Big Scary are Australians but they are not really scary. Their latest record, Vacation, comes out in the USA September 18 on Pieater, the band’s own label.  You can check out the second single, Gladiator, below. You can also download it free at the band website, bigscary.net.

The duo consists of Tom Iansek and Joanna Syme.

The record has been big in their homeland and the band has also had a sold out, headlining tour in down under. They have also toured with Florence & The Machine and Editors. Lots of good notices too—but you can check the music out yourself on the band website above without reading the opinions of others. I like it, for what that is worth.

Balmorhea, from Austin, are releasing their fifth record, Stranger, on Western Vinyl, October 2, 2012. The band first appeared in 2007 with their self-titled debut.  Pitchfork compares the new record to Explosions in the Sky (imagine that!) and Tortoise which is high praise indeed from a publication as in tune with the hipster vibe as Pitchfork.

If hit Google to find out about the band you will see the world “ambient” tossed around. It isn’t totally inaccurate but it doesn’t really hit the nail on the proverbial head either. It is more than that. Fortunately you can hear the track below and not rely on anyone’s description.

Electro-pop band, Beat Connection, have a new video, The Palace Garden, 4am, out now. Check it out below. The group’s debut recording, The Palace Garden, comes out August 6 on Tender Age/Moshi Moshi.

Beat Connection just finished their tour with White Arrows and MMOTHS. The group will also perform live on KEXP, August 4, 2012 at 8 p.m.

They also have an upcoming show at Drake Hotel, Toronto, Ontario on August 7.

Patrick Damphier plays in the band Field Days (he also plays in another band we mention a great deal, Mynabirds). It is a rarity a musician gets in touch who is in not ONE but two bands I actually like—well LOVE really based on what I have heard—so it seems appropriate to let all of you know about the Field Days website. Check it out HERE.

You can check out new singles and videos from Field Days at the site. This includes the first single, I’m With You, now. In FACT, Damphier sent me this information some time ago and I farted around and didn’t get it posted until now. Maybe it was because of drunkenness (mine not Damphier’s).  He will add stuff to the site in between tours with Mynabirds.

Jordan Caress, Terry Price, Eli Beaird, and TW Walsh all made contributions to I’m With You. There will be a contribution with Richard Swift soon as well.

I wish I had posted this earlier. Apparently at the band's recent Schubas show in Chicago they had to chase down a thief. I don't want any musicians whooping MY ass in an alley.

The Cringe is a band we last heard from in 2010. Their third release, Play Thing, came out then. Now, their fourth album, Hiding In Plain Sight, is waiting in the wings. It comes out October 9, 2012. The band is also playing shows—including one tonight in Kansas City.

You can check out the new track, Rushing Through The World, below.

John Cusimano is vocalist, guitarist and keyboard for the band. Shawn Pelton is on drums (he played with Sheryl Crow), James “Roto” Rotondi (Air, Mr. Bungle) plays guitar and sings and Johnny Blaze play bass.

I could try to place the music in some sub-genre but let’s just call it rock n roll. The band jumps genres from pop to King Crimson (judging from previous efforts).

Tour
7/31: Kansas City, MO @ Beaumont Club
8/01: Waterloo, IA @ Spicoli's
8/05: South Bend, IN @ Club Landing
8/07: Ducannon, PA @ Rock Kat
8/09: Cleveland, OH @ Peabody's

Scarlett Johansson and Lulu Gainsbourg  (son of Serge Gainsbourg and Bambou) have just released a cover of Bonnie and Clyde. The song is the first track off an upcoming record by the younger Gainsbourg. That record, From Gainsbourg to Lulu, is a tribute to his dad. It comes out on iTunes tomorrow. Check out the track HERE. You can also download.

There are collaborations with Rufus Wainwright, Johnny Depp, Iggy Pop and Vanessa Paradis. There will be shows in New York City this winter.

Lulu Gainsbourg is not only the son of famous parents but a graduate of Berklee in Boston.

Faun Fables are heading out on tour. Some of the dates are solo and others are supporting Rasputina. So Rasputina fans can familiarize themselves with the group. The duo are from California and are all about storytelling, theatrics and, of course, music. The music isn’t JUST music but theater.

Faun Fables, apparently, aim to be modern troubadours. Sound like a fairly good choice to open for Rasputina.

Check out the track, A Fearful Name, below.

Tour
* with Rasputina
9/2/12          Urban Lounge- Salt Lake City, UT       
9/7/12          Dan's Silverleaf- Denton, TX       
9/8/12          Red 7- Austin, TX       
9/10/12        Circle Bar- New Orleans, LA       
9/12/12        The Social- Orlando, FL   
9/13/12        Jack Rabbits- Jacksonville, FL
9/14/12        Conundrum Music Hall- West Columbia, SC
9/15/12        The Bottletree- Birmingham, AL       
9/16/12        The Pilot Light- Knoxville, TN       
9/19/12        MOTR Pub- Cincinnati, OH       
9/20/12        Knitting Factory- Brooklyn, NY           
9/21/12        The Spotty Dog Books & Ale- Hudson, NY       
9/28/12        Polyhaus- Toronto, Canada   
9/30/12        Divan Orange- Montreal, Canada   
10/4/12        Johnny Brenda's- Philadelphia, PA       
10/5/12        Club Cafe- Pittsburgh, PA       
10/7/12*      SPACE- Evanston, IL       
10/9/12*      High Dive- Champaign,  IL       
10/11/12*    Varsity Theater- Minneapolis, MN       
10/12/12*    The Frequency- Madison, WI       
10/13/12*    Blueberry Hill- St. Louis, MO       
10/14/12*    Granada- Lawrence, KS       
10/17/12*    Bluebird Theater-  Denver, CO       
10/19/12*    Launchpad- Albuquerque, NM       
10/20/12*    Club Congress- Tucson, AZ       
10/21/12*    Anthology- San Diego, CA       
10/23/12*    Key Club- West Hollywood, CA       
10/24/12*    Great American Music Hall- San Francisco, CA        
10/26/12*    Star Theater- Portland, OR       

Jesca Hoop has a new record, a new video and is heading out on tour. The House That Jack Built is out now as is the video for the track, Hospital (Win Your Love). You can check it out below. Tour dates are also below for Hoop’s West Coast tour.

The new record, the follow up to Hunting My Dress.

The track, Hospital (Win Your Love), is a sort of fantasy. Hoop says it has to do with how, as a child, she imagined going to the hospital and being catered to. Remember how the kid in elementary school who came in with a broken arm was, briefly, a celebrity? That is the universal theme the song plays off.

Tour
8/07: Los Angeles, CA @ Largo at the Coronet
8/08: San Diego, CA @ Anthology
8/09: Costa Mesa, CA @ Detroit Bar
8/10: Long Beach, CA @ Fingerprints (Record Store Performance)
8/11: Ventura, CA @ Zoey's
8/12: Santa Cruz, CA @ Crepe Place
8/13: Oakland, CA @ Yoshi's
8/14: Nevada City, CA @ Haven Underground
8/16: Portland, OR @ Alberta Rose Theatre
8/17: Seattle, WA @ Empty Sea Studios
8/18: Eugene, OR @ Sam Bounds Garage

The Villains have a new video for their track, Cadillac. Cadillac is off the band’s second record, Velocity. Velocity was produced by Stan Lynch, formerly of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. The full length came out earlier this year.

If you are into a that vaguely retro rock that calls to mind acts ranging from The Band to Fleetwood Mac, this may be your cup of tea. It isn’t JUST that, however—perhaps calling them a modernized version of those late 60s and early 70s act is closer to the mark. 

The band is also currently on tour with Little Feat.

Tour
All shows with Little Feat--except Atlanta and Pensacola shows
8/3           Atlanta, GA                   Variety Playhouse
8/4           Carrboro, NC                 Cat’s Cradle
8/5           Morehead City, NC         The Morehead Center
8/25         Atlanta, GA                   Grant Park Summer Shade Festival
8/26         Atlanta, GA                   Grant Park Summer Shade Festival
9/8           Cincinnati, OH               PNC Pavilion (also Delbert McClinton, Dirty Dozen Brass Band)
9/10         Little Rock, AR              Revolution Music Room   
9/11         Tulsa, OK                      Cain's Ballroom                                
9/13         Denver, CO                    Bluebird Theatre                  
9/15          Flagstaff, AZ                  Orphuem Theatre
9/16         Los Angeles, CA            El Rey Theatre Sun
9/30           Pensacola, FL               Deluna Fest

Electric Guest, out on tour at the moment, have just announced a fall headline tour of the USA.  The band’s debut record, Mondo, is out now, as is the single from that record, This Head I Hold.

 The duo is a touring machine and has or will appear at some of the top shelf festivals of 2012 (Outside Lands for one).