All Birds Say,on ATO records, is a collection of new songs from My Morning Jacket guitarist, Carl Broemel. The press release instructs us to think of Neko Case,  Boz Scaggs, Andrew Bird and others. That is a pretty broad brush right there (and anyway, it is a PRESS release!). They add that the record features varied instrumentation such as pedal steel, dobro, strings, autohard, clarinet, bassoon, vibraphone, saxophones and more…(if they had said “giant rotating speakers that make other-worldly sounds we would have gotten the Andrew Bird comparison)
 
You can check out a download here.

The Black Angels , a band I really, really like (in case you were wondering), are releasing their third studio record, Phosphene Dream,  September 14. What’s more they are releasing it as the first signing of the recently reborn, Blue Horizon Records.  Blue Horizon was re-launched  by Richard Gottehrer and Seymour Stein and they picked a fine band for the task at hand.

The new record was produced and mixed by Dave Sardy who has worked with the likes of Oasis, Wolfmother and Black Mountain. The band’s music has always been a cleverly updated version of the darker sort of psychedelic music that first reared its head in the early 70s. I think of everything from The Birthday Party to The Gun Club when I hear this band. But it is more than that. Don’t listen to my comparisons. What the hell do I know?  You can get a free download  of the new track,  Bad Vibrations, in exchange for your email address at www.theblackangels.com.

This is the band’s first CD recorded outside of Austin. The press release says they were brought to L.A to get them out of their comfort zone.  The band will be at tons of festivals (including Leeds and Reading, Rock en Seine and at  ATP in NYC. Tour dates to follow.

Some video interviews I did with the band about their gear a few years back for Gearwire.com

www.gearwire.com/black-angels-guitars.html

www.gearwire.com/black-angels-amps.html

There are more...but I didn't feel like posting all the links.

Multi-instrumentalist Scott Janovitz’ project, The Russians is poised to release , Crashing the Party. The project includes a herd of Boston musical luminaries I am sure you can find listed elsewhere. The CD (& digital version) comes out July 13.  A vinyl lp will follow. The Russians will play a release party show at the Lizard Lounge in Cambridge, MA. We don’t KNOW for sure but we expect some of the musical luminaries will be on hand.

For more information on the show go to www.lizardlounge.com

For more information on The Russians go to www.therussianembassy.com

Alexa Wilding, will be out on tour with Au Revoir Simone (and adding some NYC dates this summer). Wilding’s eponymous first ep was mixed by Fred Smith of Television fame. You can hear a track from that ep, Black Diamond date by CLICKING HERE.

Wilding’s music has also found its way into designer Paola Suhonen's films for Finnish design house, IVANAhelsinki. These collaborations included a performance at Art Basel-Miami (last year’s Art Basel-Miami was the largest art show ever, in the history of the earth).

Wilding has quite a resume. You can read more about her at her website, www.alexawilding.com.

The first date is June 29. Yeah. Short notice but dates continue through August. None so far in Chicago alas!

Funny video from OK Go...have a look.

Cuci Amador and Smurphio are the two halfs of Miami-based, Afrobeta. Afrobeta began their musical life in 2006 and although their press release calls the Miami music scene “splintered” a more apropos term might be “nonexistent..” South Florida has always had a problem with live music. It gets vibrant and then, some mystical power (or greedy dim-witted politician) clubs it to death.

It is no small feat to make any noise out of Miami when it comes to music.

Afrobeta have a four song EP, Do You Party?, coming out (we won’t hold the title against them). And they were voted “Best Band” in the Miami New Times (but we won’t hold that against them either).

They also have a full length coming out in the fall and they will be hitting the road. After a brief listen to the music, you really have to think they are going to be fun to see in the flesh.

Check out some music HERE.

And find out more about the band HERE.

Jones-ing for some Danish metal? Really who isn’t? Starting this August we Americans will have our chance. Volbeat return to the USA with a August 13th show at the Gramercy Theatre (umm shouldn’t that be “theater” on this side of the Atlantic?)

The two week tour is presented by Revolver Magazine. Revolver apparently sponsored the tour so they can be the only ones with “behind the scenes” access to the recording of the fourth studio record from the band.  Maybe a “reality show” is on the way. Nah, only joshing, apparently it is for an article running this week in Revolver.

Wonder why print mags are vanishing like frogs near a chemical plant? I kid because I love (actually I do it because I am full of spleen). BUT it would actually be nice if more publications did this sort of thing.

ANYWAY, Volbeat have been around since 2001 and are an interesting band (if you are into metal). You can find tour info at the Revolver website. Dommin will open on the whole two-week tour and The Sleeping support shows from August 13-20.

For more information log on to http://volbeat.dk/

Ableton, creators of one of the world’s most popular music writing/recording/performing software, are working to give something back.

Obviously they have an interested in technology and music. One area where technology has become integral is in teaching music.

The Ableton Summer Music Challenge is supporting music education efforts by having students get creative during summer vacation and, in doing so, help out their school.

Here is how it works.

-Students record music.

-They then upload that music to SoundCloud to enter.

-Then they share the music through their favorite social networks.

Tracks with the most plays by August 31 will then go to the Ableton Summer Music Challenge Jury. Award winners will be determined there. There are two age groups—under 15 and 15-18.

Schools can win the following.--

- Ableton Live Intro audio production platform
- Novation Launchpad midi controller
- Novation NIO 2/4 audio interface
- SoundCloud pro account (1 year)
- Loopmasters sample collections


For details head to  www.abletonsummermusicchallenge.com

Eagles of Death Metal fans will be unhappy to learn that bassist Brian O’Connor has been diagnosed with cancer. O’Connor is undergoing treatment in Los Angeles. Friends from the music world—including Queens of the Stone Age, Rage Against the Machine, Them Crooked Vultures and his own band have taken it upon themselves to help.

Like many Americans, O’Connor has no health insurance so benefit shows are being organized in London and Los Angeles to help with medical expenses.

Them Crooked Vultures announced the London show a July 5 date at Brixton Academy. Specifics on the Los Angeles show are in the works.

Derek Vincent Smith, best known under his secret producer name Pretty Lights(Ok..it isn't a secret), is in the process of releasing three EPs this year. He is doing this while moving back and forth from Europe playing shows and festivals including: Glastonbury, Camp Bisco, Wanderlust, Outsidelands and North Coast.

He also returns to Colorado for a headline show at the Red Rocks Ampitheater on August 7. This show is to celebrate the release of the second ep (one and the same as mentioned in the headline) and will include a downtempo set. Opening acts include MiMOSA, Zion I and Empanipator.

Now here is the really cool part. You can get all the music for free via the Pretty Lights website. Half a million downloads and counting....!