Mr. Machine. Their debut was the classical cum techno effort, You Make Me Real. Which, actually, sounds horrible but it isn’t. Not kidding, it isn’t. The record won’t be to everyone’s taste to be sure but it is an interesting effort at the very least.

The band hits the festival circuit with regularity and are coming to the USA to perform with a stripped down version of their usual ensemble.

J.Viewz, an electronic project out of Brooklyn was brought together by producer/songwriter Jonathan Dagan. They don’t have a genre they subscribe to but they do have a debut record, rivers and homes, coming out September 6. The single, Far Too Close, is available belowfor your perusal.

Likewise check out the video for their single, Salty Air, below. The video currently has over 200,000 views. Hey, there are women in bikinis in it. 

The debut record has been done sort of old school. They planned the record but released the singles in advance building a group of fans who subscribed to the ongoing process. These folks got physical copies of the recording first. Now the general public, the great unwashed get their shot.